Edmonton: Enjoy Nature and Culture

Take a quick day trip, forty minutes east from the heart of downtown Edmonton, to discover perfect wilderness at Elk Island National Park and wholesome history at Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village.

Wildlife lovers, watchers, and photographers, take note! Elk Island National Park is home to free-roaming plains bison, moose, deer, elk, and more than two hundred fifty species of birds. The park is the cornerstone of Canada's bison conservation story; without this place and the dedication of its people, herds of plains and woods bison would not thrive in Canada today. Under the big prairie sky, take a tour through the conservation projects going on throughout the park. Or soak in the beauty of a shoreline trail hike. Parks Canada interpreters will be there to explain the sights and sounds around you. No matter the season, it's a sure bet that you'll spot bison foraging for food.

Next, travel back in time at Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Centre. History is brought to life at this open-air museum, where costumed interpreters recreate the life of early Ukrainian pioneers who settled in east central Alberta from 1892 – 1930. Hear real stories of triumph and hardship in Canada's oldest and one-time largest bloc settlement of Ukrainian pioneers. First, dig into an authentic Ukrainian lunch. (Yes, that means perogies!) Then roll up your sleeves to prepare traditional Ukrainian-Canadian foods, with costumed role-players teaching you the techniques perfected more than one hundred years ago. Or you can choose to experience firsthand just how hardworking and resourceful Alberta's early Ukrainian pioneers were! Surrounded by thirty historic structures, you'll learn local history and the culture of early Ukrainian settlers, and show your strength with a physical historic task.

What's included: hotel pick-up/drop-off, full day experience, friendly guides, authentic Ukrainian lunch, and admission to Elk Island National Park and Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village.

For more information, contact Heather Knowles at 1.780.992.2959 or heather.knowles@pc.gc.ca.

Photo courtesy of Stephen G. Edgerton.