Journeys: Discover the Canadian Rockies - Westbound

Arrive at any time. Famed for its entrepreneurial spirit and youthful population, Calgary prides itself on being the heart of the new west while honouring its cowboy heritage.

Included Experiences

• Arrival Day and Welcome Meeting: The adventure begins tonight. Feel free to explore before your welcome meeting, but make sure you’re back in time to meet the group. Check for the meeting time on the welcome note at the hotel. After introductions, your Expedition Leader will review the details of your tour. Please note that normal check-in times apply at our start hotels, but you can usually store your luggage for the day if you arrive early.

Drive west towards the jagged peaks of the Rocky Mountains. Upon arrival in Banff, go on a walk back in time through this historic resort town alongside an expert from the Whyte Museum, dedicated to the history and culture of the Canadian Rockies. As you explore local landmarks on foot, discover how the construction of the Canadian Pacific railroad served as a stepping stone towards opening up western Canada.

Included Experiences

• Banff Historical Walking Tour: Take a walk back in time with an expert from the Whyte Museum, exploring the historical town of Banff. Retrace the history of the riverside site where Tom Wilson established one of the first outfitting operations in the area, then explore St Georges-in-the-Pines Anglican Church, and past the Luxton home and garden. These and many other intriguing stops reveal the fascinating history of this town and the Canadian Pacific railroad, and how it was the stepping stone of opening up western Canada.
• Free Time: Explore the town of Banff in your free time.

Optional Experiences

• Canoeing: Rent a canoe and leisurely enjoy the scenery on Vermillion Lakes.
• Hot Springs Soak: Take a dip in Banff's world famous hot spring mineral pools, which have brought weary travellers to this place since the 1800's. There's no better way to unwind after a long day of exploring than to simmer in these water's with an epic mountain view.
• Banff Gondola Ride to Sulphur Mountain: Take a gondola to the famous Sulphur Mountain and enjoy the spectacular view of the whole mountain range and the village below. (75-90 CAD per person)
• Tunnel Mountain Hike: Hike up the well marked trail for a central view of the town of Banff and the surrounding mountains.

Continue to magnificent Lake Louise, with its legendary emerald-blue waters. Take time to soak up the world-famous beauty of this alpine lake and the scenery of the Victoria Glacier. Opt to join a hike to the historic Lake Agnes Tea House, following a forested trail past Mirror Lake and cascading waterfalls to the shores of Lake Agnes, where a remote tea house built in 1901 serves loose-leaf teas and other refreshments.

Included Experiences

• Lake Louise Visit: Visit postcard perfect Lake Louise and take time to savour the emerald blue waters and breathtaking scenery of the Victoria Glacier.
• Banff National Park Visit: Magnificent Banff—Canada’s first and most famous National Park. Rocky Mountain peaks, turquoise glacial lakes, scenic drives, and a quaint mountain town. First, gaze in wonder, then immerse yourself in a park that has it all! Hike alongside picture-perfect mountains, glaciers, lakes, ice fields, canyons, and even hoodoos. Keep an eye out for wolves, grizzly bears, elk, and mountain lions. Banff’s blend of towering peaks and flower-strewn meadows make it a dream location to enjoy the great outdoors and mountain scenery.

Optional Experiences

• Lake Agnes Tea House Hike: Originally built in 1901 by the Canadian Pacific Railway, the Lake Agnes Tea House has been serving fine loose-leaf teas to visitors for over one hundred years. Hike along a forested trail as you make your way past Mirror Lake and cascading waterfalls, to the shores of Lake Agnes. This lovely log building serves up a great cup (over 100 loose-leaf teas!) as well as finger food. The hike to the Tea House is free, but it costs between 5-10 CAD if visitors wish to buy loose-leaf tea while there.

Pass lush coniferous forests, soaring mountains, turquoise lakes, and epic glaciers as we travel the winding Icefields Parkway—considered one of the world’s most scenic drives—to Bow Lake, stopping along the way to enjoy photo opportunities and wildlife encounters. At the Columbia Icefield, step foot on the lower Athabasca Glacier with an expert guide for a firsthand experience of this active glacial landscape. Continue on to Jasper National Park. Along the 300km (186.4 mi) ride, a spectacle unfolds before our eyes: lush coniferous forests, immense mountains, turquoise lakes, high-falling cascades, and humbling glaciers. Numerous stops will be planned along the way for photos, observation, and wildlife encounters.

Included Experiences

• Icefields Parkway Drive: The Icefields Parkway is a breathtaking drive situated between Banff and Jasper National Parks in Alberta, Canada. Experience the wild beauty of the Canadian Rockies on a winding drive through jagged mountain peaks and past glaciers feeding into brilliant blue lakes. Along the way expect to see postcard mountain vistas, huge valleys, and loads of hiking trails that will get you out and about in this truly incredible area.
• Athabasca Glacier Ice Walk: At the Columbia Icefields, enjoy a glacier walk with an expert guide on the lower Athabasca Glacier to explore and understand the life of this active glacier. Walking on this glacially carved landscape is an experience you won’t soon forget.
• Columbia Icefields Center Visit: View one of the Rockies' largest and most accessible active glaciers. The Athabasca Glacier recedes at a rate of nearly 5m (16.4 ft) a year. See this natural beauty while you still can.

