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Itinerary · Alberta & British Columbia
Canadian Rockies Explorer
Ten days of glacier lakes, mountain railways, and alpine villages.
- Duration
- 10 days
- Pace
- Moderate
- Best months
- June – September
- Suggested cadence
- 2 – 3 nights per base
The journey
The classic Rockies loop, drawn for travellers who want to stand on a glacier, ride the Icefields Parkway in golden hour, and sleep within walking distance of Lake Louise. Designed around a Calgary in, Calgary out itinerary, with one optional rail leg from Banff to Vancouver.
Day by day
The full itinerary.
Day
01
Overnight
Calgary
Arrive Calgary
Land at YYC, collect the rental car, and overnight near the airport or in Inglewood. An easy first dinner at Bridgette Bar.
Day
02
Overnight
Banff
Calgary → Banff
Drive west on the Trans-Canada (90 min). Settle into Banff. Ride the gondola up Sulphur Mountain at sunset for a six-summit panorama.
Day
03
Overnight
Banff
Lake Louise & Moraine
Pre-dawn shuttle to Moraine Lake for sunrise. Mid-morning at Lake Louise — paddle a canoe, hike the Plain of Six Glaciers.
Day
04
Overnight
Jasper
Icefields Parkway
230 km of Canada's most cinematic road. Stops at Peyto, Bow Lake, the Columbia Icefield, and Athabasca Falls.
Day
05
Overnight
Jasper
Jasper National Park
Maligne Canyon walk in the morning, a Maligne Lake cruise to Spirit Island in the afternoon, and a soak at Miette Hot Springs.
Day
06
Overnight
Field, BC
Jasper → Yoho
Drive back south to Field. Hike to Wapta Falls and dinner at Truffle Pigs Bistro.
Day
07
Overnight
Field, BC
Lake O'Hara
If you booked the bus six months ahead — congratulations. Spend the day on the Alpine Circuit, one of the great hikes in North America.
Day
08
Overnight
Kananaskis
Field → Kananaskis
Slip out the back door of the Rockies into Kananaskis Country. Quieter, equally dramatic, with fewer crowds.
Day
09
Overnight
Calgary
Kananaskis → Calgary
Easy 90-minute drive back to the city. Visit the Glenbow Museum, eat at Major Tom for sunset above the skyline.
Day
10
Overnight
Calgary
Depart Calgary
Fly home — or extend with the Rocky Mountaineer westbound to Vancouver.
Pack smart
What to bring.
- 01
Layers for every season — even in July
- 02
Bear spray (rent or buy in Banff)
- 03
Park pass (buy online in advance)
- 04
Sturdy shoes for the alpine
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