Day 1-3: Banff

145km / 1hr 30 min from Calgary Airport

Arriving in Calgary around 3pm is perfect to pick up your car and reach the Rockies for your first mountain sunset. Acclimatise with the amazing scenery and activities around Banff. Walking, riding, cycling, canoes, cruise boats and rafts are just some of the ways to explore! Relax in the town’s eateries, in its famous hot-springs, and riding the gondola to Sulphur Mountain’s heights.

A great winter resort, Banff has so much going on in summer; mountain bike trails, horse riding and water activities popular. Take the Bow Valley Parkway towards Lake Louise for stunning views and picnic stops. Johnston Canyon is great, with easy walking and fab elevated walkways.

Day 4-5: Lake Louise

58km / 40 – 55 min from Banff

Lake Louise town is a few miles from the gorgeous lake itself, and equally famous Moraine Lake – wall poster and computer screen-saver for millions! Don’t miss the chance to experience these stunning places – including walking above or paddling on them. Go early (helped by your European body-clock) to avoid the crowds!

Spend another amazing day driving north along the Icefields Parkway – one of the most amazing roads in the world – to the Columbia Icefield, half-way to Jasper. Ride up to the Athabasca glacier and walk out on the vertigo-triggering Skywalk viewing platform.

Day 6: Central BC & Kamloops

440km / 5 hours from Lake Louise

It’s time to journey west through some of Canada’s most glorious scenery. You’ll follow the Kicking Horse and Columbia rivers from Lake Louise into British Columbia, passing into the Yoho and Glacier national parks. The town of Golden is a hub for river rafting, and the ski resort of Revelstoke a great option for a mid-way break.

The scenery softens into vast rolling grasslands before you arrive at Kamloops, pretty much the centre of British Columbia and one of the territory’s driest and warmest towns.

Day 7-8: Whistler

300km / 4 h 15 min from Kamloops

Another great driving day, as you gradually climb from the grasslands into the stunning coastal mountains. Whistler is a world class ski resort and fantastic summer destination for a couple of days, with its attractive Alpine-style pedestrian village centre full of cafes, restaurants and shops.

The warm climate and fantastic facilities make Whistler ideal for hiking and mountain biking. It’s also great for ziplines, canoe tours, paddle-boarding, bear watching or floatplane trips. You can even experience the Olympic bobsleigh track, guided by pilots on wheeled sleds! Less white-knuckle options include the amazing Scandinave spa and Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre.

Day 9-11: Tofino (Vancouver Island)

370km / 6h 30 min from Whistler (including ferry)

Reaching Vancouver Island via ferry (ticket included) just over an hour from Whistler, you’ll cross it, through the forested hills of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, and drive along Pacific beaches towards Tofino… a place you will love for a few days, and some people just never leave!

The coastline here is amazing – with countless beaches, islands and inlets. Tofino has a real west coast vibe and is a fantastic base for surfing and for boat and floatplane trips for the major attractions of whale and bear watching (from David Attenborough’s Seven Worlds, One Planet) and visiting self-describing Hot Springs Cove.

Day 12-14: Vancouver

282km / 5h 20 min from Tofino (including ferry)

You’ll re-trace your route and take the return ferry to reach Vancouver soon after. A vibrant and modern city, rated in the world’s top 3, Vancouver is a meeting point for local and global influences, with a booming economy and culture. A ferry ride away on Vancouver Island is Victoria, British Columbia’s charming capital, where afternoon tea is still observed!

Enjoy the city scene in the trendy Gastown and Yaletown districts, but green is never far away, at gorgeous 1000 acre Stanley Park downtown and the Capilano suspension bridge forest park just inland. A trip up Grouse mountain shows just how close together sea and ski can be! On your last day, you’ll have more time to explore as most flights leave in late afternoon.

Extra Information

• This itinerary is a suggestion – you’re free to flex stops, durations and accommodation.
• Included: Car hire (incl. one-way drop-off fee), 2 ferry crossings, local taxes and tourist charges, detailed route guide.
• Not Included: Flights, meals (unless stated), parking fees, tolls, fuel, gratuities, National Park entry passes.
• National Park passes are approx 20 CAD per day for up to 6 people.