Peyto Lake, Rockies, Canada, Getty
Brand New!

Hiking in the Canadian Rockies with Outdoor Adventure Girls

9 nights
Moderate

A North American classic. Explore the great Canadian outdoors on some of the best wilderness trails in the Rocky Mountains

What's Included?

Activities & Certified Guides

All itinerary activities with expert, local, English-speaking guides

Hotel & Camping

8 nights camping, 1 night in a hotel

Meals

9 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 7 dinners

Transfers

Airport transfers and everything in between

Equipment & Permits

Tents and sleeping mats; all National Park permits/fees
From

excluding flights
From

excluding flights

What's it like?

Peyto Lake, Rockies, Canada, Getty
Wilcox Pass, Rockies, Canada, Windigo
Bears, Rockies, Canada, Windigo
Campfire, Rockies, Canada, Windigo
Icefield Parkway, Canada, Windigo
Glacier NP, Hiking, Rockies, Canada, Windigo

Tackle the Sentinel Pass and Bow Lake trails in Banff National Park, summit Mount Fairview (2744m) and camp near Lake Louise

Trek by the Athabasca Glacier in Jasper National Park, and hike the backcountry trails on Mount Revelstoke for panoramic views of the Columbia Valley

Hit the paths less trodden in Yoho and Glacier National Parks, hiking by stunning Emerald Lake and taking on the Balu Pass

Swim in pristine alpine lakes, journey along the epic Icefields Parkway and keep your eyes peeled for bears and elk

Key Information

Day 1

Touchdown in Calgary

Calgary, Canada, Getty

Arrive at Calgary Airport and jump on the complimentary shuttle to the Element Hotel. Check in, meet up with your host and head on into Calgary together for welcome dinner at a local craft beer market. Get to know your fellow adventurers and then head back to the hotel to rest up, refreshed and ready for an early start tomorrow morning!

Day 2

Sentinel Pass and Lake Louise

Trekking, Rockies, Canada, Getty

Hiking

4-6 hrs · 10.9km · 792m up · 792m down

Meet your guide in the hotel lobby at 08:00 and get ready to hit the road. Drive from Calgary to Moraine Lake, which sits within the impressive Valley of the Ten Peaks, where your first hiking trail begins in Banff National Park. The path climbs up through forest with occasional viewpoints over the turquoise waters of the lake below and the jagged mountain peaks that surround the valley. After emerging at a beautiful meadow with three alpine lakes, the trail then steepens for the ascent to Sentinel Pass. Enjoy spectacular views down to Paradise Valley before beginning your descent. Head to the campground at nearby Lake Louise for a quick crash course in how to set up camp, then settle in for the evening.

Day 3

Mount Fairview Summit Trail

Lake Louise, Rockies, Canada, Windigo

Hiking

4-6 hrs · 9.3km · 955m up · 955m down

Starting from Lake Louise, today's off-the-beaten-track hike takes you up Fairview Mountain (2744m), climbing almost 1000m to find an astounding viewpoint at the summit. Be wowed by the views down on Lake Louise and out across the Banff National Park. The final 1-2 km of the ascent involves a steep incline to reach the top. Stop off for a well-earned drink in Lake Louise, take a dip in the lake if you're feeling brave, or head straight back to the campground.

Day 4

Katherine Lake Trail

Helen Lake, Rockies, Canada, Getty

Hiking

5-7 hrs · 14.3km · 1075m up · 1075m down

Explore another area of Banff National Park today. After a short drive north along the Icefields Parkway, one of the world's most scenic roads, you'll hit the trail at Bow Lake and climb up to Lake Helen through alpine wildflower meadows. Take in the stunning vistas of Crowfoot Glacier, Bow Lake and Cirque Peak along the route, as you continue on the trail to arrive at Lake Katherine. Cool off with a swim in Bow Lake after your hike if you like, then back to camp to rest before an evening out in Lake Louise.

