About your Trip

Our Coho tour really packs a punch! This 5 day one-way trip from Vancouver to Banff takes you from the Coast Mountains, and through the Okanagan desert, before climbing into the glacial valleys of Banff and Jasper National Parks in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Take in some amazing sights of crashing waterfalls, turquoise lakes, and stunning mountain ranges on this unforgettable Rocky Mountain tour. You’ll even get to try Indigenous cuisine. The perfect short trip if you want to get a feel for the real Canada!

What's Included

Dates & Prices

2024 DEPARTURE DAYS

May 8 to May 31

LOW SEASON

WEDNESDAYS

CAD $1299

Jun 1 to Sep 30

PEAK SEASON

WEDNESDAYS, SATURDAYS

CAD $1399

Oct 1 to Oct 9

LOW SEASON

WEDNESDAYS

CAD $1299

JUST WANT TO CHECK AVAILABILITY?

To check current availability, click one of the BOOK NOW buttons above. Then scroll through the calendar in the pop-up window to see departure dates and availability. Note that dates shown in green are GUARANTEED! To continue with the booking process, click the BOOK NOW button on your preferred date, or to exit without booking, simply close the pop-up window.

TRIP OVERVIEW

FROM CAD $1299

5 days/4 nights

Season: May – October

Start: 07:30 Vancouver

End: ~17:00 Banff

Max Group Size: 24

ITINERARY SUMMARY

  • Day 1 Vancouver to Kelowna
    Paddleboard on Skaha Lake
  • Day 2 Kelowna to Banff
    Rogers Pass National Historic Site
  • Day 3 Banff to Rampart Creek
    Banff National Park/Lake Louise
  • Day 4 Rampart Creek to Jasper
    Jasper National Park/Athabasca Glacier
  • Day 5 Jasper to Banff
    Athabasca Falls

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

Will you marry me at Bridal Veil Falls?

Marvel at the aqua blue Moraine Lake (seasonal)

Peyto Lake is our hands down favourite!

Enjoy the stunning vistas from Mistaya Canyon

See the powerful Athabasca Falls!

Visit the Columbia Icefield, the largest icefield in the Canadian Rockies

YOUR ITINERARY

DAY 1

Vancouver to Kelowna

The desert is calling! To begin our adventure, we’re going east through the Fraser Valley, where we’ll take a short walk through a West Coast rainforest to Bridal Veil Falls. Then, we’ll traverse the Coastal Mountains, stopping at Lightning Lake in Manning Park at lunchtime. The semi-arid desert grasslands of the Okanagan are next on our itinerary, where we’ll go paddle boarding on the beautiful Skaha Lake. We’ll be replenishing ourselves with a special dinner at Kekuli Café in Westbank, where you’ll get to try Indigenous cuisine, before settling in for the night on Lake Okanagan in Kelowna.

 

Activity Inclusions: Paddle boarding on Skaha Lake

Meal inclusions: Indigenous cuisine dinner

Moose Accommodation: Samesun Kelowna

DAY 2

Kelowna to Banff

Being a little greedy with mountain ranges today, crossing not one, not two – but three of them, as we travel through four National Parks towards Banff!  We’ll stop in Revelstoke where you can go lake kayaking or simply enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery.  Finally we’ll enter the Rocky Mountains and cross over the Kicking Horse Pass into Alberta and Banff National Park, spending the night in the historic town of Banff itself, right in the heart of the mountains.

Note: during April/May and from mid-September onwards, we will cross over the Vermillion Pass to enter Alberta and Banff National Park.

 

Meal Inclusions: Breakfast at Samesun Kelowna

Moose Accommodation: HI Banff

DAY 3

Banff to Rampart Creek Via Lake Louise

It’s time to visit those famous blue lakes! Lake Louise is calling, as is Moraine Lake (seasonal) before heading onto the Icefields Parkway for breath-taking views of jagged mountain peaks, glaciers, raging rivers and more turquoise lakes.  Keep your eyes peeled for large furry animals as we make stops at the Crowfoot Glacier, Peyto Lake (our favourite) and Mistaya Canyon before arriving at our rustic wilderness hostel alongside Rampart Creek. We invite you to really take in your surroundings with a dip and a sauna, and perhaps a campfire under the stars.

