Self-Launched Canadian Rockies & Rocky Mountaineer: Vancouver to Banff in 6 Days
6 days · Canadian Rockies (Vancouver to Banff)
Tourland charges £2,400
No-markup version: ~£1,565 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Tourland's 6-day Vancouver-to-Banff Rockies tour. You'll still ride the iconic Rocky Mountaineer through the Fraser Canyon and over Rogers Pass, then explore the Icefields Parkway, Jasper, Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Johnston Canyon — but booking each leg yourself. The big cost saving comes from swapping the guided coach for a mix of the train (booked directly, SilverLeaf or a cheaper VIA Rail alternative), a car-share/rental for the Rockies days, and hostel or budget-motel stays in Kamloops, Jasper and Banff. Prices are approximate backpacker/budget-traveller estimates in GBP, based on shoulder-season (May–June / September) travel; peak July–August and Rocky Mountaineer GoldLeaf service cost noticeably more.
Day-by-day
Vancouver to Kamloops by Rocky Mountaineer
Vancouver → Kamloops, BC
Board the Rocky Mountaineer at Vancouver Station (1755 Cottrell St — reachable by SkyTrain to Main St–Science World plus a short bus/walk, or a cheap taxi). Book directly on rockymountaineer.com; SilverLeaf is the budget-friendly class. The two-day rail journey is the headline experience: Fraser Valley farmland, the raging Fraser Canyon, Hell's Gate, then the Thompson River canyon into Kamloops. Breakfast and a hot lunch are included on board in SilverLeaf. You arrive in Kamloops in the evening — Rocky Mountaineer transfers you to a designated partner hotel, but you can equally pre-book a cheaper hostel or motel near the station and walk/taxi yourself. Budget alternative: if the Mountaineer is sold out or out of budget, VIA Rail's 'The Canadian' runs the same corridor overnight for roughly £90–130 in economy.
🚌Rocky Mountaineer train, Vancouver Station → Kamloops (~10 hrs). Book direct, SilverLeaf from ~£600–750 for the two-day Vancouver–Banff leg. Cheaper swap: VIA Rail 'The Canadian' ~£90–130.
🛏Budget motel or hostel in Kamloops (e.g. a downtown motel or the local hostel) — ~£45–60
- →Rocky Mountaineer rail journey through Fraser Valley and Fraser Canyon
- →Hell's Gate viewpoint
- →Thompson River canyon scenery
Kamloops to Banff by rail
Kamloops → Banff, AB
Second day on the Rocky Mountaineer: breakfast and lunch served on board as you climb past Craigellachie (where the last spike was driven), over Rogers Pass, through the Spiral Tunnels at Kicking Horse Pass, and between the Selkirk and Purcell ranges with glaciers visible from the dome car. Arrive Banff in the evening. Pre-book a hostel or budget lodge in Banff town (HI Banff or a Banff Ave guesthouse) rather than the operator's Aspen Lodge — Banff is expensive in summer, so book 3+ months ahead. If Lake Louise is on your bucket list for sleeping, note the Fairmont upgrade the operator sells for ~CAD$1,040/night is wildly outside budget; a Lake Louise hostel dorm is the realistic alternative.
🚌Rocky Mountaineer continues Kamloops → Banff (included in the two-day rail ticket above). Station transfer to hotel included by the operator; independent travellers can walk or take a local taxi (~£8).
🛏HI Banff Alpine Centre hostel dorm or Banff guesthouse — ~£35–55/night
- →Craigellachie historic site
- →Rogers Pass
- →Spiral Tunnels and Kicking Horse Pass
- →Selkirk and Purcell mountain views
Icefields Parkway: Banff to Jasper
Banff → Jasper, AB
Pick up a rental car in Banff (book well ahead in summer — roughly £45–65/day plus fuel, split between travel companions if you team up with other travellers). Drive the Icefields Parkway, one of the world's great road trips: stop at Bow Lake, then the Columbia Icefield where you can book the Ice Explorer glacier bus and Glacier Skywalk separately via Pursuit or GetYourGuide (~£55–70 combined, versus the operator's bundled version). Continue to Athabasca Falls and into Jasper. Overnight at a Jasper hostel or budget lodge. No car? Sundog Tours and Brewster Express run scheduled Banff–Jasper shuttles with Icefields stops for ~£70–90 one way.
