Gentle Walking Canadian Rockies

Day 1 - Fly London to Calgary. Group transfer to hotel.

Fly from London to Calgary. On arrival you will be greeted at the airport by your local guide and transferred to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure, for you to recover from your flight and to enjoy downtown Calgary.

Overnight: Ramada Hotel Or Similar, Calgary

Day 2 - Drive to Kananaskis - 150km, 1¾ hours. Walk Ptarmigan Cirque. 2-2½ hours, 210m ascent/210m descent. Drive to Canmore - 100km, 1¼ hours.

Today you will drive to Kananaskis. Kananaskis is an area which offers some of the most beautiful landscapes of the Rockies but is quieter than some of the main national parks which you will visit later, being more popular with locals and not so much on the main tourist circuit.

Today your first walk will be the Ptarmigan Circuit. As with most trails in this region, the climb starts in spruce-fir forest. Several switchbacks lead you to an area lined with larch trees before the trail branches off into a loop. You emerge in a wide open meadow, a fine example of a recently de-glaciated valley in the Rockies. Most of the landscape looks like desert, yet, if you look closely, you will find it remarkable. The bedrock reveals fossilized remains of an ancient seabed, complex lichen colonies cover rocks and boulders, and gullies and avalanche debris offer forms of shelter for small birds and rodents. The fauna and flora of this harsh habitat rely on survival strategies and biological adaptations to survive - you are lucky visitors who get to catch a glimpse at its most pleasant time of the year!

After your walk you drive on to Canmore and your hotel for the next three nights.

Overnight: Chateau Canmore Or Similar, Canmore

Day 3 - Drive to trail head - 47km, 1¼ hours, and walk Chester Lake Trail - 9.6 km, 3-4 hours, 310m ascent/310m descent.

Today you will enjoy a short and pretty hike to Chester Lake in Spray Valley Provincial Park, Kananaskis Country. The trail to this beautiful tarn is justifiably popular and meanders through spruce-fir forests and three meadows leading to the emerald waters of Chester Lake. The meadows near the lake are flushed with wildflowers in early summer, and wild berries which makes for good bear spotting opportunities. There are great views of the mountains that surround the lake: Bustall Pass, Mt. Chester, 3,054m, Mt. Smith Dorrien, 3,151m, Mt. Robertson, 3,177m, and Mt. Sir Douglas, 3,411m. The trail forks at the lakeshore. As you continue through groves of spruce, larch and subalpine firs, you enjoy a string of viewpoints to admire the lake from different angles. You hear the roar of a small stream and the calls of songbirds.

Overnight: Chateau Canmore Or Similar, Canmore

Day 4 - Drive to Morraine Lake - 92km, 1¼ hours. Hike Larch Valley/Sentinel Pass - 11.6km, 725m ascent/descent, 4-5 hours.

After breakfast today you will make the drive to beautiful Morraine Lake and the trail head for the Larch Valley hike. The hike into Larch Valley and Sentinel Pass is a must for anyone wanting to have an experience that closely resembles the backcountry of Banff National Park. The trail begins on a good uphill path, winding through cool, evergreen forest with lichen hanging from the tree branches. You cross several small mountain streams and see wildflowers growing alongside the trail. Early on you will start to see the jagged peaks of the surrounding mountains including the glacier-topped Mount Fay. After the first km the trail steepens into a series of switchbacks to ease the gradient, and the turquoise waters of Morraine Lake can be glimpsed through the trees. Climbing for a further 1.5km the trail flattens out and enters a large larch tree forest with Mount Temple looming ahead. As you venture deeper into the Larch Valley meadow there are remarkable views of the soaring Ten Peaks around Morraine Lake with some well placed benches to sit and take in the vista.

The Larch Valley trail ends after 4.7km but you can then continue up the zig-zagging Sentinel Pass trail that leads between Pinnacle Mountain and Mount Temple. If you reach the top of the trail you'll enjoy sweeping views of the Minnestimma Lakes as well as the Ten Peaks and dreamlike Paradise Valley. Look closely and you may see climbers on the face of the Grand Sentinel. You return via the same route and drive back to Canmore.

