6-Day Canadian Rockies Tour From Calgary

Welcome to Calgary! Upon arrival, we'll pick you up from the airport and transfer you to the hotel. The rest of the day is at your leisure. If you arrive before 12:00pm, you may join a local tour or explore the city by yourself. 1, Calgary city tour.(3 hours): A guided tour takes you to explore the city, from the historic site to the newest modern building. 2, Heritage Park with Transfer/Admission(3.5 hours): Explore Canada's largest living history museum in Calgary. See and feel the past as it comes to life in front of your eyes. 3, Cross Iron Mill outlets(5 hours), the biggest one-level shopping center in Alberta, for an shopping tour. 4, Calgary City Floating Tour(2 hours; min: 4 years old): Following the riverway to discover Calgary downtown and famous landmarks.(Including transportation and life jacket)

Our Canadian Rockies tour will lead us to the Gem of the Rockies, Lake Louise! We'll enjoy a 2 hour stop here to enjoy the beauty and splendor of the lake. Take some time to walk along the shore or visit the nearby Chateau. Next we'll travel to another stunning lake, Moraine, which is surrounded by the rugged and imposing Ten Peaks Valley. Its waters shine with the most amazing color, a vivid shade of turquoise that changes in intensity through the summer as the glacier melt. Moraine Lake is surrounded by mountains, waterfalls, and rock piles, creating a scene so stunning it almost seems unreal (45 minute stop). Afterwards we'll explore Yoho National Park, the third national park that makes up the Rockies with Banff and Jasper. Named for a Cree expression of awe and wonder, Yoho lies on the Western slopes of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Here we'll pass through Spiral Tunnel, one of the most bizarre feats of engineering to get the grade of a train line to be at or below 2.2%. The current two spiral tunnels where the railroad forms two spirals, crossing beneath itself twice, almost forming a figure eight, before continuing in the proper direction down the mountain were completed in 1909. Then we'll arrive at Emerald Lake to enjoy the beauty of this amazing Canadian lake (20 minute stop) followed by the Natural Bridge. Sculpted by the erosive forces of rushing water over what had once been a waterfall, the Natural Bridge is a powerful reminder of how much influence water has in shaping the landscape (15 minute stop).

Today we'll explore the nearby Jasper National Park. First, we'll pass the amazing Icefield Parkway. Stretching 232km through the heart of Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site, this world-class journey offers access to a vast wilderness of pristine mountain lakes, ancient glaciers and broad sweeping valleys. This amazing highway will lead us to Bow Lake, one of the hidden gems of the Rockies (20 minute stop). Next, we'll arrive at Columbia Icefield where you can choose to join the Ice Explorer ride across Athabasca Glacier and step out onto the Glacier Skywalk (admission not included). Next, we'll discover the majesty of Athabasca Falls. Though it is not one of the highest waterfalls in Canada, you will be surprised by the shear force and fury of the water that flows through it from the Columbia Glacier (30 minute stop). Finally, we'll arrive in Jasper, the 2nd biggest town in the Canadian Rockies.

For today's agenda our Canadian Rockies tour will continue to explore Jasper National Park. To start things off we'll travel to Maligne Lake, the largest natural lake in the Canadian Rockies, for an optional cruise (admission not included). From here we'll encounter Maligne Canyon, which has been carved over the ages into the Palliser Formation, a layer of limestone deposited in a shallow tropical sea by lime-secreting plankton about 365-million years ago (30 minute stop). Next, we'll pass another stunning lake, Medicine Lake. During the summer, glacier melt waters flood the lake, sometimes overflowing it. In fall and winter the lake disappears, becoming a mudflat with scattered pools of water connected by a stream. Medicine Lake is one of the largest known sinking rivers in the Western Hemisphere and may be the largest inaccessible cave system anywhere in the world! Continuing our tour we'll journey to Peyto Lake, a glacier-fed lake in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies. During the summer, significant amounts of glacial rock flour flow into the lake, and these suspended rock particles give the lake a bright, turquoise color (20 minute stop; If it is closed, we will go to WATERFOWL LAKE instead.). We will also go to The Crossing (10 minute stop). We'll end the day with a visit to Crowfoot Glacier, which is named for its odd shape (15 minute stop).

We'll begin our stunning Canadian Rockies tour from Calgary and travel into Banff National Park, Canada's first national park. First, we'll travel up to the top of Sulphur Mountain aboard the Banff Gondola (admission not included) for a 360 degree view of Banff and the Canadian Rockies (90 minute stop). Next, we'll travel to Johnston Canyon and walk along the scenic trail (1 hour stop). From here we'll see the majestic Bow Falls, which was seen in the film "The River of No Return" (15 minute stop). Then we'll travel to Surprise Corner for a stunning view of the region (15 minute stop). Afterwards, we'll discover the famous Hoodoos - what's a Hoodoo? You'll have to join us to find out! Then, we'll go to Banff(90 minute stop), a charming alpine town. Finally we'll return to Calgary.

Today, we'll visit Waterton National Park, the only park in the world that has three designations - UNESCO World Heritage Site, an International Peace Park and a Biosphere Reserve! First on the agenda is a visit to Prince Wales Hotel, the park’s most recognized landmark (30 minute stop) From here we'll visit the charming and vibrant town of Waterton (1 hour stop). Next, its off to Cameron Falls, a highlight of any Waterton visit. Crystal clear cascading mountain water rushes steadily over 1.5 billion year-old Cambrian rock, throwing off a delicate mist that dusts the skin of those who stand-around admiring it. (15 minute stop) Then we'll explore Red Rock Canyon. The layers of red and green colored minerals offer a brilliant contrast to each other and the lush surroundings (30 minute stop). Afterwards we'll encounter the OKOTOKS BIG ROCK (15 minute stop). Then we'll return to Calgary.