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Canyon Ice Walks
Canyon Ice Walks
Descend beneath the ice in this unique tour! Your interpretive guide will safely take you down beneath the frozen surface of the Maligne River – don’t worry, the water levels have dropped with the freeze – leaving a magical world of ice formations and shelves. Along the way you will learn interesting facts about the area while taking in the amazing scenery of the frozen canyon. 
Departure: 9:00am, 1:00pm, 6:00pm daily.
Length: 3 hours.
Jasper-Banff Tour
Jasper-Banff Tour
Travel with your interpretive guide along the world-famous Icefields Parkway. Sightseeing stops along this beautiful highway will include Athabasca Falls, Sunwapta Falls, the Weeping Wall, Bow Lake and the Crowfoot Glacier. You will also make a stop at the Columbia Icefields Centre. This scenic tour can be customized as either a one-way or round-trip tour with either Lake Louise or Banff as a destination.
*NB: Not all of the regularly scheduled stops on this sightseeing tour are accessible during the Winter, so the length of this tour is shortened during this time.*
Departure: 8:30am
Length: 4-8 hours (depending on final destination)
Mount Edith Cavell Walk
Mount Edith Cavell Walk
This 1.5 hour walk takes place near the base of Mount Edith Cavell, one of Jasper’s most stunning mountains. The “Path of the Glacier” trail follows glacial moraines and descends to a picturesque emerald lake where ice may be seen 
tumbling from the face of Angel Glacier. Mount Edith Cavell
Departure: 9:00am daily.
Length: 3-3.5 Hours.
Mount Edith Cavell Hike
This 6km hike encompasses some of the most stunning scenery to be seen anywhere. Your guide will lead to several viewpoints overlooking the moraine fields, bright glacial lakes, and the huge 1000m face of Mt. Edith Cavell. As you hike up the trail it will gradually open up into a lush alpine meadow carpeted with wildflowers. We will be overlooking the angel glacier, which is always active in the hot afternoon as avalanches and seracs fall from the mountain.
Departure: 9:00am daily.
Length: 6 Hours.
Heli-Hiking & Sightseeing
Heli-Hiking & Sightseeing
If you’re looking to explore either the breathtaking Mount Robson or the magnificent Columbia Icefields in the comfort of a helicopter, we have the tours for you! We are happy to be working with both Robson Helimagic and Icefield Helicopter Tours to provide you with first-rate helicopter excursions.
Robson Helimagic
Specializes in providing helicopter tours around Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, which range anywhere from 12 to 36 minutes. These tours have a 3 person booking minimum.
Icefield Helicopter Tours
Specialize in providing helicopter tours around the renowned Columbia Icefields and their tours range anywhere from 20 to 55 minutes. These tours have a 2 person booking minimum.
Premier Glacier Tour
This tour begins with a 1-hour drive from Jasper to Mount Robson, BC. A helicopter will be waiting to take you on an incredible 25-minute journey around the tallest peak in the Canadian Rockies. Guests will travel through the frozen “Valley of a Thousand Falls”, over Kinney Lake and spectacular Emperor Falls, then on to Berg Lake and the Berg Glacier. The helicopter will then continue up the Robson Pass to the north face of this great mountain and then back to the heli-pad.
Mountain Magic Hike
Fly from our base to a beautiful alpine area where you will enjoy a refreshing walk with an experienced guide. Take in awe-inspiring views; breathe crisp mountain air; visit pristine lakes; seek the sights and sounds of the wildlife. Picnic lunch is included. Approximately 5 to 6 hours – minimum of 3 people.
Columbia Icefields
Columbia Icefields
While in Jasper, be sure to see one of the worlds’ most scenic highways, the Icefields Parkway. Our guide will tour you along the parkway stopping at Athabasca & Sunwapta Falls and other viewpoints along the way. Once you arrive at the Icefields, you will have time to take a Snocoach Tour on the Athabasca Glacier. There is a good chance to see wildlife including bears, bighorn sheep, moose and mountain goats on the Columbia Icefields tour.
