Taking a round trip in Western Canada promises to be an unforgettable trip! You will drive through vast forests filled with wildlife, the most beautiful glacial lakes and the snow-capped peaks of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. We already did this trip twice and based on our own experiences, we have put together the ultimate 2 to 3 week itinerary through Western Canada. We made our road trip by ourselves with an RV and we chose to stay in and around the Canadian Rocky Mountains area because there is so much to see! In addition to the most beautiful sights, we then also give you practical information and which campsites we stayed ourselves. So you can start your road trip in Western Canada worry-free!
All you need to know for your road trip in Canada
When you travel around Western Canada, you will pass a lot of national parks. To visit these, you are required to have a Parks Canada Pass. For a road trip it is interesting to buy a Discovery Pass that is valid per vehicle. Such a pass costs $151.25CAD and is valid for one year after purchase. You can purchase this pass locally in Canada when you drive into one of the national parks. When traveling to Canada, you must also apply for an eTA (electronic Travel Authorization) in advance. You can easily do this yourself apply online through the official website.
In terms of accommodation, we strongly recommend exploring this country with a camper. In Western Canada, you have wonderful campsites in the national parks where you really feel connected to nature. The national parks, roads and campgrounds are adapted to large RVs and driving around with them works just fine! RVs in Canada also tend to be very luxurious and large enough for the whole family. If you opt for an RV, be sure to book your pitch on time, as they are often full weeks in advance! All bookings can be made online through the Parks Canada Reservation website. In this article, we also list all the camp sites where we stood.
TRAVEL TIP: Still not a fan of camping? Many people also rent a car and drive from lodge to lodge. You have wonderful accommodations in Western Canada, but be sure to book them early! Retrieved from Booking.com you will always find a nice overview.
Once you begin your road trip in Western Canada, it is also important to pick up bear spray. During your trip there is a chance that you will encounter a bear, and although the chances of an attack are minimal, in most parks it is mandatory to carry bear spray and this also gives you a sense of security. This stuff is a kind of pepper spray that you can use in the unlikely event should a bear attack you. You can go get this at a store like Canadian Tire.
The ideal itinerary Canada in 2 to 3 weeks
Camper arranged? Visa applied for? Great, then it’s time to explore the Canadian Rocky Mountains! This road trip begins and ends in the city of Calgary. We also give you the option to modify the route so that you end in Vancouver. Of course, you can modify and expand this itinerary as you wish.
Day 1: Calgary
The Canadian government requires travelers to spend the first night in a hotel after a long international flight before you can pick up your camper. Perhaps you are indeed tired after the long trip and this is a good time to take a break so you can start your road trip well rested! We ourselves stayed at Comfort Inn & Suites South which included an airport shuttle and breakfast. Another advantage was that this was right across the street from the RV rental!
Day 2 – 3: Banff National Park
+/- 135 km ● 1h45 drive
Today you will pick up your camper and begin your Canadian adventure. While in Calgary, first go stock up on groceries and bear spray at supermarket chains such as Save on Foods and Canadian Tire. Afterwards, you drive towards Banff National Park where you are immediately treated to beautiful scenery. In the afternoon, drive along the beautiful Lake Minnewanka Scenic Road and be sure to get off at Cascade Ponds and Two Jack Lake, two beautiful spots you won’t want to miss. Keep your eyes open along the way, because chances are you’ll see a deer or bear walking along the road here! Afterwards, drive on toward one of Banff’s nature campgrounds where you can enjoy an afterglow with a cozy campfire. We recommend the Two Jack Lake campground or Mountain Village I campground.
On day two, you will wake up in the middle of the Canadian forests. With your RV, you have everything you need close to you! Get up, eat breakfast in nature and drive toward Lake Minnewanka, the longest lake in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Here you can hike toward Stewart Canyon or take a boat ride. Then drive on toward Johnston Canyon. Here you walk through a ravine where you can admire several waterfalls. End this day in the cozy town of Banff where you can sample local poutine! From the Mountain Village I campground you can walk Banff on foot, but RV parking is also provided in town.
