Canadian Rockies Tours & Rocky Mountain Holidays
Discover the Rockies where "The scenery bankrupts the English language." The quote is from Teddy Roosvelt after he was asked to ‘describe Colorado' and it pretty much captures the feeling of sheer awe that most visitors to the Rockies will experience. Both the Canadian and the American Rocky Mountain parks offer the visitor some of the world's most dramatic, unspoiled scenery.
View all our holidays to the Rocky Mountains
Ride A Snowcoach Over A Glacier in the Rockies
A highlight of several Archers Tours a trip to the Columbia Icefield for a snowcoach ride over the 1,000-foot-thick Athabasca Glacier is an included highlight you'll not want to miss.
Go Rafting in the Rocky Mountains
Join our optional raft trip down the Athabasca River.
Helicopter Rides in the Rockies
Another optional excursion but a great way to get a bald eagle's eye view of the Rockies.
Ride the Rocky Mountaineer!
Prepare for the trip of a lifetime as you board the famous Rocky Mountaineer for a two-day, all daylight, classic rail journey from the Canadian Rockies to the Pacific Coast. Passing Mount Robson, at 12,972 feet the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies, the train follows the route of the ‘Overlanders', homesteaders whose attempt to farm this rugged region during the 19th century cost many lives, alongside the mighty Thompson River and through the spectacular landscapes of the Monashee Mountains and vast icefields. You'll enjoy panoramic views through the train windows and will also be served breakfast and lunch on board. Your overnight stay is in Kamloops, a major cattle ranching centre, where you can join our optional dinner outing to Two River Junction to experience frontier dining, complete with a musical
Next day, the Rocky Mountaineer continues its amazing journey through the vast ranchlands along the South Thompson River, the stark beauty of the Fraser Canyon, the raging turbulence of Hell's Gate, where the mighty Fraser River funnels into a gap just 100 feet wide, and the fertile fields of the Fraser Valley, surrounded by the snow-capped Coast Mountains. Arriving at Vancouver's Pacific Central Station in the late afternoon, you'll be taken to your Vancouver hotel for an ovenight stay.
Ride the ‘Canadian' Train
Board the world-famous ‘Canadian', VIA Rail's premier trans-continental train in Totonto. You will spend the next two days and nights on this classic trip across Canada's heartland. Your first-class accommodation is in charming fully-refurbished Art Deco cars from the 1950s. Try the observation dome for unparalleled views of the Canadian countryside as you travel through Ontario's landscapes or pass the time in one of the comfortable lounges.
Your scenic rail journey continues past sparkling lakes and sun-dappled forests as you enter Manitoba, arriving at Winnipeg in the early evening. Relax as the ‘Canadian' continues across the prairies of Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
You can enjoy a leisurely breakfast before the train arrives in Edmonton, the capital of Alberta, set on the North Saskatchewan River. After a short break continue your train journey into the very heart of the Canadian Rockies. You'll arrive at the beautiful mountain resort of Jasper late in the afternoon for a two-night stay. End the day with a short tour to experience Jasper's unspoiled beauty.
Jetboat Through Hell's Canyon in the Rockies
This is a really exciting included highlight: skim the whitewater rapids as you speed along beside the sheer granite walls of the canyon. The canyon is home to elk, big horn sheep, bear, cougar and red-tailed hawk.
Try A Leisurely Cruise in the Rocky Mountains
In Banff there's an optional evening cruise of delightfully scenic Lake Minnewanka.
Ride A ‘Gondola' in the Rockies
An included excursion takes you to Sulphur Mountain for a thrilling gondola ride, complete with panoramic views of Banff's spectacular scenery and a stop at sparkling Bow Falls.
Go Whale Watching
Enjoy a fascinating optional cruise that will be remembered for a lifetime. Whilst watching for whales and marine life in their natural habitat, you are likely to see the orca (killer whale), and perhaps spot porpoises, sea-lions, osprey and eagles.
Rocky Mountain National Park
A huge park that contains the kind of endlessly spectacular high-mountain terrain that have earned it the nickname: ‘America's Switzerland'. Visitors are almost always assured of an eagle's eye view of its glaciated peaks and dramatic sub-alpine valleys. There's plenty of wildlife too; if you're here in September or early October you'll probably see the elk herds gather for their riotous annual mating ritual!
Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde is a recently designated World Cultural Heritage Site. Come here to discover the ancient remnants of the aboriginal dwellings of the Anasazi, some of which dates back to 550 A.D.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Colorado's newest park is the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. A key feature is the dramatic narrow gorge carved through the solid rock by the Gunnison River. There's great fishing, great views and, for the intrepid, fantastic rafting and kayaking opportunities.