Day 5

Wilcox Pass Trail and the Icefields Parkway

Wilcox Pass, Columbia Icefield, Rockies, Canada, Getty

Hiking

3-4 hrs · 9.8km · 409m up · 409m down

Continue the drive along the Icefield Parkway. You'll stop off at some classic viewpoints along the way, including Peyto Lake and the Athabasca Glacier. Stop at the trailhead for today's hike – the Wilcox Pass trail, at the southern end of Jasper National Park, this is a moderate hike to alpine meadows which reveals incredible views of the peaks and glaciers on the edge of the Columbia Icefield (if the trail is closed due to snow, you'll instead hike the Parker Ridge Trail or similar). Return back to Lake Louise for your final night at this campground, before heading west tomorrow.

Day 6

Emerald Lake and Yoho National Park

Emerald Lake, Yoho National Park, Canada

Hiking

1.5 hrs · 6km · 25m up · 25m down

Today, you’ll head west to Canyon Hot Springs Resort and Campsite in Albert Canyon, your base for the next two nights, nestled between Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks. En route (between Lake Louise and Golden), you’ll detour off Highway 1 to visit the dazzling Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park. After a few big days on the trail, today’s all about taking things a little easier. You can enjoy a gentle walk around the lake, the largest in the park, or, if you’re up for it, hire a classic Canadian canoe (approx. $100 CAD per hour) and paddle across its surreal, glacial-green waters. From there, you’ll cruise through the mountain town of Golden and over the dramatic Rogers Pass, flanked by towering peaks, before arriving at your next campsite. Dinner will be served back at camp this evening - feet up, stars out.

Day 7

Eva Lake Trail and Revelstoke National Park

Trekking, Rockies, Mountains, Canada, Canva

Hiking

4-6 hrs · 16.1km · 549m up · 549m down

This morning, you’ll leave camp and head for Mount Revelstoke National Park. The day kicks off with a scenic drive to the summit of Mount Revelstoke (1,939m), where sweeping views of the Columbia Valley set the tone nicely. From here, you’ll lace up your boots and hike the Eva Lake Trail – an out-and-back route through pine forests and past crystal-clear alpine lakes (ideal for a refreshing foot soak). After your hike, you’ll wind your way back down the mountain to the historic railroad town of Revelstoke for dinner at a local spot, before returning to camp for a well-earned rest under the stars.

Day 8

Balu Pass Trail and Glacier National Park

Balu Pass trail, Glacier NP, Rockies, Canada, Windigo

Hiking

4-5 hrs · 12.8km · 780m up · 780m down

Leaving Canyon Hot Springs behind this morning, you’ll head east once more through Rogers Pass and into another gem, Glacier National Park, where the spectacular Balu Pass hike awaits. This lesser-known trail winds through prime grizzly bear country, offering a wonderfully varied and scenic trek. There’s a decent challenge involved too, as you climb steadily to the high pass nestled between Cheops Mountain (2,517m) and the aptly named Grizzly Mountain (2,730m). Back at the trailhead, you’ll jump in the van for a 2.5-hour drive to the world-famous mountain town of Banff – your base for the final two nights. It’s a fitting end to the journey, with some of the most iconic views in the Rockies. Once the tents are pitched, dinner will be served back at camp.

Day 9

Cory Pass and Banff

A lone hiker among the jagged rocks of Cory Pass near Banff in Canada.

Hiking

5-7 hrs · 16.9km · 1323m up · 1323m down

For your last day of hiking in the Rockies you’ll tackle the Cory Pass Trail. This circular route around Mount Edith offers epic views of Mount Cory. It begins with a steep section as you head up through the forest, and once above the tree-line you’ll be on more rocky terrain. This route includes a short section of scrambling, your guides will show you the way and by this point in the trip will understand everyone’s abilities well. After the rewarding challenge of today’s hike, grab a shower at camp, and then head into Banff this evening to celebrate an unforgettable adventure in the Rockies!

Day 10

Goodbye Rocky Mountains

Van, Group vehicle, Rockies, Canada, Windigo

Driving

1.5 hrs

After breakfast it’s time to pack up camp for the last time. Say goodbye to the Rockies as you drive back to Calgary Airport.

