Canadian Rockies and Glacier National Park

Welcome to one of North America’s most rugged and beautiful cities, Calgary. Known for cowboys and spectacular beauty, Calgary was brought to the world’s attention during the 1988 Winter Olympics. Meet your Tour Manager in the hotel lobby at 6:00 p.m. for a dining suggestions.

Today, travel south from Calgary to Waterton Lakes National Park. Embark on a boat cruise of Waterton Lakes, with its deep scenic bays, sheer vertical mountains and beautiful wilderness surroundings. In the afternoon, see the beautiful Prince of Wales Hotel, one of the most photographed hotels in the world. Enjoy an included lunch in Waterton before arriving at scenic East Glacier and your hotel. Meals: B, L

Welcome to Glacier National Park! Founded in 1910, the park is a land of mountain ranges carved by prehistoric ice rivers. The vistas seen from Going-to-the-Sun Road are breathtaking and a photographer’s paradise. The best way to travel is via the antique Red Buses that are both a symbol of the park and reminder of a time when adventurous travel was done with style. The name “jammer” is carried over from the days of when the busses had to be “jammed” into gear as they rode along the rugged highway. Meals: B, D

This morning, it’s off to Banff, Canada’s first National Park. Located amid the rugged alpine beauty of the Rocky Mountains, Banff is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Savor magnificent views of the region as you continue along the parkway to the quaint village of Banff, your home for the next two nights. Meals: B, D

Explore Banff, Canada’s first National Park today. Located amid the rugged alpine beauty of the Rocky Mountains, Banff is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. See Bow Falls and Tunnel Mountain before taking a gondola ride in enclosed cars to the peak of Sulphur Mountain for spectacular panoramic views. Later, travel to beautiful Lake Louise where majestic mountains soaring skyward are reflected in the vibrant blues of this glacier-fed lake. Meal: B

Today, trade in the motorcoach for a “snocoach” and venture on to North America’s largest glacier, the Columbia Icefield’s Athabasca Glacier. You will travel in a specially designed vehicle to the middle of the glacier, as your driver points out interesting geological features. At the icefall below the glacier headwall, you will step out onto ice formed from snow which fell as long as 400 years ago. You will also take a walk on the incredible Glacier Skywalk, a glass-floored observation platform perched 918 feet above spectacular glacier-formed valleys and rushing waterfalls. Later, arrive in Jasper. Meals: B, D

Today, in spite of its highways and railroad, Jasper National Park looks very much like it did when David Thompson, Canada’s great fur-trade-era explorer, first saw it. Enjoy the breathtaking scenery and unparalleled vistas of Jasper National Park on a Maligne Lake cruise. Learn the local history, geology, wildlife and glaciology of Maligne Lake and Jasper National Park as some of the most spectacular scenery in the Rockies drifts past your window. Watch moose lazily wander the shoreline and look for other wildlife that are native to the area. In the afternoon we return to Jasper in plenty of time to explore the town. Meal: B

Travel along one of the world’s most spectacular mountain highways today, the Icefields Parkway. See snow-capped mountains reflected in the turquoise lakes along the way and watch for the black bear, moose and caribou that inhabit the region. Tonight, dinner is held high atop the Calgary Tower. Meals: B, D

Following breakfast, a group transfer to Calgary International Airport for flights home is available. Meal: B