Canadian Rockies Bike Tour

Shape Magazine
Names Backroads
Best Activity Outfitter read more

Majesty in Lake Louise & Banff National Park

From $3,499 pp dbl. occ. | 5 days / 4 nights

(+$850 for sgl. occ.)

The pristine air in the Canadian Rockies will change you. Breathe deeply as you ascend. Breathe slowly when you reach a viewpoint. Snowcapped mountains, virgin forests, flowering meadows, rushing rivers, crystalline lakes—the raw beauty here can take your breath away. Discover this magnificent mountain range by bicycle. And don't forget to breathe.

Highlights

Behold the beauty of soaring peaks, massive glaciers and brilliant lakes in some of North America's most dramatic landscapes
Admire the blue-green glacial splendor of Lake Louise—a world-renowned jewel—and pedal through the Bow River Valley
Journey through Banff National Park, a realm of amazing wildlife, from hoary marmots to black bears, bighorn sheep and pikas
Cycle through the heart of the Canadian Rockies on the incredible Icefields Parkway and end your days in elegant mountain hotels

Alberta

Start Calgary or Canmore / End Banff

Itinerary

Days 1-2 Enjoy dazzling views of the Bow Valley and Cascade Mountain as you ride along the scenic Legacy Trail in Banff National Park and to its postcard-perfect town of Banff | Choose to luxuriate at the world-renowned Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel | Pedal amid imposing peaks, gem-colored lakes and endless alpine forests—one of the world's most pristine and dramatic landscapes | Bike to Lake Minnewanka—the largest body of water in Banff National Park—for a picnic beneath soaring spires | Take some time to wander through Banff, popping into shops and galleries.

Day 3 Watch for black bears, elk and bighorn sheep along your route | Pedal Bow Valley's rolling hills past Pilot, Storm and Castle Mountains and the striking Bow River | The spray flies and water pounds at roaring Johnston Canyon waterfall | Up for a longer ride? Add some scenic mileage with a spin up to Storm Mountain or all the way to the hamlet of Lake Louise.

Days 4-5 Behold one of the most iconic views in the Canadian Rockies on the ride to Bow Summit—the highest point on the Icefields Parkway | You won't soon forget the vista of milky-blue Peyto Lake beneath a wall of towering mountains | At the venerable Post Hotel, savor what Travel + Leisure proclaims one of the best hotel dining experiences in North America | A marvelous photo op awaits as you stroll along the shore of Lake Louise, a beloved World Heritage site flanked by glaciated spires | Ride to Moraine Lake and visit the Wenkchemna Valley to cap off an amazing week.

Next: Dates & Prices

The earlier you book, the more choice you'll have and the lower your price. And you can always change your mind — you won't be charged to transfer to a different trip before your final payment is due. View cancellation policy.

Cancellation fees may vary based upon departure date. Please review the grid below:

Number of Days Prior to Trip Start	Cancellation Fees (per person)	Departure Dates

For information on our trip transfers see here.

Please click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.

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Private Trip
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C Classic Dates

Gather your favorite people to share a Backroads adventure on a ready-to-book Private Trip - featuring all the legendary Backroads hallmarks from expert leaders to unforgettable activities. You can pick from the selection of dates below for your group; some dates are only available for 16 or more guests while other dates are available for 8 or more guests. If your party has fewer than 8 guests, or your preferred date is not available, we'll create a departure just for you. Call or email us to reserve your date.

Private Trip Pricing

10 or more Guests: from $3,499 pp dbl occ

9 Guests: from $3,899 pp dbl occ

8 Guests: from $4,099 pp dbl occ
2-7 Guests: Give us a call or reach out here!

Please click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.

Don't see your ideal travel date? Make a Date

2+ AVAILABLE TO BOOK
for 2 or more guests
8+ AVAILABLE TO BOOK
for 8 or more guests
16+ AVAILABLE TO BOOK
for 16 or more guests
Reserved

C Couples, Friends & Solos Tours

2020 June

8+ 6/11–6/15

8+ 6/25–6/29

2020 July

8+ 7/2–7/6

7/9–7/13

8+ 7/16–7/20

8+ 7/30–8/3

2020 August

8+ 8/6–8/10

8+ 8/18–8/22

8+ 8/20–8/24

View Scheduled Dates

Tell us what your dream trip would be and we'll make it happen! Whether you're looking for a honeymoon trip for 2, a 30-person family reunion or a 100-person corporate trip, we can do it all. A dedicated Custom Trip Consultant will work closely with you to bring your dreams to reality. Call us at 800-462-2848 to speak with your Custom Trip Consultant or click on the button below.

