Canada's Rockies
7 Day Canada Tour from Calgary to Banff | Operated by Trafalgar
-
7 Days
-
1 Country
Canada -
7 Cities
Calgary, Lake Louise, Jasper National Park of Canada, Maligne Lake, Athabasca Glacier, Banff, Canmore -
10 Meals
1 Welcome Reception, 6 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch, 2 Dinners -
Pace: Comfortable
Mainly 2–3-night stays in each location. Comfortable travel days with numerous stops. Requires 1-3 miles of walking per day that might involve some uneven surfaces, such as cobblestones and stairs.
Trip Itinerary
Tip your Stetson to Canada’s ‘Cowboy Country’, kick-starting your adventure through the inimitable Rockies in Calgary. This evening, join your Travel Director and fellow travelers for a Welcome Reception.
Embark on a spiritual encounter with the Canadian Rockies, admiring the ethereal beauty of Lake Louise, the surrounding summits and Victoria Glacier, before we continue along the Icefields Parkway. Skirt the craggy peaks, waterfalls and luminous glacial lakes keeping an eye out for bears, elk and mountain goats as you make your way through the wilderness to Jasper.
Soak up pristine natural surroundings enjoying a morning at leisure or joining an optional Jasper Float Trip. Next, enjoy a Be My Guest experience over lunch at Maligne Lake Chalet. Hear fascinating stories about Jasper and uncover local secrets with the entertaining Jasper Theater Productions. Then, take to the aqua waters of Maligne Lake (seasonal), admiring views of its three glaciers and Spirit Island, named by the Stoney Nation indigenous people for the experiences their ancestors had at this place centuries ago. While Spirit Island is only a tiny grove of trees separated from the mainland by an isthmus, it becomes a true island for a few short days during the summer. Later, enjoy dramatic views as you take a guided walk to Maligne Canyon.
Your adventure begins with a ride onto the Athabasca Glacier in an all-terrain Ice Explorer—a massive vehicle specially designed for glacier travel. On this thrilling trip, an experienced driver-guide will share local secrets about glaciers and their impact on our environment. Take a sip of ice-cold glacier water and admire the surrounding snowcapped panorama before continuing your journey to the alpine village of Banff. Enjoy a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience as we meet a Cree Guide who will share insight on how buffalo were so important to our survival, the interconnected relationship we have, the teachings of the Buffalo around the sacred contract we hold and how we may have become part of that sacred contract. Tonight, enjoy dinner with your fellow travelers.
Learn the art of playing the puck like a pro when you meet a real Canadian hockey player in Canmore. Dive Into Culture and embrace Canada’s national sport, learning the secrets and superstitions of hockey players as a professional coach walks you through a day in the life of a player. Go inside the players' dressing room and put on the full hockey gear with help of a real coach. Grab your stick and it's off onto the ice where you'll soon find out whether you are a lefty or righty and learn how to score the big goal. A sightseeing excursion around Banff reveals the exquisite natural beauty of the area. Admire the classic viewpoint of Surprise Corner, spectacular Bow Falls, and the hoodoo rock formations. You may also choose a breathtaking helicopter optional for views of the Canadian Rockies you won't soon forget or take a ride on the Banff Gondola, you’ll see more mountains in a moment than most see in a lifetime! Ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain to experience a bird’s eye view of six mountain ranges of the Canadian Rockies.
Join your Travel Director for an optional excursion in the morning to explore the jewels of the Rockies and head to Yoho National Park and Moraine Lake in the Valley of Ten Peaks. See Takakkaw Falls, the second tallest waterfall in Canada. Straddle the continental divide at Kicking Horse Pass as you view the Spiral Tunnels, the famous railway built in the early 1900's. Later, toast to your travels and shared experiences with your fellow travelers over a Farewell Dinner.
Descend from high above and bid farewell to the Canadian Rockies. Depart Calgary for your return flights home or make your way to the Westin Calgary if you are extending your stay.
Price Includes
What's Included- - An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- - Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- - All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- - All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- - Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- - Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
- - Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- - All transport and transfers shown
- - Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- - Optional Experiences and free time
- - On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized.
- - 1 Welcome Reception (WR)
- - 6 Breakfasts (B)
- - 1 Lunch (L)
- - 2 Dinners (D)
- Walk the shoreline of Lake Louise learning about its turquoise waters while taking in the Victoria Glacier and scenic mountain backdrop.
- Unlock the Canadian Rockies' pristine wilderness on one of the most scenic drives in North America – the Icefield Parkway. This stretch of double-lane highway from Jasper to Lake Louise winds along the Continental Divide through rocky mountain peaks, rock spires, waterfalls, icefields, valleys and more than 100 ancient glaciers. Snap a pic at a viewpoint to capture the beauty.
- A picturesque waterfall awaits at Athabasca Falls. At only 75 feet tall, the rushing Athabasca River tumbles over a wide ledge into a tight canyon - making Athabasca Falls one of the most powerful waterfalls in the Canadian Rockies. Learn how the river and falls are fed with water from the Columbia Icefield glaciers, snowmelt from surrounding mountains and rainwater as you admire these small but mighty waters.
