Great Resorts of the Canadian Rockies — Self-Launched
7 days · Canadian Rockies, Canada
Globus charges £4,150
No-markup version: ~£660 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 7-day Rockies loop from Calgary to Lake Louise, Jasper and Banff — the same lakes, glaciers and wildlife as the Globus coach tour, but built on hostel and budget-hotel stays, public transport and self-booked activities. This is a DIY itinerary you assemble yourself: use the On-It Regional Transit / Brewster Express / Rider Express intercity buses, book the Columbia Icefield and Maligne Lake cruises direct with Pursuit, and hike and paddle on your own schedule. Note this region is not cheap — even DIY, food and accommodation in Banff and Jasper run well above typical backpacker rates, especially in peak season.
Day-by-day
Arrive Calgary
Calgary
Land at Calgary International Airport and take the CTrain (Route 300 bus or the airport shuttle, ~£4-8) into downtown. Check into a downtown hostel or budget hotel. Spend the afternoon doing your own orientation walk: Stephen Avenue Walk, the Calgary Tower area, and the Bow River pathways. Calgary is a compact, walkable downtown, so no guided drive needed — pick up any groceries for the road and confirm your onward bus/train tickets.
🚌Airport CTrain/bus ~£4-8
🛏HI Calgary City Centre hostel (dorm ~£30-40/night) or downtown budget hotel (~£70-90)
- →CTrain from airport to downtown
- →Self-guided walk of Stephen Avenue Walk and Bow River pathways
- →Pick up groceries and confirm onward transport
Calgary to Lake Louise
Lake Louise
Travel to Lake Louise by intercity coach — Brewster Express, Rider Express or the On-It Regional Transit service run this corridor (book ahead, ~£35-55 one way, roughly 2.5-3 hrs). Drop bags and walk the Lake Louise lakeshore trail yourself (flat, easy, 4 km return) — no guide required. Optional extras you book yourself: canoe rental on the lake (~£60-70/hr, often shared/cost-split with other travellers), forest hiking, or, if you want the famous view, the short hike up to the Lake Agnes Tea House. Lake Moraine is ~14 km away — the Parks Canada shuttle from the Lake Louise ski area is the cheapest way to reach it if you have time.
🚌Brewster Express / Rider Express / On-It coach ~£35-55
🛏HI Lake Louise hostel (dorm ~£35-45) or Lake Louise Inn budget room (~£90-120)
- →Lakeshore trail walk at Lake Louise
- →Optional canoe rental
- →Optional Lake Agnes Tea House hike
- →Optional Parks Canada shuttle to Lake Moraine
Lake Louise to Jasper via the Icefields Parkway
Jasper
The Icefields Parkway is the highlight of the trip, and you don't need a coach tour to see it. Options: (1) take the Brewster Express / On-It / SunDog connector between Lake Louise and Jasper (~£50-70, ~3.5-4 hrs) which stops at Peyto Lake and the Columbia Icefield; or (2) split the drive with a one-night stop. Stopping points to self-explore: Natural Bridge and Emerald Lake near Field (a short detour), Peyto Lake viewpoint (weather permitting), and the Columbia Icefield. Arrive in Jasper and settle in — pick up your Jasper National Park pass (see note below) and explore the walkable townsite.
🚌Intercity coach Lake Louise–Jasper ~£50-70 (day pass for stops may add cost)
🛏HI Jasper hostel (dorm ~£30-40) or budget motel (~£70-95)
- →Icefields Parkway scenic coach
- →Peyto Lake viewpoint
- →Emerald Lake and Natural Bridge (Field)
- →Jasper townsite walk
Jasper National Park
Jasper
Book the Maligne Lake cruise to Spirit Island direct with Pursuit (~£55-65) — this is the classic Jasper experience and can be self-booked without a tour group. Getting to Maligne Lake: if you don't have a car, join the Pursuit shuttle or a shared transfer from town (~£15-25); Maligne Lake is ~48 km from Jasper. In the afternoon, walk the Maligne Canyon trail yourself (free, well-signposted, deepest accessible canyon in the park) and, weather permitting, watch for wildlife along the Maligne Road. Optional: scenic float rafting on the Athabasca River, bookable direct with local operators (~£45-60).
