To begin our adventure, we’re going east through the Fraser Valley, where we’ll take a short walk through a West Coast rainforest to Bridal Veil Falls. Then, we’ll traverse the Coastal Mountains, stopping at Kekuli Café in Merritt, the gateway to the BC Interior and the heart of the Nicola Valley for a lunchtime Indigenous meal. We will then pass through the majestic Shuswap Lakes and settle in for the night in the picturesque mountain town of Revelstoke.

Meal Inclusions: Indigenous cuisine lunch in Merritt

Moose Accommodation: Sandman Revelstoke

We have an action packed day ahead! Being completely spoiled with mountain ranges today, crossing not one, not two – but three of them, as we travel through four National Parks towards Banff! We’ll start the morning in Revelstoke where you can go kayaking on the beautiful Lake Revelstoke. After lunch, we will then head to the Golden Skybridge for a stunning walk over the Columbia Valley, the highest suspension bridge in Canada. Then, we’ll enter the Rocky Mountains and cross over the Kicking Horse Pass into Alberta and Banff National Park, spending the night in the historic town of Banff itself, right in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. 

 Note: during May and from mid-September onwards, we will cross over the Vermillion Pass to enter Alberta and Banff National Park.

Meal Inclusions: Continental Breakfast Buffet at Sandman Revelstoke
Optional Morning Activity: Kayaking on Lake Revelstoke
Afternoon Activity Inclusion: Golden Skybridge
Moose Accommodation: HI Banff Alpine Centre

It’s time to visit those famous blue lakes that you’ve seen in postcards! Lake Louise is calling, as is Moraine Lake (seasonal) before heading along the Icefields Parkway for breathtaking views of jagged mountain peaks, glaciers, raging rivers and more turquoise lakes. Keep your eyes peeled for iconic Canadian wildlife such as bears, moose and elk as we make stops at the Crowfoot Glacier, Peyto Lake (our favourite) and Mistaya Canyon before arriving at our rustic wilderness hostel. We invite you to immerse yourself in your beautiful surroundings with a dip and a sauna, and a campfire under the stars with your fellow travelers and a home cooked pot luck dinner. 

 Moose Accommodation: HI Mosquito Creek, HI Rampart Creek or HI Athabasca Falls (bolding) 

Optional Meal Inclusion: Home style group meal (bolding) 

 Please note: there are no alternative accommodation options at this location, but we know you’ll love having a true taste of Canada at one of our wilderness hostel stays. (bolding) 

Jasper National Park today! First, we’ll stop at Big Bend lookout for a stunning view of the North Saskatchewan River Valley. Get your legs ready because next up is the Columbia Icefield, the largest ice field in the Rocky Mountains at 325 square kilometres, where we’ll hike to the toe of the Athabasca Glacier (conditions permitting). We will then head on to Maligne Canyon, the deepest canyon in Jasper National Park, for a short hike that crosses several bridges over the canyon with jaw-dropping views. Jasper townsite is our destination, and if you’re seeking an adrenaline rush, there is an option to take a guided mountain bike tour on arrival. 

 Optional Afternoon Activity: Mountain Biking in Jasper 

Moose Accommodation: HI Jasper 

Our first stop: Athabasca Falls, one of the most powerful and picturesque in the Rockies! This is followed by a bit of mountain goat spotting (we’re still amazed at how they hold on) at the Goats and Glaciers viewpoint. Next, we head to Waterfowl Lakes to soak in the backdrop of Mount Chephren, which was named after the 4th Dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh. After this, we’ll return to Banff for a group dinner, and once our bellies are full, the night is yours! See what Banff nightlife has to offer or take a relaxing dip in the Banff Upper Hot Springs. 

 Morning Meal Inclusion: Breakfast at HI Jasper
Evening Meal Inclusion: Dinner at Cougar Pete’s Restaurant & Lookout
Moose Accommodation: HI Banff Alpine Centre 

Today is yours to do as you please! Where better to have a free day than in the heart of the Rocky Mountains! Go hiking, enjoy the sights of Banff, spend the day sampling some of Banff’s great breweries and restaurants, or for an optional extra cost, go whitewater rafting, canoeing or mountain biking. Enjoy! 

