Duration: 10 Days
The Canadian Rockies are known for their stunning scenery, rugged mountains, breathtaking glaciers, mighty rivers, and gorgeous national parks. On this Heart of the Canadian Rockies tour, you’ll experience this breathtaking scenery and enjoy thrilling experiences as you overnight in Calgary, Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, Kamloops, Victoria, and Vancouver. Enjoy two nights in Banff National Park, Canada’s oldest national park and gateway to the Canadian Rockies. You’ll have time to take an optional excursion like viewing the spectacular scenery by helicopter or exploring the alpine meadows, glaciers, lakes, hot springs, and quaint shops on your own. You’ll also enjoy two nights in Jasper National Park, the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies. You can hike, peruse the shops, and take an optional excursion to Maligne Lake and Spirit Island. Between Banff and Jasper, you’ll experience a highlight of this Canadian Rockies tour—a thrilling ride aboard an Ice Explorer all-terrain vehicle to the Athabasca Glacier, part of the Columbia Icefield, the largest expanse of ice in the Canadian Rockies. Your journey between the two national parks also includes a stop in Lake Louise, whose turquoise waters create a natural mirror that reflects the surrounding mountains and pristine wilderness. This tour also includes ferry crossings between Vancouver and Victoria as well as sightseeing in Calgary, Vancouver, and Victoria. In Victoria, your sightseeing includes world-famous Butchart Gardens with its 55 acres of showcase floral displays. Free time in Victoria allows you to explore on your own. Perhaps enjoy Afternoon Tea at the Empress Hotel, walk and discover Victoria’s delightful historic buildings and harbour or take the optional Marine Wildlife & Whale-Watching Expedition to seek out the resident pods of orca whales. All of this and more await you on this Canadian Rockies tour designed for the savvy, value-minded traveller. Be sure to bring your camera to capture the stunning landscapes you’ll see on this once-in-a-lifetime holiday!
Traveller Notes
- Adventure is knocking with everything you need for perfectly affordable touring. Cosmos includes hand-selected accommodations, guided sightseeing, and seamless transportation between destinations—with value-minded travel lovers in mind. Explore with expert Cosmos Tour Directors and Local Guides, and private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi where available. Enhance your free time to explore like a local with your CosmosGO mobile app!
- Ferry crossing to/from Vancouver Island is included.
- Visiting and participating in activities in this region may be subject to favourable weather conditions and vendor dates of operation.
Please note: Itinerary is based on 2024, and is subject to change. Full details will be confirmed in 2024.
Welcome to Calgary! Your Tour Director is on hand late this afternoon to answer any questions.
The discovery of oil converted this ranching town into a sophisticated city. It is also home to the world-famous Calgary Stampede. See many of the city's attractions, including Canada Olympic Park and the Saddledome. Motor west through the foothills and into Banff National Park, gateway to the majestic Canadian Rockies. An orientation tour highlights Banff's unspoiled beauty.
Banff is one of Canada's favourite year-round resorts, with summer activities such as hiking, boating, and fishing. With a free day, your Tour Director will have many suggestions, including an optional helicopter ride over the Canadian Rockies.
Enjoy a day of scenic grandeur. First stop is Lake Louise, whose turquoise waters create a natural mirror that reflects the surroundings. Up next: a stop at the Columbia Icefield to experience the Ice Explorer, an all-terrain vehicle that travels on ice measuring 750 feet thick. Then, journey north into Jasper National Park, where precipitous gorges, snowcapped summits, and lakes of exquisite blues and greens come into view as the motorcoach scales three mountain passes. Later, perhaps take an optional float trip down the Athabasca River. Enjoy an orientation tour of the town of Jasper upon arrival.
Today, join our optional excursion to Maligne Lake and Spirit Island, where you embark on a narrated cruise of the lake. The balance of the day is free to enjoy everything Jasper has to offer-from guided hikes and quaint shops to meandering wildlife.
Depart Jasper and follow the Fraser River to the base of Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. The Yellowhead Highway continues south along the mighty Thompson River, with spectacular views of the Monashee Mountains. Overnight in Kamloops.
As you travel through British Columbia's Coast Mountain Range to its majestic Pacific coastline, the vegetation changes from desert landscape to lush alpine forest. Board your ferry for the spectacular crossing to Vancouver Island. Sightseeing in Victoria includes world-famous Butchart Gardens, the Inner Harbour, Bastion Square, and Thunderbird Park. This evening, consider a stroll along the lively Waterfront Promenade.
Today is free to explore on your own. You may choose to join an optional wildlife and whale watching trip cruising the beautiful waters of the San Juan and Gulf Islands, looking for whales, porpoises, seals, and eagles. Your Tour Director will have ideas for enjoying this most British of Canadian cities.
This morning, set sail across the Strait of Georgia and through the spectacular Gulf Islands. In Vancouver, city sightseeing includes Stanley Park, Gastown, Chinatown, and other famous landmarks. The remainder of the day is free to explore Robson Street and experience British Columbia's premier shopping and entertainment location.
Your holiday ends this morning. You may choose to extend your holiday with extra nights and explore Vancouver further.
