Canadian Rockies & Vancouver Island
20 days from Vancouver to Vancouver
From $ 3569
Duration20 days

Embrace the great outdoors on this Canadian Rockies adventure. Western Canada offers stunning landscapes of towering peaks, serene turquoise lakes, thick forests, gushing rivers and rugged surf coast. Walk the streets of Vancouver, hike the trails of Jasper and Banff, bask in the seaside paradise of Tofino and soak up the superb alpine scenery. Spot native moose and bears, and maybe whales, and unleash your inner daredevil with a bevy of adventure activities - mountain biking or river rafting, anyone? Jump in feet first and be completely immersed in this awesome outdoor Canadian experience.

This tour is operated by

  • Duration: 20 days
    Service level: Basic
  • Starts in: Vancouver
    Physical Grading: Average
  • Ends in: Vancouver
    Ages: 15+
Canadian Rockies & Vancouver Island - Tour Map

Itinerary

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Day 1: Vancouver

Start place: Vancouver

Welcome to Vancouver, Canada. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. Please ask the hostel reception where it will take place. If you're going to be late, please inform the reception as soon as possible. Your leader will be collecting your insurance details, food kitty contribution and next of kin information at this meeting, so please ensure you have all these details ready to provide. If you arrive early into Vancouver, take a walk around the city's historic Gastown site or wander through Stanley Park.
Day 2: Whistler
Today, leave Vancouver behind and drive for around three and a half hours to the ski-resort area of Whistler. Once there, Whistler is a fantastic place to explore on foot with stunning mountain terrain. There are plenty of activities to take part in during your two days here, such as hiking, mountain biking and kayaking. After getting to know the area on your first day here, settle down in the campgrounds for the night.
Day 3: Whistler
Today is free to explore and take part in optional activities. Zip lining tours are an amazing way of getting an aerial view over Fitzsimmons Creek - hopefully seeing some bears along the way. Spot wildlife on summer hikes or just relax in your surroundings. There are also some great cycle networks in Whistler, so perhaps hire a bike, ride around area and head to one of the nearby lakes.
Day 4: Wells Gray Provincial Park
Today take the long drive to Wells Gray Provincial Park (approximately 6-7 hours), arriving in time to set up camp for the evening at a rustic cowboy ranch. Enjoy a cold beverage in an authentic black horse saloon. Relax with dinner by the campfire, roast marshmallows and assemble delicious s'mores.
Day 5: Wells Gray Provincial Park
This morning we'll travel by road as far as we can into Wells Gray Provincial Park, ending at Clearwater Lake. Here we will pack our camping equipment into canoes and launch them into the aptly-named lake. On a sunny day you can see how clear the water is, and also drink the water straight out of the lake! After some instruction from our canoeing guides, we will paddle about 2.5 to 4 hours to our beach campsite. Here we will set up camp for the night and spend some time swimming or exploring before cooking dinner. Our campsite tonight is a little more basic, with tables, fire-pits and tent sites, but only pit toilets and no showers. The stunning location more than makes up for the lack of facilities.
Day 6: Wells Gray Provincial Park
This morning you will wake up lakeside and perhaps do a short hike from the campsite or chill by the lake while you eat breakfast. We will then paddle back to the starting point together stopping at another beach along the way to have a picnic lunch. Once you arrive back you will help unload and store the canoes and head back to the Ranch, checking out some amazing waterfalls along the way.
Day 7: Jasper National Park
Drive to Jasper National Park today, which should take around five and a half hours in total. As you'll arrive in the early/late afternoon, maybe go for a walk to spot the area's wildlife such as moose, elk, deer, bears and coyotes. If you have time in the afternoon, take the Jasper SkyTram that elevates 2,300 metres to a great vantage point in the Rocky Mountains. In the evening head out for dinner, as there are a variety of restaurants to choose from.
Day 8: Jasper National Park
Today is free to do as you wish. This area provides you with the option of hiking up Whistlers Mountain, biking in the Valley of Five Lakes or taking a cruise on Maligne Lake. If you're looking to take it a bit easier, head down to relax in the Miette Hot Springs and soak in the views of Fiddle River Valley. This will be your last night in Jasper National Park.
Day 9: Banff National Park
This morning, take a scenic drive through mountain scenery on the famous Icefields Parkway, which connects Jasper and Banff National Parks (approximately four hours). As the journey is so picturesque, there will numerous opportunities to stop at viewpoints and waterfalls along the way. This includes visits to the ice fields of Athabasca Glacier and the emerald waters of Lake Louise. On arrival to your campgrounds in Banff, get your bearings with a brief walk as you'll be spending the next three nights here.
Day 10-11: Banff National Park
The next two days are free to explore Banff. Banff is Canada's oldest national park, with its valleys and mountain chains being formed 75 million years ago. Today its a veritable playground for outdoor enthusiasts. Take a gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain for a dip in its natural hot springs or explore the hoodoos and falls of Bow River valley by foot. There are many trails of different lengths, allowing you to hike for as long as you wish.
Day 12: Yoho National Park/Golden
Today take a drive for around two and a half hours through unspoiled mountainous terrain, to the town of Golden and finally to Yoho National Park. On arrival into the park, take a walk down the Kicking Horse River and maybe visit Takakkaw Falls (the second highest falls in Canada at 384 metres high). Yoho National Park and the Kicking Horse River are a less-known paradise in the Canadian Rockies, so use your time wisely and really get to know the area. You'll spend two nights here, which is a good amount of time to explore and take part in optional activities.
