What better way to explore Calgary than hitting up its downtown core, the heart of the city. . The Columbia Ice Fields Discovery Center is about an hour and a half from Downtown . Maligne Canyon Two provinces. When arriving in Calgary, it means driving to Banff then Jasper then back down again. With the aim to avoid the peak tourist season, I planned to go in early June and spend 5 days across 4 major national parks - Jasper, Yoho, Glacier and Banff. Jasper to Banff Trip Itinerary: The 15 BEST Stops. Explore frozen waterfalls, ice caves and incredible ice formations inside Jasper's deepest canyon. Five days Calgary to Jasper return - itinerary suggestions. A few years ago, I spent a blissful 6 months gallivanting around the Canadian Rockies. One of Jasper's most famous sights, the falls at Athabasca are an impressive gushing of water. Discover the city of Calgary before heading to Banff, Yoho and Jasper National Parks. Here are quick planning tips for your Yoho, Banff, and Jasper itinerary . There are significant staffing shortages in Banff due to covid. I would pick one base in Lake Louise, from where you can visit Yoho, Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. Head to Banff Gondola and enjoy a ride to the Sulphur Mountains. You should count at least 4 hours for driving along the Icefields Parkway with minimal stops. Day 4: Lake Minnewanka, Fairmont Banff and a mountain top sunset. Day 1: Drive Calgary to Banff National Park Start your Alberta Rocky Mountains road trip by driving west from Calgary on Highway 1 (Trans Canada Highway) towards Banff National Park. One of the most beautiful and scenic drives in the world is the Banff to Jasper drive, which is also known as the Icefields Parkway. Banff National Park - 2 nights. Go all out! Western Canada road trip itinerary [] 15 outdoor things to do in Revelstoke, British Columbia - [] Western Canada road trip itinerary for 2 weeks [] Hiking in Jasper National Park: 17 best hikes for all levels - [] Western Canada road trip itinerary [] How to get from Calgary to Banff: complete breakdown of all options . One week is just enough time to explore the Canadian Rockies without feeling too rushed. Activity Level . Designed for those looking to get up into the mountains, this route starts and ends in Calgary and focuses on providing the best access to amazing trails as well as lesser-known . As you continue on your drive towards Banff, your next stop option will be at the Ice Fields Parkway. One Day Tour of Calgary; Weekend Trip Itinerary Ideas Calgary; Calgary & Banff Trip Ideas; Places to See in Calgary; Walking Tour Downtown Calgary. The mix of train and road travel was well balanced. The Icefields Parkway in Banff National Park How to get to Banff and Jasper Late spring or early to mid autumn is the best time to visit if you're not a fan of shoulder to shoulder crowds. The Canadian Rockies consists of the Alberta Rockies and the British Columbia Rockies are a part of the larger North American Rocky Mountains. Banff and Jasper are 288 km apart. Learn more about Banff National Park. However, you can also easily access Jasper through Banff . Itinerary for Banff and Jasper Day 1: Banff Finally after lots of planning, you are finally boarding the plane to discover Alberta. Entry fees: There are entry fees required at all the National Parks in Canada including at Banff, Jasper, and Yoho. Go hiking along Sunshine Meadows or go on a nature trail around the Cave and Basin National Historic Site. Since we just decided to put this trip together in May, I had to take what I could get . The journey is 35 minutes. From Calgary it's a 2 hour drive to Banff where you could spend 3-4 nights. For reference - the total drive time from Jasper to Banff, not including stops is about 3 hours and 45 minutes. Detailed Itinerary Day 1 - Fly into Calgary Day 2 - Lake Louise Day 3 - Moraine Lake & Johnston Canyon Day 4 - Drive the Icefields Parkway from Banff to Jasper Day 5 - Maligne Lake and Maligne Canyon Day 6 - Sulphur Skyline Trail Day 7 - Drive the Icefields Parkway from Jasper to Banff (the city) Day 8 - Moraine Lake and Sulphur Mountain Gondola Days 3-4: Lake Louise - hike to Lake Agnes Teahouse and Big Beehive for a bird's-eye view of Lake Louise, go canoeing on the spectacular Moraine . 