Departure: 9:00am.
Length: 5-6 Hours.
Wildlife Discovery Tour
Wildlife Discovery Tour
We embark on a tour of one of the most spectacular areas of Jasper National Park. (From there) We will be traveling through the Maligne Valley in search of Osprey, eagle, big horn sheep, mountain goat, moose, elk, deer and bear. We stop at Maligne Canyon where 10,000 years of erosion have created a 165-foot deep gorge. Here we set off on a short walk to marvel at the Maligne River as it thunders through the canyon in a series of waterfalls. From the canyon we continue to disappearing Medicine Lake and then to spectacular Maligne Lake. Have your cameras ready as both areas are rich in wildlife and scenery.
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Yukon and Alaska Highlights
Yukon and Alaska Highlights
For a complete Northern experience, this guided camping tour can not be matched. You hike two national parks, Kluane in Canada and Denali in the USA, and trek into the Tombstone Mountains. There is a visit to Skagway, the first official Alaskan city and ferry to nearby Haines, a town nestled on the edge of the ocean.
Beginning in Whitehorse, the tour makes its way to Dawson, where can can girls prance across the stage at Diamond Tooth Gerties Casino while you try your luck at blackjack or the slots. If you are feeling adventurous sip a sourdough cocktail, frost-bitten toe and all! You also get to try your hand at gold panning, the ultimate pioneer experience. For a little extra you can fly onto a glacier, raft down the Tatshenshini River, take a trip on horseback, or spend a day fishing.
Tour details:
Day 1: Whitehorse, Yukon – Arrival in Whitehorse, transfer to your hotel and first meeting with the guide and the other group members.
Day 2: Skagway, Alaska – After breakfast you have time to stroll the streets of the famous capital of the Yukon. Your stops should include the MS Klondike, one of the last Yukon sternwheelers still around and a visit to the McBride Museum. Start of the tour is early afternoon when you board the van and head for Skagway. During this camping tour you stop at the smallest desert in the world – the Carcross Desert – and also admire Emerald Lake, called Rainbow Lake by the locals due to its sensational coloration. You set up your tent in Skagway, a hundred years ago the base camp for all Chilkoot Pass travelers, is still a historic gold rush town. Many well preserved relics bear witness to its colourful past. It is also the head of the notorious Chilkoot Trail. In the evening you can relax and get a taste of the gold rush atmosphere in one of the historic bars, for example the Red Onion Saloon, once a brothel.
Day 3: Haines, Alaska – Via ferry you travel through the Lynn Fjord. With some luck you can watch seals, whales, bald eagles and the giant Alaska brown bears which call this area their home. Haines is known as an important centre of the native Tlingit culture and one can watch Totem pole carvers at work as well as visit the local theatre and a performance of ceremonial Indian dances.
Day 4: Haines Junction, Yukon – You follow the Chilkat River where thousands of majestic bald eagles concentrate every fall during the salmon migration. Chilkat Pass, the Million Dollar Fallsand the pristine landscape along the Tatshenshini River. You stop at Klukshu Village, where Indian people still catch salmon in a traditional manner during their upstream migration. Campground in Haynes Junction.
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Days 5 and 6: Kluane National Park – Haines Junction, the gateway to Kluane National Park. You set up base camp on the shores of the deep, blue Kluane Lake and explore the immense scenery of the Park during the next days. A hiking trip into one of the park’s high alpine valleys may give you the chance to spot wildlife such as dall sheep, moose, caribou and grizzly bear. Strongly suggested is a spectacular helicopter flight over the immense glaciers of the park (optional). Other options are a horse back trip into the glaciated valley of the Alsek River or a tumultuous rafting tour down the world famous Tatshenshini River? This area is simply an adventure wonderland.
