2011 June 23 July 21 September 19

2012 June 23 July 21 September 20

Day One: Arrival at Vancouver International Airport. You will be met by Wild BC staff at the airport, and transferred to your downtown hotel. An evening drink, and get together is planned so you may meet the other members of your group and get to know your guide.

Overnight in Vancouver.

Day Two: Vancouver to the Rocky Mountains. Breakfast. An early morning start follows the old rush gold trail up the Fraser valley with stops along the way to enjoy the wild terrain. The joy of small group travel is being able to make impromptu stops along the way; which we do often.

Our route takes us up the narrow Fraser Canyon with a stop at Hells' Gate Rapids on the Fraser river for a ride on the air tram across the river, to enjoy a spectacular view of the rapids. By nightfall we are in the Rockies at the Three Valley Lake Chateau.

Three Valley Gap is tucked into the mountains on a clear lake where three valleys connect (hence the name), and is a perfect introduction to the Rockies. The evening will be free to explore the Three Valley Gap Heritage Ghost Town , a unique collection of heritage pioneer buildings, which transports visitors back to the 1800s.

Also included is the Antique Auto Museum featuresautomobiles from 1902 through 1929, and guests can also explore the vast Railway Roundhouse, the largest covered Turntable and Roundhouse complex in Canada.

Overnight at Three Valley Lake Chateau.

Day Three: Three Valley Gap to Saskatchewan Crossing.

Breakfast This day will be spent traveling the high mountain passes; first the notorious Rogers Pass to Yoho National Park, then on to the Kicking Horse pass with stops at the Spiral Tunnels, Emerald Lake and the Natural Bridge. Finally up the Jasper Parkway, often referred to as the most scenic highway in the world to Saskatchewan Crossing. High in the mountains, halfway between Banff and Jasper this wonderfully isolated outpost boasts 66 Motel rooms along with a 250 seat Dining Room, 125 seat Cafeteria, 70 seat Pub and a 3000 square foot Gift Shop. At the peak season, it takes about 80 staff members to operate the resort. It is named for the Saskatchewan River which travels from this point eastward across the continent.

Overnight at Saskatchewan Crossing.

Day Four: Saskatchewan Crossing to Jasper.

Breakfast. Morning departure for on the most scenic highway in world, the Jasper Parkway, to the Columbia Ice Fields where we will ride the famous glacier buses across the permanent ice fields of the continental divide. The all terrain Ice Explorers takes visitors on a 90 minute ice adventure. Designed and manufactured in Canada especially for the Columbia Icefield, each ICE EXPLORER carries up to 56 visitors over the surface of the Athabasca Glacier. Equipped with huge low-pressure tires, traveling over ice 300 meters thick is safe and effortless for this one of a kind vehicle. An adventure found nowhere else on earth- unforgettable.

During the afternoon we continue north along the Parkway stoping at Athabasca Falls, which is among the most powerful and breathtaking falls in the Rocky Mountains, the Athabasca River thunders through a narrow gorge where the walls have been smoothed and potholed by the sheer force of the rushing water carrying sand and rock.

Sunwapta Falls; Sunwapta is a Stoney Indian word for "turbulent river". At the falls, the Sunwapta River abruptly changes course from northwest to southwest and plunges in a cloud of spray into a deep canyon. Wildlife is common along with the spectacular mountain scenery; the following shots were taken on just one trip along the parkway.

Overnight in Jasper

Day Five: Jasper to Banff 

Breakfast. Morning in the Jasper area to visit, Maligne Lake, location of the Rocky Mountains most famous photograph.

No landmark so perfectly epitomizes the Canada Rockies like world-famous Spirit Island on Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park. The 90 minute scenic cruise to this diminutive jewel has been crowned as the "BEST BOAT TOUR IN CANADA" by 8 million Reader's Digest subscribers.

Located at the south end of the Maligne Lake Road, a gorgeous, wildlife-filled, 48 km drive from the town site of Jasper, Maligne Lake offers a myriad of activities to visitors. All adventures begin at the Maligne Lake Day Lodge where the full length windows capture the glacier clad mountains encircling the lake. After lunch we will head south once more along the Parkway.

Afternoon Stops include Peyto (pea-toe) lake named for Ebenezer William Peyto, an early trail guide and trapper in the Banff area.

Afternoon arrival at world renowned Lake Louise for a stroll along the famous lakeside. Late afternoon, we depart Lake Louise and continue along the parkway to the town of Banff. Overnight in Banff.

Day Six: Banff

After breakfast, a tour of Banff including; Bow Falls, a visit to Cave Basin National Historic Site, a swim in the Banff Hotspings, and a gondola ride to the top of Sulfur Mountain for a million dollar view of the valley and peaks in the Banff area.

Banff is one of only two municipalities within a national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Home to 8,721 residents, it hosts approximately 3 million guests each year. The community has embraced an aggressive growth management plan as a means to preserve this unique small town. The footprint of the Town of Banff is just 3.93 km2 and will never be bigger. This means: Everything is just 10 minutes away -- maximum. And you can walk anywhere.

The rest of the day is free in Banff . Overnight in Banff.

Day Seven: Banff to Kelowna

Early morning departure back across the high mountain passes after a stop at the world famous Lake Louise, and on crossing the interior plateau to the city of Kelowna in the heart of the fertile interior plateau, a fruit and wine growing area. We will enjoy a winery tour in the Kelowna area.

Overnight in Kelowna.

Day Eight: Kelowna to Vancouver

Departing Kelowna we travel back over the coastal range and down the Coquihalla highway with stops along the way to enjoy the view, for an evening arrival in Vancouver.

Overnight in Vancouver. Breakfast. End of tour.