 

Moose Accommodation: HI Rampart Creek. Please note: there are no alternative accommodation options at this location, but we know you’ll love having a true taste of Canada at Rampart Creek’s rustic wilderness hostel.

DAY 4

Rampart Creek to Jasper

Jasper National Park today! But first we’ll stop at Big Bend lookout for a great view of the U-shaped North Saskatchewan River Valley. Get your legs ready because next up is the Columbia Icefield, the largest ice field in the Rocky Mountains at 325 square kilometres, where we’ll hike to the toe of the Athabasca Glacier (conditions permitting.) Then on to Maligne Canyon, the deepest canyon in Jasper National Park, for a hike that crosses several bridges over the canyon with jaw-dropping views. Jasper townsite is our destination, and if you’re seeking an adrenaline rush, there is an option to take a guided mountain bike tour on arrival.

 

Moose Accommodation: HI Jasper

DAY 5

Jasper to Banff

Our first stop: Athabasca Falls, one of the most powerful and picturesque in the Rockies! This is followed by a bit of mountain goat spotting (we’re still amazed at how they hold on) at the Goats and Glaciers viewpoint. Then on to Waterfowl Lakes to soak in the backdrop of Mount Chephren, which was named after the 4th Dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh. Our tour ends after a group dinner back in Banff.

 

Meal inclusions: Dinner

Moose Accommodation: There is no accommodation included tonight. You will need to make your own arrangements. We recommend that you do not book onward travel on this day in case of traffic or weather delays.

ACTIVITIES

The Coho tour through The Canadian Rocky Mountains offers incredible experiences for nature lovers and adrenaline seekers. Go kayaking on a brilliant blue lake, mountain biking through the alpine forests, or whitewater rafting through the gushing valleys. There are plenty of options to experience the incredible mountain vistas no matter what your activity level and budget – from hiking and hot springs to rafting. (Note: some of the activities below are only available after finishing the tour in Banff).

Optional activities are booked and paid through your Moose tour guide while on the tour. No need to pre-book! The following optional activities are available on this tour:

ACCOMMODATION

On the accommodated tour option, accommodation is included for all nights of the tour, in mixed gender, hostel dormitory rooms. Please note that you can request female only dorm rooms, and this is usually possible to accommodate, but we cannot guarantee it.

Most travellers book the accommodated tour option because it provides the best value for your money since we receive discounts from our accommodation providers that aren’t available to the general public. We choose hostels for their budget value, as well as offering great facilities and a warm, friendly atmosphere. By staying in shared dorm rooms you get a chance to meet more people, hang out with other tour guests, and keep the price as low as possible.

Not Interested in Staying in Shared Hostel Dorm Accommodation?

If you’d prefer to book your own accommodation, to stay in private rooms or in alternative properties, check out the non-accommodated version of this tour by clicking here.

IMPORTANT NOTES

The Coho is the first 5 days of the 8 day Caribou tour, and is part of numerous combination tours we offer: the Sasquatch and Tomahawk. Some of your fellow travellers will have already explored Vancouver Island and/or Whistler together. There will also be travellers joining and leaving your tour in Banff between Days 2 and 3. After you finish in Banff, many travellers will continue towards Vancouver the following day.

All tour finish times are approximate. We strongly recommend that you DO NOT book onward travel on the final day of the tour, since traffic or other unexpected circumstances may cause delays.

Please note that our itineraries can change and/or activities can be cancelled without notice as a result of circumstances beyond our control, such as weather, traffic and unforeseen events. If this does occur, there may be alternatives available, or you may get to enjoy more free time to explore on your own!

Some sites on this tour are only available seasonally. Moraine Lake is only accessible from late May until mid-October. If you want to visit this site, please choose a departure within the appropriate date range.

This tour finishes in Banff. The closest airport is in Calgary (YYC).

If you’re flexible about when you can travel, consider the pros and cons of our travel seasons. In Low Season, you’ll get the BEST VALUE on our tours, there’s less traffic, and far fewer people at the most popular sites. The trade off is that the weather is typically more variable, cooler and wetter. Plus, a few sites may be closed, and the glacial lakes may still be frozen in the spring, although that’s also beautiful! In Peak Season, everything is open, the weather is more consistent, warmer and generally drier, and the glacial lakes are in their full glory. However, our tours cost more, traffic is busier, and the most popular locations on our itineraries can be very busy.

We take your safety, and the safety of our staff and partners very seriously. Click here for more information.

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