Take to the river for some of the best whitewater rafting in Canada. The combination of wild whitewater, spectacular scenery and abundant wildlife makes rafting the Kicking Horse River a thrilling adventure. There's a range of rafting activities on offer including a full day, half day and a full river challenge. There's also an option to relax by the shore of this beautiful river setting.
Day 13: Yoho National Park/Golden
Today, perhaps take to the river for some of the best whitewater rafting in Canada. The combination of wild whitewater, spectacular scenery and abundant wildlife makes rafting the Kicking Horse River thrilling for its adventure and views. There's a range of rafting activities on offer, including a full day, half day and a full river challenge. If rafting isn't your thing, there's also the option of relaxing by the river with the ideal viewpoint. Maybe spend your last night in Yoho National Park by having dinner with the group.
Day 14: Glacier National Park/Kamloops
This morning, travel through the high mountain clearing of Rogers Pass to reach Glacier National Park. Stop at Rogers Pass Discovery Centre for a look around and possibly take a short hike through a old-growth area of cedar and hemlock. As one of the world's most active avalanche areas, most of the rugged, mountainous area of Glacier National Park is inaccessible for day hikes. Drive onto Mount Revelstoke National, which contains part of the world's only temperate inland rainforest. You'll drive straight through the rainforest and, if time allows, you'll also go for a short hike. The final destination of this drive is the town of Kamloops. Meaning 'meeting of the waters', the town is situated at the junction of the two branches of the Thompson River. Today's total driving time will take around 6-7 hours.
Day 15: Vancouver
This morning, you'll make the journey back to Vancouver (approximately four to five hours). The arrival time depends on each group, but you should expect a 3 pm arrival. The rest of the day is free. Perhaps head in to the Gastown area for dinner.
Day 16: Nanaimo
Ferry across the Strait of Georgia to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island (approximately 2 hours). Make your own discoveries this afternoon in free time. Perhaps stroll the harbourfront walkway and Old City Quarter, learn what a Nanaimo bar is (it's delicious – and there's even a trail you can take so you can taste multiple variations), take a hike or hire a kayak in Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park or learn about the Island's culture at the Nanaimo Museum.
Day 17: Tofino
Drive across the centre of Vancouver Island to Tofino (approximately 2–3 hours, not including stops). Stop at Cathedral Grove for a walk in one of the most accessible stands of giant Douglas fir trees on Vancouver Island. Here visitors can stroll through a network of trails under the shadow of towering ancient Douglas fir trees, majestic pillars untouched by the modern world, some of them more than 800 years old. Continue onto Tofino. Tofino was named the best surf town in North America in Outside Magazine's 2010 Editors' Choice awards. It's also a great spot for storm watching and for outdoor adventure activities such as kayaking, whale watching and hiking.
Day 18: Tofino
With a free day, there are many optional activities. Perhaps join a First Nations guide to learn about aboriginal history and way of life, take a kayak out on Clayoquot Sound, relax on the beach or take a stroll and go tide pooling. Alternatively, sign up for a whale watching tour. Tofino lies along the route of the annual grey whale migration. Each year up to 20,000 grey whales leave the waters of the Baja Peninsula and head north to the nutrient-rich feeding grounds of Alaska and the Bering Sea. This 20,000 kilometre round trip is thought to be the longest migration of any creature in the world. Whale-watching trips can often be combined with wildlife viewing and hot springs tours; bear watching trips by boat in the calm waters of Clayoquot Sound near Tofino is another popular option.
Day 19: Victoria
Drive to Victoria, the capital of British Columbia (approximately 4 hours). With its landscaped gardens and preserved historical buildings, it is one of the most British-influenced cities in North America. However, with a recent injection of hip bars, shops, restaurants and young residents, the city is evolving into something more cosmopolitan. The afternoon is free for you to explore Victoria. Perhaps rent a kayak at the harbour, indulge in a spot of whale watching, take a tour out to Butchart Gardens, or check out the excellent Royal BC Museum to learn about the natural and human history of the area. In the evening, kick back with the young locals in a bar or restaurant in town.
Day 20: Vancouver
In the afternoon, board the ferry and cruise back to Vancouver (approximately 1.5 hours). The trip finishes upon arrival at your hotel. There are no further activities planned for today. If you decide to fly out this day, it's best not to book a flight for before 8 pm; this will give you enough time to catch a shuttle from the hotel to the airport and be there two hours before departure.

End place: Vancouver

Inclusions

Included

  • Wells Gray Provincial Park
  • Overnight Canoe Trip
  • Jasper National Park - Entrance Fee
  • Visit to Maligne Lake
  • Banff National Park
  • Visit to Lake Louise
  • Visit to Moraine Lake
  • Yoho National Park
  • Glacier National Park
  • Mt. Revelstoke National Park
  • Rogers Pass Discovery Centre
  • Ferry to Vancouver Island
  • Ferry from Vancouver Island
  • Transport

    Ferry, Private vehicle
  • Accommodation

    Camping (with basic facilities) (1 night), Camping (with facilities) (15 nights), Hostel (1 night), Hotel (2 nights)

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