Overnight: Chateau Canmore Or Similar, Canmore

Day 5 - Drive to Jasper 370km, 4-5 hours. En route walk to the Athabasca Glacier – 1 hour round trip.

Today you drive along the spectacular Icefield Parkway Highway to Jasper - enjoying impressive views along the way. Jaw-dropping scenery surrounds you for the duration of this unforgettable drive. The landscape is peppered with more than 100 ancient glaciers, majestic waterfalls falling from dramatic rock spires and turquoise emerald lakes.

En route you'll stop for a gentle hike to the toe of Athabasca Glacier. As you walk past the glacial lake at the snout, the receding of the glacier becomes obvious. The striated bedrocks tell the story of its advance, while stone markers identify the location of the glacier snout in past decades. You marvel at the wall of ice at the far end of the valley interconnected with the extensive Colombia Icefield, a remnant of the last ice age. For your first night in Jasper your guide will suggest a local restaurant in Jasper for dinner.

Breakfasts will be taken in the dining room or at the chalets, and lunch will be taken on the trail.

Overnight: Becker's Chalets Or Jasper Inn & Suites, Jasper

Day 6 - Drive to Cavell Meadows - 60 km, 1½ hours. Walk Edith Cavell Meadow trail - 6-7km, 500m ascent/ 500m descent, 4-5 hours. Visit Athabasca Falls.

The Cavell Meadows hike is a Jasper favourite, displaying colourful floral meadows, dominant glaciers and jagged towering cliffs. Your hike today starts by climbing over a terminal moraine, the furthest advance of the now receded glacier, and works south through the quartzite debris of the glacier forefield. Part of this area was covered by ice less than 50 years ago. Delightful chipmunks, golden mantled ground squirrels, and pikas live in the nooks and crannies of this moraine and add a sense of 'wild' to this wonderful trail. Cottonwood poplar grows from the rocks to the right of the trail and reaching the top of the moraine marks an immediate change to subalpine forest. Your trail switchbacks into the trees. The forest here is an ancient one, dominated by Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir. One fir is half a metre thick at the base.

The first of your viewpoints provides an excellent sight of Angel Glacier and its 40m thick ice cliffs. Soon the trail emerges from the trees to reveal the beautiful Edith Cavell Meadows - amateur botanists are particularly fond of these meadows for their displays of pink, yellow, and white mountain heather which provides the most spectacular setting.

Retracing your steps, you descend back down the trail and then return to Jasper, stopping at the spectacular Athabasca Falls - known as the most powerful waterfall in the Canadian Rockies, the falls are completed by an exceptional setting of tall alpine forest with the mighty Mt. Kerkeslin in the background.

Overnight: Becker's Chalets Or Jasper Inn & Suites, Jasper

Day 7 - Drive to Maligne Lake – 100 km, 2hrs. Walk Bald Hills – 10.4km, 500m ascent / 500m descent, 4-6 hours.

The Bald Hills hiking trail has some of the most breath taking panoramas that Jasper has to offer. The hike is a moderate climb but very rewarding - you will take lots of breaks to ease the ascent. The trail follows a fire road through a pine forest. Upon reaching the subalpine life zone, views to the North begin to open with the Queen Elizabeth Range visible across the valley, and Little Shovel Pass in the Maligne Range to the North. This sample of mountains encapsulates two different themes in local geology, younger, grey front-range limestone; older colourful main range quartzite underfoot. Passing a small pond as you enter the tree line glades, you may hear a surprising concert of birds: juncos, thrushes and sparrows to name a few. You reach the old fire lookout site, rewarded with magnificent views of Maligne Lake complete with six summits above 3,000m. You hike down at your own pace, reflecting on how this trail was well worth the effort after all!

Overnight: Becker's Chalets Or Jasper Inn & Suites, Jasper

Day 8 - Drive to Banff - 300km, 4-5 hours. Walk Parker Ridge en route - 5-6km, 2-3 hours, 250m ascent/250m descent.

Today you make the drive from Jasper to Banff back along the breathtaking Icefield Parkway.

