Retired, not expired
This customized trip begins and ends in Calgary for those who arrived at Calgary International Airport. Travelers who are arriving by their car or recreational vehicle will be met in Pincher Creek, Alberta.
Visiting historic First Nation locations, old coal mining towns, cowboy and miners’ hangouts, there’s plenty to discover in the Rockies and their Eastern Slopes for those seeking to immerse themselves in the natural splendor that is bordering Waterton Glacier International Peace Park where Canadian Rockies meet the Prairie grasslands.
Bordering Montana, the Southern Rockies are one of Canada’s best-kept secrets. An absence of crowds makes the views, experiences, and journeys much more special. Here you will have a chance to get connected with native culture, nature and enjoy the sights— there’s nobody else in line.
Welcome Couples +21
4 Days Waterton Glacier Peace Park Adventure
Summer Whitebark Pine Adventure Package
4 Days | 3 Nights | Semi Inclusive
Tour Operator: Elite Brands Culture Discovery Tours | Certified to Operate in Canadian Rockies National Parks
$2,950 CAD
Per Couple | Semi- Inclusive | Flexible Dates (price apply when booked between Nov.01,2025 - Feb.01, 2026, limited to 2 couples)
Meals: The responsibility for making breakfast and lunch falls on you. We will supply the ingredients eggs, meats (like bacon and sausage), grains (oats, toast, pancakes, waffles), fruits (berries, bananas), and dairy (milk, yogurt, cheese).
Dinners: Offered package adventure does not include dinner, we can recommend suitable local restaurants and provide transportation to and from restaurant.
2026 Flexible Trip Departure Dates
July, August, September, 2026
Tour Dates: Contact us and provide the specific start and end dates of your planning trip
Booking: Minium 2 | Maximum 4 people
Nestled in the picturesque Porcupine Hills of southern Alberta this cattle ranch offers superb guest accommodations.
The rolling hills, abundant springs, sheltering poplar and willow groves make it prime habitat for grazing cattle that live a stress-free life of roaming and grazing on 1000 acres of native grassland, forests, shrub and riparian areas. The shelter from the hills minimizes wind exposure for the ranch, while the topography facilitates a clear view of the valley, the Old Man River and Montana border.
This guest ranch will act as a great launchpad for exploring nearby regional Rocky Mountain destinations and will serve as a secluded escape to learn about
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This is a wilderness lodge located 20 minutes’ drive from the border to Banff National Park and 1 hour drive from the border to Jasper National Park. The lodge sits right by the turquoise waters of the lake.
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5 Days Transportation
(airport transfer included)
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5 Days Lodge accommodation
1 bedroom (two twin beds, Free Wi-Fi, Ensuite bathroom with shower, Toiletries)
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5 Days Meals
(breakfast, lunch boxes, 5 Course Dinner)
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4 Tours as per Itineraries
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5 Days Certified Guide
(Available 7/24, tour vehicle equipped with GPS device for emergency satellite connectivity in remote parks areas)
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Payment can be made e-transfer debit, VISA and MasterCard.
A $100 CAD Not Refundable deposit is required to hold the tour.
Full payment must be made at the time of final registration. Prices published include GST (taxes)
If for some reason you are unable to attend, please inform us at least 5 FULL days before the Tour starts. Payments are non-refundable, so you may schedule for a later time or share the tour with a family member or friend on your behalf.
Gift certificates can be purchased for any tour. Tour is limited to only 2 couples; we recommend advance booking.
Please advise us of any allergies or dietary restrictions at the time of booking.
Tour Itinerary
Day One: Travel with Ease: Airport to Destination
Pick up and transfer from Calgary Airport.
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It's 140 miles or 230km road that runs south along the eastern slopes of the Rockies, tracing ranchland, rolling foothills and historic small towns where cowboy boots are standard and the prairie sky feels endless.
Alberta’s Cowboy Trail is all about the feeling of wide horizons, crisp air and winding two-lane highway that seem to roll on forever. -
It's 140 miles or 230km road that runs south along the eastern slopes of the Rockies, tracing ranchland, rolling foothills and historic small towns where cowboy boots are standard and the prairie sky feels endless.
