Itinerary

1. Arrive Calgary / Lake Louise
Tour departs: Calgary Airport at 10:00 AM. Guests spending the previous night in Calgary will be picked up at The Fairmont Palliser at 9:00 AM, then Delta Bow Valley or The Westin Calgary at 9:15 AM. Always ranked at the top of our guests’ satisfaction ratings, our heli-hiking vacations combine soul-stirring scenery with the warm camaraderie that’s inherent in a Tauck journey. Your adventure begins this morning when we travel into Banff National Park. Spend the night at Lake Louise, enjoying your welcome dinner and your first taste of the awe-inspiring beauty of western Canada. Meals LD

2. Helicopter to the Bugaboos
The excitement mounts as we meet our helicopters in Parson, British Columbia, after a picturesque drive from your resort into an alpine wonderland beyond the beaten track. Hop aboard and take off for the dazzling heights of the majestic Bugaboos in the Columbia Mountain range. There are no pre-packaged experiences here; few people have been privileged to enjoy the magical sights that lay before you today and the days that follow. Upon landing, the staff of the Bugaboo Lodge will welcome you to your alpine home, show you around and outfit you for your first unforgettable foray into the pristine wilderness. Lunch and dinner are served family-style, giving you a chance to relax and enjoy the company of friends old and new, as well as the chef’s imaginative dishes – it’s good times all around! Meals BLD

3-4. Adventures for Every Interest
Heli-hiking is a rare opportunity in today’s fast-paced world to revel in the silence of a perfect sanctuary. Part of the beauty of this amazing outdoor experience is that you set the pace that suits your interests. Your helicopter gently hops from one beautiful setting to another as you decide how to spend each day. Your guides show you the best places to sit, walk, or hike – and take in some of the most breathtaking views you’ve ever experienced. They’ll lead you on a gentle walk through alpine meadows dotted with wildflowers. They’ll take you hiking to turquoise lakes that sparkle like jewels in the sunlight or even mountaineering amidst soaring granite peaks iced with snow-white tips; it’s your choice! Back at the lodge each evening, you can relax with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres or a cup of coffee in front of a roaring fire; indulge in a massage, sauna or a soak in the rooftop hot tub; or join your fellow travelers for a game of cards and lively conversation. Each night culminates with a fine dinner followed by a great night’s sleep. Meals BLD / BLD

5. Radium Hot Springs / Calgary
It’s hard to believe that you’ll be heading back down to civilization today, but your experience will stay with you long after you return home. Drive to Radium Hot Springs for lunch in a Rocky Mountain lodge, then it’s on to Calgary and a farewell dinner at The Fairmont Palliser. Meals BLD

6. Journey Home
Tour ends: Calgary. Airport transfers are not included. Allow a minimum of two hours for flight check in – direct flights to the U.S. clear customs in Calgary. Meals B

Dates & Prices

A Special Tauck Adventure!
Enjoy three days of heli-hiking in the summertime alpine world beyond the Canadian Rockies; join experienced mountain guides on walks that are designed for every age and ability.

Commemorating our 30th Anniversary
Join us on a new heli-hiking adventure that commemorates our 30th year of “wowing” Tauck guests with the treasures that await beyond the Canadian Rockies. Spend three days experiencing the remote alpine regions of Bugaboo Provincial Park, exploring a world of mountain peaks, flowered meadows and swirling glaciers accessible only by helicopter!

The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
Begin your journey with the tranquil pleasures of emerald Lake Louise on a one-night stay at The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, one of Canada’s premier wilderness resorts, and just the first of many soul-stirring alpine experiences.