Day 4: Yoho National Park
+/- 95 km – 1h10 drive
Once again, enjoy a homemade breakfast at the campground or have breakfast in the town of Banff. At Wild Flour Bakery you will find the delicious, homemade breakfast cakes! Afterwards, you will leave Banff behind and drive toward Yoho National Park. Here you have the beautiful Emerald Lake, where you can take a canoe trip. Float around and enjoy the surrounding snow-capped mountains. You can also hike around the lake: this is an easy 5.5 km walk. Afterwards, you drive back a bit, stopping at Takkakaw Falls along the way. These are the second largest waterfalls in Canada! If you have time to spare, you can also make a stop at Herbert Lake before driving on to your sleeping place for the day. Secure a spot at the Lake Louise Campground, that way you won’t have to drive far the next day.
Day 5: Lake Moraine & Lake Louise
Today is perhaps the highlight of this Western Canada road trip! Lake Moraine and Lake Louise are the two most beautiful lakes in Canada, and we can only agree. Get up early and drive toward the parking lot where the shuttle will be ready to take you toward Lake Moraine and Lake Louise. Start your day with a beautiful sunrise at Lake Moraine with its bright blue color. For this, when you arrive, turn left and walk onto the large pile of rocks, where you can find a spot to view the lake from above. Next, hike the Lakeshore Path that takes you all the way to the end of the lake and back, stopping here and there to take photos of this beautiful lake.
TRAVEL TIP: Since 2023, self-driving to Lake Moraine is no longer allowed. You can now only go there by shuttle or organized tour. This shuttle also runs for free between Lake Moraine and Lake Louise. Book your tickets early to ensure a seat. In the evening, you can take a shuttle from Lake Louise back toward the parking lot where you left your RV.
So after you visit Lake Moraine take the free shuttle towards Lake Louise. Around Lake Louise you have wonderful hikes for every hiking level! Our favorite was the Plain of the Six Glaciers trail. This 14.6-mile hike takes you all the way up the surrounding mountain range, offering ever-improving views of Lake Louise. Along the way, you’ll pass a 1927 teahouse where you can take a break. Another nice hike is the one to Lake Agnes Teahouse. At 7 km, this hike is shorter, but still quite spectacular. From Lake Agnes, you can possibly hike further towards Little Beehive. This is a short but steep uphill that takes you to a beautiful viewpoint over the lake.
In the evening, sleep again at Lake Louise Campground or, if you have energy left, at Silverhorn Creek Campground. We ourselves slept at the latter, which we personally found to be one of the most beautiful campsites during this entire tour. Conveniently, this is also just a 5-minute drive from Peyto Lake and the start of the Icefield Parkway that you will drive down the next day.
Day 6: Icefields Parkway
+/- 230 km – 2h30 drive
Today it is best to get up early again, because it will be a day full of impressions! After all, you are going to drive down one of the most beautiful highways in the world, the Icefields Parkway! This 230 km long road will take you from Banff National Park to Jasper National Park. Your first stop is the world-famous Peyto Lake. Try to go as early as possible to get ahead of the crowds and be sure of a parking spot. From the parking lot, you walk in 10 minutes to the viewing platform over the turquoise-blue lake shaped like a wolf. This is one of the most beautiful stops along the Icefield Parkway, so definitely don’t skip it! Those who want can hike further from the viewing platform. For the best photos, it is best to turn right just before the platform and follow a small forest path to below the platform.
Afterwards, drive back a bit toward Bow Lake where you will have beautiful reflections in the water in the morning. Here you also have a small café where you can go for a coffee. Afterwards, you will begin your trek toward Jasper National Park. Other stops we think you should definitely not skip on the Icefield Parkway are: Mistaya Canyon, Athabasca Glacier, Tangle Creek Falls, Sunwapta Falls and the Athabasca Falls. At the Athabasca Glacier you have the Columbia Icefield, a large center where you can eat something and book an excursion to go on the glacier itself.
