Calgary Campervan & Motorhome Hire

Day 1: Collect your RV from Cruise Canada's depot in northeast Calgary, about 12 km from the airport, after checking one-way availability to Vancouver for your dates. Allow an hour for paperwork and a walkthrough, and stock up at a supermarket before leaving the city. Take the Trans-Canada Highway west to Canmore, about 1.5 hours, and book two nights at a campground just outside Banff National Park.

Day 2: Buy a Kananaskis Conservation Pass, C$15 a day per vehicle, and explore Kananaskis Country along sealed Highway 40, stopping at Barrier Lake and the trails around Kananaskis Village. Skip the gravel Smith-Dorrien Spray Trail in a motorhome and check your rental terms on unpaved roads. Back in Canmore, walk the Bow River paths and find dinner on Main Street.

Day 3: Drive 30 minutes to Banff, showing your Parks Canada pass at the gates, and check in for two nights at Tunnel Mountain, where some sites have water, sewer and power. Ride the Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain for views over the Bow Valley, then soak in the Banff Upper Hot Springs. Roam Public Transit buses link the campground with town, so leave the RV parked.

Day 4: Follow the Lake Minnewanka Scenic Drive past Two Jack Lake to Lake Minnewanka, where boat cruises run in summer. In the afternoon, walk to Bow Falls and the Hoodoos viewpoint, or visit the Cave and Basin National Historic Site. Watch for elk and bighorn sheep on the roadsides, and slow down rather than stopping in a traffic lane.

Day 5: Take the Bow Valley Parkway (Highway 1A) to Johnston Canyon and walk the canyon catwalks to the Lower and Upper Falls. In spring and September, the parkway's eastern end may be closed to vehicles by day for a cycling pilot, so join it at Castle Junction if needed. Continue to Lake Louise, about an hour from Banff, and book three nights at the Lake Louise campground.

Day 6: Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles, so book a Parks Canada shuttle from the Lake Louise Park and Ride, where reservation holders park free. One ticket covers Moraine Lake, the connector to Lake Louise and your return. Walk the Lake Louise lakeshore, or climb to the Lake Agnes Tea House if you have the legs and the time.

Day 7: Cross the Continental Divide into Yoho National Park, about 30 minutes to Field in British Columbia. See Emerald Lake and the Natural Bridge, then drive the Yoho Valley Road to Takakkaw Falls only if your RV is under 7 m long, as longer vehicles must reverse around its tight switchbacks. Return to Lake Louise for the night.

Day 8: Fill the tank in Lake Louise and head north on the Icefields Parkway, where you need a park pass and there is no cell coverage. Stop at Bow Lake, the short walk to the Peyto Lake viewpoint and Mistaya Canyon. Camp at Waterfowl Lakes or Rampart Creek, rustic Parks Canada campgrounds near the Saskatchewan River Crossing.

Day 9: Top up the tank at Saskatchewan River Crossing, the parkway's only fuel stop and open in summer only, then climb Sunwapta Pass to the Columbia Icefield. Walk the trail towards the toe of the Athabasca Glacier or book a glacier tour at the Icefield Centre. Stop at Sunwapta and Athabasca Falls on the 100 km run to Jasper, and camp at Whistlers or Wapiti.

Day 10: Drive Maligne Lake Road past Medicine Lake to Maligne Lake for a boat cruise or a lakeside walk, watching for bears and moose. Some areas are still recovering from the 2024 wildfire, so check Parks Canada's open and closed list before you go. In the afternoon, ride the Jasper SkyTram or relax beside Lac Beauvert.

Day 11: Take the Yellowhead Highway west into British Columbia to Mount Robson Provincial Park, about 1.2 hours, and view the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies from the visitor centre. Clocks go back an hour to Pacific time over the border. Continue south through Valemount to Clearwater, about three hours more, and book two nights near the entrance to Wells Gray Provincial Park.

Day 12: Drive the Clearwater Valley Road into Wells Gray, about 40 minutes, to see Helmcken Falls, one of Canada's tallest waterfalls, with stops at Spahats Creek and Dawson Falls on the way. Leave the gravel roads further north to cars. Pick up maps and local tips at the visitor centre in Clearwater, and refill water and empty the tanks.

Day 13: Follow the North Thompson River south to Kamloops, about 1.7 hours, for fuel and groceries. Continue to Kelowna on Okanagan Lake, around 2 to 2.5 hours more, where the dry hills turn to orchards and vineyards. Book two nights at an RV park near the lake, and expect busy roads and beaches on summer weekends.

