Walking in the Canadian Rockies

Our tour of the Rockies and Pacific Coast starts in Calgary. This dynamic city is a rich fusion of modern architecture and traditional heritage, where the pioneering history of the Canadian West is woven into everyday life. Due to the number of flights arriving into Calgary late, our tour leader - who for the duration of the tour will also be our driver - will meet you in the hotel reception on the morning of day two. A message will be left at reception with details of timings as well as anything else you'll need for the day. There are no activities planned today, so you\ re free to arrive at any time. If you\ d like an airport transfer, you'll need to arrive into Calgary International Airport (YYC), which is a 20-minute drive from the hostel. If your flight arrives earlier in the day, you might like to explore the city and soak up the friendly ambience. Filled with museums, shops and cafes, the centre of the city is a great place to meander and take in Calgary's culture, as well as the ever-present mountains that provide an awe-inspiring backdrop.

To the west of Calgary lie the stunning landscapes of Kananaskis Country, Alberta's breathtaking mountain playground. Driving out of the city, we'll head along the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) towards the Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. This landscape is home to bears, elk, moose, and mountain lions. We'll hike out along the Kananaskis Lookout Trail later this morning, taking us through the forest and up to a fire lookout point. This offers some spectacular panoramas across the park to a sea of trees, barren peaks, wide valleys, and large lakes. Please note, during this trip, we'll stay at some beautiful campsites. Everybody is expected to help set up and break camp, as well as loading and unloading the trailer. Each camp has toilets and showers, and some have laundrette and kitchen areas. In the evenings, our tour leader will cook up a tasty meal to share. Today's 12 kilometre/7.5 mile hike is expected to take around four hours with 530 metres/1,739 feet of ascent.

Today we'll continue our exploration of the mountain landscapes in the beautiful Kananaskis Valley, making our way through the forests and willow flats of the Burstall Pass Trail. The wide trail climbs steeply, heading towards a patchwork of alpine meadows, passing Burstall Lakes. Crossing Burstall Creek we'll continue through a wildflower alpine meadow ascending to the viewpoint. On a clear day, we'll be rewarded with views out towards Mount Sir Douglas to the south, Mount Birdwood to the north and the peaks of Mount Galatea, The Fortress and Mount Chester. Today's 16 kilometre/9.9 mile hike is expected to take around 5.5 hours with 675 metres/2,214 feet of ascent.

We'll begin hiking in the Banff region today. Set in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, and the site of the country's oldest national park, Banff is an expansive wilderness, taking up 6641 square kilometres and comprising mountain vistas, alpine meadows, and crystal lakes. One of the country's most spectacular wilderness areas, it's home to nearly 60 species of mammals, including grizzlies, black bears, wolverines, marmots, and moose. It also boasts around 280 species of birds including golden eagles, ospreys, and white-tailed ptarmigan. Today's walking route takes us on the Cory and Edith passes. An often-overlooked gem in the area, just a short drive from Banff's town centre. This route offers heart-pounding ascents (with around a 900 metre/2,953 feet gain), well-worn switchbacks, dense forest, and stunning alpine views. The loop trail takes us up to the Cory Pass - considered by many to be the most spectacular hike along the Bow Valley Parkway - around Mount Edith and past Mount Louis. Today's 13 kilometre/8 mile hike is expected to take around six-and-a-half hours with 1,135 metres/3,724 feet of ascent.

Our next destination is Kootenay National Park, one of four protected reserves that form the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks. On arrival, we'll take a hike along the scenic Stanley Glacier Trail, a moderate trail that follows a series of switchbacks through a huge burn area that is covered in wildflowers and lodgepole pine, before crossing the creek and meandering our way towards the open expanse of the Stanley Basin. After our hike, we'll make our way to our campsite for a two-night stay. Today's 11 kilometre/6.8 mile hike is expected to take around 3 hours with 610 metres/2,000 feet of ascent.

Continuing our exploration of Kootenay National Park this morning, we'll begin our hike on the Kindersley Pass Trail, heading up towards the Kindersley-Sinclair Summit, where we'll join the Sinclair Creek Trail. Passing through alpine meadows and forests of Douglas Fir, the trail is dappled with wild roses, blue clematis, and yellow columbine. As we reach the 2,395 metre/7,858 feet Kindersley-Sinclair Pass, we'll hopefully be rewarded with spectacular views of Mounts Sinclair and Kindersley, as well as the Devil's Tooth. Later, we'll have the option to pay a visit to the Radium Hot Spring, where we can relax in the warm waters. Today's 18 kilometre/11.2 mile hike is expected to take around 6.5 hours with 1,304 metres/4,277 of ascent.

