10 Day Spectacular Rockies & Glaciers of Alberta

Arrive in Calgary and enjoy a couple of days in this dynamic city, before your Rockies and Glaciers of Alberta tour begins. Make sure you spend some time exploring Downtown Calgary. Stroll around Prince’s Island Park, browse the enormous shopping malls, and head up to the Observation Deck of the Calgary Tower. You’ll have spectacular views of Calgary and the foothills of the Rocky Mountains beyond.

Today, you’ll transfer to the Castle in the Rockies – a historic mountain resort in Banff. Designed in a distinctive Canadian Chateau style, it’s one of the earliest examples of the country’s grand railway hotels. In the evening, you’ll join your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a welcome dinner, ahead of your tour. 

Today you can connect with nature and join a Make Travel Matter Experience with a First Nations Cree Iroquois Local Expert. Enjoy a guided walk in the Boreal forest and learn about indigenous plant medicines. You’ll also learn about the historic and modern day use of the plants and hear fascinating stories about First Nations’ culture.

Then you can explore Banff further with an Insight Choice. Choose to play a round of golf, take the Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain, or enjoy a guided horseback ride.

Pick another Insight Choice today and explore Lake Louise however you’d like to. Journey on the Lake Louise sightseeing gondola. Or join your Travel Director for a relaxing stroll around Lake Louise and create your own masterpiece as your put paint to canvas. Afterwards, indulge in a delicious lunch before returning to Banff to spend the afternoon at your leisure.

Your day starts with a visit to the glacier-fed Moraine Lake in the Valley of the Ten Peaks. Take in the views of the turquoise waters, which are surrounded by steep mountains. Then you’ll continue on to the Icefield Parkway. Your route takes you along one of the planet’s most beautiful drives, so you can marvel at the dramatic scenery as the coach meanders through the mountains.

A warm welcome awaits for you at Glacier View Lodge – Canada’s only glacier-view resort – where you can tuck into a locally-soured meal. The day doesn’t end there, though. Take advantage of the long daylight hours and set out on a private visit to the Columbia Icefield Skywalk. This glass-floored walkway boasts fantastic views of the Sunwapta Valley. And, as night falls, you can star-gaze at the dark skies, which are unspoiled by light pollution.

You’ll have an early start today – but it’s worth the wake-up call, as you’ll be able to venture on to the Athabasca Glacier in a massive Ice Explorer, before the crowds arrive. Join a local expert and walk on the frozen ice flows, marvel at the enormity of the glacier, and learn about the region’s history and geology.

The coach will then continue along the Icefield Parkway to Jasper National Park, which is famous for its hot springs, colourful meadows and majestic mountains.

Join your Travel Director for a walk on the trails of Maligne Canyon, the deepest gorge in Jasper National Park. If the weather permits, you can embark on a narrated cruise across the clear waters of Maligne Lake and stop off at Spirit Island, one of the most photographed spots in the Canadian Rockies.

You can enjoy a scenic drive today as the coach travels to Kananaskis, where you’ll check in to an upscale wilderness hotel. Relax at the resort then, in the evening, join your fellow travellers for a celebration dinner, to toast your time in the Canadian Rockies.

After breakfast, your Spectacular Rockies and Glaciers of Alberta tour comes to an end and it’s time to head to the airport for your flight home.  Alternatively you can add on the iconic Rocky Mountaineer which will take you from Banff through the Rockies to Vancouver in British Columbia. Speak to our Travel Specialists about adding this to your holiday.