This morning arrive in Calgary International (YYC).  After you have picked up your bags, proceed to the Car Rental office at YYC Airport.  You will present your confirmation voucher along with your valid Driver’s License and credit card to rent your pre-booked car.

Leaving Calgary behind, set your sights for the next few days on the magnificent Rockies with her treasure chest of craggy and forested mountain ranges, rivers, waterfalls, and emerald blue & green lakes. The landscape as you drive down the HWY 1 from Calgary to Banff is constantly transforming and offers some of the clearest markers of the very last Ice Age, and the creation of the Canadian Rockies. Quite possibly the most amazing vista you will realize on your way to Banff is that of the very Front Range of the Canadian Rockies. These jagged, rocky peaks tower high into the sky and offer your first welcome into the beautiful Rockies. Of them, the most iconic is Mt. Yamnuska, which means “a wall of rock” in the Nakoda language.

Upon arrival in Banff, you will check into your resort. Rest of the day free to discover this bustling resort town of Banff, the gateway to the Rockies. 

Mt. Rundle and Mt. Cascade, part of the Rocky Mountains tower the skyline of Banff.  Boutiques and restaurants mix with château-style hotels and souvenir shops on Banff Avenue, the main thoroughfare. The 6,500 square kilometres of parkland surrounding Banff is host to animals including elk and grizzly bears.

Devote the day exploring Banff and the Banff National Park.  Begin your day with a ride on the famous Banff Gondola to the peak of the Sulphur Mountain.  The Banff Gondola delivers fantastic panoramic views from the city of Banff along with the Canadian Rockies.  The Gondola Ride is included in your Self-Drive package. Visit the iconic Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Lookout Point, Bow Falls, the Tunnel Mountains & the Hoodoos. Explore Johnston Canyon or spend your day in some of the interesting activities Banff offers. These include a cruise on Lake Minnewanka, hiking, Horseback Riding with a Cowboy Cookout, River Rafting in Kicking Horse, Via Ferrata on Mount Norquay and much more. 

If you want to discover the magic of the Rockies, you must visit the Yoho National Park.  Located in British Columbia, Yoho National Park is located along the western slopes of the Canadian Rocky Mountains west of the Banff National Park. Yoho in Cree Nation language means “Awe” and the park offers it all - deep blue rivers, roaring waterfalls, and green pines surrounding the lakes – scenery that awaits your eyes. 

Spend your day discovering the Lower Spiral Tunnel Viewpoint, the Natural Bridge, Emerald Lake, Yoho Valley Road, the Takkakaw Falls, and a visit to the town of Field.  You may even want to drive all the way out and visit the beautiful village of Kicking Horse in BC.

Today you will leave the town of Banff to drive north to Jasper at the top of the Icefield Park.  We recommend an early morning start so you have plenty of time to stop by at all the great viewing spots along the highway and you can escape the crowds at Lake Louise as the day progresses.  

With the stops you will make enroute, it will take up your entire day, arriving at Jasper closer to dinner hour.  Your first stop this morning will be at Lake Louise, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The shimmering turquoise green waters of Lake Louise will leave you speechless.  

It will be hard to tear away from the stunning beauty of Lake Louise.  But, north along Icefields Parkway (Highway 93), a wide stretch of breath-taking country awaits you.  Renowned for the Columbia Icefield off this Hwy, the parkway winds through green meadows and forested river valleys cradled by walls of dazzling peaks. You will frequently spot elk, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, black and grizzly bears, wolf, or caribou. 

You will see some interesting sights along the highway, such as, Bow Lake with majestic views of the Crowfoot Glacier, Saskatchewan River Crossing, Sunwapta River and Athabasca Falls.

Your Self-drive Package includes a visit to the Columbia Icefield and admissions to the world-famous Ice Explorer and Glacier Skywalk Experience at the Columbia Icefield.  

On the northernmost point on Hwy-93, Jasper is a small mountain town tucked away in the Jasper National Park. You can do two different tours of Jasper.  A short leisurely drive that visits all the best locations that are close to the town.  The second tour you can take is a longer drive to the best corners of the Park. 

Closer to town, drive out to Pyramid and Patricia Lakes for some stunning views. Take a ride up onto Whistlers Mountain on the Jasper SkyTram and have a great chance of sharing excellent views with big horn sheep at the top of the stairs at Old Fort Point. 

Further out, drive to the Maligne Lake for a Cruise to the Spirit Island. Enroute, stop to see the historic Jasper Park Lodge, Edith, and Annette Lakes.  Pay a visit to the narrow and deep Maligne Canyon and the fast disappearing Medicine Lake.  

If you still have time on hand, drive east to visit Miette Hot Springs for the hottest soak in the Rockies.