Bugaboo Lodge British Columbia, Canada
The remote Bugaboo Lodge is set just short of a mile high amidst the most magnificent mountain scenery that one could possibly imagine. Cozy, well-appointed guestrooms with private baths are a most comfortable home from which to explore the alpine glory that surrounds you. After a day spent hopping from one astounding spot to another as you explore all the wonders around you, indulge in a massage, a sauna or a nice long soak in the rooftop hot tub. Meals are served family-style in the dining room against a backdrop of towering mountain spires. Guests gather in front of the crackling fire for pre-dinner cocktails and hors d’oeuvres or after-dinner coffee to share their adventures each evening. There’s a handy shop and a marvelous small museum with maps, photos and Bugaboos memorabilia.

The Fairmont Palliser Calgary, Alberta, Canada
This historic, landmark hotel, located in the center of charming Calgary, retains the refined charm of days gone by. Connected by the Skywalk to the Glenbow Museum and next door to the Canadian Pacific Railway Pavilion, built to preserve and showcase Canadian Pacific’s rich history, this elegant hotel is the most desired address in Calgary. In 1993, the Crown awarded The Fairmont Palliser a Heraldic Badge, a first-time event for any hotel. Elegantly appointed guestrooms offer bathrobes, coffee maker, down duvets, iron and ironing board, mini bar, hair dryer and cable TV. The Boulevard Club features an indoor swimming pool and whirlpool and the Senses Hair and Spa awaits with a variety of spa treatments and services. In the Oak Room, the martini crowd and the microbrew crowd meet, mingle and enjoy the enticing tapas that are a specialty.
 

Itinerary

1. Arrive Calgary / Kananaskis
For guests who are spending the previous night in Calgary, an airport transfer from Calgary International Airport to The Fairmont Palliser is included; pick-up time today
will be 1:00 PM at The Fairmont Palliser. Best of the Canadian Rockies begins with a journey from Calgary International Airport that takes you across the last few miles of Canadian prairie to Kananaskis country. Located in the foothills and front ranges of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, the alpine scenery is a feast for the eyes! Join us this evening for a welcome cocktail reception and dinner. Delta Lodge at Kananaskis – Meals D

2. Emerald Lake / Lake Louise
See three of the most beautiful lakes in North America on a journey into the Canadian Rockies. Travel across the Continental Divide through Kicking Horse Pass to exquisite Emerald Lake. See the Spiral Tunnels and the Natural Bridge before visiting crystal-clear Moraine Lake, conditions permitting; the lake is nestled in the Valley of the Ten Peaks. Your final destination is Lake Louise, located at the foot of Victoria Glacier – in spring there often is late snow framing the lake with lofty snowbound peaks. Spend the night at one of the Rocky Mountains’ premier resorts, The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. Meals BLD

3. Travel The Memorable Icefields Parkway
Your morning is at leisure for nature walks to experience some of the most breathtaking scenery in North America. After lunch, begin the amazing journey along the Icefields Parkway to Jasper National Park. This stretch of highway is considered by many to be the most spectacular in the Canadian national parks system, commanding a panoramic view of majestic mountains, glaciers, waterfalls, springtime ice falls, and snowfields. Mountain goats, elk, deer, and bighorn sheep are most likely to be seen in the months of May, September and October. Arrive at The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, nestled between the lake and the mountains in the heart of Jasper National Park. Meals BLD

4. Jasper National Park At Leisure
Enjoy the striking natural landscapes of Jasper National Park at your leisure today; optional activities at the lodge include trail riding, tennis, golf, hiking, and swimming. Another optional activity might be a visit to the town of Jasper at your leisure. The park’s incredible scenery is comprised of carefully protected ecosystems – and is a photographer’s paradise! Meals BD

5. Columbia Icefield / Banff National Park
Return to Banff National Park, crown jewel of the Rockies. Retrace your route along the Icefields Parkway, and see the park from different vantage points. View Athabasca Falls and the two peaks framing Athabasca Glacier; this glacier flows from the Columbia Icefield, whose waters flow into the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans. Take a memorable ride on the Ice Explorer along the surface of the glacier, then travel on to The Fairmont Banff Springs, an alpine resort styled after a Scottish castle. Meals BLD

