Day 1: Calgary

20km / 25 min from Calgary Airport

Calgary is the place to buy your stetson and cowboy boots, before heading to the Rockies! It’s a rodeo town, hosting the enormous Calgary Stampede in July. It’s a great place to acclimatise and begin to adjust your body-clock, with the city centre just 25 mins from the airport.

Enjoy an evening wandering the city and the bank of the Bow River – perhaps eating at the River Cafe on Prince’s Island or at one of the trendy restaurants or bars on 17th Avenue. Calgary is a great place for coffee and breakfast before you explore the shops, Calgary Tower, Fort Calgary or the 1988 Winter Olympics Park, on your way out towards the mountains.

Day 2-3: Banff

145km / 1 hr 30 min from Calgary

Aim to get to Banff in the middle of the day fora full day and a half to relax and experience the amazing scenery and activities. 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 ski resort, Banff has so much going on in summer, with mountain bike trails, horse riding and water activities particularly popular. This may be somewhere to book an activity or two in advance.

Day 4-5: Jasper

290km / 3 hr 30 min from Banff

Spend an amazing day driving north to Jasper along the Icefields Parkway – one of the most famous roads in the world. At the Columbia Icefield, ride up to the Athabasca glacier and walk out on the vertigo-triggering Skywalk.

Jasper sits at the heart of Canada’s largest national park, with an unbelievable amount to see and do. The Jasper Skytram and a visit to Maligne Canyon and Maligne Lake are essentials for even a short visit. It’s also a great place to try your hand at activities including horse riding, paddle-boarding and climbing.

Day 6-8: Lake Louise

232km / 3 hr from Jasper

Enjoy totally new views of the Icefields Parkway, going south to Lake Louise. Stop off at the Athabasca or Sunwapta falls or take a diversion up Highway 11 to see gorgeous Lake Abraham.

Don’t miss stunning Lake Louise and equally famous Moraine Lake – wall poster and computer screen-saver for millions! Go early to walk and paddle there and avoid the crowds!

On your final day, follow the Bow Valley Parkway towards Banff for stunning views and stops. Johnston Canyon is a great spot, with easy walking along elevated walkways.

Extra Information

• This itinerary is only a suggestion – you’re free to flex stops, durations and accommodation.
• To extend the trip to 10 nights, we suggest adding extra nights in Banff and Jasper.
• Included: Car hire, 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.