Spend the day at leisure enjoying Jasper’s friendly mountain hospitality. Choose your own adventure among an array of optional activities: Hike to Maligne Canyon, cruise glacially fed Maligne Lake, or rent a bike or canoe to explore on your own. This evening, rejoin your fellow travelers for an unforgettable soak in Miette Hot Springs, where spacious pools of hot mineral springs offer panoramic views of the spectacular Fiddle River Valley. Jasper's friendly mountain hospitality, peaceful atmosphere, and the promise of real adventure make any visit unforgettable.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: An exciting day ahead! Whatever you choose, the scenery will be stunning and the excitement of these optional activities will make this day unforgettable.
• Miette Hot Springs Visit: Enjoy the stunning landscape of lakes and mountains as you drive to the hot springs. Soak in one of the four pools as you take in the peaceful panoramic views.
• Jasper National Park Visit: Jasper National Park might be less known, but no less mighty. As the largest park in the Canadian Rockies, Jasper is wild in every sense of the word. Experience mountain landscapes complete with waterfalls, canyons, glacier lakes, and the Columbia Icefield. Get out and explore on rugged backcountry trails chock-full of wildlife and take part in outdoor activities like, mountain biking, or skiing, to experience the true essence and beauty of this impressive park.

Optional Experiences

• Boat Cruise to Spirit Island & Maligne Lake: Glide across the beautiful blue waters of Maligne Lake, the Canadian Rockies' largest glacial fed lake, on your way to the famous Spirit Island. (75.60-109.20 CAD per person)
• Maligne Canyon Hike: Malinge Canyon follows an interpretive trail with several bridges. Hover over the Malinge River that, over thousands of years, has eroded the canyon to over 60m (197 ft) in some spots.
• Canoe Ride: Rent a canoe from the longstanding Boathouse on Maligne Lake. (84-215.25 CAD per person)
• Cavell Meadows Trail: Take this moderately steep but well-graded trail to see classic examples of upper-subalpine forest, treeline vegetation and the alpine region beyond. Along the way there are spectacular views of Angel Glacier. The upper section of the trail is often wet and easily damaged in early summer- travel not recommended- but by mid-July, you can usually count on a colorful display of mountain wildflowers. Elevation gain: 500 m

Follow in the historic path of fur traders on a scenic float trip down the tranquil Athabasca River, encountering a few gentle rapids along the way. Look out for wildlife, which can include bears, moose, eagles, ospreys, and mountain sheep. Later, gaze up at the highest peak in the Rocky Mountains, Mount Robson, during a stop at the visitor centre. Then cross the Rockies and arrive in the small community of Blue River.

Included Experiences

• Mount Robson Visit: Stop at the visitor centre and, if it’s a clear day, see the top of the Mount Robson, the tallest peak in the Canadian Rockies.
• Natural History Wildlife Float: Enjoy Jasper National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site on a float trip down the Athabasca River. Pass through small sets of rapids on a gentle river ride with a Licensed guide discussing the natural and human history of the area. Step back in time as the Athabasca River is the same route used by “fur traders” in the 1800's. Rafts are 7mts (25 feet) long, and the guides do all the rowing; allowing us to relax and the spectacular scenery. Keep an eye out for a variety of wildlife that can include; eagle, bear, elk, deer, moose, wolves, coyotes, mountain sheep and a variety of birds.

Pass through the Caribou Mountains on a route once marked by gold prospectors. Sit back and enjoy dramatic changes in your surroundings, from sweeping grasslands to the Coast Mountains. Enjoy stops at Kamloops Lake, an oasis amid an arid landscape, and the turquoise Seton Lake, a freshwater fjord ringed by towering peaks. Arrive in the mountain resort of Whistler, co-host to the 2010 Winter Olympics. Following this extraordinary route, once marked by the gold prospectors, we leave the arid and dry land of the Thompson Okanagan region into the Coastal Mountain Range. We drive through the region where aboriginal peoples led a semi-nomadic life moving between hunting and fishing grounds in the summer and settling into pit houses for the winter. Europeans came at first for fur trading and later on to establish cattle ranches, farms, and mining operations. The scenery changes dramatically and could even make you feel as if you were in a western movie.

