Canadian Rockies & Lake Louise – Exclusively Solos
Canadian Rockies & Lake Louise – Exclusively Solos
9 Days
Tour operator:
Tour code:
98499
From:
$3887
$3510 (USD)
including Flights from the UK
Operator discount: -$376
Tour Overview
Solo adventurers looking to take on the Canadian Rockies can embark on an easy-paced, escorted adventure, which puts dramatic natural wonders on full display during winter.
Beginning in Calgary, nicknamed ‘Cowtown’ due to its Western influences, you’ll journey alongside your fellow solo travellers and nature enthusiasts into the heart of the Canadian Rockies. Banff, the unofficial Rockies capital, will serve as your base, with its cosy winter wonderland charm and convenient access to a wish-list of optional outdoor activities.
From traditional sleigh rides across alpine meadows to interacting with wolfdogs at a sanctuary and soaring above the majestic, snow-coated peaks in a helicopter, there’s no shortage of opportunities to customise your itinerary. An included excursion amongst the epic wilderness of Banff National Park and a gondola ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain is undoubtedly a highlight, as is a visit to Johnston Canyon, with its striking frozen waterfalls. The five-star Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, set on the shores of the enchanting lake, promises the perfect setting for a farewell dinner with new-found friends.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day One – Fly To Calgary
Today, you and your fellow solo travellers will land in Calgary, gateway to the Canadian Rockies, and be welcomed by your friendly, local tour manager. A coach will then take you to your hotel in the downtown area of the city.
Once you’ve checked in, the rest of the evening will be free to get settled in and explore the surrounding area.
Day Two – Morning At Leisure In Calgary, Drive To Banff And Welcome Drink
This morning, you’ll have some free time to cover some of Calgary’s highlights. Nicknamed ‘Cowtown’, this city’s Western culture is evident, and it’s known for hosting the world-famous Calgary Stampede every July. Taking to the pedestrian-friendly street, Stephen Avenue Walk is worthwhile, or the Calgary Tower for a panoramic view of the city and the nearby mountains.
In the afternoon, you’ll leave the bustle behind and travel into the heart of the Rockies to Banff. Positioned in Banff National Park and enclosed by beautiful wilderness, this charming resort town will be your base for the next five nights. Your group will be welcomed with a drink on arrival at the hotel and then you’ll have the rest of the evening at your leisure.
Day Three – Included Banff And Sulphur Mountain Gondola Tour
A day of adventuring awaits, as you’ll head out on a tour through Banff, carpeted in snow. With your guide indicating points of interest as you go, the coach will pass by Bow Falls which is especially remarkable when frozen, as is Surprise Corner, a viewpoint looking out over the iconic 1888 Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, backdropped by Sulphur Mountain. You’ll then board a cable car and ascend to the top of the mountain, observing spectacular views of the region from above and the nearby six mountain ranges. Look out for the region’s native wildlife roaming freely in the pine forests, such as deer, wolves and elk, and have your camera ready to capture your sightings.
Later in the day, you’ll return to your hotel to warm up, perhaps enjoying a drink at the bar with some fellow travellers to share stories.
Day 4 : Days Four To Six – Days At Leisure And Four Optional Activities
Take advantage of these free days to do as little or as much as you like. The opportunity to choose from four optional excursions allows you to customise your time in Banff and bring your winter wish-list to life.
Perhaps set off on a sleigh ride across the snowy meadows with the mountains of Banff as your backdrop. Guided by a local cowboy, you’ll journey by horse-drawn sleigh, keeping an eye out for elk and deer while taking in the imposing peaks of Mount Rundle and Cascade Mountain. After this alpine adventure, you’ll return to the stables, where you can defrost with a steaming apple cider drink by the fire.
For animal lovers, a unique small-group experience to get up close with wolves and wolfdogs at a sanctuary is also available. During this excursion, you can learn about their behaviour, the role they play in our ecosystem and the important conservation work that the sanctuary carries out to protect them. You’ll also have time to take photos with the animals and speak with the team members.
If you’d like to pick up the pace, you can join a dogsledding activity, with the option to drive your own sled or with an experienced instructor. Pulled by a team of Canadian huskies, each sled will follow a picturesque track through Spray Lakes Provincial Park. As you travel at your preferred, comfortable pace, you’ll observe the nearby valleys, mountains and lakes before concluding with a snack and a hot refreshment by a campfire.
Alternatively, see the majestic Rockies from a different angle and venture on a 45-minute helicopter ride, which flies high above the mountains. Watch in awe as you circle over the sprawling forests, sparkling, frozen lakes, ragged peaks and alpine meadows below.
