Spectacular Rockies and Glaciers of Alberta
Experience Overview
Take a spectacular guided tour to the Rocky Mountains and witness Alberta’s breath-taking wilderness. Discover the natural wonders of Banff National Park, the grand Columbia Icefield as well as the Jasper National Park. Glorious views, beautiful scenery, warm hospitality, and outstanding activities ensure a sensational trip to one of the most beautiful corners of the world.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 3 Dinner with Wine (DW)
- 7 Breakfast (B)
- 1 Lunch (L)
Choice Highlights
- Banff: Learn about the history of Fairmont Banff Springs, highlights and stories that took place around the iconic hotel.
- Banff: Discover the history and culture of the Rocky Mountains of Canada at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies. With the mission of cultivating the exchange of knowledge, the museum engages you with the evolving history, peoples, cultures, environment and ideas of mountain cultures. Museum founders Peter Whyte and Catharine Robb Whyte were local artists and philanthropists who wanted to create a place where people could gather and appreciate the culture and beauty of the area.
Authentic Dining
- Banff: Enjoy dinner at the historic and regal Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel.
- Icefields Parkway: Enjoy an evening reception at the Glacier View Lodge. After dinner, step out onto the viewing deck and marvel at the evening sky, relax with a drink in the library or hang out inside the Moraine Lounge with games and live entertainment.
- Kananaskis: Celebrate your travels with your newfound friends and enjoy a flavourful dinner at the Kananaskis Mountain Lodge.
Insight Choice
- Banff: Discover the history and culture of the Rocky Mountains of Canada at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies. Venture out on to the amazing Glacier Skywalk where you will be treated to an after-hours visit onto the cliff-edged glass floored walkway or learn about the history of the Fairmont Banff Springs, highlights and stories that took place around and at the hotel.
- Banff: Learn about the history of Fairmont Banff Springs, highlights and stories that took place around the iconic hotel.
- Banff: Discover the history and culture of the Rocky Mountains of Canada at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies. With the mission of cultivating the exchange of knowledge, the museum engages you with the evolving history, peoples, cultures, environment and ideas of mountain cultures. Museum founders Peter Whyte and Catharine Robb Whyte were local artists and philanthropists who wanted to create a place where people could gather and appreciate the culture and beauty of the area.
Insight Experiences
- Icefields Parkway: Enjoy an after-hours visit to the amazing Glacier Skywalk. Step onto the cliff-edged, glass-floored walkway rising 918 ft (280 meters) above the Sunwapta Valley offering sweeping views of the valley and Columbia Icefield.
- Icefields Parkway: After a delicious dinner, step out onto the viewing deck and stargaze. As you marvel at the dark night sky, relax with a drink in the library or hang out inside the Moraine Lounge with games and live entertainment. The perfect way to end any night.
- Icefields Parkway: Take a seat in a specially designed Ice Explorer for a visit onto the Athabasca Glacier before other travellers arrive. Follow your Local Expert as you stroll on its icy surface and experience the enormous glaciers up close.
Make Travel Matter
- Banff: Join a First Nations Cree Iroquois Local Expert and take a walk in the Boreal forest. Learn how their ancestors survived off the land and used the plants as medicines. Listen to amazing stories about First Nations culture and their relationship with local nature and wildlife. Your experience advances United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 5 & 11: Gender Equality & Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Summary
- Visit Banff National Park • Lake Louise • Jasper National Park • Moraine Lake • Icefields Parkway scenic drive • Maligne Lake • Sunwapta Falls • Athabasca Falls • Maligne Canyon.
Top Rated Highlights
- Moraine Lake: Enjoy a beautiful stop at glacier-fed Moraine Lake, a vibrant turquoise lake set in the rugged Valley of the Ten Peaks.
- Icefields Parkway: Travel along the Icefields Parkway Drive, one of the most scenic drives in North America. Made up of breathtaking glaciers, soaring mountain peaks and dramatic valleys.
- Maligne Lake: Relax on board a narrated cruise on the serene waters of Maligne Lake. Glide past jagged mountain peaks to Spirit Island, a world-famous destination accessible only by boat.
- Maligne Canyon: Join your Travel Director as you walk on the trails of Maligne Canyon, one of the most stunning gorges in the Canadian Rockies and the deepest canyon in Jasper National Park.