6. Banff National Park
Your accommodations at The Fairmont Banff Springs, a secluded alpine resort
nestled in Bow Valley, are styled after a Scottish castle. The resort offers a full
range of optional activities (available at additional cost) such as golf on a
championship golf course, horseback riding, and relaxation at a Europeanstyle
spa. Explore the village of Banff, where admission to the Whyte Museum
(featuring the art, culture, human and natural history of the Canadian Rockies)
and two other museums is included. Join us tonight for a special farewell wine
tasting reception followed by dinner. Meals BD

7. Journey Home
Travel back to Calgary from Banff this morning (approximately 80 miles). Tour
ends: 10:00 AM at Calgary Int’l Airport. For guests spending additional nights in Calgary, they will be transferred to The Fairmont Palliser upon arrival; a
transfer from The Fairmont Palliser to Calgary Int’l Airport is included. Allow
a minimum of two hours for check-in; U.S. direct flights clear U.S. customs in
Calgary. Meals B 

Dates & Prices

Sightseeing Highlights

• A presentation by a Parks Canada official where you’ll discover the natural history, legends and lore found within Canada's majestic national parks

• Jasper Your Way, providing four different ways to explore Jasper National Park – your choice of a Maligne Valley guided tour, a “Wildlife Discovery Tour,” a whitewater rafting trip on the Athabasca River, or a journey through Jasper’s alpine tundra aboard the Jasper Tramway

• An educational – and entertaining – wine tasting at the farewell reception in Banff National Park

• Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as detailed

• 15 meals (6 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 6 dinners), service charges, gratuities to local guides, admission fees, taxes and porterage
  
  
   

Itinerary

1. Arrive Seattle
Tour begins: 6:30 PM at The Fairmont Olympic Hotel, Seattle. Welcome to Seattle, nestled between scenic Lake Washington and Puget Sound. Join us this evening for a welcome reception and dinner at your hotel, a Seattle landmark since 1924. Meals D

2. Explore Seattle, the “Emerald City”
Explore the city today on a sightseeing excursion that takes you to the site of the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair, where Seattle’s best-known landmark, the Space Needle, made its debut; the views of majestic Mount Rainier, the Cascades and the Olympic Mountains are awe-inspiring. Visit Pike Place Market before spending the remainder of the day exploring Seattle at your leisure. Meals B

3. Cascade Mountains / Orchards
Journey along the Skykomish River into the Cascade Mountains, and descend the eastern slopes to the Bavarian alpine village of Leavenworth – the surrounding peaks may remind you of the European Alps. Travel to Washington’s sun belt, where apple and peach orchards blanket the rolling countryside. The scenery changes as you follow the Columbia River into cowboy, cattle and horse country. Arrive at your mountain lodge, overlooking the North Cascades, for the next two nights. Meals BD

4. Visit the Smokejumpers / Sun Mountain Lodge
Meet the famed Smokejumpers this morning, considered the most highly skilled wild land fire fighters in the U.S. Enjoy the afternoon at your leisure, perhaps hiking or riding the area’s many trails or visiting the historic town of Winthrop, embodying the spirit of the Old West. Meals BLD

5. Cascades / San Juan Islands
View some of America’s highest peaks in the Cascade Mountains en route to British Columbia, indulging in the scenic beauty of one of North America’s most spectacular wilderness areas. Traverse the North Cascades and see Skagit, a power project including three lakes, three dams and three power plants that light the city of Seattle. Visit La Conner, a 19th-century Victorian fishing village, before taking a ferry through the San Juan Islands, refuge to many wildlife species including the bald eagle. Your final destination today is The Fairmont Empress, located on the waterfront in beautiful Victoria. Meals B

6. The Butchart Gardens / Victoria
Venture outside of Victoria this morning to visit The Butchart Gardens and experience a regal afternoon tea at your hotel, enjoying a favorite local tradition. Meals BD

