O Canada! Home of ice hockey and maple syrup, and source of your soon-to-be fondest travel memories. It all starts in Vancouver. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm, where you’ll meet your local leader and fellow travellers. If you arrive early, why not take a walk around the Victorian buildings in the historic Gastown neighbourhood, or maybe pick up a donut and a 'double-double' (that’s coffee with two cream and two sugars) from Tim Hortons. Tonight, maybe head out with your group for an optional dinner and explore Vancouver's nightlife. It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late, please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place. ROOMING: The group will be in 4-person dorms separated by gender, with shared bathrooms.

Say goodbye to Vancouver this morning and hit the road for Kamloops. You've got a long drive ahead today, but you’ll also get your first glimpses of Canada’s incredible scenery along the way. Stop at the town of Hope to stretch your legs and grab some lunch, then carry on to the hills of the Kamloops region for a night of camping. Settle into your peaceful surroundings and enjoy a night of swapping stories beneath the stars. Your travel time today will be approximately 5.5 hours.

Rise and shine for your first real taste of Canada’s great outdoors. Visit Mt Revelstoke, home to the world’s only inland temperate rainforests. What does that mean? Evergreen woodland with ancient trees and moss-covered ground, just like the forests in fairy tales. The area is home to a small herd of woodland caribous plus grizzly bears and moose, along with a population of banana slugs. Stop by Revelstoke town and then travel over Rogers Pass to Glacier National Park. Stop at the visitor centre and take in the panoramic views from lookouts along the way. Continue to Golden, where you’ll spend the night. Your travel time today will be approximately 7 hours.

This morning, head out to the Rocky Mountain Buffalo Ranch for a tour with the owner of the property. You'll get to learn about the history of the area and buffalo behaviours as you watch the incredible animals roam pastures backdropped by mountains. Then, return to Golden for a free afternoon. If you’d like to break in your boots (and don’t mind heights), there’ll be an optional walk to the Golden Skybridge, which’ll provide some incredible views of the Rockies from 426 feet in the air. Another option (not for the faint of heart) is to battle the wild waters of the aptly named Kicking Horse River on a guided rafting tour.

Say goodbye to Golden, then drive through the stunning mountainous landscape of Yoho National Park. There are a couple of ways to explore the terrain. If you’d like to wander, your leader can point you toward the best trails to tackle. To take things a little easier, maybe book a canoeing activity on the calm waters of Emerald Lake, or simply lie back on the riverbank and watch the world float by. Later, reconvene with the group and head to Takkakaw Falls for a quick stop before continuing to Banff National Park. Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours.

Today's your chance to explore Banff at your own pace! Established in 1885, Banff is the oldest national park in the country and contains over 1600 km (995 mi) of hiking trails. Your leader will have some activities planned for the group, or you might like to explore on your own. Why not join the group for a hike at Tunnel Mountain for the best views over Banff and head to Vermilion Lakes for an incredible view of the reflection of Mt Rundle, which towers over the town of Banff. There's also an option to unwind in the steamy waters of Banff Hot Springs. Return to your campsite in the evening for an included barbecue dinner. Depending on what your group decides, the barbecue dinner may take place on another night.

Today you’ll visit two of the national park’s most striking glacier-fed lakes. First is the lovely Lake Louise. With the snowcapped peaks providing an incredible backdrop, the lake is beautiful no matter what time of year you visit. Next is Moraine Lake, where the strikingly blue water sits between the Valley of the Ten Peaks. The view is sure to knock you off your feet! Spend time exploring both lakes and their surrounding areas, then return to camp. Late season snow can sometimes prevent us from parking at Moraine Lake in May and early June.

Ready for even more spectacular scenery? Today’s drive takes you along the famous Icefields Parkway past the Rocky Mountains. You’ll stop at a few lookouts, lakes and waterfalls along the way, so there will be plenty of opportunities to take the perfect photo. Stop at Athabasca Glacier where you can choose to take an optional glacier hike with a professional guide. Continue to Jasper National Park and set up camp for the evening. Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.

Today is as clear as the air in the Canadian Rockies. You could start the day with a trip to see Maligne Lake, where you can go on hikes and do some exploring. If you like, you can pay for an optional cruise on the lake and check out the famous Spirit Island. If you’d prefer to head out on your own, you may wish to stay behind and walk one of the many trails in the area. Jasper National Park is famous for wildlife such as elk, moose, deer, bears and mountain lions, and if you’re lucky, you’ll spot some of these wild animals. Just remember to admire them from afar. Then, head to Pyramid Lake for an epic sunset, taking iconic photos along the walkway to Pyramid Island.

After breakfast, watch Jasper National Park retreat in the rearview mirror as you drive west to Wells Gray Provincial Park. It’ll be a day on the road, but it’ll be broken up with plenty of sightseeing! Travel under the watchful eye of Mt Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. Stop off at Mount Robson Provincial Park where you’ll have plenty of time to admire the towering peak and hit the trails to discover the park’s flora and fauna, including more than 182 species of birds as well as mules, whitetail deer, moose, elk and black bears. Then, continue through the beautiful Cariboo Mountains to Wells Gray Provincial Park. In the afternoon, take a few short hikes to see some of the Wells Gray waterfalls. Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.

This morning, settle in for a long day on the road as you head toward the outdoorsy hub of Whistler. The drive will be broken up with a visit to the riverside town of Lillooet. First, stop in at a suspension bridge built in 1913, which has been recently updated with bat houses to support the local bat population. Then, pay a visit to a local brewery where they use ingredients from local growers, farmers and foragers in their brewing process. Continue to Whistler. While there won’t be much time to explore today, you might want to gather a group and hit Whistler Village. Your travel time today will be approximately 9 hours.

Today is free for you to choose your own adventure in (and around) Whistler. There’s the option to join your leader for a short hike over a suspension bridge to a graffiti-covered train wreck hidden in the trees. If you choose to stay in Whistler, ziplining tours are a great opportunity to get an aerial view of Fitzsimmons Creek and, if you’re lucky, see some bears along the way. There are also some great cycle networks in Whistler, so you have the option of paying for bike hire and riding to one of the nearby lakes. If you’re keen to keep exploring by foot, you could go on a short hike to Lost Lake – a tranquil spot just out of town.

After a short drive this morning, arrive back in Vancouver and set out on an orientation tour with your leader. Stroll a section of the 400-hectare Stanley Park, one of the largest urban green spaces in North America, then hop over to Granville Island, overflowing with galleries, markets and lively restaurants. Here, bid farewell to your leader and your fellow travellers, as your trip comes to an end. Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours.