It’s Alberta’s landscape that will first strike you. For over a century, images of the Canadian Rockies have lured visitors from around the globe. Rugged peaks reaching for the heavens, the surreal turquoise of glacier-fed lakes surrounded by mountains, all set against the endlessly green rolling plateaus and valleys. You are truly in the heart of nature

Among the many points of interest are Banff and Jasper National Parks, named UNESCO World Heritage sites. The 200km highway joining Banff and Jasper, called the Icefield Parkway for the amazing glaciers along the route, is known as one of the most spectacular in the world.

These extraordinary parks are home to a wide variety of local fauna – mountain goats, wolves, coyotes, wapitis, black bears and grizzly bears. Wildlife sighting are a highlight of travel in the parks in the summer and fall. Wintertime has its own share of adventures in the region, with skiing and snowboarding attracting a global clientele. For many, the world class ski resorts are the destination – some others hunt fresh powder slopes in the backcountry or on heli-ski adventures.

Calgary is the province’s metropolis, just east of the rolling foothills in the plains. This prosperous, modern city has grown quickly thanks to rich energy resources, but hasn’t forgotten its cowboy roots. Each summer, the city brings the fun and adventure of the rootin’ tootin’ wild west back for the famous Calgary Stampede.

A picture is worth a thousand words