7. Flightseeing / Vancouver
Fly by floatplane over the scenic Gulf Islands to Vancouver, set beneath the peaks of the Coast Mountains; visit Stanley Park before crossing the 49th Parallel, denoting the international border between Canada and the U.S., to Washington. Spend the night at Semiahmoo Resort. Join us for a farewell dinner tonight. Meals BLD

8. Journey Home
Drive back to Seattle this morning from Blaine, WA, approximately 115 miles. Tour ends: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport at 11:30 AM. Allow a minimum of two hours for your flight check-in. Meals B

Dates & Prices

Itinerary

1. Arrive Vancouver
Tour begins: 6:00 PM at The Fairmont Waterfront. A warm welcome awaits in Vancouver. One of the most beautifully sited cities in North America, cosmopolitan Vancouver dazzles with scenic views of the Pacific Ocean, majestic mountains and a glittering skyline. We invite you to join us for a welcome reception and dinner. Meals D

2. Vancouver / Stanley Park
Chosen as the host of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games and steeped in charm, Vancouver is home to a vibrant cultural scene, rich history and abundant natural resources. View the city’s landmark attractions and sights on a guided sightseeing excursion, including historic Gastown, Chinatown, and trail-laced Stanley Park. The afternoon and evening are free to explore Vancouver as you please. Bustling with cafés and fine restaurants that serve a wide variety of cuisines, the city is renowned for its unique Pacific Northwest cooking. Meals B

3. Victoria / Flightseeing
Board a ferry early this morning and cruise through the Gulf Islands to Vancouver Island and Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, where you’ll discover a bit of England amidst the rustic beauty of the Pacific Coast, including stately Victorian architecture and rose gardens. Visit The Butchart Gardens, home to 55 colorful acres of flowers and garden styles, then fly by floatplane over the Gulf Islands back to Vancouver. Upon arrival, it’s all aboard The Canadian for an overnight rail excursion that takes you from the Pacific coast to Canada’s awe-inspiring national parks. Dine on the train en route to the majestic alpine sanctuary known as the Canadian Rockies. Meals BD

4. Canadian Rockies by Rail
As a Tauck exclusive, you can enjoy some of North America’s most spectacular alpine scenery from a private domed observation car. Enjoy a relaxing ride as the train winds along the North Thompson River and through the valleys of the mountain ranges. Towering peaks and glacial remnants line the route of this wilderness area that, until 30 years ago, was only accessible by rail. Cross the Continental Divide into the province of Alberta. Arrive in Jasper National Park for a two-night stay at The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. Meals BD

5. Jasper National Park
Today is spent at leisure at The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge in the heart of Jasper National Park, pursuing what interests you most. The park’s incredible scenery is comprised of carefully protected ecosystems, and is a photographer’s paradise. There are numerous optional activities available at the lodge, including trail riding, tennis, golf, hiking, and swimming. Meals BD

6. Travel the Icefields Parkway
The Icefields Parkway, linking Jasper and Lake Louise, is one of North America’s most spectacular drives. Travel the road as it winds between snow-domed peaks and immense hanging glaciers; you may see elk, deer, bighorn sheep or bears. A specially designed Ice Explorer takes you for a ride on the Athabasca Glacier, part of the Columbia Icefield. One of the largest ice masses outside of the Arctic Circle, its meltwaters flow into the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Oceans. Arrive late afternoon for an overnight stay at The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, overlooking Victoria Glacier and Lake Louise. In the spring there can be snow, framing the lake and glacier with snowbound peaks. Meals BLD

7. Yoho National Park and Banff
Travel through Kicking Horse Pass into Yoho National Park to see the Natural Bridge, the Spiral Tunnels and the Continental Divide. Spend the afternoon enjoying the spectacular scenery of Lake Louise and Banff National Park before continuing on your journey to The Fairmont Banff Springs. In the early 1880s, the accidental discovery of the Cave and Basin Hot Springs by several Canadian Pacific Railway workers led to the establishment of Banff National Park, the first in Canada’s history. Styled after a Scottish baronial castle, The Fairmont Banff Springs was built in 1888 as Canadian Pacific opened tourism to the Rocky Mountains. Enjoy dinner at your leisure tonight at this fabulous alpine resort. Meals BLD

