Calgary Trip Overview
Fascinating 5-day guided tour exploring the Rocky Mountain National Parks of Canada!
☆ Rocky Mountain Gateway. Starting from Calgary, it takes only 1.5 hours to enter the scenic area of the National Park
☆ Stay at the world-famous Fairmont Banff Springs and other comfortable hotels in the scenic area throughout your journey in the Rocky Mountains
☆ Our transparent itinerary ensures you a productive and fulfilling trip as you go sightseeing at the natural gems in the National Park
☆ The classic itinerary covers 3 world-famous National Parks, Banff, Jasper and Yoho National Park, as well as the famous Icefields Parkway
Additional Info
Duration: 5 days
Starts: Calgary, Canada
Trip Category: Multi-day & Extended Tours >> Multi-day Tours
Explore Calgary Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Fascinating 5-day guided tour exploring the Rocky Mountain National Parks of Canada!
☆ Rocky Mountain Gateway. Starting from Calgary, it takes only 1.5 hours to enter the scenic area of the National Park
☆ Stay at the world-famous Fairmont Banff Springs and other comfortable hotels in the scenic area throughout your journey in the Rocky Mountains
☆ Our transparent itinerary ensures you a productive and fulfilling trip as you go sightseeing at the natural gems in the National Park
☆ The classic itinerary covers 3 world-famous National Parks, Banff, Jasper and Yoho National Park, as well as the famous Icefields Parkway
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Calgary
Pass By: Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
Welcome to Calgary!
Option 1: Additional Charges for [Cross Iron Mills Outlet 4-hour Shopping Spree] Cost C$35/pp, plus tax
Option 2: Additional Charges for [Self-guided city tour] Applicable to guests arriving before 2:00PM in the afternoon. The fee is C$35/pp, plus tax
Shuttle: [Explore “Calgary CBD” + check out trendy locations + The Core shopping mall]
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight in Best Western Premier Calgary Plaza or similar
Day 2: Banff – Bow Falls – Hoodoos – Sulphur Mountain – Johnston Canyon
Stop At: Banff National Park, Banff National Park, Alberta
Meet up at the hotel then head to Banff National Park.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Sulphur Mountain, Banff National Park, Alberta Canada
Step into a wonderland with beautiful scenery. Ride the Sulphur Mountain [Banff Gondola (additional charges)] to reach the top of the mountain. At this moment, it seems that a fascinating picture has unfolded. A 3-minute “Above Banff” experience allows you to explore Banff through an eagle-eye perspective with stunning sound effects, advanced visual film processing technology, 3D effect, and perfectly shows the full picture of Banff National Park.
Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes
Stop At: Bow Falls, Banff, Banff National Park, Alberta Canada
[Bow Falls] is not like your typical waterfall, it is wide and short. You can also see the valley that was eroded by glacier activity and the [Bow Falls] that formed over the years.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Surprise Corner, Buffalo St, Banff, Banff National Park, Alberta Canada
[Surprise Corner] is about a mile from the centre of Banff town. The surprise at the corner of Tunnel Mountain Road in the town of Banff is the sudden appearance and incredible view of the [Fairmont Banff Springs].
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Johnston Canyon, Banff National Park, Alberta Canada
[Johnston Canyon] is carved into the limestone bedrock from thousands of years of water erosion. It is truly remarkable how powerful water can be in shaping landscapes. On this hike, you will be immersed into a beautiful scene of overhanging canyon walls, waterfalls, and lush forest. (If the attraction is under maintenance or other force majeure, we will go to Lake Minnewanka and Two Jack Lake as an alternative attraction).
Duration: 1 hour
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight at Fairmont Banff Springs or similar.
Day 3: Banff – Columbia Icefield – Jasper
Pass By: Crowfoot Glacier, Improvement District No. 9, Banff National Park, Alberta Canada
Along the way you will see [Crowfoot Glacier]. Stop by [Bow Lake], the lake is a bright turquoise color which is caused by the glacial runoff from Bow Glacier.
Stop At: Bow Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta Canada
When the lake thaws in the summer, it becomes a vivid blue colour from the glacier melt of the crowfoot glacier. Speaking of the crowfoot glacier, the Bow Lake is also the perfect place to view the Crowfoot Glacier, Wapta Icefield, Bow Glacier, Crowfoot mountain and Mount Thompson. It really seems like the ultimate all in one package! Historical Simpson’s [Num-Ti-Jah] is located on the shores of Bow Lake at the foot of [Mount Jimmy Simpson].
Duration: 30 minutes
Pass By: Icefields Parkway, Banff National Park, Alberta Canada
Along the Icefields Parkway (Hwy 93) jaw-dropping scenery is punctuated by more than 100 ancient glaciers, waterfalls cascading from dramatic rock spires and turquoise lakes set in sweeping valleys.