REQUEST YOUR CUSTOM TRIP NOW

Previous: Overview

Dates

C Couples, Friends & Solos Tours

2020
Jun
Jul
Aug

View Scheduled Dates
Go Private
Go Custom

Prices

From $3,499 pp dbl. occ.
5 days / 4 nights

(+$850 for sgl. occ.)

Reviews

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Premiere Hotels

Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

Banff (2 nights)

Post Hotel

Lake Louise (2 nights)

See Lodging Details

Activity Level

This trip is rated Levels 1-3

See Daily Route Options

What's Included

Services and equipment are included.

See how we include more

Why Backroads

Why Travel with Backroads in Canadian Rockies

Find out What sets us apart

More On This Trip

Watch videos

Detailed Itinerary Reserve This Trip

Reviews by Power Reviews ®

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Next: Lodging

Premiere Hotels

Accommodations may vary based on departure date. Any difference from what is listed below can be found by clicking on your desired date on the View Scheduled Dates or Private Dates tabs.

Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

Banff (2 nights)

Built in the style of a Scottish baronial castle, this exquisite hotel is set in the heart of Banff National Park and offers magnificent panoramic views, luxurious guest rooms and an award-winning 35,000-square-foot spa. Travel + Leisure World's Best. (pool, spa)

Post Hotel

Lake Louise (2 nights)

This European-style mountain chalet, set on the Pipestone and Bow Rivers, is the epitome of old-world elegance. Travel + Leisure World's Best. A Relais & Châteaux member. (pool, spa)

Previous: Reviews

Next: Activity Level

This Trip Is Rated Levels 1-3

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.

Daily Route Options (drag to see full )

Day	EASYGOING				ACTIVE				AVID
Daily Route Options
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Level 4		Level 5
	miles	feet gain	miles	feet gain	miles	feet gain	miles	feet gain	miles	feet gain
1	16	700
1	19	1000
2			20*	1100	34	2100
2			26	1200
3	17*	900	30	1500	40	2000
3	Johnston Canyon Hike (2 Miles, 100' elevation gain)
4	16*	1300			27*	2200	54	2500
5	15	700

Note: The routes on this trip are hilly, with some significant elevation gains and losses. This, coupled with the relatively high altitude, can make biking more challenging, but you're sure to finish each day with a great sense of accomplishment. Traffic can be busy on some routes, with narrow shoulders on Days 1–2 and wide should on Days 4–6.

* Includes shuttle.

Learn more about how we determine our activity level and fully support a range of abilities and interests.

Please note that our distance and elevation figures come from Ride with GPS. Other sources may give differing elevation figures due to different GPS and mapping technologies and other external factors.

Previous: Lodging

Next: What's Included

Meals

All breakfasts, 5 lunches, 3 dinners

Available Bike Options

The key to a stellar day’s ride is a bike that’s perfectly in tune with your cycling style… Backroads has you covered with the best bike fleet in the world! Read on for your available bike options for this trip.

Backroads Titanium Bikes (Included in your trip price)

Our custom-built titanium bikes are specially designed for you—and we offer different models for varied terrain so your bike is ideally suited to the region. Our custom-made bikes are included in your trip price.

Touring Bike (Included)

Performance Road Bike (Included)

Backroads Custom Electric-Assist Bike (Included in your trip price– Available until 4/1/20)

Wishing for a little extra assistance up those hills? Our custom Backroads Electric-Assist Bike lets you experience the thrill of exploring on two wheels while providing a boost when you want it. We've modified a selection of our great Titanium Bikes with the intuitive BionX "pedal-assist" system.

Backroads Custom Electric-Assist Bike (Included)

NEW! Backroads Custom Electric-Assist Bike (Included in your trip price – Available beginning 4/1/20)

Our newly redesigned Titanium Electric-Assist Bike is a lightweight yet powerful machine unique in the world of eBikes. It provides plenty of power (and then some!) to flatten the hills and more than enough battery range to cover the distance. Other outstanding features include the same comfort as our Touring Bikes and lower top tubes for easier mounting and dismounting.

