7 Days/6 Nights

Canadian Rockies & Glacier National Park

Revel in the stunning alpine vistas and crystal-clear lakes of the Canadian Rockies. Visit Canada’s Banff, Yoho and Kootenay National Parks, plus Montana’s famous Glacier National Park. The scenery is magnificent on this relaxing journey along the Continental Divide. Don’t miss it!

Tour Highlights

• Marvel at snowcapped mountains, gleaming lakes and vast waterfalls.
• Travel the Columbia Icefields Parkway, one of North America’s most scenic drives.
• Ride the amazing “Ice Explorer” onto the vast Athabasca Glacier.
• Take a drive on Going-to-the-Sun Road aboard a vintage “Red Bus” touring coach.

Itinerary

Day 1—Calgary: Welcome to Canada! Tonight we’ll meet our traveling companions for a casual get-together before turning in for the night. Welcome Reception included.

Day 2—Calgary/Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump/Waterton: After breakfast at our hotel, we’ll head south to Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, a UNESCO World Heritage site. On our guided tour, we’ll visit the site and the stunning interpretive center.

We’ll continue south to Waterton Lakes National Park, where we’ll enjoy lunch at a favorite local restaurant. Then we’ll get to know the park’s rolling prairies and sandy cliff sides, home to over 250 types of birds and 1,000 plant species.

We’ll cross into Montana and our home for the night, the Many Glacier Hotel, situated on the eastern shore of Swiftcurrent Lake. The largest in Glacier National Park, this rambling, five-story hotel is a National Historic Landmark. Meals included: B, L.

Day 3—Glacier National Park: This morning we’ll head to the banks of Swiftcurrent Lake. A deep, cold lake, fed by surrounding glaciers, it is the center of activity in Glacier National Park. We’ll enjoy a 1.5-hour cruise on the lake. You’ll marvel at the crystal-clear waters and surrounding peaks of Mount Gould, Grinnell Point and Mount Wilbur.

After lunch together at Many Glacier Hotel, you’re in for a real treat. We’ll board a famous Red Bus, one of Glacier National Park’s fleet of vintage touring coaches. Built in the late 1930s, these 17-passenger buses have become a symbol of the park. After our driver welcomes us with a unique “roll call” and rolls back the canvas top, we’ll head for Going-to-the-Sun Road and take in the park’s spectacular scenery. You’ll want to have your camera ready for awe-inspiring sights including St. Mary Lake.

We’ll continue on to Lake McDonald. At ten miles long and a mile wide, it is the largest in the park. Our home tonight is the Lake McDonald Lodge Motor Inn situated on the shore. Meals included: B, L.

Day 4—Kootenay National Park/Banff: Today we’ll leave Montana behind and return north to British Columbia, Canada—and back to the 1890s!

Our first stop of the day is the Heritage Town of Fort Steele. First established in 1864 during the Kootenay Gold Rush, it thrived throughout the late 19th- and early 20th centuries, until the BC Southern Railway bypassed the town.

We’ll enjoy lunch in this historic town before traveling on to gorgeous Kootenay National Park near the Continental Divide. The park’s diverse landscapes vary from snow-capped mountain peaks to warm, dry grasslands.

Later, we’ll continue on to Banff, the largest town in Banff National Park and one of Canada’s most popular recreation destinations. Every year, millions of people visit Banff National Park for gorgeous mountain scenery and glittering Lake Louise.

Our hotel for the next three evenings is the attractive Mount Royal, perfectly nestled in the town of Banff. Meals included: B, L.

Day 5—Yoho & Banff National Parks: Today we’ll explore Yoho National Park, where you’ll behold the grandeur of towering Takakkaw Falls, one of the tallest waterfalls in the world!

After a delicious lunch together surrounded by stunning mountain scenery, you’ll have time on your own. For a truly spectacular view of the peaks, take our optional gondola ride. Meals included: B, L.

Option—Banff Gondola: Get a bird’s-eye view of the Canadian Rockies from the Banff Gondola. The fully-enclosed, four-passenger cabin climbs 2,292 feet to the top of Sulphur Mountain. The view is absolutely breathtaking! Price: $30 per person.

Day 6—Banff National Park/Columbia Icefields Parkway/Banff: Today we travel along the famous Columbia Icefields Parkway, one of the most scenic highways in the world. You’ll see powerful waterfalls, emerald lakes, gorgeous meadows and snow-capped peaks. We’ll ride a specially designed “Ice Explorer” onto the huge Athabasca Glacier—it’s formed from snow that fell as long as 400 years ago! You’ll marvel at the incredible views of the surrounding mountains from the surface of this ancient ice.

We’ll return to Banff and enjoy a special farewell dinner in town. Meals included: B, D.

Day 7—Banff/Calgary: After breakfast together at our hotel, we’ll head back to Calgary and our flights home. We’ll return home with majestic memories of the great Canadian Rockies. Meals included: B.

Accommodations

• Day 1: Best Western Port O’Call, Calgary
• Day 2: Many Glacier Hotel, Glacier National Park
• Day 3: Lake McDonald Motor Inn, Glacier National Park
• Days 4 – 6: Mount Royal Hotel, Banff