Canadian Rockies: Banff, Moraine Lake & Wine Tasting 5-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.91 (154 reviews) 94% rated it 5 stars

Likely to sell out

1/11

Duration5d

GroupUp to 40

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Banff gondola rides, Okanagan wine tasting and glacier views

You’ll taste Okanagan wine in Kelowna, ride a gondola above Banff, stand beside turquoise lakes like Louise and Moraine, and maybe even set foot on Athabasca Glacier if you want. There’s laughter over group dinners, quiet moments by mountain water, and enough fresh air to clear your head for weeks after.

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 in Okanagan
Arrive and check in Salmon Arm hotel
Explore 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 Park
Explore Lake Louise
Visit Moraine Lake (seasonal)
Arrive and check in Banff hotel
Free time for dinner in Banff

Day 3 — Free day in Banff

Breakfast at hotel
Gondola ride to Sulphur Mountain
Scenic tour of Lake Minnewanka and Two Jack Lake
Tour Banff townsite and Bow Falls
Visit Banff Springs Hotel
Free time for shopping and sightseeing
Optional outdoor activities available
Evening at leisure in Banff

Day 4 — Banff to Blue River

Breakfast at hotel
Travel Icefields Parkway towards Jasper Park
Tour Columbia Icefields and visit lake
Optional Ice Explorer Glacier Tour
Stop in Jasper for free time and dinner purchase
Arrive and check in Mike Wiegele cabins

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

Someone’s pouring pinot grigio into my glass before I’ve even finished saying “thank you” — that’s how our first afternoon in Kelowna goes. The Okanagan hills are all soft gold and green outside the window, and honestly, I’m still shaking off Vancouver city noise. Our guide, Alex, jokes about “wine legs” as we swirl and sniff. It’s not fancy; it’s just… good. Later, at Salmon Arm Wharf, the air smells like cedar and lake water. Dinner is loud with new voices — I remember thinking I’d never remember everyone’s names but somehow by dessert we’re already sharing stories.

The next day is a blur of lakes: Lake Louise first (yes, that blue is real) then Moraine Lake where the wind actually stings your cheeks a bit if you stand too close to the water. I tried to take a photo but dropped my glove instead — classic me. In Banff, after checking in right on Banff Avenue (super walkable), I wandered out for ramen with two Aussies from the group. The mountains loom over everything here; it makes you feel small in a good way.

Gondola morning: cold metal under your hands as you grip the rail going up Sulphur Mountain. You can see forever — or at least it feels like it. Alex points out peaks and tells us about grizzlies hibernating somewhere below (“don’t worry,” he laughs). Later we circle Lake Minnewanka and Two Jack Lake; there’s this moment when the sun hits the water just right and nobody says anything for a minute or two. That silence sticks with me more than any postcard view.

Icefields Parkway is all wild rock faces and sudden waterfalls — sometimes you just stare out the window because words don’t work. A few of us splurge on the Athabasca Glacier tour (extra cost but worth it). Standing on ancient ice feels strange, like time folds in on itself for a second. At Blue River (or Valemount if it’s late season), cabins smell faintly of pine sap and old wood; sleep comes easy after so much sky.

What’s included

Your journey covers comfortable hotels each night (including two nights right in Banff), four breakfasts to start your days strong, an Okanagan wine tasting session near Kelowna, admission to Sulphur Mountain Gondola with sweeping views over Banff, plus all taxes and fees handled ahead of time — so you can just focus on what’s outside your window (and maybe what’s in your glass).

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Discover Canada Tours