Trip Overview:

• Tour five world-renowned national parks in the Canadian Rockies and Montana
• Ice Explorer ride on Athabasca Glacier, a scenic lake cruise, expert tips on mountain photography from a professional photographer
• A trip on a historic 1930s-vintage touring bus over the Going-to-the-Sun Road.
• 2012 Prices From $3,990 for 9 Days

Location Of Adventure: Albert, Canada

Included

• Guided exploration of five national parks in Canada and the U.S. – Banff, Jasper, Kootenay, Waterton Lakes and Glacier, including 1930s touring buses on Going-to-the-Sun Road and an Ice Explorer ride on Athabasca Glacier.
• Inside-the-heart-of-the-park accommodations at the most celebrated Fairmont wilderness resorts in North America – Chateau Lake Louise, Jasper Park Lodge and Banff Springs. Private lake cruises, photography tips from a local expert, and a wine and cheese reception hosted by a local artist
• Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted
• 21 meals (8 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 8 dinners), service charges, gratuities to local guides, admission fees, taxes and porterage

2012 Dates: June 14th, June 30th, July 16th, August 9th, September 2nd

2012 Pricing

$3.990 per person
Single Supplement $285

Day 1: Arrive in Calgary

Day 2: Glacier National Park and International Peace Park

Day 3: A lake cruise and the Going-to-the-Sun Road

Day 4: Kootenay & Banff National Park

Day 5: Photo tips and a drive along the Icefields Parkway

Day 6: A jaunt in Jasper and more

Day 7: Ride an Ice Explorer across a glacier's surface

Day 8: The bounty of Banff as you please

Day 9: Journey home

Day 1

Arrive in Calgary

Your Canadian Rockies and Glacier National Park adventure begins at 6:00 PM at The Fairmont Palliser in the heart of downtown Calgary. A transfer is included from Calgary Airport to The Fairmont Palliser. Meet your Tauck Director and travel companions at the welcome reception and dinner.

Lodging: The Fairmont Palliser (D)

Day 2

Glacier National Park and International Peace Park

Travel south to Canada's Waterton Lakes National Park, where the prairie abruptly hits the mountains. En route, visit Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, a prehistoric site used continuously by indigenous peoples for over 5,500 years, and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site; visit its state-of-the-art interpretive center. Continue to Waterton Lakes, where you'll have lunch at the celebrated Prince of Wales hotel.

Then cross the border to Montana's Glacier National Park, which in 1932 was joined with Waterton Lakes to form the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park – a world first; it's now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve, where you might see grizzly or black bears. Your rustic accommodations in a historic lakeside hotel built in 1915 are the best available within Glacier National Park.

Lodging: Many Glacier Hotel (B, L, D)

Day 3

A lake cruise and the Going-to-the-Sun Road

Take a private morning lake cruise to admire the reflection of snow-capped peaks on the water's surface in an area that's been called the "Switzerland of North America." Conditions permitting, journey over the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park aboard a restored 1930s-vintage red touring bus; the road, a 50-mile-long engineering marvel, skirts the shores of St. Mary's Lake, and crosses the Continental Divide over Logan Pass. View many of the park’s mountains and glaciers on your way to Lake McDonald, the largest lake in Glacier National Park.

Lodging: Lake McDonald Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 4

Kootenay & Banff National Parks

Depart Glacier National Park and head into the timberlands along the western slope of the Canadian Rockies to Kootenay National Park. See Radium Hot Springs, and Sinclair Canyon’s red walls. Arrive at your world-famous chateau-style hotel on the edge of emerald Lake Louise overlooking Victoria Glacier on steep, sculpted mountains in Banff National Park; your room has a lakeside view.

Lodging: The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise (B, L, D)

Day 5

Photo tips and a drive along the Icefields Parkway

Learn the secrets of great alpine photography during a lesson from a professional photographer before setting out from Lake Louise for a drive along the spectacular Icefields Parkway. Then put what you've learned into your pictures as you encounter jaw-dropping views of mountains, waterfalls, glaciers, and snowfields around every turn; watch for bears, elk, bighorn sheep, and mountain goats, especially in the spring and fall. Arrive at your hotel in the heart of Jasper National Park, and enjoy a wine and cheese reception hosted by a local artist, during which you'll learn about the history of art in the Canadian Rockies.

Lodging: The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 6

A jaunt in Jasper and more

Your Glacier National Park and Canadian Rockies vacation continues with a full day at leisure in your 900-acre resort within Jasper National Park. Optional activities at your resort (available at additional charge) include horseback riding, whitewater rafting, or fishing; renting a canoe or paddleboat; taking a guided nature walk; or playing a round of golf on a top-rated course. Or you may choose to visit the town of Jasper on your own.

Lodging: The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge (B, D)

Day 7

Ride an Ice Explorer across a glacier's surface

View Athabasca Glacier on the Columbia Icefield, the largest ice cap in the Canadian Rockies, then take a memorable ride across the glacier's surface on an Ice Explorer, a specially designed vehicle. Wind your way along the Icefields Parkway to Banff National Park, the first national park in Canada; your grand hotel was built more than a century ago by the Canadian Pacific Railway to resemble a Scottish baronial castle.

Lodging: The Fairmont Banff Springs (B, L, D)

Day 8

The bounty of Banff as you please

During an open day in Banff National Park, there are many optional activities (available at additional cost) to choose from at your wilderness resort or in Banff itself. You can ride the Banff Gondola, take a guided nature walk, go horseback riding, mountain biking, or canoeing on the Bow River. Play a round of golf, perhaps book an alpine aromatherapy massage at the Willow Stream Spa, ranked among the top spas in Canada, or visit the chic alpine village of Banff on your own. Conclude this Glacier National Park and Canadian Rockies adventure by joining us for a festive farewell dinner tonight.

Lodging: The Fairmont Banff Springs (B, D)

Day 9

Journey home

Return to Calgary, approximately 80 miles. Your Glacier National Park and Canadian Rockies tour ends at 10:00 AM at Calgary International Airport. Allow a minimum of three hours for airport check-in; U.S. flights clear U.S. customs in Calgary.

(B)

(B) = Breakfast, (L) = Lunch, (D) = Dinner