Included Experiences

• Seton Lake Visit: Explore the shores of Seton Lake, a freshwater fjord ringed by towering mountains. The turquoise waters and breathtaking landscape surrounding the lake make for incredible views and iconic imagery of interior British Columbia.
• Kamloops Lake Visit: Visit the shores of scenic Lake Kamloops, an oasis in the arid landscape of the surrounding mountains. A recent "lake monster" sighting in these waters has drawn international attention to the lake and it's potential inhabitant, could you be the first to catch definitive proof?
• Orientation Walk: Enjoy a brief walk with your Expedition Leader. He/she will give you some tips on finding things like supermarkets, main squares, and ATMs. For more specific or in-depth information, an official guided tour is recommended.

Spend today exploring Whistler and the surrounding parks on your own. Stroll through the village, and opt to ride the gondola up the mountain for 360-degree views, choose to hike one of the many beautiful trails in the area, or set out on an exhilarating whitewater rafting trip. Whistler and its surrounding provincial parks are places you must discover. It is also a great place to try one of the many optional mountain activities.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Enjoy this stunning mountain town.

Optional Experiences

• Whistler Hike: Hike on your own along one of the many beautiful trails in the Whistler area. The scenery here is stunning. You can also opt for the Train Wreck Trail or take the peak to peak gondola to hike one of the many alpine trails accessible from the summit. Your Expedition Leader will NOT be guiding you on this hike. You can opt to do it solo or with your group. Ask your Expedition Leader to point you in the right direction.
• Rafting: Get your adrenaline fix on on this exhilarating white water rafting trip. Enjoy the amazing scenery along the way, and keep your eyes peeled for bears. (145.60-196 CAD per person)
• Peak 2 Peak Gondola Ride: Soak up the scenery with 360-degree views of mountains, lakes, and glaciers. Hop out at the top and take a short hike or grab a coffee and snack at the mountaintop restaurant. Catch a glass bottom gondola to get an even better view.

Enjoy a G for Good experience at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, a showcase for First Nations customs, art, and music. Join an indigenous guide on an interpretive walk through the forest, hear how First Nations people lived off this land, and learn about local flora used for food and medicine. Then take part in a traditional tea ceremony to sample teas and bannock while listening to ancestral stories and legends. Later, drive the scenic Sea-to-Sky Highway and catch the ferry to Vancouver Island. Get off the boat in Nanaimo and drive to Victoria, then set out on an orientation walk.

Included Experiences

• Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre Visit: In the picturesque setting of Canada’s Coast Mountains, the First Nations people have come together to establish the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre. This facility showcases unique customs, art, and music and provides opportunities for local youth to train in the tourism industry. As a non-profit organization, the centre relies on visitors to help fund their ongoing programs, meaning everyone who comes here helps make this important work possible.
• Indigenous Cultural Experience: Explore the beautiful grounds of the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre during this National Geographic Exclusive experience and discover the museum with an indigenous guide who has graduated from the training program here. Take an interpretive walk through the forest to understand how the Indigenous ancestors lived, while learning about plant species used for food and medicine. After, join a tea ceremony to sample traditional teas and bannock while listening to ancestral stories and legends.
• Ferry: Hop on a ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo.
• Orientation Walk: Enjoy a brief walk with your Expedition Leader. He/she will give you some tips on finding things like supermarkets, main squares, and ATMs. For more specific or in-depth information, an official guided tour is recommended.

Today is free to explore the charming city of Victoria. Wander along the waterfront and choose among an array of optional activities. Discover the stunning floral displays at the famous Butchart Gardens, peruse the Royal British Columbia Museum, or enjoy high tea at a historic hotel. Or opt to cruise the sea in a Zodiac boat in search of gray whales, sea lions, seals, orcas, and other marine creatures.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Enjoy some optional activities but also take time to just wander along the waterfront.

Optional Experiences

• Butchart Gardens Visit: Visit this famous National Historic Site of Canada. The Butchart Gardens are absolutely stunning floral show gardens.
• Royal British Columbia Museum Visit: Filled with local human and natural British Columbian history, the BC Royal Museum always has a unique cultural and artistic exhibit on showcase.
• Zodiac Whale Watching Cruise: Cruise the sea in a Zodiac boat in search of marine wildlife such as gray whales, sea lions, otters, seals, porpoises, and killer whales.

Board the scenic ferry to Vancouver. Head downtown to explore the lush gardens, beaches, woodlands, and miles of trails around Stanley Park, considered one of the world’s greatest city parks. Then venture to historic Gastown, and stroll cobblestone streets past Victorian buildings that now house lively restaurants, galleries, and boutiques.

Included Experiences

• Ferry: Get to the next spot on your route aboard a convenient and efficient ferry boat.
• Stanley Park Visit: Often voted as one of the greatest city parks in the world, this 1,000-acre peninsula filled with luscious gardens, beaches, woodlands, and miles of trails is a highlight of Vancouver's downtown.
• Gastown Visit: Vancouver's oldest neighbourhood, filled with Victorian buildings and cobblestone streets, is one of the liveliest in the city. It's rich in Canuck culture, food, and fashion.

Depart at any time. If you are interested in exploring the city and its nearby attractions, it is recommended you book additional pre-trip accommodation nights.