Rocky Mountain Magic 2012

Live the adventure! On this action-packed trip, we visit the best of the Canadian Rockies, Banff, Jasper & Yoho National Parks. Forming part of a small personalized group, you will enjoy greater flexibility with respect to what areas we can access and what types of activities we can enjoy, all the while letting yourself be spoiled by one of our expert, local guides.

We recommend combining this safari with a stay in Vancouver or on Vancouver Island after the trip, with Vancouver airport only a short flight from Calgary. Experience the best of the west!

Route - 10 days/9 nights

Calgary (Airport) - Banff (2 nights) - Lake Louise (3 nights) - Jasper (3 nights) - Kananaskis (1 night) - Calgary (Airport)

Safari Dates 2012

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival Calgary - Banff

Upon arrival at Calgary airport, you will be met and welcomed by our guide. We suggest arriving between 2 pm and 4 pm. Travelling west through the foothills, we will have our sights on the Rockies towering up in the distance. We'll arrive in Banff within an hour and a half, the mountain town at the heart of Banff National Park. Once checked-in the mountain-style hotel, we will reconvene for a quick briefing over some beers and wings. The guide will go over the itinerary and address any specific needs or concerns.

Night in Banff.

Day 2 Banff

Today we head out after breakfast for a introductory tour of the town of Banff and surrounding area. We will visit Bow Falls, Lake Minnewanka, the largest lake in Banff National Park. At Sulphur Mountain, the gondola will whisk us to the summit where we will enjoy an awesome 360 degree view of the park. A short walk at the top takes us to a historic weather station. After lunch on your own, you will have the options of exploring the town site and its trails, or renting a canoe to explore Vermillion Lakes. After an early supper, the group will reconvene to head up to Sunshine Meadows, a unique alpine area with more than 300 species of wildflowers for a short trek. In the hour or two before sunset, we will have the best opportunity to view wildlife. We will finish the day with a soak in the Banff Upper Hot Springs.

Night in Banff.

Day 3 Banff - Lake Louise

Today we'll head north from Banff towards Lake Louise. In the morning we will make a stop at Johnston Canyon, where the river takes a series of impressive plunges within a unique canyon ecosystem. There will be time to hike up to the Upper Falls along the catwalks hugging the canyon wall. We will arrive in Lake Louise by lunchtime. We will take advantage of the quieter late afternoon hours to visit Moraine Lake, less well-known but one of the park's most beautiful bodies of water, hidden in the Valley of the Ten Peaks. Lake Louise offers a number of fine dining venues for this evening.

Night in Lake Louise.

Day 4 Lake Louise

With its turquoise-blue water and the views of Victoria Glacier, you will appreciate why the lake is considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world. There will be free time today to hike to one of the back country tea houses and/or take out a canoe to explore the farther reaches of the lake.

Night in Lake Louise.

Day 5 Yoho National Park

Today we explore adjacent Yoho National Park. We will start our day with an exciting rafting excursion on the Kicking Horse River. We'll also stop for a lunch break at Emerald Lake, famous for its aquamarine waters. During the afternoon, we will visit the impressive, second-highest waterfall in Canada, Takakkaw Falls.

Night in Lake Louise.

Day 6 Lake Louise - Columbia Icefields - Jasper

The Icefields Parkway is the highlight of the journey today. From Lake Louise we travel north to Jasper National Park. A day full of awe-inspiring views and stops along this famous roadway: Crowfoot Glacier, Peyto Lake, Bow Lake & Num-ti-Jah Lodge. About halfway, we will stop at the Columbia Icefield Centre where will board an "Ice Explorer" which will take us right up onto the Athabasca Glacier for a closer view. This immense icefield is a surviving part of the last major glaciation that covered Canada 20,000 years ago. The Athabasca Glacier itself is currently retreating at a rate of 2 metres per year. Arrival at Jasper village.

Night in Jasper.

Day 7 Jasper

After breakfast we will first visit prehistoric Maligne Canyon, a unique geological formation, which although very narrow, has a depth of 50 metres in places. Criss-crossing the canyon over a series of six bridges, we will explore the area from all angles. The access road to Maligne Lake , our next stop, is worth driving if only for wildlife viewing. It is common to spot moose, deer, and bears. After a lunch stop and some free time to explore the town site, we will head up to Pyramid Lake for a swim for the brave ones.

Night in Jasper.

Day 8 Mt. Robson Provincial Park

Mount Robson Provincial Park awaits us today to the west as we enter the province of British Columbia. At 3,954 metres, Mt. Robson is the highest peak in the Rockies. We'll have the option to take a helicopter flight to get a bird's eye view of this impressive mountain and surrounding lakes and glaciers. In the late afternoon, we will make our way to the Jasper Tramway. The tram will take us up to the summit of Whistlers where we will take in the view and have time for a short hike around the summit area.

Night in Jasper.

Day 9 Jasper - Kananaskis

This morning we head back south along the Icefields Parkway. We will stop to take a short walk to view the Athabasca Falls area. Our day will end at a ranch bordering Kananaskis Country, a provincial recreational area just south-east of Banff National Park. Supper included at the lodge will complete the day.

Night in Kananaskis.

Day 10 Kananaskis - Calgary

In the morning we will go a horseback ride from a close local ranch before saying goodbye to the mountains, and make our way back to Calgary. After a lunch stop we will return to the airport in the early afternoon.

Includes

• 9 nights of lodging in superior class hotels and lodges
• 9 breakfasts, 1 dinner
• Private transportation in modern tour van
• Services of local, qualified driver-guide
• Meet & greet at Calgary airport
• Welcome reception in Banff
• Banff Gondola
• Visit to Banff Upper Hot springs
• Sunset hike - Sunshine Meadows, Banff
• Ice Explorer Tour, Columbia Icefields
• Jasper Tramway
• Rafting Trip (half-day) - Kicking Horse River
• National Parks pass
• Organization of lunches, dinners
• Hotel taxes and sales tax GST

Additional Options

• Helicopter Flightseeing - Mt. Robson area