Self-Launched Western Canada & Alaska: Rockies, Whistler, Victoria and an Inside Passage Cruise
20 days · Western Canada & Alaska
Globus charges £5,900
No-markup version: ~£2,185 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Globus's 20-day coach-and-cruise loop from Vancouver. You'll cover the same ground — Okanagan wine country, Glacier and Banff national parks, the Icefields Parkway, Jasper and Maligne Lake, Whistler, Victoria and the Inside Passage — but using intercity buses, the VIA Rail/Amtrak network, BC Ferries and a budget cruise cabin booked direct. Fixed transport costs (cruise + long-distance travel) are high in Canada whatever you do, so savings come from hostel/guesthouse accommodation, self-booked day trips and eating your own breakfasts. All figures are approximate per-person GBP estimates based on current backpacker rates.
Day-by-day
Arrive Vancouver — orient yourself downtown
Vancouver
Land at YVR and take the SkyTrain Canada Line into downtown (~CAD $10 / £6). Check into a hostel in the Gastown or Yaletown area. Spend the afternoon walking the seawall from Coal Harbour to Stanley Park, then grab cheap eats in Chinatown or on Commercial Drive. Pick up a Compass Card for discounted transit.
🚌SkyTrain Canada Line, ~£6
🛏HI Vancouver Downtown or Samesun Vancouver hostel dorm (~£28/night)
- →SkyTrain from YVR to downtown
- →Stanley Park seawall walk
- →Gastown and Chinatown wander
Vancouver to Kelowna — Okanagan wine country
Kelowna
Take an Ebus or Rider Express coach from Vancouver to Kelowna (~5 hours, CAD $50-70 / £30-42). Book a hostel or motel near Okanagan Lake. In the afternoon swim or stroll the lakefront boardwalk, and in the evening sample Okanagan wine at a downtown tasting room or pick up local fruit and a bottle from a farmers' market for a picnic dinner.
🚌Ebus/Rider Express coach, ~£35
🛏Kelowna hostel or budget motel (~£35/night)
- →Intercity coach to Kelowna
- →Okanagan Lake boardwalk
- →Wine tasting at a downtown tasting room
Kelowna to Banff via Glacier National Park
Banff
Long travel day along the Trans-Canada Highway through Revelstoke, Rogers Pass and Glacier National Park — the scenery is the activity. Ebus/Rider Express runs Kelowna–Banff (~6-7 hrs, ~£45). If the coach timing is awkward, split it with a night in Revelstoke. Arrive Banff, check into the HI Banff Alpine Centre hostel, and walk the Bow River trail at dusk.
🚌Ebus/Rider Express Kelowna–Banff, ~£45
🛏HI Banff Alpine Centre hostel dorm (~£35/night)
- →Scenic Trans-Canada Highway drive through Rogers Pass
- →Glacier National Park views from the coach
- →Bow River evening walk
Banff — Sulphur Mountain and Bow Falls
Banff
Pre-book the Banff Gondola ticket online (~CAD $70 / £42) and go early to beat the crowds — instead of the tour's summit breakfast, take a flask and pastries from a bakery up with you. Afternoon: walk to Bow Falls and the Hoodoos viewpoint, or hire a bike. Optional splurge: helicopter flightseeing over the Rockies (~£180) bookable via GetYourGuide.
🚌Local Roam bus, ~£5
🛏HI Banff Alpine Centre hostel dorm (~£35/night)
- →Banff Gondola to Sulphur Mountain summit
- →Bow Falls and Hoodoos trail
- →Optional helicopter flightseeing
Lake Louise, Icefields Parkway and Athabasca Glacier to Jasper
Jasper
The coach tour does this in one day by private bus — solo travellers can do it with the Brewster/Sundog day tour from Banff to Jasper (includes Lake Louise stop and the Ice Explorer ride on the Athabasca Glacier, ~£130-150 booked via GetYourGuide), or cheaper by taking a Sundog Connector bus to Lake Louise then the Rockies Connector up the Icefields Parkway (~£60 combined, no glacier ride). Either way you get Peyto Lake, the Columbia Icefield and the Parkway's viewpoints. Overnight in Jasper.
🚌Brewster/Sundog or Rockies Connector bus, £60-150
🛏HI Jasper hostel dorm (~£35/night)
- →Lake Louise lakeshore
- →Icefields Parkway scenic drive
- →Athabasca Glacier Ice Explorer (optional)
- →Peyto Lake viewpoint
Jasper and Maligne Lake — Spirit Island
Jasper
Morning orientation walk around the compact townsite. Book the Maligne Lake cruise to Spirit Island direct with Pursuit (~CAD $90 / £54) — book ahead as it sells out. Shuttle options from town exist but are limited; a taxi-share or the Pursuit shuttle is easiest. Evening: free indigenous storytelling or a cheap pint at a local pub. Optional: Athabasca River float trip (~£55).