Well-being
- Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
Trip Details
Product Code: 19867
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Family, 55+, Luxury
Tour Operator:
Insight Vacations (CA)
Supplier Code: 301.1560A
Starts: Calgary, Canada
Finishes: Calgary, Canada
Duration: 8 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $6,198 ($775 /day)
Itinerary
Your stay at a historic mountain resort in Banff awaits. After your arrival at Calgary airport, if you have purchased an airport transfer, your driver will transport you to the hotel. Built in the distinctive Canadian Château style, it is one of the earliest examples of the country’s grand railway hotels. Tonight, join your Travel Director and fellow travelers for dinner.
Accommodation: Fairmont Banff Springs, Banff National Park
Meals: Dinner with Wine
Connect with nature as you join a memorable MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience with a First Nations Cree Iroquois Local Expert. Discover First Nations culture, such as how plants and animals like bears hold great significance. This authentic dive into the First Nations Cree community is not only enlightening but also helps assure the sustainability of the community and culture. Embark on a guided walk in the Boreal Forest and learn the Indigenous world of plant medicines as well as the historical and modern-day uses of plants and listen to fascinating stories about the First Nations. This afternoon, visit The Whyte Museum and enjoy artwork inspired by the local Rockies. Or, learn about the history of the Fairmont Banff Springs from a knowledgeable ambassador. Hear stories of events that took place around and at this hotel and receive a self-guided map of highlight locations for you to discover.
Accommodation: Fairmont Banff Springs, Banff National Park
Meals: Breakfast
Glaciers, waterfalls and peaks are revealed on this morning’s visit to Yoho National Park before a stop for a decadent lunch at Chateau Lake Louise. Marvel as you're surrounded by soaring peaks and the majesty of the Victoria Glacier. Capture a photo or two of the turquoise Lake Louise and rugged backdrop of one of the most famous mountain vistas in the world. The Three Sisters Peaks or Mt Assiniboine will impress on this afternoon’s optional helicopter flights (weather dependent). Return to Banff this evening and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
Accommodation: Fairmont Banff Springs, Banff National Park
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
This morning, opt for a scenic start to your day by taking the Banff Gondola ride. Make your way to Moraine Lake (seasonal) – the largest glacially fed lake in Canada – before taking the Icefields Parkway, one of the most beautiful drives on the planet. Admire the dramatic scenery of the Rockies with plenty of photo opportunities. A warm welcome greets you at the country’s first and only glacier-view resort over a Champagne reception and nibbles. Before dinner, take advantage of the long daylight hours and set out for an after-hours visit to the Columbia Icefield Skywalk, a glass-floored walkway above the Sunwapta Valley featuring waterfalls and wildlife. After your Skywalk visit, indulge in a delicious, Canadian inspired, locally sourced dinner, sip cocktails and marvel at the spectacular glacier views that wrap the restaurant.
Accommodation: Glacier View Lodge, Jasper National Park
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Before other travelers arrive, venture onto the Athabasca Glacier in a massive Ice Explorer for your special, before-hours visit. Join your Local Expert and walk on the frozen flow of ice. Discover the beauty and immensity of the glacier as you learn about the history and geology of the region. Continue along the magnificent Icefields Parkway further into Jasper National Park with its soothing mineral hot springs, colorful meadows and majestic mountains.
Accommodation: Forest Park Hotel, Jasper National Park
Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy a relaxed start this morning or join the fun and experience an optional easy rafting, scenic float trip down the Athabasca River, a designated Canadian Heritage River. Later, join your Travel Director on an informative walk in Maligne Canyon, the deepest gorge in Jasper National Park. As you cruise across the crystal waters of magical Maligne Lake (seasonal), fed by the glaciers of Jasper National Park and glide past the jagged mountain peaks, you'll discover why it's been declared the "Best Boat Cruise in Canada.
Accommodation: Forest Park Hotel, Jasper National Park
Meals: Breakfast
This morning, enjoy a scenic drive down to Kananaskis, often kept as a secret mountain sanctuary for locals, away from the masses that visit neighbouring Banff National Park. Enjoy the late afternoon to yourself to discover the local trails surrounding your upscale hotel nestled in the wilderness, or head to the Nordic Spa located steps away from the lodge. Tonight, come together with your fellow travelers for a festive dinner and toast to your wonderful trip in the Canadian Rockies.
Accommodation: Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge, Autograph Collection
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
After breakfast, you are transferred to Calgary Airport where your journey comes to an end. Arrival time at airport is approximately 12:00 pm.
