5-Day Urban Journey of Indigenous Alberta

Day 1: Arrive in Calgary

Arrive in Calgary and pick up your rental car for the next several days and then check into your accommodation.

Overnight: Calgary

Day 2: Calgary

In the morning, make sure to spend some time at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre of Canada, which honours and preserves Canadian Music’s diverse history through interactive exhibits and displays showcasing all musical genres. Currently, there is a featured exhibit called Speak Up! It is both an online and physical exhibition at Studio Bell that highlights Indigenous artists making social and political impacts in Canada. In the afternoon, head to Calgary Heritage Park for a journey through time and specifically check out the 1860s Fur Trading Fort and First Nations Encampment. Calgary Heritage Park shares the stories of both the fur traders and First Nation People. Enjoy another evening of leisure in your downtown Calgary hotel.

Overnight: Calgary

Day 3: Drive to Edmonton

In the morning depart for Amiskwaciwâskahikan, the’ traditional name of Edmonton meaning Beaver Hills, for a three-and-a-half-hour drive to the Capital city of Alberta. Check into your Edmonton hotel before heading out for a day of activities. We recommend enjoying a hearty lunch at Pei Pei Chei Ow – a contemporary Indigenous cuisine, inspired by the land, life, and seasons. After lunch, drive to Fort Edmonton Park for the Indigenous Peoples Experience, a brand-new interpretive centre that tells the true story of living as an Indigenous person and the struggles they faced in both modern times and the past. Visitors will be immersed in rich cultural experiences through Indigenous narrators, and interactive and engaging audio-visual components. We recommend also visiting ᐄᓃᐤ (ÎNÎW) River Lot 11∞ located in Edmonton's Indigenous Art Park. ᐄᓃᐤ (ÎNÎW) is a Cree word meaning, “I am of the Earth.” The Art Park is situated on the ancestral lands of the Indigenous peoples whose descendants entered into the Treaty with the British Crown, resulting in territory opening for settlement. The Art Park features artwork by 6 Canadian Indigenous artists. Enjoy an evening of leisure in the city of Edmonton.

Overnight: Edmonton

Day 4: Edmonton

Start your day by heading to the Royal Alberta Museum, taking you through time as you learn about the history of Alberta’s people, animals and landscape. The Human History Hall showcases the history of the province through the eyes of Indigenous people. The exhibit shows how the resiliency, spirituality and innovative use of the natural world that has kept the culture alive during colonization. Learn about the intricate floral beading techniques used by Métis people or gaze into a 1600-year-old roasting pit, which Blackfoot people cooked their feast. After lunch, depart for Metis Crossing for the night to Alberta’s first major Métis cultural interpretive destination. Created as a place for Métis people to share Métis stories, they welcome everyone to join for family-fun and cultural learning! Enjoy a wide range of activities from the “Through the eyes of the Hunter” Experience showcasing Métis harvesting traditions to Métis Dance Parties. Stay overnight in one many accommodations styles at Métis Crossing, including geometric dome tents or a brand new, boutique lodge.

Overnight: Edmonton

Day 5: End of Journey

Today marks the end of your Urban Indigenous experience in Alberta. In the morning, depart south to Calgary for a 3.5-hour drive to catch your connecting flight home or alternatively fly out of Edmonton.