Jasper National Park
Jasper is the largest and most northerly Canadian rocky mountain national park, part of a spectacular World Heritage Site. Comprised of delicate and carefully protected ecosystems, Jasper's scenery is non-the-less rugged and mountainous. In this special corner of Canada you can thrill to the thunder of Sunwapta Falls, enjoy the serene beauty of Mount Edith Cavell, connect with nature along 1,000-plus kilometres of trails, experience Athabasca Glacier up close or just resign yourself to a relaxing soak in Miette Hotsprings.
Yellowstone National Park
Once thought to be ‘the place where hell bubbles up' Yellowstone is home to many geo-thermal wonders including Old Faithful and the splendid Fountain Paint Pot. The park spans almost two and a quarter across Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.
Grand Teton National Park
Located in northwestern Wyoming the central feature of the park is the Teton Range that includes eight peaks over 12,000 feet (3,658 m), including the Grand Teton at 13,770 feet (4,198 m). Elk, moose, pronghorn, mule deer, and bison are commonly seen along with Black bears and, occasionally, Grizzlies too and, that most American of birds, the bald eagle.
Banff National Park
Spanning 6,641 square kilometres (2,564 square miles) of valleys, mountains, glaciers, forests, meadows and rivers, Banff National Park is one of the world's premier destination spots. Visitors can visit historic sites, soak in hot springs, stroll along the shores of Lake Louise, spend a night in the historic Banff Springs Hotel, and drive the Icefields Parkway into adjoining Jasper National Park.
Small and Furry Wildlife
Here are some of our favourite furry denizens of the Rockies.
• Columbian Ground Squirrel
Plentiful and, unfortunately for the Ground Squirrel, a plentiful source of food for grizzly bears, coyotes, wolves and golden eagles!
• Hoary Marmot
Not exactly small - the larger ones can weigh up to 30 pounds - you may be lucky enough to spot these endearing locals around Lake Louise and Banff.
• Porcupine
Again you may spot them around Lake Louise. They're particularly fond of a well-used backpack thanks to the delicious salty residue that previous owners leave behind!
• Beaver
Jasper National Park could be your best bet for seeing the industrious beaver in action.
• Pika
Small but decidedly noisy the pika or " rock rabbit" is best tracked by following its high-pitched "eep" call. Find them at the far end of Lake Louise.
Mostly Big Stuff with Horns
• Moose
Synonymous with Canada, the mighty moose is the largest member of the deer family, commonly about the size of a horse.
• Wapiti (Elk)
Not quite the placid, easy-going creatures you might think. In fact, depending on the season, Elk are the most dangerous animals you'll encounter. In the spring, mother elk protect their newborn calves fiercely, while during the autumn rut, the bull elk become extremely aggressive towards people. Keep a safe distance!
• Mule Deer and White-tailed Deer
If you'e driving through the parks keep an eye out for the deer who often feed at the side of the road.
• Woodland Caribou
Numbers are dwindling in Banff though Jasper's population is just about holding up. If you see Caribou, you're privileged.
• Bighorn Sheep
Often seen at the top of the Sulphur Mountain Gondola ride, Bighorn Sheep are plentiful and the rams at least are easy to spot with their massive spirally curved brown horns.
• Mountain Goat
There are plenty of them but their love of really rugged terrain makes them hard to find.
• Bison
Magnificent cousins to the plains bison the wood bison were hunted to the point of extinction by the mid 19th century.
Non Vegetarian
• The Weasel Family
The largest member of the family, the wolverine, is occasionally seen in the alpine tundra. The smaller pine martens are more common than the other weasels, and are abundant throughout the forested areas.
• Cats
The nocturnal mountain lion or cougar is rarely but like the lynx they seem to be holding there own in the parks and forests of the Rockies.
• Coyote
You have to hand it to the coyote, it sure works smart. Often seen patrolling the road right-of-ways in search of road kills and small rodents.
• Wolf
A recent and welcome return to the places like Banff National Park, most are dark in colour and about the size of a large Alsatian.
• Black Bear
Loveable, notorious and potentially dangerous Black Bears are relatively common in the Parks of the Rockies.
• Grizzly Bear
Grizzly bears are actually more plentiful than black bears in Banff National Park, though you're more likely to see Black Bears as they prefer the low-lying valleys that most park roads run through. Grizzly bears are unpredictable, so give those bears lots of space!
Cosmos Tourama Holidays in the Rockies
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