My camera roll is full and my brain imprinted with the beauty that is Western Canada in summer after eight nights travelling from Calgary to Vancouver with Travelmarvel. I’ve seen lakes so blue my eyes couldn’t comprehend what they were seeing, soaring snow-capped mountains framing picturesque towns, glaciers carved out thousands of years ago and a harbour city fringed by rainforest.
If that’s not enough to convince you to add a Western Canada tour to your holiday list, keep reading for 5 reasons to book a tour to western Canada in summer.
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5 reasons to book at tour to Western Canada in summer
1. Calgary
I arrived in Calgary in the middle of its biggest party of the year, the Calgary Stampede. EVERYONE from hotel staff, to waitstaff, locals and tourists were in country-themed outfits. Live music streamed out from each bar you walked past and vibes were very high. If you can time a visit for the Stampede then I say do it! You will not stop smiling. I dressed up in my version of country and had one memorable afternoon among all the action.
The Stampede is a fast pace and high energy experience so if you’re looking a chilled way to balance this out, then I highly recommend taking a walk along the Bow River. Book ahead for lunch or dinner at the River Cafe on Prince’s Island.
2. The Lakes
From Calgary, it’s about an hour and half to Banff National Park and some of the stunning lakes that you absolutely need to see with your own eyes. After lunch in Canmore, our tour guide took us to Lake Moraine and I was officially ruined for all other lakes in the area. A 10-minute climb up the Rock Pile sealed its favourite lake status. I mean, can you believe these colours?
Lake Louise was our next stop and excitingly for an overnight stay at the iconic Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. Lake Louise attracts thousands of visitors each year and it really is not hard to understand why. The trick to get these kinds of photos is to walk further around or up into the hills above the lake. You’ll be rewarded if it’s early in the morning before the day trippers arrive. I’ll definitely be back for a longer stay. The new spa beckons at the hotel beckons!
3. Banff
The appeal was immediate on arrival in Banff. A picturesque main street with soaring mountains framing the vista on all sides. The vibe feels like New Zealand’s Queenstown on a more compact level, with a mix of dining options to suit all budgets, athleisure and sportswear focussed shopping, and easy access to to walking/biking trails as well as river activities. I highly recommend booking a river float for a peaceful way to experience this area and its staggering surrounds.
4. The Rocky Mountaineer
A two-day train ride aboard the Rocky Mountaineer is the stuff of bucket lists and felt like a pinch-me moment from the minute I stepped on board. We were treated to an ever-changing landscape from Banff through and over the Rockies – literally through and over the Rockies via the engineering feats that are spiral tunnels. We travelled across multiple rivers through expansive valleys carved by glaciers thousands of years ago. Past lakes so large you can see where they start but not where they end and through semi-arid desert to temperate rainforests.
All this and being very well catered with Canadian inspired cuisine with a focus on local produce while seated in my panoramic window seat in Rocky Mountaineer’s SilverLeaf Service. It’s a beautiful way to slow down the pace of touring and take it all in. I’ll be back one day to do it all again and experience the GoldLeaf Service.
5. Vancouver
Our train journey took us to my new favourite city, Vancouver, a vibrant city surrounded by water at most vantage points, with rainforest hills framing the region. I walked the Capilano Suspension Bridge, wandered Stanley Island, pottered and ate lunch at the Granville Markets and saw it all from above in a Harbour Air float plane. Our hotel, the Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown was perfectly positioned a stroll from the waterfront at Canada Place and nearby to city shopping.
Why tour with Travelmarvel?
This is not my first tour with Travelmarvel. You can catch up on my European river cruise adventures HERE.
As a Type A who is the one who does ALL the holiday logistics, touring Western Canada in summer this way was so easy. Every WOW moment happened with ease thanks to our tour guide Meghan and coach driver Ravi. I was still able to choose an style what my days looked like, whether that was going for a wander on my own or saying yes to Travelmarvel Insider Experiences and Enhance Your Journey activities.
Want to know more about touring with Travelmarvel? Click HERE Plus, Travelmarvel has given me a code to share with you. Quote NIKKI when calling Travelmarvel to save $200 per person on any Travelmarvel Canada or Alaska journey in 2027. Code valid until August 15, 2026. Promo T&Cs on Travelmarvel website.