Discover the Canadian Rockies: Jasper to Banff

See the best of the Rockies on this captivating tour through Western Canada

Get ready for mountains, lakes and glaciers, Canadian style! Explore some of the grandest scenery in Canada and take advantage of the hiking and adventure activities available on this tour. Starting from Calgary, gateway to the Rockies, encounter stunning waterfalls and aquamarine lakes, spot wildlife in wilderness parks and enjoy the spectacularly scenic Icefields Parkway. Add on as much adventure as you want, from zip lining to mountain biking, and white-water rafting to canoeing. This 10-day Canadian Rockies tour is one great big adventure, so what are you waiting for?

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 food 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 and archaeological sites generates income used to upkeep and develop these important sites. This trip visits Banff, Yoho and Jasper National Parks and fees collected go towards funding conservation initiatives.
• With our partners, Rewilding Apennines, we rewild 100 square meters (1,075 sqft) of land per passenger who travels with us.
• 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 Ecotourisme Quebec which certifies they adhere to high standards in this area.
• 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.

Is this trip for you?

This tour has been graded Activity Level 3 (Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.

It is an active tour suitable for people of reasonably good fitness levels, with a focus on exploring the outdoors. Both the weather conditions and presence of wild animals can be unpredictable in the 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 guide.

There are opportunities for optional activities. Your tour guides will organise these on your behalf and you can pay locally in cash. You can find the main optional activities listed in the itinerary under each day’s description, 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.

Vaccinations and Health

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.

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.

Food & Drink

There are three breakfasts included on this tour.

You will usually eat out in local restaurants recommended by the tour leader. 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 will also be added to all listed menu prices.

Your tour leader may offer your group the option to operate a lunch-only food kitty, this has proven to be a popular alternative to three daily restaurant meals. Leaders will explain this option while on tour, and the whole group will have to agree for this system to run.

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

Weather

Summers in the Rockies are generally warm and sunny. Average daytime temperatures are 18C (64F) in June and the first half of September; 22C (72F) in July/August. Night temperatures will be cool in July and August; cold in June and from early September and can go down to near freezing point. Temperatures will vary depending on altitude. June has long hours of daylight. The weather in the Rockies can be unpredictable and you should be prepared for sudden thunderstorms, strong winds or even snow. Although summers are fairly dry, expect 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.