Tailor-made journeys to Western Canada

Generally speaking, Western Canada is a pricier destination than the East. The range of accommodation is remarkable, and depending on what you’re after, the budget can climb quickly. Motels or a luxury lodge deep in the forest? A chain hotel or an authentic ranch? The selection of addresses will largely determine your budget.
It’s also worth knowing that Western Canada draws visitors from around the world: Brazilian and Asian travellers are particularly drawn to turquoise lakes, glaciers and wildlife, and tend to book their holidays well in advance. As a result, Europeans who plan only a few months ahead often face higher flight and ground transport costs, with less choice in services.
Time is what gets you the best value for money. In summer, budget at least €4,000 per person for around ten days on a self-drive tour with mid-range accommodation.
If you favour higher-end categories and exceptional experiences, costs can quickly reach €10,000 per person.

Naturally, the ideal length of stay depends on what you want to discover. Travelling through Western Canada means covering ground by road, sea and air; distances are long and visitor numbers high, but the breathtaking scenery makes it well worth the effort. The complex terrain of mountains, fjords, steep rock faces, vast plains, century-old forests and huge lakes means some regions are only partially served by transport links, or not at all. Harder-to-reach places mean more time needed for travel — and so more time on the ground to make the most of it.
A “classic” self-drive tour covering the essentials of the Rockies and British Columbia takes a good twenty days.
Only have 2 weeks? We can adapt the itinerary and leave out Vancouver Island, for instance.
Only have 10 days? Focus on a single region and do it properly. It would be a shame to come home frustrated, without having had enough time to enjoy what you did see.

The Rockies draw huge crowds in summer. Visitors from all over the world converge to explore this breathtaking scenery. This means you should always allow more time on the road than road guides suggest.
GPS systems don’t account for the sudden stops on the highway caused by a bear deciding to wander along the roadside or cross the road. This kind of unplanned encounter will likely delight you, but first pay attention to the other vehicles around you! Whether to avoid a collision or for your own safety around the animal, DO NOT GET OUT OF YOUR VEHICLE. Never forget: the bear is at home, and you are its guest.

Likewise, if you come up behind a car stopped on the road for no obvious reason, don’t try to overtake without knowing why it’s stopped: the driver has likely spotted an obstacle you haven’t seen yet, and is probably taking a few photos of the animal — be patient and understanding, you’d probably do the same in their place.

You’ll also find that access to certain sites is heavily restricted, or simply impossible if you don’t arrive early in the morning. Managing visitor flow in such extraordinary scenery requires careful regulation. Unfortunately, you can’t keep building car parks while preserving the wilderness that drew you to these provincial and national parks in the first place. Parks Canada does everything it can to improve the visitor experience, but nature conservation remains its top priority.

Here’s a concrete example of just how complex this balancing act can be: Moraine Lake, one of Canada’s emblematic sites, is also one of the most visited places in the country. Yet parking there is extremely limited. The lake is only accessible by a small road, which, in summer, is simply closed once the car park is full. If you plan to arrive at Moraine Lake around 10-11am, you won’t just struggle to park — you won’t get anywhere near its turquoise waters at all. Arrive before 8am or after 6pm to try to avoid the crowds. Shuttles also run from the village of Lake Louise.

Even if you’re not one for planning your days in advance, avoiding frustration, stress and irritation — which have no place on holiday — takes a bit of organisation.

Our advice: drive with care and enjoy the scenery. After all, that’s part of the experience of America too!