This adventure has all of the ingredients of a grand journey!  Explore beneath the towering redwoods on the California coast to the behemoth mountains of British Columbia.  Hike to azure alpine lakes, spot wildlife along mountainous roads, soak in healing hot springs and gaze at magnificent glaciers!  This unforgettable trip to the Canadian Rockies and Alaska will leave you in awe of Earth’s artistry.

Day 0

Welcome to the Green Tortoise!

Meet at the bus loading zone at the intersection of Columbus and Montgomery Street in downtown San Francisco with your e-ticket. 

Plan to arrive 30 minutes prior to the departure time. 

Day 1

We begin our journey with a ride across the Golden Gate Bridge. Say farewell to the city bustle and head north over the hills of Northern California. Enjoy getting to know your fellow travelers on the scenic ride.  Grab lunch in the quaint town of Ukiah. Onward to the breathtaking redwood groves along the Avenue of the Giants and Redwoods National Park. Take a walk beneath the massive trees and cool off in the Eel River.  

Camp Night

Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2

Northern California’s “Lost Coast” guides us through redwood forests and alongside sandy beaches into Oregon.  Trek across sand dunes and marvel at the famous Oregon haystacks rising out of the Pacific Ocean.  In the evening, head inland through the Siuslaw National Forest to our country campsite.

Camp Night

Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Day 3

The opportunity to visit one of Oregon’s “Crown Jewels” will be sure to delight the waterfall chasers!  At Silver Falls State Park, walk behind a curtain of water and hike to a number of enchanting spectacles!  In the afternoon, the adventure bus heads north to Seattle, Washington.  See the fish flying at the famous Pike’s Place Market, sip a latte from the original Starbucks and saunter along the waterfront.  

Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch 

Hostel Night

Showers Available

Day 4

Get your first glimpse of the behemoth mountains of British Columbia after we cross the border into Canada.  Watch as the beautiful scenery begins to change. Our camp is nestled in a forest of Douglas fir, pine and aspen trees.  This evening, take a hike along the lake’s shoreline and take a dip!   

Camp Night

Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Showers Available / Optional Soak

Day 5

Glacier National Park of Canada reveals itself on our adventure today.  Hike to some magnificent waterfalls and watch the mountains rise higher as we roll through the Canadian Rockies.  This evening, we arrive in Banff National Park. Our campsite near Lake Louise allows ample time to explore the alluring nature surrounding the azure water. 

Camp Night

Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Showers Available

Day 6

Rent a canoe for a scenic paddle or just enjoy the view from the luxurious Fairmont Chateau. Sip tea at high altitude after a hike through the dense subalpine forests to Lake Agnes – a hidden gem complete with a teahouse, lovely turquoise waters, a steep wooden staircase and a waterfall.  Hike another one of Banff National Park’s most beloved trails to views of ice hanging off mountainsides at the scenic Plain of Six Glaciers.  

Camp Night

Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Showers Available

Day 7

Start the day with a hike along the dramatic catwalks of Johnston Canyon to the cascading upper waterfalls.  Discover the natural beauty created by thousands of years of water erosion through the limestone bedrock.  Later, a short drive brings us to the historic town of Banff, where we’ll dine out on the town before we polish off the evening relaxing those sore hiking muscles in Banff Upper Hot Springs.

Camp Night

Meals Included: Breakfast

Optional Swim & Soak / Showers Available

Day 8

We’ll travel through the vast wilderness, alongside gigantic mountains, on the Icefields Parkway to the heart of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks.  A stop to stretch our legs sends us on a journey through time on an interpretive walk up to the face of the Athabasca Glacier in the Columbia Icefields. Beautifully striped erratics, or pebbles and boulders carried by the glacier, decorate the trail along the way.  Tonight, we’ll spend an evening getting to know the quaint, riverfront town of Jasper, Alberta.  

Hostel Night

Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch

Showers Available

Day 9

Explore the mountain wilderness of Jasper National Park.  Spectacular 165-foot sheer limestone walls of the impressive Maligne Canyon guide you on an unforgettable hike across six bridges suspended over the thundering Maligne River.  This afternoon, soak in the inviting Miette Hot Springs or keep moving on the Sulphur Skyline Trail for sweeping views of the endless wilderness.  

