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National Parks: Canadian Rockies, Glacier & Yellowstone

11 days  |  15 days with The Badlands & Mount Rushmore extension  |  Loading prices

Group size
15–35 travelers
Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars

130
Activity level

Take in the spectacular natural theater of North America’s national parks.

You don’t have to cross an ocean to see a world of wonder—just join us on this tour through North America’s most alluring national parks on this multi-country journey. Encounter roaming wildlife in its natural habitat and gaze at geological marvels (geysers, canyons, and hot springs galore!) as you make your way from Banff and the Canadian Rockies to Yellowstone. Scenic drives, jewel-colored lakes, geothermal eruptions, snowy summits—this tour’s extraordinary landscapes and natural wonders are sure to leave you in awe.

Your tour package includes

  • 10 nights in handpicked hotels
  • 10 breakfasts
  • 1 lunch
  • 4 dinners with beer or wine
  • 8 sightseeing tours
  • Expert Tour Director & local guides
  • Private deluxe motor coach

Included highlights

  • Banff National Park
  • Cave and Basin National Historic Site
  • Lake Louise
  • Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
  • Glacier National Park
  • Old Faithful
  • Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site
  • The Grand Tetons

Itinerary

Calgary, Alberta

Day 1: Arrival in Calgary

Welcome to Canada! After arriving in Calgary, make the short transfer with your groupmates to your hotel. You’ll touch down later in the evening, so use your free time to settle into your room, grab a bite to eat at your hotel, and look forward to the rest of your journey.

Banff Region

Day 2: Sightseeing tour of Calgary & Banff National Park

Included meals: Breakfast, Welcome dinner

With your Tour Director leading the way, head out on a guided sightseeing tour of Calgary. While this part of Alberta turns into a winter wonderland for large swaths of the year—Calgary hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics—it’s warm and mild in the summer.

  • Drive by Calgary City Hall, the seat of the Calgary City Council. Built in 1911 in the Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style, it sits next to the newer Calgary Municipal Building—whose mirrored glass facade was dubbed “a monstrosity” by rivaling members of the Toronto City Council.
  • Pass the Canada Olympic Park (many of the nation’s top athletes still train there) and the winding Bow River, a popular recreation spot for locals.
  • Pass by the Confluence Historic Site & Parkland—formerly Fort Calgary—and make a photo stop at the vast Calgary Stampede grounds, home to the largest outdoor rodeo event in the world. (No wonder Calgary is known as “Cowtown”!)

Afterward, travel to Banff. Sitting inside a national park of the same name, this glamorous resort town is known for. its mix of outdoor activities, art galleries, and take-your-breath-away sights. The park itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so expect a postcard-perfect slice of the Canadian Rockies.

  • Pass the roaring churn and spray of Bow Falls, the castle-like grounds of the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel, and the 13-mile-long Lake Minnewanka.
  • Enter the Cave and Basin National Historic Site, the birthplace of Canada’s first national park at the foot of Sulphur Mountain. Home to hot springs and spectacular wildlife, the area was inhabited by indigenous First Nations peoples for more than 10,000 years and remains a sacred place to this day.

Get to know your Tour Director and fellow travelers during tonight’s welcome dinner, served with beer or wine.

The Badlands & Mount Rushmore extension

Can’t get enough of those spacious skies, amber waves, and purple mountains? Continue your sweep across North America by adding this extension. Another handful of national treasures await—capped by a face-to-face(s) meeting with Mount Rushmore—as do living reminders of the Old West.

Cody, Wyoming

Day 11: Transfer to Cody & Buffalo Bill Center of the West

Included meal: Breakfast

While some of your tourmates head to the airport, you’ll make your way to Cody, a city of roughly 10,000 people on the banks of the Shoshone River. Why name it Cody? To honor one of its founders, William—better known to history as Buffalo Bill.

After arriving, dig into the showman’s legacy at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Choose from five different museums to explore: You’ll learn about the person behind the legend; view some of the outfits he’d wear during shows; see the bow of famed Lakota leader Sitting Bull; and more.

Finally, return to your hotel for the evening and get some rest.

Gillette, Wyoming

Day 12: Gillette via Heart Mountain Interpretive Center

Included meal: Breakfast

You’ll end your day in Gillette—but before you get there, you’ll detour to a destination that illustrates one of the darker moments in American history.

During World War II, nearly 14,000 Japanese Americans were forced to relocate to what is now known as the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center as part of the United States’ internment program. Leave your bus to learn about the rural camp’s construction, enter its barracks, and hear the stories of those incarcerated there.

Hit the road and settle in for the ride to Gillette, Wyoming, where you’ll stay for the night.

