Canada: Tour of the Western Rockies

Mountains reflecting in Bow Lake along the Icefields Parkway ©Stevin Tuchiwsky @stevint, Travel Alberta ©Destination Toronto
Winter Skyline of Calgary ©Colin Way, Tourism Calgary
Tour bus driving by Bow Lake on the Icefields Parkway in Banff National Park Alberta ©Brewster Travel Canada, Travel Alberta ©Destination Toronto

11 day tour

Prices available on request

Welcome to Canada

Canada is more than its hulking-mountain, craggy-coast good looks: it also cooks extraordinary meals, rocks cool culture and unfurls wild, moose-spotting road trips.

The Great Outdoors

The globe’s second-biggest country has an endless variety of landscapes. Furthermore, sky-high mountains, glinting glaciers, spectral rainforests and remote beaches are all here, spread across six times zones. It’s the backdrop for plenty of ah-inspiring moments – and, also, for a big cast of local characters. That’s big as in polar bears, grizzly bears, whales and, everyone’s favorite, moose. Additionally, the terrain also makes for a fantastic playground. Whether it’s snowboarding Whistler’s mountains, surfing Nova Scotia’s swells or kayaking the white-frothed South Nahanni River in the Northwest Territories, adventures abound. There are gentler options, too, like strolling Vancouver’s Stanley Park or swimming off Prince Edward Island’s pink-sand beaches.

Captivating Cultures

Sip a café au lait and tear into a flaky croissant at a sidewalk bistro in Montréal; head to an Asian night market and slurp noodles in Vancouver; join a wild-fiddling Celtic party on Cape Breton Island; kayak between rainforest-cloaked Aboriginal villages on Haida Gwaii: Canada is incredibly diverse across its breadth and within its cities. You’ll hear it in the music, see it in the arts and taste it in the cuisine.

Foodie Fare

Canada is a local food smorgasbord. If you grazed from west to east across the country, you’d fill your plate like this: wild salmon and velvety scallops in British Columbia, poutine (golden fries topped with gravy and cheese curds) in Québec, and lobster with a dab of melted butter in the Maritime provinces. Tastemakers may not tout Canadian food the way they do, say, Italian or French fare, so let’s just call the distinctive seafood, piquant cheeses, and fresh, seasonal fruits and veggies our little secret. Ditto for the award-winning bold reds and crisp whites produced from the country’s vine-striped valleys.

Artistic Flair

The arts are an integral part of Canada’s cultural landscape. You’ll find it from the International Fringe Theater Festival (the world’s second-largest) in Edmonton to mega museums like Ottawa’s National Gallery. Likewise, Montreal’s Jazz Festival and Toronto’s star-studded Film Festival draw global crowds. Also, did you know Ontario’s Stratford Festival is the continent’s largest classical repertory theater? Even places you might not automatically think of – say, St John’s or Woody Point – put on renowned shindigs (an avant-garde ‘sound symposium’ and a big-name writers festival, respectively).

Western Rockies

Finally, snow capped peaks by the hundreds, glaciers and ice fields, sparkling lakes, rushing rivers and an abundance of wildlife – the awe-inspiring Rocky Mountains. Explore the Western Rockies, one of North America’s premier travel destination and offer a once in a lifetime holiday!

For more Canada destinations, Click Here.

Dates

Dates on request

Suggested Itinerary by Air

Day 1

Fly to Calgary

The group will fly to Calgary where they will be met by a local guide and will be transferred to their hotel in the city where they will stay for 1 night.

Day 2

Calgary sightseeing

After breakfast, the group will have a sightseeing tour of Calgary taking in the main sights including Calgary Tower, the famous Stampede Park where the annual rodeo is held, and Scotsman Hill for views over the city. Around mid-afternoon, the group will leave Calgary and travel to Banff National Park where they will check into the accommodation for a 2 night stay.

Day 3

Banff

After breakfast, the group will have a tour of Banff townsite taking in the Bow River Falls, Tunnel Mountain Drive, Surprise Corner and the historic Banff Springs Hotel. Enjoy an optional ride up the Sulphur Mountain Gondola for panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. The afternoon is free for the group to spend at leisure – They may wish to visit some of the local natural history museums or take a dip at the Natural Upper Hot Springs!

Day 4

Travel to Vernon

After breakfast, the group will leave Banff and travel to Vernon. Highlights of the journey include Yoho, Glacier and Mount Revelstoke National Parks. There will be many along the route including Emerald Lake, Natural Bridge, Spiral Train Tunnels and Rogers Pass. Arrive into Vernon and check into hotel for a 2 night stay.

Day 5

Vernon

After breakfast, the group will enjoy a full day sightseeing in the heart of the Okanagan Region. This region is the main fruit and wine producing area as can be seen by the many produce stands that dot the highway. The group may wish to take an optional visit to the local wineries for a special tasting of the local vintages.