Stop At: Columbia Icefield Skywalk, The Icefields Parkway Columbia Icefield Glacier Discovery Centre, Jasper National Park, Alberta T0E 1E0 Canada
Jasper National Park’s [Columbia Icefield] is the largest ancient icefield in the Canadian Rockies.
Ride on the [Ice Explorer vehicle] (additional charges) to explore [Athabasca Glacier]. Discover a different perspective of the remarkable scenery as you peer into what seems like the heart of the planet through a glass-bottomed [Skywalk] (additional charges). The [Columbia Icefields Skywalk] arches out away from the building approximately 280 m above the valley floor, offering an amazing mountainous view of [Sunwapta Valley] on either side of the skywalk and directly beneath you.
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Stop At: Athabasca Falls, Hwy 93, Jasper, Jasper National Park, Alberta T0E 1E0 Canada
[Athabasca Falls] in Jasper National Park is not the highest or widest waterfall in the Canadian Rockies but it is the most powerful. This splendid waterfall is in the foreground of a stunning backdrop of lush forests, and beautiful rocky mountain ranges.
Duration: 30 minutes
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight Marmot Lodge or similar
Day 4: Jasper – Maligne Lake – Banff
Pass By: Medicine Lake, Jasper National Park, Alberta Canada
[Medicine Lake] is an intriguing lake as well as a place of mystery and Indian legend. Due to a unique underground drainage system, the water level of the lake varies from season to season … sometimes it disappears!
Stop At: Maligne Lake Rd. 44 km southeast of Jasper, Jasper National Park, Alberta Canada
Discover the world-famous [Spirit Island] only accessible by boat, on a cruise that has been running for over 60 years in Jasper. The [Maligne Lake Cruise] was once declared the “Best Boat Cruise in Canada” by 8 million Reader Digest subscribers.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Stop At: Maligne Canyon, Maligne Lake Road, Jasper, Jasper National Park, Alberta T0E 1E0 Canada
Get ready to explore [Maligne Canyon], located 1.8 km past the Jasper exit. [Maligne Canyon] is the deepest canyon in Jasper National Park. Some areas of the canyon reach a depth of more than 50 m.
Duration: 30 minutes
Pass By: Sasketchawan River Crossing, Sasketchawan River Crossing, Banff National Park, Alberta
South of the Icefield Avenue, in addition to the beautiful scenery of the Rocky Mountains, the [Saskatchewan River Crossing] is an interesting place. This place was named [The Crossing] because back in the 19th century, travelers and fur traders would use this spot to cross the North Saskatchewan River on their way to the beautiful province of British Columbia.
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight at Canalta Lodge or similar.
Day 5: Banff – Lake Louise – Moraine Lake – Yoho National Park – Calgary
Stop At: Lake Louise, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta
[Lake Louise] is known for its turquoise waters, glacier-fed lake ringed by high peaks that is overlooked by a stately chateau and backed by [Victoria Glacier]. The beautiful scenery is also elevated by [Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise].
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Lake Louise Summer Gondola, 1 Whitehorn Road, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta Canada
Visit [Lake Louise Gondola] (additional charges) at [Lake Louise Ski Resort]. The mountainous scenery here is immaculate.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Moraine Lake Rd off Great Divide Hwy, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta Canada
[Moraine Lake] (Open Seasonal/*Alternative Attractions: Two Jack Lake, Lake Minnewanka*). Its waters are the most amazing color, a vivid shade of turquoise that changes in intensity throughout the summer as the glaciers melt. Set in the rugged Valley of the [Ten Peaks], Moraine Lake is surrounded by mountains, waterfalls, and rock piles, creating a scene so stunning it almost seems unreal.
Duration: 45 minutes
Pass By: Spiral Tunnels, Trans-Canada Highway, Yoho National Park, British Columbia Canada
[Spiral Tunnel] is a section of the Canadian Pacific Railway that carried too much blood and tears of railroad workers and history.
Stop At: Emerald Lake Road, Yoho National Park, British Columbia Canada
Next stop is [Emerald Lake]. The beautiful blue-green color of Emerald Lake is created by sunlight reflecting off a white layer of “marl” on the lakebed. Emerald Lake is surrounded by the President Range that forms a natural amphitheater with towering forested banks.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Natural Bridge, Yoho National Park, British Columbia Canada
Stop at the [Natural Bridge] along the way and admire the Kicking Horse River as it carves a path through ancient rock. You can hear the roar of the disappearing water churning and ejecting beneath the bridge to further reinforce the move in making this a legitimate waterfall.
Duration: 10 minutes
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
