For folks who are looking to take a little bit of home into the back country, we provide just the right combination. Evenings are spent in a cozy lodge. We call that roughing it the civilized way!

Specific dates for trips are listed below, please be sure to look over them carefully and choose the date that works best for you. When choosing date on availability calendar, be sure to choose the starting date for your vacation.

This rate is only for the months of July and August. For this same event in June and September, please order 6-Day Sundance Lodge Horseback Rides from Banff.

6-Day Sundance Lodge Horseback Rides from Banff - July & August Length: 6 days  Prices - including tax Our Retail Rate: $1,970.95 Our Internet Rate: $1,870.95 Savings: $100.00 Time: 9:30 am check-in -Wednesdays -July and August **For the 6-Day Lodge Ride in June and September, please order 6-Day Sundance Lodge Horseback Rides from Banff.  Summary: Hotel pickup and transportation to the check-in point in Banff are NOT included. Rates are per person in US dollars and include taxes. There is no child discount for this tour. Please reserve online, or call us toll-free at 888-307-6197. ** You will receive an E-Ticket for your tour/activity. We attempt to provide your E-Ticket within 72 hours (if your tour/activity is in less than 10 days). If your tour/activity is within the next 72 hours, your E-Ticket will be processed as quickly as possible. You will need to print your E-Ticket at www.reserve123.com/tickets; you must have your E-Ticket, or you will be charged again with no refund. There is a $3.95 processing fee per order. This is a flat fee regardless of the number of tickets or tours purchased on an order.

2008 Departure Dates

July: 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
August: 6, 13, 20, 27

Important Notes

With a herd numbering over 300 horses, we can accommodate just about anyone but please note that some restrictions on age and weight may apply.

Check-in is in Banff, Alberta, Canada. Transportation to Banff is not included in this tour. After check-in, we take you by van to our stable in Banff where you will meet your guide, who will explain some basic trail riding guidelines.

Banff is only 80 miles (130 km) west of the Calgary International Airport and is easily accessible by shuttle bus or rental car. Shuttles depart 7 days a week from the airport, three times daily. It is important to call to confirm all shuttle departure times and prices. Most major car rental agencies have offices at the airport. Your extra luggage and valuables may be left in our care in Banff. You can leave your vehicle at our stables (directions given upon check-in). We do not recommend leaving anything of value in your car while on your trip.

The Canadian Goods & Services Tax is included in your ticket price. Also included in the ticket price is a $10.00 per person, per night Parks Canada backcountry user fee. This fee is to help offset the costs of maintaining a national park visited and used by over 2 million travelers every year. Your contribution will help to cover trail maintenance and repair, warden services, wildlife monitoring, and public information and safety.

We strongly recommend that you purchase travel, health, and cancellation insurance. Each rider will be required to sign a liability waiver. Safety experts recommend hard hats and narrow boots.

Gratuities - not included in your ticket price - are customary and very much appreciated.

SAMPLE ITINERARY - 6 DAY LODGE RIDE - Wednesday Departures

Day 1 - Riders meet at our office at 9:30 a.m. and are transported by van to the Stables. There they are met by their guides and horses, and mount up for the ten mile ride to Banff Sundance Lodge via the glacier-fed waters of the Bow River, Healy and Brewster Creeks. For those with a vehicle, free parking is available at the stables for the duration of the trip. Once you check-in, directions will be available from our office.

Day 2 - The adventure continues southward with a ride up to Halfway Lodge. The trail winds along the historic Strom pack trail with the rugged Sundance Range dominating the eastern horizon.

Day 3 - After a good night's rest at Halfway Lodge and a hearty breakfast, it's down to the corral to mount up for the day's ride. Trips may take riders to the headwaters of Brewster Creek or to the breathtaking views enjoyed at the top of Allenby Pass, at an elevation of 8,100 ft.

Day 4 - After a warm good-bye to the cook and Halfway, the winding trail leads back along the Brewster creek to Sundance Lodge. This will be home for the next 2 nights.

Day 5 - The day begins with a hot, ranch-style breakfast; fuel for the ride up Fatigue Creek. At midday, both horse and rider enjoy a restful break in the Fatigue Valley, while the lunch mule is unpacked and coffee is brewed. The lofty heights of the Continental Divide provide spectacular vistas of both Alberta and British Columbia.

Day 6 - The gang gets together for one last day on the trail, a "soft" ten-mile ride from Sundance to the Stables, arriving at approximately 4:30 p.m. The adventure has come to a close, but the magic of your holiday will linger on to be relived and shared.

What to Bring

It is essential that our guests be prepared for all kinds of mountain weather. We have had many years of personal experience dealing with Mother Nature up here, so please take our list to heart! Mother Nature can be unpredictable up here in the mountains, so our guests need to come prepared for every type of weather. Clothing that is easily layered works the best. You can always remove what you don't need, but you still have it just in case. Also, bring your most comfortable gear -- this is not the time to break-in new boots or a new hat.

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE
May: High...14C/57F...Low...2C/34F
June: High...19C/66F...Low...5C/41F
July: High...22C/71F...Low...7C/45F
August: High...22C/70F...Low...7C/44F
September: High...16C/60F...Low...3C/38F
October: High...10C/50F...Low...-1C/31F
These are average temperatures at an elevation of 4538 feet. Temperatures will drop at higher elevations.

