Itinerary Expand all Day 1 Start Vancouver Welcome to one of the most beautiful and picturesque cities in the world, Vancouver. There’s plenty to fill your time with today but we highly recommend a stroll around this cosmopolitan city to get a feel for the Canadian people and their outdoorsy way of life. Treat yourself to some moreish maple cookies in Stanley Park, a 4,00-hectare wonderland where you can see the authentic totem poles erected in the 1920's. The kids can make the most of the playground with a pool and a waterslide. There will be a welcome meeting for those of you not on the group flight at 6.00pm in the hotel lobby, here you will meet your tour leader and fellow travelling companions. If booking flight inclusive you will receive notes off the tour leader at a later stage due to a late arrival. Optional Activities: Bike Rental in Stanley Park CA$11 per hour Accommodation: Sandman Signature Vancouver Airport (or similar) Fly to Vancouver Welcome to one of the most beautiful and picturesque cities in the world, Vancouver. There will be a welcome meeting for those of you not on the group flight at 6.00pm in the hotel lobby, here you will meet your tour leader and fellow travelling companions. If booking flight inclusive you will receive notes off the tour leader at a later stage due to a late arrival. Accommodation: Sandman Signature Vancouver Airport (or similar) Days 2-3 Whistler After a scenic drive, set up camp near Whistler in the heart of British Columbia. Perhaps better known as a winter resort, Whistler is a fantastic destination all year-round, with incredible scenery and loads of activities on offer. Why not take a leisurely gondola ride and see the views from above, rent bikes and wind your way along the trails, or even take to the tree tops with some adventurous zip lining? Whether you're a family of adrenaline junkies or simply like to enjoy some leisurely time together surrounded by nature, there's something for everyone in Whistler. Optional Activities: Extreme Zipline Course CA$129-$219 Mountain Biking from CA$53 Gondola Ride CA$27 Accommodation: Riverside Campground (or similar) Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Days 4-5 Wells Gray Provincial Park Next up is Wells Gray Provincial Park - the fourth largest in British Columbia, covering the highest regions of the Cariboo Mountains. Take a walk and check out the impressive Helmcken Falls, one of the reasons for the creation of Wells Gray Provincial Park in 1939. You'll stay in rustic guest ranch cabins for two nights and after each night's dinner, you can kick back and experience authentic ranch hospitality. Take part in a BBQ cookout, where you'll create a hearty meal of fresh meat and fish (plus a vegetarian option) for everyone to feast on after a busy day exploring. Optional Activities: Walking and Canoeing Day Excursion with Lunch CA$80 Accommodation: Fort Wells Gray Rustic Cabins (or similar) Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Days 6-7 Jasper National Park Jasper National Park is the largest national park in Canada, covering an area of 18,878 square km (4,200 square miles) and this is where you will camp for the next two nights. It's much less developed than other areas of Western Canada and offers a true wilderness feel. There are several options on offer in Jasper. You may want to start your visit by taking the cable car up Whistler Mountain for a bird's-eye view of this wonderful park. There's also the chance to experience mountain biking and hiking amidst fantastic lakeside scenery, or to visit Mount Edith Cavell for tremendous views of Angel Glacier, a beautiful hanging glacier in the shape of angel wings. Optional Activities: Mountain Biking CA$20 per hour SkyTram Cable Car CA$50 Accommodation: Whistlers Campground (or similar) Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 8 Icefields parkway to Yoho National Park. The Icefields Parkway cuts through the heart of the Rockies, travelling for 360km (230 miles) past hanging glaciers, sheer rock walls and broad sweeping valleys. It's been called one of the world's most scenic drives, and you'll definitely want to keep your cameras at the ready for some stunning views. Visit Peyto Lake and be amazed by its incredible turquoise hues, before traversing a portion of the imposing Athabasca Glacier, on an included guided hike. The kids will be left speechless, for once! Accommodation: Lake Louise Campground (or similar) Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 9 Full day to explore Yoho N.P. Continuing by road you make your way to the town of Golden and Yoho National Park. 'Yoho' is a native word for 'awe', and you'll see why. Sometimes overshadowed by the neighbouring parks of Banff and Jasper, Yoho National Park is considered the hidden gem of the Canada national parks system. If any of your family are budding photographers, exploring Yoho will provide them with ample opportunities to hone their skills as you wander through a pristine alpine landscape which includes mountains, lakes and waterfalls. In your free time you can get up close and personal with the Kicking Horse River on an optional half-day white water rafting excursion, or you can choose to canoe or hike at the magnificent Emerald Lake. Walking the challenging trails overlooking Takakkaw Falls is an excellent alternative option. You'll all sleep well tonight! Optional Activities: Emerald Lake Canoe Rental (1hr) CA$45 Accommodation: Lake Louise Campground (or similar) Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 10 To the outdoor enthusiast's paradise of Banff National Park. With its snow-capped peaks, ancient pine forests and enchanting turquoise waters, Lake Louise is simply stunning. It's always been a popular tourist destination, so it's no surprise that it's the most photographed destination in the Canadian Rockies! There are also many walking trails to enjoy, you can either wander around the lake or hike to a nearby teahouse to be rewarded with some of the best chocolate cake in Canada! Finish the day at the campground in Banff National Park. Optional Activities: Canoeing CA$125 per hours (CA$95 per additional hour) Accommodation: Tunnel Mountain Campground (or similar) Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 11 Full day for optional activities