Day 14: Spend the day around Kelowna, touring the wineries of West Kelowna and Lake Country with a designated driver or a local tour. Hike up Knox Mountain for views over Okanagan Lake and the city, then swim at one of the city beaches in summer. Pick up cherries, peaches or apples from roadside fruit stands in season.

Day 15: Drive about an hour south to Penticton, between Okanagan and Skaha lakes, and float the river channel between them on a hot day. Visit a few of the wineries on the Naramata Bench, then continue about an hour to Osoyoos. Book two nights beside Osoyoos Lake, known as one of the warmest lakes in Canada for swimming.

Day 16: Learn about the South Okanagan's desert landscape and Syilx culture at the Nk'Mip Desert Cultural Centre, then swim or paddle on Osoyoos Lake. Stock up at the fruit stands along Highway 97. Refill water, empty the tanks and refuel this evening, ready for tomorrow's mountain drive west.

Day 17: Head west on the Crowsnest Highway (Highway 3) through the Similkameen Valley to E.C. Manning Provincial Park, about 2.5 hours. Camp at Lightning Lake, book ahead with BC Parks in summer, and walk the easy loop around the lake. Snow can linger on Allison Pass into late spring, so check DriveBC before you set off.

Day 18: Descend to Hope, about an hour, and stretch your legs beside the Fraser River. Continue 40 minutes to Harrison Hot Springs on Harrison Lake for a soak and a lakeside walk. Stay the night at a campground in the village, and fill up with fuel before the run into Vancouver.

Day 19: Follow the Fraser Valley west to Fort Langley, a heritage village with a Parks Canada national historic site on the river. Continue to an RV park in Burnaby or North Vancouver, about two hours of driving in all, and book two nights. Aim to arrive by mid-afternoon to miss weekday rush hour on Highway 1.

Day 20: Leave the RV at camp and take transit into the city, as downtown parking is tight for a motorhome. Walk or cycle the Stanley Park Seawall, browse the Granville Island Public Market and wander Gastown. Back at camp, empty the tanks and refuel, ready for an early return tomorrow.

Day 21: Drive to Cruise Canada's Vancouver depot at Delta, about 30 minutes from Burnaby, and return the RV during the morning drop-off window, usually 9am to 11am. From Delta, take a taxi or rideshare to Vancouver International Airport (YVR) or the BC Ferries terminal at Tsawwassen to continue your trip.

Day 1: Collect your RV from a depot near Calgary Airport, allowing about an hour for paperwork and a walkthrough, and stock up on groceries before leaving the city. Drive west on the Trans-Canada Highway to Canmore, about 1.5 hours, with the Rockies rising ahead of you. Stay the night at a campground in Canmore, just outside Banff National Park, and buy your Parks Canada pass online.

Day 2: Drive 30 minutes to Banff and check in for two nights at Tunnel Mountain, where some sites have water, sewer and power. Catch a Roam bus into town, ride the Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain, and finish the day in the Banff Upper Hot Springs. Store all food and scented items inside the RV, as the campground runs Parks Canada's Bare Campsite program.

Day 3: Take the Lake Minnewanka Scenic Drive to Two Jack Lake and Lake Minnewanka, then visit the Cave and Basin National Historic Site, where Canada's national parks began. Drive out to the Vermilion Lakes at sunset for reflections of Mount Rundle. Carry bear spray on every walk, as Parks Canada advises year-round.

Day 4: Take the slower Bow Valley Parkway (Highway 1A) instead of the Trans-Canada, stopping at Johnston Canyon to walk the catwalks to the falls. In spring and September, part of the eastern parkway may be closed to vehicles by day, so join it at Castle Junction if needed. Continue to Lake Louise, about an hour from Banff in all, and book three nights at the Lake Louise campground.

Day 5: Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles, so take a Parks Canada shuttle from the Lake Louise Park and Ride, where reservation holders park free. One ticket covers Moraine Lake, the connector to Lake Louise and the trip back. Book seats as soon as reservations open in spring, as they usually sell out well ahead.

Day 6: Drive 30 minutes west into Yoho National Park to see the Spiral Tunnels viewpoint, Emerald Lake and the Natural Bridge near Field. Takakkaw Falls is worth the detour if your RV is under 7 m long, as longer vehicles must reverse around the Yoho Valley Road switchbacks. Return to Lake Louise for the night.

