15 Days | Campfires, canoeing and hiking in the great outdoors
Explore Canada’s Rocky Mountains on a thrilling 15-day adventure. Walk the streets of Vancouver, hike the trails of Jasper and Banff to Maligne Lake and Lake Louise, canoe along Clearwater Lake in Wells Gray Provincial Park and soak up the superb alpine scenery. Spot native moose and bears and unleash your inner daredevil with a range of potential escapades – mountain biking or river rafting, anyone? With a mixture of included activities and optional extras, you get to decide just how active or relaxed you want this adventure to be. Jump in feet first and immerse yourself in the beauty of Canada in this outdoor experience.
Trip overview
- Start
- Vancouver, Canada
- Finish
- Vancouver, Canada
- Theme
- Explorer
- Destinations
- Canada
- Physical rating
- Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
- Style
- Basix
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1 - Max 12
- Trip code
- SSOR
- Get wild in Jasper National Park, where it’s possible to spot moose, elk, deer, bears and coyotes among the sea of evergreen pine and spruce trees.
- Take an included canoeing adventure and camp overnight on the remote shore of Clearwater Lake, where you can fall asleep under a blanket of stars.
- See the Athabasca Glacier up close and personal during a walk to the toe of the glacier, an experience that will feel other-worldly.
- Enjoy plenty of free time to explore Canada’s premier outdoor adventure hub, Whistler, at your own pace. Hike rugged trails or munch on ‘beaver tails’ – the choice is yours.
- See the Rockies’ vast array of striking lakes, mountains and glaciers – no matter what time of year you visit – with a wilderness-loving local as your guide.
- This trip covers a lot of ground so please be prepared for some long days of driving. You'll be travelling in a van with a group, so conditions may feel a little cramped. We think this is all part of the adventure of road travel, and friendships form fast in tight quarters.
- Snow may remain on the ground in higher elevations until the end of May. This may impact certain activities such as scenic gondolas, boat trips or mountain hikes, however crowds are much thinner during this time. Your leader will have a range of suggestions for alternative activities to do in your free time no matter the season.
- As we're travelling through the mountains, the weather can be unpredictable. We advise wearing layers in all seasons in case conditions change during the day. Even in the warmer months the temperature can be very low in the mountains.
- To ensure you to get the most out of the included and optional activities we recommend you are moderately fit. The hikes are a real highlight of this trip and give you access to some fantastic scenery.
- This is a participatory trip. That’s a fancy way of saying you’re not just along for the ride – you are part of a team! Be prepared to roll up your sleeves and help with camp activities like food prep and washing up.
- That teamwork also extends to our optional food kitty of approximately CAD 20 per day to cover the cost of meals. This kitty saves you worrying about where to get food or sales taxes and helps keep your costs down by bulk purchasing items together to cook. (Though there’s always the chance to use it for the occasional dinner out!) The kitty is optional and for your convenience, so if you've got specific dietary requirements you can opt out and purchase (and cook) your own food.
Itinerary
View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2023 - 31 December 2024
Inclusions
Private Vehicle
Camping (with basic facilities) (2 nights), Camping (with facilities) (11 nights), Hotel (1 night)
- Whistler - Leader-led orientation walk
- Wells Gray Provincial Park
- Overnight Canoe Trip - 2 Nights
- Jasper National Park - Entrance Fee
- Wells Grey - Helmcken & Spahats Waterfalls walk
- Mt Robson Provincial Park
- Visit to Maligne Lake
- Maligne Canyon hike
- Banff National Park
- Icefields Parkway - Hike to toe of Athabasca Glacier
- Visit to Lake Louise
- Visit to Moraine Lake (seasonal)
- Yoho National Park
- Glacier National Park
- Mt. Revelstoke National Park
- Rogers Pass Discovery Centre
- Whistler - PEAK2PEAK Gondola - CAD82
- Whistler – Standard Mountain Bike Rental (full day) - CAD90
- Whistler - Zip Trek Tour (1.5 hrs) - CAD129
- Whistler - Regular Bike Rental (half day) - CAD40
- Whistler - Lost Lake Trail hike - Free
- Wells Grey Provincial Park - Eagles View Hike - Free
- Jasper - Mountain bike rental (non-electric) From - CAD30
- Jasper - Cruise on Maligne Lake - CAD79
- Jasper - SkyTram - CAD60
- Icefields Parkway - Athabasca Glacier Hike with Guide - CAD115
- Banff - Cable Car up Sulphur Mountain - CAD60
- Banff - Hot springs - CAD18
- Banff - Canoe Hire - CAD70
- Banff - Cruiser bike hire (full day) - CAD38
- Banff - Mountain bike hire (full day) - CAD45
- Banff - Horse Riding (1 hour) - CAD60
- Lake Louise - Plain of 6 Glaciers Trail hike - Free
- Yoho National Park - Kicking Horse rafting (half day) - CAD109
- Yoho National Park - Kicking Horse rafting (full day) - CAD159
- Yoho National Park - hiking - Free
- Golden - Golden Skybridge - CAD45
Dates and availability
Important notes
1. There are no activities planned on Day 1 of the trip so you may arrive at any time. A welcome meeting will be held at 8am on Day 2 in Vancouver. This trip ends on arrival into Vancouver on Day 15 in the afternoon. The arrival time depends on each group, but we generally aim for a 3pm arrival. If you decide to fly out this day, please don't book a flight before 8pm which will give you enough time to catch a shuttle from the hotel to the airport and be there 2 hours before departure.
2. A Single Supplement to have your own room and tent is available on this trip but please note that single tents are limited due to group camping accommodations. Therefore, all single supplements are on request only.
3. A sleeping bag is required for this trip. If you would like to rent a sleeping bag locally, the cost is $50 CAD, payable in cash to your guide on Day 1 of the trip. Please advise your booking agent prior to departure if you require a sleeping bag rental.
4. Please note that In Canada the legal drinking age is 18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec, and 19 in the remaining provinces and territories.
5. Due to the remote nature of the backcountry canoe trip on days 5 & 6, anyone who tests positive for Covid while on trip will not be able to join the group in the backcountry. This policy is in place to protect you and our backcountry guides. If you test positive for Covid during the trip but wish to continue with the group, your leader will assist you with making alternative arrangements (at your expense) for accommodations during the canoe trip as well as transportation to meet the group on Day 7. Please review your travel insurance policy to ensure you have trip interruption coverage included.
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