Canadian Rockies Bike Tour

Overview

Welcome to the Canadian Rockies, one of the most spectacular places on earth. Your guides will meet you at the Otter Hotel in Banff at 10:00 AM, introducing you to your Trek bike with a personalized fit to ensure your comfort for the week and covering some safety tips for riding in the region. From here, the first ride follows the paved Rocky Mountain Legacy Trail through lodgepole pine forests and broad valley views, tracing the Bow River toward Canmore. The ride back toward Banff unfolds beneath the towering face of Mt. Rundle, at the base of Cascade Mountain, for a Trek Travel signature picnic lunch prepared by your guides. After lunch, a short ride into Banff will deliver you back to the hotel in good time. Settle in ahead of a social hour and a special dinner in town, where your guides set the stage for the week and the wild western landscapes ahead.

Overview

The day opens with a leisurely morning at the hotel, taking in views of Cascade Mountain, before the ride heads toward Lake Minnewanka. A local favorite, the lake stretches beneath towering peaks, its turquoise water a vivid contrast to the rocky shoreline. From there, the route continues to Mt. Norquay for a classic ascent with sweeping views over Banff and the Bow Valley, with a shuttle offered for those who prefer it. At the summit, the afternoon is yours—choose to ride the scenic chairlift above the treeline to lunch at Cliffhouse Bistro, a 1950s teahouse turned modern mountain restaurant, or descend into Banff and choose from the town's own lineup of restaurants. The evening is yours, with dinner on your own and your guides' restaurant recommendations in hand. Don't leave without tracking down a sweet “bear claw” from one of Banff's chocolate shops.

Overview

Today's ride showcases Banff's quieter side. Following breakfast, the route heads out onto Tunnel Mountain Road, winding through tree-lined switchbacks along the base of Tunnel Mountain before looping around the grounds of the Banff Springs Golf Course. Here the fairways open up to reveal the Devil's Cauldron, the par-3 fourth hole with the Bow River wrapping around three sides. Light traffic and smooth pavement make for a peaceful ride before the route continues to the Sundance Canyon trail, a paved path tracing Sundance Creek into a forested canyon. Back at the hotel, take some time to explore another great lunch spot in Banff. After lunch, you can meet your guides for a guided hike to the top of Tunnel Mountain, known as Sleeping Buffalo, where sprawling view of the Bow River Valley open up before you. Or, stay back and enjoy the rooftop hot pools and outdoor fire area, which offer a well-earned way to close the afternoon before gathering at the hotel for dinner with your guides.

Overview

The morning ride leaves Banff behind, heading deeper into the national park via the Bow Valley Parkway, a winding corridor renowned for wildlife sightings, following the Bow River beneath the peaks. Lunch from a local café breaks up the ride before the road climbs across the glacial valley to Lake Louise. Once you reach Lake Louise Village, the choice is yours—continue climbing to the Lake Louise shoreline on two wheels, or join your guides in the van for a shuttle up to the lake. Lake Louise is one of those places you've seen in photographs your whole life—the Victoria Glacier, the peaks, the water—and it still manages to surprise you when you're finally there. When you're ready, return to the village to settle into Lake Louise Inn, set among the pines, where you'll spend the next two nights. Dinner at the inn closes out the day, with tomorrow's ride still ahead.

Overview

After enjoying your first peaceful morning in the village, you'll meet your guides for a 45-minute shuttle to Peyto Lake, an iconic viewpoint on the Icefields Parkway. The ride begins with the valley opening up ahead, glaciers spilling down from the peaks into a landscape that stops you in your tracks. The route rolls mostly downhill through the confluence of the Wapta and Waputik Icefields, two of the largest glacial systems in the Canadian Rockies, with Mount Balfour rising to 10,375 feet above the valley floor. Riders looking to extend the day have the option to start with a push further west over the continental divide before turning back towards Lake Louise Village. After the return to Lake Louise, lunch in the village gives way to a relaxed afternoon before the week closes with a celebratory social hour and dinner, a fitting end to a week in the Canadian Rockies.

Overview

This morning you'll rise early for a last farewell to the Rockies. Meet your guides for a 30-minute shuttle up to Moraine Lake, climbing the limited-access road through the Valley of Ten Peaks before the lake comes into view. The turquoise water, the rock pile, the ten peaks rising above it—few landscapes in Canada have been photographed more, and standing at the shore, it's easy to understand why. A short walk up the rock pile itself brings you to the viewpoint at the top, where the full panorama spreads across the lake below. Take it all in before shuttling back to Lake Louise Inn in time for breakfast. At 10:30 AM, after checkout, your guides will drive you back through Banff and onward to Calgary for drop-off at the international airport.