Backroads Custom Electric-Assist Bike (Included)

Cannondale Pro Carbon Upgrade ($400 rental fee)

Delivering phenomenal acceleration and handling in a light and powerful package, the Cannondale 2020 Synapse Hi-MOD pro carbon upgrade is built for experienced cyclists, men and women alike, who are looking for a high-performance bike that doesn’t sacrifice comfort.

Cannondale 2020 Synapse Hi-MOD

Co-Motion Torpedo Tandem ($400 rental fee)

Do you prefer to spin in tandem with your partner? You'll love the Co-Motion Periscope Torpedo tandem on your Backroads trip. You can upgrade to a Co-Motion Torpedo Tandem on your trip.

Co-Motion Torpedo Tandem (Upgrade)

Also Included

Expertise and services of our experienced Trip Leaders
Snacks and beverages between meals
Additional guides and experts from the region on many trips
Van shuttles to support a variety of route options
Comprehensive Travel Planner with detailed pre-trip information
Private guided tours at museums, historic sites, wineries and other select attractions as noted in the Travel Planner
All gratuities at hotels and restaurants
Special events, including wine tastings and other select attractions as mentioned in the Travel Planner
On biking and multi-adventure trips, use of fully equipped Backroads titanium bike plus helmet and accessories
Trailercycles, carriers, and kid-sized helmets for Family Trips
Equipment and experienced guides for kayaking, rafting, snorkeling, sailing and canoeing as described
Park and other entry fees
Fares for trains, ferries and other modes of travel as listed in the Travel Planner
Select coach transfers
Baggage transfers and porterage

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Next: Straight Talk

Next: Why Backroads

Get the Straight Talk about This Trip

We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.

Roads & Traffic

Our exploration of the Canadian Rockies includes time riding on the famed Icefields Parkway for its unrivaled access to wildlife and natural beauty. While the scenery is stunning, sections of the pavement can be rough and repaving is ongoing. The parkway's shoulder is wide, but the area is busy so you should be comfortable riding with traffic. Of course, you're always welcome to jump in the shuttle to avoid more trafficked sections.

Previous: What's Included

Next: Why Backroads

Why Travel with Backroads in Canadian Rockies

Everyone at Their Own Pace

We design and support our Canadian Rockies trips to suit mixed abilities and varied interests—so you can set your own pace, then change things up as the day unfolds. And all guests are free to do the same, traveling together or apart, with no one cramping anyone else's style. Which sounds easy in theory, but it's hard to pull off. Here's more on how we do it.

More Leaders to Support You

On our Canadian Rockies trips we have an extra leader supporting you along the road—for a total of three, compared to the industry standard two. So we can be in more places at once, giving personal attention to guests traveling at their own pace. Here's more on our Trip Leaders.

A Second Van When You Need It

Backroads is the only active travel company providing two support vans in Canadian Rockies—because we know it's essential to ensure a truly great travel experience. It doubles our ability to be there when you need us to offer hydration, lighten your load or give you a lift if it's time to take a break. Read more on why two vans make all the difference.

The Best Leaders in Canadian Rockies

Backroads has the best-qualified people to lead your trip in Canadian Rockies, and our guests back that up, rating our Trip Leaders an average of 9.75 out of 10 for all-around quality of performance. Get the facts (and no fluff) on how we recruit and develop the very best people for your trip.

We Know Our Neighbours Well

Backroads first headed up to Canada in 1980, when an older Trudeau was prime minister, and we've been exploring its spectacular landscapes ever since. Our leaders are Canadian and many are proud to make their homes in Canadian Rockies—where we offer more trips than any other active travel company and have spent many more years finding the best ones.

Quality You Can Measure

Since 1979, Backroads Founder and President Tom Hale has shown that staying #1 means constantly evaluating our performance using the best possible source of information: our guests. As we systematically analyze your feedback on our trip consultants, leaders, hotels, meals and on-trip activities, we never stop working to make a great company even better.

Previous: Straight Talk

Previous: What's Included

Detailed Itinerary Reserve This Trip

Guest Photo Gallery

Straight Talk

We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.

Canadian Rockies Bike Tour