The Area

map

Logistics

Starts

Element Hotel, Calgary Airport

Any time on Day 1

Ends

Calgary Airport

Around midday on Day 10

Transfers

Arrive at Calgary Airport any time on Day 1. Take advantage of the complimentary 24-hour airport shuttle from the terminal to the Element Hotel. Shuttles are on-demand; the airport provides courtesy phones so you can request a pick up, call (+1-403-984-5515) for the hotel front desk. Transfer time is around 15 minutes from the airport terminal to the hotel, which serves as a great meeting point prior to heading off into the mountains. Your guide will meet you the following morning in the lobby of the hotel at 08:00am – breakfast is available from 06.30am - be ready to hit the road!

When your trip ends on Day 10, there is a road transfer of approx 1.5 hrs to drive from Banff NP to Calgary Airport, arriving around midday. We recommend choosing a flight departing late afternoon/early evening on this day, as sometimes there can be traffic delays heading back to the city.

Travel options

There are direct daily flights to Calgary from London, as well as from most other major European and North American airports.

Day 1

Hotel · Twin share

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 2 – Day 3

Campsite · Twin tent

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 4

Campsite · Twin tent

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 5 – Day 6

Campsite · Twin tent

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 7

Campsite · Twin tent

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 8 – Day 9

Campsite · Twin tent

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 10

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

What is the food like?

Cooking at Campground

Whilst camping, your guide will rustle up nutritious and varied meals. As it is participatory camping, your help washing up afterwards will be appreciated by the guide! Breakfasts are served buffet style each day with varying items, allowing for a quick start before getting out on the trails, and typically include hot drinks, fruit juice, bread, croissants, cereal, granola, yoghurt and fruit. Lunches will be cold picnics, prepared earlier so that you can carry them with you and stop somewhere during the hikes. These usually involve wraps, sandwiches, salads, cereal bars and fruit. For dinners, the guide will plan a starter, main and dessert. The main dish is typically meat or fish with sides of rice or potatoes and vegetables. Some nights they may make a pasta or curry dish.

Vegetarian diets can be catered for, please request this in advance on your passenger info form once you've made your booking. Lactose-free, nut-free and mild gluten-free diets can also be accommodated by advance request. However, due to the limited cooking facilities in the camp kitchen, strictly vegan or coeliac diets (requiring separate cooking equipment to prevent cross-contamination) unfortunately cannot be accommodated on this trip.

What is the accommodation like?

Calgary Airport

On the first night of the trip you'll have a comfortable overnight stay at the Element Hotel, Calgary Airport. This 3-star airport hotel has Wifi, gym, swimming pool and breakfast is included 6.30am-9.30am. Take advantage of the complimentary 24-hour airport from the terminal to the hotel. Check-in is from 3pm, (if requested before arrival) your host may be able to arrange an early check-in for you.

Upgrades

For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private hotel room upgrade can be booked for an extra charge, see Optional Extras for the price. Please request this at the time of booking (this is subject to availability).

Tent, Stars, Night, Rockies, Canada, Windigo
The Rockies

You'll stay in organised, permanent, 'front-country' campgrounds, each with shared facilities for washing: Lake Louise Campground, Canyon Hot Springs Campground and Tunnel Mountain Village Campground. This is participatory camping, so you'll be expected to pitch in and get your own tent set up, although your guide will be on hand to help out! Tents are allocated on a twin-share basis. You'll use the campsites as basecamps from which to go off and do day hikes in nearby locations.

This trip has been rated as Moderate

Whilst in the Rockies you'll go above 2500m altitude on multiple occasions, spending up to six hours per day walking on mountain trails with large elevation gains up to 1500m. As you'll be hiking for consecutive days, fitness and endurance are important, and some preparation hikes in your boots with your pack on prior to the trip are strongly recommended.

The hiking is generally on non-technical terrain, but it can be steep in places with shorter rocky sections. The selected trails are generally 'there and back' day hikes, in the National Parks staying on-trail is important for habitat preservation, meaning that there is some flexibility for the guides to adjust the distance and pace based on the group and weather conditions to provide the best experience possible for everyone.

If you're looking to go hiking surrounded by big mountains, up for the challenges of the trail in return for the epic viewpoints you'll reach at the top and will enjoy hanging out at camp getting to know some new adventure buddies, then this trip is for you!

What will I need to carry?