As you approach Jasper at the end of the day, you will also encounter some campsites. The Whistler Campground and Wapiti Campground are opposite each other and have a good location to further explore Jasper National Park over the next few days.
Day 7 – 8: Jasper National Park
The first week of your road trip is almost over. Today you can take it a little easier. In the morning, head toward the Valley of the Five Lakes in Jasper National Park. Here you have an easy 5 km hike that takes you past five beautiful lakes. Afterwards, you can head toward Lake Edith or Lake Annette for a refreshing swim. There are even small beaches here where you can lay down your towel or rent a SUP. In the afternoon you can park your RV for free in Jasper and explore the town. You can take the Jasper Skytram that takes you all the way to the top of Mount Whistler for spectacular views. Or go taste local beers at the Jasper Brewing Company.
CAUTION: Due to the severe forest fires in Jasper in 2024, the Valley of the Five Lakes trail is temporarily closed for maintenance and restoration.
The second day in Jasper National Park you will again rise early to catch the sunrise at Pyramid Lake. Rent a canoe and get out on the lake early to spot wild life on the shores of the lake! Afterwards, continue driving toward the Miette Hot Springs. This is an hour drive but well worth it because this is where one of the most beautiful hikes in Jasper National Park begins. The challenging Sulphur Sky Trail takes you to the top of Sulphur Mountain in 4 km. It is a tough hike, but you will be rewarded with beautiful views. After the hike, relax your muscles at the Miette Hot Springs overlooking the mountains. In the evening, drive back to your campsite in Jasper.
Day 9: Maligne Lake
+/- 190 km – 2h45 drive
We stay another day in Jasper National Park and head toward one of the most photographed places in Canada: Spirit Island. From Jasper, drive along Maligne Lake Road toward Maligne Lake. Along the way you will first pass Medicine Lake where you have a chance to see the bald eagle. These environments are also home to many bears and moose, so keep your eyes open! Once you arrive at Maligne Lake, you can take a cruise toward Spirit Island. There is only one organization that handles this, so timely booking is again the message. Tickets can be purchased online here! Those who want can also take a canoe to Spirit Island, but keep in mind that this takes at least 3 hours to get there, and then you have to go back.
After the boat ride, you can do one of the many hikes around Maligne Lake. A fun and easy hike is the 3 km Moose Lake Loop where you have a chance to see moose. Or make a stop at Maligne Canyon, hiking across several bridges that give you views of waterfalls. Afterwards, you will leave Jasper National Park behind and drive toward your next destination: Mount Robson Provincial Park, Canada’s second oldest provincial park. This park is not as touristy as Banff or Jasper, so we were able to reserve our campsite on the spur of the moment. We slept at the Robson River Campground.
TRAVEL TIP: When driving from Jasper toward Mount Robson, you cross a time line. In fact, you are driving from the province of Alberta to British Columbia. The clock then goes back 1 hour.
Day 10: Mount Robson Provincial Park
+/- 300 km – 3h45 drive
Waking up again to the sound of nature around you. Today is a longer driving day on the schedule, but before you begin the drive, dive into Mount Robson Provincial Park. From the visitor center, you can hike to the lesser-known Kinney Lake. This lake lies at the base of Mount Robson, which is the largest mountain in the Canadian Rockies. The hike itself is 15 km round trip, but easy to do without too many elevation gains. At Kinney Lake you have picnic benches for lunch, and the truly adventurous can also spend the night there by tent.
Admire Mount Robson, hike back toward the visitor center and start the long drive toward Clearwater Provincial Park. This park is known for its many impressive waterfalls. If you still have time to spare that day, be sure to visit Helmcken Falls. This is the largest waterfall in the park and is only a two-minute walk from the parking lot. Spend the night at Dutch Lake Resort Campground at the beginning of the park or opt for the Clearwater Lake Campground deeper into the park. We chose the latter option, so you can explore Clearwater Lake the next day and then drive out of the park past the falls. The last part of the road to Clearwater Lake Campground is unpaved, but quite passable with an RV.