Alberta’s Cowboy Trail is all about the feeling of wide horizons, crisp air and winding two-lane highway that seem to roll on forever. -
Ranch
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Estimated driving time from Calgary airport to your accommodation is 2 1/2 hour
Day Two: Feel The Spirit
The Blackfoot Confederacy is an alliance of four nations: the Siksika (Blackfoot), Kainai (Many Chiefs), Apatohsipiikani (Northern Peigan), and Amsskapipiikani (Southern Peigan)
The Blackfoot Confederacy holds a deep spiritual connection to the Waterton region, known to them as Paahtómahksikimi, meaning "the inner sacred lake".
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For generations, Waterton Lake area served as a gathering place for peacemaking and trade, with the Blackfoot naming significant landscape features after people and events in their history.
The Blackfoot established trading alliances with many nations. Paahtómahksikimi is one of many gathering places where they met and traded. For example, they traded with the Shuswap and Okanagan.
In 1873 the Canadian government created a multipurpose force that was both police and military, diplomat and enforcer. This force was named North-West Mounted Police. For the Blackfoot, this arrival marked the beginning of a dramatic societal shift as the NWMP's efforts to control the land and impose new legal systems dismantled their existing governance, economy, and cultural practices, leading to a profound disruption of their traditional ways of life.
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Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump is located in southern Alberta, Canada, where the foothills of the Rocky Mountains meet the Great Plains. It is the best preserved example of the communal hunting techniques and of the way of life of the Plains people based on the vast herds of bison that existed in North America for more than five millennia. A remarkable testimony of pre-European contact life in North America, this bison jump bears witness to a sophisticated custom practiced by Indigenous people of the North American plains.
Fort Macleod is a historic town in southern Alberta, Canada, known for its preserved historic downtown, Fort Museum, and connection to Western Canadian history. It was established in 1874 as a Northwest Mounted Police (NWMP) fort named after Colonel James Macleod and is recognized as one of Alberta's oldest communities. The town offers a blend of prairie scenery, small-town living, and serves as a filming location for movies, including Interstellar and Brokeback Mountain.
Founded in 1907, small country St. Henry's Church is a historical church near Waterton Park. It was constructed mostly by the German settlers who arrived from Nebraska. This picturesque church atop a small hill, with a view of the mountains it’s no longer an active Catholic parish.
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Ranch
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8AM - 3PM
Day Three: Discover the beauty of the winding way
The Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park is the world's first International Peace Park, combining Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada, and Glacier National Park in Montana, United States. Established in 1932, it commemorates the goodwill and lasting peace between the two countries.
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Many people don’t have this Canada's National ark on their travel radar, mostly because it gets eclipsed by its celebrity sisters, Banff and Jasper. Created in 1895, Waterton Lakes National Park joined forces with Glacier National.
Waterton is part of the Crown of the Continent ecosystem and has four ecoregions: foothills parkland, montane, subalpine, and alpine. This creates habitat for more than 1,270 species of plants and a wide array of wildlife. The park sits on the Lewis Thrust Fault, where ancient Precambrian rock (1.5 billion years old) was pushed horizontally over younger rock. This is dramatically visible in features like Red Rock Canyon, where the colorful, oxidized rock is exposed. International Peace Park unites Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada with Glacier National Park in Montana. The park features over 80 lakes and ponds. Upper Waterton Lake is the deepest lake in the Canadian Rockies, and the Waterton Lakes chain is a dominant feature of the park.
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The Red Rock Parkway travels 15 km up the Blakiston Valley through rolling grasslands and ends at Red Rock Canyon and the Akamina Parkway is a winding mountain road that starts in the Waterton townsite and runs 16 km along the Cameron Valley, ending at Cameron Lake which borders Montana.
The Akamina Parkway is a 16-kilometer scenic mountain road in Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada, that starts in the Waterton townsite and ends at Cameron Lake. The parkway is a winding mountain road that offers breathtaking views.
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Ranch
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6.30AM - 1.30PM
Day Four: Row, row, row your boat
The M.V. International passenger ship offers scenic cruises on Upper Waterton Lake that cross the border into Montana, USA. The cruise is a 3-hour tour that includes a 30-minute stop at Goat Haunt, Montana, which is part of the International Peace Park Wilderness. During the tour, you will see dramatic scenery, cliffs, waterfalls, and potential wildlife.
The M.V. International is the oldest passenger ship still operating in Canada, built in 1928.
