Fun and Adventure from the Backcountry of Banff
CMH Bugaboos - Robin O'Neill
Trip Type: Small Group Adventure
Territory: North America
Region: Rocky Mountains
Trip Price: From $9,995
Single Supplement: $1,595
On-Trip Airfare: $0
Duration: 9 days/8 nights
Trip Begins/Ends: Calgary, AB / Calgary, AB
Minimum Travelers: 4 travelers
Maximum Travelers: 16 travelers
Pricing detailed for this Small Group Adventure is based upon double occupancy. Additional charges for single travelers and any on-trip airfare required for the trip apply. A booking deposit is required to reserve your space. Small Group Adventure pricing includes all lodging, meals (unless otherwise noted), activities, baggage handling, transportation, and guide service. Not included are travel costs to/from gateway cities, guide gratuities, and personal incidentals including, but not limited to, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, alcoholic beverages, and laundry service. Travel with Off the Beaten Path requires agreement to our standard Terms & Conditions.
No Sweat - 1-2 miles of walking or hiking per day, plus easy activities
Nice & Active – 3-6 miles of hiking or walking per day, plus physically active exploration
High Five! – 5-10 miles of hiking per day, plus possible peak bagging or other action-oriented fun
This trip takes place at elevations of about 5,000+ feet, with 6-8 hours each day spent outside in potentially inclement weather. Activities include a guided glacier trek and hikes ranging from 1 to 5 miles in length.
Most all of our Small Group Adventures can be made private to just your traveling troupe. Just give us a call at (800) 445-2995 and tell us that you would like to “make it private”!
Generally, there are two ways to make a small group adventure private. First, you could capture one of our published departure dates for just your group. In order to achieve this, we have to have sufficient space available to create a separate private trip. Second, we could take the details of this itinerary and fashion it for just your group on dates of your choosing. For this, too, we just need to review your interest, group size, and preferred timing in order to create the trip.
In all cases, the process begins with a phone call so give us a ring at (800) 445-2995 and after just a few minutes gathering information, we can set to the task of making your trip a reality!
Meet your guide and fellow travelers in Calgary for a welcome dinner.
We begin today, departing from Calgary and heading to the heart of the Canadian Rockies. We arrive at Moraine Lake, which is surrounded by mountains and waterfalls, giving you plenty of opportunity for adventure. Depending on the group’s preference, there is opportunity for a short hike along one of the many trails to viewpoints and waterfalls. We will enjoy a picnic lunch before heading to Lake Louise. We’ll arrive at one of Banff’s most famous features, Lake Louise, with time to relax or explore before dinner.
Yoho isn’t far from Lake Louise, so we head there this morning to explore. We stop at Wapta Falls and also visit the Yoho National Park Visitor Center to view its exhibits on the world-famous Burgess Shale fossil site. After a picnic lunch, we explore aptly-named Emerald Lake. If time permits, we’ll take the short, 1.6-mile, paved hike to the base of Takakkaw Falls.
After enjoying breakfast at the lodge, we load up the vans and head to the helipad, where we’ll fly to either Bugaboo or Bobbie Burns CMH lodges, depending on your departure date. After a safety briefing at the lodge, we head out for our first high-mountain heli-hike! This evening, relax into dinner and share stories of the day.
Wake up for a hearty breakfast, pack your lunch, and get ready for the day’s adventure. Hike among theatrical spires, explore canyon trails, touch glaciers, gaze at crystalline lakes, or clip in for a thrilling via ferrata climb (climbing path with cables) at several stunning locations. Return to the lodge, where you'll relax and swap stories of your incredible adventures in the mountains as you savor a family-style dinner with your guides and lodge staff.
Bid farewell to the backcountry as we board the heli-transfer back to the helipad, where we embark on a scenic 2 to 2.5 hour drive through Kootenay National Park for some sight-seeing and a short hike. Spend the afternoon relaxing at the hotel, before gathering for dinner.
We don’t have far to go this morning to get outside and hiking. Possibilities include a walk through Johnston Canyon to Johnston Falls, or a wildlife watching hike along the Lake Minnewanka shoreline to Stewart Canyon. The afternoon will be at our leisure to stroll along Banff Avenue or the Bow River Trail, with ever-present mountain views. Tonight’s celebratory farewell dinner is at the eminent Banff Springs Hotel, a castle-like beauty built by the Canadian Pacific Railroad in 1888, that will have you scheming about plans to return before you even leave!
After breakfast, we’ll return to Calgary for flights home, with a head full of memories and a camera full of stunning photos!
Centrally located in downtown Calgary, The Fairmont Palliser is conveniently situated near the city's business and financial district and is within walking distance to the city's most exciting retail shopping, arts, culture and entertainment venues. Calgary's friendly spirit, coupled with the city's vibrant urban ambience makes for a metropolis of wonderful contrasts. Set in the heart of the city, Fairmont Palliser is a historical landmark offering distinctive accommodation in elegant surroundings.
A resort for all seasons, the Lake Louise Inn features a wide variety of hotel rooms, suites and condos set in a spectacular wooded setting with stunning views of the Canadian Rockies. Surrounded by soaring pines and sweeping mountain views, Lake Louise Inn is nestled among the snowy peaks of Banff National Park and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but within easy access to all the quaint town has to offer.
CMH Bugaboos is where the magic started and still shines to this day. Nestled among world-famous Bugaboo spires, the historic CMH Bugaboo Lodge is masterfully updated with modern comforts and boasts some of North America’s most staggering views.
Do you dream of getting away from it all? Nestled in the wilderness, Bobbie Burns feels like it's at the edge of the world - but it's actually just a short trip from Calgary. Hike through alpine meadows and along sun-drenched ridges or get your heart rate up on the famous Mt. Nimbus Via Ferrata. Bobbie Burns is as exciting in the summer as it is under snow and is one of two lodges that hosts our stellar summer trips.
The Canalta Lodge is a new addition to the growing Canalta family of hotels. Visit Banff National Park, and enjoy the Lodge’s unprecedented levels of service amidst gloriously untouched wilderness. Year-round, we offer the perfect basecamp from which to launch any expedition—to the top of a peak or to the nearby shopping district. So take a look around, and start scoping out your next adventure.
When my forever-adventuring mother initially suggested the trip, I thought, “Palm Springs?” It seemed out of left field, as our family trips typically revolve around National and State Parks with lots of hiking. After visiting, I can see why she was so excited to travel to the Coachella Valley. Each day was a special treat […]
We love the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Not only is it in our backyard, it’s one of the wildest regions in the lower 48. A visit to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks is the trip of a lifetime — but one trip is hardly enough. That’s why we’ve put together three itineraries for trips through […]
In the world’s first national park, winter is a season of extremes. Extreme beauty and extreme conditions make Yellowstone National Park a winter wonderland like you’ve never seen before. Active days in the powdery snow give you a chance to see Yellowstone’s highlights: geysers, hot springs, waterfalls, and wildlife. Spectacular days give way to cozy […]
Yosemite National Park in California’s Sierra Nevada is a place where high peaks tower over neighboring valleys, and roaring mountain rivers cascade over granite ledges. From early inhabitants like the native Ahwahneechee, to conservation advocates like naturalist John Muir, Yosemite has always been an inspirational natural wonder. Yosemite played an early role in the idea […]
