CARIBOU

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.

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

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

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. We invite you to immerse yourself in your beautiful surroundings at our unique Wilderness Hostel stays with a dip and a sauna, and then spend time with your fellow travellers over a home cooked pot luck dinner.

Moose Accommodation: HI Rampart Creek Wilderness Hostel, HI Nordegg Shunda Creek Wilderness Hostel or HI Banff Alpine Centre
Optional Meal Inclusion: Home style group meal or dinner with your guide in Banff

Note: There are no alternative accommodation options at our wilderness hostels, but we know you’ll love having a true taste of Canada at one of our wilderness hostel stays.

Depending on your tour itinerary (contact us for specific date changes), today we will start on the beautiful David Thompson highway! First stop is at the stunning the beautiful Siffleur Falls, where after short hike you can appreciate the beauty of the cascading water carving a dramatic path through the rock. Next, we will arrive at the stunning Abraham Lake, known for its rugged peaks and striking ice bubbles in winter. We will also have a brief stop at Crescent Falls at the edge of the incredible Bighorn River Canyon. We will finish the day with a relaxing walk around Fish Lake then head to the Wilderness Hostel for a homecooked meal, some stargazing and optional sauna.

Included Activity: Short hike to Siffleur Falls and brief walk to the Cresent Falls lookout
Optional Meal Inclusion: Home style group meal or dinner with your guide in Banff
Moose Accommodation: HI Nordegg Shunda Creek Wilderness Hostel, HI Banff Alpine Centre or HI Rampart Creek Wilderness Hostel

Note: There are no alternative accommodation options at our wilderness hostels, but we know you’ll love having a true taste of Canada at one of our wilderness hostel stays.

We sadly leave David Thompson Country and head towards Banff, back along the Icefields Parkway to Banff. We will stop at Waterfowl Lakes to soak in the backdrop of Mount Chephren, which was named after the 4th Dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh. As we continue down the Icefields Parkway we will make another stop at the gorgeous Hector Lake viewpoint. 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 Miner’s Café Nordegg
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, and once we reach the Okanagan Valley, 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!

Moose Accommodation: Samesun Kelowna

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

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 Allison Pass, travel along the Nicola Valley and enter the Fraser Canyon.

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 (ask your guide for additional choices! 

On the accommodated tour option, accommodation is included for all nights of the tour, in mixed gender, hostel dormitory rooms. Please note that you can request female only dorm rooms, and this is usually possible to accommodate, but we cannot guarantee it.

Most travelers book the accommodated tour option because it provides the best value for your money since we receive discounts from our accommodation providers that aren’t available to the general public. We choose hostels for their budget value, as well as offering great facilities and a warm, friendly atmosphere. By staying in shared dorm rooms you get a chance to meet more people, hang out with other tour guests, and keep the price as low as possible.

Would you prefer to stay in a private or gender specific room?

If you’d prefer to book your own accommodation, to stay in private rooms or in alternative properties, check out the Caribou – 8 Day, Best of the Rockies non-accommodated version of this tour.

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, traffic is busier, and the most popular locations on our itineraries can be very busy.

We take your safety, and the safety of our staff and partners very seriously. View our Safety Policies for more information.