Best of Banff: Our Mountain Heritage

Our group will transfer from the airport to the hotel. We’ll arrive around 5:00 p.m. En route, our Group Leader will conduct Program Registration, provide any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived. After you check in at the hotel and get settled, take some time to freshen up and relax before dinner.

At a local restaurant.

Orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We will review COVID-19 protocols and will adhere to applicable requirements and guidelines throughout the program. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. The rest of the evening is at leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow participants, relax, and get a good night’s sleep for the full day ahead. You might like to explore the town on your own. The hotel is steps away from a ROAM stop (Banff’s public bus system).

At the hotel.

We will board our motorcoach and ride to the Cave and Basin National Historic Site. In a private room, we will attend a presentation by a local expert about the geology of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. We’ll also learn about the amazing thermal hot springs that resulted in the creation of Canada’s National Parks system. As we explore the site’s thermal waters and the surrounding wetlands, our local expert will teach us about the wildlife that resides here. We’ll stroll down to the warm marshes below the springs, easily accessible along a boardwalk, and observe introduced tropical fish and warm-water plants. Bring binoculars if you have them!

At a local restaurant.

We’ll head up Sulphur Mountain in a four-passenger, glass-enclosed gondola (weather permitting). As we ride, we will have a 360-degree view of the breathtaking Rockies. If you brought your camera, feel free to take a picture of the amazing view from the top!

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to have what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We’ll ride via motorcoach to Lake Louise. En route, a local expert will point out highlights and teach us about the history of the lake and the surrounding area. On arrival, we’ll have independent time to explore the lake shore and the Fairmount Château Lake Louise grounds. Those who wish to may join our local expert on a walk. Those who would prefer not to walk may continue exploring independently. We’ll ride via motorcoach to Moraine Lake. En route, our local expert will provide an overview of the area’s history. We’ll walk with our local expert to the base of the Rockpile trail. Those who wish to may walk up the Rockpile with our local expert. Those who do not wish to climb the rock stairs will have some time to explore the lake shore on their own. After the elective walk, we’ll board the bus and ride to the Field Visitor Centre in Yoho National Park. We’ll stop to stretch our legs and have independent time to observe the fossil exhibits.

At a scenic spot near the Visitor’s Centre, we’ll enjoy a boxed lunch from a local restaurant.

We’ll ride via motorcoach to Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park with our local expert. Due to its position on the west side of the Great Divide in Yoho National Park, we’ll have a fantastic view of not only Emerald Lake, but also the diverse habitats of the surrounding area, including a huge avalanche path, pine forest, a dry and dramatic alluvial fan and the towering trees of the rainforest. We’ll take in the beauty of the landscape as we learn about the history behind this jewel of the Canadian Rockies. We’ll learn about the significance of the Burgess Shale Quarries. Those who wish to will set out on a trail walk with our local expert to learn about the flora found on the western side of the Rockies. Those who choose not to go on the trail walk will have independent time to explore or relax. The local expert will be happy to offer suggestions.

At a local restaurant.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

At the hotel, we will attend a presentation by a local historian on the Women of the Rockies. We’ll learn about the legendary women who influenced backcountry travel, ranching, climbing, scientific research, writing, drama and art in this area. We’ll then take the motorcoach to explore the Whyte Museum, one of Banff's most culturally significant museums, and learn about the remarkable history of some of the locals and their cultural past through a self-led exploration. The museum features an art gallery and a vast collection of photographs telling the history of early explorers, artists and the Canadian Pacific Railway. Then take a walk back in time and get to know the colorful individuals who built the town of Banff. This expert-led walk meanders through history to take us near the riverside site where Tom Wilson established one of the first outfitting operations in the area, St. Georges-in-the-Pines Anglican Church with its unique stained glass windows, and the Luxton Home and Garden. These and many other intriguing stops reveal the fascinating history of this town.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to have what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Continue exploring local sites with your Group Leader or head out to explore on your own. You might like to experience High Tea at the Banff Springs Hotel (advance booking required), take a boat cruise on Lake Minnewanka, or just relax at the hotel.

On your own.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We’ll travel via motorcoach along the Icefields Parkway, one of the most spectacular stretches of scenic driving in Canada. The highway follows a lake-lined valley along the Continental Divide. We’ll spend the majority of the day in the Main Ranges; the mountains here are the highest, craggiest and arguably the most scenic in all the Rockies. En route, we’ll stop at scenic overlooks and our Group Leader will provide an overview of the surrounding area.

En route we’ll enjoy a boxed lunch from a local restaurant.

We’ll continue our motorcoarch exploration of the Icefields Parkway while making our way back to Banff. En route we will stop at scenic overlooks to enjoy the turquoise lakes, mountain-framed valleys and raging waterfalls.

At a local restaurant. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

At the hotel.

We’ll then check out of the hotel and transfer to Calgary International Airport (YYC); approximate arrival at the airport is 10:30 a.m. This concludes our program. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!