Wonders of the Canadian Rockies

If you are a U.S. citizen traveling internationally, you will need a passport valid for six months beyond the completion of your Tauck journey for entry into Canada. You do not require a visa for the short duration of this tour. Please note that longer stays abroad for any purpose may require additional travel documentation. Click here for more information on the U.S. Department of Customs and Border Patrol website.

If you are a frequent traveler to Canada from the U.S., you may benefit from the NEXUS program which is a joint initiative between the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency and the Canada Border Services Agency that allows pre-screened and approved travelers faster processing at designated highway lanes in high-volume border crossing locations, at a NEXUS kiosk at several airports, and at certain marine reporting locations in the Great Lakes and Seattle regions.

For further information, you may log on to the Nexus Internet site by clicking here.

If you are a citizen of another country traveling internationally, please contact an embassy or consulate of Canada to determine what travel documentation will be required.

Anyone with a criminal record (including some misdemeanors such as Driving While Impaired [DWI] charges) may be excluded or removed from Canada, and should contact a Canadian embassy or consulate well in advance of any planned travel to ensure proper travel documentation.

We recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, the date of expiration and your citizenship. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents are misplaced, lost or stolen.

To facilitate Travel Requirements, destinations are increasingly utilizing online forms that require digital proof that you've successfully completed your submission (via an email, QR code, etc.) To ensure smooth travels and peace of mind, we strongly recommend all guests carry a personal smart phone and sign up for international data plans before traveling overseas.

Note: For activities marked with an asterisk (*) in day-by-day descriptions, participation is at your own risk; a signed liability waiver will be required.

TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN AS A GUARDIAN: If you are traveling as the guardian of a child/children, we strongly suggest that you carry a letter from both parents of the child authorizing emergency treatment in the event of illness or accident. For travel abroad, many foreign countries have specific entry requirements for children under 21 who are traveling internationally without BOTH parents. (These requirements are in response to the increased incidence of children being abducted and taken abroad.) PLEASE NOTE THAT TAUCK IS NOT RESPONSIBLE for the disruption of travel caused by improper documentation for children traveling without both parents.

Deposit Information:

The deposit and the fees for the optional Protection Plan or Cancel Fee Waiver [CFW] coverage are due at time of booking. Your deposit is £200.

Terms and Conditions:

For additional information pertaining to our Tauck Journeys, including Cancellation Information and Booking Conditions, click here to learn more.

At the time of booking, please have the following information ready:

• Tour Name and Departure Date Desired
• Traveler Name(s):  Please have first and last names as they appear on the passport or driver's license.
• Traveler's Address(es)
• Traveler's Phone Number(s)
• Emergency Contact Information: This would be a relative or friend whom we could contact during the tour in the event of an emergency. Please provide their name and phone number(s).
• Interest in purchasing a travel protection product (US and Canada)
• Interest in extending your trip by staying in a Tauck recommended hotel before your trip begins or after it ends
• Interest in our specially negotiated airfares.

Regarding your final payment:

Final Payment is due to Tauck 60 days before departure for lands trips, and 120 days before departure for cruises and rail journeys. If your deposit was made by credit card, final payment will be automatic unless you opted out at time of booking. Bookings without full payment at this time may be subject to cancellation without notice. Failure to make payment will be a considered a cancellation by the guest and all applicable cancellation fees will apply.

Customer Protection: Our UK-based agents comply with the bonding requirements of the Civil Aviation Authority and provide full financial protection for the package holidays that we sell in the UK. For flight-based holidays, this is through the Air Travel Organiser's Licence (details of which are available from the UK-based agent with whom you book). When you buy a package holiday that doesn't include a flight, protection of your monies paid to our UK-based agent will be provided by way of a bond.

AIRFARE: Airfare to and from this destination is not included in the journey cost. If purchasing your air elsewhere, it is very important to provide us with your confirmed arriving and departing flight information no later than 3 weeks before your arrival date. Flight information can be submitted to Tauck (or verified, if you've already provided it) in the My Account section of Tauck.com.

