Itinerary for Canadian Rockies

[goldenhorn]

If you like gardens then go to the Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island - they are beautiful

Yes, I saw those on my previous trip to Val Isl. in 2012. I agree - they are stunning!

 

[goldenhorn]

Thanks everyone for your feedback.

Here’s the revised itinerary:

Day 1-5 Vancouver
Day 6 - Okanagan
Day 7 - Okanagan
Day 8 - Banff
Day 9 - Banff
Day 10 - Banff
Day 11 - Jasper
Day 12 - Jasper
Day 13 - TBC
Day 14- Kamloops
Day 15 - Vancouver
Day 16 - YVR-ORD

Banff, Jasper, and Kamloops are booked.

I’m not sure what to do with Day 13.

I’m not keen to stay in a Kamloops for 2 nights and Jasper is booked and (unfortunately) non-refundable so I can’t change the dates for that booking without paying $.

Do you have any suggestions for a place to stay between Jasper and Kamloops for one night?

 

[RooFlyer]

I guess Prince George is a possibility. Never went there.

From Prince George south to Kamloops you'll pas through the community of 'Australian'

 

[RooFlyer]

You probably won't, but if you 'finish' Banff, a day or part day in Calgary is an option. About 90 mins drive on effectively a freeway once you get out of the park.

Sort of like Perth - tall, modern buildings, but the river is quite scenic around Prince's Island Park and Eau Claire market for lunch. Good views from Nose Hill Park or up on the Saraceee Trail coming into the city from the west.

 

[goldenhorn]

You probably won't, but if you 'finish' Banff, a day or part day in Calgary is an option. About 90 mins drive on effectively a freeway once you get out of the park.

Sort of like Perth - tall, modern buildings, but the river is quite scenic around Prince's Island Park and Eau Claire market for lunch. Good views from Nose Hill Park or up on the Saraceee Trail coming into the city from the west.

Oh, interesting. That's a great suggestion. I'd love to see Calgary!

 

[RooFlyer]

There is also Calgary Tower, a 'needle' built in the late 1960s ... its over looked by some office buildings now! Nearby is DeVille Coffee, another rare good coffee place in Canada!

Just avoid peak hour traffic in Calgary, although if you are in school holidays there, like most places, its not as bad then.

Fun fact: If you drive into Calgary, you'll enter the prairie when you exit the mountains ... its pretty flat, but there is a little rise about half way along which is the second highest point on the Trans Canada Highway ... pretty remarkable when you remember what you drove through from Banff . See here: What is the Highest Point on the Trans-Canada Highway?

The drive from Kelowna to Banff will be one of the highlights ... Besides Lake Louise of course, watch out for

Emerald Lake - the turn off is just before you get to Field coming from the west. Emerald Lake is very pretty, well worth a diversion.

Kicking Horse canyon (not the same as Kicking Horse Pass) and the Park Bridge (see web page, above) just east of Golden. Not really a stop, just where the highway goes

The 'Spiral Tunnels', just east of Field. The stop is right on the highway: Spiral Tunnels

 

[goldenhorn]

There is also Calgary Tower, a 'needle' built in the late 1960s ... its over looked by some office buildings now! Nearby is DeVille Coffee, another rare good coffee place in Canada!

Just avoid peak hour traffic in Calgary, although if you are in school holidays there, like most places, its not as bad then.

Fun fact: If you drive into Calgary, you'll enter the prairie when you exit the mountains ... its pretty flat, but there is a little rise about half way along which is the second highest point on the Trans Canada Highway ... pretty remarkable when you remember what you drove through from Banff . See here: What is the Highest Point on the Trans-Canada Highway?

The drive from Kelowna to Banff will be one of the highlights ... Besides Lake Louise of course, watch out for

Emerald Lake - the turn off is just before you get to Field coming from the west. Emerald Lake is very pretty, well worth a diversion.

Kicking Horse canyon (not the same as Kicking Horse Pass) and the Park Bridge (see web page, above) just east of Golden. Not really a stop, just where the highway goes

The 'Spiral Tunnels', just east of Field. The stop is right on the highway: Spiral Tunnels

Great tips. Thank you! I've taken note of all these so we can check them out.

