Canadian Rockies Summits

Arrive in Calgary. Free time to explore the city depending on your flight’s arrival time. We meet at the hotel with the rest of the group to meet your guide and hear the tour presentation. Independent dinner. Night in a hotel.

Following our morning briefing, we leave Calgary and drive off towards the mountains. Let yourselves be charmed by the changing landscape and the magnitude of these giants. Our first walk is on Ha Ling Peak trail which is a perfect introduction to this trip. The story behind the name of this peak is equally interesting, rumor is that it was named after a Chinese railway worker that bet he could climb it in 5 hours and did. Are you up for the challenge? This walk starts in woodland but as promised, once the tree line passed, a rocky summit awaits. The views on top are well worth the workout, showcasing the beautiful valley below. After the hike, we hit the road once more to Lake Louise where we will stay for the next three nights. B, L, D

Hikes

Today, we explore one of the most beautiful parks in Canada which is also the oldest. Indeed, Banff National Park was inaugurated in 1885 and Lake Louise is one of its best gems. Depending on weather conditions, our guides decide which trail is more suited for the group. Both options are incredibly beautiful and similar in difficulty. The Mount Fairview Loop culminates at 2744m high. The Fairview summit offers a fair view on Lake Louise and the peaks and glaciers; pun intended. A somewhat easier option would be the ascent of Mont Saint-Piran which is 2649m high. This summit equally offers amazing views of Lake Louise and also Lake Agnes. From this viewpoint, it is possible to spot Mount Lefroy, Mount Temple, and the Devil’s Thumb. B, L, D

Hikes

This morning we start with an hour transfer to the start of our hike where we begin our walk by going through alpine meadows covered in flowers. Today’s peak is called Cirque Peak and it is 2993m high. On our way, we walk past the beautiful Helen Lake before reaching our summit. Here the views are breathtaking! We have the opportunity of spotting the Wapta Glacier and other peaks such as Mount Hector and on a clear day, Mount Assiniboine. Bow Lake is an option yet if it is closed due to conditions, our alternative of walking on the Wenkchemna Pass is just as lovely. This 17km return trip is a scramblers dream, 1000 elevation, rocky tops at the pass and undeniable views on the Valley of 10 peaks. B, L, D

Hikes

In the morning, we divide our food, pack our belongings and sleeping bags and wander off to our next adventure. We drive along the Kicking Horse River to reach the province of British Columbia and finally arrive in Yoho National Park. The beginning of our trail is already impressive. In fact, we start at the foot of Takakkaw Falls which are nothing less than 380 meters. In the heart of the valley, we walk passed other waterfalls on the Iceline Trail which follows the treeline. We arrive at our hut in mid-day and treat ourselves to a picnic, leave our bags and discover our surroundings. Spending the night in the hut is a pristine experience where we can let ourselves relax by the natural surroundings. B, L, D

For the trip leaving on the 17th of August 2019, our mini-trek dates are moved to day 6 and 7 due to the hut’s availability. Please refer to notes at the end of the itinerary for further details.

Hikes

We wake up in the peacefulness of our remote surroundings. After breakfast, we continue our way along the Iceline Trail. During the first section, small glaciers, snow patches and moraines follow each other. At this point, we are gaining altitude until we reach the highest point of our trek. For groups over 6 people, it is possible to extend the hike to Emerald Lake with the second guide, an extra 8km which represents about 1-2hrs more of walking. For smaller groups, we drive to Emerald Lake to take in the gorgeous views before heading towards Golden. B, L

Hikes

After spending the night in Golden, we drive to Glacier National Park to the hike on the Perley Rock Trail. This path’s ascent is slow at the beginning, allowing us to walk for a little while in the forest. But don’t let yourselves be fooled; it gets steeper whilst we reach the Mount Sir Donald/Perley Rock trail junction. We scramble up the Perley Rock route where amazing views await. From where we are, we can easily see the imposing 3284m summit of Mount Sir Donald. We return the same way we came and then drive to Revelstoke where we will sleep for two nights. B, L

Hikes

At least 50% of the park's territory is above tree line! We drive to the summit’s trail parking and then begin our hike via the unspoiled Miller and Eva Lakes. Along the way, we enjoy the alpine landscape of tundra, lichen, and rock. The fauna here is also very typically Canadian; pikas and groundhogs can be spotted everywhere. If we are lucky, we might even see a mountain goat or grizzly bear. We hike to a pass connecting Upper and Lower Jade Lake where the panorama is extraordinary. Here, we can choose to reach one of the nearby peaks or descend along the same path. B, L

Hikes

Today, a good challenge awaits. We are heading to Marion Lake and the Abbot Ridge. On the way, quick stop to see the Giant Cedar forest. Today’s trail begins with a steep ascent of 1000m on 5km. After braving the forest for about half of the trip, we reach the tree line and the views start to open up. Once we have reached the Abbot Ridge, we are rewarded with an amazing 360 degree view, showing off the Western Rockies; the Hermit Range, Illecillewaet Glacier, the Asulkan Valley, Mount Bonnet and many others. When we are ready, we start the descent back to the vehicle. Transfer to Banff, where we will spend the next two nights. B, L

Hikes

Mount Bourgeau, named after a French explorer and botanist who studied the Rockies’ alpine ecosystems, is most definitely an experienced hiker’s delight. This is probably the hardest walk of our trip but most good things come with a price, don’t they? The first 7km is quite steep especially before reaching the crystal clear waters of the lake, surrounded by avalanches paths and debris. The trail takes us to a memorable ridge walk and Harvey Pass. About 400m before the summit, rocky terrain is to be expected. After conquering the summit, we will descend by the same path, and return to Banff. B, L

Hikes

After yesterday’s demanding hike, we enjoy a shorter yet stunning trail in Banff National Park’s wilderness. We walk up to Cory Pass, located between Mount Cory (2800m) and Mount Edith (2555m) and continue down Gargoyle Valley, named for its peculiar rock pinnacles. We complete a loop with Edith Pass. Some sections of the trail may involve hands-on scrambling, steep ascents and descents. Transfer to Kananaskis where we stay for two nights. B, L

Hikes

Kananaskis refers to the name of a legendary Cree native warrior who would have lived in these mountains. Today, we walk along the highest maintained trail in the Canadian Rockies. Built in the ’60s by the Rocky Mountain Ramblers hiking club, the Centennial Ridge to Mount Allan hike is full of stories. From the ridge, we can see some of Nakiska ski resort slopes, used in the Calgary Olympic Games in 1988. We will not miss the famous ‘rock garden’ and its ‘’gendarmes’’ which are rocks reaching up to 25m high. The ascent to the summit is abrupt but well worth the effort. We descend back to the beautiful Bow Valley and return to the hostel. B, L, D

Hikes

Today is our last day hiking! To finish in style, we head out to the remote Burstall Pass which offers astounding views of Mount Assiniboine (the Matthernhom of the Rockies) and Mount King Albert. Scrambling up the ridge is an option, depending on the group’s energy and weather that day. Reaching Snow Peak summit would add an additional 5km, 400m elevation gain, for approximately 2-3hrs walking. This peak is surely a grand finale with again breathtaking panoramas. Following the hike, we drive back to Calgary where we go out for a farewell dinner (not included). We enjoy our last moments together and reminisce about what a wonderful trip we had. B, L

Hikes

End of tour and free time depending on flight schedule. B