Vancouver Trip Overview
Hold onto your toques for the Big West tour, a 10 day journey into some of the most beautiful scenery in Western Canada! We’ll explore the stunning Canadian Rockies and the alpine beauty of Whistler, hiking and swimming at lakes, rivers, and waterfalls and much more! Of course, there’s plenty of wildlife around for animal lovers, some great activities for thrill seekers, and Indigenous cultures to learn about! Experience Banff and Jasper National Parks as we travel the Icefields Parkway, one of the most scenic roads in the world.
Note: The Big West is a combination of our Sea to Sky and Caribou tours. Some of your fellow travellers will have already travelled together on one of our longer combination tours.
Moose tours are designed for 18 to 39 year olds, but we welcome all adventurous travellers that are 18+.
Additional Info
Duration: 10 days
Starts: Vancouver, Canada
Trip Category: Multi-day & Extended Tours >> Multi-day Tours
Explore Vancouver Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Hold onto your toques for the Big West tour, a 10 day journey into some of the most beautiful scenery in Western Canada! We’ll explore the stunning Canadian Rockies and the alpine beauty of Whistler, hiking and swimming at lakes, rivers, and waterfalls and much more! Of course, there’s plenty of wildlife around for animal lovers, some great activities for thrill seekers, and Indigenous cultures to learn about! Experience Banff and Jasper National Parks as we travel the Icefields Parkway, one of the most scenic roads in the world.
Note: The Big West is a combination of our Sea to Sky and Caribou tours. Some of your fellow travellers will have already travelled together on one of our longer combination tours.
Moose tours are designed for 18 to 39 year olds, but we welcome all adventurous travellers that are 18+.
Itinerary
Day 1: Vancouver – Whistler
Stop At: Cypress Mountain, 6000 Cypress Bowl Road, West Vancouver, British Columbia V7V 3N9 Canada
Get a unique view of Vancouver from above (weather permitting).
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Shannon Falls Provincial Park, Squamish, British Columbia V0N 1H0 Canada
See the third highest waterfalls in BC, the 335 m Shannon Falls!
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Alice Lake Provincial Park, Highway 99 (13 kilometers north of Squamish), Squamish, British Columbia V0N 3G0 Canada
We’ll stop for a picnic lunch (not included) in this Provincial Park, where you can also go for a swim or walk the loop trail.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Brandywine Falls Provincial Park, Highway 99, Whistler, British Columbia V0N 1H0 Canada
Take a short walk through west coast rainforest to these picturesque falls and hear the story of how they were named.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, 4584 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, British Columbia V0N 1B0 Canada
Upon our arrival in Whistler, we’ll take a guided tour of the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre including a forest walk with a Cultural Ambassador, to learn about the Indigenous cultures of the Whistler Valley.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Meals included:
• Dinner
Accommodation included: HI Whistler – mixed gender, dormitory-style rooms (usually 4 beds per room)
Day 2: Whistler – Vancouver
Stop At: Whistler, Whistler, British Columbia
We don’t leave until the afternoon today, so you’ll have plenty of time to get your thrill on by ziplining, bungee jumping, downhill mountain biking, or hiking on either Whistler or Blackcomb Mountains. If you’re looking to relax, find a spot in one of the beautiful parks. The day is yours to enjoy as you please!
Duration: 8 hours
Stop At: Tantalus Lookout, Sea To Sky Highway,, BC-99, Squamish, BC V0N 1H0, Canada
Enjoy views of the glacier-capped Tantalus Range of the Coast Mountains!
Duration: 15 minutes
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: HI Vancouver Jericho Beach Hostel – mixed gender, dormitory-style rooms
Day 3: Vancouver – Kelowna
Stop At: Bridal Veil Falls Provincial Park, South side of the Fraser River, 16 km east of Chilliwack, Chilliwack, British Columbia V0X 1X1 Canada
At our first stop, we’ll take a short walk in a west coast rainforest to check out Bridal Veil Falls.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Hope, Hope, British Columbia
We’ll stop to pickup lunch supplies in the self-proclaimed “Chainsaw Carving Capital of Canada”, the town of Hope, BC.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Sudbury Beach, Skaha Lake Road, Penticton, British Columbia V2A 6G8 Canada
After crossing through the Coastal Mountains, we arrive in the semi-arid grasslands of the Okanagan where we’ll go for a paddleboard on Skaha Lake in Penticton.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Kelowna, Kelowna, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Then it’s onto Kelowna on Lake Okanagan, our destination for the night. We’ll be replenishing ourselves with a special dinner at Kekuli Café in Westbank, where you’ll get to try Indigenous cuisine.
Duration: 5 hours
Meals included:
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Samesun Kelowna – mixed gender, dormitory-style rooms
Day 4: Kelowna – Banff
Stop At: Last Spike, Trans-Canadian Highway 1, Craigellachie, British Columbia V0E 2J0 Canada
See this historic site where the last railroad spike on the Canadian Pacific Railway was driven in November 1885, connecting Canada from West to East.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Revelstoke, Revelstoke, Kootenay Rockies, British Columbia
In Revelstoke, you’ll have the option to go kayaking on a lake, in beautiful, hand crafted wooden kayaks, surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery!
