NOTE: This trip is now available to book!
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Length: 7 Days
Availability:
– July 12-18, 2020
– July 26-August 1, 2020
– August 9-15, 2020
– August 23-29, 2020
– September 20-26, 2020
Type: Guided
Grade: Moderate
Price: From $2,900 CDN + 5% GST
Best of Canadian Rockies Hiking Tour Overview
Make your Rockies walking holiday the best it can be! Join the only Banff tour that is planned and operated by a local Canadian Rockies-based company. Drawing from 30+ years of experience guiding in the mountains, we have created what we think is an itinerary that packs the biggest punch for the first time hiker in the Rockies.
All trails have been selected for their diversity of scenery, variety of terrain, easy accessibility, and most of all because they rank highest on our “reward for effort” index. They are but a small sample of what’s to be found in the Rockies – but each hike ranks as one of the best!
Who Will Enjoy This Tour?
You’ll enjoy this trip if you love the great outdoors, have a sense of adventure, and enjoy hiking while relaxing in different places with astonishing views.
Highlights of the Rocky Mountain Basecamp Tour
- Visit the most famous parks and trails of Banff, Yoho, Kootenay, and Kananaskis
- Local guides with fantastic knowledge of the region
- Short drives to trailheads
- Comfortable lodgings in Kananaskis, Banff and Lake Louise
What’s Included
- 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 1 Dinner
- 6 nights in hotels/lodges 3-star category
- Private transport in mini-van
- Professional hiking/interpretive guide
- National park entry fees and sightseeing as indicated
- All permits, sightseeing and National Park entrance fees
- Shuttle to hotel on arrival day and to Calgary airport on final day
Map of the Canadian Rockies Hiking Tour
Day 1: Arrive in Calgary
Upon your arrival in Calgary, we will arrange transportation for you to Kananaskis. We meet that evening to go over plans and options for the following days, look at maps of the area and check to see that you are properly outfitted.
- Overnight: Mount Kidd Manor, Kananaskis
Day 2: Walking Prairie View in Kananaskis
Your guide will meet you at the hotel after breakfast, following which we’ll head out on our first hike in Kananaskis Country. Our choice to break the ice is the Prairie View Lookout trail. This trail, located in the Front Ranges, will allow you to see an incredible difference there is looking east towards Calgary and the Prairies or looking west towards the incredible Canadian Rocky Mountains.
- Hiking Today: 8 miles (13 km)
- Elevation Gain: 1378 feet (420 m)
- Duration: 3-4hrs
- Overnight: Mount Kidd Manor, Kananaskis
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 3: Kananaskis Hike and Transfer to Banff
Our drive to Banff will be done through the scenic Spray Lakes road. About half-way through, we will stop for our day hike, Chester Lake or Burstall Pass. Your guide will make the best decision depending on the group’s ability to let everyone get acclimatized to our higher elevation and dry air.
- Hiking Today: 6 – 9 miles (10 -15 km)
- Elevation Gain: 1148 – 1476 feet (350 – 450 m)
- Hiking Duration: 3 – 5 hr hiking
- Overnight: Bowview or Banff Park Lodge, Banff
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
- Driving distance: 77.6 miles (125 km)
- Driving Duration: 2.5 hr
Day 4: Fire and Ice
Today’s hike takes us into Kootenay National Park and the Stanley Glacier Trail. You’ll walk through a remarkable valley of “Fire and Ice” – “fire” being the remains of a 1968 wildfire, almost regrown now, and “ice” being the Stanley Glacier overhanging the cliffs at the head of the valley.
- Hiking Today: 8 miles (13 km)
- Elevation Gain: 1969 feet (600 m)
- Hiking Duration: 4-5hr
- Overnight: Bowview or Banff Park Lodge, Banff
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 5: Lake Louise
After a healthy breakfast, we’ll drive directly to world-famous Lake Louise. Here we will have a choice of hikes available including a walk to the Lake Agnes Teahouse, or to the Plain of Six Glaciers or to do a round trip circuit including both. After our hike, we’ll head towards Lake Louise Village for the evening.
- Hiking Today: 11 miles (18 km)
- Elevation Gain: 1312.3 feet (400 m)
- Hiking Duration: 6-8hr
- Overnight: Lake Louise Inn, Lake Louise
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
- Driving distance: 62 miles (100 km)
- Driving Duration: 1hr
Day 6: Final Challenge
For our final day of hiking, we’ll have a difficult choice to make: either Moraine Lake and Sentinel Pass or the Iceline Trail in Yoho National Park. It’s a difficult choice to make because we consider both trails to be in the list of top hiking trails of the Canadian Rockies. We will be well rewarded at the end of the day while sitting all together for our farewell dinner
- Hiking Today: 7.5 miles+ (12 km+)
- Elevation Gain: 2460.6 feet (750 m+)
- Hiking Duration: 6-8hr
- Overnight: Lake Louise Inn, Lake Louise
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Transfer to Calgary
Breakfast at Lake Louise Inn with complimentary shuttle to Calgary included in the morning.
