On our Alberta adventure tours, you will spend your days trekking over some of the most beautiful countrysides on the planet, where you and your fellow Austin Adventures travelers are the only living souls in sight (except for the occasional flock of bighorn sheep). A couple of truly unique experiences include hiking on Athabasca Glacier alongside one of Canada’s leading expert mountaineers and tackling the Class III and IV whitewater rapids of Kicking Horse River.
After all that adrenaline pumping fun, we promise plenty of relaxation, too. Delicious food and luxurious accommodations await, perfect for unwinding over good conversation, a soak, or perhaps reading a book by a warm fire. Also, we promise not to let you leave before you check out the internationally acclaimed shops and galleries of Banff.
Alberta By the Seasons
Alberta enjoys four distinct seasons from snowy winters to mild summers. With the highest number of sunny days in all of Canada – more than 2,300 hours of sunshine each year, Alberta is the perfect place to explore. Alberta adventure vacations can be taken no matter the time of year!
Spring (March to May)
You’ll find that the beginning of spring (March and early April) are still quite snowy and the temperatures will stay on the cooler side (10-25°F). This is the perfect time to take advantage of “spring skiing” and other snow sports, when the weather is warmer than mid-winter but the snow is still powdery and fresh. Late April and early May will warm up day by day until you see late spring temperatures in the 60°F+ range. You’ll still need that jacket for cool evenings.
Summer (June – August)
Most of our Alberta Adventures take place during the summer months and this seems to be when the weather is at its finest. You’ll see upper 60 to 75°F+ days, which is just perfect for scoping out wildlife, taking on the class II to IV rapids of the Kicking Horse River or taking on a full day hike over Sentinel Pass. Even mid-summer, you’ll likely run into plenty of snow in the high country and will even get to experience walking on a glacier – it doesn’t get much cooler than that (no pun intended!)
Autumn (September – November)
Alberta in the fall is a real treat as the tourist season winds down, the aspens turn a dazzling shade of gold and sunshine-filled days continue to hold throughout October. This is the perfect time to hike in the high-country as most of the snow has melted with constant exposure to summer sunshine and the winter storms haven’t hit yet. Expect highs in the upper 40 to 60°F range.
Winter (December – February)
Albertans spend half of their year in the snow, so they’ve found lots of ways to enjoy the cold winter! Spending a wintry vacation in Alberta means you’ll likely be downhill or cross-country skiing, sledding, ice skating, snowshoeing, snowmobiling or engaging in the ultimate snowball fight. While temperatures will be chilly (below 0 to 20°F), you can wage a war on the cold by throwing on the layers when playing outside during the day.