Day 7: Tok, Alsaka – After leaving Haines Junction you follow the shores of scenic Kluane Lake. Mount Wallace, better known as Sheep Mountain is our first stop. Here you are almost guaranteed to spot the rare white dall sheep. You can also join a glacier flight in Burwash Landing. You cross the Alaska border at Beaver Creek and travel towards Tok, home of one of the best breed of husky dogs.
Day 8: Valdez – An early start via the Glen Highway and through the impressive scenery of the Wrangell Mountains leads you deeper into Alaska. The Richardson Highway connects with the Pacific Ocean and the little harbour town Valdez is embedded into the beautiful coastal range. High water falls, roughed scenery and magnificent peaks have given this region the name “little Switzerland”, and the Trans Alaska Pipeline ends here.
Day 9: Whittier – Today you take the ferry to discover the marine world of Prince William Sound, one of the many highlights of this tour. The Columbia Glacier, one of the worlds most spectacular pictures and the variety of marine wildlife shall make this day an unforgettable one: Sea otter, seals, sea lions and puffins are common here, and with some luck you may be able to spot orcas and humpback whales. Whittier, the end of our sea journey is home to the legendary Portage Glacier.
Day 10: Anchorage – The drive along Turnagain Fjord towards Anchorage is another impressive highlight. Town day this afternoon…. yet such a difference to most cities. Anchorage the largest city in Alaska is surrounded by impressive mountains, deep fjords and Alaskan wilderness. One moment modern city life yet less than on hour away the chance to meet a grizzly or moose. Lake Hood, the world float plane capital (yes, they really have over one thousand float planes here) with 800 takeoffs per day and the close-by Aviation Museum is a must for every visitor.Exhibitions, theatres, shopping malls are among other downtown attractions. After hours the town with its many pubs, bars and restaurants comes alive. Our tip: Gwennies, the restaurant with the largest steaks combined with a gold rush thematic atmosphere.
Day 11: Denali National Park – Northbound via George Parks Highway towards Denali National Park, through incredible landscape. Campground near the park entrance.
Days 12 and 13: Denali National Park – The next highlight is a visit to Denali National Park with mighty Mt. McKinley, highest peak in North America. You spend two days in and around the park and with some luck spot dall sheep, moose, caribou and grizzly bears.
Day 14: Fairbanks – Back on the George Parks Highway, the compass pointing north. Nenana and the Alaska Railroad Museum is another point of interest en route to Fairbanks, less than 200 km south of the polar circle. Recommended is a visit of the dog mush museum or one of the many restaurants specializing in Alaska King Crabs… a true delicacy. Another possibility is to join a sternwheeler cruise on the Chena River. Or watch the Crown of Light, a slide show about the northern lights.
Day 15: Tok – You are at the most northerly point of this exciting journey. Now you cross the Tanana River alongside the Trans Alaska Pipeline. Mile Zero of the Alaska Highway is in Delta Junction and you make a stop in North Pole, home town of Santa Claus. Here it seems to be Christmas year round.
Day 16: Dawson City, Yukon – You travel via the Top of the World Highway through sub-arctic mountain tundra above timberline. You pass the most northern US-boarder at Little Gold Creek and small historic towns like Chicken, Action Jackson or Jack Wade Camp. Early afternoon, back in Canada, you reach the Yukon River and set up camp along its shore.
Day 17: Dawson City – You cross the Yukon River by ferry into Dawson, the historic gold town and home of many legends. A visit to the Jack London and Robert Service cabins and the gold rush museum are on the program. A highlight is the drive into the Bonanza and Eldorado Creeks and a visit of an active gold mine. Later you drive up the Midnight Dome, the mountain overlooking Dawson. We can stroll through the quaint little town where so many buildings from the gold rush era are preserved. In the evening you watch Can-Can girls in Diamond Tooth Gerties Casino. Recommended is also the show in the Palace Grand Theatre, a musical about the gold rush period.
