Discover the Canadian Rockies - Westbound

Canada

From £2,974

Discover the awe-inspiring scenery and legendary wildlife of western Canada on a voyage across the craggy Rocky Mountains. Explore historic Banff and Whistler, marvel at the astonishing natural beauty of Lake Louise and the Victoria Glacier, take the ferry to Vancouver Island, and breathe in fresh mountain air while soaking in hot mineral springs and hiking in Jasper National Park. Along the way, gain fascinating insights from knowledgeable local experts and First Nations people.

Dates

Trip Overview
Trip Overview

Accommodation
Hotels/lodges (11 nts).
Checklist
Cold Weather:
- Long-sleeved shirts or sweater
- Scarf
- Warm gloves
- Warm hat
- Warm layers

Documents:
- Flight info (required) (Printouts of e-tickets may be required at the border)
- Insurance info (required) (With photocopies)
- Passport (required) (With photocopies)
- Required visas or vaccination certificates (required) (With photocopies)
- Vouchers and pre-departure information (required)

Essentials:
- Binoculars (optional)
- Camera (With extra memory cards and batteries)
- Cash, credit and debit cards
- Day pack (Used for daily excursions or short overnights)
- Ear plugs
- First-aid kit (should contain lip balm with sunscreen, sunscreen, whistle, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, bandaids/plasters, tape, anti-histamines, antibacterial gel/wipes, antiseptic cream, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, rehydration powder, water purification tablets or drops, insect repellent, sewing kit, extra prescription drugs you may be taking)
- Flashlight/torch (Headlamps are ideal)
- Fleece top/sweater
- Footwear
- Hat
- Locks for bags
- Long pants/jeans
- Moneybelt
- Outlet adapter
- Personal entertainment (Reading and writing materials, cards, music player, etc.)
- Reusable water bottle
- Shirts/t-shirts
- Sleepwear
- Small travel towel
- Sunglasses
- Toiletries (Preferably biodegradable)
- Watch and alarm clock
- Waterproof backpack cover
- Windproof rain jacket

Health & Safety:
- Hand sanitizer (required)
- Face masks (Clients will be only be required to wear a face mask where it is mandated by local regulations.)
- Pen (Please bring your own pen for filling out documents.)
- Quick Covid Test/Antigen Test

Smart Dress:
- Smart outfit (For evenings out)

Warm Weather:
- Sandals/flip-flops
- Shorts/skirts (Longer shorts/skirts are recommended)
- Sun hat/bandana
- Swimwear
Group Leader
CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout, local guides.
Group Size Notes
Max 12, Avg 10.
Highlights
Explore Banff during a walk with an expert from the Whyte Museum, embark on a glacier walk with an expert guide, soak and unwind in natural hot springs, explore the popular resort town of Whistler, search for wildlife on an Athabasca river float trip
International Flights
Check-in times and baggage allowances/restrictions vary by airline and can change at any time. For the most up-to-date information for your flight, please contact your airline. We recommend checking in online in advance to avoid potential delays at the airport.
Introduction
Discover the awe-inspiring scenery and legendary wildlife of western Canada on a voyage across the craggy Rocky Mountains. Explore historic Banff and Whistler, marvel at the astonishing natural beauty of Lake Louise and the Victoria Glacier, take the ferry to Vancouver Island, and breathe in fresh mountain air while soaking in hot mineral springs and hiking in Jasper National Park. Along the way, gain fascinating insights from knowledgeable local experts and First Nations people.
Meal Budget
Allow USD470-615 for meals not included.
Meals Included
11 breakfasts, 1 dinner
Minimum Age
You must be 18 to travel unaccompanied on a G Adventures tour. For minors travelling with a guardian over 21 years old, the minimum age is 12.
Optional Activities
Banff
- Canoeing (57.75CAD per person)
- Hot Springs Soak (17.32CAD per person)

Tunnel Mountain
- Tunnel Mountain Hike (Free)

Banff National Park of Canada
- Banff Gondola Ride to Sulphur Mountain (57.75-68.25CAD per person)

Lake Louise
- Lake Agnes Tea House Hike

Jasper National Park
- Whitewater Rafting on Athabasca River (65-110CAD per person)

