Day 1:
Vancouver
Arrive in Vancouver, pick up your rental car and check in at your downtown hotel for the next two nights. Surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and nestled alongside the Coast Mountain Range, Vancouver is home to spectacular natural setting and many attractions.
Day 2: Vancouver
Spend the day to visit the sights & attractions of Vancouver including Stanley Park, the vibrant shopping district along Robson Street, the historic Gastown, Chinatown and the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Grouse Mountain offers at an elevation of 1200 m incredible views of the city.
Day 3: Vancouver - Penticton
On the way to the southern park of the Okanagan Valley stopover at Manning Park. With its crystal-blue lake, the Okanagan Lake area is a favourite spot for golfers, wine lovers and watersport enthusiasts.
Day 4: Penticton
With more than 2,000 hours of sunshine every year, the Okanagan offers the longest, sunniest and driest summer season in Canada. Spend some time to visit fruit orchards, vineyards or play a round of golf. To freshen up head out for a sailing trip or a swim in Okangan Lake.
Day 5: Penticton - Golden
Travel towards the Canadian Rockies. You travel through Revelstoke National Park and arrive in Golden for your overnight. The area offers glorious scenery within the Purcell Mountain Range. From here it is just a short travel distance to Yoho and Banff National Park.
Day 6: Golden – Banff/Canmore
Stopover at Emerald Lake, Natural Bridge and Takakkaw Falls within Yoho Park. Continue your journey past Kicking Horse Pass and the Continental Divide into Banff National Park - part of UNESCO heritage site. Your first stop should be Lake Louise. The remaining park offers many attractions and spectacular mountain scenery. Visit today the Upper Hot Springs, Bow Falls and the Hoodoos.
Day 7: Banff/Canmore
Time for a side trip into the Kananaskis area – home to the 1988 Winter Olympics or explore more of Banff National Park. Visit the Whyte Museum, Banff Park Museum or just stroll along Banff Avenue with its many unique shops.
Day 8: Banff – Jasper/Hinton
One of the world's greatest mountain highways - the Icefields Parkway - offers outstanding views and excellent wildlife viewing. Stopovers should include Peyto Lake, Columbia Icefield and the Sunwapta & Athabasca Falls.
Day 9: Jasper National Park
Jasper National Park is located admist the most beautiful wilderness of the Rocky Mountains. Visit Maligne Canyon and glacier-fed Maligne Lake. From here take a cruise to enchanted Spirit Island. The top of Whistlers Mountain promises the best 360-degree views of the rockies.
Day 10: Jasper – Wells Gray Park
Leave Jasper and follow the Miette River to Mt. Robson, the tallest mountain of the Canadian Rockies. At Tete Jaune Cache hike to the Rearguard Falls where salmon attempt to leap the falls. Continue your journey through scenic mountain ranges south to Blue River and Clearwater.
Day 11: Wells Gray Park
Wells Gray is known as the waterfall park as there are over 250 waterfalls located within the area. Take a day trip into the pristine beauty of Wells Gray Park and hike to Dawson Falls and the spectacular Helmcken Falls - Canada's fourth highest waterfall. If you are here in July/August don’t miss the flower meadows of the Trophy Mountain region.
Day 12: Wells Gray Park - Whistler
Travel through real Cowboy Country with large cattle ranches, pine trees and sagebrush to 100 Mile House. While crossing through the coast mountains along the Duffy Lake Road you will leave the dry interior and enter the wet coastal forests. Whistler will be the host of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Day 13: Whistler
Spend the day in Whistler. The area offers many outdoor activities: try the Mountain Bike Park, take the tram into the alpine area and hike a variety of trails, how about glacier skiing, fishing, wildlife viewing or shopping?
Day 14: Whistler - Vancouver
Travel on the Sea-to-Sky Highway to Garibaldi Park. Visit Shannon Falls and continue along Howe Sound back to Vancouver (appr.3-hour drive). Time for some last shopping or sightseeing. Return your rental car. End of tour or program extension.