Day 18: Dempster Highway – You are leaving the fields of the Klondike today and set up camp near the world famous Dempster Highway. 730 KM of gravel road linking the interior of Yukon Territory with Inuvik at the delta of the huge Mackenzie River in Northwest Territories. Camp is at a delightful campground at the base of Tombstone Mountain.
Day 19: Tombstone Mountains – Some spectacular hiking trails wait ot be explored in this remarkable landscape of tundra and mountains. The Tombstones` unique moon landscape is this regions` unmistakable landmark. Today is your last evening around the campfire.
Day 20: Whitehorse – Return to Whitehorse via the Klondike Highway which follows the mighty Yukon River basin. The Yukon, over 3500 KM in length is one of the worlds longest water highways. Relicts like old cabins, abandoned post stations, machinery and small settlements help the traveller relive the gold rush times. The historic journey of the sternwheelers was only interrupted by the dangerous and infamous Five Finger Rapids – another stop of interest. Hotel tonight in Whitehorse.
Day 21: Transfer to the airport.
Yukon River Classic
20 days Whitehorse to Whitehorse
This 700 km guided canoe trip down the Yukon from Whitehorse to Dawson City follows the gold rush trail to the Klondike of 1898, passing many relicts and abandoned settlements. Special canoeing skills are not required, the only major interruption to the rivers smooth journey are the mighty Five Finger Rapids, once a major navigation problem for the large paddle wheelers. Camps are set up on the gravel & sand banks of the mighty river where one can enjoy a refreshing bath in the Yukon. Moose and black bears are quite common in the forested Yukon valley, bald eagles nest along the river banks, beaver are busy getting their winter supplies in. At the confluence of the Yukon and Klondike Rivers you find the settlement of Dawson City, the famous gold rush town of the Yukon. Here you stay two days in in a fine hotel, relive the history of the gold rush and the tales of Jack London and Robert Service. Then you board the minibus for the drive back to Whitehorse where you stay one more night in a hotel before the flight back home.
Tour details:
Day 1: Whitehorse – Arrival in Whitehorse, meeting with the guide. Overnight in hotel.
Days 2 to 16: Yukon River – Start of this exciting canoe tour in Whitehorse down the Yukon River. You are spending 16 days on this mighty river, travelling over 700 kilometers and exploring the vast hinterlands of the Yukon.
Days 17 and 18: Dawson City – Arrival in Dawson City, the historic gold town and home of many old legends. A visit to the Jack London and Robert Service cabins, the theatre and the Diamond Tooth Gerties Gambling Hall are on the program. A highlight is the drive into Bonanza and Eldorado Creeks where you visit an active gold mine. Two overnights in a hotel in Dawson City.
Day 19: Whitehorse – Via the Klondike Highway south and back to Whitehorse for a last night in a hotel.
Day 20: Transfer to the Whitehorse airport or connecting program.
This trip can also be paddled in two separate sections: 8 days between Whitehorse and Carmacks and a 13 day journey between Carmacks and Dawson City.
8 days Whitehorse to Whitehorse
This is a 320 km guided canoe trip down the Yukon River from Whitehorse through Lake Laberge to Carmacks.
Day 1: Whitehorse – Arrival in Whitehorse, meeting with the guide. Overnight in hotel.
Day 2-7: Yukon River – Start of this exciting canoe tour in Whitehorse down the Yukon River. You travel for 7 days over 320 kilometers down the river and through Lake Laberge to the small town of Carmacks.
Day 8: Whitehorse – End of the canoe adventure. Via the Klondike Highway the van takes you back to Whitehorse. Transfer to airport or connecting program.
Included: Airport transfers, transportation in minibus, 1 night hotel acccommodation in Whitehorse, other nights in spacious tents (2 pers./tent), all meals on canoe trip, 2-person canoes with necessary safety equipment, camping equipment (except sleeping bag), hard foam mattress, services of a guide.
Price: Cad$1455.00 including 2.5% taxes. Single hotel room and tent: 250.00
13 days Whitehorse to Whitehorse
The 420 kilometer stretch down the Yukon for Carmacks to Dawson City is paddled in 10 days.