Rapid City, South Dakota

Day 13: Rapid City via Devils Tower National Monument, Deadwood & Crazy Horse Memorial

Included meal: Breakfast

Today, continue east and cross into South Dakota, aiming for Rapid City. En route, a trio of landmarks await.

  • Start at the Devils Tower. This soaring butte, standing an imposing 867 feet tall, has long been a cultural and spiritual site for the Cheyenne, Lakota, and other Black Hills tribes. It was also the first national monument declared by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1902.
  • Enjoy free time in the Gold Rush boomtown of Deadwood. Illegally settled on Lakota land in the 1870s, it rapidly grew after the discovery of gold in the Black Hills. Back then, Deadwood was infamous for its outlaw reputation; today, it’s a U.S. National Historic Landmark, filled with excellent examples of period architecture.
  • Venture into the Black Hills to gaze upon the Crazy Horse Memorial. A work in progress, this epic mountain monument currently bears the guise of the famed Lakota warrior; in the future, it’ll depict him atop a horse, pointing to his ancestral land.

Day 14: The Badlands & Mount Rushmore

The striated ridges of the Badlands. The white granite of Mount Rushmore. Both are American icons—and today, you’ll get to see them.

  • Begin in Badlands National Park, a 380-square-mile tract of sparse wilderness. Snap photos of its rocky pinnacles (stone spires created by erosion) and pristine prairies before making your way to Wall Drug, a sprawling general store on the edge of the preserve.
  • Visit Mount Rushmore, whose face bears the 60-foot-tall likenesses of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Lincoln. As you look on, keep in mind its complicated history: The mountain, along with the rest of the Black Hills, was illegally taken from the Sioux in the 19th century, in violation of an earlier treaty.
  • Enter the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center, named after one of Mount Rushmore’s sculptors, to learn more about the project—the reasons behind it, the techniques used to create it, and more.

Finally, head back to Rapid City. Tonight, raise a glass and toast to your trip with a farewell drink before returning to your room and prepping for tomorrow’s travels.

Flight Home

Day 15: Departure

Included meal: Breakfast (excluding early morning departures)

Transfer to the airport for your flight home. 

Reviews

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Hotels

We handpick every hotel to strike the balance of comfort, location, and local charm. Specific accommodations will vary based on your departure date, but these are frequently used hotels for this tour and we're confident you'll be satisfied.

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Calgary - Fairfield Inn & Suites Calgary Downtown

This comfortable hotel is located near the Victoria Park neighborhood. Guests enjoy a fitness center and on-site restaurants. Nearby you’ll find shops and restaurants.

Banff - Canalta Lodge Banff

This cozy hotel is located in Banff, Alberta. Guests enjoy rustic-chic rooms with mountain views, a courtyard with hot tubs for a relaxing soak, and a daily s'mores station with firepits. Nearby, you'll find the Banff Gondola...

Glacier Region - Prince of Wales Hotel

This historic hotel is located in Waterton. Guests enjoy the Secret Garden Spa with indoor pool and hot tub, traditional afternoon tea service in the elegant drawing room, and panoramic mountain views from the bluff-top...

Missoula - Courtyard by Marriott Missoula

This relaxing hotel is located in Missoula. Guests enjoy the indoor pool, fitness center, and bistro. Nearby you'll find Glacier National Park, the Aerial Fire Depot and Smoke Jumpers Center, and a handful of restaurants.

Yellowstone Region - ClubHouse Inn West Yellowstone

This charming hotel is located just outside of Yellowstone National Park. Guests enjoy the indoor pool, hot dub, and delicious breakfast. Nearby you’ll find the Yellowstone Visitor Information Center, the Grizzly & Wolf...

Gillette - Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Gillette

This contemporary hotel is located in Gillette. Guests enjoy an indoor pool and hot tub for relaxation, a well-equipped fitness center for maintaining workout routines, and spacious rooms with modern amenities. Nearby, you'll...

Rapid City - Hotel Alex Johnson Rapid City

This historic hotel is located in Rapid City. Guests enjoy a rooftop bar with panoramic views of the Black Hills, a 24-hour fitness center, and an on-site spa offering relaxation treatments. Nearby, you'll find Mount Rushmore...

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Flights

Round-trip flights are one more thing we handle to make your journey as smooth as possible. Our team of travel experts will find the best flight itinerary for you at a competitive rate, thanks to our partnerships with top airlines.

Add our airfare and you’ll get:

  • Round-trip flight for your tour
  • Airport transfers at your destination
  • A great price locked in today
  • 24/7 support from our dedicated service team
  • Options for arriving early, staying longer, or requesting an upgrade
  • Flexible rebooking options if your tour itinerary changes

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