What to Expect
Overview
The Canadian Rockies: Waterton Lakes is a moderately paced birding tour, focused on finding a diversity of birds. You can expect some early mornings and the occasional post-dinner walk.
Food
We generally have breakfast at the hotel before we head out for the day. Sometimes we will have optional pre-breakfast walks. We often take a picnic lunch in the field, but will occasionally stop at a restaurant for lunch. Dinner is usually at the lodge or a nearby restaurant. Each evening after dinner we compile the day’s checklist, review the day’s activities, birds, mammals and other observations, and plan the next day’s activities.
Accommodation
Generally we stay in standard hotel rooms in locations close to where we want to go birding. Most hotels we stay at have laundry facilities.
Walking
The walking on this tour is rated easy to moderate. Most birding is done from roads and well-marked trails, but we occasionally traverse low brush, swampy and uneven terrain, and there is some hill hiking. We walk at a slow pace, stopping frequently to observe fauna and flora. When we have two leaders, we sometimes split into “faster” and “slower” groups.
Driving
Driving times will vary from 1 – 3.5 hours of driving when transferring to a new location. We will have many rest stops along the way when moving to a new town.
Climate
The weather in Alberta is usually dry and sunny in Spring, but can be windy and rain is a possibility. Early mornings can be quite cold. It is best to check the weather the week before the tour starts and pack layers! These areas often have high pollen levels in spring, so we recommend bringing antihistamines if you’re prone to seasonal allergies.