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Montana Stop: The cruise includes a 30-minute stop at Goat Haunt, Montana, as it crosses the international border to be part of the International Peace Park Wilderness.
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3 hours Scenic Boat Tour
The Waterton bison paddock in Waterton Lakes National Park that offers visitors a chance to see plains bison up close in their natural habitat.
Visit and experience the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton designated Canada National Historic Site and landmark.
Cameron Falls is located in the Waterton townsite. The falls are surrounded by ancient Precambrian rock, the oldest in the Canadian Rockies.
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Start:8AM
End: Calgary or Waterton
[ HIGHLIGHTS ]World class journey through the heart of the Canadian Prairies Grasslands and Rockies
Journey Features
Geologically, Waterton - Glacier International Peace Park features older, more colorful shale mountains, whereas Banff has younger, more prominent grey limestone peaks. The scenery is unique and prairie-to-mountain transition provides dramatic, colorful peaks.
Upper Waterton Lake is the deepest lake in the Canadian Rockies. The village of Waterton, population around 100, is located along the pretty shores of Emerald Bay and Upper Waterton Lake. It is a quiet, less commercialized, with a small-town feel and a more unspoiled environment.
Food & Drink
Southern Alberta's food culture is deeply influenced by its agricultural landscape, emphasizing locally sourced ingredients like beef, bison, canola, saskatoon berries, root vegetables, honey, and heritage grains. This region's identity is tied to the land, showcasing a diverse dining scene with influences from Indigenous traditions with emphasis on fresh, high-quality ingredients, supported by a network of farms and ranches.
Sightseeing & Culture
The Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site where dramatic mountain landscapes abruptly meet the prairie, offering a unique combination of ecosystems and cultural history, including the enduring presence of First Nations and the layers of Canadian colonial history.
As the world's first international peace park, it protects shared natural resources across the Canada-U.S. border.
Lodging Enhancements
Guest Cabin at the Cattle Ranch near the Montana border.
[ the journey ]Travel by Feeling, Not by Speed.
Slow Tourism
This is a type of tourism that is centered on experiencing a destination's cultural heritage, art, history, traditions, and lifestyle. Once providing you with the opportunities, you will be motivated to learn, discover, and immerse oneself in local culture and help to preserve the local cultural heritage. This journey aim is to recognize and cultivate the feeling that:
You are part of nature:
A fundamental belief in the interconnectedness between humanity and the natural world.
You care for nature:
This sense of belonging leads to a deeper emotional connection and a desire to care for and protect the environment.
There is a commitment:
Caring for nature.
Over Tourism
A trend of the moment is the tourism phenomenon influenced by mass culture where people chose the destination based on social media, influencers, television programs and often films. In effect tourist destinations suffer from over tourism and overcrowding.
Currently, in some of the Canadian National Parks, travel experiences involve tourists rushing from one hotspot to another. This influx of tourists seeking such experiences results in negative environmental impacts such as pollution and devastation of nature, along with social distress due to overcrowding and a diminished visitor experience.
Today, the constant creation and re-creation of tourist imaginaries through social media can lead to an influx of visitors eager to replicate experiences seen online and demand from local tour operators to offer tour itinerary that copy these experiences.
Authenticity Awaits…Find Your Own Story
Founder 55plusTravel
Jerzy Maslanka
Alberta, Canada
Responsible Tourism is the mindset that guides me.
All tours are designed in ways which reflect the natural, cultural and the geological character of a place – its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage and people who live there. I am hoping that while I can offer these exclusive private tours, true passions and purpose will be presented to those who decided to support mine and hospitality providers that are collaborating with Elite Brands Culture Discovery Tours.
Having had an opportunity to emigrate to Canada from Poland, live and work in Alberta for the last 38 years, I frequently visited many historic sites, hiking, cycling and skiing in the Canadian Rockies and the Eastern Slopes Foothills. I retired from the Oil and Gas Industry where I worked for 30 years. In May 2021, I received my Guiding Certification. Currently I live near the border with Banff and Jasper National Park and operate tours to Canadian Rockies and Badlands.
Travelers often feel gratitude and satisfaction after a Canadian Rockies tour with a knowledgeable and thoughtful guide and for many, booking a tour creates a mix of excitement, anticipation, and occasional anxiety. Reading below reviews, it may help you when thinking to go for tour with me or participate in workshops.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Jerzy