 

[goldenhorn]

OK, day 13 problem solved. I messaged the lodge in Jasper and they've let me stay another night without having to cancel and rebook (and pay cancellation fee.)

It always pays to ask nicely!

 

[Icy]

Sounds like a fantastic trip. We did a similar road trip a few years back and loved it. You've stirred my desire to go back again.

We travelled from Vancouver to Jasper staying at Blue River on the way. Stayed 2 nights in Jasper. Then headed south down to Banff along the Icefields Hwy staying 2 days in Canmore. Then to Calgary for 1 night before flying to Toronto.

A couple of suggestions. It appears you may have already booked accommodation in Banff but we stayed just down the road in Canmore. It was quite a bit cheaper and we still enjoyed it. Not quite as hectic as Banff but still surrounded my mountains.

We travelled through in August but I believe the wildfire season starts in June in BC. Smoke from the fires can significantly affect views (obviously one of the main attractions of the Rockies) so, if possible, leave some flexibility in your itinerary. We changed our schedule whilst there a numbers of times to work around smoke in areas we visited. It can be quite localised and moves around. As an example, it was quite bad at Lake Louise most of the time were were there but on the second morning it cleared, so we swapped it with the plans we had to visit another area that morning. Friends who visited Lake Louise a year later were on a tight schedule and were lucky to even notice there was a lake there. We also rescheduled a helicopter flight to work around the smoke.

As mentioned in an earlier post, Lake Maligne near Jasper is worth seeing. It is a nice drive out the the lake and we saw lots of wildlife - black bears and even a moose. Some great walking tracks on the way. The river cruise to the other end of the lake is well worth it also.

Vancouver is also a great city to spend time in.

 

[goldenhorn]

Sounds like a fantastic trip. We did a similar road trip a few years back and loved it. You've stirred my desire to go back again.

We travelled from Vancouver to Jasper staying at Blue River on the way. Stayed 2 nights in Jasper. Then headed south down to Banff along the Icefields Hwy staying 2 days in Canmore. Then to Calgary for 1 night before flying to Toronto.

A couple of suggestions. It appears you may have already booked accommodation in Banff but we stayed just down the road in Canmore. It was quite a bit cheaper and we still enjoyed it. Not quite as hectic as Banff but still surrounded my mountains.

We travelled through in August but I believe the wildfire season starts in June in BC. Smoke from the fires can significantly affect views (obviously one of the main attractions of the Rockies) so, if possible, leave some flexibility in your itinerary. We changed our schedule whilst there a numbers of times to work around smoke in areas we visited. It can be quite localised and moves around. As an example, it was quite bad at Lake Louise most of the time were were there but on the second morning it cleared, so we swapped it with the plans we had to visit another area that morning. Friends who visited Lake Louise a year later were on a tight schedule and were lucky to even notice there was a lake there. We also rescheduled a helicopter flight to work around the smoke.

As mentioned in an earlier post, Lake Maligne near Jasper is worth seeing. It is a nice drive out the the lake and we saw lots of wildlife - black bears and even a moose. Some great walking tracks on the way. The river cruise to the other end of the lake is well worth it also.

Vancouver is also a great city to spend time in.

Thanks @Icy Sounds like great advice to be flexible.

My booking at Banff is actually refundable, so I'll have a look at Canmore in the meantime and see if there's something more appealing than the Banff Park Lodge we've booked.

Appreciate your other suggestions as well!

 

[Brissy2]

Hi - Realise you have already booked your accommodation and sorry for the late response.

We spent 1 night in Kamloops and then stopped at Whistler on the way to Vancouver - eg.
Day 12 - Jasper to Kamloops = 443km (5hr drive) - Stopped at Mt Robson and Valemount (coffee break).
Tip: Before leaving Jasper, fill up petrol tank
Day 13 - Kamloops to Whistler = 298km (4hr drive) - Stopped at Pemberton (lunch)
Day 14 - Whistler to Vancouver = 125km (2hr drive)

To enter the National Parks around Banff & Jasper you need to purchase a National Park Pass - we bought a 4 day pass at Yoho National Park Visitor Information Centre.