Maligne Lake
- Canoe Ride (84-215.25CAD per person)
- Boat Cruise to Spirit Island & Maligne Lake (75.60-109.20CAD per person)

Jasper
- Cavell Meadows Trail

Maligne Canyon
- Maligne Canyon Hike (Free)

Whistler
- Ziplining and Treetop Adventures (155.68CAD per person)
- Whistler Hike (Free)
- Rafting (145.60-196.00CAD per person)
- Peak 2 Peak Gondola Ride (95.20CAD per person)

Victoria
- Butchart Gardens Visit (44.24CAD per person)
- Royal British Columbia Museum Visit (20.16CAD per person)
- Zodiac Whale Watching Cruise (173.60CAD per person)

Start / Finish
Calgary to Vancouver
Transport
Private vehicle, hiking, walking, ferry, boat.
What's Included
Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Banff Historical Walking Tour, Banff
Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Indigenous Cultural Experience, Whistler
Your G for Good Moment: Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre Visit, Whistler
Your Wellness Moment: Miette Hot Springs Visit, Jasper National Park. All park fees in Jasper and Banff National Parks. Scenic ferry to Vancouver Island. Vancouver, Calgary, Victoria, Whistler, and Banff orientation walks. River float tour. Stops at Kamloops Lake and Seton Lake. Mount Robson Visitor Centre stop. Excursion to the Columbia Icefields and ice walk on the Athabasca Glacier. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.
Itinerary

Route Overview

Day 1: Calgary
Arrive at any time.
ACTIVITY
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 CEO 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.
Day 2: Calgary/Banff
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.
TRANSPORT
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
ACTIVITY
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.
ACCOMMODATION
Charltons Banff
Day 3: Banff/Lake Louise
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.
TRANSPORT
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
ACTIVITY
Visit postcard perfect Lake Louise and take time to savour the emerald blue waters and breathtaking scenery of the Victoria Glacier.
ACTIVITY
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.
ACCOMMODATION
Lake Louise Inn
Day 4: Lake Louise/Jasper National Park
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.
ACTIVITY
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.
TRANSPORT
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
ACTIVITY
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.
ACTIVITY
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.
ACCOMMODATION
Jasper Inn
Day 5: Jasper National Park
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.
ACTIVITY
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, skiing, or kayaking to experience the true essence and beauty of this impressive park.
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.
ACTIVITY
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.
ACCOMMODATION
Jasper Inn
Day 6: Jasper National Park/Blue River
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.
TRANSPORT
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
ACTIVITY
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.
ACTIVITY
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.
ACCOMMODATION
Mike Wiegele Heliskiing Resort
Day 7: Blue River/Whistler
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.
TRANSPORT
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
ACTIVITY
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.
ACTIVITY
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?
ACTIVITY
Enjoy a brief walk with your CEO. 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.
ACCOMMODATION
Aava Whistler Hotel
Day 8: Whistler
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. Or choose to hike one of the many beautiful trails in the area, go ziplining through the rain forest, or set out on an exhilarating whitewater rafting trip.
FREE_TIME
Enjoy this stunning mountain town.
ACCOMMODATION
Aava Whistler Hotel
Day 9: Whistler/Victoria
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.
ACTIVITY
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.
ACTIVITY
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.
TRANSPORT
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
TRANSPORT
Get to the next spot on your route aboard a convenient and efficient ferry boat.
TRANSPORT
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
ACTIVITY
Enjoy a brief walk with your CEO. 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.
Day 10: Victoria
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.
FREE_TIME
Enjoy some optional activities but also take time to just wander along the waterfront.
Day 11: Victoria/Vancouver
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.
TRANSPORT
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
TRANSPORT
Get to the next spot on your route aboard a convenient and efficient ferry boat.
TRANSPORT
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
ACTIVITY
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.
ACTIVITY
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.
Day 12: Vancouver
Depart at any time.
ACTIVITY
Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.

Pricing & Availability

Date From	Date To	Price
18 August 2023	29 August 2023	£3356
01 September 2023	12 September 2023	£3356
02 June 2024	13 June 2024	£3799
27 June 2024	08 July 2024	£3799
22 July 2024	02 August 2024	£4029
16 August 2024	27 August 2024	£4029

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