Saturday 11 July

Depart Auckland, for Vancouver.  Arrival transfer to hotel.  After a rest, we’ll walk out for dinner.

Meals:  None

Sunday 12 July

In the evening you’ll meet your guide and go through a short group briefing where you’ll meet other participants and details of the itinerary will be discussed. Overnight Vancouver.

Meals:  B

Monday 13 July

One of the most amazing things about Vancouver is its superb location between the Coast Mountains, Fraser River, and the Pacific Ocean. Just beyond the city limits, you can very quickly enter a stunning wilderness of old growth forest – of towering Douglas Firs, huge ferns, and hanging mosses. We’ll explore part of this today as we make our way up Hollyburn Mountain for an outstanding view of the city, the Strait of Georgia, and Vancouver Island. Return to Vancouver for overnight. Walking: 9 kms. Elev. gain: +/-350m.

Meals:  B,L

Tuesday 14 July

We’ll explore the city this morning with visits to Stanley Park and Lions Gate Bridge, Chinatown, and Gastown. From Vancouver, we drive up the Fraser Valley and into the Cascade Mountains crossing Allison Pass. Overnight Manning Provincial Park. Walking: 2-3 kms

Meals:  B,L

Wednesday 15 July

The Skyline loop trail in Manning Park begins at Lightning Lake with a gradual ascent to the ridge. The rewards of this climb come with a spectacular view of the Cascade Mountains whose meadows are adorned with an amazing display of wildflowers. From Despair Pass we hike down to Strawberry Flats, to the trailhead, and then return to our hotel. Walking: 19 kms. Elev. gain: +/-700 m

Meals:  B,L

Thursday 16 July

We head northwards towards the northern tip of the American Great Basin Desert, which extends as far south as Mexico. On the way, we cross over the Coquihalla Summit, one of the highest points in the Cascade ranges, where we will stop for a hike to the summit of Zoa Peak. This area is very well known for its rugged granite peaks and open ridgelines. After our hike, we will continue to BC’s hot and dry interior, a climate perfect for growing apple, apricots, peaches, cherries, and grapes. We’ll spend the night in the historic town of Merritt, BC. Walking: 11 kms. Elev. gain: +/-635 m.

Meals:  B,L

Friday 17 July

We continue our travels across the changing landscape of British Columbia towards Revelstoke. In order to really appreciate how the landscape has changed, we will stop halfway and hike along the summit of the Enderby Cliffs, giving us expansive views south into the Okanagan and north to the Monashee Mountains. In the afternoon, we continue to the quaint mountain town of Revelstoke for overnight at a comfortable lodge. Walking: Approx 7 kms. Elev gain: +/-450 m

Meals:  B,L

Saturday 18 July

Mt. Revelstoke National Park is best known for its ‘Meadows in the Sky Parkway’ and the mountain top trails at the end of the road. The road gains 1000m in elevation from the town of Revelstoke and passes through a variety of different forest zones until it ends at treeline. From here, we can begin our mountain top hike through beautiful flower filled meadows to Eva Lake, Miller Lake, and Jade Lake Pass. We return to Revelstoke for overnight. Walking: 16 kms. Elev gain: +/-450 m.

Meals:  B,L

Sunday 19 July

As we head east we are now traveling into the heart of the Selkirk Mountains, some of the most daunting and rugged mountains in Canada (part of the Columbia Mts). We follow the route to Rogers Pass, famous for the difficulties it presented in the construction of Canada’s first railway. We will stop first for a very brief visit to the Trail of the Giant Cedars to see a section of inland temperate rainforest with truly ‘giant’ trees. Then, once we are in Glacier National Park, we will begin a rewarding hike up to Balu Pass that quickly leaves the forest and leads to views of the park’s signature mountain, Mt Sir Donald, on the opposite side of the valley. We continue to our comfortable lodge just east of the park in Golden, BC for the next two nights. Walking: 13 kms. Elev gain: +/-780m.

Meals:  B,L

Monday 20 July

After the previous days’ (and next day’s) big elevation, today we will take it a little bit easier and enjoy a spectacular ride to the top of the mountain at Kicking Horse Resort. From the gondola we then have a few options to walk ridge lines or to hike to the summit of Terminator Peak. To the east and across the valley we will have fantastic views of the Rocky Mountains stretching to the south and north as far as the eye can see. Walking: 4-7 km. Elev Gain: ~300 m.

Meals:  B,L

Tuesday 21 July

We follow the Kicking Horse River into the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Our hike today is in the Yoho Valley, starting at 302m high Takakkaw Falls. We’ll hike to the top of the Iceline Trail for extreme close up views of the Emerald Glacier and views across the Yoho Valley to the Wapta Icefield. After our hike, we make our way into the province of Alberta, to our home for the next two nights in Lake Louise. Walking: 12-17 kms. Elev gain: +/-700 m.

Meals:  B,L

Wednesday 22 July

We have a casual day today exploring some of the easy short walks along the Icefields Parkway in Banff and Jasper National Parks. The highlight walk will be to Parker Ridge with expansive views of the Saskatchewan Glacier. The parkway also has some of the trip’s best opportunities for spotting wildlife such as bears, bighorn sheep, and mountain goats. Walking: 5 kms. Elev gain: +/-250 m.

Meals:  B,L

Thursday 23 July

Today, we’ll hop back over the provincial border some great hiking in Kootenay National Park, BC – just west of Banff National Park. Our route today is the Stanley Glacier Trail which takes us quickly into a hanging valley and through the remnants of two forest fires, one occurring in 1968 and the other more recently in 2003. It is aptly known as the ‘Fire and Ice’ trail because, once we are through the burnt forest, we suddenly see looming above us Stanley Glacier. The trail continues for some time and finally ends at an alpine plateau just a few hundred metres below the hanging ice. Returning to Alberta this evening to stay overnight in Canmore (2 nights). Walking: 12 kms. Elev gain: +/-400 m.

Meals:  B,L

Friday 24 July

Our final day of hiking in the Rockies brings us to the eastern edge of the Rockies for a great view of the prairies and the city of Calgary, 60 kms to the east. We’ll choose either the Heart Mountain Loop or walk up to the Yamnuska Ridge. We can now truly say that we have seen all of the mountain chains in Western Canada, from the Pacific Ocean to the Prairies. After our hike, we will enjoy a dinner together in Canmore. Walking: 11 kms. Elev gain: +/-1000 m.

Meals:  B,L,D

Saturday 25 July

Our walking tour concludes with a transfer to Calgary, which will depart after breakfast.

Once in the city we’ll leave our luggage at the hotel for an afternoon check in and head out for an orientation walk and Lunch.

This evening a boot scoot’n Line Dancing experience, and some Cowboy dinner action!

Meals:  B

Sunday 26 July

Today enjoy a morning cycle tour (ebikes available) around the City before our early afternoon transfer to the airport.

Late afternoon, depart for home with a flight connection in Vancouver

Meals:  B

Monday 27 July

Lose a Day

Tuesday 28 July

Early arrival in Auckland.  Connect onward if required.