Rockies Adventure: 7 Days Banff, Yoho & Kootenay Hiking & Wildlife

Tour Overview

Itinerary Highlights

Day 1: Arrive Calgary — Transfer to Banff

Touch down in Calgary, just 130km from the Rockies. The drive to Banff builds anticipation as the prairie gives way to foothills, then the mountains emerge on the horizon — first as a blue-grey line, then as towering walls of rock. Stop at the Banff sign at the park entrance for the obligatory photo. Check into your lodge. Afternoon: orientation walk along the Bow River trail — elk frequently graze on the riverbanks and in town (Banff’s elk population has learned that humans mean safety from wolves). Welcome dinner and route briefing. Overnight in Banff.

Day 2: Johnston Canyon & Sunshine Meadows

Morning hike through Johnston Canyon, one of the most popular in the Rockies for good reason — catwalks bolted to the canyon walls take you through a narrow limestone gorge to two spectacular waterfalls. The Lower Falls (1.1km) plunge into a deep pool with a small cave behind, and the Upper Falls (2.7km) drop 30m in a dramatic punchbowl. The canyon was carved by Johnston Creek over 8,000 years, and the limestone walls are rich in 500-million-year-old fossils visible to the naked eye. Afternoon: take the Sunshine Gondola (starting June 28) to Sunshine Meadows (2,200m), an alpine wonderland straddling the Continental Divide. In summer, the meadows explode with wildflowers — Indian paintbrush, glacier lilies, western anemones — against the backdrop of Mount Assiniboine. The Standish Viewing Deck offers 360-degree views of three mountain ranges. Gentle hiking on the Rock Isle Lake loop. Overnight in Banff.

Day 3: Yoho National Park — Takakkaw Falls & Emerald Lake

Cross into British Columbia and Yoho National Park (Yoho is a Cree word of awe and wonder). Morning: Takakkaw Falls, Canada’s second-highest waterfall at 373m (254m of free fall). The name means “it is magnificent” in Cree. The water free-falls from the Daly Glacier, creating a mist cloud that soaks everything within 100m — on sunny days, permanent rainbows arc through the spray. Afternoon: Emerald Lake, Yoho’s answer to Lake Louise but far less crowded. The color is even more intense — a vivid emerald green that seems impossible. Walk the 5.2km trail looping around the lake (flat, 1 hour). The historic Emerald Lake Lodge (1902) is the perfect spot for lunch. Visit the Natural Bridge, where the Kicking Horse River has carved a hole through solid rock, creating a natural bridge that thunders with water in early summer. Overnight in Banff.

Day 4: Kootenay National Park — Marble Canyon & Paint Pots

Morning drive through Kootenay National Park, the least visited of the Big Four but with dramatic scenery — the road follows the Vermilion River through a narrow valley hemmed by the Mitchell and Vermilion ranges. Hike Marble Canyon (1.5km loop), a slot canyon even deeper than Maligne — 600m of trail with interpretive signs explaining how water carved through 500-million-year-old limestone. Afternoon: the Paint Pots, a cultural and geological wonder. Three circular pools bubble with iron-rich mineral water that has been staining the clay ochre-red for millennia. For thousands of years, the Ktunaxa and Stoney First Nations harvested this ochre for ceremonial body paint and rock art — it was a sacred site and a trading commodity. The trail follows ochre-stained streams through the forest. Return to Banff via Vermilion Pass. Overnight in Banff.

Day 5: Larch Valley & Sentinel Pass (Fall Colors)

Full-day classic Rockies hike: Larch Valley and Sentinel Pass, starting from Moraine Lake. The trail climbs 530m over 5.8km through a forest of Engelmann spruce before emerging into Larch Valley, an alpine basin ringed by the Ten Peaks. In late September, the larch trees turn brilliant gold — an ephemeral spectacle that draws hikers from around the world, as the needles fall within 2-3 weeks. Continue to Sentinel Pass (2,611m), one of the highest maintained passes in the Rockies. The view from the pass is staggering: Paradise Valley on one side, the Ten Peaks on the other, and the Wastach Mountain group beyond. Snow may persist at the pass well into summer. Descend the same route. 11.6km round trip, 6-7 hours. Evening: well-deserved soak in Banff Upper Hot Springs. Overnight in Banff.

Day 6: Kananaskis Country & Wildlife Safari

Escape the national parks to Kananaskis Country, a 4,000 km² multi-use recreation area on the eastern slopes of the Rockies that offers wildlife viewing on par with the parks but with far fewer visitors. Morning drive along Highway 40, dubbed “Kananaskis Trail” — consistently rated one of Alberta’s most scenic drives. Hike the Ptarmigan Cirque trail (4.5km, 230m ascent), one of the highest trailheads accessible by road (2,200m), which climbs rapidly into alpine tundra with views of Mount Rae. Afternoon: dedicated wildlife safari with a professional guide. Kananaskis has one of the highest grizzly bear densities in the Rockies, and your guide knows the active territories. Other possibilities: moose in wetland areas, mountain goats on cliffsides, and golden eagles soaring on thermals. Farewell dinner at a backcountry lodge or a restaurant in Canmore, the charming mountain town that’s Banff’s more relaxed neighbor. Overnight in Banff/Canmore.

Day 7: Morning Hike & Depart

Final morning hike at Grassi Lakes (3.4km loop, 125m ascent) near Canmore — two stunning turquoise lakes at the foot of ancient fossil reefs, with rock climbing routes on the surrounding cliffs. Or choose the “easy route” along a wide gravel road. Transfer to Calgary Airport for departure.

Inclusions

• 6 nights Banff/Canmore lodge with daily breakfast
• Johnston Canyon + Marble Canyon + Paint Pots guided hikes
• Larch Valley/Sentinel Pass full-day guided hike
• Takakkaw Falls + Emerald Lake (Yoho) excursion
• Sunshine Meadows gondola (seasonal, June-Sept)
• Kananaskis wildlife safari with professional guide (4 hours)
• Banff Upper Hot Springs entry
• Lake Louise + Moraine Lake guided visits
• 5 dinners incl. welcome + farewell
• Private vehicle + English-speaking hiking/nature guide
• All National Park passes + bear spray + hiking poles