Between Banff & Jasper we also visited Peyto Lake, the Athabasca Glacier at Columbia Icefields Centre and Athabasca Falls.

Have a great time - it's such a pretty trip!

 

[goldenhorn]

Sounds like a fantastic trip. We did a similar road trip a few years back and loved it. You've stirred my desire to go back again.

We travelled from Vancouver to Jasper staying at Blue River on the way. Stayed 2 nights in Jasper. Then headed south down to Banff along the Icefields Hwy staying 2 days in Canmore. Then to Calgary for 1 night before flying to Toronto.

A couple of suggestions. It appears you may have already booked accommodation in Banff but we stayed just down the road in Canmore. It was quite a bit cheaper and we still enjoyed it. Not quite as hectic as Banff but still surrounded my mountains.

We travelled through in August but I believe the wildfire season starts in June in BC. Smoke from the fires can significantly affect views (obviously one of the main attractions of the Rockies) so, if possible, leave some flexibility in your itinerary. We changed our schedule whilst there a numbers of times to work around smoke in areas we visited. It can be quite localised and moves around. As an example, it was quite bad at Lake Louise most of the time were were there but on the second morning it cleared, so we swapped it with the plans we had to visit another area that morning. Friends who visited Lake Louise a year later were on a tight schedule and were lucky to even notice there was a lake there. We also rescheduled a helicopter flight to work around the smoke.

As mentioned in an earlier post, Lake Maligne near Jasper is worth seeing. It is a nice drive out the the lake and we saw lots of wildlife - black bears and even a moose. Some great walking tracks on the way. The river cruise to the other end of the lake is well worth it also.

Vancouver is also a great city to spend time in.

Just found a great Airbnb in Canmore - half the cost of the lodge, so will make the switch.

Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[goldenhorn]

Hi - Realise you have already booked your accommodation and sorry for the late response.

We spent 1 night in Kamloops and then stopped at Whistler on the way to Vancouver - eg.
Day 12 - Jasper to Kamloops = 443km (5hr drive) - Stopped at Mt Robson and Valemount (coffee break).
Tip: Before leaving Jasper, fill up petrol tank
Day 13 - Kamloops to Whistler = 298km (4hr drive) - Stopped at Pemberton (lunch)
Day 14 - Whistler to Vancouver = 125km (2hr drive)

To enter the National Parks around Banff & Jasper you need to purchase a National Park Pass - we bought a 4 day pass at Yoho National Park Visitor Information Centre.

Between Banff & Jasper we also visited Peyto Lake, the Athabasca Glacier at Columbia Icefields Centre and Athabasca Falls.

Have a great time - it's such a pretty trip!

Thanks for your suggestions of places to visit. I've taken notes.

That's an interesting idea going to Whistler on the way back to Van. Thanks!

 

[Brissy2]

FYI - Here's a complete list of our trip - we only had a limited time - but managed to see a lot

Drive Vancouver - Salmon Arm (via Kelowna)
Vancouver to Salmon Arm = 496kms (5h 47mins)
Day 1 route was:
A) Vancouver (left at 6.30am)
B) Abbotsford
C) Chilliwack
D) Hope (and turned onto Highway #3E)
E) Manning Provincial Park (stopped at Manning Park Resort for a pitstop)
F) Princeton
G) Hedley
H) Okanagan Valley region (inc Okanagan Lake) - Passed through Keremeos
I) Penticton
J) Kaleden
K) Summerland
L) Westbank (on the banks of Okanagan Lake)
M) Kelowna
N) Vernon
O) Armstrong
P) Enderby
Q) Salmon Arm (arrived at 3.30pm)