TAUCK AIRPORT TRANSFERS are included at the start and end of the journey between the airport and the Tauck hotel. Airport transfers are available for any pre tour or post tour hotel stays immediately consecutive to the tour, providing flight information is received in the Tauck office no later than three weeks in advance. Details on locating your transfer upon arrival to the tour start city will be included in your final documents.

AIRLINES and CHECKED LUGGAGE: Due to space limitations during your Tauck journey, we ask that you please limit your checked luggage to one average-size suitcase per person. Besides complying with the Tauck restriction noted above, you should also be sure to research and comply with all airline baggage restrictions relating to your flights to and from your Tauck journey. Airlines have become much more strict in enforcing size and weight limits in recent years, and are free to revise luggage policies without notice. Researching and complying with airline luggage restrictions is the responsibility of the guest, and Tauck cannot be held responsible for any costs or disruptions to travel caused by the failure to research and comply with airline policies. PLEASE NOTE that if you are booked on a tour that includes on-tour flights, the checked luggage weight restrictions for these flights may be lower than the weight restrictions for your international flights.

Checked Luggage – General

Due to space restrictions, we ask that you please limit your checked luggage to one suitcase per person weighing no more than 50 pounds (23 kg) and with overall dimensions (length + width + height) not exceeding 62 inches (158 cm).

Besides complying with the Tauck restriction noted above, you should also be sure to research and comply with all airline baggage restrictions relating to your flights to and from your Tauck journey. Airlines have become much more strict in enforcing size and weight limits in recent years, and luggage exceeding airline standards for size or weight may result in expensive overage fees or other consequences.

Airlines are free to revise luggage policies without notice, and certain airlines have different baggage allowances for different classes of service. Researching and complying with airline luggage restrictions is the responsibility of the guest, and Tauck cannot be held responsible for any costs or disruptions to travel caused by the failure to research and comply with airline policies.

Tauck luggage tags will be provided by your Tauck Director on Day 1 of your itinerary. Please do not attach a Tauck luggage tag to any carry-on items, as the Tauck tags designate luggage that is to be handled and transferred by ground operators and hotel staff during your journey.

Carry-on Luggage - General

Although oversize bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for motor coach travel or for many on-tour flights. Most modern sightseeing motor coaches offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.

For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and that you bring only those items you need handy during the day such as make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or on the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may be inaccessible during daytime travel.

HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS

If you have a medical condition that might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify us as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.

Please check with your health insurance provider to determine whether you are covered while traveling. If you will not be covered under your current policy, we strongly suggest that you arrange for adequate coverage while on tour.

Regarding Oxygen

If you require portable oxygen while traveling, you will be responsible for any maintenance and operation that the tank requires while on tour, and for locating health facilities on the tour route that can perform tank maintenance. If you choose to bring a tank on tour, you will need to provide us the exact specifications of the tank, including size, model, and all components that accompany it prior to booking the tour to determine motor coach storage capabilities. You may inquire about having them filled at a hospital in Banff or Jasper (there is no hospital in Lake Louise), but tank maintenance facilities are limited in the Canadian Rockies.

Seaton General Hospital: Box 310, 518 Robson Street, Jasper, Alberta T0E 1E0.

Phone: (780) 852-3344. Fax: (780) 852-3413

Banff Mineral Springs Hospital: 305 Lynx Street, Banff, Alberta, Canada TIL1H7.

Phone: (403) 760-7214

Smoking is not permitted on the motor coaches. Local legislation in Canada varies widely with respect to smoking. Alberta and British Columbia currently ban smoking in all public places and set restrictions on smoking within certain distances of public doorways, windows and air intakes.

VACCINATIONS 

If you are a resident of the U.S. traveling internationally, no vaccinations are currently required for travel to Canada. For complete vaccination and inoculation information, contact your physician, the public health service in your area, or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. The Travelers' Health Section of the CDC operates a 24-hour "Travelers' Health Hotline" at 800-232-4636 (toll-free in the U.S.). You may also log on to the CDC website by clicking here.

If you are a resident of another country traveling internationally, please contact a Canadian embassy or consulate to determine what vaccination(s) may be required for your travel. 