1. Day 5: Hot springs, helicopters and canyons. The town used to attract workers from around the world, that has not yet been rectified. Take an icefield tour, raft, hike, or climb. This itinerary allows for maximum time in Banff and Jasper to explore the many highlights both National Park have to offer. 1. There are additional fees for campground use, backcountry camping, fire permits and fishing permits. Overnight in Banff. I'd expect delays on that leg. Overnight in Jasper. Day 4 - Jasper & Banff National Parks 350km in 9 hours Stop 1: Athabasca Falls, Jasper National Park. 4.3 Day 3 - Johnston Canyon, Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, Parker Ridge. As you continue on your drive towards Banff, your next stop option will be at the Ice Fields Parkway. Day 4: Hike to Devil's Thumb and Big Beehive, Yoho National park. Discover the beauty of the Canadian Rockies with this in-depth 10-day itinerary. 3-Week Canadian Rockies Itinerary. Jasper National Park is located in Canada, in the Province of Alberta. The rest of your trip reads great. 8. Day 7 and 8 - Icefields Parkway. The Columbia Ice Fields Discovery Center is about an hour and a half from Downtown . There are lot of campgrounds available in and near the Town of Banff, so finding an RV site shouldn't be a problem. Close out your outdoor adventures with a walk along the Bow River Trail to Bow Falls. 6 day Banff & Jasper itinerary Day 1: Banff Gondola, Johnston Canyon & Ink Pots, Morant's Curve Banff Gondola The Banff Gondola is one of the coolest activities you can do in Banff, and it takes you to the summit of Sulphur Mountain. Canada - Banff/Jasper/Calgary itinerary - I am very excited about our upcoming trip to the Canadian Rockies. However, you can also easily access Jasper through Banff . Set to the backdrop of stunning mountain peaks, glacial lakes, and frosted evergreens, Banff is an exceptionally beautiful town! 53 helpful votes. You will spend approximately CAD200 on fuel, CAD700 on car rental, CAD900 on good mid-range accommodation, CAD500 on food & drink, CAD 150 on national park fees, and CAD200+ on activities and tours. We enjoy hiking, and experiencing . It is the largest of all the parks in the Canadian Rockies, over 4,200 square miles in area! Canada | Banff & Jasper | Adult Only Wildlife, wilderness, and wildflowers all around Banff, Jasper, and Lake Louise. Day 3- Drive from Jasper to Banff. Jasper National Park is located in Canada, in the Province of Alberta. 6 days / 5 nights. After an uneventful flight, we hopped in our rental car and made our way to our hotel for the evening. As mentioned earlier, if you are visiting Jasper National Park from Calgary, it takes 1.5 hours from Calgary to Banff, about 1 hour from Banff to Lake Louise, then another 2.5-3 hours on the Icefield Parkway from Lake Louise to Jasper, without stopping for any of the scenic lookout points or waterfalls. This road trip itinerary starts in Calgary and features top places in Banff, Jasper, Yoho, or Kootenay and can be easily adjusted to a two-week alternative if needed. Mt. Day 3: Johnston Canyon, Bow Valley Parkway, Moraine Lake in the evening. Calgary drop off point 1: Best Western Premier Calgary Plaza, address: 1316 33rd St NE, Calgary AB T2A 6B6 Calgary drop off point 2: Delta Calgary Downtown, address: 209 4th Ave SE, Calgary AB T2G 0C6 Calgary drop off point 3: Calgary Airport According to itinerary arrangement, the drop off time at Banff and Calgary may be changed. It is the largest of all the parks in the Canadian Rockies, over 4,200 square miles in area! Day 8: Lake Louise. Jasper is also massive - it is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies and spans over 4,200 square . 1 403 762 1558; fee) remains true to its era with stuffed specimens of moose, bears . Ice fields Parkway - Field - Banff. 4.1 Day 1 - Sulphur Mountain, Lake Minnewanka, Banff. Tickets and other practicalities Banff National Park admission is C$10 for adults, C$8.70 for seniors, C$20 for families and free for kids under 17. Hidden cave at Johnson Canyon. The gondola cars are pretty small and fit around 4 people, and Adam and I had ours all to ourselves! 