Day 1: Whitehorse – At about noon today you meet the group in downtown Whitehorse, board the bus for the drive north to Carmacks. Here you start your river adventure.
Days 2 to 9: Yukon River – Down the mighty river for the next 9 days, travelling over 400 kilometers, setting up camps along the shores, exploring historic sites and places for the gold rush days.
Days 10 and 11: Dawson City – Arrival in Dawson City, the historic gold town and home of many old legends. A visit to the Jack London and Robert Service cabins, the theatre and the Diamond Tooth Gerties Gambling Hall are on the program. A highlight is the drive into Bonanza and Eldorado Creeks where you visit an active gold mine. Two overnights in a hotel in Dawson City.
Day 12: Whitehorse – Via the Klondike Highway south and back to Whitehorse for a last night in a hotel.
Day 13: Transfer to the Whitehorse airport or connecting program.
Included: Airport transfers, transportation in minibus, 3 nights hotels, other nights in spacious tents (2 pers./tent), all meals on canoe trip, 2-person canoes with necessary safety equipment, camping equipment (except sleeping bag), hard foam mattress, services of a guide.
Price: Cad$1920.00 including 2.5% taxes. Single hotel room and tent: $425.00 including 2.5% taxes.
From the Rockies to the Arctic Circle – Go Wild
From the Rockies to the Arctic Circle – Go Wild
Wild, rugged country, like you knew it would be. During your 21-day camping tour between Calgary and the Arctic Circle, Yukon, you travel stretches where the chances to meet wild animals is better than finding people. The spectacular landscapes along the primitive Cassiar and Dempster Highways are hardly touched by tourism. The Arctic Circle, with the tundra stretching for thousands of miles in every direction, is the most northern point of your tour. Exploring and hiking in these areas as well as in the famous Banff and Jasper National Parks you visit the most outstanding places in a variety of landscapes of the Canadian Northwest.
Demands: Camping tour with moderate day hikes with light pack, always accompanied by your guide. Campgrounds are accessed by bus, you never have to carry your luggage very far.
Tour details:Day 1: Calgary, Alberta – Arrival in Calgary, transfer to the hotel and pre trip information with the guide. Day 2: Banff National Park – After breakfast in the hotel you board the bus for the drive into Banff National Park. On the forested campground you pitch your tent for the next two nights. This afternoon your guide takes you for a hike on one of the many trails near Banff. Walking time 2 to 3 hours. Day 3: Banff National Park – A longer hike on one of the many trails in this national park is on today’s menu. Your guide knows the best destination for each season, fir example an easy forested trail into an alpine meadow with wide angle vies in all directions, ideal for further explorations. Maximum height at 2300 m with 655 m gain. Later you might want to relax in the warm sulphur pool and browse the many stores and boutiques of the little town. Walking time up to 7 hours. Day 4: Jasper National Park – Lake Louise in picture postcard alpine scenery and the Icefields Parkway, among the world’s most spectacular roads, to the glaciers of the immense Columbia Icefields. Now you are in Jasper National Park with your campground for the next two nights near the holiday town of Jasper. Day 5: Jasper National Park – Along Maligne Canyon the river is roaring up to 50 m below you. Half hour uphill drive to picturesque Maligne Lake for a hike into the flower covered hills at 2300 m. You can follow the open ridge for many more miles, always with stunning views of the surrounding peaks. Day 6: Fort St. James – West of the Rockies you get into the Cariboo Mountains, dominated by densely forested valleys and high serrated peaks and glaciers, featuring attractive lakes and lush wetlands. You follow the Frazer River to the logging town of Prince George. Now a side trip to Fort St.James National Park. The former fur trading post with it’s old buildings is today an open air museum. Camping on the shores of Stuart Lake.