🚌Shuttle to Maligne Lake ~£15-25
🛏HI Jasper hostel (dorm ~£30-40) or budget motel (~£70-95)
- →Maligne Lake cruise to Spirit Island (self-booked with Pursuit)
- →Maligne Canyon trail walk (self-guided)
- →Optional Athabasca River float rafting
Jasper to Banff via the Columbia Icefield
Banff
Take the intercity coach south on the Icefields Parkway, stopping at the Columbia Icefield (~£55-75 Jasper–Banff). At the Icefield, book the Columbia Ice Explorer / Athabasca Glacier tour direct with Pursuit (~£55-65) — an all-terrain vehicle onto the glacier plus the Skywalk. If you'd rather not pay for the Ice Explorer, the interpretive trail to the toe of the Athabasca Glacier is free. Continue to Banff and check in. Banff town is very walkable; spend the evening strolling the main strip and Bow River.
🚌Intercity coach Jasper–Banff ~£55-75
🛏HI Banff Alpine Centre / Samesun Banff hostel (dorm ~£35-45) or budget hotel (~£90-130)
- →Columbia Icefield Ice Explorer and Skywalk (self-booked with Pursuit)
- →Free Athabasca Glacier interpretive trail (alternative)
- →Banff townsite evening stroll
Banff National Park
Banff
A full self-launched day in Banff. Ride the Banff Gondola to Sulphur Mountain for the classic panorama (book direct, ~£50-60), then walk the Sulphur Mountain boardwalk. Alternatively, take the free Roam Transit to Tunnel Mountain and the Bow River Falls for easy viewpoints. Horseback riding along the Bow River is bookable direct with local stables (~£50-70/hr) — the same ride the tour packages in. If the weather turns, the Whyte Museum in town covers Banff and Bow Valley history (~£10). Optional splurge: a helicopter flightseeing trip over the Rockies (~£130+), booked direct.
🚌Free/discounted Roam Transit locally
🛏HI Banff Alpine Centre / Samesun Banff hostel (dorm ~£35-45) or budget hotel (~£90-130)
- →Banff Gondola and Sulphur Mountain boardwalk (self-booked)
- →Bow River Falls and Tunnel Mountain viewpoints
- →Optional Bow River horseback ride (self-booked)
- →Optional Whyte Museum
- →Optional helicopter flightseeing
Banff to Calgary
Calgary
Take the Banff Airporter, Brewster Express or On-It Regional Transit back to Calgary (~£30-45, ~2 hrs) and onward to the airport. If you want to extend, the Rocky Mountaineer rail journey out of Banff is bookable direct as a separate add-on (it's a luxury experience and costs several hundred pounds — budget travellers can ride the far cheaper scheduled intercity buses or VIA Rail instead). Depart Calgary or stay another night.
🚌Banff Airporter / Brewster Express / On-It ~£30-45
🛏Departure day (no accommodation) or optional HI Calgary City Centre hostel ~£30-40
- →Banff–Calgary coach to airport
- →Optional Rocky Mountaineer add-on (booked direct)
- →Optional extra night in Calgary
Self-launched vs. Globus
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Globus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£660 | £4,150 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £3,490 per person (84%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Globus-style trips? Check them out here.~£660
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Great Resorts of the Canadian Rockies — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £660 per person for 7 days in Canadian Rockies, Canada. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Globus?+
Yes — Globus charges around £4,150 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £660 — a saving of roughly £3,490 (84%) per person.
How long is the Canadian Rockies, Canada trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Canadian Rockies, Canada.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, hiking, backpacker trip through Canadian Rockies, Canada, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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