Drive Salmon Arm – Canmore
(406kms/4h 53mins)
Day 2 route was:
A) Salmon Arm (left at 7am) - Stopped at a lookout of Lake Shuswap
B) Revelstoke (stopped for a pitstop)
Entered the Glacier National Park area
C) Rogers Pass Summit - Stopped at Rogers Pass Discovery Centre
D) Golden (good lookout)
See Kicking Horse Falls
E) Yoho National Park Visitor Information Centre
Stopped at Visitors Centre to purchase a National Park Pass
Yoho View National Bridge
F) Banff (arrived at 2pm – left 5.30pm)
G) Canmore (arrived at 6pm)

Drive Canmore to Banff
(25kms/22mins)
Day 3 route was:
A) Canmore
B) Drove into Lake Minnewanka and Two Jack Lake
C) Banff
Visited Sulphur Mountain Gondola
Bow River Falls
Fill up petrol tank before leaving

Drive Banff – Jasper
(288km/3hrs-40mins)
Day 4 route was:
A) Banff (left at 8am)
B) Lake Louise
Visited Fairmount Chateau
C) Moraine Lake
D) Crowfoot Glacier
E) Bow Lake & Bow Glacier
F) Bow Summit & Peyto Lake
G) Saskatchewan River Crossing
H) Nigel Pass
I) Athabasca Glacier at Columbia Icefields Centre (arrived 12.15pm)
Bought tickets for “Brewster Ice Explorer Tour” (on a “snocoach”) – Took about 1½ hrs
J) Tangle Falls (on the roadside)
K) Endless Chain Ridge (mountain range on road)
L) Athabasca Falls
M) Jasper (Stayed at Becker's Chalets)

Jasper
Day 5 – rest day .. visited:
Maligne, Patricia & Pyramid Lakes
Whistlers Mountain skytram
Fill up petrol tank before leaving

Drive Jasper – Kamloops
(443km/5hrs-8mins)
Day 6 route was:
A) Jasper (left at 6.15am)
Stopped at Mt Robson
B) Valemount
C) Kamloops (arrived at 11am)

Drive Kamloops – Whistler
(298km/4hrs-3mins)
Day 7 route was:
A) Kamloops (left at 6.45am)
B) Savona
C) Cache Creek
D) Lillooet
E) Cayoosh Creek
F) Seton Lake Reservoir
G) Pemberton (lunch stop)
H) Whistler

Drive Whistler – Vancouver
(125km/2hrs)
Day 8 route was:
A) Whistler
B) Tantalus Lookout
C) Squamish
D) Vancouver

 

[kiwitripper64]

It looks like you’re going to have an amazing trip. The drive from Banf to Jasper is amazing. As mentioned look for groups of parked cars, they will have stopped to look at bears and probably bear cubs. The drive from Jasper to Kamloops is wilderness. No phone reception and very few towns. Full tank of gas recommended. Kamloops is quiet, but pretty. Go for a walk up into the hoodoos, the hills. But 2 nights would probably be enough, then on to Whistler for a night. Take the chairlift up to the top next morning, have a walk around , then easy drive on great road back to Vancouver, and still make it in before rush hour

 

[Gigi]

Ok that sounds good.

I’ve rejigged the itinerary to have 6 nights in Van at the beginning then the next 9 days in the Rockies and 1 night in Van before flying to ORD.

Will check Calgary option but I suspect car hire will add on a nice big relocation fee for dropping a Van car off in Calgary?

I’ve booked 3 nights in the main town of Banff and 2 at a lodge about 30-40 min out of Jasper called Overlander.

I’m considering an extra night in Kelowna as you suggest and can adjust bookings in Banff and Jasper.

Is the main appeal of Kelowna the local wineries? Sounds like the scenery of the lake is pretty stunning there too from what you and others say...

Thanks everyone for your feedback.

Here’s the revised itinerary:

Day 1-5 Vancouver
Day 6 - Okanagan
Day 7 - Okanagan
Day 8 - Banff
Day 9 - Banff
Day 10 - Banff
Day 11 - Jasper
Day 12 - Jasper
Day 13 - TBC
Day 14- Kamloops
Day 15 - Vancouver
Day 16 - YVR-ORD

Banff, Jasper, and Kamloops are booked.