On the way you'll stop just off the highway so that you can walk up the must-do trail to Parker Ridge. The route is very straightforward, and you can enjoy good views along the way as you ascend, via a series of well-established switchbacks, to Parker Ridge overlook. Here there are exceptional vistas of the impressive Saskatchewan Glacier - a prominent toe of the Columbia Icefield.

Descending back the way you came, you continuing your journey to Banff, one of the premier visitor centres of the Rockies. You'll be able to settle into your accommodation before heading out for dinner locally.

Overnight: Dorothy Motel Or Similar, Banff

Day 9 - Drive to Yoho National Park - 80km, 1½ hours. Walk to Laughing Falls 7.8km, 3½ hours, 125m ascent/125m descent.

Today you cross from Alberta into British Columbia. Yoho National Park lies on the western slopes of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Glaciers carved an immense and deep u-shaped valley, later named Yoho by the Cree tribe, leaving the water flowing down its tributary valleys no other choice than to plunge down soaring cliffs. Takakkaw Falls, one of Canada's highest at 254m in one stretch and 384m in total, is simply mesmerising especially on sunny days, when a mist rainbow appears midway up. You depart north and walk across an alluvial plain into the forest. Moose frequent this area. You may opt for a little side trail for a view of Angel's Staircase Falls. The main trail continues up a hill and past a little canyon for good views of Laughing Falls from the north bank of Little Yoho River.

On your way back you will stop at Emerald Lake before returning to your accommodation. Emerald Lake is the largest of Yoho's 61 lakes and ponds, as well as one of the park's premier tourist attractions.

Overnight: Dorothy Motel Or Similar, Banff

Day 10 - Drive to Lake Louise - 120 km, 1 hour. Walk to Lake Agnes (back and forth the same way) – 7.6km, 3-4 hours, 433m ascent/ 433m descent.

Today you drive to the village of Lake Louise. Lake Louise is one of many glacial lakes within Banff National Park and without question the most famous; the emerald colour of the water comes from rock flour carried into the lake by melt-water from the glaciers that overlook the lake. Lake Louise is 2km long, has an area of 85ha, and a maximum depth of 70m. Today you will enjoy much outstanding scenery, as you climb to the shores of picturesque Lake Agnes, with views from above the beautiful Lake Louise. The trail climbs gradually through subalpine forest for a mile to a switch-back that overlooks Lake Louise and the delta at its inlet. Views of the impressive quartzite cliffs of Fairview Mountain rise steeply on the opposite side of the lake. This popular trail leads you to Mirror Lake and through larch trees on an avalanche slope on Mount St. Piran. Here numerous flora, ground squirrels and chipmunk can be seen. You continue until reaching Lake Agnes, located at an altitude of 2,135m. Here, a historic tea house adds a sense of time to the beautiful natural surroundings and serves as a welcoming refuge for hikers. There is an option to continue the hike to Little Beehive summit for even greater views.

Overnight: Dorothy Motel Or Similar, Banff

Day 11 - Lake Minnewanka or Tunnel Mountain Hike. Drive to Calgary.

Today you have a couple of options. Discuss with your guide the best option for your group.

Option One: Lake Minnewenka: Drive to Minnewanka for a last lake shore hike - 2-3 hours. On this walk you may enjoy a beautiful out and back shoreline trail that you can follow for as long or for as little as you want.

Option Two: Tunnel Mountain in Banff: The trail begins from Tunnel Mountain Drive in Banff. It follows long, nicely graded switchbacks along the side of the mountain through the forest. Some of the switchbacks are steeper than others and some of them level out which provides a chance to catch your breath. There are some glimpses of the views along the way through the trees. The best views can be seen from the top of the mountain at the end of the trail. There are some bare rocks surrounded by forest which are perfect places to sit and admire the views overlooking Banff and the surrounding mountains and valleys.

After your last walk you will have some free time in Banff before you drive back to Calgary and will have time to walk downtown and enjoy a last farewell dinner with your group.

Overnight: Ramada Hotel Or Similar, Calgary

Day 12 - Group transfer to the airport for flight back to London.

You may have time for some last minute shopping today before transferring to the airport for your overnight flight home.

Overnight: In flight

Day 13 - Arrive London.