Alberta
Christmas in the Canadian Rockies
Program No. 16593RJ
Join us for Christmas in Banff to experience the winter wonderland of the Canadian Rockies. Learn about the local wildlife and culture, and marvel at the majestic mountain scenery.
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Protecting the Environment
We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more
6 days
5 nights
10 meals
4B 2L 4D
1
Check-in, Registration, Welcome Dinner, Orientation
Banff, Alberta
2
Banff Geology, Cave & Basin, Banff Park Museum
Banff, Alberta
3
Banff & Bow Valley, Whyte Museum, Free Time
Banff, Alberta
4
Sleigh Ride, Christmas Eve
Banff, Alberta
5
Afternoon Tea, Christmas Dinner
Banff, Alberta
6
Program Concludes
Banff, Alberta
At a Glance
If you’re dreaming of a white Christmas filled with old-fashioned charm and stunning mountain scenery, then join us for the holidays in Banff! Savor breathtaking views of the Canadian Rockies as you learn firsthand about local wildlife like deer and elk. Dip your hands in thermal waters at Cave and Basin National Historic Site, marvel at colorful lights shimmering in the cavern and discover plumes of steam billowing through the cave’s vent. Experience everything Christmas in the Rockies can offer as you celebrate the season with new friend and Christmas cheer!
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to one mile daily on varied terrain; snow and ice, slippery conditions. Elevations up to 4,540 feet.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Harken back to a bygone era as you dash through the snow on a horse-drawn sleigh through the pristine Bow River Valley.
- Sip afternoon tea in the luxurious Banff Springs Hotel as you gaze out at the majestic mountain peaks of Banff.
- Learn about the culture shaped by the mountain landscape at the Whyte Museum and hear the stories of the early explorers drawn to these rugged mountains.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Brent MacDonald
Brent Macdonald has been a resident of the Canadian Rockies for almost 30 years. As a geology expert, he provides a wealth of knowledge about geography and geomorphology. Brent has had a diverse career as a freelance natural history interpreter, also working as a consultant for a geotechnical engineering company. He has shared his knowledge of geology and natural history as an interpreter and guest lecturer. Brent is also a certified mountain leader and ski instructor.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Brent MacDonald
View biography
Brent Macdonald has been a resident of the Canadian Rockies for almost 30 years. As a geology expert, he provides a wealth of knowledge about geography and geomorphology. Brent has had a diverse career as a freelance natural history interpreter, also working as a consultant for a geotechnical engineering company. He has shared his knowledge of geology and natural history as an interpreter and guest lecturer. Brent is also a certified mountain leader and ski instructor.
Jennifer Royal
View biography
Jen Royal graduated with a bachelor’s in Canadian history from the Wilfred Laurier University and has over ten years of experience teaching, leading and interpreting history. She has worked at the Whyte Museum since 2014 in both the Education Department and the Archives and Library.
Routes Adventures Mobile Phone
View biography
Please call the toll free line at 1-866-745-1690 during regular business hours or for non-urgent matters (Mon - Fri 8:30 - 4:30 EST). The mobile phone #1-613-331-5777 is for after hours and weekends for emergency use only. The phone is carried by a staff member.
Suggested Reading List
(5 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Christmas in the Canadian Rockies
Program Number: 16593
Banff Park Travel Guide 2024-2025: Exploring Nature’s Beauty and Holiday Magic at Christmas in the Canadian Rockies
Embark on an unforgettable journey through the heart of the Canadian Rockies with Banff: A Winter Wonderland. This comprehensive travel guide takes you beyond the ordinary, offering an insider's look at Banff National Park’s stunning landscapes, rich history, and magical holiday experiences. Perfect for adventurers, nature lovers, and those seeking a unique Christmas escape, this guide is packed with expert tips, carefully crafted itineraries, and local secrets to ensure your trip is both seamless and extraordinary.
The Cave and Basin: A History of Banff's Hot Springs
Authored by renowned historian E.J. (Ted) Hart, The Cave and Basin is a history book that describes these unique and fascinating hot springs and how they became the catalyst for important developments in Canadian history and culture. The book details the story of the springs first discovery, their critical place in a government decision to create a reserve to protect them for public use and their development into a tourist location where generations of Canadians and those from around the world came to enjoy their soothing balm. In the process, the springs, and the Cave and Basin particularly, became the epicentre for both the creation and the commemoration of Canada's national parks.
Banff A History of the Park and Town
From the regions first Aboriginal visitors through the coming of the railway and the discovery of hot springs to modern times, Banff: A History of the Park and Town represents a synthesis of E.J. (Ted) Hart's 40-year career as a Canadian Rockies historian.
This Wild Spirit: Women in the Rocky Mountains of Canada
In 1912, Mary Vaux, a botanist, glaciologist, painter, and photographer, wrote about her mountain adventures: “A day on the trail, or a scramble over the glacier, or even with a quiet day in camp to get things in order for the morrow's conquests? Some how when once this wild spirit enters the blood…I can hardly wait to be off again." Vaux's compulsion was shared by many women whose intellects, imaginations, and spirits rose to the challenge of the mountains between the late-nineteenth and mid-twentieth centuries. This Wild Spirit explores a sampling of women's creative responses—in fiction and travel writing, photographs and paintings, embroidery and beadwork, letters and diaries, poetry and posters—to their experiences in the Rocky Mountains of Canada.
Handbook of the Canadian Rockies
Geology, plants, animals, history and recreation from Waterton/Glacier to the Yukon.