Spectacular Rockies and Glaciers of Alberta with Rocky Mountaineer Option, Small Group
Tour Type: Discovery
Brochure Type: IV USA Canada & Latin 2023
Take a spectacular guided tour to the Rocky Mountains and witness Alberta's breath-taking wilderness. Discover the natural wonders of Banff National Park. Avoid the crowds as you explore the grand Columbia Icefield on an exclusive before-hours Columbia Icefield Adventure Tour, enjoy an exclusive after-hours visit to the Glacier Skywalk, and discover Jasper National Park and all its beauty. With an overnight stay at Glacier View Lodge, you'll enjoy the Columbia Icefield in the best way possible - ending your evening with a stargazing reception. Your MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience will take you on a Guided Medicine Walk where you'll take a journey through an Indigenous lens to learn how Indigenous ancestors survived off the land for millennia and about the historical medicines of the Boreal Forest. Glorious views, beautiful scenery, warm hospitality, and outstanding activities ensure a sensational trip to one of the most beautiful corners of the world.
Choice Highlights
Brochure Type: IV USA Canada & Latin 2023
Take a spectacular guided tour to the Rocky Mountains and witness Alberta's breath-taking wilderness. Discover the natural wonders of Banff National Park. Avoid the crowds as you explore the grand Columbia Icefield on an exclusive before-hours Columbia Icefield Adventure Tour, enjoy an exclusive after-hours visit to the Glacier Skywalk, and discover Jasper National Park and all its beauty. With an overnight stay at Glacier View Lodge, you'll enjoy the Columbia Icefield in the best way possible - ending your evening with a stargazing reception. Your MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience will take you on a Guided Medicine Walk where you'll take a journey through an Indigenous lens to learn how Indigenous ancestors survived off the land for millennia and about the historical medicines of the Boreal Forest. Glorious views, beautiful scenery, warm hospitality, and outstanding activities ensure a sensational trip to one of the most beautiful corners of the world.
Choice Highlights
- Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
- Experience enhanced hygiene protocols to align with the latest guidance following COVID-19. All Travel Directors, Well-Being Directors and Drivers have completed training in enhanced well-being and hygiene protocols.
- Our Well-Being Directors take a proactive approach to your welfare ensuring all well-being regulations are met (available on tours with 21 or more guests).
- Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.
- We only work with establishments we are confident will consistently adhere to our high well-being standards, which include hotels, restaurants and sight-seeing venues.
- Banff: Enjoy dinner at the historic and regal Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel.
- Lake Louise: Our location for lunch today is at Lago Restaurant at Chateau Lake Louise, a national treasure and historic landmark. Along with an exquisite Italian meal, you'll marvel as you're surrounding by soaring peaks and the majesty of the Victoria glacier.
- Icefields Parkway: Evening Reception at the Glacier View Lodge. After dinner, step out onto the viewing deck and stargaze as you marvel at the dark night sky, relax with a drink in the library or hang out inside the Moraine Lounge with games and live entertainment.
- Kananaskis: Celebrate your travels with your newfound friends and enjoy a flavourful dinner at the Kananaskis Mountain Lodge.
- Dining Summary: 3 Dinner with Wine (DW), 8 Breakfast (B), 1 Lunch with Wine (LW), and 2 Lunch (L)
- Banff: Join a First Nations Cree Iroquois Local Expert and take a walk in the Boreal forest. Learn how their ancestors survived off the land and used the plants as medicines. Listen to amazing stories about First Nations culture and their relationship with local nature and wildlife.
- Lake Louise: Explore Lake Louise with Insight Choice. Choose to take the sightseeing gondola and embark on a gentle self-guided hike offering stunning views of the nearby peaks and glaciers. Alternatively, enjoy a relaxed lakeside stroll with your Tour Director through the inspiring scenery and with a canvas and paints, create your own work of art.
- Moraine Lake: Enjoy a beautiful stop at glacier-fed Moraine Lake, a vibrant turquoise lake set in the rugged Valley of the Ten Peaks.
- Icefields Parkway: Travel along the Icefields Parkway Drive, one of the most scenic drives in North America. Made up of breathtaking glaciers, soaring mountain peaks and dramatic valleys.
