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DAY 1 - CALGARY AIRPORT / CALGARY (8 Km)
 Welcome to Calgary, cowboy country capital in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. This evening you will be staying in a comfortable hotel, the Five Calgary***. You will receive your Authentik travel book, with all the details of your adventure including a road map indicating your route, a personalized roadbook, a host of practical tourist information, your vouchers, and a toll-free assistance number.
Have a great vacation in Canada's wide open spaces!
DAY 2 - CALGARY / BANFF (128 km/1 hr 21 mins)
 After breakfast, spend some time exploring Calgary, western Canada's booming metropolis, well known for its typically "western" but modern ambiance. You can pick up your RV in the afternoon, between 1:00 and 3:00 pm. Stock up on groceries for your trip at a nearby supermarket, where you will find a wide variety of products and local produce.
And then you are off to explore the famous Canadian Rockies! Your first destination is the legendary Banff National Park. At the end of the day, you find yourself at the heart of the majestic Rocky Mountains - it is just as you imagined it! Covering an area of more than 6,641 square km, this vast region, known the world over for its extraordinary natural attractions, offers high mountains, raging rivers, emerald green and turquoise blue glacier lakes, diverse and omnipresent wildlife and vegetation... You are in for an unforgettable vacation!
Optional activity along the way
Olympic Park
You will be spending the next two nights near the town of Banff, right in Banff National Park. You will be at the heart of the vast and beautiful Canadian wilderness with its exciting range of outdoor activities.
DAY 3 - BANFF NATIONAL PARK
 Among the stunning natural attractions waiting to be discovered, be sure to visit Johnston Canyon via the Bow River Valley and Minnewanka Lake.
You have the whole day to enjoy the vast unspoiled grandeur of Banff National Park, Canada's premier National Park and third in the world. We recommend that you explore the famous town of Banff, the fascinating Luxton Museum and the nearby ''Hoodoos'', a geological formation that you will find not far from your campground.
DAY 4 - BANFF / JASPER (291 km/3 hrs 30 mins)
Get an early start for the Icefields Parkway, considered to be one of the most beautiful roads in the world. This will be a day filled with rare natural splendours that will remain engraved in your memory for a long time to come. Plan to stop at Athabasca Glacier and at the Columbia Icefield Interpretive Centre, the focal point of the Icefields Parkway.
Optional activity along the way
Excursion on Columbia Glacier
 Don't miss the serene Peyto and Bow Lakes. And for dessert, visit the famous Lake Louise and Moraine Lake - visions that will mark this day which is sure to be one of the highlights of your trip. The sheer magnitude and beauty of your surroundings will instil a sense of awe and wonder at the power and majesty of nature.
You will be spending the next three nights at Whistler's Campground, close to Jasper townsite and at the heart of the National Park.
DAY 5 & 6 - JASPER NATIONAL PARK
Two full days in Jasper National Park! This spectacular area is the largest and the most northerly of Canada's four Rocky Mountain Parks, which comprise a  UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fragile and carefully protected ecosystems make up a rugged and mountainous landscape.
Enjoy the most beautiful attractions, including the picturesque Maligne Lake, the spectacular trails of Maligne Canyon and glacier-covered Mount Edith Cavell, the charming village of Jasper where wapiti wander the streets, sunset from the top of Whistler's Mountain, etc...
Nights at Whistler's Campground.
DAY 7 & 8 - JASPER / WELLS GRAY PARK (318 km/3 hrs 37 mins)
Today you set out for Wells Gray Park. Along the way, pay a visit to the visitors centre of the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, Mount Robson. From there you can hike out to lovely Kinney Lake (3 hours, there and back).
 Also known as "Waterfall Park", Wells Gray Park is one of British Columbia's most spectacular wilderness parks. You will have the next two days free to discover the natural marvels that Wells Gray Park has to offer. You will marvel at Helkmen Falls, cascading in a straight fall of 141 metres into an immense canyon. In July and August, hiking trails lead to incredible sub alpine meadows of wildflowers on the slopes of Trophy Mountain.
Swimming and canoeing enthusiasts are sure to want to cool off in the limpid waters of Clearwater Lake. You will spend the next two nights in a full-service RV campground at the edge of the park.
DAY 9 - WELLS GRAY PARK / WHISTLER (421 km/5 hrs 44 mins)
This morning you will cross the splendour of the Coast Mountains to reach the village of Lillooet, along the raging Fraser River. Lilooet is located at kilometre ''0'' of the historic Cariboo Trail, the famous Gold Rush route!
Optional activity along the way
Historic Hat Creek Ranch
Next, you tackle the winding roads of the Coast Mountains, a vast region
of mountains, alpine meadows and luxuriant forests, past waterfalls and crystalline lakes. Your destination: that fabulous outdoor adventure and recreation spot and North America's number one ski resort, Whistler.
Whistler will be host to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. The pedestrian village, with its exceptional setting and distinctive mountain resort architecture, is the heart of the ski resort, vibrant with restaurants, boutiques and terraces. The surrounding valley has five lakes lined with beaches and parks, all linked by hiking trails.
You will spend the night at Riverside Campground, fully serviced and beautifully situated at the heart of this resort area.
DAY 10 - WHISTLER / TOFINO (349 km/7 hrs 21 mins including 2-hr ferry)
Today you will follow the panoramic ''Sea to Sky'' highway to the Pacific Ocean, where you will take a 2-hour ferry ride to beautiful Vancouver Island. You will arrive in the town of Nanaimo, on the island's east coast. Your final destination, Ucluelet, is on the west coast, in an area characterised by inlets, islands and lush rainforest.
 Along the way, stop off at McMillan Park, one of the last vestiges of the rain forest that covered the island more than 1000 years ago. Inside the park, pay a visit to Cathedral Grove, a magical place where you will find enormous 800 year old Douglas firs. Cathedral Grove was a sacred place for the First Nations people.