Meals: Breakfast
Similar Tours
Tour Operator
Insight Vacations (CA)
Part of The Travel Company (TTC) family of brands, Insight Vacations began operations in 1978 and is based in Cypress, CA. Journeys are featured to destinations, such as the U.S. and Canada, Europe, Latin America, North Africa, Asia, the UK and Ireland. The company offers are a variety of tours under the classifications of Regional Journeys, Country Roads, Discovery Journeys, Easy Pace trips, and Special Interest tours. Insight is the ideal name for the tour operator, as the journeys provided by Insight Vacations allow travelers to gain further insight into whatever destination they wish to explore. For example, Discovery Journeys are the ideal choice for first-time visitors to Europe. Itineraries include Dine-at-Home or Farm-to-Table experiences so travelers can learn more about how locals live and dine. Regional Journeys allow trip-goers to see a specific location in Europe that they have always wanted to see – Poland, Switzerland, Italy, etc. The carefully planned trips enable customers to immerse themselves in one specific region or country and to become acquainted with its culture, traditions, and people. For anyone seeking travel off the beaten track, Insight Vacations offers Country Roads – trips that lead travelers off the well-tread tourist trail to explore hidden gems where visitors can savor the local produce with Farm-to-Table dining. Some trips are offered under the Easy Pace travel style – the ideal trip choice for trip-goers who wish to slow their pace during their vacation. During these tours, vacationers stay at least 3 nights at each destination, giving them some additional time to explore a place and enjoy it. Regardless of the travel style, many of the vacations offered by Insight Vacations begin with Relaxed Starts – giving travelers time to sleep in a little, spend more time at breakfast, or explore an area on their own. The tour company prides itself on providing business class tours that features luxury coaches with 40 seats. While most coach touring operators provide vehicles with 53 seats, Insight Vacations has re-configured its motor coaches to hold up to 40 guests. This gives passengers extra leg room while traveling and offers them more space and privacy.
In Business Since 1978
Reviews
Anonymous - Traveled, October 2024
It was wonderful *Personal information removed by Feefo* was a wonderful tour guide
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/23/2024
Matthias Phillips - Traveled, October 2024
Our tour guide *Personal information removed by Feefo* was very organized, professional and very informative. He also showed us his fun side and lots of patience with all the travelers. Our bus driver, *Personal information removed by Feefo* was also professional and kept it fun. Most of all very safe. He got where we needed to go on time and safely. The whole trip was very organized and kept on schedule buy our tour guide, *Personal information removed by Feefo* and our bus driver, *Personal information removed by Feefo*. We went from Banff, Lake Louise, Columbia Ice Fields, Johnson Canyon, Minnewanka Lake Cruise, Moraine Lake plus added Lake stops when time permitted. Great hotels, meals and good times. This should be on everyone's bucket list.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/23/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, October 2024
The Travel Guide seemed lost at times. Her narrative was rambling and seemed to be a Stream of Conscious rather than an expert view on notable sites. Too much time on the train!! Should be no more than 8 hours per day. Since Jasper was burned out I found your makeup approach to be just filler time, with too much time on the bus to see another lake. I would not recommend Insight to any of my senior friends. *Personal information removed by Feefo*
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/24/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, July 2024
From start to finish this tour & its itinerary is outstanding. *Personal information removed by Feefo* & I were pleased with *Personal information removed by Feefo* & our bus driver, they both are Pro's at doing their work. *Personal information removed by Feefo* & *Personal information removed by Feefo*
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/24/2024
Linda - Traveled, July 2024
Everything seemed to work very well. The coach was very comfortable, clean and we had an excellent driver. Our luggage was handled perfectly and delivered to our room in a timely manner. Each day started on time, breakfasts at the various hotels were delicious and well prepared. All hotels were clean and we did not have to wait long to get to our rooms. *Personal information removed by Feefo* was familiar with the areas we traveled in and he did excellent explanations along the way and able to answer any questions we had. The spectacular Rockies and glaciers tour was ideal is so many ways. It was the right amount of time to see the highlights of the area. I enjoyed staying in the Fairmount Banff hotel. Had wanted to visit Banff for many years and the weather and beauty of the area was spectacular. Staying in the Banff hotel was one of the specialties that drew me to this tour. It did not disappoint. Loved walking and exploring the hotel and everyone was so friendly and welcoming. Also enjoyed seeing so many lovely wooded areas along with the beautiful snow capped mountains with glaciers and pretty waterfalls. Fun going to Jasper National Park and walking on a glacier. The weather was perfect for this trip. Our days did not start extremely early, which was also very nice. Our coach was very comfortable and *Personal information removed by Feefo* did a great explanation on the areas we visited. He provided several videos along the way which were knowledgeable and sometimes funny. He kept us well fed with snacks and we had many delicious meals on the trip. All in all, I recommend this tour to anyone who wants to have a great time in the Rockies.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/31/2024
