Active West Coast & Canadian Rockies — Self-Launched

Land at Calgary (YYC) early or arrive the night before. Take the Calgary Transit Route 300 bus downtown (~CAD 11 / £6). If you're not driving, book a seat on a shared shuttle or the Sundog/Red Arrow coach to Pincher Creek or Waterton (approx. CAD 60–90 / £35–52, 2.5–3 hrs) — book 2–3 weeks ahead in summer. Check into the Waterton town campsite (Townsite Campground, Parks Canada, ~CAD 35/night / £20). Afternoon: hike Bertha Lake trail (10 km, ~600 m gain — tough switchbacks, blue-green lake at the top), then a short flat wander into Red Rock Canyon. Cook dinner at camp or grab a burger in town.

🚌Calgary Transit Route 300 (~£6) + shared shuttle/coach to Waterton (~£40)

🛏Waterton Townsite Campground (Parks Canada) or a Waterton hostel/guesthouse

• →Bertha Lake trail hike
• →Red Rock Canyon walk
• →Waterton townsite wander

Pick one big hike. Crypt Lake is the classic: book the Waterton Shoreline Cruise ferry (CAD 35–40 return / £20–24, book online a few days ahead, first boat ~8:30am) and hike 17 km with a waterfall, a cliff ladder and a 60ft tunnel through the mountain before the lake. Alternative: Carthew Summit (18 km, no ferry, but you'll need a lift to Cameron Lake — the Waterton shuttle or a taxi, ~CAD 25). Pack lunch and 2–3L water. Back to camp for the evening; note bear activity — carry spray and make noise.

🚌Shoreline Cruise ferry to Crypt Lake trailhead (~£22)

🛏Waterton Townsite Campground

• →Crypt Lake trail (ferry + 17 km hike)
• →or Carthew Summit trail

This is the one day that's genuinely hard without a car. Cheapest route: coach back to Calgary (CAD 60–90 / £35–52) then a booked shuttle or On-It regional bus toward Canmore/Kananaskis, or hire a compact car for days 3–8 (from ~CAD 45–60/day / £26–35 split between two — often cheaper than four shuttle legs). Stop in Longview for the famous jerky if you're driving. Afternoon: Ptarmigan Cirque (4.3 km, 250 m gain) off the Highwood Pass — the highest paved pass in Canada. Camp at a Kananaskis front-country campground (Interlakes or Mt Kidd, ~CAD 30–40 / £17–23).

🚌Coach/shuttle Waterton→Calgary→Kananaskis (~£45) or shared car hire

🛏Kananaskis front-country campground (Interlakes / Mt Kidd)

• →Ptarmigan Cirque hike
• →Longview jerky stop

Burstall Pass is 16 km return with ~450 m gain — start early (8am) because afternoon storms roll in fast in the Rockies. Alpine meadows, a rock-strewn pass, and a bit of easy scrambling near the top. Pack a proper lunch and rain shell. Back at camp for a fire (check fire bans) and an early night.

🚌Local drive/shuttle to Burstall Pass trailhead (~£8)

🛏Kananaskis front-country campground

• →Burstall Pass hike (16 km)

Drive or take the On-It regional bus to Banff (CAD 10–20 / £6–12) and keep bags at the Banff hostel or bus station lockers. Hire a town bike from a Banff shop (CAD 25–40 / £15–23 for 2 hrs) and loop the Bow River and Fenland trails. Late afternoon, take the Roam Transit Route 8X commuter bus to Lake Louise (CAD 10 / £6) and camp at the Lake Louise Hard-sided or Tent campground (Parks Canada, ~CAD 33 / £19) — book on the Parks Canada reservation site the moment it opens (January for summer).

🚌On-It bus to Banff (~£9) + Roam 8X to Lake Louise (~£6)

🛏Lake Louise Tent Campground (Parks Canada)

• →Banff Bow River bike loop
• →Fenland trail walk

Take the Parks Canada shuttle or your hire car to Takakkaw Falls in Yoho (CAD 15–25 / £9–15; the road is a steep switchback not suitable for large vehicles). Hike the Iceline Trail loop (18 km, ~700 m) — glacier views, moraine, waterfalls from Takakkaw. It's a big day: start by 7:30am. Evening back in Lake Louise; the village has cheap pizza and a hostel bar if you want a night off cooking.

🚌Shuttle to Takakkaw Falls trailhead (~£12)

🛏Lake Louise Tent Campground

• →Iceline Trail hike in Yoho NP
• →Takakkaw Falls viewpoint

Mount Fairview is straight up from the Lake Louise lakeshore — 10.6 km return, ~1,000 m gain, so it's a proper leg-burner with a huge payoff. Alternatively hike the much gentler Lake Agnes Tea House trail (7 km). Afternoon: Roam bus back to Banff for a free-choice activity — canoe hire on the Bow (CAD 58/£34 per person), Banff Gondola (CAD 75–90/£44–53), or a scenic float raft trip (CAD 70–90/£41–53). Budget one optional spend and skip the rest.

🚌Roam 8X Lake Louise → Banff (~£6)

🛏Banff hostel (HI Banff or Samesun) or Tunnel Mountain campground

• →Mount Fairview summit hike
• →Banff Gondola or Bow River canoe (optional)
• →Banff townsite walk

Roam bus or shared shuttle to Calgary airport (CAD 30–50 / £17–29), fly Calgary–Vancouver with Flair or WestJet (book 6–10 weeks ahead; CAD 90–180 / £52–105 one way including bag). SkyTrain Canada Line to downtown (CAD 10 / £6). Stay in a downtown or Kitsilano hostel dorm (~CAD 55–70 / £32–41). Afternoon: Stanley Park seawall on foot or a Mobi share bike (CAD 12/£7 for 30 min), then Gastown for indie galleries and the Steam Clock.

