DAY 1 ( Calgary to Banff )

Today, transfer to the resort town of Banff from the Calgary International Airport Upon arrival in Banff, you will be dropped off at your hotel.

DAY 2 ( Exploring Banff )

This morning’s excursion tours through the town of Banff and its environs. Ascend Tunnel Mountain Drive to view Bow Falls and the hoodoos, followed by a visit to Lake Minnewanka and Two Jack Lake. Later, take a ride (included) on a gondola car to the top of Sulphur Mountain. Enjoy a 360º panorama of a sea of mountain ranges, valleys, lakes and a bird’s eye view of the Banff town site, 770 metres (2526 feet) below. This afternoon, take a short excursion to Lake Minnewanka, one of Alberta’s largest bodies of water, for your boat cruise. Cruise for approximately 1.5 hours, travelling beneath the jagged peaks of Mount Aylmer and Mount Inglismaldie, the hoodoo clusters and into Devil’s Gap. Big Horn sheep, deer, bears and eagles are frequently seen at the water’s edge. Return to Banff via picturesque Two Jack Lake and majestic Mount Rundle.

DAY 3 - Banff to Jasper

Today’s journey travels north along the famous Icefields Parkway, one of the most spectacular highways in North America. Travel through Banff and Jasper National Parks with a stop at the Columbia Icefield allowing time for a Brewster “Glacier Experience.” A memorable trip onto the icy slopes of the Athabasca Glacier in a specially designed Brewster Ice Explorer, takes you to the middle of the glacier while the driver/guide explains how the glaciers are formed and points out interesting geological features (Ice Explorer included). After this unique adventure, time is allowed at the Columbia Icefield Centre, to relax over lunch (not included) and visit the new and expanded Parks Canada Interpretive Centre. Leaving the Athabasca Glacier, visit the newly opened Glacier Skywalk prior to your arrival into Jasper.

DAY 4 ( Jasper to Lake Louise )

Spend the morning exploring Jasper on your own. You may wish to visit the local shops, take an optional sightseeing excursion of Jasper or visit Whistler’s Mountain and ride the skytram to the summit. This afternoon depart Jasper and travel south along the scenic Icefields Parkway to the Lake Louse.

DAY 5 ( Lake Louise to Kelowna )

Today, depart Lake Louise and head into the province of British Columbia. Ascending Roger’s Pass, the summit of Glacier National Park, this route follows the Canadian Pacific rail line all along the way. A lunch break (included) is made in the alpine town of Revelstoke, founded in 1880 when the CP Railroad was built through the area. Driving further south, the Trans Canada Highway travels past Craigellachie, the site of the last spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885. This railway system connects Canada from coast to coast. Continue on your journey south into the famed wine region of the Okanagan Valley, through the town of Vernon, home of Silver Star ski area. The last stop of the day is at a local winery for an exclusive tour and educational wine tasting. Sample a variety of hand-crafted Okanagan wines in this unique and authentic setting. Kelowna is the overnight destination and is the cosmopolitan and cultural centre of the Okanagan Valley, including five pristine golf courses, white sand beaches, orchards and Big White ski area, in addition to over a dozen local wineries. An evening arrival at your Kelowna hotel allows time for dinner (meal not included) and exploration of the lakefront.

DAY 6 ( Exploring Kelowna )

Start your day off with a delicious Okanagan breakfast (included) at your hotel. Afterwards you will have your choice of taking one of two winery tours. Option #1 The Sampler: Exciting and fun winery tour in Kelowna. Visit local wineries for a tour and wine tastings. Enjoy wine tastings at Mission Hill, Quails’ Gate Estate Winery and at one other winery. Savour delectable cuisine (lunch included) overlooking vineyards, Okanagan Lake and the Valley. Option #2 Eastside Bench: Enjoy an in depth wine tour with stops at Carmelis Goat Cheese farm, Summerhill Pyramid Winery, Cedar Creek Estate Winery and Tantalus Winery. Artisan lunch included.

DAY 7 ( Kelowna to Vancouver )

After a hearty breakfast (included), depart the Okanagan Valley on the Coquihalla highway which travels through the interior to the town of Merritt. There, time is allowed at the Visitor Centre to stretch and learn about this historic territory, one of the premier ranching settlements in British Columbia from 1880. Then follow the TransCanada Highway 1 along the Fraser River and connect with the Fraser Canyon. En route a stop is made at Hell’s Gate, located in the scenic Fraser Canyon. You will descend smoothly from the highway level in one of two comfortable 25-passenger gondolas, and experience a breathtaking flight directly above the unique Hell’s Gate fishways, where two million sockeye salmon challenge the river each year on their epic journey to their inland spawning grounds. At the lower terminal, after a 152-metre descent across the canyon, there are observation points to view the mighty Fraser River, where at peak level, 200 million gallons of water per minute leap and surge through the 34-metre-wide gorge. Admission and lunch are included before your return trip up to the highway level. Following lunch, connect with the mighty Fraser River (named after Simon Fraser, a fur trader who explored the area in 1808), a major salmon spawning route. Up to 10 million fish a year travel up to this waterway each fall to the exact stream bed of their birth where they will complete their life cycle by spawning and dying. This act, in turn, will attract and feed many predators such as eagles and bears who depend on this yearly feast to build body fat that will sustain them during the lean winter months ahead. On the last leg of your journey, you’ll find yourself travelling through the lush Fraser delta region and then into downtown Vancouver, for a late afternoon arrival.

DAY 8 ( Vancouver Departure )

A morning check out of your hotel ends your Rocky Mountain Adventure.