This morning, we'll drive to Golden, where we'll have an opportunity to take a rafting trip down the Kicking Horse River. Running through iconic British Columbian scenery of pine forests and jagged mountains, the Kicking Horse River showcases Canada's landscapes at their finest. Class II-IV rapids are on the menu, and there's the option to have a BBQ lunch after the trip. For those who aren't keen on rafting, there's the option to visit the Takkakaw Falls, in Yoho National Park. Taken from the Cree word for 'magnificent', the falls are fed by the Daly Glacier and, at 373 metres, are the second-highest falls in Canada. Winding up a stunning switchback road, the falls can be seen from the nearby parking lot, but there is a 1.4 kilometre/0.9 mile walk that will take you closer to the drop. Please note, if no one decides to book the rafting, there may be the possibility for the whole group to do a more challenging hike from the Takkakaw Falls, along the Iceline Trail - a dramatic alpine track that traverses a landscape of rock and ice up to the spectacular falls. This is a 15 kilometre/9.3 mile moderate-to-challenging trek that is expected to take around 6.5 hours, with 875 metres/2,870 feet of ascent. From here, we'll continue to Lake Louise, home to one of the most photographed glacial lakes in Canada. During your two nights at the Lake Louise Alpine Centre, the hostel rooms are multi-share, with shared bathroom facilities. You'll be in four-bed dorms, which we'll endeavour to keep private and same-sex where possible, although there may be other travellers outside of the group. The hostel is simple, but sociable and facilities include a living room and kitchen where meals will be cooked for the group.

Today we'll undertake a classic hike in Banff National Park, following a section of the Plain of Six Glaciers Trail, that gives us spectacular views of the Lake Louise area. Walking around the lake in summer, we'll most likely be met by crowds of people that quickly start thinning out as we get further away from the entrance. This lakeside section of the hike is completely flat, before as we veer off the lake, we'll start to slowly climb past tall cliffs and continue through forest and onto open, rocky mountain paths. The hike climbs steeply up to a traditional Canadian teahouse and offers stunning glacier views and a look back across Lake Louise and the iconic Chateau. From the teahouse, views of some of the tallest mountains in the Canadian Rockies are plentiful. Today's 15 kilometre/9.3 mile trek on the Plain of Six Glaciers trail is expected to take around 5 hours with 590 metres/1,936 feet of ascent and descent.

This morning, we'll drive along the Icefields Parkway, a breathtaking spectacle of lush coniferous forests, immense mountains, turquoise lakes, and humbling glaciers. Our journey takes us into the landscapes of Jasper National Park and up to the Columbia Icefield, the site of the most accessible glacier in North America. From here we'll hike up to Wilcox Pass, named for Walter Wilcox who was in the party that made the first recorded trip into the area in 1896. The trail is blanketed in wildflowers and anemones during the summer season and offers some outstanding views of the Columbia Icefields and Athabasca Glacier. Today's 12 kilometre/7.5 mile hike is expected to take around 3 hours with 417 metres/1,368 feet of ascent.

Today, we'll continue our exploration of Jasper National Park as we head out to hike the Bald Hills Trail. The start of the trailhead is situated at Maligne Lake and, once on the trail, you'll be offered some of the finest views of the lake in the region as well as the glaciated peaks to the east. The trail meanders through a protected caribou range and is around a 12 kilometre/7.5 mile round trip. Today's 15 kilometre/7.5 mile hike is expected to take around 5 hours with 780 metres/2,558 feet of ascent.

Our last hike in Jasper National Park today takes us onto the Edith Cavell Trail. Mount Edith Cavell was named after an English nurse who was executed by the Germans in World War I for helping Allied soldiers escape from occupied Belgium. We'll be able to see the mountain just a short way into our hike, as we reach Cavell Meadows. From here, we'll also be able to spot the Angel Glacier which flows down the north face of Mount Edith Cavell and is so named thanks to its likeness to an angel with spread wings. It was given the moniker in the 19th century when it was much larger but, sadly, the glacier is slowly melting and will soon lose its distinctive appearance. Today's 8 kilometre/5 mile hike is expected to take around 3 hours with 573 metres/1,879 feet of ascent.

This morning, we'll travel back to Banff along the last of the Icefield Parkway. Our final day in the Rockies takes us on a shorter, but no less spectacular, trail - Parker Ridge. The trail takes a steady upwards direction (around 250 metres/820 feet of ascent) to get to the top of the ridge and above the tree line. From the top of the ridge, we'll have views of the Saskatchewan Glacier, stretching up the valley that it's carved out over thousands of years. Leaving behind this beautiful region, we'll return to Banff to explore the town where there'll also be the option to visit the hot spring before we journey on to Canmore for our final night. Today's 6.5 kilometre/4 mile hike is expected to take around 2 hours with 338 metres/1,109 feet of ascent.

This morning, we'll leave our hotel in Canmore after breakfast and drive to Calgary, where our trip ends. We'll arrive at the Ramada Hotel in Calgary at around 10am, from where you'll be transferred to the airport according to your departure time. If you\ d like an airport transfer, you'll need to depart from Calgary International Airport (YYC). The earliest your flight can depart is 1pm. If your flight departs later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at the Ramada Hotel.