🚌Airport shuttle (~£23) + domestic flight (~£80) + SkyTrain (~£6)

🛏Downtown Vancouver hostel dorm (HI Vancouver / Samesun)

• →Stanley Park seawall
• →Gastown wander
• →Mobi bike share

Walk onto the BC Ferries Tsawwassen–Swartz Bay sailing (foot passenger CAD 19–20 / £11–12, no booking needed — buses 620 + 70 get you to Tsawwassen from downtown, ~1hr). Bus to Victoria (CAD 5/£3) then the #61 or #64 bus to Sooke (~CAD 5). Stock up on groceries — Sooke is your food base for three days. Afternoon hike in East Sooke Regional Park (Coast Trail — short 6 km section, rocky coastline and rainforest). Camp at Sooke River Campground (~CAD 30/£17; coin showers CAD 1/5 min).

🚌BC Ferries foot passenger (~£12) + local buses (~£8)

🛏Sooke River Campground

• →East Sooke Regional Park Coast Trail
• →Sooke groceries & camp setup

Take the West Coast Trail Express shuttle or the local trail shuttle from Sooke to the China Beach / Mystic Beach trailhead (CAD 20–30 / £12–17). Walk the Mystic Beach stretch (8–10 km return): dense coastal forest, pebble beaches, a waterfall off the cliff, a suspension bridge and the odd mud pit. Tidal timing matters — check the chart before you go past any headland. Back to Sooke for dinner.

🚌Trail shuttle China Beach (~£15)

🛏Sooke River Campground

• →Juan de Fuca Trail — Mystic Beach section
• →China Beach

Choose your own adventure. Sea kayak hire in Sooke harbour (~CAD 60/£35 half day), a zodiac whale watching cruise from Sooke or Victoria (CAD 130–175/£75–100 — book direct with the operator), or the bus into Victoria for cafe hopping, the Inner Harbour and Beacon Hill Park (bus ~CAD 5/£3 each way). Keep it cheap: Victoria by bus and a picnic is about £25 total.

🚌Local bus to Victoria (~£6)

🛏Sooke River Campground

• →Optional sea kayaking
• →Optional whale watching zodiac
• →Victoria Inner Harbour & Beacon Hill Park

Bus from Sooke to Cowichan Bay (~CAD 10/£6). Rent a kayak on the bay (CAD 50–70/£29–41 for 2 hrs — book ahead with a local outfitter). Then take the Island Highway bus to Nanaimo (CAD 12/£7) and walk onto the BC Ferries Nanaimo–Horseshoe Bay sailing (CAD 20/£12). From Horseshoe Bay, catch the Squamish Connector or a TransLink bus + shuttle up the Sea to Sky highway (CAD 15–25/£9–15). Camp at the Squamish Valley or Klahanie campground (~CAD 35/£20).

🚌Buses (~£13) + BC Ferries foot passenger (~£12) + Squamish Connector (~£12)

🛏Squamish campground (Squamishtown / Klahanie)

• →Cowichan Bay kayak rental
• →Sea to Sky highway drive/ride

Walk from town to the Chief trailhead (free). Climb all three summits if your legs allow — 7 km and roughly 600 m of stair-steep granite with ladders and chains, plus the best view of Howe Sound anywhere. Cables/chains sections are exposed in the wet; take a shell. Afternoon free: Shannon Falls (short walk, free) or the Sea to Sky Gondola (CAD 65/£38 — optional).

🚌On foot / local bus

🛏Squamish campground

• →Stawamus Chief three-peak hike
• →Shannon Falls
• →Sea to Sky Gondola (optional)

The Elfin Lakes trailhead is 13 km up a gravel road from Squamish — take a taxi (~CAD 45/£26 each way split) or arrange an e-bike/hire car. Hike 22 km return with ~600 m gain to the Elfin Lakes hut and campground (day hike, no permit needed for day use; register at the trailhead). Big views, marmots, and a swim if you're brave. If 22 km feels long, hike to Red Heather Meadows (10 km return) instead. Dinner back in Squamish.

🚌Taxi to Elfin Lakes trailhead (~£26 return split)

🛏Squamish campground

• →Elfin Lakes day hike (22 km)
• →Red Heather Meadows alternative

Bus to Whistler (CAD 10–15/£6–9). Buy the Whistler Blackcomb sightseeing gondola ticket (CAD 78–95/£44–54 in summer — buy online for a small discount). Ride to the Roundhouse and hike the High Note Trail (9.5 km): Singing Pass, Cheakamus Lake views, alpine wildflowers. Back down via the Peak 2 Peak if it's included, then bus back to Squamish. Last night: splurge on a proper Squamish pub meal.

🚌Squamish–Whistler bus (~£8)

🛏Squamish campground

• →Whistler sightseeing gondola
• →High Note Trail
• →Peak 2 Peak gondola

Take the Squamish Connector or TransLink bus back to Vancouver (CAD 15–25/£9–15, ~1.5 hrs). If your flight is late, drop bags at the hostel or Pacific Central Station lockers (CAD 8/£5) and do a final seawall walk or Granville Island market lunch. Book flights departing after 4pm to leave room for the Sea to Sky traffic.

🚌Squamish Connector / TransLink to Vancouver (~£12) + SkyTrain to YVR (~£6)

🛏None (departure day)

• →Granville Island market
• →Final seawall walk