4.2 Day 2 - Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, Emerald Lake. Jasper Town . The first bus leaves Banff High School Transit Hub at 9am and the last bus leaves Johnston Canyon at 7:10pm. Day 10: Jasper to Calgary via Canmore for . Here is an alternate itinerary option for a 14 days road trip from Vancouver to Banff to Calgary. Day 9 and 10 - Jasper. Sam and I arrived before 8am to an empty parking lot and an empty viewing deck where the walkways wander between carved out rock and various falls. Take a stroll around town and enjoy the fresh mountain air. View Map. Accommodations in Jasper, Banff and Calgary were first class. Known for its incredible variety of activities and small-town atmosphere. So here is a fast-paced 5 days in Banff and Jasper itinerary, let's go! The Perfect 3 Days in Jasper Itinerary Day 1 As Jasper National Park takes five hours along the Icefields Parkway (highway 93) from Calgary and four hours driving west of Edmonton, we assume you'll be arriving in Jasper mid-day. Here's a summary of how to plan your trip to Banff: Day 1: Lake Louise, Grizzly Bear Watching & Peyto Lake. There are daily shuttle bus service between Banff High School Transit Hub and Johnston Canyon from May 21 - Oct 11th with reservation recommended. Vancouver to Banff Road Trip Itinerary: Day 1. The fastest route from Calgary to Jasper is 413 kms or approximately 5 hours without stopping. The Icefields Parkway, rated by National Geographic as one of the most scenic drives on the planet, runs from Lake Louise to Jasper townsite, and is approximately half in Banff National Park and half in Jasper National Park.. JNP also offers a lot of hiking, and one advantage of JNP over BNP is that there are . It then heads north on the "Sea to Sky Highway", up towards Wells Grey Provincial Park, Jasper National Park, down the Icefields Parkway to Lake Louise, around Banff National Park, into Kananaskis Country and finally out east toward Calgary - the cowboy city in the Canadian prairies. The drive time from the Gondola to Banff centre is 15-20-ish mins. The Perfect Banff Itinerary - A Western Canada Road Trip The Ultimate Banff Itinerary - Four Iconic Parks in Five Days (with Map!) The rest of your trip reads great. This ultimate 7 days itinerary for Banff and Jasper starts and ends in Calgary and is a guide for your trip to Banff and Jasper. Just remember you'll need to drive back to Calgary if you're flying home outta there (another ~5 hours), or to Edmonton if you choose two, one way flights (~3 hours, 45 minutes). Day 5 - Lake Louise. The Jasper to Calgary leg will be spectacular for scenery. Make a stop in the small town of Canmore, shortly before the national park boundary, to experience beautiful scenery without the big crowds. Four parks. For this 5 th leg of this 10-day trip to Canada, take the mythical route of the Canadian West, the Icefields Parkway. You'll leave Calgary heading westbound on Highway 1, and then onto Highway 93 (the Icefields Parkway) northbound to Jasper. The Banff to Jasper drive - an Icefields Parkway itinerary. 4.4 Day 4 - Icefields Parkway & Jasper National Park (Optional) 5 . Expect to spend CAD 2500-2700 for 2 people on a week long road trip in the Canadian Rockies. The drive time from the Gondola to Banff centre is 15-20-ish mins. . Day 1: Our Journey to Calgary - Fairmont Palliser. Day 1: Arrive in Calgary, drive to Banff. The Canadian Rockies. Canadian Rockies Road Trip: Banff, Lake Louise, & Jasper - 7 Days. From Calgary follow the scenic Trans-Canada Highway to Banff National Park, Canada's oldest and the largest national park. If you don't mind driving back down through Jasper and Banff again, it will only take five hours for the return journey. There are significant staffing shortages in Banff due to covid. Everything is coordinated at the best: Splendid itineraries, comfortable seats, gourmet food, lovely and smiling staff, perfect baggage transportation, at the chosen hotels. I would pick one base in Lake Louise, from where you can visit Yoho, Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. Itinerary Notes This trip can easily be revered with you beginning your week in Calgary, and working your way north, ultimately finishing in Edmonton. Overnight in Lake Louise. Day 5: Drive the Icefields Parkway to Jasper. This 3-day itinerary for Banff National Park in Canada takes you to the absolute highlights of the park in a very short amount of time, and focuses on easily accessible locations suitable for either a family trip or one for couples. Jasper National Park Day 8-9: Banff National Park. Edith Cavell (can view from a distance, drive