Day 7: Fort St. James – Unless you prefer to relax by the lake you can join the guide on a 12 km loop hike with 790 m gain for a grandiose panorama view of the lake and into the distant plateau. Day 8: New Hazelton – Burns Lake, Houston, Smithers and a few smaller towns on your north-west route through this vast country of forests and mountains. Moricetown Falls is a narrow canyon where migrating salmon can be seen during the summer months. Campground at Ksan where Native guides explain totem poles and longhouses of an ancient culture. Day 9: Stewart – The oldest standing totem poles can be found near Kitwanga and Kitwancool. Stewart and Hyder are reached via the spectacular Bear Pass which cuts through the coastal mountain range with over twenty fantastic blue tinted hanging glaciers visible from the road. After setting up camp by a lake, there is time this evening for an excursion into Bear Pass. Walking time 3 hours. Day 10: Stewart – A short visit of Alaska. Only 3 km and an international border apart but what contrasts. Tidy, typical Canadian Stewart has the school and the bank, end-of-the-road Hyder is purely Alaskan. The plan here is an excursion past old silver and gold mines and a hike to Salmon Glacier. Walking time 3 hours. Day 11: Cassiar Highway – Only a few hundred souls live along this rarely travelled northern route. The scenery of the high plateau, framed by rugged peaks of the Coastal and Cassiar Ranges leaves a powerful impression of vastness and solitude. Camping by a lake. Day 12: Cassiar Highway – Continuing your journey north you reach a lake where you can rent a canoe to go fishing, find a beaver house, bring your journal up to date, or follow the guide to the summit of one of the surrounding mountains. Walking time 3 to 5 hours. Day 13: Lake Laberge, Yukon – At Watson Lake with it’s curious “Sign Forest” you meet the much romanticised lifeline to the north, the Alaska Highway. Along the way you visit historic settlements which still today accommodate and assist travellers on their way to the Yukon and Alaska. Campground at Lake Laberge. Day 14: Dawson City – Infamous Five Finger Rapids of the Yukon River. A short descend to the spot where years ago many a paddle wheeler met it’s doom. Tonight you reach Dawson City and the campground on the banks of the Yukon. Don�t miss the town�s nightlife with gambling casinos and Can-Can girls. Walking time 1 hour. Day 15: Dawson City / Dempster – After a visit of Bonanza Creek, in 1896 the site of the biggest gold rush of all times, you leave the Klondike gold fields. One of the world’s unique driving routes, the Dempster is famous for its colourful alpine tundra landscapes, wildlife, scenic vistas and memorable driving adventures. With 730 km of gravel, it is the only road connection to the arctic ocean. Camp for the next two nights at the base of the Tombstone Mountains. Day 16: Tombstone Mountains – Now you have choices of easy to very demanding trails in this incredible but haunting mountain range. For example easy 4 km to a viewpoint and from there another three difficult very rewarding km to a ridge where you can go on further explorations. In all 10 km with 550 m gain. The black basalt mountains have a moonscape appearance but are the home of caribous which can be spotted in small groups down in the valleys. Each season has it’s own rewards but the burst of the tundra’s colours with dwarf birch and willow in late summer are an extraordinary sight. Walking time 5 to 7 hours. Day 17: Rock River / Arctic Circle – The road climbs to a viewpoint of the Tombstones, crosses North Fork Pass and levels out into sub-arctic tundra. There are plenty of pullouts and natural diversions. Peaks with alluring names like Goldensides, Angelcomb, Pilot’s Peak and Sapper Hill beckon, offering easy day hikes. Your road takes you along more spectacular ridges, reminiscent of the Great Wall of China and you cross the Continental Divide again through the Ogilvie Mountains into Beringia, a region untouched by ice age glaciations. At 66 degrees 33′ north latitude you have reached the Arctic Circle, an imaginary line around our planet. It marks the southern limits of the Arctic, Land of the Midnight Sun. On June 21 you would not see the sun set. Two nights camping just north of the arctic circle. Walking time 1 to 3 hours. Day 18: Rock River / Arctic Circle – Since ancient times the Porcupine Caribou herd, numbering in the thousands, migrates through this treeless tundra and provides a subsistence lifestyle that has endured, as the Gwich’in say, “forever”. The north-central Yukon was