8. Bow River Valley Rafting
Take a raft trip along the Bow River this morning before spending the remainder of the day as you wish. One of the world’s major recreation destinations, Banff National Park encompasses over 2,500 square miles of valleys, mountains, glaciers, meadows and forests. Take advantage of your resort’s many amenities; a wide range of optional activities, from golf, tennis and horseback riding to guided hikes along some of the park’s more than 1,000 miles of nature trails, is available at an additional charge. Join us this evening for a farewell dinner. Meals BD

9. Journey Home
Travel to Calgary this morning (approximately 80 miles) for your journey home. Tour ends: Calgary Airport, Alberta at 10:00 AM. Allow a minimum of two hours for flight check-in; direct flights to the United States will clear U.S. customs in Calgary. Meals B

Dates & Prices

Flightsee over the Gulf Islands
Experience a scenic excursion by floatplane over the picturesque Gulf Islands from Victoria to Vancouver.

British Columbia’s Waterfront Gems
Discover the gracious charms of Vancouver and Victoria during at two-night stay at a waterfront hotel.

Vancouver to the Rockies by Train
A Tauck Exclusive! Travel mostly during daylight hours on a nostalgic train journey aboard The Canadian, complete with private domed car.
 

Itinerary

1. Arrive Calgary / Banff
Tour departs: 3:00 PM from Calgary Airport. Your Tauck Director will be at the airport from 2:00 PM. If you arrive the day before, you may join the tour at the Delta Bow Valley at approximately 1:00 PM. Cross the last few miles of prairie before heading into the Canadian Rockies. Please join us tonight for a welcome dinner. Meals D

2. A Day in Banff National Park
After a lesson on the finer points of mountain photography from a professional photographer, set off on a rafting trip on the Bow River, named for the reeds along its banks used by First Nations peoples to make bows. The rest of the day is at leisure at your resort in Banff Nat’l Park. Meals BD

3. Lake Louise / Icefields Parkway
Drive to see Lake Louise, traveling between towering peaks, over silver streams and past glacial gorges. Travel the Icefields Parkway; view the blue waters of Peyto Lake and see Athabasca Glacier. Your home for the next two nights is in the heart of Jasper National Park. Meals BLD

4. Jasper National Park
Today is at your leisure to spend as you wish in the lovely lakeside setting of your lodge, set within the heart of Canada’s largest national park; optional outdoor activities available to you include guided walks, biking, tennis, swimming, golf on a championship course, whitewater rafting, or hiking along hundreds of miles of trails. You’ll also have an opportunity to talk with a Parks Canada official during a presentation on the natural history, legends, and lore of Canada’s national parks. Meals BD

5. Helicopter to the Cariboos
Journey today from Jasper National Park to Valemount, where a helicopter transports you into British Columbia’s majestic Cariboo Mountains – a summertime wonderland of soaring peaks and emerald valleys. Explore with our expert guides for the next three days; our guests, not our guides, set the pace! Join us this afternoon for your first helicopter lift to amazing alpine experiences that are accessible only by helicopter – you’ll walk in settings that most visitors to the Canadian Rockies never see and can only imagine. Nothing compares to the thrill of exploring and discovering, a shared enrichment with friends and family that is a priceless memory on any vacation! Return to the lodge for an evening of great camaraderie. Meals BLD
6 – 7. Explore Pristine Alpine Meadows
Depending on your interest and activity level, for two days you’ll be taken by helicopter to the most fantastic places deep within (and on top of!) the mountains where you can experience nature as it should be experienced – pristine and untouched! Meals BLD / BLD

8. Cariboos to Calgary
Travel from the Cariboos back to Calgary, and join us for a farewell toast this evening. Meals BLD

9. Journey Home
Tour ends: Calgary. Fly home anytime. Allow a minimum of two hours for check-in – flights direct to the United States clear U.S. customs in Calgary. Note: a transfer to the Calgary Airport is not included. Meals B

Dates & Prices

Tauck celebrates the 30th anniversary of Heli-hiking in Canada!
Join experienced mountain guides for three days of heli-hiking in the Cariboos, featuring walks designed for every age and ability.

