Rockies Family Adventure

This trip offers the ultimate Canadian Rockies adventure for families. Especially if you think you’re only going to come once, this is your trip. You will visit world-famous Banff and Jasper National Parks, and enjoy a family heli-hiking adventure from a lodge deep in the BC Rockies. Other accommodations include Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, a chalet village around Lac Beauvert that provides a true Canadian lodge experience, surrounded by sparkling lakes and snow-capped peaks; and Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, built on the shores of Lake Louise. Each hiking day is flexible; you decide how easy or how challenging you want it to be. Go the extra distance to a mountain cirque and an azure lake amid fields brimming with wildflowers, or slow down to take photos and spot wildlife. Even the drives on this trip will make your jaw drop!

Note: Price is based upon a family of two adults and two children under 12, peak season departure.

Scroll down for a detailed itinerary

The Itinerary

Day 1

Upon your arrival at Calgary International Airport, you’ll pick up your rental car and enjoy a scenic two-hour drive west to Banff through the Kananaskis Region. Schedule permitting, take the Banff Gondola up to the top of Sulphur Mountain for unobstructed views of Banff, the Bow Valley, and a 360 degree view of six different mountain ranges. Accommodations are at the Rimrock Resort Hotel in a Premium Room.

Day 2

Explore the Banff region on your own today. You could take a five minute drive into the Banff townsite or enjoy a dip in the nearby Banff Upper Hot Springs. In the evening you’ll saddle up for a horseback trail ride and steak cook-out. Test your cowboy skills and try your hand at roping. Accommodations are at the Rimrock Resort Hotel in a Premium Room.

Day 3

Today you begin your three-day Heli-hiking adventure with a drive to the Bobbie Burns helipad for your quick flight to your Lodge in the Purcell Mountains. Once you’re settled in, take your first flight for an afternoon of guided hiking in and around deserted mountaintops of the British Columbia Rocky Mountains. Accommodations are at the Bobbie Burns Lodge.

Days 4-5

Each day, your helicopter will land yourself and your guide on a spectacular ridge. The views are breathtaking, and your expert guide will show you the way through glaciers, clear turquoise lakes, and steep mountain ridges. Exploring the Bobbie Burns, (a sub-range of the Columbia Mountains) you will learn about the various flora and fauna dotting the landscape. Depending on your interests, you may embark on an all-day hike that covers a wide variety of terrain, or take a helicopter flight after lunch to a secluded alpine lake. Accommodations are at the Bobbie Burns Lodge.

Day 6

After returning to the Bobbie Burns Helipad, you will drive north to Jasper through the Columbia Icefields Parkway. One of the most spectacular drives in the world, plan to make several stops along the way. Don’t miss the “Snocoach” tour onto the Athabasca Glacier, one of the principal ‘toes’ of the Columbia Icefield and the most visited glacier on the North American continent. Other highlights include the aquamarine Peyto Lake and Sunwapta Falls. Accommodations are at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge in a Whistler Cabin.

Day 7

Today enjoy a mild white-water rafting trip down the Athabasca River, a designated Heritage River for its scenic beauty and history of fur trade exploration. The afternoon is yours to explore, with an endless array of options to choose from! Visit the town of Jasper, take in a boat cruise on famous Maligne Lake, play a round of golf, or take an Ecotour safari in search of wildlife. Accommodations are at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge in a Whistler Cabin.

The Route