Day Seven – Travel Via Johnston Canyon With An Optional Hike, Continue To Lake Louise And Farewell Dinner
Following your adventures in Banff, you’ll check out of your hotel and journey to Johnston Canyon for a brief stop. Positioned in Banff National Park, this rocky canyon is popular with hikers due to its short, easy hike through the mountainside, lined with waterfalls and plunge pools. You’ll have the option to follow this gentle trail to the Lower Falls, dramatic cascades of water that become encased behind a sheet of ice, with frozen icicles hanging along the 30-foot drop.
The tour will then continue to Lake Louise, an expanse of turquoise-tinted water, backed by the magnificent Victoria Glacier and enveloped by alpine forest. A stay at the five-star luxury Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, set right on the shore of Canada’s most photographed lake, ensures a special night to remember and provides a fitting location for your final evening. After the sun has set, you’ll sit down with your fellow solo travellers to a memorable farewell dinner.
Day Eight – Morning At Leisure
Enjoy a relaxed morning, perhaps venturing outside for a stroll or finding a cosy spot in the lounge before you’re driven back to Calgary airport for your overnight flight.
Day Nine – Arrive Back In The Uk
You’ll land back in the UK with a host of incredible memories and new-found friends.
What's Included
-
A welcome drink in Banff and a farewell dinner in Lake Louise
-
Seven nights' room-only accommodation in a series of good-quality hotels in Calgary (1 night), Banff (5), Lake Louise (1), plus one night on the aircraft
-
Banff and Sulphur Mountain gondola excursion
-
An excursion to Johnson Canyon
-
Return flights to Calgary
-
Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager
-
Comfortable, air-conditioned coach travel and transfers throughout
Hotel transfer times
The transfer time from the airport to your hotel is 2 hours.
Foreign Office travel advice
Visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to find out the latest Foreign And Commonwealth Office travel advice for your holiday destination, as well as information about passports and visas.
Passports and visas
British citizens require machine-readable passports when travelling to Canada. Visitors to Canada must apply for an eTA online with Canadian Immigration at least 72 hours before departure atwww.canada.ca/eta. The current charge is seven Canadian dollars for British Citizens. British subjects, and anyone who has a criminal record or has ever been arrested, should consult the Canadian Embassy as a visa may be required.
Helicopter flights
Sightseeing flights by helicopter are weight controlled and balanced. Please contact us if you wish to book a helicopter flight and your bodyweight exceeds 250lb. (In such cases, a seat may have to be left empty, and some companies may charge a premium.)
Tipping
Gratuities are a way of life in North America, and it is generally accepted that they form part of a person's earnings. Customary gratuity to a coach driver or tour manager is about $5 per person per day; in a taxi or a restaurant leave 12-15 per cent of the bill and, in the bar, leave a dollar or so per drink.
Smoking
Smoking is not permitted on any coach forming part of your holiday; regular stops will be made though for your comfort en route. The majority of hotels in North America are non-smoking throughout including in all bedrooms. In general smoking outside is acceptable, but do look out for signs prohibiting this close to public entrances or bus stops.
On your flight
All outbound flights depart and arrive on the same day. All return flights leave in the evening and land in the UK the next day. On-board meals will usually include lunch and a snack on outward flights, and dinner and breakfast on flight home. Soft drinks are complimentary, but some airlines will charge for alcoholic drinks.
Luggage allowance
You are permitted to take one suitcase per person on the aircraft, which should not exceed 23kg.
Special requirements
If you have notified us of any special requirements, please check that they have been noted and acknowledged. This is especially important with any dietary needs you may have.
Disabled access
The majority of our tours involve a certain amount of walking, including a short walk from the coach stop to the town, attraction or venue you're visiting. If you are bringing a wheelchair, please let us know at the time of booking so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
Itinerary changes
Occasionally, for operational reasons, we may have to change the order of the excursions on your holiday. The final day-by-day itinerary will be confirmed on your Final Travel Documents, which you will receive approximately three weeks prior to your departure.
Hotel rooms
Standard hotel rooms in North America will contain one or two double- or queen-sized beds, and it is not possible to add extra beds to the room. Parties consisting of more than two travellers, but who have only booked one room, will be expected to make use of the two beds provided. If this is a concern, you may wish to consider booking more than one room for your group.
Changes to your hotels
Should circumstances require, we reserve the right to accommodate you in alternative hotels, of a similar standard, nearby. Full details of your hotels will be sent with your Final Travel Documents.