Rafting Adventure on the Bow River
Be on the lookout for wildlife as a rafting trip on the glacier-fed Bow River in Banff National Park takes you past Bow Falls, Tunnel Mountain and Surprise Corner.

Parks Canada Talk, Jasper National Park
Enjoy an opportunity to speak with a Parks Canada official about the natural history of Canada’s national parks during a presentation at Jasper National Park.
 

Itinerary

1. Arrive Calgary
Tour begins: 6:00 PM at The Fairmont Palliser. The Fairmont Palliser is centrally located in the heart of downtown Calgary. Join us at 6:00 PM for a welcome reception and dinner. Meals D

2. Glacier National Park
Travel south through the Peigan Reserve to Waterton Lakes National Park, then across the border to Montana and Glacier National Park. The park’s isolated location, which means fewer visitors during the brief summer season, makes it a haven for some of the world’s endangered species. Built in 1915, your rustic hotel is located inside the heart of Glacier National Park on the shores of an alpine lake. Meals BLD

3. Going-To-The-Sun Road
Start your day with a morning cruise that reveals why this region has been referred to as the “Switzerland of North America.” Weather permitting, take a journey over the spectacular Going-to-the-Sun Road aboard Glacier National Park’s classic red, restored 1930s-vintage touring buses. Skirt the shores of St. Mary’s Lake as you depart the park; cross the Continental Divide and arrive at Lake McDonald for an overnight stay. Meals BLD

4. Kootenay National Park
Head into the heart of Canada’s timberlands to Kootenay National Park; see the bright red walls of Sinclair Canyon, and travel through Radium Hot Springs. Relax tonight at your world-renowned Fairmont resort nestled on the shores of emerald Lake Louise. Meals BLD

5. Photo Tips/Icefields Parkway/Jasper
Learn the best way to photograph Canada’s alpine scenery from a professional photographer who shares expert tips with you, then put your newfound skills to the test on a drive along Icefields Parkway to Jasper National Park. En route, you may see elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, and bear amidst stunning glacial landscapes. Meals BLD

6. Explore Jasper National Park
Situated at the junction of the Athabasca and Miette River Valleys, Jasper is surrounded by spectacular mountain vistas. Spend today at leisure at The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, where optional activities include hiking, trail riding, golf, and white-water rafting. Meals BD

7. Icefields Parkway/Banff National Park
Travel the Icefields Parkway en route to Banff National Park. Conditions permitting, ride a special Ice Explorer along the surface of the Athabasca Glacier before arriving at The Fairmont Banff Springs for two nights. Meals BLD

8. Banff As You Please
Spend the day as you wish in one of the most beautiful resorts in Canada. Join us for a farewell dinner. Meals BD

9. Journey Home
Return to Calgary from Banff (approximately 80 miles). Tour ends: Calgary International Airport at 10:00 AM. Allow a minimum of two hours for check-in; U.S. flights clear U.S. customs in Calgary. Meals B

Dates & Prices

Five National Parks in Canada & the U.S.
Explore five national parks – Banff, Jasper, Kootenay and Waterton Lakes in Canada, and Glacier in the U.S.

Vintage Buses – Going-to-the-Sun Road
Journey over the scenic Going-to-the-Sun Road aboard restored red 1930s touring buses for unmatched views!

Tips on Mountain Photography in Banff
Learn expert tips on taking professionally inspired pictures of Canada’s alpine scenery with a professional photographer.