When packing your gear, keep in mind it is being packed out to the lodge on a mule and our animals' comfort is very important to us. By following our guidelines, you can help us ensure that.

You must pack your gear in a soft-sided, cloth or nylon bag. It can not have any hard edges, frames or wheels. Your gear is restricted to a TOTAL MAXIMUM WEIGHT OF 30 POUNDS. It's a good idea to line the inside of your bag with garbage bags for waterproofing. Your coat, rain gear, hat and gloves are packed separately from your duffel and are either worn or tied with saddle strings to the back of your saddle. Saddlebags, rain gear and other essentials that you are taking on your horse with you are not included in the 30 lbs weight restriction.

If you would like to bring saddlebags (we don't supply them), please fill them only with essential items that you would need during the day, such as lip balm, your camera, sunscreen, etc. We reserve the right to limit the amount of gear in the saddlebags for weight. Fanny packs (a small pack that ties around the waist) also work well. Daypacks, backpacks or other bags are NOT allowed -- they are hard on your back and hard on the horse's back, and do not tie properly to the saddle.

Please note that we provide the bed, bedding and pillows. The length of your trip will alter what you need. The following list details essential items to bring with you:

- A warm coat -- Essential to ward off chilly nights or a windy day. Also bring a heavy sweater (wool is a great insulator) or a fleece jacket.
- Rain gear -- A raincoat and rain pants, and if possible, coverings for your boots and hat. Please DO NOT bring rain ponchos, they flap in the wind and spook the horses. If you have one, we recommend an oilskin slicker.
- Shirts -- 2 Sweatshirts, 1 long-sleeve shirt (turtleneck if you prefer) and 2 T-shirts.
- Jeans -- We suggest one pair for riding in during the day and another pair for wearing around camp. Two pairs of jeans are all you should need. Also important is a pair of long underwear for chilly nights.
- Riding boots -- A boot with a heel that can easily slip in and out of stirrups. Alternatives would be a narrow style of hiking boot or solid sneaker. For safety reasons, clunky hiking boots are not recommended. Plastic bags inside your boots can help to keep your feet dry on rainy days.
- Sneakers or an extra pair of shoes for wearing around the lodge. An extra pair of dry socks is also recommended.
- Toiletries -- Towel, facecloth, biodegradable shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, disposable razors, etc. Please note that we do not have any electricity at our lodges. WE SUPPLY TOILET PAPER AND HAND SOAP.
- Flashlight -- Remember to check your batteries!
- Hat -- A cowboy hat offers the most protection from the elements. Baseball caps or canvas-type hats are also fine. Please ensure that your hat fits snug and will not blow off in the wind,
- Gloves and a scarf -- Lined leather or suede gloves provide protection from the elements and a sure grip on the reins. A silk or cotton scarf/bandana is recommended for extra warmth.
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and mosquito repellent.
- Your camera -- Don't forget extra film.
- Liquor -- Please make sure that all bottled liquor is well-wrapped in plastic and placed in the middle of your duffel to prevent it from breaking. Plastic bottles are preferred. Canned mix and beer is available for sale at both lodges. Please remember that alcohol is included in your 30 lbs limit.
- Water bottle -- for refreshment while you are riding.

The Lodges

Sundance Lodge sits alongside a gentle curve on Brewster Creek, with the Sundance mountain range as a backdrop. Built entirely with fir logs, the lodge has 10 sleeping rooms, a large country kitchen, and a cozy living room area where you can curl up by the woodstove and lose yourself in a good book. And although it is a remote backcountry lodge, we decided to add what we felt was an important comfort from home - hot showers! (Please note that, for environmental reasons, showers are restricted to one per stay.)

Surrounded by the beauty of towering peaks, Halfway Lodge has been a welcome haven for over 75 years. Rich in tradition, this cabin was used back in the late 1920's by mountain guide Erling Strom as a stopover for his guests travelling from Banff to Mount Assiniboine. Then a single storied cabin, Strom's wranglers spent the night sleeping in tents while the guests found floor space within. Halfway has remained pretty much as originally built, with the exception of a second story added in 1967 when a bear made an appearance through an unexpected entrance - the roof!

Thanks to the bear, Halfway now sleeps a maximum of fourteen guests. The lifestyle at this rustic backcountry cabin remains much the same as it was 75 years ago - simple. Propane lanterns and candles provide the lighting, and a woodstove keeps the water hot and the cabin warm and cozy.

Note: At Sundance Lodge, private sleeping arrangements are possible depending upon trip size, but are not guaranteed. Sundance has 10 sleeping rooms with 3 beds in each room, rooms are designated on a choose your own basis once at the lodges. Halfway is equipped with single beds only and sleeps 14 guests in 4 rooms.

This rate is only for the months of July and August. For this same event in June and September, please order 6-Day Sundance Lodge Horseback Rides from Banff.

Hotel pickup and transportation to the check-in point in Banff are NOT included. Rates are per person in US dollars and include taxes. There is no child discount for this tour. Please reserve online, or call us toll-free at 888-307-6197.