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Writing-on-Stone & Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump

Southern Alberta · Indigenous Heritage

Highlights

  • Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and interpretive centre
  • Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park's hoodoos and Indigenous rock art, among the largest concentrations in North America
  • Overnight in Lethbridge, with time at the park's visitor centre
  • A culturally-focused route, different from our nature and mountain day trips

Itinerary

Day 1

Calgary Airport (YYC) → Head-Smashed-In → Lethbridge

After breakfast on your own, depart Calgary Airport (YYC) and drive south through Fort Macleod to Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where Plains Indigenous peoples drove bison over sandstone cliffs for nearly 6,000 years. Explore the interpretive centre built directly into the cliff itself, tracing this ingenious hunting method and the cultures it sustained for millennia. Afterward, continue on to Lethbridge, southern Alberta's coulee city, where you'll overnight before tomorrow's journey to the province's remarkable rock art.

Breakfast on your own
Calgary Airport (YYC), ABCalgary Airport (YYC), AB
Lethbridge, ABLethbridge, AB
Fort Macleod, ABFort Macleod, AB
Day 2

Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park → return

Spend the morning at Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, where wind-carved hoodoos rise along the Milk River valley amid the largest concentration of Indigenous rock art on the North American plains. Walk among the sandstone pillars and coulees, viewing centuries-old petroglyphs and pictographs etched into the sacred sandstone by the Blackfoot and other Plains peoples. After breakfast included at your hotel and a morning steeped in ancient stories and striking badlands scenery, begin the drive back to Calgary Airport (YYC).

Breakfast included
Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, ABWriting-on-Stone Provincial Park, AB
Calgary Airport (YYC), ABCalgary Airport (YYC), AB
Lethbridge, ABLethbridge, AB

Route & Distances

  1. Calgary Airport (YYC)Fort Macleod≈ 180 kmHead-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump stop
  2. Fort MacleodLethbridge≈ 50 km
  3. LethbridgeWriting-on-Stone Provincial Park≈ 100 km
  4. Writing-on-Stone Provincial ParkCalgary Airport (YYC)≈ 300 km

Distances are approximate driving distances, for reference only — actual route and mileage on the day may vary.

Check Availability

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Departure dates are temporarily closed. This calendar will reopen here once we are officially operating. In the meantime, contact us to register your interest.

What's Included

Includes

  • Round-trip transport in an air-conditioned vehicle
  • English-speaking driver-guide (Vietnamese on request, subject to availability)
  • Hotel accommodation for 1 night in Lethbridge (based on double occupancy)
  • Breakfast on the morning after the first

Excludes

  • Lunch and dinner
  • Site admissions and park day-use fees
  • Gratuities for your guide

Own Expenses

Optional activities you can add on-site — not included in the tour price.

  • Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump admission≈ $15 CAD / person
  • Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park day-use fee≈ $14 CAD / vehicle

Cancellation Policy

CancelledRefund
21+ days before departureFull refund
7–20 days before departure50% refund
Less than 7 days before departureNo refund

Good to Know

  • Valid government-issued photo ID is required for every traveler on all departures.
  • Pickup and drop-off times are approximate and may shift by 15–30 minutes depending on traffic and road conditions.
  • Itinerary order and stops may change due to weather, road closures, or park conditions — safety comes first.
  • Comfortable walking shoes are recommended; stops involve short, easy walks rather than technical hiking.
  • Let us know about mobility needs, dietary restrictions, or large group sizes at the time of booking so we can plan accordingly.
  • Multi-day tours are priced based on double-occupancy hotel rooms; single-traveler and triple-occupancy rates are available on request.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this trip more about history than scenery?

Both — Head-Smashed-In and Writing-on-Stone are significant Indigenous heritage sites, and Writing-on-Stone's hoodoo badlands are also visually striking.

How long is the drive?

Roughly 3 hours from Calgary Airport to Fort Macleod, continuing on to Lethbridge for the night — which is why this route is built around an overnight rather than a single long day.

Is one night enough?

Yes, this route is paced to cover both sites over two days without rushing either one.

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From $400 CADper person, CAD

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