Holiday Overview
Few holidays combine the romance of rail travel with the raw thrill of heli-hiking quite like this journey through Western Canada. Beginning in cosmopolitan Vancouver, the adventure unfolds aboard VIA Rail's legendary Canadian for an overnight crossing to Jasper, continues along the glacier carved Icefields Parkway to Lake Louise, and reaches its high point at CMH Bobbie Burns Lodge, a helicopter access only retreat deep in the Purcell Mountains where alpine hiking and Via Ferrata replace the ordinary rhythms of a holiday entirely. From there the journey winds back through Banff and the hidden corners of Yoho and Kootenay National Parks before flying home
Vancouver and the Rockies, Rail and Helicopter Adventure includes:
- Flights
- 2 nights Vancouver Stay
- VIA Rail with Private Cabin
- 3 Nights Jasper stay
- Jasper Touring
- Icefield Parkway Journey
- 2 nights Lake Louise stay
- 3 nights Remote Bobbie Burns Lodge stay
- 2 nights Banff Stay
- Banff touring
- All transfers as listed
Day 1 - Vancouver
Depart to Vancouver. On arrival, a private transfer whisks you to your downtown hotel on the harbourfront at Canada Place, where mountains meet ocean and the city's Pacific energy sets the tone for the days ahead.
Day 2 - Vancouver City Highlights
Explore Vancouver's most iconic neighbourhoods on a guided tour taking in the historic streets of Gastown, the bustling stalls of Chinatown, the artisan markets of Granville Island and the towering cedars of Stanley Park. The afternoon is free to wander the seawall or relax before the rail journey ahead.
Staying at Pan Pacific
Day 3 - Aboard the Canadian to Jasper
Board VIA Rail's famous transcontinental train for an overnight journey into the Rockies. Watch the fertile Fraser Valley give way to the Coastal Mountains and the dramatic Fraser Canyon, dine in the glass domed viewing car, then retire to a private cabin converted into a cosy sleeping berth as the Thompson River glides past.
Day 4 - Arrival in Jasper
Wake to the peaks of Jasper National Park and disembark by midday, transferring to your mountain hotel. As evening falls, head out on a Wildlife Discovery Tour through the park's forests and meadows, scanning for elk, bighorn sheep and black bear with an expert guide.
Day 5 - Maligne Valley and Spirit Island
A full day exploring one of the Rockies' most celebrated valleys, beginning with the eerie, seasonally vanishing waters of Medicine Lake before continuing to Maligne Lake itself. A cruise across its glacial blue waters delivers you to the postcard shores of Spirit Island.
Staying at Forest Park Hotel
Day 6 - Jasper Ultimate Nature Walk
An afternoon guided walk through Jasper National Park reveals hidden trails, glacial lakes and wildflower meadows few visitors ever find, all narrated by an interpreter with deep knowledge of the landscape's wildlife and geology.
Staying at Forest Park Hotel
Day 7 - : Icefields Parkway to Lake Louise
One of the world's great scenic drives unfolds along the Icefields Parkway, with stops at Athabasca Falls, Columbia Icefield and the glass floored Glacier Skywalk suspended above the valley below. The day ends at the turquoise waters of Lake Louise, with two nights at the historic Fairmont Chateau on its shore.
Day 8 - Lake Louise at Leisure
A free day to explore Lake Louise at your own pace: canoe across its impossibly blue water, hike toward the Lake Agnes teahouse, or simply take in the views of the Victoria Glacier from the shoreline.
Staying at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
Day 9 - Into the mountains by Helicopter
An early departure carries you through Yoho National Park to a private helipad, where a short heli-transfer delivers you into the Purcell Mountains and CMH Bobbie Burns Lodge, reachable no other way. After settling in and a safety briefing, the first guided hike sets off into the surrounding peaks, followed by post adventure refreshments and a first gourmet dinner at the lodge.
Day 10 - Mountain Walking
A full day among glaciers and granite, with a choice of guided hiking or Via Ferrata into terrain accessible only by helicopter. Lunch is taken in the field beneath towering peaks, before returning to the lodge for the hot tub, a massage, and a family style dinner shared with guides and fellow guests
Staying at Bobbie Burns Lodge
Day 11 - Mountain Wilderness
A second day of heli-hiking or Via Ferrata, exploring fresh alpine terrain, hanging valleys and ridgelines shaped by ice over millennia, with evenings once again given over to the lodge's hot tub and communal table.
Staying at Bobbie Burns Lodge
Day 12 - Bobbie Burns to Banff
After a final hearty breakfast, a heli-transfer lifts you out of the mountains for the last time. A private coach carries you back through Lake Louise and Canmore to Banff, where you settle into your hotel in the heart of town for two nights.
Day 13 - Yoho and Kootenay's Hidden Gems
A small group tour departing Banff reveals the quieter corners of Yoho and Kootenay National Parks, including Marble Canyon, Takakkaw Falls and the mirror still waters of Emerald Lake, with a picnic lunch along the way.
Day 14 - Homeward bound
An express coach transfer heads to Calgary International Airport in time to connect with your flight home, bringing a journey of rail, rock and helicopter travel to a close.
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Helicopter
Maligne Lake
Via Rail
Vancouver
Lake Louise
Alternative Holidays That May Interest You
Below you will find a small selection of 2026, 2027 holidays that may interest you. Remember, we tailor-make each holiday to your exact needs, so please call us on 0800 917 5729 and let one of our Holiday experts design the perfect trip for you
Canada Holiday Offers
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