MOBILITY

To fully enjoy this active itinerary, you should have good health and be able to walk reasonable distances over uneven terrain, as some of the most memorable sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot. This tour is moderately paced, and aside from walking on the glacier on Day 5 and around the hotels, if you have careful balance and no severe problem walking, then you should have an enjoyable journey. Other optional physical activities such as golf, biking and mountaineering are available for anyone who wishes and, of course, is able to partake in such activities.

We regret that we cannot provide you with individual assistance for walking, dining or other personal needs. If you need such assistance, you must be accompanied by an able companion who will help you.

Regarding Wheelchairs

If you require a wheelchair while traveling, you must meet the specifications of each of the tour's suppliers, including the motor coach and SnoCoach. You may bring a collapsible, lightweight wheelchair on tour that weighs less than 100 lbs (45.4 kg), but you must be able to maneuver on and off each conveyance with limited assistance. We strongly recommend that if you require a wheelchair for travel or have moderate to severe difficulty walking that you bring a companion to assist you. Before you book this tour, you will need to provide us with the exact specifications of the wheelchair, including size, model, and all components that accompany it to determine its motor coach storage capabilities.

We have compiled a reading list of recommended books to give you more information about the destinations you will be traveling to on your upcoming journey!

You can view the reading list here.

WEATHER

The summer weather in the Canadian Rockies can change instantly and is often unpredictable as in any mountainous region. From June through early September, normal temperatures range from 50 to 80˚F (10 to 27˚C). Local conditions change radically from one valley to the next, or change during the course of the day. Due to its geographic location, Western Canada generally has long hours of daylight and, in mid-summer, the sun will rise as early as 5:00 AM and set as late as 10:00 PM. In the early spring and fall, daylight hours average about 14 hours, from 6:30 AM until 8:30 PM. Rainfall is heavier by the ocean in Vancouver and lighter in the interior portions of the Canadian Rockies.

TRAVEL GEAR

We have partnered with New Headings, an experienced online provider of travel gear, to assist you in selecting the appropriate gear for this destination. Their Tauck-exclusive website is accessible at necessarygear.com. Please note that while Tauck has an affiliation with New Headings, this is only one option for travel gear. You may wish to look into other outfitters for your travel needs.

Bringing the right clothing for your trip is important – we've partnered with New Headings who provide an "easy-to-use, one-stop shop" for your Tauck travel needs, specifically selected for this trip. Click here to visit their site.

Select a wardrobe that is adaptable and allows for layering in unpredictable mountain temperatures. During the day, casual, comfortable clothing is recommended. Casual resort attire is appropriate for this itinerary, and some optional dining rooms recommend jackets for gentleman, but they are not required.

You will find a hair dryer located in your hotel guest room. Irons and ironing boards are available upon request. Valet laundry and dry cleaning services are also available for a fee at all the hotels on this itinerary.

We recommend that you pack an adequate supply of your prescription medication in its original container to last through your entire journey, together with a copy of your doctor's prescription or a letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you, a list of the generic names of your medication, your travel documents and a change of clothing in your carry-on bag to avoid any inconvenience in the event that your flight or luggage is delayed.

Following is a list of recommended items to pack for your trip to the Canadian Rockies:

• Casual daytime wear – shorts, slacks, long and short-sleeved shirts
• An optional jacket and tie for men
• Casually elegant evening wear for ladies
• Sunglasses, sunscreen, hat
• Swimwear
• Gym wear
• A light sweater or jacket for higher elevations or a breezy night
• Binoculars (7x50 preferably)
• Insect repellent
• Camera, lenses, batteries, memory cards and chargers
• Lightweight, comfortable, sturdy walking shoes that have already been broken-in
• Travel alarm clock/cell phone with alarm function (many hotels do not have clocks in the rooms)
• Rain poncho and collapsible umbrella
• Reusable zipper-lock bags or other waterproof bags
• Daypack for camera equipment
• Sundries and toiletries that may be difficult to find en route
• Copies of your travel documents that should be secured in the safe in your hotel room while traveling

Each child 17 and under will be sent a complimentary backpack from Tauck Bridges! If the child resides in the continental United States, the backpack will be sent to his or her home approximately two weeks prior to the tour departure date (please note backpacks cannot be sent to P.O. boxes). If the child resides outside of the continental U.S., including Hawaii and Alaska, the backpack will be waiting on arrival at the first hotel on your itinerary.