Day 1: Calgary Arrival & Drive to Banff

Arrive at YYC Calgary, pick up your rental car, and drive west. The 90-minute drive from Calgary to Banff is an easy highway cruise (Trans-Canada Highway 1). You’ll know you’ve entered the Rockies when the flat prairie suddenly gives way to jagged peaks.

Check into your Banff accommodation and immediately head to the Banff Gondola ($70 CAD) for sunset views from the top of Sulphur Mountain. The 360-degree panorama of the Bow Valley, Mount Rundle, and the Fairmont Banff Springs is the perfect introduction to the Rockies. If the gondola is out of budget, hike the Tunnel Mountain Trail (4.3 km round trip, free) for a less crowded but still excellent viewpoint.

Stroll through Banff Avenue, the charming main street lined with mountain-style shops and restaurants. The atmosphere is lively but relaxed — the town has a genuine mountain community feel despite its popularity.

Accommodation: Banff town ($100–250/night high season). HI Banff Alpine Centre dorm from $45 CAD.

Day 2: Banff Town & Banff Ave — Lake Minnewanka & Johnston Canyon

Start early with a drive to Lake Minnewanka (10 minutes from Banff town). This glacial lake is massive and surrounded by steep mountain walls. Take the lake cruise ($70 CAD, 1 hour) or hike the shoreline trail. The Stewart Canyon hike from the lake is an easy 2.5-km walk to a scenic canyon viewpoint.

Drive 20 minutes south of Banff to Johnston Canyon — one of the most popular short hikes in the park. The paved trail follows a series of waterfalls through a narrow limestone canyon. Walk to the Lower Falls (1.1 km, easy) and continue to the Upper Falls (2.7 km, moderate). In summer, you can hike beyond to the Ink Pots — six crystal-clear spring-fed pools (5.4 km one way).

Relax in the Banff Upper Hot Springs ($17 CAD) — a natural hot spring pool with mountain views. The mineral-rich water is 37-40°C year-round. Perfect after a day of hiking.

Entry: Johnston Canyon (free). Hot Springs $17 CAD.

Day 3: Lake Louise & Moraine Lake

Moraine Lake is the most photographed lake in Canada for good reason — the turquoise water, the Valley of the Ten Peaks behind it, and the famous Rockpile viewpoint. The problem: it’s extremely popular. Park access is restricted (only Parks Canada shuttles after 8 AM). Arrive before 7 AM or take the shuttle from Lake Louise Park and Ride ($8 CAD). The Rockpile Trail is 10 minutes and offers the iconic view.

After Moraine Lake, drive 15 minutes to Lake Louise itself. The Fairmont Chateau sits at one end of the iconic emerald-green lake. Walk the Lake Agnes Tea House Trail (3.4 km one way, moderate) — a steep but rewarding hike to a historic tea house perched above the lake with views that rival the postcards. Alternatively, the plain Lakeshore Trail (2 km each way, flat) is stunning and easy.

In the afternoon, drive 30 minutes north on Highway 1 to Takakkaw Falls in Yoho National Park — at 373 metres, one of the tallest waterfalls in Canada. The drive up the winding Yoho Valley Road (steep, not for RVs) is an adventure itself.

Accommodation: Lake Louise area or back to Banff ($100–200/night).

Day 4: Icefields Parkway to Jasper

The Icefields Parkway (Highway 93) from Lake Louise to Jasper is 232 km of pure alpine grandeur and arguably the most scenic drive in the world. Allow 4-5 hours without stops — you’ll want 6-8. Highlights to pull over for:

• Bow Lake and the Num-Ti-Jah Lodge (30 min from Lake Louise)
• Peyto Lake — the iconic wolf-head shaped turquoise lake. Viewpoint is a 10-minute walk from the parking lot
• Mistaya Canyon — a short 10-minute walk to a slot canyon with swirling turquoise water
• Saskatchewan River Crossing — last gas station for a while, fill up here
• Columbia Icefield — the Athabasca Glacier tongue reaches down almost to the road. The Skywalk ($40 CAD) and Ice Explorer tour ($75 CAD) are popular but expensive. You can walk the roped-off area near the toe of the glacier for free
• Sunwapta Falls and Athabasca Falls just before Jasper — both short walks and both spectacular

Arrive in Jasper by late afternoon — a much quieter and more relaxed mountain town than Banff.

Accommodation: Jasper town ($80–180/night). HI Jasper hostel from $40 CAD.

Day 5: Jasper — Maligne Lake & Wildlife

Drive the 48-km Maligne Lake Road from Jasper town — one of the best wildlife-viewing drives in the Rockies. Watch for elk, black bears, grizzly bears, and mountain goats. Stop at Maligne Canyon on the way — the deepest canyon in Jasper, with a series of bridges crossing the gorge. The trail is 3.7 km one way and takes about 1.5 hours.

At the end of the road is Maligne Lake, the largest natural lake in the Canadian Rockies. Take the Boat Cruise to Spirit Island ($80 CAD, 1.5 hours) — Spirit Island is one of the most photographed spots in Canada, a tiny island with a few trees against a backdrop of massive peaks. If the cruise is out of budget, the lakeside trail from the boat dock is beautiful and free.

In the evening, drive the Pyramid Lake Road (10 minutes from Jasper) for sunset over the mountains reflected in the lake. Jasper’s lack of light pollution makes it a designated Dark Sky Preserve — on clear nights the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye. Bring a blanket and lie on the shore of Pyramid Lake after dark.

Activities: Maligne Lake cruise $80 CAD. Canyon and trails (free).

Day 6: Jasper to Kamloops

Today you leave the Rockies and cross into the interior of British Columbia. The drive from Jasper to Kamloops follows Highway 5 (the Yellowhead Highway) southwest through Mount Robson Provincial Park. Mount Robson is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies at 3,954 metres — stop at the Visitor Centre for the classic view of the mountain over Kinney Lake (weather permitting — Robson is often cloud-capped).

Continue past Valemount and through the Monashee Mountains to Kamloops, a surprisingly pleasant city in the dry interior of BC. The landscape changes dramatically — from alpine forests to arid, rolling hills dotted with sagebrush and ponderosa pine. Kamloops is a good overnight stop before the final push to Vancouver. Visit the Kamloops Wildlife Park if you have time ($15 CAD).

Stroll along the Thompson River through Riverside Park. Kamloops has a surprisingly good craft beer scene — try Red Collar Brewing or Bright Eye Brewing for local ales.

Accommodation: Kamloops ($80–130/night).

Day 7: Kamloops to Vancouver Arrival

The final leg from Kamloops to Vancouver follows the Coquihalla Highway (Highway 5) south through the Cascade Mountains, then merges onto Highway 1 at Hope. The Coquihalla is a high-altitude route — in winter it can be treacherous, but in summer it’s a smooth, fast drive through beautiful alpine scenery. Stop at Coquihalla Lakes viewpoint for a photo break.

Arrive in Vancouver late morning or early afternoon. If you have time before your flight, drop your luggage at the airport (most rental car agencies offer free luggage transfer to the terminal) and take the Canada Line downtown for a final taste of Vancouver — grab lunch in Gastown or walk the Stanley Park Seawall for 2 hours. If time is tight, head straight to the airport and return the car.

Transport: Return rental car at YVR. Factor in $60-80 CAD for gas this leg.