Canada family holiday, Western Pioneer
| country: | Canada |
| location: | Canadian Rockies, Alberta, Kootenay National Park |
| departures: | 2010: 24 Jul, 7 Aug 2011: 23 Jul, 6 Aug |
| price: | From £2326 - £2410 (16 days) per adult and from £2111 - £2195 per child including flights from the UK, from £1568 - £1615 excluding flights. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
check out similar holiday ideas...
introduction to Canada family holiday, Western Pioneer
Banff & Lake Louise
From Calgary we head West, leaving the prairies behind we climb into the Rockies to Banff, a village steeped in cowboy and pioneer heritage. Here there's the chance to ascend Sulphur Mountain by aerial tram for amazing panoramic views of the snow-capped summits and take a walk above the rushing falls in Johnston Canyon. On one of our days here we'll also visit the picture-postcard Lake Louise and take a walk up to a teahouse overlooking the lake.
Hoodoos & Galciers
Travelling north along the Icefields Parkway, we plan to visit the Athabasca Falls and take a walk along the base of the Columbia Glacier. Continuing on to Yoho National Park, we discover some of the most stunning scenery and landscapes in the country. After crossing natural rock bridges over tumultuous rivers, feeling the spray in your face at Takakkaw Falls and exploring the Hoodoos, you can wrap it all off with an unforgettable whitewater adventure on the Kicking Horse River.
Grizzly Bears & Pacific Coast
Today we are whisked high into the mountains on chair lifts to the Kicking Horse Grizzly Bear Sanctuary where we have the chance to observe bears in their natural habitat and learn about the good work the refuge does. Heading further west, we make stops at Kamloops and Whistler where we follow trails to emerald lakes and have the chance to go horse riding, mountain biking or canoeing. Arriving in Vancouver, our last days are spent discovering this laid-back coastal city.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly London/Calgary |
| Day 2: | Drive to Dinosaur Provincial Park; fossil hunting with Park Ranger. |
| Day 3: | Drive to Banff; optional ascent by aerial tram up Sulphur Mountain. |
| Day 4: | In Banff; walk through Johnston Canyon; optional horse riding. |
| Day 5: | Drive along Icefields Parkway to Jasper via Athabasca Falls and Columbia glacier. |
| Day 6: | In Jasper; walking at Maligne Lake and Canyon; optional canoeing. |
| Day 7: | Drive Yoho NP via Lake Louise; explore Hoodoos. |
| Day 8: | In Yoho NP; visit Takakkaw Falls and Emerald Lake. |
| Day 9: | Visit Kicking Horse Grizzly Bear Sanctuary; drive Galcier NP. |
| Day 10: | Explore Glacier NP; drive Kamloops. |
| Day 11: | Drive Whistler; walk amongst mountain lakes. |
| Day 12: | In Whistler; optional horse riding, mountain biking or canoeing. |
| Day 13: | Drive Vancouver; orientation tour, free afternoon. |
| Day 14: | Free day, optional trip to Vancouver Island. |
| Day 15: | Fly London. |
| Day 16: | Arrive London. |
small group family holiday
This is a 'small group family adventure' - typically you will join several other families and travel in a group of approx. 16 people. The trips are great value and a great way for you and your children to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of time to yourselves. Most adventure kids tend to be aged between 7 and 15, but some are younger (minimum age is usually 5) and some older (perhaps travelling as part of a larger family group). Please check with the operator to confirm the minimum age for this trip award winner
This tourism business won an Award in our 2008 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Daily Telegraph, World Travel Market, Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society and BBC World News.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
|
This family adventure tour visits some of the most impressive conservation areas of the Canadian Rockies, namely the Waterton, Hootenay, Banff and Jasper National Parks as well as some equally majestic provincial parks. Here we will see at first hand how responsible tourism can be a force for good as it provides a valuable contribution to wildlife and environmental conservation and education.
The tour also supports many small local businesses – from the purchase of camp provisions to opting for small-scale accommodation. On most nights we camp – a lower impact option than staying in hotels – and make a point of adhering to the strict guidelines laid down by the environmental authorities here. We recommend that travellers bring biodegradable soap to minimise their own impact too. We are also careful to avoid disrupting the wildlife we come into contact with, and for this reason limit our group size to just 12 persons. Our local guides are able to give us a unique insight into the area’s traditions, history and wildlife. Our Tour Leaders are all trained by us in the importance of responsible tourism with guidance given on how they can make a difference. This then percolates down through those they deal with. As well as the above, we support a variety of charities and projects worldwide which support vulnerable communities and habitats including Friends of Conservation, Hope Worldwide and Send A Cow. We are also actively engaged with UK travel industry bodies which promote best practice in responsible tourism, such as Tourism Concern, The Travel Foundation and AITO. Our commitment to responsible tourism is not limited to our overseas operation and we have measures to ensure our UK office operates according to our responsible tourism policy. Carbon offsets for all flights booked with us are included in the tour cost. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |
check out similar holiday ideas...