Drumheller and Badlands Full-Day Tour with a Small Group

Worst tour ever - and I have done many. RTB Tours was supposed to provide a High Top Touring van and a hot lunch as per our written vouchers. Driver Gary showed up in a minivan with 4 captains chairs and a child size bench seat in back - for 7 adults (3 adults to sit on the child bench seat) including himself for an 11 hour tour. We refused to get in. Got a high top touring van and we piled in. 4 degrees celsius in Calgary that morning - Gary did not know how to work the heat controls, the radio, or the GPS. He finally got the heat on in the drivers section for himself and a ride-a-long. Left the passengers freezing in the back. Once he was warm he turned the heat off - no consideration for the rest of us - we complained he put the heat back on for a few minutes and then turned it off again as he was warm. Gary forgot the microphone so told us we all had to squeeze in the front seats so we could hear him. Not that it matters - he didn't know what he was talking about for the most part. He told us those piles in the fields were rolled up grain (they were actually round hay bales) etc etc. Then Gary got lost - because he didn't know how work the van GPS the ride-a-long had to get out his cell phone and use Google Maps - for the entire trip. Took us to an abandoned mine but the tickets he gave us only allowed us to walk the grounds - not any of there provided tours. Next stop clearly had a closed sign on it. Turned out it was a construction site with no unauthorized vehicles allowed. Gary drove in anyways (illegally) until the foreman rushed over and kicked Gary out. The site had been under construction for several months - and RTB Tours didn't know it. Next site Gary missed the turnoff - after 20 minutes he finally realized it and turned around. Now it is lunch time - we ask where he is going to take us. turns out no hot luck was provided in spite of written voucher. We tell him to take us to the museum (a tour stop) and after that we wanted to go home (not finish the tour). We return to the van after the museum stop - no Gary and the van is locked. After 10 minutes we phone him and he says he is coming. Showed up 30 minutes later. In his hand a handwritten document stating how we (the passengers) had refused to go to the tour stops etc etc. Told us we all had to sign the document. We all refused. He then tried to hold us hostage - said he would not unlock the van nor take us back to Calgary (2 hours away) until we all signed. We all refused. He then shoved his phone in our faces and tried to videotape us while saying how we refused to participate in the tour - this went on for over 10 minutes. Finally the ride-a-long told him to open the van and to take us home. He opened up the van door and once we got in started videoing us again. Eventually took us back to Calgary - on the way having a conversation on his cell phone - while driving a van loaded with passengers - totally illegal.

The trip was canceled. The pick up time was at 7:30am and I was standing and waiting in the cold for the tour to start at the Calgary Tower. I was notified at 7:37 am that the trip was canceled. I drove from Canmore, Alberta where I am staying (1.5 hours in snow) to meet this tour. This level of inconvenience and poor communication is unacceptable. I should have been notified earlier! 😡😡😡😡

My girlfriend and I were excited to visit Canadian terrains and landscapes we had never witnessed before, and they were indeed spectacular. Unfortunately the RTB Tours guide we had went into a fit of rage when I asked politely if she could turn off the van’s engine while we were waiting outside or going sightseeing (she kept it on at all times, hours on end). She accused us of being “environmental lobbyists”, slammed the door in front of use, and went berserk after that. We received no apologies. Awful day. Two days before, we did another RTB tour (Banff, Lake Louise, and Moraine Lake) and at that time too the guide kept the engine running at all stops, whether short or prolonged. That time we didn’t say a thing and I hate to think what could have happened if we had. Needless to say, we will not ever buy a tour from RTB Tours.

Even though it rained all day it was still an amazing trip. The Badlands and especially the Hoodoos are well worth seeing. The trip to the mine was very interesting. There were steps to climb but they were not that bad. Though due to the rain leaking through some of the gaps in the wall there were a few spots that needed a bit more care. The Tyrell Dinosaur museum was amazing and a great way to spend a rainy afternoon.

What a great day out - packed with lots of different activities and our tour guide and driver, Rose, was informative, helpful and made every effort to ensure we got the best out of the tour. It included stops at a number of scenic vantage points looking out on to various stunning landscapes or interesting geological or historical places, and a shoogly pedestrian suspension bridge for fun. A stop at a coal mine was fascinating and the conducted tour inside (by a specialist guide) a tremendous experience. The Royal Tyrrell museum is superb and well worth the two hours or so we were there. We even managed a short ferry ride. Whilst it was a long day for us - 7:15 am pick up and back around 6:30 or so - it was an even longer day for Rose but she was cheerful and informative to the end! Admissiions to the mine and the museum are included and its a small group tour so I thiught it excellent value. Lunch was extra and pruchased at a small school museum between the mine and the museum and was a good soup and sandwich, with pie to follow if desired - we tried one we hadn't come across before and it was home made and delicious.

Our guide Ian was incredibly knowledgeable about the region which was great! We visited all of the top spots in the area (the Hoodoos, Atlas Mine and Royal Tyrrell Museum) as well as places off the well beaten tourist path - everything was well organized. Excellent day tour.

Even though it rained all day the scenery in the Badlands and the Hoodoos made up for it. Awesome! The mine tour was very interesting and thank goodness for the hard hats! The dinosaur museum was amazing and the exhibits were very well presented. Our driver/guide was very informative and friendly. Highly recommend this tour.

I would most definitely take another RTB tour when back in Alberta. Professional and on time. Highly recommended.

I contacted RTB to arrange a day tour for a group of Girl Guides, girls ages 12 and 13 years old. There were 13 youth and 3 adults, so Tony (President) suggested we could do a charter tour for our group size. Tony arranged discount group rates for Atlas Coal Mine and Royal Tyrell Museum. We were picked up at our place of accommodation which was outside downtown Calgary and dropped off. The East Coulee School museum was offered as a place for lunch. Soup and sandwich orders were taken before we arrived, so that our food was ready when we arrived. Our girls enjoyed the delicious lunch. Our tour guide/driver was great with our teens and very informative. For Girl Guides of Canada, we have very specific guidelines we must adhere to, when we have third party service providers, companies who we entrust to carry out a service for us. I had specific questions from GGC which asked of Tony. He answered them and provided their guidelines for their company and drivers. I posed the same questions to another company we had investigated. Our group leaders chose RTB, as their response to our questions were very well laid out and professional. We went with the standard RTB tour to Drumheller and the Badlands, instead of customizing our tour and we were very happy with the amount of time at each attraction.

this tour was a little disappointing as the driver although informative was not personable; he rarely laughed, and didn't engage the participants by striking up conversation with them, such as making general inquiries such as what we did for a living, hobbies, are we enjoying the tour? questions? he gave 1 word answers to questions & often didn't respond to my questions at all; i have been told by strangers and friends that i am respectful, polite & not arrogant so i felt there was no reason to behave this way towards me & the others; he was not flexible, denied 1 participant's request to back track for 10 minutes so a picture could be taken quickly with a statue; lunch choices were limited to 3 options only--i was told lunch would be accommodating but it was not; attractions were good; i particularly enjoyed the mine and the cable ferry; i was a solo traveler on tour with these strangers yet we got along great, and enjoyed each other's company