I’m not sure what to do with Day 13.

I’m not keen to stay in a Kamloops for 2 nights and Jasper is booked and (unfortunately) non-refundable so I can’t change the dates for that booking without paying $.

Do you have any suggestions for a place to stay between Jasper and Kamloops for one night?

We drove from Banff to Vancouver and one of the hotels we stayed at was at Revelstoke, Coast Hillcrest Hotel, had an amazing view at dinner of the lightening hitting the spruce? trees and they would burst into flame. Its a cosy hotel outside the town with magnificent views.

 

[scharon]

I'm residing in Invermere, in the Rockies, BC Canada for the summer, so if you have any questions re this region, feel free shoot them to me. Invermere is a nice town on Lake Windermere in the beautiful Columbia Valley between the stunning Rocky and the Purcell Mountain Ranges, and adjoins World Heritage Wetlands.
Can highly recommend take a ride in a very sexy glider (sailplane) for _The_ Best View of the valleys, mountains and glaciers, out of Invermere Soaring Centre. And canoeing on the wetlands - can also hire a canoe and go all the way down the Columbia River to Radium where the hire co. will pick you up.
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort for mountaintop hiking, plus climbing tours, mountain-biking and general sightseeing, and they have a resident rescued grizzly bear.
Panorama Mountain resort.
If into golf; there are heaps of golf courses near Invermere.
Glacier Nothional Park, Radium Hot Springs, and yes the Columbia Icefields.
Lake Louise is full of tourists but is stunning - do the walk to the tearoom and beyond.
I'd recommend staying at the above Mountain Resorts.

In Vancouver, VanDusen Botanical Gardens, especially the Bloedel Conservatory

 

[Newk]

Don’t miss a thing with GuideAlong Audio Tours App

Listen as stories, tips and directions autoplay, based on your location.

gypsyguide.com

get these apps.
Apologies if someone has recommended before. They are really fabulous and you are guaranteed to see stuff and learn stuff that you would not have otherwise. I have NO relationship to them except as a satisfied user

There are so many fabulous places to see and walks to do on the icelands parkway that it may overwhelm you

two (of the many) places we enjoyed:

Parker Ridge Trail Hike (Icefields Parkway, Alberta) | 10Adventures

The Parker Ridge Trail Hike on the Icefields Parkway is a popular hike in Banff National Park. The Parker Ridge hike has some of the best views in Canadian Rockies.

www.10adventures.com

you will need a bit of fitness but the views are stunning

and

Peyto Lake: you will find yourself wondering if the colour is real

I second, or third the suggestion of Moraine Lake lodge. YMMV but I wouldn't stay at Lake Louise..it was like Disneyland...crowds, day trippers in the thousands etc etc. BUT some of the walks, for example up to the tea house, are fabulous

Enjoy

 

[goldenhorn]

Don’t miss a thing with GuideAlong Audio Tours App

Listen as stories, tips and directions autoplay, based on your location.

gypsyguide.com

get these apps.
Apologies if someone has recommended before. They are really fabulous and you are guaranteed to see stuff and learn stuff that you would not have otherwise. I have NO relationship to them except as a satisfied user

There are so many fabulous places to see and walks to do on the icelands parkway that it may overwhelm you

two (of the many) places we enjoyed:

Parker Ridge Trail Hike (Icefields Parkway, Alberta) | 10Adventures

The Parker Ridge Trail Hike on the Icefields Parkway is a popular hike in Banff National Park. The Parker Ridge hike has some of the best views in Canadian Rockies.

www.10adventures.com

you will need a bit of fitness but the views are stunning

and

Peyto Lake: you will find yourself wondering if the colour is real

I second, or third the suggestion of Moraine Lake lodge. YMMV but I wouldn't stay at Lake Louise..it was like Disneyland...crowds, day trippers in the thousands etc etc. BUT some of the walks, for example up to the tea house, are fabulous

Enjoy

Great tips. Thank you!

 

[Melburnian1]

For what it was, Jasper had the most overpriced accommodation in which I've stayed anywhere in the world.