Day 6

Travel to Clearwater

After breakfast, the group will leave Vernon and travel north to Clearwater and beautiful Wells Gray Park where they will stop to view Spahats Falls, where they will spend some of the afternoon. There will be opportunities to see lots of wildlife including mule dears, black bears and many species of bird. The alpine trails in the south of the park offer spectacular views, and in the late summer, the meadows are filled with beautiful wild flowers. The group will arrive into Clearwater where they will check into their accommodation for a 1 night stay.

Day 7

Travel to Jasper

After breakfast, the group will leave Clearwater and travel towards Jasper National Park. The journey will travel via Valemount and cross the Yellowhead Pass heading east passing Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. The group will arrive into Jasper and check into their hotel for a 2 night stay.

Day 8

Jasper

After breakfast, the group will have a morning sightseeing tour of Jasper which takes in Lac Beauvert and Pyramid & Patricia Lakes. The tour follows the Maligne River Valley to Maligne Lake. The journey will break for a walk in the beautiful Maligne Canyon and Medicine Lake. Return to Jasper during the afternoon.

Day 9

Travel to Lake Louise

After breakfast, the group will leave Jasper and travel along the Icefield Parkway, passing some of Canada’s highest mountains and magnificent glaciers. The journey will break for a visit to Athabasca Glacier where the group will enjoy a tour of the Ice Explorer, a multi-terrain vehicle which allows visitors to explore the glacier. Arrive at Lake Louise for 1 night stay.

Day 10-11

Travel to Calgary – return flight to the UK

After breakfast, the group will depart Lake Louise and travel to Calgary for their return overnight flight to the UK.

When To Go:

High Season (Jun–Aug): Sunshine and warm weather prevail; far northern regions briefly thaw. Accommodation prices peak (up 30% on average). December through March is equally busy and expensive in ski resort towns. Shoulder (May, Sep & Oct): Crowds and prices drop off. Temperatures are cool but comfortable. Attractions keep shorter hours. Fall foliage areas (eg Cape Breton, Québec) remain busy. Low Season (Nov–Apr): Places outside the big cities and ski resorts close. Darkness and cold take over. April and November are particularly good for bargains.

Things To Know:

Etiquette

Canadians are a fairly relaxed crowd and don’t offend easily; however, some rules of etiquette do apply.

Politeness Canadians value their please and thank-yous. Bumping into someone without apologizing or not thanking someone for holding the door will earned shocked looks.
Patriotism Commenting that Canadians and Americans aren’t much different is considered highly offensive.
Language In French-speaking areas, always attempt to speak French before English (regardless of how poor your French is).
Lining up While Canadians usually tut rather than speak out, jumping ahead in line is an exception and can cause a full-blown argument.

History

The human story of Canada begins around 15,000 years ago, when Aboriginal locals began carving thriving communities from the abundant wilderness. Everything changed, though, when the Europeans rolled in from the late 15th century onward, staking claims that triggered rumbling conflicts and eventually shaped a vast new nation. Much of this colorful heritage is accessible to visitors, with more than 950 national historic sites covering everything from forts to battlefields to famous homes.

Health and Insurance

Health Insurance

Canada offers some of the finest health care in the world. However, unless you are a Canadian citizen, it can be prohibitively expensive. It’s essential to purchase travel health insurance if your regular policy doesn’t cover you when you’re abroad. Check www.lonelyplanet.com/travel-insurance for supplemental insurance information.

Bring medications you may need clearly labeled in their original containers. A signed, dated letter from your physician that describes your medical conditions and medications, including generic names, is also a good idea.

Health Insurance; a policy covering medical expenses is highly recommended.

Vaccinations; No special vaccines are required or recommended for travel to Canada. All travelers should be up to date on routine immunizations.

Stats

Currency: Canadian dollar, Primary Language: English, French, Primary Religion: 43% Roman Catholic, Population: 34.6 million, Time Zone: see below.

Newfoundland Standard Time (GMT/UTC minus 3½ hours)

Atlantic Standard Time (GMT/UTC minus four hours)

Eastern Standard Time (GMT/UTC minus five hours)

Central Standard Time (GMT/UTC minus six hours)

Mountain Standard Time (GMT/UTC minus seven hours)

Pacific Standard Time (GMT/UTC minus eight hours)

Visa Requirements:

British citizens are required to apply for a Canada eTA visa to enter Canada on a short term basis (under 90 days) for general tourism, business, transit or medical purposes. … It is advised that British citizens complete their eTA application 72 hours prior to their departure date.

For more information please visit the link below:

Canada Visa Information

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Tour will run with a minimum of 10 passengers. Picture is for illustrative purposes only. Greatdays Holidays Limited has an ATOL licence (4279) and all of our air package tours are protected under this licence. In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the Civil Aviation Authority will ensure that you are not stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any monies you have paid to us for an advance booking. All the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this email are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services).