Days 1 & 2 - Calgary

Calgary Culinary Immersion

Set between prairies and foothills, with the monochromatic relief of the Rockies stretching across the horizon, Calgary is a city surrounded by ranchers and farmland. With direct access to fresh meats and other foods, the city is home to a burgeoning culinary scene to rival any in the world.Set out in a private car to learn about the region’s specialties while sampling your share of the product.Delve into the food-producing foothills to tour a meadery, a family farm, and learn how some of the world’s best beef is bred. It’s more authentic when you’re surrounded by hundreds of roaming cattle.  Finally, taste what happens when it all comes together at one of the city’s progressive eateries.

Highlights of Calgary

Calgary is quick to charm and makes for a lovely layover before exploring Canada’s wilderness. Touch down after a long flight and a local guide will show you the highlights, notably Calgary’s laid-back atmosphere. Explore the city on foot by crossing the nearby Peace Bridge and rove along the walking trails in Prince’s Island Park before sitting by the river and watching the sunset.Then head into downtown and see how Calgary got the nickname “Stampede City”. Visit the iconic Bow Building with its public art and sample the city’s excellent restaurants. Alberta is known for its fine cattle, so you will want to try the steak!

Day 3 - Banff

Best of Banff Tour

The postcard-perfect town of Banff is located inside a national park. The town’s fabulous natural highlights are easy to explore and a local guide will show you the way. See the Bow River’s wild side at Bow Falls before taking a ride on the Sulphur Mountain Gondola. From the summit, enjoy the stunning panoramic view of many of the park’s world-famous peaks and lakes.Afterward, soak in the comfort and history of Banff Upper Hot Springs, a naturally heated outdoor pool which—of course—features mountain views, before heading into town for a bite at one of many great restaurants. If you feel adventurous, considering roaming onto Mt. Cascade, that towers over Banff Avenue.

Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

Spend a night or more at the historic Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. The Chateauesque railway hotel opened in 1888 and was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway to attract visitors to the area. Along with the hot springs, the Banff Springs Hotel is what made Banff the dream destination it is.The grand architecture and refined service make the building an attraction of its own, among the natural beauty. In a town overflowing with beautiful sights, tourists staying elsewhere often make a pilgrimage to appreciate this hotel’s beauty and history, and to check out its many fine restaurants and shops.Check in and you’ll experience the time-honoured hospitality that’s been attracting returning guests for 125 years.

Day 4 - Banff

Wild Heli-Hiking in Banff

Take off from the town of Canmore, near Banff, and admire the Rocky Mountains on a scenic helicopter flight. Gawk at snowy peaks, sheer rock faces, crystal lakes, and forested slopes.Your pilot will set down in a remote alpine meadow and a private guide will take you on an adventure through the wilderness. You have a chance to see wildlife including bighorn sheep, bears, and wolves.Whether you want a short stroll before settling down for a picnic, or wish to get high on a mountain ridge, your guide will tailor the experience to your fitness level and interest. Heli-hiking means you can easily access trails where few people ever venture, so you can appreciate the wild Rockies on your level.

Day 5 - Lake Louise

Wildlife Drive in the Bow Valley

Drive the remarkable Bow Valley Parkway into the Rocky Mountains with a local guide. This route from Banff to Parkway is one of Canada’s ultimate landscapes and it’s packed with animals. Slow down and watch for wildlife as you pass beneath the craggy Sawback Range. Pass open areas of burned forest and deep canyons. Keep looking out as this is one of your greatest chances of glimpsing wild wolves in the Rockies!At the end of the Parkway, head up the gondola at Lake Louise Ski Resort. Grizzlies love the wildflowers that grow in the cleared ski runs below. Enjoy the view from the top of beautiful Lake Louise and feast in the inimitability of your surroundings.

Fairmont Lake Louise

Check into the legendary Fairmont Lake Louise, on the shore of the most famous lake in the Rockies. Drink in staggering views of the baby blue lake from the hotel’s restaurants and bars.There’s no shortage of activities to keep you busy here. Head out onto the lake for a blissful paddle in a bright red canoe, get out of your comfort zone and try rock climbing on the multi-colored quartzite cliffs. Or go for a hike to the Plain of the Six Glaciers Teahouse, to enjoy a hot drink while you watch glacial ice tumble down Mt. Victoria.Surrounded by mountain peaks, this iconic hotel is blissful in winter and summer. And just wait until you see the spa.