🚌Shuttle/taxi-share to Maligne Lake, ~£12
🛏HI Jasper hostel dorm (~£35/night)
- →Maligne Lake cruise to Spirit Island
- →Jasper townsite walk
- →Optional Athabasca River float trip
Jasper to Kamloops via Mount Robson
Kamloops
Take the VIA Rail 'Jasper–Kamloops' leg of The Canadian if timings work (scenic, ~9 hrs, sitting-class ~£60-80) or an Ebus/Rider Express coach (~£45). You pass Mount Robson, the Rockies' highest peak, and follow the Thompson River. Arrive Kamloops, walk Riverside Park and grab dinner downtown. Hostel or budget motel night.
🚌VIA Rail or coach, ~£50
🛏Kamloops budget motel or hostel (~£40/night)
- →VIA Rail or coach through Yellowhead corridor
- →Mount Robson views
- →Riverside Park stroll
Kamloops to Whistler
Whistler
Coach Kamloops to Whistler via Cache Creek and Lillooet (~5 hrs; Ebus/Rider Express ~£40, sometimes requiring a change in Vancouver — check schedules). Check into the HI Whistler hostel in Function Junction or a budget lodge. Afternoon: swim, hire a kayak on Alta Lake (~£20) or just wander the Village Stroll.
🚌Ebus/Rider Express coach, ~£40
🛏HI Whistler hostel dorm (~£35/night)
- →Coastal mountain coach journey
- →Whistler Village stroll
- →Alta Lake kayak hire (optional)
Whistler — Peak2Peak and alpine trails
Whistler
Buy a Whistler Peak2Peak gondola sightseeing ticket online (~CAD $90 / £54) — it includes the Whistler and Blackcomb gondolas and the record-breaking Peak2Peak span. Hike the High Note or Alpine Loop trails at the top. Alternative: ziplining (~£110) or the Whistler canopy walk, both bookable via GetYourGuide/Klook.
🚌Local bus, ~£5
🛏HI Whistler hostel dorm (~£35/night)
- →Peak2Peak Gondola
- →Alpine hiking on Whistler/Blackcomb
- →Optional zipline or canopy walk
Whistler to Victoria via Squamish and Vancouver
Victoria
Travel day: coach Whistler–Vancouver (~2 hrs, ~£18) then BC Ferries Tsawwassen–Swartz Bay (~1hr 35m, walk-on ~CAD $20 / £12) plus a bus into Victoria. If you're interested in First Nations culture, stop in Squamish for the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre (entry ~CAD $24 / £14) — the tour's private breakfast isn't replicable, but the museum and its cafe are open to all. Arrive Victoria, check into Ocean Island Backpackers or HI Victoria.
🚌Coach + BC Ferries + local bus, ~£35
🛏Ocean Island Backpackers or HI Victoria dorm (~£30/night)
- →Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre (optional stop)
- →BC Ferries through the Gulf Islands
- →Victoria inner harbour evening walk
Victoria — Royal BC Museum, Butchart Gardens, Malahat SkyWalk
Victoria
Morning at the Royal BC Museum (First Peoples and Becoming BC galleries, ~CAD $30 / £18) and adjacent Thunderbird Park totems — free. Afternoon: bus or shuttle to Butchart Gardens (entry ~CAD $40 / £24), then continue to the Malahat SkyWalk (entry ~CAD $37 / £22) if you have energy — the two are on the same highway and a day pass shuttle from downtown covers both (~£25). Evening: walk Government Street and Fisherman's Wharf.
🚌Shuttle/bus to Butchart and Malahat, ~£25
🛏Ocean Island Backpackers or HI Victoria dorm (~£30/night)
- →Royal BC Museum
- →Thunderbird Park totem poles
- →Butchart Gardens
- →Malahat SkyWalk
- →Fisherman's Wharf
Victoria — whale watching and back to Vancouver
Vancouver
Book a whale-watching trip out of Victoria Harbour in the morning (~£110-130 via GetYourGuide — orca sightings are near-guaranteed in season). Afternoon: BC Ferries back to Tsawwassen and bus to downtown Vancouver (~£15). Evening: self-guided walk of Stanley Park, Gastown's steam clock and Chinatown — the same stops as the tour's guided city tour, on foot and free. Grab a cheap farewell dinner in Chinatown.
🚌BC Ferries + bus, ~£15
🛏HI Vancouver Downtown or Samesun Vancouver hostel dorm (~£28/night)
- →Whale watching excursion
- →BC Ferries back to Vancouver
- →Stanley Park and Gastown self-launched walk
Vancouver — board the Alaska cruise
Vancouver (cruise)
Book an Inside Passage cruise direct with Holland America (Koningsdam), Princess, Carnival or Norwegian — interior cabins on 7-night Vancouver round-trips typically run £700-1,100 per person including all meals and entertainment if booked early or in shoulder season. Board at Canada Place, sail under the Lions Gate Bridge and into the Inside Passage. Onboard food is included — eat main dining room or buffet rather than speciality restaurants.