Day 7: Fill up in Lake Louise and head north on the Icefields Parkway, where there is no cell coverage. Stop at Bow Lake, the Peyto Lake viewpoint and Mistaya Canyon, and top up at Saskatchewan River Crossing, the only fuel stop, open in summer only. Climb Sunwapta Pass to the Columbia Icefield, about 130 km in all, and stay at the Icefields Centre RV campground.

Day 8: Walk the trail towards the toe of the Athabasca Glacier, or join a glacier tour from the Icefield Centre. Drive the last 100 km to Jasper, stopping at Sunwapta Falls and Athabasca Falls, and book two nights at Whistlers or Wapiti campground. Look out for elk, mountain goats and bears on the way.

Day 9: Drive Maligne Lake Road past Medicine Lake to Maligne Lake for a boat cruise or a lakeside walk. Some areas are still recovering from the 2024 wildfire, so check Parks Canada's open and closed list before you go. In the afternoon, ride the Jasper SkyTram, then refuel and restock in town for the drive south.

Day 10: Drive the full 232 km of the Icefields Parkway back south, about 3.5 hours of driving, and catch the viewpoints you passed on the way up, as the light and views differ in each direction. Leave early to beat tour buses at the busiest stops. Camp near Castle Junction or Lake Louise, ready for Kootenay tomorrow.

Day 11: Turn south onto Highway 93 at Castle Junction and cross Vermilion Pass into Kootenay National Park in British Columbia. Stop at Marble Canyon, the ochre Paint Pots and the Kootenay Valley viewpoint, then wind down through Sinclair Canyon to Radium Hot Springs, about 2 hours from Lake Louise. Book two nights at Redstreak Campground above the village.

Day 12: Soak in the Radium Hot Springs pools, run by Parks Canada, and look for bighorn sheep that often wander through the village. In the afternoon, drive 20 minutes south to Invermere for a swim at the Lake Windermere beach, or walk the trail from Redstreak Campground down to the hot springs.

Day 13: Drive back north through Kootenay National Park, stopping at Numa Falls for a picnic, and return over Vermilion Pass to the Trans-Canada and on to Canmore, about 2.5 hours. Spend your last night at a Canmore campground, and empty the tanks and refuel this evening, ready for an early return tomorrow.

Day 14: Drive back to Calgary, about 1.5 hours, and return the RV during the morning drop-off window, usually 9am to 11am at Cruise Canada. The Calgary depot is closed on Sundays, so avoid planning a Sunday return. If your flight is later in the day, catch the train into downtown and visit the Calgary Tower or Stephen Avenue Walk.

Day 1: Collect your RV near Calgary Airport and stock up before leaving the city. Take the Trans-Canada west and turn south onto Highway 40 into Kananaskis Country, about 1.5 hours in all. Buy a Kananaskis Conservation Pass for each day you park here, C$15 a day per vehicle, and book two nights at a campground near Kananaskis Village.

Day 2: Drive about 45 minutes south to Peter Lougheed Provincial Park and walk the shores of the Upper and Lower Kananaskis Lakes. In summer, continue up Highway 40 to Highwood Pass, which is closed to vehicles from 1 December to 14 June. Watch for bears and bighorn sheep on the road, and keep bear spray handy on the trails.

Day 3: Head back north on Highway 40 and west through Canmore to Banff, about 1.5 hours, and check in at Tunnel Mountain for the night. Ride the Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain, then soak in the Banff Upper Hot Springs. Take a Roam bus into town for dinner rather than hunting for RV parking.

Day 4: Follow the Bow Valley Parkway to Johnston Canyon and walk the catwalks to the Lower and Upper Falls, joining at Castle Junction if the eastern end is closed for the spring or September cycling pilot. Carry on to Lake Louise and book two nights at the Lake Louise campground, then stroll the riverside trails near camp.

Day 5: Take a pre-booked Parks Canada shuttle from the Lake Louise Park and Ride to Moraine Lake and Lake Louise, as Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles. In the afternoon, drive about 40 minutes up the Icefields Parkway to Bow Lake and the Peyto Lake viewpoint, then return to camp.

Day 6: Spend the morning in Yoho National Park, 30 minutes west, at Emerald Lake and the Natural Bridge near Field. After lunch, drive back east past Banff to Canmore, about 1.5 hours, for your last night. Empty the tanks and refuel this evening so the morning return is quick.

Day 7: Drive back to Calgary, about 1.5 hours, and return the RV during the morning drop-off window, usually 9am to 11am at Cruise Canada, which is closed on Sundays. With time before your flight, visit the Calgary Tower, Stephen Avenue Walk or Heritage Park, Canada's largest living history village.