🚌Rental car Banff → Jasper via Highway 93 (~3.5 hrs driving, full day with stops), ~£60/day + ~£25 fuel. Public option: Brewster/Sundog scheduled shuttle ~£70–90.
🛏HI Jasper hostel or Jasper budget motel — ~£40–60/night
- →Icefields Parkway drive
- →Bow Lake
- →Columbia Icefield Ice Explorer (self-booked)
- →Glacier Skywalk
- →Athabasca Falls
- →Jasper National Park
Jasper: Maligne Canyon and lakes
Jasper, AB
Self-guided morning walk into Maligne Canyon — the trailhead is a short drive or a local shuttle/Tourplus bus from town, and the canyon walk itself is free. Drive or shuttle out to Medicine Lake and Maligne Lake; the Maligne Lake cruise to Spirit Island can be booked direct with Pursuit (~£55) if you want it, or skip it and hike the Mary Schäffer loop instead. On the way back, detour to Peyto Lake, Waterfowl Lakes and the Crowfoot Glacier viewpoint for sunset. Keep the car one more night or return it in Jasper and take a morning shuttle to Lake Louise.
🚌Local driving/shuttle from Jasper townsite; Maligne Road ~£10 fuel or a ~£12 return local shuttle.
🛏HI Jasper hostel or Jasper budget motel — ~£40–60/night
- →Maligne Canyon walk
- →Medicine Lake
- →Maligne Lake (optional cruise, self-booked ~£55)
- →Peyto Lake viewpoint
- →Crowfoot Glacier
Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Yoho National Park
Jasper → Lake Louise → Banff
Drive the Icefields Parkway south to Lake Louise. Parking at Lake Louise and Moraine Lake fills by 7am in summer — the reliable budget move is Parks Canada's shuttle from the Lake Louise Ski Resort lot (~£8 return, book online in advance) or the Roam Transit route from Banff (~£8). Walk the lakeshore to the Victoria Glacier viewpoint, then shuttle to Moraine Lake and the Valley of the Ten Peaks. In the afternoon head into Yoho National Park: Emerald Lake, the Natural Bridge, and a look at the Spiral Tunnels. Overnight back in Banff. Skip the CAD$100+ Chateau Lake Louise lunch and grab a picnic from the Lake Louise village general store instead.
🚌Parks Canada Lake Louise/Moraine shuttle ~£8 return, or Roam Transit from Banff ~£8; rental car return to Banff ~£20 fuel.
🛏HI Banff Alpine Centre hostel dorm or Banff guesthouse — ~£35–55/night
- →Lake Louise lakeshore walk
- →Moraine Lake and Valley of the Ten Peaks
- →Yoho National Park
- →Emerald Lake
- →Natural Bridge
- →Spiral Tunnels
Johnston Canyon and Banff, then Calgary
Banff → Calgary, AB
Early start for Johnston Canyon — the walk to the Lower and Upper Falls is free and best before 9am. Back in town, ride the Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain (~£40 self-booked via Pursuit/GetYourGuide) or instead hike Tunnel Mountain for free views. Tick off Bow Falls, Surprise Corner and the Hoodoos viewpoint on foot or by Roam Transit, wander Banff Ave, then take the Brewster Express or a scheduled coach to Calgary International Airport (~£30–40, ~1h45) or stay a night in Calgary if your flight is early.
🚌Roam Transit around Banff ~£6 day pass; Brewster Express Banff → Calgary Airport ~£30–40.
🛏None included (onward travel day) — add a Calgary hostel dorm ~£30 if needed
- →Johnston Canyon walk
- →Banff Gondola (optional, self-booked ~£40)
- →Bow Falls
- →Surprise Corner
- →Hoodoos viewpoint
- →Banff town
Self-launched vs. Tourland
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Tourland | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,565 | £2,400 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £835 per person (35%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Tourland-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,565
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.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Canadian Rockies & Rocky Mountaineer: Vancouver to Banff in 6 Days cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,565 per person for 6 days in Canadian Rockies (Vancouver to Banff). 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 Tourland?+
Yes — Tourland charges around £2,400 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,565 — a saving of roughly £835 (35%) per person.
How long is the Canadian Rockies (Vancouver to Banff) trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through Canadian Rockies (Vancouver to Banff).
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, road-trip trip through Canadian Rockies (Vancouver to Banff), 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?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.