Leah D - Traveled, July 2024
Our recent tour with *Personal information removed by Feefo* as our guide was an unforgettable experience! *Personal information removed by Feefo* profound knowledge of history, plants, animals, and glaciers brought every moment to life. Her ability to weave historical anecdotes with fascinating facts about local flora and fauna made each stop along our journey educational and engaging. The insights she shared about glaciers and geography left us in awe of the natural world around us. *Personal information removed by Feefo* terrific sense of humor added an extra layer of enjoyment to the trip. Her witty remarks and lighthearted commentary kept everyone entertained and created a wonderful, cheerful atmosphere. Beyond her expertise and humor, *Personal information removed by Feefo* genuine care for her guests was evident in every interaction. She went out of her way to ensure everyone was comfortable, informed, and having a great time. Communication with *Personal information removed by Feefo* was always clear and thorough. She kept us well-informed about the daily schedules, provided useful tips, and was always available to answer questions or address concerns. Her dedication to making our tour smooth and enjoyable was truly commendable. Thank you, *Personal information removed by Feefo*, for an incredible journey filled with laughter, learning, and lasting memories! Also, special shout out to *Personal information removed by Feefo* for keeping us on track, laughing, and, of course, safe!! You two make such an awesome team!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/23/2024
Laura Poisson - Traveled, July 2024
Hubby and I very lucky to have been able to visit Jasper just before the devastating forest fire this July 2024. I'm sure wherever guests go in lieu of Jasper Park for the short-term, they will still be in awe of the beautiful Canadian Rockies. Staying at the Banff Fairmont was on our bucket list, and we picked this tour because Insight included the Fairmont. If you're a golfer, be prepared for an amazing 9 or 18 holes, if you so desire. Our tour director, *Personal information removed by Feefo*, was as great as we expected from this company. She had millions of facts in her head about Canada and the Rockies area, and we also always felt well cared for. She and our bus driver had a fantastic working relationship, and they worked seamlessly together, coordinating our journey and throwing in special stops when time allowed. We had only been home one week before we booked with Insight again. We only wish *Personal information removed by Feefo* could be our Tour Director in Ireland next year! That trip will be our second with Insight, having been to Norway two years ago with sister company Trafalgar, who we also liked. Being able to stay in a hotel more than one night--with Insight--was very appealing as was the slightly better class of hotels over Trafalgar. The Trafalgar tour director, bus director, and itinerary were equally excellent, but *Personal information removed by Feefo* is an incredible person who loves her country and loves her job. It came out in her day-to-day interactions with us--the tourists :)
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/13/2024
Giselle Fox - Traveled, July 2024
The service we all received was top of the line in every way possible!!!! *Personal information removed by Feefo*, our Tour Director, went above and beyond to make this trip special and memorable for each of us. This itinerary covered all the things we wanted to see and more! Plus, having *Personal information removed by Feefo* as Tour Director made it so fun with her sense of humor and ability to give us the history of each place we visited. She Rocked!!! The bus was very comfortable, and I liked how we got rotated in our seats over the week so we all had the chance to see well as we traveled. it was a FABULOUS trip with Insight Tours, and was a company I would tour with again!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/18/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, July 2024
The beauty of the area is spectacular. The photos do not do it justice. The Skyview and the raft trip were very fun.. All the stops - rest stops, lunch stops and lake view stops, along the way were perfect. BUT, our tour director, *Personal information removed by Feefo*, was the absolute best. She is so knowledgable about - well everything. She knows her history, geology, geography, botany, and biology of the area. She is so welcoming, fun, inclusive, and funny. Our driver, *Personal information removed by Feefo*, not only did a great job driving, but was fun, pleasant and helpful. Also, he kept the bus clean, especially the windows for great picture taking. *Personal information removed by Feefo* and *Personal information removed by Feefo* have great camaraderie that made the ride fun. We feel so fortunate to have had these two people to take us on this wonderful adventure. I would highly recommend this tour for the beauty and itinerary, regardless of who your tour director or driver might be.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/26/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, July 2024
Insight vacations are wonderful and the service is always top notch. The Coach buses you travel on our very roomy and clean. Tour directors have wonderful knowledge and are great story tellers.The excursions included are always so much fun! It was an absolute magical and beautiful adventure. The scenery was magnificent everywhere you looked. Our tour guide *Personal Information Removed by Feefo* had so much great knowledge and told us stories with enthusiasm and humor. The people we shared this adventure with were all kind and so much fun. They were strangers at the beginning but all became our friends.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/24/2024
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