5-Day Canadian Rockies Tour from Vancouver: Banff & Icefields

Two nights in Banff means time for the activities, not just the drive-through.

This 5-day guided tour departs Vancouver and travels through the Canadian Rockies, staying overnight in Salmon Arm, two nights in Banff, and one night in Blue River. You ride the Sulphur Mountain Gondola, tour Moraine Lake and Lake Louise, travel the Icefields Parkway to the Athabasca Glacier, and visit Spahats Falls on the return. Four breakfasts, a wine tasting, two dinners, an experienced English-speaking guide, and all park fees are included. You choose your room type at checkout (single, double, triple or quad), and the itinerary may shift due to weather or road conditions.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Vancouver to Salmon Arm

• Depart downtown Vancouver at 8:30 am
• Travel through Fraser Valley
• Stop in Kelowna for lunch
• Enjoy wine tasting at Okanagan winery
• Arrive in Salmon Arm and check in
• Free time at trails and Salmon Arm Wharf
• Group dinner with fellow travelers

Day 2: Salmon Arm to Banff

• Breakfast at hotel
• Coffee break and lunch pickup in Revelstoke
• Travel through Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park
• Explore Lake Louise
• Visit Moraine Lake (seasonal)
• Arrive in Banff and check in
• Free time for dinner in Banff

Day 3: Free day in Banff

• Breakfast at hotel
• Gondola ride to Sulphur Mountain summit
• Scenic tour around Lake Minnewanka and Two Jack Lake
• Tour Banff townsite including Bow Falls and Banff Springs Hotel
• Free time for shopping or outdoor activities
• Evening at leisure in Banff

Day 4: Banff to Blue River

• Breakfast at hotel
• Travel Icefields Parkway towards Jasper National Park
• Tour Columbia Icefields and visit Athabasca Glacier
• Stop in Jasper for free time and dinner purchase
• Arrive at Mike Wiegele cabins in Blue River

Day 5: Blue River to Vancouver

• Breakfast at hotel
• Travel to Clearwater and visit Spahats Falls
• Travel to Kamloops and stop for lunch
• Return to Vancouver by evening

The experience

The tour leaves downtown Vancouver at 8:30 am and heads east through the Fraser Valley, stopping in Kelowna for lunch and a wine tasting at one of the Okanagan wineries before arriving in Salmon Arm for the first night. The next morning, breakfast is included at your hotel, then the route climbs through Revelstoke and Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park, passing Lake Louise and Moraine Lake before you reach Banff and check into a hotel on Banff Avenue. This is where the extra night changes the day: instead of a quick stop, you get two full days in Banff.

On your free day in Banff, the gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain is included. You take in the views of the Rockies from the top, then tour Lake Minnewanka and Two Jack Lake Loop. The afternoon opens up: you can walk Banff Avenue, shop, or book one of the optional activities at a discounted rate (horseback riding, canoeing, hiking, e-biking, hot springs, helicopter tours). That evening is yours. The next morning, after breakfast, you travel the Icefields Parkway toward Jasper National Park, stopping at the Columbia Icefields to see the Athabasca Glacier. The Ice Explorer Glacier Tour is available here for an additional cost if you want to walk on the glacier itself. You stop in Jasper for dinner, then drive to Blue River (or Valemount in shoulder season, September 20–October 30).

The final day heads back west: breakfast in Blue River, then a stop at Spahats Falls in Wells Gray Provincial Park before lunch in Kamloops. You arrive back in Vancouver around 7:30 pm. The vehicle is air-conditioned, the guide is experienced and English-speaking, and all park admission fees and taxes are covered. Shoulder season tours may stay in Valemount instead of Blue River due to seasonal closures, and the itinerary can shift if weather, road closures or park operations change.

What’s included

• Four breakfasts at your hotels.
• wine tasting in Kelowna.
• two dinners (Salmon Arm and Jasper).
• admission to Sulphur Mountain Gondola.
• all national park fees and taxes.
• an experienced English-speaking guide.
• and air-conditioned coach transport throughout.

Options for this experience

4 options

Quad private room - 2027Up to 4 people · Guide in English · Available from 2 May 20272 queen beds

Triple private room - 2027Up to 3 people · Guide in English · Available from 2 May 20272 queen beds

Double private room - 2027Up to 2 people · Guide in English · Available from 2 May 20271 queen bed

Single private room - 2027Up to 1 people · Guide in English · Available from 2 May 20271 queen bed

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 2 May 2027

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Under 13: can't be booked

GroupUp to 40

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Discover Canada Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want two full days in Banff instead of one. You'll have time for activities beyond the drive-through, plus four included breakfasts and a wine tour that multi-day road trips usually skip.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. No refund if you cancel.

What's included in the meals on this 5-day tour?

Four breakfasts at your hotels, a wine tasting in Kelowna, and two dinners (one in Salmon Arm, one in Jasper) are included. Other meals are on your own, though the tour stops in towns where you can buy lunch.

Do I get to walk on the Athabasca Glacier?

The tour passes the Athabasca Glacier and includes a stop at the Columbia Icefields, but the Ice Explorer Glacier Tour that lets you walk on the glacier costs extra and you can book it once you're on the tour.

How much free time is there in Banff?

You have a full free day in Banff on day three after the Sulphur Mountain Gondola ride and the lake tours. You can explore Banff Avenue, hike, or book optional activities at a discount. The evening of day two is also free for dinner.

What room types are available, and do I choose before I book?

You choose your room type at checkout: single, double, triple or quad. All are private rooms, and the price varies by room type and year of travel.

What happens if weather closes a road or a park during the tour?

The tour itinerary and inclusions may be adjusted due to weather, road closures, traffic or operational closures. The guide will adapt the day to keep the tour moving safely.

Is this tour suitable if I'm not very fit?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Most days involve bus travel and short walks at stops. The Sulphur Mountain Gondola is a ride to the top, not a hike.