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Route Rating Level 1 to Level 4

PDF iconDetailed Itinerary

RESERVE THIS TRIP!

Premiere Inns
  • From $2,998
    To $3,598 pp dbl. occ.
  • (+From $960 To $990
    for sgl. occ.)

Reserve early for the best available price. More Info

TRIP NOTES

All meals included except 1 dinner.

Cancellation Policy

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Meet / Depart

Banff, Alberta

Special Interest

Canoe, Fine Wine & Cuisine, Geological Wonders, Golf, Horseback Ride, Natural Beauty &/or Wildlife, Raft, Spa, Swim

Recommended Reads

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Contact Us

Call: 800-462-2848
or 510-527-1555
Fax: 510-527-1444
E-mail us

801 Cedar St.
Berkeley, CA 94710

Business Hours:
7 days a week
from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Time

Or contact your travel agent

Canadian Rockies Family

Canadian Rockies Family Multisport

Bike, Hike and Raft in Banff and Jasper National Parks

If you and your family can't decide between biking or hiking in the Rockies, now you don't have to. We've taken our best-loved activities and one of our most popular destinations and combined them into a terrific trip that's bound to be your family's new favorite. Come bike and hike in Banff and Jasper with our Trip Leaders, who are certified Mountain Parks Heritage Interpreters and know these national parks intimately. Pedal past glaciers inching their way down the faces of mighty peaks, hike to lakes in crayon-box hues of deepest blue and vibrant green, take to the water on an easygoing raft trip and explore miles and miles of Canada's breathtaking Rockies.

You are viewing the Family Premiere Inns version of this trip.
View the Family Casual Inns , Family Deluxe Camping Itineraries.

View the Classic Premiere Inns , Classic Casual Inns , Classic Deluxe Camping Itineraries.

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Days 1-2 Jasper National Park

Meet in Banff  Picnic at Waterfowl lakes with towering Mount Cephren above Get a new perspective on the landscape on a guided raft trip down the Athabasca River Adults visit Maligne Lake to see its magnificent color before a downhill and rolling ride, meanwhile kids get to try rock climbing with accredited mountain climbing guides Hike through spectacular Maligne Canyon or up to Old Fort Point  Myriad optional activities await: indulge in a massage at our hotel's full-service spa, play a round of golf or survey your surroundings on horseback.

Day 3 Bow Lake and the Icefields Parkway

Stride through pristine mountain wilderness in the Valley of Five Lakes, winding past its jade-green namesakes and through the habitats of mule deer, beavers and coyotes Revel in the view of the Athabasca Glacier and the massive Columbia Icefield Stay on the shores of brilliantly blue Bow Lake in historic hunting lodge built by Jimmy Simpson Tumbling glaciers and soaring peaks flank a long gradual ascent along the stunning Icefields Parkway to Bow Lake Keep an eye out for resident wildlife, including moose, elk, bighorn sheep and black bears.

Days 4-6 Lake Louise and Banff National Park

Walk to beautiful view of Bow Falls Scrumptious picnic a la Backroads Ride over the Continental Divide enroute to the hamlet of Lake Louise, a world-renowned turquoise beauty ringed by magificent glaciated peaks Stroll alongside the lake's shimmering shore and follow the path of the Victoria Glacier up to the Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse A dynamic local kids' naturalist brings the landscape to life Spend time at the Post Hotel's Temple Mountain Spa Dine at the hotel's acclaimed restaurant, which showcases the cuisine of chef Hans Sauter Take time to relax amid the comforts of our Relais & Châteaux–member hotel before another exquisite dinner.Pedal a route lined with virgin forest and wildflowers toward Banff Enjoy a farewell picnic.

Trip praise

By far, the Best trip we have ever taken. The logistics, organization, quality of guides, presentation, activity selection were all done beyond perfection. You clearly have some intelligent folks masterminding this organization.
Brad Hinrichs - Menlo Park, CA

read more trip praise

For more than 29 years, Backroads has been perfecting the art of active travel. We are the Canadian Rockies tour experts. For multisport tours in Canada, trust our in-depth connections. To see all our Canada multisport tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Canada biking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Canada walking and hiking tours click here.

Canadian Rockies Family Multisport

SECLUDED LODGES : Premiere Inns*

Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

Jasper (2 nights): Plentiful amenities - including a full-service spa, tennis courts and golf course—and an inviting setting help put this lodge on Condé Nast Traveler's Gold List year after year.

Num-Ti-Jah Lodge

Bow Lake (1 night): Full of authentic pioneer character, this rustic and welcoming retreat on the shores of Bow Lake was founded over a century ago by colorful outfitter Jimmy Simpson.

* With 1 Casual Inn night

Post Hotel & Spa

Lake Louise (2 nights): A prestigious Relais & Châteaux member, where regional crafts accent natural pine beams and river stone fireplaces. Kids and adults will enjoy the indoor saline swimming pool.

Canadian Rockies Family Multisport Canadian Rockies Family Multisport

Post Hotel & Spa

You are viewing the Family Premiere Inns version of this trip.
View the Family Casual Inns , Family Deluxe Camping Itineraries.

View the Classic Premiere Inns , Classic Casual Inns , Classic Deluxe Camping Itineraries.

Canadian Rockies Family Multisport

Route Rating

Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain

Day 1
  • Levels 1 to 3 4 Route Options Available
  • Hiking 1.3 miles
  • 500 - 1000 feet elevation gain
  • Biking 7, 20, 36 miles
  • 500 - 1500 feet elevation gain
Day 2
  • Levels 1 to 2 2 Route Options Available
  • Interpretive Walk (Kids)
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
  • Hiking 6.2 (Adults)
  • 500 - 2500 feet elevation gain
Day 3
  • Levels 1 to 3 4 Route Options Available
  • Optional Hiking 5.7 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
  • Biking 13, 29, 35 miles
  • 500 - 2000 feet elevation gain
Day 4
  • Level 1 1 Route Option Available
  • Glacier Ice Walk 2 hours
  • Rafting 2 hours
Day 5
  • Levels 1 to 3 3 Route Options Available
  • Optional Hiking 1.6 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
  • Biking 29, 37 miles (Adults)
  • 500 - 1000 feet elevation gain
  • Kids Rock Climbing
Day 6
  • Level 1 1 Route Option Available
  • Hiking 3.3 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain

On this Family Trip, our routes follow gentle terrain with little significant gain or loss in elevation. Liberal van shuttling is incorporated into the itinerary to facilitate our activities and mileage is kept moderate to enable you to spend more time exploring on your own.

Canadian Rockies Family Multisport Canadian Rockies Family Multisport

Trips For All Abilities

Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.

Activity Level Average Time Average Distance
    Biking Walking
& Hiking
1 2-3
hours
10-20
miles
2-5
miles
2 2-4
hours
21-30
miles
5-7
miles
3 3-5
hours
31-40
miles
7-9
miles
4 4-6
hours
41-55
miles
9-11
miles
5 5-7+
hours
56-75+
miles
11-13+
miles