At sunset you will reach Ucluelet Campground, with its magnificent view of the mountains at sunrise. This is where you will be spending the next three nights.
DAY 11 & 12 - PACIFIC RIM NATIONAL PARK RESERVE
The next two days are an invitation for discovery and relaxation. After all, you are on holiday! The Pacific Rim is kilometres of deserted beaches, bordered  by lush temperate rainforest, with an abundance of life on water and on land. The Long Beach section between Ucluelet and Tofino has nine well-maintained hiking trails, most of which can be walked in less than hour. This is an enchanting, restful, invigorating place, a paradise for outdoors enthusiasts and nature lovers. The sunset over the Pacific Ocean is not to be missed!
DAY 13 - TOFINO / VICTORIA (287 km/4 hrs 50 mins)
 This morning, enjoy a few last moments of west coast scenery before heading for the charming capital city of Victoira. Along the way, we suggest that you stop at the tourist village of Chemainus, whose history and culture are told through a series of about thirty murals. And don't miss the village of Duncan,
also known as the ''City of Totems'', a real Indian village, with more than 80 totem poles lining its streets.
When you reach Victoria in the middle of the afternoon, check into the Malahat Mountain Meadows RV Park, where you will be spending  the next two nights. With its attractive 19th century architecture, beautiful gardens and waterfront promenades, Victoria is a lovely port city, easily visited on foot.
At the heart of Victoria, in Beacon Hill Park, you will find lovely gardens and a superb view of the ocean and the mountains of Washington State.
DAY 14 & 15 - VICTORIA / VANCOUVER
(112 km/2 hrs 50 mins including 2-hour ferry ride)
Enjoy a free morning in Victoria before heading to the Swartz Bay Terminal, where you will catch a ferry to Vancouver.
Optional activity along the way
Butchart Gardens
Vancouver, Canada's most beautiful metropolis and ranked as one of the best cities in the world to live in, will enchant lovers of culture and nature alike. Set out on foot or by Trolley Bus for a tour of the city. Nature lovers won't want to miss Stanley Park and the Vancouver Aquarium!
The next two nights will be spent less than 20 minutes from downtown Vancouver, at Burnaby Cariboo Campground.
Authentik Advice: Use the public transit system to get to downtown Vancouver from the campground, and to explore the city. This is by far the easiest option, and no more expensive than driving, since parking in downtown Vancouver costs as much as your bus fare.
DAY 16 & 17 - VANCOUVER / OKANAGAN VALLEY (367 km/4 hrs 15 mins)
 After one last lingering look at the city of Vancouver, you head for the Okanagan Valley, the warmest region in Canada, a valley lined with fruit trees, vineyards and a large lake. The semi-arid landscape and vineyard areas are unusual; these hills and valleys do not have the shape or colour that we are used to in Europe.
Your home base for the next two nights, Camp-Along Trailer Resort, is ideally located between Okanagan Lake, Skaha Lake and the town of Penticton. Camp-Along is a special place nestled in the middle of an apricot and pear orchard, in the hills overlooking Skaha Lake. This valley with its thousand sandy beaches is yours to enjoy!
DAY 18 - OKANAGAN VALLEY / NELSON (333 km/4 hrs 11 mins)
Today's destination is the charming town of Nelson, situated in the Kootenay region. This region, off the beaten path of the tourist circuit, hides inestimable treasures that you will discover throughout your visit. Lovely landscapes, arts and culture, history, encounters with wildlife... Nelson will win you over with its authenticity and charm.
When you arrive in Nelson, leave your RV behind and explore this magnificent western-style town by foot. You will be spending the night in a serviced RV park in Kokanee Park. Later in the evening, relax in the comfortable waters of Ainsworth Hot Springs, among the most popular in British Columbia.
DAY 19 - NELSON / REVELSTOKE (272 km/3 hrs 36 mins + 40 min ferry)
 This morning your route will take you along the quiet roads of the Kootenays. An early departure will improve your chances of seeing wildlife along the way. After taking some stunning photos in Kaslo, head for the village of Sandon, where you will step back in time to discover an old 1900s mining village.
Along your route, you will find yourselves at  Galena Bay where you will board a ferry for a superb 40-minute ferry ride across Arrow Lake (free). And, weather permitting, make haste to Mount Revelstoke National Park and take the road that winds up to the summit of Mount Revelstoke. The view is simply breathtaking! At the eastern edge of the park, you will stop for the night at Canyon Hot Springs RV Park.
DAY 20 - REVELSTOKE / LAKE LOUISE (229 km/2 hrs 53 mins)
Today you will be driving 219 km along the most sinuous stretch of the 7821 km Transcanada Highway. The first kilometres will take you into the heart of Glacier National Park. This park, offering the most rugged landscapes in western Canada, contains more than 400 glaciers. Finding a route for the railway through the mountains was no easy task; we invite you to discover the fascinating and incredible stories at the Rogers Pass Visitors Centre.
 A little later, you will discover Yoho National Park where many attractions await you, including the Emerald Lake trails and the Takakkaw Falls. The word "Yoho!" is a Cree exclamation of awe and wonder - awe inspired by the towering rock walls, spectacular falls and the peaks over 3,000 metres in height.
You will spend the night in a campground in Lake Louise, in Banff National Park.
DAY 21 - LAKE LOUISE / CALGARY AIRPORT (184 km/2 hrs 9 mins)
Last moments in the Rocky Mountains!
You just have time for a bit of last-minute shopping in Banff or Calgary, before returning your RV for 10:00 am. A short transfer to the airport, then you board your return flight, full of lasting memories of the land of mountains, lakes and glaciers. |
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