- See how Maligne Lake is in a league of its own on a scenic cruise. Discover world-famous Spirit Island and get great photo opportunities with beautiful views of the mountains, its three glaciers and Spirit Island - significant to the Indigenous Stoney Nation. Learn about the geology, wildlife and history of this spectacular alpine destination and how, because visitors cannot walk on the island, it remains an enclave of evergreens. And since you can only see Spirit Island from a cruise, you’ll love being one of the few who get to see it.
- Take a guided walk through Maligne Canyon for some incredible photo ops along this scenic trail into the depths of Jasper National Park.
- Gear up for a Columbia Icefield Adventure. Board a massive, specially designed ‘Ice Explorer’ to view one of the largest non-polar ice fields in the world, the Athabasca Glacier. Stop at the best spot to walk on, feel and drink from the Glacier. What better way to appreciate this natural wonder? You’ll even enhance your visit learning about the Columbia Icefield, how the glacier has changed and the thrill of driving up the moraine deposits to reach the glacier.
- View one of the largest lakes in Banff National Park, Bow Lake. As one of the many lakes that line the Icefields Parkway, this is a beautiful and scenic stop with dazzling glacial waters.
- Uncover how Banff is in a league of its own. Stroll through the downtown lined with historic buildings as majestic mountains stand tall in the distance. This is your chance to visit the iconic sites and the local spots on a guided tour around town. Stop at Bow Falls for great sightseeing opportunities of the river and the falls. At Surprise Corner, named for its spectacular, surprising views from Buffalo Street, capture a photo of another unique vantage point.
- Dive into everything you wanted to know about Jasper and Jasper National Park joining Pieter van Loon or Joost Tijssen of Jasper Theater Productions. Enjoy stories about Jasper, hear facts about Jasper and understand why so many people fall in love with this special town. Your hosts are professionally schooled actors and drama teachers, both born and raised in The Netherlands, and fell in love with the Canadian Rockies and Jasper on a visit in 2015. It was love at first sight and they’ve been sharing their love of Jasper ever since.
- Sip tea and engage in rich stories and history with your Cree guide who will bring the buffalo to life and help you see them through their eyes. Gain insight on how buffalo were so important to our survival, the interconnected relationship we have and the teachings of the Buffalo around the sacred contract we hold and how you may have become a part of that sacred contract.
- Banff Park Lodge, located inside Banff National Park, is within walking distance to all Banff offers and has been a staple of local life since 1970. It is family owned and even operated today by the son of the original owner. You’ll Feast on a breakfast buffet of locally sourced ingredients from neighboring farms at the lodge's Crave Mountain Grill or dine at La Terrazza, an authentic Italian restaurant featuring a carefully curated wine list, exquisite desserts and spectacular views that you’ll never forget.
- Lace up those skates, hit the ice and learn about being a real hockey player.
Optional Experiences
Optional Experiences are subject to change. Your Travel Director will supply you with a final list of Optional Experiences available on your trip. Optional Experiences cannot be booked online; they can be purchased during your trip through your Travel Director.
Jasper Float Trip (Available on Day 3)Float down the Athabasca River, a designated Canadian Heritage River. A National Park licensed guide provides commentary on the human and natural history of Jasper while navigating you along the same route used by the “fur traders” over two centuries ago. Sit back and relax as the guides do the rowing. Keep your eyes peeled for elk, deer, moose, coyotes, wolves, eagles, ospreys, mountain sheep and bears.
Adult Price: $95 Child Price: $95 Banff Gondola (Available on Day 5)Unlock incredible views of six mountain ranges of the Canadian Rockies on the Banff Gondola. Ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain in a fully enclosed four-passenger gondola cabin, soaking in the scenery as you climb to an elevation of 7,486 feet to the Summit Upper Terminal. Enjoy the restaurant or take the Banff Skywalk for a short self-guided interpretive walkway along the summit ridge leading to the Cosmic Ray Station National Historic Site of Canada.
Adult Price: $79 Child Price: $79 Mt. Assiniboine Helicopter Tour (Available on Day 5)It’s one blockbuster after another zipping in a helicopter to Mount Assiniboine - "the Matterhorn" of the Canadian Rockies. Get your camera ready to snap one pic after the next of this photogenic peak rising to 11,870 feet along the Great Divide. And just when you think you’ve seen it all, the Gloria and Assiniboine Glaciers will make your jaw drop. The duration of the flight is thirty-five minutes.
Adult Price: $423 Child Price: $423 Three Sisters Peaks Tour (25 min) (Available on Day 5)Gear up for the most action packed twenty minutes of your life. You won’t want to miss your chance fly past famous Three Sisters Peaks. Get up close to the peaks before escaping into the Spray Valley where you will explore the wild colors of the Spray Lakes. Return along the Goat Range before following the pristine Bow River back to Canmore.
Adult Price: $316 Child Price: $316 Yoho National Park and Moraine Lake Excursion (Available on Day 6)Explore the jewels of the Rockies, and head to Yoho National Park and Moraine Lake in the Valley of Ten Peaks. See Takakkaw Falls, one of the tallest waterfalls in British Columbia. Straddle the continental divide at Kicking Horse Pass as you head to view the Spiral Tunnels, the famous railway built in the early 1900's.
Adult Price: $38 Child Price: $38