able to support a larger human population than the much warmer south because the caribou supplied food, clothing, shelter and tools. Walking time 1 to 4 hours. Day 19: Moose Creek – On the way back south you visit places out of the northern gold-rush history. Did you hear about the Mad Trapper? In the depth of winter of 1932 he was the target of one of the most desperate manhunts in the history of the north. His true identity remains a mystery to this day Day 20: Whitehorse – The capital of the Yukon. Recommended visits in Whitehorse are Miles Canyon and the world’s longest fish ladder. You should also make time for the McBride- and the Beringia Museum as well as the S.S.Klondike paddle wheeler. Hotel and final get-together for tonight. Day 21: Transfer to the airport. If you are really gripped by the spirit of adventure you might want to consider a 7-day guided Yukon River canoe trip. Please ask for details. |
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The Rockies in Style Four Star Comfort – Five Star Hikes
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During this two week hiking vacation with a small group your playground is the spectacular mountainscape of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. From your base in top rated hotels and lodges you set out on specially selected and rewarding outings. The trails are the goals as the guide leads your small group to ridges and summits in the high alpine for amazing views and always new impressions. Transportation is by modern, spacious minibus, easily accessible with headroom and large windows (Mercedes / Dodge Sprinter).
Demands: Average physical condition and some experience are expected for this hiking tour on moderate to demanding trails with a light pack. All day hikes can be changed or substituted with different or easier hikes or other activities.
Tour-Details:
Day 1: Calgary, Alberta – Transfer from the airport to your hotel. Meet your guide for pre trip information and Welcome to Canada drink in the hotel. Marriott Hotel Downtown.
Day 2: Banff Nationalpark – It is only a 90 minute drive to the Mountains and into National Park. After you settle into your hotel and sample one of the town’s restaurants for lunch it is time for the first hike, an easy warm-up to test the equipment and the condition of the participants. Your guide knows the best trails for the different seasons. Home for the next few days is Banff Park Lodge on the Bow River, a Canada Select four star hotel, with indoor pool, steam room and superb restaurants. Located in a quiet part of downtown, it is within walking distance to the shops and boutiques of bustling Banff Avenue. Hiking time 2 to 3 hours.
Day 3: Banff Nationalpark – Today’s easy 15 km (9.3 mi) outing is in the front ranges of the Rockies. With 450 m (1500 ft) elevation gain you reach a grassy pass where you might want to lay down and let your mind wander, look for animals in the river valley below or scramble up the ridge where the panorama continues to unfold. Hiking time 5 hours.
Day 4: Banff Nationalpark – This would be a good day during your vacation to do some souvenir shopping, visit one of the museums, paddle a canoe on the Bow River or go heli sightseeing. But if you would rather hike, the guide invites you along a 7.5 km path with 725 m gain (4.7 mi, 2380 ft) to a hidden lake. Some might venture another 2 km into the pass at 2470 m (8100 ft). Hiking time 6 to 7 hours.
Day 5: Banff Nationalpark – A forest path through Engelman Spruce and Alpine Fir ends in a vast wildflower meadow with wide angle views in every direction, ideal for wandering and exploring. A round trip of 18 km (11.3 mi) with 655 m (2150 ft) gain, the highest point at 2330 m (7650 ft). How about rewarding yourself afterward with a relaxing soak in the pool of the Banff Hot Springs. Hiking time up to 7 hours.
Day 6: Lake Louise – The village of Lake Louise is base for the next four days. Now you are in the heart of the Rockies with picture postcard scenery and premier hiking trails close by. Take the ski lift to the top and have a glass of wine in the summit restaurant, dreaming of powder snow. Or feel the overwhelming enormity of Mount Temple when you stand by the shore of the small lake below. It is a moderate 11.5 km round trip with 250 m gain (7 mi, 830 ft) and it is worth every step. The Post Hotel and Spa, perched at 1500 meters (4995 ft) amidst the natural wonders of Banff National Park is a cherished alpine chalet, built entirely of logs with spacious rooms, gourmet restaurant and award winning wine cellar. Hiking time 4 hours.
