Compare Canada Adventure Tours by Mini Bus by Travel Dream West vs Spectacular Rockies and Glaciers of Alberta Classic Group by Insight Vacations

Day 1: Seattle Arrival

Our professional team– the tour guide and the driver– will greet you in the lobby of our base hotel in Seattle in the later afternoon. You will receive your tour materials including daily itinerary hotel list, and maps, and get to know each other at dinner in a nice restaurant. Short City tour, Seattle by night.

Day 2: Olympic Peninsula – Port Angeles

This morning you leave Seattle by ferry to Bainbridge Island, enjoying scenic Puget Sound. You explore historic Port Townsend with its many unique Victorian homes. Weather permitting, you visit Olympic National Park and drive up to Hurricane Ridge with incredible views over the Olympic Mountains. Short hikes over flowery mountain meadows. Night in Port Angeles.

Day 3: Port Angeles – Olympic National Park – Victoria

Today, you explore more of the Olympic National Park, including its unique temperate rainforests and rocky Pacific coast line. Relax in the mineral baths at Sol Duc Hot Springs. In the evening you catch the ferry to Victoria on Vancouver Island, Canada. Victoria is the beautiful capital of British Columbia.

Day 4: Victoria – Port Alberni

This morning you explore the unique city-with-the-British-flair, Victoria. If you wish, you may choose a superb whale-watching tour as an optional morning activity. In the afternoon you continue on to Duncan to view its many totem poles. Depending on timing, you will visit the Native American Heritage Center for a tour. you see fascinating murals in the little town of Chemainus. 2 Nights in Port Alberni in a bed & breakfast lodge.

Day 5: Day trip to Pacific Rim National Park

In the morning you wander through a rain forest among 67-meter high Douglas Fir trees. A scenic drive over the Pacific Rim Highway through mountains and along pristine lakes leads to the open Pacific Ocean. Here you experience a breathtaking mixture of mountains, coastal rainforests, and sandy beaches on a hike through Pacific Rim National Park, a designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. In the afternoon, you stroll through Tofino, a small fishing town with tempting art galleries and good coffee shops. Before driving back to Port Alberni. 2nd night in Port Alberni.

Day 6: Port Alberni – City of Vancouver – Fort Langley

This morning we take the ferry to Vancouver. Explore Stanley Park with its giant totem poles and perfect view over the city of Vancouver. The afternoon includes a tour of Fort Langley National Historic Site, a former fur trade post of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Langley itself is a lovely historic town with many galleries and antique shops, perfect for browsing. Spend the night in Langley.

Day 7: Langley – Okanagan Valley – Kelowna

Enjoy a short hike through an abandoned historic train tunnel which runs along an impressive canyon with expansive views. We head on into the heart of the Canadian Cascade Mountains and the picturesque Manning Provincial Park. Here we hike around a lake which is often frequented by a variety of wildlife, including the occasional bear, so keep your eyes peeled in the hopes of seeing one! Picnic on the lake shore. After a relaxing lunch we travel to the lower elevation, where the climate is ideal for the many vineyards that grace the Okanagan Valley. Enjoy wine tasting at a local winery, then spend the evening on the lakeshore of Okanagan Lake, over 200 miles long, where you can enjoy a swim from the sandy beach. We spend the night in Kelowna.

Day 8: Kelowna – Kamloops – Clearwater

In Vernon we visit the historic O’Keefe Ranch, dating back to Pioneer times and providing a fabulous step back in time! With many displays and different buildings to view you can gain insight into the history of the area and the cowboy lifestyle. Later we stop at the Quw’utsun’ Cultural center to learn about the history of the Native residents of the area, complete with an interesting collection of artifacts and lovely grounds. Drive on the Yellowhead highway through grasslands and along the Thompson River to Clearwater, where we spend the next two nights at a small hotel directly on the lakeshore.

Day 9: Trip to Wells Gray Provincial Park

Today you can participate in an optional kayak tour on Clearwater Lake. At Wells Gray Provincial Park you do some nice walks and view spectacular waterfalls, including Helmcken Falls, Spahat and Dawson Falls. With a bit of luck, you will catch glimpses of wild animals, including deer, moose, and bears. 2nd night in Clearwater.

Day 1: Welcome to Banff

After your arrival at Calgary Airport, you are transferred to the Castle in the Rockies, your historic mountain resort in Banff. Built in the distinctive Canadian Château style, it is one of the earliest examples of the country’s grand railway hotels. Tonight, join your Travel Director and fellow travelers for a Welcome Dinner.

Day 2: Exploring Banff

Connect with nature as you join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience with your First Nations Cree Iroquois Local Expert. Embark on a guided walk in the Boreal forest and discover the Indigenous world of plant medicines. Learn about the historical and modern day uses of plants and listen to fascinating stories about the First Nations culture.Explore Banff with a few fun optionals. Choose to play nine holes of golf. Alternatively, take the Banff gondola up Sulphur Mountain and go on a hike. Another option is to take a guided horseback ride.

Day 3: A Trip to Lake Louise Relaxed Start

Explore Lake Louise with Insight Choice. Choose a journey on the sightseeing gondola and look out for local wildlife as you enjoy a hike surrounded by panoramic views. Alternatively, join your Travel Director for a relaxed stroll along iconic Lake Louise and put paint to canvas to create your own masterpiece. Indulge in a delicious lunch before returning to Banff and enjoying the rest of your day at leisure.

Day 4: Lakes, Mountains and Glaciers Relaxed Start

Start your day with a visit to the glacier-fed Moraine Lake in the Valley of the Ten Peaks. Take a moment to absorb the view of the stunning turquoise lake hidden among steep mountains, waterfalls, and rock piles. Your journey continues on the Icefields Parkway, one of the most beautiful drives on the planet. Admire the dramatic scenery of the Rockies with plenty of photo opportunities. Later, a warm welcome greets you at the country’s first and only glacier-view resort where you will savour a Canadian inspired, locally sourced dinner. After your meal take advantage of the long daylight hours and set out for a private visit to the Columbia Icefield Skywalk, a glass-floored walkway above the Sunwapta Valley. Once night falls, step out on your hotel’s viewing deck and take your chances at stargazing undisturbed by light pollution.

Day 5: Glacier Adventure

Before other travellers arrive, venture onto the Athabasca Glacier in a massive Ice Explorer for your special visit. Join your Local Expert and walk on the frozen flow of ice. Discover the beauty and immensity of the glacier as you learn about the history and geology of the region. Continue along the magnificent Icefields Parkway and arrive at Jasper National Park with its soothing mineral hot springs, colourful meadows and majestic mountains.

Day 6: Exploring Jasper

Join your Travel Director for an informative walk on the trails of Maligne Canyon, the deepest gorge in the Jasper National Park. Weather permitting, embark on a narrated cruise across the serene waters of Maligne Lake and stop at Spirit Island, one of the most photographed sites in the Canadian Rockies.

Day 7: Relaxing in Kananaskis Relaxed Start

Enjoy your scenic drive to Kananaskis and your upscale hotel nestled in the wilderness. Relax at the resort surrounded by mountainous beauty and modern comforts. Tonight, come together with your fellow travellers for a festive Celebration Dinner and toast to your wonderful trip in the Canadian Rockies.

Day 8: Farewell Canada

After breakfast, you are transferred to Calgary Airport where your journey comes to an end. Arrival time at airport is approximately 12:00.