up, or take a rather strenuous hike to the summit). Banff is the most visited national park in the " Great White North ", with Jasper and Yoho not too far behind. You will travel the Icefields Parkway both Northbound and Southbound to allow you to see all the highlights including Pow Lake, Peyto Lake, Athabasca Falls and Sunwapta Falls! Be prepared for a journey among stunning turquoise lakes, amazing glaciers, canyons, beautiful waterfalls and, of course, breathtaking mountains. For reference - the total drive time from Jasper to Banff, not including stops is about 3 hours and 45 minutes. Driving from Calgary to Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper. Day 2: Drive the Icefields Parkway, one of the most scenic drives in the world. Budget for more time as there will be plenty of photo stops along the way. I'd expect delays on that leg. 4-Day Banff Itinerary at a Glance. The closest airport is Edmonton International Airport (YEG), and from Edmonton to Alberta will take around 4 hours by car. The closest airport is Edmonton International Airport (YEG), and from Edmonton to Alberta will take around 4 hours by car. Apr 7th, 2011 11:48 AM. It connects the cities of Jasper to Banff over 230 km through the two national parks. The Jasper to Calgary leg will be spectacular for scenery. Day 3: Pop over to Coyotes Southwestern Grill for breakfast, then take a trip to the Fairmont Banff Springs, also known as the "Castle in the Mountains.". 53 helpful votes. The drive to Jasper on the Icefields Parkway is rich with attractions and viewpoints. (2022) Nestled high in the Canadian Rockies, tucked away in a cozy bowl amid the mountains, lies a picturesque alpine town full of beauty and wonder: Banff. It's a long drive from Vancouver to Banff so it's a good idea to split the drive across two days. And what is one of the best places in North America? Duration. Parks Canada Pass - To drive from Jasper to Banff you're going to need a Parks Canada Pass. Day 4 - Johnson Canyon. Your trip ends with a drop-off at either the Calgary airport (1:00 pm) or your Calgary hotel (1:30 . Where to Stay in Jasper ; 2. Day 1: Arrive in Banff, head to Banff Gondola, hot springs, Bow Falls and maybe Vermillion Lakes. Banff National Park was created in 1885 after the now-famous natural hot springs were discovered. Nearby, western Canada's oldest natural history museum, the rustic 1903 Banff Park Museum (91 Banff Ave; tel. You can purchase a day pass or an annual pass for an individual or family/group. I would pick another base in Banff or Canmore, from where you can explore Banff and Kananaskis. See the latest fees on the Banff National Park website. CANADIAN ROCKIES TOUR. A lot of people choose to stay in Kamloops which is just under 4 hours' drive (354 km) from Vancouver. The 230 km (143 miles) Icefields Parkway (Hwy 93) in Alberta, Canada linking Lake Louise (near Banff) to Jasper is one of the most beautiful road trips in Canada, and the whole wide world. Canada. sue5250. Day 6 - Moraine Lake. Without making any stops the Icefields Parkway from Lake Louise to Jasper drive takes around 3 hours one way. By choosing this route, you can make any stops that perhaps you missed on the way up. This sightseeing itinerary skips Jasper National Park, and instead covers Revelstoke, Glacier National Park, and Golden in British Columbia. From the bubbling hot springs to the glistening waterfalls, there is unimaginable beauty at every turn. Approximate Distance: 1,750 km. Five days. Day one of your itinerary starts at 8:00 am with pick-up at your pre-trip hotel. Jasper National Park offers more of the scenic beauty of the Canadian Rockies. And doing the Icefields Parkway in both directions is highly recommended as it's a spectacular experience. You could visit Kootenay from either Banff or Lake Louise bases. . Three girls. Day 2: Moraine Lake, an epic hike and Vermillion Lakes. Valley of the Five Lakes ; 3. Athabasca Falls ; 4. BANFF Itinerary MUST READ! Jasper National Park - 3 nights. We flew Delta from Nashville to Minnesota to Calgary. You could also stay at Salmon Arm (461 km) or Revelstoke (565 km). Budgeting for this road trip. . The itinerary starts in Vancouver, one of the biggest transport hubs in Canada. Driving times from Calgary to Jasper: The entire drive from Calgary Canmore Banff Lake Louise Jasper is roughly 5 hours.