General Travel Information

Live history by camping in a tipi

Tipi camping is a classic Albertan experience that often comes with a complete cultural education as you walk in the footsteps of those who owned the lands of Alberta long before Europeans came along.

Think Dances With Wolves. Get into the program and find out what significance the tipi designs and colours hold, why Blackfoot women were considered the owners of the tipi, and how the structure is able to keep cool in the summer and toasty warm in the winter...

Bring your sleeping bags and your imagination. Here are our top five picks for living large on the land:

• Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park. For the complete experience in Blackfoot culture and traditions, a visit to this historical park is simply a must-do. From archaeological finds and treaty signings to international cultural performances and educational programs, this is the place you want to overnight in a tipi village.

• Head-Smashed-In-Buffalo-Jump. A UNESCO World Heritage Site in southern Alberta, the buffalo jump is full of history. Relax under a starry sky, cosy up next to the crackling campfire, and listen as your guide tells native legends passed down for generations from his people. Special tipi package rates also include meals.

• Sundance Lodges. Looking for a quick overnight in a tipi? Head towards the Rockies and check in at Sundance Lodges. Two sizes of tipis are available for rent along with trappers’ tents – each with its own picnic table and fire pit.

• Elk Island Retreat. Drive east past Edmonton to Elk Island where you can bring all your friends for your next tipi trip. With 24” tipis, 10 people can comfortably share. Sign up for the optional Aboriginal Cultural Programs or just enjoy the great outdoors. A new twist? Book a tipi for a little winter camping.

• Old Entrance. Just outside Jasper National Park, Old Entrance features comfortable tipis by the river. If you don’t feel like cooking the next morning you can pop into the main lodge for a hot breakfast. If tipis are definitely your new method of camping, Old Entrance sells three different sizes!

  For more Aboriginal experiences in Alberta, visit AlbertaAboriginalTourism.com