A Guide to visiting Canada's Mountains
A photograph of a couple holding hands, beaming while their cameras hang from their necks. A painting where the soft watercolours effortlessly melt from the low-lying snow to the blooming poppies. The postcard that tells of an almost unreal, technicolour landscape. Whether it’s photos splashed on social media, letters in the post, or art - there’s a chance you have seen this classic Canadian visual. The turquoise water, the snow-capped peaks, the thick pine forest. Lake Louise and its mountainous neighbours have inspired countless bucket-list holidays and striking artworks over time.
This aesthetic has cemented Canada as a mountain destination, and rightly so. But the naturally spectacular country is more than this idyllic scene. The Great White North has 3.8 million square miles of terrain just waiting to be road tripped, hiked, and admired. If you are excited to plan your odyssey through this stunning landscape, look no further than our guide to visiting Canada’s mountains:
What mountains to visit in Canada
The mountains of Canada showcase the country's rich biodiversity, from dense forests to icy lakes, to grizzly bears and bighorn sheep. For scale, Canada is home to some of the tallest mountains in North America, with Mount Logan, Mount Saint Elias, and Mount Lucania topping the list. But size certainly isn’t everything. Here are the mountains you need to visit in Canada:
Sulphur Mountain, Alberta
Visit some of Canada's mountains
- Stay in Banff, the capital of the Rockies
- Enjoy a two-night stay in the alpine town of Jasper
- Follow the Icefields Parkway, via Lake Louise
- Flights included
11 days from £2,695 pp
Dates Available
September 2025 - November 2027
Duration
11 days
Depart From
1 airport
Excursions & Visits
1 included
- Explore Banff, the stunning capital of the Rockies
- UNESCO-listed Québec City, Canada's only walled city
- Glittering Vancouver - often cited as 'the best place in the world to live
- Flights included
14 days from £2,860 pp
was £3,575 pp
Dates Available
October 2025 - November 2027
Duration
14 days
Depart From
1 airport
Excursions & Visits
5 included
- A seven-night cruise through Glacier Bay and the Inside Passage
- Sail through the UNESCO-listed Glacier Bay, with a vibrant array of wildlife from bears and moose to whales and sea birds.
- Tour the scenery of the Rockies, via sparkling Lake Louise, on the Icefields Parkway
- Flights included
16 days from £3,845 pp
Dates Available
May 2026 - September 2026
Duration
16 days
Depart From
1 airport
Meals
20 included
- Enjoy a journey on the world-famous Rocky Mountaineer
- Discover Vancouver, frequently voted one of the world's best cities to live in
- Flights included
11 days from £4,331 pp
was £5,095 pp
Dates Available
September 2025 - October 2026
Duration
11 days
Depart From
1 airport
Excursions & Visits
1 included
Meals
4 included
What to pack when visiting Canada's mountains
Congratulations! You have decided to finally take that bucket list trip to Canada. That’s the easy part. Now for the slightly more challenging part. If you are wondering what to take on your visit to the Rockies, consider the season you will be travelling in. While the weather can be unpredictable, at times, and drop to low temperatures even during summer, if you get lucky, you might have opportunities to enjoy lake swimming and frost-free alpine hiking during the warmer months. For these times, we’ve added an asterisk to the corresponding items.
Here’s what to pack for your trip to the Canadian mountains:
Full length, comfortable trousers
Mid-layers and thermals
Waterproof jacket
Rucksack rain cover
Shorts, with a bit of stretch*
Flannel pyjamas
Light shirts*
Hat
Down jacket or thick warm jumpers to layer
Bathing suit*
Something nice to wear to dinner
Underwear
Walking boots (preferably waterproof)
Warm socks
Sports shoes
Sandals*
Sunscreen
Refillable water bottle
Lightly insulated gloves
Beanie
How to see the Rockies
From British Columbia to New Mexico, the Rocky Mountains span 3,000 dramatic miles that offer glimpses of rare wildlife, sapphire-toned waterholes, and of course, glacial peaks. The mountain range is explored on foot by enthusiastic walkers and seasoned hikers, and road trippers can take to the legendary Trail Ridge Road, a 48-mile highway that at one point, climbs to 3,713 metres at its highest point. Of course, you can sit back and relax on a guided tour of the Rockies.
But one unparalleled way to venture the Rockies is to board the world-renowned Rocky Mountaineer. Established in 1990, the luxury train service runs four principal routes into the heart of this striking mountain range. Follow the path of the North Thompson River past Mount Robson, the epic Pyramid Falls, and cinematic Yellowhead Pass, and then enter the Monashee and Caribou mountains. You can even enjoy breakfast and lunch on board while you marvel at the ever-changing scenery.
Best time to visit Canada's mountains
Fortunately for you, the Canadian mountain ranges can be visited at any time of year. However, the ideal time to traverse the national parks is during spring and summer, when weather conditions are gentler and temperatures hover in the twenties. During winter, it is difficult and at times, dangerous, to hike the mountains without technical gear and mountaineering expertise.
If you are set on carving up the slopes and indulging in a steamy hot spring, then winter or fall will be a great time to visit. Keep in mind that during the warmer months, these attractions may not be accessible. from 17°C to 27°C.