- Maligne Lake: Relax on board a narrated cruise on the serene waters of Lake Maligne. Glide past jagged mountain peaks to Spirit Island, a world-famous destination accessible only by boat.
- Maligne Canyon: Join your Travel Director as you walk on the trails of Maligne Canyon, one of the most stunning gorges in the Canadian Rockies and the deepest canyon in Jasper National Park.
- Kamloops: Relish in the relaxing journey through the most spectacular scenery in North America, aboard the world's leading luxury rail experience.
- Icefields Parkway: Enjoy a private, after-hours visit to the amazing Glacier Skywalk. Step onto the cliff-edged, glass-floored walkway offering sweeping views of the Sunwapta Valley and the Columbia Icefield.
- Icefields Parkway: After a delicious dinner, step out onto the viewing deck and stargaze. As you marvel at the dark night sky, relax with a drink in the library or hang out inside the Moraine Lounge with games and live entertainment. The perfect way to end any night.
- Icefields Parkway: Take a seat in a specially designed Ice Explorer for a visit onto the Athabasca Glacier before other travellers arrive. Follow your Local Expert as you stroll on its icy surface and experience the enormous glaciers up close.
- From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
- Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
- We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
- Our highly-skilled Travel Director will ensure your journey is seamless, serving as your expert guide, consummate organiser, and friend overseas.
- Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
- Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
Call 1 8003707400 e x t 32 for more information or to book today! Mention code 17097061
- Tour Operator
- Insight Vacations
- Offer
- Offer valid through 3/31/2023
- Duration
- 9 Days
- Escorted
- Escorted - Yes
| Day | Destination | Description |
| Day 1 | Banff | Welcome to Banff: After your arrival at Calgary Airport, your stay at a historic mountain resort in Banff awaits. Built in the distinctive Canadian Chateau style, it is one of the earliest examples of the country's grand railway hotels. Tonight, join your Travel Director and fellow travelers for a Welcome Dinner. Fairmont Banff Springs. |
| Day 2 | Banff | Exploring Banff: Connect with nature as you join this memorable MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience with a First Nations Cree Iroquois Local Expert. Here you'll discover First Nations culture, such as how plants and animals like bears hold great significance. This authentic dive into the First Nations Cree community is not only enlightening but also helps assure the sustainability of the community and culture. Later, embark on a guided walk in the Boreal Forest and discover the Indigenous world of plant medicines. Learn about the historical and modern day uses of plants and listen to fascinating stories about the First Nations. The afternoon is yours to explore Banff at your leisure or book into an enjoyable optional experience. Fairmont Banff Springs. |
| Day 3 | Lake Louise | A Trip to Lake Louise Relaxed Start: Explore Lake Louise with Insight Choice. Choose a journey on the sightseeing gondola and look out for local wildlife as you enjoy a self-guided hike surrounded by panoramic views. Alternatively, join your Travel Director for a relaxed stroll along iconic Lake Louise and put paint to canvas to create your own masterpiece. Indulge in a delicious lunch at Chateau Lake Louise, a national treasure and historical landmark before returning to Banff and enjoying the rest of your day at leisure. Fairmont Banff Springs. |
| Day 4 | Lakes, Mountains and Glaciers | Lakes, Mountains and Glaciers Relaxed Start: Start your day with a visit to the glacier-fed Moraine Lake in the Valley of the Ten Peaks. Take a moment to absorb the view of the stunning turquoise lake hidden among steep mountains, waterfalls, and rock piles. Your journey continues through the Icefields Parkway, one of the most beautiful drives on the planet. Admire the dramatic scenery of the Rockies with plenty of photo opportunities. Later, a warm welcome greets you at the country's first and only glacier-view resort. Before dinner, take advantage of the long daylight hours and set out for a private, after-hours visit to the Columbia Icefield Skywalk, a glass-floored walkway above the Sunwapta Valley. After your exclusive Skywalk visit, indulge in a delicious, Canadian inspired, locally sourced dinner, sip cocktails and marvel at the spectacular glacier views that wrap the restaurant. Once night falls, step out on your hotels viewing deck and take the opportunity to stargaze undisturbed by light pollution or relax with a drink at the library, or hang out inside the Moraine Lounge with games and live entertainment. Glacier View Lodge |