in Banff N.P. such as hiking, helicopter ride, Sulphur Mountains Hot Springs. Located in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, Banff National Park was established in 1885 and is Canada's oldest national park. Its mountainous terrain encompasses coniferous forests, alpine meadows, ice fields and glaciers. It's an outdoor enthusiast's paradise with plenty of opportunity for walking and hiking. With an abundance of wildlife in the park, there's always a chance of seeing bear from a safe distance. Alternatively, take a scenic ride on the gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain to take in a 360 degree view of the surrounding landscape. For a completely different perspective, another exciting optional activity is to fly overhead in a helicopter - an amazing experience that your family will never forget. Of course there's nothing better after a hard day of fun than a soak in the Sulphur Mountain Hot Springs, which is why we've included this for you! Optional Activities: Aerial Gondola/Tramway CA$49-$64 Scenic Glacier Flight (20 minutes) CA$275 Accommodation: Tunnel Mountain Campground (or similar) Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 12 We leave the wilderness behind and travel to Calgary; trip ends. After a free morning to absorb your last taste of the Canadian wilderness, you make the short journey to the city of Calgary. This one-time Mountie outpost is situated at the meeting of the Bow River and Elbow Rivers in the south of the Alberta province, with the epic Rocky Mountain Range forming the city's backdrop. Calgary is a pretty awesome place to finish your Canadian adventure! If you have some extra time to explore, the Calgary Zoo with its Botanical Garden and Prehistoric Park is recommended. Here, the kids can come face-to-face with life-sized dinosaurs or enjoy some of the city's wide open green spaces. For Land Only travellers, your tour ends here at approximately 5.00pm. If you are not on the group flights and are planning to depart this evening, please do not book a flight that departs before approximately 9.00pm as we can not guarantee that you will make your flight in time. For those on the group flights, your overnight flight departs this evening, arriving into London the following day. Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Arrive London. Arrive London.
Canada The Government of Canada has an entry requirement, known as an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), for some international travellers flying into Canada. Citizens from countries other than the US who do not require a visa to enter Canada are required to obtain an eTA before entering the country. Eligible travellers will need to go online to apply for their eTA. To apply for your eTA you will need your passport, credit or debit card and an email address. At the time of publication there was a CAD$7 fee to process your eTA. Your eTA will be valid for a period of five years, or until your passport expires. We recommend you carry a print out of your eTA approval when you travel. Please visit www.canada.ca/eTA to apply. If you have not applied for and received authorisation via an eTA prior to travel you may be denied boarding, experience a delayed processing or be denied admission at the Canadian point of entry. However, neither possession of a visa nor meeting the basic requirements for travelling visafree on the eTA, guarantees admission to Canada. As with most countries, the final determination of admissibility is made by immigration officials at the point of entry.
Hotel, Ranch & Camping Our camping tours use national and state park campsites and also a wide assortment of private campgrounds. Most will have flush toilets and hot showers, however please be aware that many campgrounds will charge an additional fee of $1-$3 for showers. You will sleep in high quality tents, which 2 people will share. Our camping equipment also includes field kitchens, inflatable sleeping pads, food storage, camp lanterns and chairs. Most campsites have a quiet time from 22:00 hrs to 07:00 hrs. Please respect your fellow campers who are there to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of camping. An essential part of a camping tour is helping out with the day to day camp duties and everyone will assist with the setting up and packing up of the campsite. Your tour guide will provide guidance on what to do, and typically it will only take 15 minutes to set up or break down the tents and camp kitchen. Before you know it you’ll be enjoying ‘home sweet home’ in the great outdoors. Your tour guide will also co-ordinate and assist the group with food shopping, preparing meals and cleaning up. Sharing the camp duties is a great way to bond with your fellow travellers and the group camaraderie is all part of the experience.
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Reviewed August 2016 Mel Cooke Trip: Canadian Family Discovery Canadian Family Discovery The holiday was brilliant! I wanted to introduce my 8 year old daughter to the outdoors, and our 10 days were filled with adventure - swimming, canoeing, white-water rafting, horse riding, and hiking, and of course camping. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Swimming at Eleanor Lake park was a personal favourite - lake swimming in a beautiful setting providing an oasis of calm in a busy schedule. My daughter was thrilled with the animal life - a bear walking through the campsite, and a raccoon raid on our snack table. Oh, and Lake Louise is beautiful! What did you think of your group leader? Laurent was amazing, working from early until late with cooking, driving, and organising the activities - all with good humour! Do you have any advice for potential travellers? The Rockies are colder than you might expect. While it was 32 °C in the day in Vancouver, it was only 5 °C at night while camping. Take an inflatable mat for sleeping, as the ones provided are thin, and may deflate. Check age limits for activities before you go. If you are from the UK, allow a couple of days in Vancouver before joining the tour to explore this lovely city, and get over jetlag. Calgary is less touristy, but probably worth a night to sort luggage and enjoy some luxury after camping.
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