🚌Cruise fare includes sailing; Vancouver transit ~£5
🛏Cruise ship interior cabin (included in cruise fare)
- →Board cruise ship at Canada Place
- →Sail the Inside Passage
- →Onboard evening entertainment
Inside Passage scenic cruising
Inside Passage, Alaska
A full sea day through the Inside Passage — watch for humpbacks, orcas, sea otters and bald eagles from the promenade deck (free, and better than paying for a viewing lounge). Use the day to plan shore excursions and take advantage of included ship activities.
🚌Included in cruise fare
🛏Cruise ship interior cabin
- →Wildlife spotting from deck
- →Scenic fjord cruising
- →Included onboard talks and entertainment
Tracy Arm Fjord and Juneau
Juneau, Alaska
Morning scenic cruising in Tracy Arm's iceberg-strewn fjord, then dock in Juneau. Skip the pricey ship excursions: take the local Mt Roberts Tramway (~$50 / £40) or the $4 city bus to Mendenhall Glacier and hike the Nugget Falls trail (~£12 return bus + $5 park entry). Alternatively book a glacier trek or whale watch independently via GetYourGuide (~£110-150). Eat fresh halibut at a dockside patio.
🚌Local Juneau bus and tramway, ~£20 (excursions extra)
🛏Cruise ship interior cabin
- →Tracy Arm fjord cruising
- →Mendenhall Glacier hike
- →Mt Roberts Tramway (optional)
- →Alaskan seafood dinner ashore
Skagway — White Pass & Yukon Route
Skagway, Alaska
A small gold-rush town you can walk end to end for free. Book the White Pass & Yukon Route railway direct online (~$160 / £125 for the 3.5-hr summit excursion) — it's the standout experience and the tour's optional add-on. Save money with the shorter summit trip rather than the full Whitehorse run. Wander the boardwalks, visit the free National Park visitor centre, and have a beer at the Red Onion Saloon.
🚌Train ticket ~£125
🛏Cruise ship interior cabin
- →White Pass & Yukon Route railway
- →Skagway historic boardwalk
- →Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park visitor centre
Glacier Bay National Park
Glacier Bay, Alaska
The highlight sea day: the ship spends hours in Glacier Bay with a National Park Service ranger on board narrating. Watch for calving at Margerie Glacier from the open deck. Everything is included — no need to pay for optional excursions.
🚌Included in cruise fare
🛏Cruise ship interior cabin
- →Margerie Glacier viewing
- →Ranger commentary onboard
- →Wildlife spotting — whales, puffins, sea lions
Ketchikan — totem poles and rainforest
Ketchikan, Alaska
Dock in Ketchikan. Walk to the Totem Heritage Center (~$8 / £6) and the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center (~$5 / £4), then take the city bus or a short taxi to Totem Bight State Park (~£8 return) for totems in a waterfront forest setting — far cheaper than a ship excursion. Optional: a guided rainforest walk or a floatplane trip bookable via GetYourGuide. Eat at a local fish shack rather than an excursion lunch.
🚌Local bus/taxi, ~£10
🛏Cruise ship interior cabin
- →Totem Heritage Center
- →Totem Bight State Park
- →Southeast Alaska Discovery Center
- →Creek Street stroll
Inside Passage southbound
Inside Passage
Final sea day cruising south through the Inside Passage. Pack, use the free ship facilities, and enjoy included dining and entertainment. Skip the paid spa.
🚌Included in cruise fare
🛏Cruise ship interior cabin
- →Scenic cruising
- →Onboard included entertainment
- →Packing and planning onward travel
Disembark in Vancouver and depart
Vancouver
Breakfast onboard, disembark at Canada Place by mid-morning, and take the SkyTrain to YVR for your flight home. If you have a late flight, leave bags at the hostel and do one last seawall walk or a coffee in Gastown.
🚌SkyTrain to YVR, ~£6
🛏None (departure day)
- →Disembark at Canada Place
- →SkyTrain to YVR
- →Optional final Vancouver wander
Self-launched vs. Globus
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Globus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£2,185 | £5,900 |
| Duration | 20 days | 20 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £3,715 per person (63%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Globus-style trips? Check them out here.~£2,185
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Western Canada & Alaska: Rockies, Whistler, Victoria and an Inside Passage Cruise cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £2,185 per person for 20 days in Western Canada & Alaska. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Globus?+
Yes — Globus charges around £5,900 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £2,185 — a saving of roughly £3,715 (63%) per person.
How long is the Western Canada & Alaska trip?+
This itinerary runs 20 days, covering 20 day-by-day stops through Western Canada & Alaska.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, hiking trip through Western Canada & Alaska, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.