Day 11: Wells Gray Provincial Park
There’s plenty to do in Wells Gray Provincial Park! If you’re staying at Clearwater Lake Campground, you can start your morning with a canoe trip on Clearwater Lake. Since this is a less touristy spot, renting a canoe here is much cheaper than in Banff or Jasper, and you can paddle for longer! Head out and explore the shores of Clearwater Lake in search of bears, moose, and other wildlife. If you’re staying near the entrance to the park, you can go rafting on the Clearwater River. Adrenaline rush guaranteed!
Use the rest of your day to explore the remaining waterfalls in the park. In addition to Helmcken Falls, Spahats Falls and Dawson Falls are also worth seeing. Our favorite was Moul Falls, which you reach after a short one-hour hike. If you are in Canada in September, you can also see the salmon run at Baileys Chute in Wells Gray Provincial Park. Here you can then see the salmon swimming against the current. In the evening, have dinner at the Hop ‘N’ Hog Smokehouse, a typical Canadian barbecue restaurant, before heading back toward the Dutch Lake Resort Campground.
Day 12 – 13: Glacier National Park
+/- 400 km – 4h30 drive
As in Banff, you’ll also find a Wild Flower Bakery in Clearwater, good to get some energy for today’s long drive. Along the way, you’ll pass the town of Kamloops where you can stop in or do some shopping. You then continue driving toward Glacier National Park where you will head back deeper into the Canadian Rocky Mountains. This park is also less well known than Jasper and Banff, but is certainly not inferior! Again, you are surrounded by beautiful scenery and imposing mountains, but it is less crowded here. Sleep at the Illecelliwaet Campground today and tomorrow. This campground operates on a first come, first serve basis. Booking in advance is not possible, so be sure not to arrive too late on the day.
From the Illecelliwaet Campground, Glacier National Park’s most beautiful hikes depart. This area is known for its many grizzly bears, and it sometimes happens that a hike is closed because of this. So be sure not to forget your bear spray when you go hiking! The Marion Lake trail (6.5 km), Asulkan Valley trail (15.8 km) and Glacier Crest trail (13.4 km) are some of the most popular hikes in the park. We did the Glacier Crest trail, a very challenging hike where you climb high over a ledge that overlooks the various glaciers of the Illecillewaet and Asulkan valleys.
Day 14: Kootenay National Park
+/- 330 km – 3h45 drive
Today you drive back toward Banff via Kootenay National Park on this Western Canada road trip. Again a longer drive, but this time your day will be split up with several stops in this beautiful area. From Glacier National Park, drive to Radium Hot Springs, which is your first stop. Give your muscles a rest and go for a relaxing afternoon in these thermal pools or continue on Highway 93S towards Banff. This highway goes right through Kootenay National Park and at every turn you are treated to mountain views, clear lakes and many Douglas Fir trees.
These are some stops in Kootenay National Park not to be missed:
- Sinclair Canyon: when driving on Highway 93S you will pass here anyway, as you will drive through this canyon.
- Olive Lake: a small lake with beautiful turquoise blue colors, a five-minute walk from the parking lot
- Floe Lake: this lake you reach after a 10 km hike (only), but is the highlight of the Kootenay National Park! The hike is relatively flat and you will be rewarded with this beautiful alpine lake surrounded by snow-capped mountain peaks.
- Numa Falls: great stop that requires almost no effort to reach the viewpoint
- Paint Pots: after a short 1 km hike, you reach these mineral hot springs that have colored the surrounding earth with different shades of red, orange and yellow.
- Marble Canyon: this hike takes you through the canyon over several bridges that give you views of the Kootenay River racing below. Note the many wildflowers growing along the path.
