Canadian Rockies: Heli-Hike & Wilderness

Hike through the pristine wilderness of the Canadian Rockies

Few places on Earth offer such pristine and diverse walking options as the Canadian Rockies. Virgin forests, shimmering blue lakes, ancient glaciers, deep canyons and rushing rivers weave across the landscape while wildlife abounds. It’s a paradise for photographers, wildlife and outdoors enthusiasts but, most of all, it’s a haven for walkers. Hike along an extensive network of trails in some of the best national parks in the world as you keep your eyes peeled for bears, eagles, deer and moose. Nothing will inspire you more than a walking trip deep into the Canadian Rockies.

Aldo Kane Collection: A hand-selected range of adventures by our Brand Ambassador:

“This adventure offers some of the most remote locations of the lot – think milky-blue lakes, silent virgin forests and ancient glaciers. If you’re looking to explore Canada’s best national parks then the extensive network of trails you’ll discover on this trip won’t disappoint. Aside from exploring Jasper and Banff national parks, the three-night heli-hike excursion near Landslide Lake drops you in the thick of it – so you walk away with an incredible experience in the wild.”

We take a short helicopter flight to the Landslide Lake area, where we are placed far from other hikers for a wilderness trek like no other! We set up camp here for the next three nights in an area devoid of other travellers and distractions of everyday modern life.

Please note: While at Landslide Lake, you are not staying in a campsite. This is the Canadian wilderness, and your guide will set up tents where it’s best - there is no predetermined camping spot. You will not have access to showers or modern toilets during your three-night stay, and each day your guide will hoist food into the trees and away from bears. After arrival, and having set up camp, your guide takes you on a hike around the Landslide Lake area.

We ask that you take no more cargo than 20lb (9kg) each including carry-on for these three nights and that it is packed in a soft, small kitbag. If you wish to leave luggage behind, store it inside the trailer, which is left at the helicopter company.

Landslide Lake elevation gain/loss: 985ft-2,625ft (300m-800m) per day

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that have a positive impact on the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Learn more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• Local guides keep you well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels, restaurants, and other enterprises, and by championing locally produced food wherever possible.
• At the end of each season, our local partners donate unopened foods to food banks and used tents and sleeping bags to various charities.
• Read more about our other initiatives here.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• By travelling in a small group, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively reduce waste; this includes eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles by providing refills for reusable bottles.
• The payment of entrance fees to natural reserves generates income used to upkeep and develop these important sites. This trip visits Banff and Jasper national parks and fees collected go towards funding conservation initiatives.
• We rewild 1,075sqft (100sqm) per passenger to compensate for all trip and flight emissions.
• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels with us.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• Our local partner is accredited by Aventure Écotourisme Québec, which certifies they adhere to high standards in this area.
• Walking trips like this have very little detrimental impact on the environment and the locals, as it is a quiet, low-impact activity requiring comparatively few resources to support.
• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring a reusable water bottle on this trip, also consider avoiding single-use hotel toiletries, which generate a large amount of plastic waste.

Visa

Canada

Travellers from the UK and EU countries can enter Canada under an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). US citizens do not normally need a visa. Visas are required for some nationalities and requirements often change; it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas and fulfil any requirements for this trip. We recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/americas/canada
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/canada/entry-requirements
• United States: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Canada.html

To apply for your eTA, or for more information, visit www.canada.ca/eTA; you will need your passport, credit or debit card, and an email address. It costs 7 Canadian dollars and will be valid for five years or until your passport expires. We recommend you carry a print out of your eTA approval when you travel.

If you have not applied for and received authorisation for an eTA prior to travel you may be denied boarding, experience 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 visa free 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.

Travel via the USA

If you are travelling via the USA and are eligible to transit under the Visa Waiver Program, you are required to register in advance for an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). There is a US$21 charge, which is only payable online. Please see our website www.exodus.co.uk/usvisa for further information.

Please note, not all nationalities have the same eligibility for travel to or transit via the USA, and you may not be covered by the visa waiver program. Regulations stipulate that any person who has travelled to Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen since March 2011, or have dual nationalities of these countries, may no longer qualify. In addition, if you have travelled to Cuba since 12 January 2021 you will not be eligible for the visa waiver program and should instead apply for a visa.

If you are in doubt of your eligibility, please check the visa requirements with your local US embassy.

Vaccination

Canada

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for polio, tetanus and rabies. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Eating and Drinking

There are 10 breakfasts, 11 lunches and seven dinners included.

Most of your meals are included while camping. Tour guides co-ordinate shopping and assist the group in preparing healthy, hearty breakfasts, picnic lunches and delicious dinners.

Occasionally, you eat out in local restaurants. To help you budget, meals cost on average:

• Hotel breakfasts: 15-20 Canadian dollars (US$11-US$15)
• Lunches: 20-25 dollars (US$15-US$19)
• Dinners: 30-50 dollars (US$23-US$38), this does not include alcoholic beverages

Drinks cost on average:

• Wine: 15-20 dollars (US$11-15) per glass
• Beer: 8-12 dollars (US$6-US$9) per bottle

A tip of approximately 17%-20% is added to group meals in Canadian restaurants. Applicable taxes are also added to all listed menu prices.

Please make sure we are aware of any special meal requirements before travelling. We do all we can to accommodate various dietary requirements but in certain parts of Canada certain food types can be limited.

Weather

Summer in the Rockies is generally warm and sunny. Average daytime temperatures are 18C (64F) in June and the first half of September and 22C (72F) in July/August. Night temperatures are cool in July and August; cold in June and from early September and can near freezing point. Temperatures vary depending on altitude. June has long hours of daylight.

The weather in the Rockies can be unpredictable. Be prepared for sudden thunderstorms, strong winds or even snow. Although summers are fairly dry, there may be the odd rainy day. September can bring early snow on the peaks. Residual snow at higher elevations may linger until mid-July. Walking on hard-packed snow is sometimes required.

Is this trip for you?

This walking tour is graded Activity Level 4 (Moderate/Challenging).

It is designed for active adults and offers a well-paced mix of walks to suit those with a decent amount of fitness. You do not need to be marathon fit but it is important you have read the day-by-day itinerary and noted the duration, elevation and length for each named hike. From time to time, the advertised hike may not be available or needs to be altered due to adverse weather conditions. Should this happen, we do our best to provide an alternative trail of a similar standard. For the more adventurous, there are often additional hikes that can be added onto existing trails, but should you struggle on the advertised trails there may also be shorter and more moderate hikes your tour guides can recommend.

You are accompanied by two tour guides on this walking tour. They either guide separate hikes or offer support on circular trails. Only one tour guide can walk with the group on point-to-point hiking trails.

This is a moderate/challenging trekking trip and you need to be fit if you want to undertake all the planned walks. A full-day hike lasts six to eight hours and half-day walks are four hours or less. The walks are at an average of 7,218ft (2,200m) above sea level with a maximum of 8,822ft (2,689m). Details of the length of each walk and altitude gain are specified in the itinerary. Almost all walking is on well-marked trails. None are technically difficult, but some are on steep trails, over large stones and/or scree slopes.

Please note: Both the weather conditions and presence of wild animals can be unpredictable in the Canadian Rockies. Either of these may force the guide to change a planned hike for the day. It is important to use common sense when walking in the wilderness and to follow the advice of the guides at all times.

As this tour is primarily a walking tour, there are only a few opportunities for optional activities. If you opt for these, it can mean deciding between hiking or enjoying an activity. Your tour guides organise these on your behalf and you pay locally in cash. You can find the main optional activities listed under each daily description on the itinerary, along with guideline prices. It may not be possible to do all optional activities listed on each tour.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.