Camp Night

Meals Included: Lunch / Dinner

Optional Soak / Showers Available

Day 10

Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife on a scenic ride through an unscathed wilderness.  Along the way, we’ll stop for a trek through a captivating ancient forest of impressive Douglas fir trees.  Tonight, our destination is Tyhee Lake Provincial Park, situated in the charming Bulkley River Valley framed by the Telkwa and Bulkley Ranges of the Hazelton Mountains.  Trade stories around the campfire as loons call from the lake.

Camp Night

Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Showers Available

Day 11

Visit a First Nations village that dates back over 3,000 years.  The Gitksan people will take you on a journey through time with a cultural history tour of their 10,000 year old heritage.  Explore the long houses and museum of the K’San Village.  In Kispiox, we’ll visit magnificent totem poles, detailing native family histories.

Camp Night

Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Showers Available

Day 12

Today, we forge on to the coast.  Our ferry awaits in Prince Rupert and we certainly don’t want to miss this epic voyage!

Ferry Night**

Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Day 13

Delight in a panoramic ferry ride. As we glide through the Inside Passage, consider the impressive force of the glaciers that formed it millions of years ago.   Keep an eye out as we wind our way around lush islands and magnificent fjords, as this is home to orcas, humpback whales, American bald eagles, Dall’s porpoises, and bears that prowl the nearby shore.  You’ll view the natural world as it existed a millennia ago. Without a doubt, this is one of the highlights of the trip! 

Ferry Night**

Showers Available

Day 14 

Welcome to Juneau, the capital of Alaska!  Today, we’ll stretch our sea legs at the Mendenhall Glacier.  Take a hike for dramatic views from above or walk straight to a waterfall pounding into Mendenhall Lake at its base.  Juneau is enclosed by the largest temperate rainforest in the world, so we’ll take the road as far as we can!  On our way back into town, we may even take a break at the Alaskan Brewing Company. Tonight, seek out a souvenir at a local art shop or indulge in some local brews at a dive bar!

Hostel Night

Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch

Showers Available

*In Juneau, you will be staying at a hostel or hotel of your choice. We’ll recommend some of our favorite lodging options upon booking.

Day 15

You have lots of options!  Whether you choose to hike the mossy forests surrounding the city, spend the day touring Tracy Arm Fjord or Glacier Bay National Park, going sport fishing, or shopping for souvenirs, there’s something for everyone in Juneau!  Your guide and driver will help you find activities that fit best for you before you arrive on the ferry.  From Juneau, we say, “See you next time!”

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**Due to a very limited Alaska Marine Highway ferry schedule, our dates do not match up on this leg of the adventure.  Although we hoped to run the trip as written in the itinerary details, we expected this curveball and already have an alternative land-based route planned. This means certain destinations will change. This does not affect departure or arrival dates or times.  

The new highlights along the way include: Muncho Lake Provincial Park, Stone Mountain Provincial Park, Liard Hot Springs, the historic town of Carcross, the Carcross Desert, and Skagway, Alaska.

This adventure does still include a breathtaking ferry ride on the Lynn Canal between Skagway and Juneau!

• Travel By Custom Coach
• 70% of Meals
• National Park Entrance Fees
• Semi-Guided Exploration of Cities & Parks
• Sleeping Pad
• All Camping Fees
• Ferry passage between Skagway & Juneau

• Canada: 
  • Hot Springs Entrances
  • Lake Louise Canoe Rental
• Juneau area:
  • Mt. Roberts Tram
  • Tracy Arm Fjord Cruise
  • Flight-seeing Tour 

You’ll be traveling in a custom sleeper coach! 

A sleeping bag is required for this adventure.  If you don’t have one, rent one from us upon booking!  

A tent is required.  On most occasions you are welcome to sleep on the bus or sleep beneath the stars.  However, we strongly recommend bringing along a tent for privacy and comfort. You may rent a tent from us (subject to availability).

Our coaches are equipped with a camp kitchen.  No need to bring your own cookware or utensils.  Bring a reusable lunch container to store your packed lunch and a reusable water bottle.

Departure:  7:00 AM – San Francisco, CA, Columbus and Montgomery St. Bus Loading Zone

Departure Option 2 (Sunday, June 18): 2:00 PM – Union Station, 800 NW 6th Ave., Portland, OR 97209

Departure Option 3 (Monday, June 19): 7:30 AM – Green Tortoise Hostel, 105 Pike St., Seattle, WA 98101

*****

Arrival:  8:00 AM Foodland IGA – 615 West Willoughby Ave., Juneau, AK 99801