The Road to the Rockies

Touching down in Vancouver, you’ll be met and transferred to a hotel in the city centre. Vancouver is a cosmopolitan delight, a gateway to the stunning snow-capped mountains and a city full of interest. Take to the friendly streets on foot or catch a hop-on/hop-off bus, maybe stopping off at Canada Place, Jack Pool Plaza and Stanley Park where you can hire bikes and pedal through the temperate rainforest and the adjoining 8 km seawall.

Don’t miss the famous Totems and Prospect Point, English Bay, Yaletown, Chinatown and the historic Gastown. Also visit Granville Island, famous for its lively entertainment, artwork and food market – stroll among the artisan workshops and enjoy a coffee gazing out over the Pacific.

Just a few minutes from central Vancouver is the iconic Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. It’s been part of the city life since 1889, a distinctive feature at 230 feet high and 450 feet long high above the river gorge. Venture into the rainforest and discover the seven suspended footbridges of Treetops Adventure, a wonderful trail high up in the cedar-scented treetop canopy.

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Distance: 200km (124miles)

Time to hit the road! You’ll be transferred to the depot to collect your motorhome and then you’ll be leaving town.

Manning Provincial Park is home to a range of wildlife including black bear, coyote, marmot, beaver, chipmunks and deer, not to mention more than 190 species of birds. Hiking trails thread around the tree cloaked hills, along crashing rivers and through valleys where in the summer the alpine meadows are ablaze with wildflowers.

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Distance: 180km (111miles)

Head on through the dramatic Cascade Mountains before arriving in the picturesque Okanagan Valley, where a milder climate ensures a reputation for fine wines and numerous fruit orchards.

In fact there over 60 wineries to investigate, many offering a chance to enjoy a tour and a tasting. As you travel be sure to stop and pick up fresh fruit from roadside stalls and farmers’ markets. Take a ride through the gorgeous scenery on the Kettle Valley Steam Railway, built just before the First World War, or simply relax on one of the beautiful lake beaches and soak up the views.

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Distance: 208km (130miles)

Drive south down the valley, then east, passing serene lakes with the mountains towering above you on either side. You’ll be cruising along a stretch of the famous Crowsnest Highway, the main route cutting across the Rockies between Alberta and British Columbia. It’s a historic route that follows the footsteps of 19^thcentury gold miners who trod this trail. The scenery is majestic and you’ll eventually come to Christina Lake, the warmest lake in Canada.

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Distance: 116km (72miles)

Continuing along the incredible Crowsnest Highway you’ll reach the characterful town of Nelson in the West-Kootenays. Tucked into the Selkirk Mountains and overlooking the deep blue waters of Kootenay Lake, its waterfront is dotted with pleasant parks and beaches. The culturally rich town has a thriving social scene, with great eateries, bars and galleries. Enjoy the eclectic Baker Street with its superb cafés and tour around some of the 350 beautifully restored historical buildings, dating back to its origins as a mining town.

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Distance: 270km (167miles)

En route to Revelstoke you can stop at the Ainsworth Hot Springs for a dip in the pools and cave or visit Kaslo and the silver mine of Sandon, now a ghost town. Continue alongside the photogenic Arrow Lakes to the alpine city of Revelstoke, your base for the next two nights.

Staying in Revelstoke is a great opportunity to get up into the Selkirk and Monashee Mountains for excellent alpine walking and biking trails. Visit the Revelstoke Dam, paddle a canoe or SUP on the lake or simply cruise along the Meadows in the Sky Parkway up to the summit of Mount Revelstoke for unforgettable views.

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Distance: 276km (172miles)

Heading down Highway 1, you could pause in Salmon Arm, the ‘Gem of the Shuswap’ and an unspoilt area for outdoor pursuits. Stretch the legs amid some gorgeous lake scenery. Follow the short hiking trail to Margaret Falls in Herald Provincial Park to see the ancient cedars and trace the shoreline of the Adams River in Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park.

Wells Gray Provincial Park is a true wilderness, certainly one of Canada’s most beautiful parks. Immerse yourself in natural surroundings, with pounding waterfalls, guided walks, hiking trails, white water rafting and kayaking.

The wildlife is exceptional: black bears, grizzlies, moose, mountain goats, caribou, wolves and cougars. Don’t miss Dawson and Spahats Falls and especially Helmcken Falls, which plunge 140 metres down into a mist-filled abyss and which, in winter, freeze into a pinnacle of ice.

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Distance: 318km (198miles)

Head north over the Caribou Mountains, watching out for black bears as you travel. Stop at the peaceful Rearguard Falls, an easy walk from the car park (you can even go white water rafting on the cascading Fraser River). Push on through Mount Robson Provincial Park, named after the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies, and you’ll come to Jasper, your home for the next two nights.

Jasper National Park is jaw droppingly wild and imposing. More rugged than its utterly beautiful southerly sister Banff, it is immense in every sense, with unique wildlife, vast icefields and desolate expanses. Cruise along the Maligne Lake, take the Jasper SkyTram to the top of Whistler Mountain, admire Mount Edith Cavell glacier and the alpine meadows, a carpet of colourful wildflowers in spring. Follow hiking trails on Mount Whistler or even slip into the warm embrace of the waters at historic Miette Hot Springs.

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Distance: 288km (180miles)

The Icefields Parkway is often considered the world’s most spectacular road. Running 230 km from Lake Louise to Jasper, it features the best of Rocky Mountain scenery, with cascading rivers, high mountain passes, alpine glaciers, snowy peaks and crystal clear turquoise lakes. Along the way keep an eye open for black bears, deer and coyotes.

Stop whenever you can and savour the views – maybe at the renowned Athabasca Glacier where you can take a ride across the glacier on the Ice Explorer. Other highlights include the Crowfoot Glacier, Athabasca and Sunwapta Falls, Peyto Lake, the Glacier Skywalk and dazzling Lake Louise.

Take time to get to know Banff: Lake Minnewanka, the Vermillion Lakes, Bow Falls, Johnston Canyon and Sulphur Mountain – enjoy a dip in the hot pools and take the leisurely gondola to the top of the mountain for breathtaking wraparound vistas.

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Distance: 135km (84miles)

Enjoy the drive to Radium Hot Springs – there are plenty of stop off points with pleasant, easy walks, scenic viewpoints and picnic areas.

Radium Hot Springs offers soothing thermal spring water, naturally heated underground to 44 degrees Celsius and with different temperatures in different pools. It’s a great place to soak and relax. The town itself offers good bars and restaurants, a golf course and extraordinarily beautiful scenery.

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Distance: 381km (237miles)

The wetlands near Radium offer a rich habitat for many wildlife and merit a visit. A little to the south a stop at the Fairmont Hot Springs is also recommended. Wasa Lake Provincial Park is popular for its warm waters in summer, while the Fort Steele Heritage Town provides a chance to step back in time with a glimpse into another era.

Spend time exploring the rolling hills around Waterton Lakes National Park. This is cattle country where the Rocky Mountains descend and merge with the vast prairies. Take a drive to Redrock Canyon, watching out for bears along the way. Hike up to Blakiston Falls, enjoy a Shoreline Cruise along the lake or follow the Akamina Parkway to Cameron Lake where you can hire a canoe for some magnificent views from on the water.

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Distance: 259km (161miles)

Drive through the rolling prairies hills and cattle country as you make your way to Calgary for the last night in your motorhome.

On day 24 you’ll return your motorhome and transfer to a centrally located hotel in Calgary for a 2 night stay.

Steeped in western culture, Calgary ‘Cowtown’ is home to the ‘Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth’, the annual 10-day Calgary Stampede.

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