You'll need to have a larger bag suitable for all your belongings which will be transported for you (you'll have a dedicated vehicle and trailer throughout the trip), and then a small daypack to carry personal items during each day of hiking.

The summer season for hiking in the Canadian Rockies spans from mid-June to mid-September. The peak summer months of July and August are the hottest, with temperatures typically sitting between 20-25°C during the daytime but above 30°C is increasingly common. June and September are cooler, with typical daytime temperatures in the mid-teens. Temperatures drop considerably at nighttime (to around 5°C, and lower in June and September), and of course, you should expect to encounter cooler climates when trekking to higher elevations. It is possible that during the early summer dates that there will still be snow cover on some of the trails.

This trip is brand new

We’re still waiting to collect any reviews from other travellers on this trip. However, all our hosts go through an extensive vetting process to ensure that your adventure is awesome.

Itinerary Activities

  • Guided hike from Moraine Lake over Sentinel Pass (Banff NP)
  • Guided hike on the Mount Fairview Summit Trail (Banff NP)
  • Guided hike on the Katherine Lake Trail from Bow Lake (Banff NP)
  • Guided hike on the Wilcox Pass Trail (Jasper NP)
  • Guided hike around Emerald Lake (Yoho NP)
  • Guided hike on the Eva Lake Trail (Revelstoke NP)
  • Guided hike on the Balu Pass Trail (Glacier NP)
  • Guided hike on the Cory Pass Trail (Banff NP)

Guides

  • Expert, local, English-speaking guides

Accommodation

  • 1 night in a comfortable hotel by Calgary Airport
  • 8 nights camping in front-country campgrounds

Meals

  • All (9) buffet-style breakfasts
  • 8 picnic lunches
  • 7 hearty dinners

Transfers

  • There's a free airport shuttle (24 hrs) from Calgary Airport to the Element Hotel, where your trip begins
  • Group departure transfer to Calgary Airport on Day 10
  • All transfers throughout the trip

Permits

  • All National Park permits

Equipment

  • Tents and sleeping mats

Our trips are hassle-free by design. We include all the activities and equipment, as well as many of the meals, so you can simply rock up with your rucksack and share the adventure with your new pals.

Travel to and from the trip

Our trips do not include flights, trains or other travel to the start point and back from the end point.

Tips

Tips are not included in the trip cost. These are entirely at your discretion but there is an expectation to tip for good service. To help you budget, we'd recommend around $5-10 (CAD) per day for your driver/guide.

Personal Expenses

You know your own spending habits best, so please budget an appropriate amount for things like optional meals and drinks, shopping, optional activities, and laundry.

Travel insurance

Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures and you are required to provide your policy information before departing. Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. We also strongly recommend it includes cancellation and curtailment insurance, should you be unable to join your trip for specific reasons such as illness. Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine, as their insurance offers all of the above.

Visas

Visa requirements often change, and you are responsible for obtaining any required visas for this trip. Please check with your nearest embassy or consulate for up-to-date advice.

What's included?

  • Camping gear: tent, self-inflating mattress, cooking equipment

What's available to hire?

  • Sleeping bags (please request upon booking - CAD50 payment taken locally, in cash)

What do I need to bring?

BAGS

  • Soft overnight duffel bag or rucksack (main luggage)
  • Daypack for trekking with (20-30 litres)
  • Waterproof liner for kitbag/rucksack or drybags

CLOTHES

  • Down jacket
  • Waterproof jacket
  • Waterproof trousers
  • Breathable wicking layers
  • Fleece jacket or similar
  • Thermals (merino best)
  • Warm hat
  • Gloves
  • Buff or neckscarf
  • Lightweight trousers/shorts/skirts
  • T-shirts
  • Underwear and socks
  • Swimwear
  • Sunglasses
  • Sunhat
  • Something to sleep in
  • Hiking boots (worn-in)
  • Sandals

SLEEPING

  • Cotton or silk sleeping bag liner
  • Sleeping bag (3 season, 0ºC to –7ºC)
  • Travel pillow or pillowcase

