I will be leading a private tour of southwest Saskatchewan for participants of the AsReml workshop taking place at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. Space is limited – if you are interested in joining, please contact me and I will put you name on the waiting list. For participants in the workshop, please do not book travel or accommodation until you have received your formal registration letter from the AsReml workshop organizers (which should be sent out before July 11, 2012).
Here are the tour details:
Dates: Friday, July 20 – Sunday, July 23, 2012
Cost : $495 (based on double occupancy). Single room supplement: $100
What is included: transportation in a 7-passenger van, two nights accommodation, breakfast on Saturday and Sunday, entrance fee to the Cypress Hills Provincial Park, entrance fee to the T. Rex Discovery Centre
Size of the group: min 4, max 6
Itinerary:
Friday, 20. July 2012
– leave Saskatoon at 9 am, drive 3.5 hrs to Leader. Lunch in Leader, check-in (http://www.leader.ca/places_to_go.html)
– drive 35 min to open sand dunes south of Sceptre, spend some time exploring the dunes (http://www.virtualsk.com/current_issue/sand_wind_time.html)
Open sand dunes in Great Sand Hills south of Sceptre
– optional: in case of rain and slippery roads, visit to Dean Francis art gallery (http://www.deanfrancis.ca)
– return to Leader, dinner
– if there is interest after the dinner, drive approx. 30 min to watch sunset over cliffs along South Saskatchewan River at the Saskatchewan / Alberta border
South Saskatchewan River canyon near Empress
Saturday, 21. July 2012
– early risers can go for a short drive to Checkerboard Hills, walk along the river
– breakfast in Leader (included)
– leave for Maple Creek, 1 hr drive
– lunch in Maple Creek, Star Café and Grill (http://www.thestarcafe.ca)
– optional visit to Cypress Hills Vineyard & Winery (http://www.cypresshillswinery.com)
– drive to the Cypress Hills Provincial Park, check in Cypress Resort Inn (http://www.cypressresortinn.com)
Conglomerate Cliffs in Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park
– short walk in the park, dinner at the hotel
– optional: evening drive to watch sunset at the Bald Butte
Sunday, 22, July 2012
– early morning walk in the park (or short walk after the breakfast)
– breakfast in the hotel (included)
– drive about an hour to the Nature Conservancy interpretive centre near Eastend, explore the Old Man on his Back Prairie Heritage and Conservation Area (http://www.natureconservancy.ca/en/where-we-work/saskatchewan/featured-projects/old_man_on_his_back_ranch.html). Chance to see and photograph a herd of bison in a prairie setting
Old Man on His Back Prairie and Heritage Conservation Area
– lunch in Eastend
– visit the T. Rex Discovery Centre in Eastend (http://www.trexcentre.ca). Entrance fee included
– start driving back to Saskatoon
– after about 2.5 hrs, option of stopping for a short walk at the Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park – view of prairie along the river, beautiful rolling hills
Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park south of Kyle
– depending on time & trip progress, stop for a dinner about 30 min after the walk in Sask. Landing Park
– drive back to Saskatoon (additional 2 hrs drive), arrive late afternoon / evening
Dr. Branimir Gjetvaj is a biologist and internationally published environmental photographer specializing in western Canadian landscapes. He leads photography workshops and photo tours, and gives public presentations on photography, natural history and conservation biology topics.