Itinerary
- Intro
Introduction
- Day 1
Calgary
Calgary- Start point
- Calgary International Airport (YYC), 2000 Airport Rd NE, Calgary, Alberta T2E 8X5, Canada (Calgary Airport Level 1 Exit 7)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Coast Calgary Downtown Hotel & Suites by APA / Four Points by Sheraton Calgary Airport or Similar)
Optional Activities
- Calgary City Tour - 3 hours (guided tour exploring historic sites and modern buildings, includes guide service, transportation, and admission)
- Heritage Park with Transportation/Admission - 3 hours (Canada's second largest living history museum)
- Crossiron Mill Outlet Shopping Tour - 4 hours (largest one-level shopping centre in Alberta)
- The Calgary Zoo with Public Transportation Ticket/Admission (view approximately 900 animals including gorillas, hippos, grizzly bears, penguins, red pandas, and amur tigers)
Landmarks Calgary Zoo Heritage Park Crossiron Mills - Day 2
Calgary to Jasper
Calgary to Jasper- Meals
- Breakfast (Hotel Breakfast)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Whistlers Inn Hotel or Lobstick Lodge or Similar)
Included Activities
- Travel along Icefield Parkway with commentary - 232km journey through Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site with pristine mountain lakes, ancient glaciers and valleys
- Bow Lake viewing - headwaters of the Bow River with pass-through commentary
Optional Activities
- Columbia Icefield Adventure - Ice Explorer tour over Athabasca Glacier and Glacier Skywalk experience (approximately 3.5 hours, once in a lifetime experience)
Landmarks Bow Lake Icefield Parkway Columbia Icefield Athabasca Falls Jasper Town - Day 3
Jasper
Jasper- Meals
- Breakfast (Hotel Breakfast)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Banff Aspen Lodge or similar)
Included Activities
- Maligne Canyon viewing - limestone canyon carved approximately 365 million years ago, stop approximately 30 minutes
- Medicine Lake viewing - one of the largest known sinking rivers in the Western Hemisphere, pass through
- Peyto Lake viewing - glacier-fed lake with bright turquoise color from glacial rock flour, approximately 20 minutes (may be replaced by Waterfowl Lake if closed)
- The Crossing - starting point for Columbia Icefield tours with basic services, approximately 10 minutes
- Crowfoot Glacier viewing - pass through to observe climate change effects
Optional Activities
- Maligne Lake Cruise - explore the largest natural lake in the Canadian Rockies (approximately 100 minutes)
Landmarks Maligne Lake Maligne Canyon Medicine Lake Peyto Lake The Crossing Crowfoot Glacier - Day 4
Jasper to Radium Hot Springs
Jasper to Radium Hot Springs- Meals
- Breakfast (Hotel Breakfast)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Banff Aspen Lodge or similar)
Included Activities
- Great Divide viewing - continental divide marking boundary between B.C. and Alberta, separating Banff and Kootenay National Parks, and dividing Pacific and Atlantic Ocean watersheds, approximately 15 minutes
- Marble Canyon self-guided trail - 1km each way through ice-caved, marble-streaked canyon and forest destroyed by 2003 wildfires, approximately 45 minutes
- Kootenay Valley View Point - roadside viewpoint of Mitchell and Vermillion mountain ranges and Kootenay River, approximately 10 minutes
- Sinclair Canyon scenic trail - walk through Douglas-fir forest with views of Columbia Valley and Sinclair Canyon Falls, approximately 10 minutes
Optional Activities
- Radium Hot Springs - soak in naturally-heated, mineral-rich pools between Sinclair Canyon walls, one of three thermal swimming pools in Rocky Mountain National Parks, luxurious in summer and magical in winter, approximately 90 minutes
Landmarks Great Divide Marble Canyon Kootenay Valley View Point Radium Hot Springs Sinclair Canyon - Day 5
Banff
Banff- Meals
- Breakfast (Hotel Breakfast)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Banff Aspen Lodge or similar)
Included Activities
- Johnston Canyon walk - popular hiking destination with dramatic waterfalls, narrow gorges, and scenic walking trails with catwalks along canyon walls, approximately 60 minutes
- Bow Falls viewing - wide cascading waterfall near Banff Springs Hotel, filming location for 'The River of No Return' in 1950s, approximately 15 minutes
- Surprise Corner viewing - scenic viewpoint of Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel framed by surrounding mountains, approximately 15 minutes
- Hoodoos viewing - sedimentary rock formations composed of softer rock eroded away leaving tower-like natural obstacles, approximately 15 minutes
- Banff Town exploration - largest town in National Parks with shops and restaurants, approximately 90 minutes
Optional Activities
- Banff Sulphur Mountain Gondola - scenic ride to summit with panoramic views of Rocky Mountains, boardwalk trails, observation decks, and interactive exhibits, approximately 90 minutes
Landmarks Banff Sulphur Mountain Gondola Johnston Canyon Bow Falls Surprise Corner Hoodoos Banff Town Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel - Day 6
Banff to Lake Louise and Yoho
Banff to Lake Louise and Yoho- Meals
- Breakfast (Hotel Breakfast)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (West Yellowstone area hotel)
Included Activities
- Lake Louise viewing - turquoise glacier-fed lake in Canadian Rockies with majestic mountain backdrop, perfect for photography and leisurely walks or canoe rides, approximately 2 hours
- Moraine Lake viewing - vivid turquoise glacier-fed lake in Valley of the Ten Peaks surrounded by mountains, waterfalls and rock piles, approximately 60 minutes (open early June to early October; replaced by Vermillion Lake if closed)
- Yoho National Park journey - scenic drive through park named for Cree expression on western slopes of Canadian Rocky Mountains
- Spiral Tunnel viewing - engineering feat completed 1909 where railroad forms two spirals crossing beneath itself twice in figure-eight pattern to achieve grade of 2.2% or below, pass through
- Emerald Lake viewing - glacier-fed lake with distinctive greenish hue from glacial rock flour suspended particles, approximately 20 minutes
- Natural Bridge viewing - natural rock formation sculpted by erosive forces of rushing water over ancient waterfall, approximately 15 minutes
Optional Activities
- Deluxe Lunch at Chateau Lake Louise - group meal option available
Landmarks Lake Louise Moraine Lake Yoho National Park Spiral Tunnel Emerald Lake Natural Bridge - Day 7
Waterton National Park
Waterton National Park- End point
- Calgary International Airport (YYC), 2000 Airport Rd NE, Calgary, Alberta T2E 8X5, Canada (Calgary International Airport (YYC))
- Meals
- Breakfast (Hotel Breakfast)
Included Activities
- Waterton Town exploration - charming lakeside community with cozy cafes, local shops, and views of Waterton Lake within Waterton Lakes National Park, approximately 60 minutes
- Cameron Falls viewing - crystal clear cascading mountain water over 1.5 billion-year-old Cambrian rock with delicate mist effect, approximately 15 minutes
- Red Rock Canyon walk - short walking trail through striking red and green rock layers carved by glacial streams with photo opportunities, approximately 30 minutes
- Buffalo Paddock scenic drive - observe majestic plains bison roaming open prairies with mountain views, approximately 15 minutes (sightings not guaranteed as wild animals in natural environment)
Landmarks Waterton Lakes National Park Waterton Town Cameron Falls Red Rock Canyon Buffalo Paddock