Day 6 - Yoho

Yoho National Park and Takakkaw Falls Tour

Cross the Great Divide into British Columbia and explore Yoho National Park with a local guide. This is a perfect day trip if you’re staying at Lake Louise. Stop at Emerald Lake, where crystalline turquoise water contrasts beautifully with the blue of Lake Louise. Then snap some photos at the Natural Bridge, a famous roadside attraction where the raging river has bored its way through solid limestone, leaving the surface rock untouched.Now gawk at Takakkaw Falls, where meltwater from an overhead icefield falls nearly 400m to the valley floor. The second highest waterfall in Canada is staggering and you’ll be amazed how few other people you see out here.

Day 7 - Jasper

Drive the Jasper Wilderness

Travel along the Icefields Parkway from Lake Louise to Jasper, a route often cited as the most beautiful drive on earth. You will pass through hundreds of kilometers of untouched wilderness, along two major rivers, and beneath some of the tallest mountains in the region.Watch for animals—seriously, they’re often on the road. Bear sightings are common, as the predators browse the plentiful wildflowers along the roadside, as are encounters with bighorn sheep and mountain goats.The Icefields Parkway is aptly named and you will see countless icefields and glaciers along the way. If you want to drive Canada’s famous wilderness this is the route. Your travel designer will set up a suitable vehicle and provide you with tailored maps.

Day 8 - Columbia Icefield

Hike on the Columbia Icefield

Visit the Columbia Icefield and venture onto the Athabasca Glacier for a guided tour in a specially-designed terra bus. Your guide will provide interpretive commentary on glacier features and explain how glaciers form and affect the landscape.You will have the opportunity to step out of the vehicle and onto the glacier’s surface. You’ll feel small as you stand on ice as thick as the Eiffel Tower is tall, feel the strong winds coming down from the icefield, and gaze upward at towering peaks draped in even more ice.Bring a bottle to gather some of the fresh glacier water running along the surface!

Day 9 - Vancouver

Sailing Charter in Vancouver Harbour

Vancouver is Canada’s most breathtaking city, a vibrant metropolis nestled between mountains and the Pacific Ocean.For the perfect views you will need to leave the streets behind and set sail in Vancouver harbor. See the city from the water, sip champagne, and watch the sunset on a private yacht charter.Your travel designer can customize this moment further. So instead of just two hours on the water, you can also spend two days cruising the coastline.

Day 10 - Vancouver

Vancouver Aquarium, Behind the Scenes

Located in Stanley Park, the Vancouver Aquarium is home to a myriad of fascinating sea creatures. It’s also a leading center for marine study, conservation, and the rehabilitation of marine life.Enter the aquarium through a staff-only entrance and plunge into the world of a marine biologist. Experience the aquarium’s work from the inside, as specialists help animals that have been entangled in nets, struck by propellers, and otherwise harmed in the wild. Explore the facility’s nearly 100,000 square feet, replete with exhibits showcasing schools of tropical fish, sharks, sea turtles, coral reefs, and more.

Vancouver Foodie Tour

You will need to build up an appetite on this tour, because Vancouver has the best food scene in Canada. So start with a bike ride beneath massive western red cedar and Douglas fir trees in the city’s famous Stanley Park.Then take a ferry to Granville Island where your private culinary guide will tour you through the best the market has to offer. Being on the coast, the seafood is incredible—but then again, so is everything else.When you’ve had your fill, return to Vancouver and try to get some steps in before ending your day with reservations at one of the city’s top restaurants.

Day 11 - Vancouver

Vancouver Island Day Trip by Seaplane

Board a seaplane for a scenic flight to Vancouver Island, complete with water-landing and dazzling views over the harbour. Your driver-guide will meet you at the docks and bring you on a guided tour of Victoria, the island’s main city.The city’s attractions include the bustling Inner Harbour, nearby Provincial Parliament buildings, century-old Butchart Gardens, and Craigdarroch Castle, which was once home to the richest man in Western Canada.Finally, you will return to Vancouver around sunset, ensuring more sublime views from the seaplane.

Day 12 - Departure