| Day 5 | Glacier Adventure | Glacier Adventure Relaxed Start: Before other travellers arrive, venture onto the Athabasca Glacier in a massive Ice Explorer for your special, before-hours visit. Join your Local Expert and walk on the frozen flow of ice. Discover the beauty and immensity of the glacier as you learn about the history and geology of the region. Continue along the magnificent Icefields Parkway and arrive at Jasper National Park with its soothing mineral hot springs, colourful meadows and majestic mountains. Forest Park Hotel, Jasper National Park |
| Day 6 | Jasper | Exploring Jasper Relaxed Start: Enjoy a relaxed start this morning or join the fun and experience an optional easy rafting, scenic float trip down the Athabasca River, a designated Canadian Heritage River. A National Park licensed guide will provide commentary on the human and natural history of Jasper while navigating you along the same route used by the 'fur traders' over 2 centuries ago. Don't worry the guides do all the rowing; you sit back and enjoy while exploring all the spectacular scenery. There is always a chance of seeing various wildlife including elk, deer, moose, coyotes, wolves, eagles, ospreys, mountain sheep and bears. For a more heart-pumping morning, join an optional Class II rapids trip. Join your Travel Director on an informative walk on the Maligne Canyon, the deepest gorge in Jasper National Park. As you tour across the crystal waters of magical Maligne Lake, fed by the glaciers of Jasper National Park and glide past the jagged mountain peaks you'll discover why it's been declared the "Best Boat Cruise in Canada.' Forest Park Hotel, Jasper National Park |
| Day 7 | Kananaskis | Relaxing in Kananaskis Relaxed Start: Enjoy a relaxed start this morning followed by a scenic drive down to Kananaskis, often kept as a secret mountain sanctuary for locals, away from the masses that visit neighboring Banff National Park. Enjoy the afternoon to yourself to discover the local trails surrounding your upscale hotel nestled in the wilderness, or head to the Nordic Spa located steps away from the lodge.Tonight, come together with your fellow travellers for a festive Celebration Dinner and toast to your wonderful trip in the Canadian Rockies. Kananaskis Mountain Lodge, Autograph Collection |
| Day 8 | Kamloops | Depart Calgary or Board the Rocky Mountaineer: In the morning you will be transferred to Banff from Kananaskis to board the Rocky Mountaineer. Your journey starts Westward through the mighty Canadian Rockies and the province of Alberta. With more than three decades of fine tuning, Rocky Mountaineer has perfected the art of comfort and service. Whether you choose SilverLeaf Service or GoldLeaf Service, prepare for spectacular views and flavourful food-a celebration for the senses. Aboard Rocky Mountaineer, every element is carefully choreographed to create an effortless, unforgettable experience. You will see a spectacular array of scenery as you travel across ranchlands, along rocky lakeshores, over high mountain passes and through the remarkable tunnels that form part of the rich rail history of the Canadian Rockies. Today's highlights include Craigellachie, where the last spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway was driven, the climb over Rogers Pass, Kicking Horse Canyon, the Spiral Tunnels and, of course, the glaciers and snow-capped peaks of the Canadian Rockies. Overnight in Kamloops. Assigned by Rocky Mountaineer, Kamloops |
| Day 9 | Vancouver | Continue Your Rocky Mountaineer Journey: Depart Kamloops this morning and continue your journey on the Rocky Mountaineer to the coastal city of Vancouver, in the heart of British Columbia's interior. As you travel along you will see dramatic changes in scenery, from the desert-like environment of the British Columbia interior, the lush green fields of the Fraser Valley, and forests and winding river canyons surrounded by the peaks of the Coast and Cascade Mountains. Highlights include the rushing waters of Hell's Gate in the Fraser Canyon and the steep slopes and rock sheds along the Thompson River. On arrival in Vancouver you will bid farewell to this incredible experience and make your way to the airport independently for your flight home, or alternatively choose to extend your stay in this exciting city. The train will arrive Vancouver between 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm. |
- Dates/Pricing
- Disclaimer
- Twin prices are per person.
- These prices are correct at the time of the website going live, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking.
- All tour information is correct at time of tours going live, however is subject to change, please confirm all details at time of booking.
- For full terms and conditions, please refer to our Conditions page.
- Hotel Class Key: D: Deluxe SF: Superior First Class F: First Class
