Grand Canadian Rockies

Transport

Private vehicle FLEET: Our large fleet of vans are fully equipped with dual air-conditioning system, V8 engines and any camping or cooking equipment needed for your trip. Most have cloth-upholstered seats and carpeted interior with radio/tape or CD players. Your baggage is transported in a trailer which is towed behind the van. The vans are regularly serviced in our own maintenance facility and continuously checked and serviced by a well established network of maintenance and service facilities throughout the continent. However, unforeseen maintenance problems can still occur while on the road and we appreciate the patience of our travellers as we make necessary repairs as quickly as possible. DRIVING TIMES: All driving times mentioned in our itinerary are intended as a guide only and represent an estimated driving time - not including lunch stops, fuel stops, photo stops, traffic congestion, adverse weather conditions or any last minute alterations to the itinerary for any unforeseen circumstances. Please note that there are some long driving days on this tour - we'll have some starts as early as 7am and late arrivals at our final destination, sometimes after dark). As always, your group leader will make stops for viewpoints, short walks and lunch/rest breaks to help break up the journey. We recommend you are fully prepared for these long travel days by reviewing our notes and indicated drive times. Some travellers prefer to bring pillows on board for added comfort, others prefer reading material or games and puzzles. The reality is that to get from one fabulous location to another, the distances are great and we like to think at least some of the adventure is in the journey - not just the destination. You'll be on board with up to 12 other passengers plus your group leader so patience and cooperation goes a long way in making this journey a comfortable one. SEAT BELT POLICY: Safety is our priority and therefore our travellers are asked to sign a document on Day 1 of the itinerary indicating your understanding of our seat belt policy.

Meals

5 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Others

Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre Visit Sun Peaks - 4 Course Fur Trader's Feast & Voyageur Canoe experience Jasper National Park - Entrance Fee Visit to Maligne Lake Banff Upper Hotsprings Visit to Lake Louise

Accommodation

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation. Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available. ACCOMMODATION IN CANADA: Canada is becoming increasingly popular, and this increase in visitors is putting a lot of pressure on accommodation. National Park towns such as Jasper and Banff are unable to build more hotels due to building regulations aimed at protecting the ambience of the parks. As a result, accommodation is getting more expensive each year, and although we contract a long way in advance, it is also getting increasingly difficult to secure bookings. At times it can be difficult to strike a balance between price, location and quality and we sometimes have to sacrifice one for the others. There may be times when your hotel is a little bit out from the centre of town. At other times it may be a little bit more simple than what you are expecting on a Comfort trip. Your accommodation should still be clean and comfortable however, and if you are located slightly out of town, your leader will assist in shuttling you back and forth. Hotel (6 nights),Lodge (3 nights)

Guide

Your leader will provide basic information about the sights and cities you'll be visiting but please note that our leaders are not 'tour guides' in the traditional sense. They are adventure travel specialists and are there to organise your trip, arrange activities and help with questions or problems you may have while on your tour. Your leader will provide you with all the important information you need to embark on your own explorations. They are also responsible for driving the van and navigating across the country. The allowable driving times for drivers is strictly controlled in North America. This ensures our drivers are well rested and are not over-tired from too many hours on the roads. While your group will have a minivan for all included activities on the trip, please note that the services of the van and the driver may not be available for your use during free time, or after you have arrived for the day. If you need a special trip into town you may need to arrange transport or a taxi. We endeavour to provide the services of an experienced leader however, situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders. It's strictly forbidden for non-qualified rangers to present any information about some National Parks in North America, therefore we adopt a system (as requested by the park rangers) where our leader will encourage travellers to visit the information centres in the National Parks for details about the site.

Flights

International flights are not included.

Insurance

Insurance is not included.

Others

Other activities and services are not included.

Optional

Whistler - Zip Trek Tour (1.5 hrs) - CAD129 Whistler - Mountain Bike Rental - CAD99 Whistler - PEAK2PEAK Gondola - CAD64 Whistler - Audain Art Museum - CAD18 Jasper - SkyTram - CAD49 Jasper - Mountain Bike Hire - CAD75 Jasper - Cruise on Maligne Lake - CAD79 Icefields Parkway - Athabasca Glacier tour - CAD90 Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum - CAD10 Banff - Canoe Hire - CAD50 Banff - Sulphur Mountain gondola - CAD62 Banff - Horse Riding (1 hour) - CAD60 Banff - Mountain bike hire (full day) - CAD45 Banff - Cruiser bike hire (full day) - CAD38 Calgary - Olympic Park Entrance - Free Calgary - Calgary Tower - CAD18 Calgary - Studio Bell (home of the National Music Centre) - CAD18