OTHER

  • Universal travel plug adapter
  • Power bank or solar charger
  • Passports (and visas)
  • Travel insurance documents
  • Ear plugs
  • Insect repellent and mosquito head het
  • Suncream
  • Personal first-aid kit (inc. blister treatment)
  • Personal items (biodegradable toiletries, sanitary wear etc)
  • Toilet kit (toilet paper, biodegradable bags to carry paper out to dispose of)
  • Alcohol hand-gel
  • Quick-dry towel
  • Headlamp or torch
  • Hiking poles (optional but recommended)
  • Reusable water bottle x2 litre
  • Electrolyte tabs/Rehydration salts
  • Energy bars and snacks - read our article on Best Hiking Snacks
*Requests for optional extras can be made after booking on your “My Bookings” page

Optional Private Hotel Room Upgrade

Payable Before Departure

Optional Private Hotel Room Upgrade

We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.

What's the number?
It works out on average at 152kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.

The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.

But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:

  • Driving 1000 miles/1609km would be approximately 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person, if there were two of you in it).
  • A return economy class flight between London and New York would be approximately 1619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
  • 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approximately 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.

What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.

Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.

Should weather conditions mean that particular trails are either closed or not recommended, then the local guide will adjust the itinerary to try and offer a similar alternative, maintaining group safety as paramount and re-working the order of the itinerary if necessary.

For example: several of the trekking trails are not guaranteed to open in June, they could be closed until July depending on snow levels in the mountains. In this case, the guide will arrange for an alternative trek within the national parks.

Also, poor air quality can be an issue during periods of wildfire activity, which is increasingly common across North America from mid to late summer, often resulting in hazy skies and at worst severely limiting outdoor activities. Your guides will follow the official guidance from the local authorities on how best to manage this within the national parks.

Yes, bring your swimsuit and a towel! The water will be cold, largely glacial fed lakes, but throughout the trip you'll have opportunities for taking a dip in different mountain lakes, such as: Herbert Lake, Lake Louise, Bow Lake and Eva Lake

There will also be the option to hire a canoe locally at Emerald Lake on Day 6, subject to availability and weather conditions. The cost is approx. $100CAD per hour for a Canadian canoe that typically can be shared between 1-3 people.

No, as the trip doesn't return to the starting hotel it isn't possible to leave excess luggage there, unless you have booked an additional night post-trip at the same hotel.

Drinking water is available at the campgrounds and other points during the hiking days. You will need to carry your own water supply in a daypack throughout the hikes. If you are interested in using a water filter, then you may wish to read our guide here.

Tips are not included in the trip cost. These are entirely at your discretion but there is an expectation to tip for good service. To help budget, 5 to 10 CAD per day for your driver/guide would be a recommended tip.

During this trip, you'll be camping in locations where there can be wildlife present in their natural habitat. Both smaller animals (i.e. birds and rodents) and larger ones (such as bears, deer, moose and elk) are primarily attracted to food, not humans. To protect the local wildlife, you need to ensure your food is kept out of their reach. When camping, the key is to be vigilant about not leaving any food or scented items (like toothpaste and other toiletries) in tents or exposed at the campsite. Your guides will typically designate a safe place to store these items overnight away from the tents, which campers can access if needed. Occasionally a larger animal may pass through or near to your campsite, especially in areas that overlap with their natural travel routes. In these cases, just like when encountering wildlife on the trail, it's important to maintain a safe distance, respect the animal's space, and calmly make your presence known if necessary. Your guides will provide more details and directives once at camp so everyone can follow best practices camping and do their bit to help keep wild animals wild.

This trip takes place in environments where wild animals are present in their natural environment, where protections and controls on their movement may be limited or non-existent. Some species may be dangerous, venomous, or unpredictable. Sightings are a privilege – but safety is key. Always follow your guide’s instructions and any posted signage.

We recommend considering your comfort around wildlife and discussing any concerns with your host before travel, particularly if you have allergies, phobias, or related health conditions.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).

For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

  • 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
  • 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
  • 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

Need help finding flights?

From logistics and how to get there, to fitness, group dynamic and trip difficulty, Rory and his team of friendly experts are on hand to help.

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You'll be invited to join a WhatsApp group to get to know each other before your big adventure together. Full details

DEPARTURE DATES

August 2026

Saturday 29th August 2026

to Monday 7th September 2026
Outdoor Adventure Girls Trip
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