Have your own DinoSapien adventure

For a family holiday with a difference, journey back to prehistoric times and let your little ones get their hands dirty. If your children have become hooked on the new BBC series “DinoSapien”, currently showing on CBBC, why not take them on a voyage of adventure to Alberta’s Badlands in Canada, where the landmark children’s programme was filmed.

In the new series Lauren (Brittany Wilson), an inquisitive fifteen year old, is coming to terms with the disappearance of her father who mysteriously went missing on a fossil expedition. Lauren and friends are working at a dinosaur camp run by her mother, Dr Hillary Slayton (Suzanna Hamilton), and it is here that they meet a live and seemingly intelligent dinosaur called Eno. The mystery intensifies as Lauren tries to discover what has happened to her father and keep Eno safe from his enemies.

Alberta’s Badlands are a unique environment, with moon-like landscapes of sandstone structures called hoodoos and richly laden fossil beds. It provided the perfect backdrop for the filming of DinoSapien and is the ideal place for an educational but adventurous family holiday.

Places of interest to visit include the Field Station of the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology where visitors can meet 35 species of dinosaur, Dinosaur Provincial Park a world UNESCO site with its extensive fossil beds and endangered riverside habitat, home to many species of wildlife and Drumheller, the dinosaur capital of the world with its giant model T-Rex standing 86 feet high.

For making dinosaur dreams come true, head for the EnCana Badlands Science Camp and spend three nights under canvas or in a tepee in the very heart of the Badlands. During the day, enjoy dinosaur games, prospecting for fossils, making casts and digging in a simulated quarry. In camp, kids will learn through play all about biology, palaeontology and geology.

Camps are aimed at families with children between the ages of 9 to 15 and cost C$190 per child and C$225 per adult. With the current exchange rate in excess of two Canadian dollars to the pound, this adventure is very affordable for UK wannabe dinosaur hunters. For more information visit Tyrrellmuseum.com.

A wide range of flights are available to Calgary International Airport, located just over an hour away from Drumheller. For example, Zoom offers flights and car rental from £199 travelling in June, for more information see Flyzoom.com.

For more information on Alberta, visit Travelalberta.com