Enjoy this 7-day small group tour escorted by a local that begins in Calgary and continues through Banff National Park, Lake Louise, the Icefields Parkway, and Jasper National Park. Your rides are both challenging and rewarding, delivering breathtaking scenery and unforgettable moments. This is the stuff of fantasies — snow-capped peaks, azure lakes, gleaming glaciers, and thriving woods. Many people only see the Canadian Rockies through bus windows.
Highlights
Explore through Calgary, a fun-filled and friendly city.
Discover the awe-inspiring landscapes of Banff National Park
Cruise on the magical Maligne Lake and navigate to the iconic Spirit Island
See the Athabasca Glacier up close and personal during a walk on an arm of the Columbia Icefield
Moderately active but not overly strenuous. This level includes activities like casual cycling, yoga, or excursions/activities that typically last 3-5 hours total each day.
Welcome to Calgary, eh? Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm, where you’ll be briefed on the upcoming activities and 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, 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.
Day 2: Lake Louise
1 Breakfast
This morning you’ll head out from the city and into the mountains, your sights set on a pair of impossibly blue glacier-fed lakes. See the splendour of Moraine Lake, backed by ten snow-dusted peaks and world-famous Lake Louise. They'll leave you either wide-eyed, open-mouthed or some combination of the two, and there’ll be ample time to explore the lakes and their surrounding areas.
Included Activities:
Visit to Moraine Lake (seasonal)
Driving Distance: Approximately 2.5 hours
Day 3: Jasper National Park
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch
Rise early to head up the Icefields Parkway into Jasper National Park. This is one drive where the journey really is the destination. The Parkway runs between towering glacier-capped peaks and past pristine lakes and offers plenty of opportunities to break for a short hike (which you’ll do). Before arriving in the town of Jasper, stop off at fox-shaped Peyto Lake the powerful Athabasca Falls. 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 speed. To pick up the pace you might consider renting a bike from one of the shops in town and exploring some of the local trails, or slow things down with a ride on the Jasper SkyTram up Whistlers Mountain – the highest and longest aerial tramway in Canada.
Included Activities:
Jasper National Park
Driving Distance: Approximately 3 hours
Day 4: Maligne Lake | Jasper National Park
1 Breakfast, 1 Dinner
Today you’ll find out for yourself 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 its glacial waters. Take to the water on a panoramic cruise down the lake, sailing in a glass-enclosed and heated boat while a guide describes the area’s geology, ecology and history. The highlight will be a stop for a nature walk to views of 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.
Included Activities:
Jasper - Maligne Lake cruise
Driving Distance: Approximately 2 hours
Day 5: Athabasca Glacier | Banff
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch
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 will be able to walk on the glacier and even take a drink from its icy meltwater. Enjoy a picnic lunch to finish the outing before continuing to the town of Banff.
Included Activities:
Banff National Park
Columbia Icefield Adventure - Athabasca Glacier Explorer
Driving Distance: Approximately 3.5 hours
Day 6: Banff National Park
1 Breakfast, 1 Dinner
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 up to 75 million years ago. There’s also time to connect further with the land on an Indigenous Medicine Walk, where your guide will share traditional Cree knowledge of the area’s plants, trees and bushes. To end the day on a high, you’ll take the 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 on the mountaintop.
Included Activities:
Banff - Indigenous Medicine Walk
Banff - Cable Car up Sulphur Mountain
Driving Distance: Approximately 3.5 hours
Day 7: Calgary | Return Home
1 Breakfast
Today you’ll complete your grand tour of the Rockies and drive back to Calgary. There are no activities and accommodations planned for the day, and your adventure will end on arrival.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
$3,5952-3 travelers
Rates are dynamic and fluctuate based on capacity. Contact us for a specific quote.
Notes
Select a Date
A single supplement is available if you prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
Initial deposit is $400 per person, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 70 days (10 weeks) prior to departure by bank transfer, check, or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and a maximum of $20,000 charge."
For full cancellation policy details, please contact us for a quote.
Included
6 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners
5 Nights Accommodations
4 Days Locally Hosted Guide Service
Accommodations as listed
Ground transportation as listed
Activities as listed
Meals as listed
Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
Onboard lecture program from Expedition Team and Naturalists
Insulated inner jacket, yours to keep at the end of your Antarctic cruise.
Transfer from hotel to ship for embarkation
All shore excursions and Zodiac cruising (except paid adventure options with cost)
Use of rubber boots on land and use of waterproof outer shell jacket
Transfer from airport to hotel (Day 1) and pre-night hotel
All port taxes
Use of onboard gym, sauna, pool, and jacuzzi and onboard yoga
Excluded
Gratuities
Travel Insurance
Personal Expenses
Flight costs (please request a quote)
Additional excursions during free time
Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
Optional Activities
Life jackets, waterproof outer shell jackets, insulated inner jackets, and boots for minors under 16 years of age at the time of travel
For those traveling internationally with Intrepid: emergency evacuation and medical insurance are mandatory, and comprehensive travel insurance is strongly recommended. See here for more details
Airport transfers, taxes, and excess baggage charges, unless specified
Visa and passport fees
Laundry and communication charges
Tobacco, alcoholic or special beverages
Map
When to Go
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
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Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Good to ideal period to travel, and many people choose to visit at this time.
Chance for unpredictable weather but with fewer visitors.
Typically not offered during this period because of weather conditions.
Beyond expectations! Then again we weren't sure what to expect. Lovely stay at the lodge, met other like-minded travelers (many had their trips planned by Adventure Life) and the owner was a gracious hostess. It felt like you were one happy family, visiting with a favorite aunt.
Nancy Sin
TrustScore 4.8 | 254 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 254 reviews on
1 day ago
The holiday of a lifetime. The company is Alaksa-owned and thhat makes a big difference to the experineces you get i.e. meet genuine First Nations tribes people. The amount of wildlife was beyond my expectation, and seeing everything on sucha small, intimate boat made it even more spoecial and unique.
Liz O
1 day ago
Adventure Life covered all the details in planning our trip to Ireland. Any questions we had were answered immediately. Any trip glitches, which always happen when traveling, were resolved immediately. There were no worries, just fun!
Kathleen Weller
1 day ago
It was an outstanding, up-close, educational vacation of nature, culture, history, animals and geology! It was everything they promised! Binoculars were plentiful on the boat, but I'm glad I brought my own. Food was excellent. Rooms had black-out shades. Pack/wear multiple layers of clothing (I carried a small backpack when off the ship). Crew were delightful and very accommodating! Remember to jump FEET FIRST first when taking the optional polar plunge! Spend as much time outdoors as you are able and ENJOY!!!
Janet Dutton
6 days ago
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
1 week ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.