 Meal Inclusions: Breakfast at HI Banff Alpine Centre
Moose Accommodation: HI Banff Alpine Centre 

Sadly, we leave the Rockies today (the desert is calling!), but we’ll go out with a bang, stopping at some of the most breathtaking scenic points in Western Canada. We will visit the Takakkaw Falls (seasonal), the pristine Emerald Lake and the Natural Bridge, as well as stopping for a photo at the stunning Kalamalka Lake viewpoint once we reach the Okanagan Valley. Here you will find beautiful sandy beaches on crystal clear lakes and plenty of sun-filled activities! For the evening it’s downtown Kelowna for an abundance of bars and nightclubs in this university city! 

 Please Note: during May and from mid-September onwards, we will visit Kootenay National Park instead of seeing Takakkaw Falls, Emerald Lake and the Natural Bridge. 

Moose Accommodation: Samesun Kelowna

On our final day, we’ll traverse West Kelowna and the Peachland’s in the Okanagan, known for being British Columbia’s primary wine and fruit growing region. You’ll stop at fruit markets, bakeries, and pass by numerous vineyards. Keep an eye on the vast Okanagan Lake and maybe you’ll see the Ogopogo monster!!! Our next destination is Penticton where we will go paddleboarding on the beautiful Skaha Lake. In the afternoon, we’ll climb over a high mountain pass, travel along the Nicola Valley and enter the Fraser Canyon. 

We’ll then continue down the canyon through Hope, before stopping for a last group gathering on the shores of Harrison Lake by Harrison Hot Springs. The finale is near – we’ll finish in Vancouver where it’s all hugs and Insta handle swapping as you say goodbye to your Moose mates and head home – but armed with a whole bunch of amazing adventures to talk about! 

Meal Inclusions: Morning coffee and pastry at Frind Estate Winery
Morning Activity Inclusion: Paddleboarding on Skaha Lake  

 Moose Accommodation: There is no accommodation included tonight. You will need to make your own arrangements. We recommend that you do not book onward travel on this day in case of traffic or weather delays.

The Caribou tour through Western Canada offers many adventure activities so that you can make the most of your trip. Go mountain biking, kayaking, white water rafting and more. Moose offers dozens of options to soak in the scenery in a more relaxed way like enjoying the hot springs or riding the Banff gondola for incredible mountain vistas. 

Optional activities are booked and paid through your Moose tour guide while on the tour. No need to pre-book! The following optional activities are available on this tour:  

On a non-accommodated tour package, you must book ALL your accommodation yourself (except at our Wilderness Hostels). Moose does NOT include nor hold any accommodation reservations on your behalf in the overnight locations on this package. The non-accommodated package is designed for travellers who wish to stay in private rooms or in alternative properties. 

NOTE 1: The only exception is at a wilderness hostel where one (1) night in a mixed gender, hostel dormitory bed is included with this package. There are no alternative accommodation properties nearby and no private rooms available at Mosquito Creek, Rampart Creek or Athabasca Falls, hence why this hostel overnight is included. 

For the accommodated version of this tour, click here. 

The Caribou is part of numerous combination tours that we offer. There will also be travellers joining and leaving your tour in Banff at various times.

Some sites on this tour are only available seasonally. Moraine Lake is only accessible from late May until mid-October. The road to Takakkaw Falls is open from mid-June until mid-October. If you want to visit these sites, please choose a departure within the appropriate date range.

If you’re flexible about when you can travel, consider the pros and cons of our travel seasons. In Low Season, you’ll get the BEST VALUE on our tours, there’s less traffic, and far fewer people at the most popular sites. The trade off is that the weather is typically more variable, cooler and wetter. In addition, a few sites may be closed, and the glacial lakes may still be frozen in the spring, although that’s also beautiful! In Peak Season, everything is open, the weather is more consistent, warmer and generally drier, and the glacial lakes are in their full glory. However, our tours cost more, traffic is busier, and the most popular locations on our itineraries can be very busy.