Day 1: Whistler. Our small group tour to the Rockies departs Vancouver at 8:00 a.m. for Whistler, BC. We travel the Sea to Sky Highway which hugs the coast and travels past striking views of the Coastal Mountain Range and the islands that dot Howe Sound. Turning inland at Squamish we visit Shannon Falls. In the late morning we reach the internationally acclaimed ski and summer resort of Whistler Village. After lunch in the Village travelers will have free time to explore the area. Optional gondola ride to the top of Whistler Mountain and bike rentals.


Day 2: Clearwater. Wells Gray is more than 520,000 hectares in size and encompasses most of the Clearwater River watershed in the Caribou Mountains. In the park we visit Helmcken Falls. Canada's fourth tallest waterfall, Helmcken Falls is ensconced in Wells Gray Provincial Park. Three times higher than Niagara and splendidly photogenic, the fast flowing Murtle River shoots over a volcanic cliff at Helmcken and falls 142 meters directly into a gorge in a roaring, misty display. Included Activity: Visit to Helmcken Falls


Day 3: Mount Robson. Mount Robson Provincial Park, the second oldest park in British Columbia's park system, is truly one of the world's crown jewels. The mountain for which the park is named guards the park's western entrance. At 3,954 meters, Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, towers over the lesser surrounding peaks. One of the best known trails in the Rocky Mountains, the Berg Lake Trail has played host to school age children that have returned as parents with their own kids to experience the simple joy of backcountry hiking. This trail will equally please the beginner to advanced hiker. Gaining just under 800 meters in 23 kilometers, the trail traverses three biogeoclimatic zones. The interesting changes in vegetation, as the elevation changes, are most apparent on this trail. We will enjoy a half day hike on the trail and depending on the group we will hike as much of the trail as the group desires.

Included Activity: Guided hike on the Berg Lake Trail


Day 4: Jasper. Jasper is the largest of Canada's Rocky Mountain National Parks. It spans 1,078 square kilometers of broad valleys and craggy mountains. In the morning we hike Maligne Canyon and then make our way to Maligne Lake for an afternoon of canoeing. Located in the majestic Maligne Valley, this exquisite lake is the second largest glacier-fed lake in the world, stretching 22 kilometers. We end our day with a therapeutic soak in Miette Hot Springs, the hottest hot springs in the Rocky Mountains.

Included Activity: Canoeing on Maligne Lake and Miette Hotsprings.


Day 5: Jasper. Today we hike an alpine meadow in the morning and visit the town of Jasper in the afternoon. You may choose to rent mountain bikes and make your way out to Pyramid Lake. The trail to the lake meanders through a Douglas fir forest until it reaches the Pyramid Bench. This area sports more than 20 small lakes left behind by the action of glaciers. With this plethora of ponds, the area is also riddled with trails to access to many of these tranquil lakes. Shopping, visiting museums and day hikes from the town are also available.

Optional Activity: Mountain Bike Rentals or Canyoning


Day 6: Jasper to Banff. A full day of sightseeing along the Icefield's Parkway will take you from Jasper to Banff. The Columbia Icefield is the largest of the chain of icefields along the Great Divide separating Alberta and British Columbia. This 325 square km. accumulation of ice feeds six large glaciers. You can see three of them - the Athabasca , the Dome, and Stutfield - from the Icefields Parkway. In the late morning we arrive at the Athabasca Glacier. In the company of certified mountain guides, we'll strap on crampons and join a naturalist for a two hour guided walk on the surface of the Athabasca Glacier, a massive river of ice riddled with an estimated 30,000 crevasses. Afterward, we'll have free time to visit the Icefield's interpretive centre. We arrive in Banff in the late afternoon.

Optional Activity: Guided Glacier Ice Walk.


Day 7: Banff National Park. Banff National Park encompasses 6,641 square kilometers of mountains, glaciers, forests and alpine meadows. Today we hike the Plains of Six Glaciers. The trail starts in the front of the world famous Chateau Lake Louise and takes us 5.4-km to a gorgeous view of the surrounding peaks and at least six glaciers. A late afternoon visit to Moraine Lake reveals the natural masterpiece of ice, rock, forest, water and clouds.

Included Activity: Guided hike at Lake Louise.


Day 8: Yoho National Park. The native expression for "awe" and "wonder" is Yoho. In Yoho National Park, we visit glacier fed Emerald Lake, and hike through the beautiful Yoho Valley, ending at Takakawa Falls, the highest in the Canadian Rockies. White water rafting on the Kicking Horse River is optional.

Optional Activity: Whitewater rafting on the Kicking Horse River.


Day 9: Yoho National Park. Today we spend the day at Beaverfoot Lodge, located on the edge of Yoho National Park. After breakfast we embark on a full day guided horseback riding trip. At every turn along the wooded horseback trails and paths there are picturesque mountain streams and lakes, alpine meadows filled with wildflowers and scenery that will leave even the most seasoned world traveller feeling breathless.

Included Activity: Horseback Riding


Day 10: Revelstoke. Our first stop is the Visitor Center at Roger's Pass in Glacier National Park. Roger's Pass has been designated a National Historic Site in commemoration of it's role as an essential, yet perilous, link in the building of the transcontinental railway. Nestled between the spectacular Selkirk and Monashee Mountains is the town of Revelstoke. You will have the afternoon to relax at the lodge or explore the picturesque town of Revelstoke.


Day 11: Revelstoke. Today we will travel the Meadows in the Sky Parkway to the top of Mount Revelstoke. Our drive along the summit parkway takes us through a variety of geographical zones. From dense old-growth rainforest of giant cedar and pine, we travel up through subalpine forest, and finally alpine meadows and tundra. Upon arrival at the top we will be rewarded with the spectacular view of the ice-clad peaks of the Monashee Mountains and to the east, the Selkirk Mountains. We will enjoy a full day hike in these high alpine meadows.

Included Activity: Day hike in Mount Revelstoke


Day 12 Vancouver. On this last day we wind our back to Vancouver. We connect with the Coquihalla Highway, which passes through some of the most scenic landscapes in the province. This dramatic change of environment is exhilarating, as we pass by high rock faces and sweeping, forested valleys to misty coastal cedars and tall firs. By the afternoon we descend into the farmland of the Fraser Valley which gradually gives way to the towns and cities near Vancouver.

Tours of the Rocky Mountains with Midnight Sun Adventure Travel