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Banff, Banff, Banff National Park, Alberta
Continuing onwards, we’ll finally enter the Rocky Mountains and cross over the Kicking Horse Pass into Alberta and Banff National Park. Our day finishes in the historic town of Banff, in the heart of the mountains.
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: HI Banff Alpine Centre – mixed gender, dormitory-style rooms
Day 5: Banff – Rampart Creek
Stop At: Moraine Lake Rd off Great Divide Hwy, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta Canada
Our day begins at the stunning Moraine Lake, in the Valley of the Ten Peaks. Please note that this is a seasonal stop.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Lake Louise, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta
We’ll see one of the most famous and photographed lakes in the world, Lake Louise!
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Crowfoot Glacier, Improvement District No. 9, Banff National Park, Alberta Canada
See for yourself (sort of!) why it’s called the Crowfoot Glacier.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Mistaya Canyon, Banff National Park, Alberta Canada
We’ll take an easy walk down to the impressive Mistaya Canyon.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: HI Rampart Creek Wilderness Hostel, Banff National Park Of Canada, AB-93, Banff, AB T1L 1B3, Canada
Tonight we stay in a rustic, wilderness hostel alongside Rampart Creek. Why not take a dip in the creek, then relax in the wood-burning sauna, before enjoying a campfire under the stars tonight?
Duration: 8 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: HI Rampart Creek Wilderness Hostel – mixed gender, dormitory-style rooms at a semi-rustic wilderness property
Day 6: Rampart Creek – Jasper
Stop At: Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre, Highway 93 Icefields Pkwy, Improvement District No. 12, Jasper National Park, Alberta T1L 1J3 Canada
Our main attraction today is the Columbia Icefield, the largest icefield in the Rocky Mountains at 325 square kilometres.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Maligne Canyon, Maligne Lake Road, Jasper, Jasper National Park, Alberta T0E 1E0 Canada
Then it’s on to Maligne Canyon, the deepest canyon in Jasper, for a scenic hike that crosses several bridges with amazing views into the canyon.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Jasper, Jasper, Jasper National Park, Alberta
Afterwards, we’ll roll into the Jasper townsite where you’ll have the rest of the afternoon and evening free to explore on your own.
Duration: 7 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: New HI Jasper – mixed gender, dormitory-style rooms
Day 7: Jasper – Banff
Stop At: Athabasca Falls, Hwy 93, Jasper, Jasper National Park, Alberta T0E 1E0 Canada
Our first stop is at Athabasca Falls, one of the most powerful and picturesque waterfalls in the Rockies.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Goats & Glacier Lookout, Improvement District No. 12, AB T0E 1E0, Canada
This is followed by a bit of mountain goat spotting (we’re still amazed at how they hold on) at the Goats and Glaciers viewpoint.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Waterfowl Lakes, Alberta T0L, Canada
Then on to Waterfowl Lakes to soak in the backdrop of Mount Chephren, which was named after the 4th Dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh.
Duration: 15 minutes
Meals included:
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Samesun Banff – mixed gender, dormitory-style rooms
Day 8: Banff Free Day
Stop At: Banff National Park, Banff National Park, Alberta
Spend the day as you wish in the heart of the Rocky Mountains! Hiking, exploring the town, or for an additional cost rafting the Kicking Horse River, taking the Sulphur Mountain gondola, relaxing in the Upper Hot Springs…you decide!
Duration: 10 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Samesun Banff – mixed gender, dormitory-style rooms
Day 9: Banff – Kelowna
Stop At: Takakkaw Falls, Yoho National Park, British Columbia Canada
These magnificent falls in Yoho National Park are some of the highest in Canada at 381m! Note: this is a seasonal stop.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Emerald Lake Road, Yoho National Park, British Columbia Canada
We’ll stop for photos at the pristine Emerald Lake, also in Yoho NP. Note: this is a seasonal stop.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Natural Bridge, Yoho National Park, British Columbia Canada
Not far from Emerald Lake, we’ll check out this natural wonder, which spans the Kicking Horse River. Note: this is a seasonal stop.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Kalamalka Lake Lookout, Vernon, British Columbia Canada
We’ll also stop for a photo at the stunning Kalamalka Lake viewpoint after reaching the Okanagan Valley.
Duration: 15 minutes
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Samesun Kelowna – mixed gender, dormitory-style rooms
Day 10: Kelowna – Vancouver
Pass By: Lake Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia Canada
Today we cross the beautiful Okanagan Lake and climb over high mountain passes as we make our way to the west coast.
Stop At: Tuckkwiowhum Heritage Village, 46292 Tuckkwiowhum Rd, Boston Bar, BC V0K 1C0, Canada
Our main destination of the day is Tuckkwiowhum Village, an Indigenous heritage site, where we’ll enjoy a guided tour and interact with a Traditional Knowledge Keeper.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Stop At: Othello Tunnels, Othello Road Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park, Hope, British Columbia V0X 1L1 Canada
We’ll explore the Othello Tunnels, named after the Shakespearean character, and part of the now defunct Kettle Valley Railway system, before finishing the tour in Vancouver.
Duration: 45 minutes
Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.
