Itinerary Note:
We often run two departures of our Canadian Rockies Hiking & Camping adventure simultaneously. To avoid crowding on trails and confusion between two groups, the order of your daily itinerary may be rearranged.
Make your way to the legendary town of Banff
Arrive in Banff, Alberta, Canada (from Calgary) any time today. There are several daily shuttles from the closest airport in Calgary to Banff (approximately a 2-hour drive) where tonight's hotel stay is included.
Set up camp in Lake Louise and hike to Sherbrooke Lake
Meet our guides at the hotel restaurant this morning. We'll enjoy breakfast and a brief orientation before heading out for drive along one of the world's most scenic mountain roads, to the heart of Canada's hiking capital! We'll enjoy lunch on our hike to Sherbrooke Lake with views across Kicking Horse Pass, and some of the Continental Divide most prominent and iconic peaks such as Mount Victoria North Peak and Mount Huber. After our hike it's time to set up our camp for the next four nights at the Lake Louise (5,052') campground along the beautiful Bow River. Everyone pitches in to set up our tents and help our guides in preparing a delicious campfire dinner. All meals included.
Hiking: 4 miles; Elevation gain/loss: 820'. Van transfer: 1.5 hours.
Note: Depending on conditions and foot traffic on trails, your guides may opt for an alternate hike which would also showcase the spectacular beauty of the Canadian Rockies.
Head to Jasper; hike to Athabasca Glacier and Parker Ridge or Wilcox Pass
We hike in Jasper National Park today. The first stop is to view Peyto Lake from a platform hanging on a cliff high above. Depending upon the time of year, the hue of the lake runs from dark blue to opaque turquoise to gorgeous jade green. The road then takes us onto the Columbia Icefield, the geo-hydrographic center of North America. Meltwaters from the Icefield and its glacial tongues feed 3 different oceans. We walk up to the toe of the Athabasca Glacier. Everything you've ever wanted to know about glaciers - this is the place to learn! Then we continue hiking up to either Parker Ridge for a spectacular view of the Saskatchewan Glacier from above or, for a true wilderness experience, a hike up to Wilcox Pass. Returning to camp, we'll enjoy dinner around the campfire. All meals included.
Hiking: 5 miles; Elevation gain/loss: 1000'-1200'; Van transfer: 3 hours.
Hike to a teahouse above Lake Louise; raft the Kicking Horse River
We spend the morning hiking to the charming Lake Agnes Tea House. The trail to the tea house begins in an old-growth spruce forest before popping out to open views of glacier-fed Lake Louise. Once at the tea house we enjoy the vistas with the option to refuel on over 100 varieties of loose leaf tea and freshly baked goods. In the afternoon a bus ride takes us through Yoho National Park into British Columbia for rock-and-roll rafting on the Kicking Horse River. This exhilarating trip allows us to raft the best section of the class III-IV whitewater rapids. We return to camp for dinner. All meals included.
Hiking: 7 miles; Elevation gain/loss: 1,300'; Rafting: 3 hours.
Enjoy stunning views of world-famous Moraine Lake and hike through the high alpine paradise of Larch Valley
At turquoise Moraine Lake, we take in the famed view of the Valley of Ten Peaks (each peak over 10,000'). From here, we hike through Larch Valley, its meadowlands filled with dense stands of alpine larch and panoramic views over the Valley of the Ten Peaks. Continuing to lovely Eiffel Lake, the towering Rocky Mountains surround us. Time and weather permitting, we may hike the Helen Lake trail, famous for its summer wildflowers. Our last celebratory dinner will be at a restaurant in Lake Louise. All meals included.
Hiking: 7-11 miles; Elevation gain/loss: 1,300'-1,800'.
Hike to the foot of Stanley Glacier
After breaking camp and waving goodbye to our campground, we head south into Kootenay National Park for a hike to Stanley Glacier. Considered one of the park's most spectacular trails, our hike to the base of Stanley Glacier rewards us with a diverse range of terrain. With an endless supply of geological treasures such as hanging valleys, ice caves, sheer cliffs, and towering peaks our final miles together will be the perfect culmination of an amazing exploration of the Canadian Rockies. These stunning views are a worthy finish to a great week of hiking! Our trip concludes in Banff with a drop off at the hotel where we spent night one. Breakfast and lunch included.
Hiking: 5 miles; Elevation gain/loss 1,200'; Van transfer: 1 hour.