- Meals Included: Breakfast
BEST OF THE CANADIAN ROCKIES HIKING TOUR INFO
Availability
This trip is available the following dates:
– July 12-18, 2020
– July 26-August 1, 2020
– August 9 -15, 2020
– August 23-29, 2020
– September 20-26, 2020
Booking in Advance
Book as soon as possible to ensure that accommodation is available on your start date. This region of Canada is very popular and accommodations often fill up months in advance. Space is limited to 8 guests.
Luggage
We recommend checking with your pre- and post-trip hotel(s) to inquire about luggage storage. Most of the time hotels are happy to accommodate.
Pre and post-trip lodging is your responsibility. We recommend the below-listed accommodations while in town.
Park Inn
Best Western Premier Freeport Inn
Grade and Terrain
Grade 2 (medium). This Canadian Rockies hiking trip involves hiking for up to 6 to 7 hours per day, usually with distances of 10-14 kilometres. The final walk may be longer with a possible distance up to 21 km. Elevation gains will vary from 300 m up to 800 m. (2,800 ft) on the final day.
Professional Guided Tours
Your guides are experienced professional hiking guides with certification from the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides and/or from the Mountain Parks Heritage Interpretation Association. They are chosen for their enthusiasm and interest in sharing their knowledge of these mountains.
Location
We will arrange a shuttle for you from Calgary or Calgary Airport to Kananaskis and from Lake Louise back to Calgary. Once the final group is confirmed your guide will plan a group shuttle departure that fits most arrivals. If your arrival does not fit this departure, we will arrange a shuttle for you with one of the scheduled services. Return to Calgary will be arranged in the same manner. Driving time from Calgary to Kananaskis is approx. 1 ¼ hours and driving time from Lake Louise to Calgary is approximately 2 ½ hours.
Fitness Level
You should be in good physical condition and be a regular walker or hiker. The route is not technical so no prior expertise is required. You will need to carry a daypack large enough for spare clothing, your camera, lunch and something to drink each day.
General
This trip operates during the main months of summer, though snow can linger at high elevations until well into the season. Weather is unpredictable at any time of year, but is generally quite warm in July and August. Daytime highs range from 15-25 C and nighttime temperatures can drop to 5-10 C. Temperatures in June and September can be cooler with nighttime temperatures occasionally dropping below freezing. As with alpine environments throughout the globe, the higher you go, the lower the temperature becomes. Ensuring that you have the correct clothing for an alpine environment is crucial.
PRICING AND INCLUSIONS
Pricing
$2,900 + 5% GST in Double Occupancy
Inclusions
- 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 1 dinner
- 6 nights in hotels/lodges 3-star category
- Private transport in mini-van
- Professional hiking/interpretive guide
- National park entry fees and sightseeing as indicated
- All permits, sightseeing and National Park entrance fees
- Shuttle to hotel on arrival day and to Calgary airport on final day
Payment Info
$500 CAD is due at the time of booking.
The remaining balance is due 8 weeks in advance.
Extras
- Airfare
- Alcoholic beverages
- Personal expenses
- Meals not indicated
- Tips
- Personal expenditures
- Tips for the guides
- Travel and trip cancellation insurance. We recommend World Nomads since it includes mountain rescue and repatriation insurance which are required and not covered by all insurance policies.
ACCOMMODATION ON the BEST OF THE CANADIAN ROCKIES HIKING TOUR
Availability
Accommodation is double occupancy. Each of the lodgings we have chosen were selected for their unique character and relatively easy access to other amenities. Banff, and Lake Louise are very interesting communities and we have found over the years that most people who visit the Canadian Rockies also want to get a feel for the local culture. Kananaskis on the other hand is a little bit more remote and will provide a perfect way to connect with nature from day 1. Banff’s tourism heritage is going back to the 1880’s and Lake Louise is renown for its spectacular scenery.
We will be happy to book rooms for you before and after the tour; please contact us for the most recent rates.
Storage of Personal Items
Many guests choose to store any extra luggage with the hotel
they’ll be using before and after the trip. You are also
welcome to leave any luggage with us for secure storage while
you’re on your trip – just inform your guide.
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TRAVEL TO CALGARY
By plane:
The most convenient airport is Calgary International Airport (YYC), which is served by most major airlines.
I find the best deals on Skyscanner and book most of my flights through them.
Note: We highly recommend waiting to book your flights or making other travel arrangements until you receive an email from us notifying you that all your accommodation has been confirmed.
Click on the “Contact Us” button below for the booking form and terms and conditions or for further information on booking this trip.
When you book this trip through us, you’ll also receive the following bonuses:
- Packing list of the essentials
- My secret list of easy to pack luxurious non-essentials
- How to make the most of your hiking experience by going within
This trip is operated by our trusted Canadian partner, White Mountain Adventures.