After this day full of impressions, sleep back in the Banff area, in campsites such as Tunnel Mountain Village I or II.
Day 15 – 16: Kananaskis Country
+/- 120 km – 1h25 drive
The last stop on this road trip in Western Canada was the biggest surprise for us! Located at the base of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, this area is once again surrounded by snow-capped peaks. Keep in mind that Kananaskis Country requires you to purchase an additional day pass of 15$ CAD per day. As you drive toward Kananaskis, you will pass the visitor center where you can purchase the day pass. Afterwards, continue driving toward the Interlakes Campground. Here you will spend the night and this is the ideal base for the most beautiful hikes in this area. Many people skip this area, making it much quieter than Banff or Jasper. At the same time, you have the same beautiful views here, so it is definitely worth taking this area on your tour! Kananaskis Country is also known for its many grizzly bears, so always be careful when hiking.
There are several wonderful hikes to do in the area, suitable for any hiking level. For example, the Windtower hike (10 km round trip) and the Tent Ridge hike (10.6 km round trip) are two well-known hikes that take you to beautiful views of the Spray Lakes. We ourselves did the hike to Rawson Lake (4 km round trip), a beautiful alpine lake hidden in the Canadian forests and surrounded by mountains. On our last day during our road trip in Canada, we also did the 4.5 km hike to Ptarmigan Cirque. Here we emerged onto an alpine meadow overlooking the many forests and mountains. Because we were there in September, the trees were already turning yellow, almost golden, which made a beautiful picture!
Day 17: Calgary
+/- 145 km – 1h55 drive
Your round trip in Western Canada is over! Time to drive back towards Calgary with a camera full of wonderful photos and a head full of great memories. Go on time to drop off your RV after which you can take an Uber or cab to the airport. If you don’t have your flight until the next day, you can stay again at Comfort Inn & Suites South. So you’ll pick up another good breakfast and have a free shuttle to the airport!
Ending your road trip in Vancouver
A popular alternative to taking this round trip in Western Canada is to end in Vancouver. You do this by driving on after Clearwater toward the famous ski resort of Whistler. In summer, you can take beautiful hikes there and take the Peak 2 Peak cable car, which is the longest unsupported cable car in the world. The glass floor that gives you a view of the valley below completes the experience.
From Whistler, you will then drive on towards Vancouver, where you will take the car ferry towards Vancouver Island. The landscape on Vancouver Island is completely different from what you’ve seen so far, with rugged coastlines and rainforest. On Vancouver Island, be sure to visit the hip surfer village of Tofino, enjoying Vancouver Island’s unique environment along the way. From Tofino you can book a whale watching tour, an absolute must! In fact, the ocean around Vancouver Island in the summer is full of whales, orcas, seals and sea otters. You can also take a whale watching tour like this from the pleasant city of Victoria.
No time to visit Vancouver Island? Then end in bustling Vancouver. Also from here you can book a whale watching tour. Furthermore, Vancouver is worth strolling through with its many skyscrapers and the cozy Gastown neighborhood. Or cycle through the vast Stanley Park with its impressive Lions Gate bridge. Moved enough this trip? Then discover one of Vancouver’s many hip dining spots, as this city is a true food mecca!
Best travel time for a road trip in Western Canada
It is important when planning your trip to consider the time period you are going. The best time to go to Canada is from June through September, with July and August being the high season. The advantage to going then is that you are most likely to have good weather, but it is also a lot busier. Especially for booking accommodations or campsites, you then have to get there on time, as some are full months in advance.
If you go in June then it is quieter, but there may still be snow on the trails and you may not be able to reach everything. We ourselves went in early September and loved it. The big crowds had subsided and all the snow had melted. In September, you do have more chance of a rain shower and it can be very cool at night.
Do you have any questions about this road trip inWestern Canada or have you been there yourself? Let us know in a comment below! Looking for more information about your next trip? Please do not hesitate to contact us contact or send an email to info@snoezelsontheroad.com
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