Day 7: Lake Louise – Iceline Trail in Yoho National Park in the western mountain ranges might become one of your favourite day hikes. It is 6.5 km (4 mi) with 685 m (2280 ft) gain to Iceline Summit but don’t turn around, complete at least one of the loops above tree line. Check out the edge of Emerald Glacier and three small rockbound lakes. Hiking time 5 to 8 hours.
Day 8: Lake Louise – The ten peaks rising over 3500 m (11655 ft) above the shores of turquoise Moraine Lake have lured mountaineers from all over the world. Here you hike into a pass with views that get more amazing with every step. Different routes can be chosen for the return, the shortest makes this hike a 12 km (7.5 mi) round trip with 725 m (2414 ft) gain, maximum 2610 m (8690 ft). Hiking time 4 to 7 hours.
Day 9: Jasper Nationalpark – An early morning start for the drive north along the famous Icefields Parkway. The road climbs steadily through Bow Pass with Peyto Lake, then Saskatchewan Crossing to the immense Columbia Icefields. From here it follows down a broad river valley to the town on Jasper. This can be a driving day with several photo stops and short walks. It can also include the hike into Wilcox Pass at 2360 m (7860 ft) for a birds eye view across the valley to the icy giants guarding the vast glacier region. An 11 km (2.5 mi) loop with 325 m (1082 ft) gain. The log chalets of Coast Pyramid Lake Resort are nestled on a terraced hill high above Jasper. The tranquil lake at it’s doorsteps with canoes, small island and sandy beach is mirroring the red cliffs of Pyramid Mountain. Hiking time 3 hours.
Day 10: Jasper Nationalpark – Time to explore some of Jasper’s magical and inspiring landscapes, mighty Athabasca Falls, the depths of Maligne Canyon. Pyramid Lake with it’s sandy beach. You can ride a horse, go rafting, hire a fishing guide, take the cruise on Maligne Lake to Spirit Island. Of course here too one can chose from a number of day hikes. The guide suggests a 2-hour to full day trek to a series of small lakes, one above the other connected by creeks and waterfalls. 10 km (6.2 mi) round trip with 410 m (1365 ft) gain. Hiking time 4 hours.
Day 11: Jasper Nationalpark – On the menu is a side trip to Mount Robson, with 3954 m (13167 ft) highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, towering over it’s neighbours. This massive mountain creates it’s own micro climate comparable to the climate of the mountains along the pacific coast. Berg Lake Trail starts with an easy walk between mature cedar and hemlock trees to Kinney Lake and further up to White Falls. 9 km return to Kinney Lake, walking time 2 to 3 hours.
12. Tag: Jasper Nationalpark – NA 5 km (3 mi) hike and there it is: one of the finest views you find in the area. From an abandoned fire lookout site at 2170 m (7225 ft), the greenish blue waters of Maligne Lake stretch towards the Narrows with glacier-clad 3000 m summits rising beyond. It is easy to work your way through the open meadows of this rolling ridge top, a carpet of flowers during the summer. Highest point reaches 2600 m (8658 ft), elevation gain from 480 to 910 m (1598 to 3030 ft). Hiking time 4 to 7 hours.
Day 13: Edmonton – An 8 km morning trip along a rocky ridge at 2070 m (6791 ft) altitude with 700 m (2296 ft) elevation gain is a magnificent last peak experience to take home. If you already have enough photos, why not sit out this hike by the warm outside pool of the Miette Hot Springs. Your hiking tour ends with arrival at the hotel in Edmonton, modern capital city of Alberta. Courtyard by Marriott Downtown. Hiking time 3 hours.
Day 14: Transfer to the Edmonton airport.
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