Rockies sprint from Calgary
Ten days of mountains, lakes and glaciers
Ten days, one gateway and still the whole of the Canadian Rockies: this loop out of Calgary is the compact version for families with a tight holiday. Ninety minutes after collecting the RV you are in Banff, and from there the trip becomes a slow out-and-back along the Icefields Parkway: Lake Louise first, then Jasper, and back with different stops. No one-way, no drop-off fee and no long driving days — the longest drive is the Parkway itself, and that is exactly the one you want to drive slowly. Arriving in early July? Plan around the Calgary Stampede.
Stops on this route
- Calgary
- Banff
- Lake Louise
- Jasper
- Calgary
Highlights
- Banff — Vermilion Lakes, Johnston Canyon and the hot springs as a first taste of the mountains
- Lake Louise — the lake, the Lake Agnes teahouse for older kids and the shuttle to Moraine Lake
- Icefields Parkway — Columbia Icefield and the Sunwapta and Athabasca waterfalls
- Jasper — Maligne Canyon, Pyramid Lake and the darkest night sky of the trip
- Yoho or Kootenay — Emerald Lake or Radium Hot Springs as a detour on the way back
Good to know
- Duration
- 10 days
- Best time to go
- Mid-June to September; September is quieter, with a chance of golden larches around Lake Louise
- Cost estimate
- €150–€230 per person per day for a family of four (indication, checked September 2026)