Welcome to Canada! Your adventure begins in Calgary with a welcome meeting at 6 pm, where you’ll meet your local leader and fellow travellers. If you arrive in the city with time to spare, you might like to experience some renowned Canadian hospitality at Calgary’s budding dining scene. If you’d prefer to get out and about for some sightseeing, you could check out Prince’s Island Park, see the skyline from the top of Calgary Tower or work up a sweat at Canada Olympic Park.
Leave the city and venture into the mountains this morning, with your sights set on a pair of astonishingly blue glacier-fed lakes. Witness the splendour of Moraine Lake, backed by ten snow-dusted peaks, and see the world-famous Lake Louise. After you’ve had a chance to soak up the spectacular scenery, you’ll have ample time to explore the lakes and their surrounding areas.
Rise early to head up the Icefields Parkway into Jasper National Park. On this drive, the journey really is the destination. The Parkway runs between towering glacier-capped peaks and past pristine lakes, offering plenty of opportunities to break for a short hike (which you’ll do). Before arriving in the town of Jasper, you’ll make a stop at the fox-shaped Peyto Lake and the powerful Sunwapta Falls – ‘Sunwapta’ means ‘turbulent water’ in the language of the Stoney Nakoda First Nations people. Throughout the day, keep your eyes peeled for quintessential Rockies wildlife like elk, moose, deer, bears and bighorn sheep. In the afternoon, you’ll have some time to explore the park at your own pace. To see the scenery from a different perspective, consider renting a bike from one of the shops in town and exploring some of the local trails.
Today, you’ll witness firsthand why Maligne Lake is featured on so many jigsaw puzzles. Make sure your phone or camera is fully charged, ready to capture shots of the jagged mountains and bright green pine forests that surround the lake’s glacial waters. Take to the water on a panoramic cruise down the lake, sailing in a glass-enclosed and heated boat while a guide shares their insights about the area’s geology, ecology and history. Then, stop for a nature walk to seek out views of the iconic Spirit Island, which is only accessible by boat, where you’ll learn about its significance to the Stoney Nakoda First Nation. This evening, join your group for an included dinner at a local restaurant.
After gazing at glaciers from a distance, today you’ll get the chance to step foot on one! Board a custom-built all-terrain vehicle and head out on an ice explorer tour of the Athabasca Glacier. You’ll be able to walk on the glacier and even take a drink from its icy meltwater. Have a picnic lunch and take a moment to soak in the natural surroundings before continuing to the town of Banff. Tonight, you’re free to rest or explore at your own pace.
Buckle up for the beauty of Banff National Park. Today’s all about seeing as much of the park as you can, weaving your way through history as you see the Rockies’ valleys and mountain chains which began forming around 75 million years ago. You’ll connect with the land further on an Indigenous Medicine walk, where your guide will share traditional Cree knowledge of the area’s plants, trees and bushes. Then, end the day on a high when you take a gondola up to the top of Sulphur Mountain. Named for the two sulphurous hot springs found on its lower slopes, the peak offers breathtaking, panoramic views of the Rockies – which you’ll be able to bask in during a farewell dinner with your group on the mountaintop.
Today, your adventure through the Rockies comes to an end and you’ll drive back to Calgary. There are no further activities or accommodation planned for today.
