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Best of Western Canada 2011

12 Days Total, 10 Riding Days

Trip Overview

Our 'bread and butter' tour features of all the best spots in the Rocky Mountains (including Jasper, Banff, Nelson & Osoyoos). If you only have one opportunity to visit Western Canada, this is the most complete motorcycle holiday to take.

The Best of Western Canada — "Best of the West" — is easily our most popular and one of our longest running trips because it gives travelers the chance to experience the very best of British Columbia and Alberta. We'll hit every one of our favourite stops without ever having to leave Western Canada!

 

What to Expect

As with all our holidays, we leave Whistler heading north on Highway 99, the Sea to Sky Highway. We pass through Pemberton and climb beside the teal waters of Lillooet Lake along the Duffey Lake Road. After winding through the lush Coast Mountains, the climate becomes arid as we enter the gold rush country.

With the sun at our back, we follow the Cayoosh Canyon west to Lillooet, where we join roads that follow two of the great rivers of BC: the Fraser and the Thompson. Past the Ginseng fields of the benchlands, we end our day at another famous mountain retreat: Sun Peaks Resort.

Our next stop takes us north to the heart of the powerful Canadian Rocky Mountains and the stunning scenery of Jasper. The following day offers a chance to explore the beauty of Jasper National Park on foot, by tram, by bicycle or by a motorcycle ride to Maligne Lake or Miette Hotsprings, where the abundance of wildlife has to be seen to be believed.

Our ride then turns south along the “Icefields Parkway,” through glacier country. “The views are truly unparalleled,” said Robert Smith of Moto-Euro when he travelled this road.

Next stop: Lake Louise and Banff, one of Canada’s true gems. There we stay at the brand new Fox Hotel & Suites right in the heart of Banff. The following day provides a memorable ride through the wide valled and towering peaks of Kananaskis Country. Huge, undisturbed mountain vistas and wildlife sightings are numerous in this area. Our evening is spent soaking in mountain pools at the base of Fernie Mountain.

Following a ride along the twisting shoreline of Kootenay Lake, we stop in the historic town of Nelson. This stop-over offers riders a wonderful loop through the Kootenay Mountain region or a day to explore the many activities the area has to offer.

The next morning we stay on Highway 3 winding our way into the Okanagan valley, as we encounter Canada’s only desert for our second to last stop in Osoyoos.

That evening we spend lakeside back in the beautiful Okanagan Valley, with a stopover at the brand new Spirit Ridge Resort. Plenty of options are available to fill the rest day. Besides riding though the vineyards of the Okanagan, there are many lakeside activities, wine tours, golf, or places to simply enjoy some quality time by the pool or the lake.

Our final day takes us back to Vancouver where our adventure began! Following highway 3 west through Princeton, Manning Park and Hope where we connect with the Trans Canada Highway. The last leg of our journey winds it’s way down through the Fraser Valley and into Vancouver for our final dinner.

Trip Highlights

• Whistler
• The Duffey Lake Road, Lillooet and Kamloops
• The Thompson River Valley and Mount Robson Peak
• A day off in Jasper to explore Miette Hot Springs and Maligne Lake
• Lake Louise, Athabasca Falls and the Columbia Icefields
• Kananaskis Country and Longview
• Cranbrook, Creston and the Kootenays
• A day off in Nelson to explore Kaslo and the Slocan Valley
• Vernon, the Monashee Pass and the Mushroom Addition
• A day off in Osoyoos to explore the wine country of Okanagan Lake Valley
• Princeton, Manning Park and Hope
• Vancouver

Route

All routes are subject to change due to unforseen events.

Day 1
Arrive in Whistler for Tour Orientation and Meet & Greet Dinner.

Day 2
Whistler to Sun Peaks via Marble Canyon

Day 3
Sun Peaks to Jasper via Blue River

Day 4
Day off in Jasper, day ride to Maligne Lake and Miette Hotsprings

Day 5
Jasper to Banff along the Icefields Parkway

Day 6
Banff to Fairmont Hotsprings via Kananaskis National Parks

Day 7
Fairmont Hotsprings to Nelson through the Creston Valley

Day 8
Day off in Nelson, day rides in the Kootenay Mountains

Day 9
Nelson to Osoyoos

Day 10
Day off in Osoyoos, day ride in the wine region

Day 11
Osoyoos to Vancouver

Day 12
Travel Day

Included in Your Holiday

Our tours feature; all up-scale accommodation, gourmet meals, motorcycle rental & insurance, chase vehicle for luggage / passengers / spare motorcycles, guide service, maps, fees for parks / ferries / activities, and transfers to/from Whistler, B.C.

INCLUDED in the price of the holiday:

• All upscale accommodation, including first & last nights stay.
• All high quality breakfasts & dinners (except off-days), NEVER a set menu, order what you want!
• Motorcycle rental and insurance, bikes are washed & maintained routinely, guests are welcome to trade bikes around.
• Chase vehicle for luggage, spare bikes and weary passengers.
• Top notch and experienced guided service.
• Transfers to/from Whistler, B.C.
• Holiday handbooks complete with maps and activity information.
• Entrance fees to National Parks.
• Fares for ferries and scheduled activities.
• Snacks & refreshments at scheduled stops.
• Rain-suits (just to keep the sun shining)

NOT included in the price of the holiday:

• Fuel not included for your motorcycle (approx. $15-$20/day CAD).
• Alcoholic beverages not included with meals.
• Most lunches, and all meals on optional riding days.
• Airfare is not included in the tour price.
• Non-scheduled activities on off-days
• Personal Travel/Medical Insurance

More information

• Looking to share a room to help keep costs down?
• Have safety or other questions?
• Want to know about extra activities and fun stuff?
• Curious about the Hotels we stay in?
• Ready to see the bikes?
• Ready to read what our guests have to say?

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• Ultimate of the West
  Look for the Ultimate of the West tour in 2010. Several summers ago we ran a custom trip through the US Rockies. When we rode through Glacier Park, Montana, we absolutely fell in love with the place. Thus the Ultimate of the West was born. The ride over Logan Pass is one of the most spectacular rides in the world.
  
  As a follow-up we did some more exploring in the area and found some wonderful twisties linking Whitefish, Montana, with Nelson, British Columbia, one of our favourite towns north of the 49th parallel. We threw it all together and call it the Ultimate of the West.

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Testimonials

“Hi Brandon, Tyler, Richard, Mangler, Derek. Just wanted to thank you for another fantastic trip, it’s not just the trip that makes it, but the people as well. You guys do a fantastic job as staff!”

Gerry (Bear) Harris & Gwen McMahon, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

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