This fourteen night fly and drive takes a family of four from Vancouver on the Pacific coast through the heart of the Canadian Rockies to Banff. With flights from Dublin, 14 days car hire and a wildlife trip in Jasper included, the route is built to show you the best of British Columbia and Alberta, with enough time at each stop to actually enjoy it.
Vancouver is where the trip begins and it is a strong opening. Mountains sit behind the city, the ocean is in front of it and the neighbourhoods in between are easy to explore on foot. Four nights at the Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront puts you right on the water. A Big Bus Hop On Hop Off pass is included, giving the family a simple way to see the city's main sights before picking up the car.
An hour and a half north of Vancouver, Whistler is a mountain resort town known for skiing in winter and outdoor activities in summer. The drive up the Sea to Sky Highway is worth it on its own, with ocean views giving way to forest and peaks. Two nights here gives you time to walk the village, try the gondola and get your first proper feel for the mountains.
Kamloops is an overnight stop that marks a real change in the landscape. The forests and coast drop away and you are suddenly in wide open river valley country, with dry hills and the Thompson River stretching out around you. It is a side of Canada most people do not expect and it is worth a walk along the waterfront before an early start the next morning.
Jasper is one of Canada's largest national parks, a vast stretch of the Rockies where elk, bears and deer move freely through mountain valleys. Two nights at Miette Mountain Cabins puts you inside the park itself. An evening wildlife search trip is included, a three hour guided tour by vehicle through the park at dusk, when animals are most active. The tour has a 95% success rate for sightings and the guides know exactly where to look.
The drive south from Jasper follows the Icefields Parkway, a road that runs through glacier country with some of the most dramatic scenery in North America. Lake Louise sits at the end of it, a vivid turquoise lake backed by a glacier and surrounded by mountains. It is one of those places that lives up to the photographs. Two nights at Lake Louise Inn gives you time to walk the shoreline and take it in properly.
Banff is a busy, lively mountain town inside Banff National Park and it is the perfect place to finish the trip. Three nights at Banff Rocky Mountain Resort gives you time to take the gondola up Sulphur Mountain, visit nearby lakes and trails, and explore the town's restaurants and shops. It is a proper end to a proper trip.
Return flights from Dublin with Air Canada and Aer Lingus via Montreal and London Heathrow, 14 days car hire from Vancouver International Airport to Calgary International Airport with inclusive insurance, Vancouver Big Bus Hop On Hop Off pass for 2 adults and 2 children, wildlife search trip in Jasper National Park for 2 adults and 2 children, and accommodation throughout as follows: 4 nights at Pinnacle Hotel Vancouver Harbourfront (room only), 2 nights at Crystal Lodge Whistler (room only), 1 night at DoubleTree by Hilton Kamloops (room only), 2 nights at Miette Mountain Cabins Pocahontas (room only), 2 nights at Lake Louise Inn (room only), 3 nights at Banff Rocky Mountain Resort (room only). Based on 4 passengers sharing. Flights depart Dublin on 01 September 2026. Price is correct at the time of posting (19 March 2026). Offers are subject to change.
Price from €2,875 per person
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