Hotel transfer times
The transfer time from the airport to your hotel is 2 hours.
Passports and visas
British citizens require machine-readable passports when travelling to Canada. Visitors to Canada must apply for an eTA online with Canadian Immigration at least 72 hours before departure atwww.canada.ca/eta. The current charge is seven Canadian dollars for British Citizens. British subjects, and anyone who has a criminal record or has ever been arrested, should consult the Canadian Embassy as a visa may be required.
Foreign Office travel advice
Visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to find out the latest Foreign And Commonwealth Office travel advice for your holiday destination, as well as information about passports and visas.
Helicopter flights
Sightseeing flights by helicopter are weight controlled and balanced. Please contact us if you wish to book a helicopter flight and your bodyweight exceeds 250lb. (In such cases, a seat may have to be left empty, and some companies may charge a premium.)
Tipping
Gratuities are a way of life in North America, and it is generally accepted that they form part of a person's earnings. Customary gratuity to a coach driver or tour manager is about $5 per person per day; in a taxi or a restaurant leave 12-15 per cent of the bill and, in the bar, leave a dollar or so per drink.
Smoking
Smoking is not permitted on any coach forming part of your holiday; regular stops will be made though for your comfort en route. The majority of hotels in North America are non-smoking throughout including in all bedrooms. In general smoking outside is acceptable, but do look out for signs prohibiting this close to public entrances or bus stops.
On your flight
All outbound flights depart and arrive on the same day. All return flights leave in the evening and land in the UK the next day. On-board meals will usually include lunch and a snack on outward flights, and dinner and breakfast on flight home. Soft drinks are complimentary, but some airlines will charge for alcoholic drinks.
Luggage allowance
You are permitted to take one suitcase per person on the aircraft, which should not exceed 23kg.
Special requirements
If you have notified us of any special requirements, please check that they have been noted and acknowledged. This is especially important with any dietary needs you may have.
Disabled access
The majority of our tours involve a certain amount of walking, including a short walk from the coach stop to the town, attraction or venue you're visiting. If you are bringing a wheelchair, please let us know at the time of booking so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
Itinerary changes
Occasionally, for operational reasons, we may have to change the order of the excursions on your holiday. The final day-by-day itinerary will be confirmed on your Final Travel Documents, which you will receive approximately three weeks prior to your departure.
Hotel rooms
Standard hotel rooms in North America will contain one or two double- or queen-sized beds, and it is not possible to add extra beds to the room. Parties consisting of more than two travellers, but who have only booked one room, will be expected to make use of the two beds provided. If this is a concern, you may wish to consider booking more than one room for your group.
Changes to your hotels
Should circumstances require, we reserve the right to accommodate you in alternative hotels, of a similar standard, nearby. Full details of your hotels will be sent with your Final Travel Documents.
Check out our Q&As
-
How long has the tour company been trading?
Since 1983
-
Vaccination Requirements
Your health and safety are pivotal to our operations, and every customer travelling on a tour with us must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19. Fully vaccinated means that you have had the full course of an approved vaccine a minimum of 14 days prior to your holiday. We also recommend that you travel with proof that you’ve been fully vaccinated.
-
What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Our company’s mission is to enrich lives and improve wellbeing through travel. A big part of that is ‘Travel for Good’. Our ‘Travel for Good’ hub is our first step in a long journey to reduce carbon, offset anything we produce as a company and travel without harming the planet or the people of the destinations we go to.
-
What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest Covid-19 policies
-
Fitness to Travel
We strive to give all our customers full care and attention, but we do need to know at the time of booking if there are any special needs or requirements. It is particularly important that we are advised of any disabilities and also if you intend to bring any specialist equipment such as a wheelchair with you. Please make sure that you make us aware of any requirements.
Reviews of this Operator
Dates & Availability
Monday - Tuesday
Dec 02, 2024 - Dec 10, 2024Monday - Tuesday
Jan 27, 2025 - Feb 04, 2025Monday - Tuesday
Dec 01, 2025 - Dec 09, 2025Book with Confidence
-
Low Deposit
Newmarket Holidays requires a minimum deposit of 35% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.
-
Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of newmarket holidays charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 48 days before tour starts: Forfeit 75% of booking price.
At 34 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.
At 15 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
-
Vaccination Requirements
Your health and safety are pivotal to our operations, and every customer travelling on a tour with us must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19. Fully vaccinated means that you have had the full course of an approved vaccine a minimum of 14 days prior to your holiday. You can find the travel restrictions for different countries on www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. We also recommend that you travel with proof that you’ve been fully vaccinated.