USA and Canada National Parks

We leave the hotel early in the morning and set off for Grand Teton National Park and Jenny Lake, which is located at the heart of Grand Teton. After arriving at the lake and taking a short rest, we'll begin our first hike. The specific hike will be decided together, considering we've had a long flight and a roughly four-hour journey from Salt Lake City. There are multiple hiking trails here. We'll have many options, from flat walks around the lake to ascending the high peaks of Grand Teton.

We recommend a short walk to “Inspiration Point” nearby, which allows us to enjoy the stunning views of the surrounding hills without straying far from the lake. Afterwards, our hike around the lake will also take us to the neighboring String Lake. Once our tour is complete, we settle into our hotel in Moose.

Today, we venture deep into Yellowstone to hike through lush forests and blooming meadows, making our way to Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon.

This 400-meter-deep chasm is covered with brilliant red, yellow, and orange volcanic rhyolite, which cooled hydrothermally 600,000 years ago.

The valley shaped by glaciers during the Ice Age is home to swans, great blue herons, Canada geese, deer, bison, a small number of wolves, as well as both grizzly and black bears. After a lunch break in an area overlooking the magnificent Hayden Valley, we take the trail on the southeastern side of Uncle Tom’s parking area.

The path leads us across Clear Lake to Ribbon Lake. Instead of returning the same way after our break at the lake, we take the Lily Pad Lake trail back. Shortly thereafter, we arrive at viewpoints called Point Sublime and Artist Point. We then rejoin the South Rim trail, return to our starting point, and head back to our hotel.

After breakfast, we set out for the Midway Geyser Basin to see the Grand Prismatic Spring, which enchants visitors with its magnificent appearance. Once we reach the black sand basin, we begin our walk. We witness the spectacular landscapes of Yellowstone, which hosts nearly 50% of the world’s geothermal features. Afterwards, we start our hike towards “Observation Point,” from where we can enjoy the view of the Upper Geyser Basin. Along the way, we will occasionally see geysers. Since eruptions occur every 90 minutes, we’ll always keep an eye on the geyser.

After arriving at Observation Point, we watch the eruption and then head back.

We fly from Bozeman Airport to Seattle on one of the early morning flights. After landing, we head towards Olympic National Park. Along the way, we'll first be accompanied by views of the national park, Mount Rainier, and the Seattle skyline, followed by scenery dominated by red cedars and fir trees. After a break at the Mima Mounds Natural Preserve, we settle into our hotel near Lake Quinault. After resting for a while, we begin a walk around the lake. There are plenty of routes to explore. We can choose one—or if we have enough energy, two—of the Lane Lake, Rainforest, or waterfall hikes. After the hike(s), we return to our hotel.

In the morning, we will embark on Sam’s River Trail, one of the most famous hikes in the region. Our walk begins at the Queets River, whose source lies in the glaciers of Mount Olympus.

This hike is an incredible opportunity to plunge into the enchanting coastal rainforests at the edge of the world—an adventure that comes to us, even though we've planned everything carefully. Still, it's special. :)

You can only find temperate rainforests like these in places such as Tasmania, Scotland, Japan, and Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula.

This trail has so much to offer! Our journey starts surrounded by vibrant scenery. The gigantic logs of fallen trees serve as starting points for new saplings, providing the necessary nutrients and moisture to sustain new and decaying life. While weaving through trees dripping with moss, ferns, and licorice plants, we might encounter elk (Canadian deer).

Everything in the rainforest grows two to three times larger. Here, Sitka spruces can reach up to 100 meters in height and 8 meters in width, making them even larger than houses in Alaska.

After this 4.5–5 km walk, we continue along the coast to South Beach on the Pacific Ocean.

The beach, part of Olympic National Park, is unspoiled and rarely visited by people. You might spot otters, eagles, whales, and follow deer tracks in the sand.

This is also an important spot for birdwatching. There's a high chance we’ll encounter pelicans, cormorants, and oystercatchers. After leaving the beach, we head on to our hotel.

After breakfast, we begin our walk towards the town of Forks, which gained notoriety with the Twilight movie. Following the Sol Duc River and valley, we will climb towards the mountains. Then, we’ll move toward the Sol Duc Falls through the giant western hemlock trees.

Here, we’ll again have two hiking options. The easy one is a walk of about 6.5 km that will take us to the Sol Duc Hot Spring Resort. The other is another famous local hike: the Lover’s Lane Trail.

At the resort reached after the easy hike, you’ll have the chance to dive into the healing mineral springs or enjoy a drink at the open-air café next to the Sol Duc River.

The challenging option involves hiking up 1,500 meters, passing changing forest zones, wetland orchids, and the dramatic views of the stepped Canyon Creek. Afterwards, we would continue to Deer Lake. However, since we’ll fly to Montana in the evening, this hike seems out of reach.

After walking along the valley, we’ll head to Lake Crescent, which was carved out of the mountains by glaciers. At 12 km long and 200 meters deep, Crescent is one of the largest lakes in the state. Lastly, we’ll take a short walk from Lake Crescent to the Marymere Falls and bid a breathtaking farewell to Washington. After finishing our hikes, we’ll head to Seattle Airport and fly to the Kalispell Airport in the State of Montana. Upon landing in Kalispell, we’ll check into our hotel.

After breakfast, we set out towards Glacier National Park. Our first stop is Whitefish. From there, we continue westward by car for about an hour.

Here, we will take an easy hike through lush rainforests to the glacier-melt waters of Avalanche Lake. Our hike follows the river formed by the melted glacier waters that fill the lake. After that, our route continues to climb on a moss-framed path among red cedars. At the end of the hike, we arrive at Avalanche Lake, which is nestled in a circle surrounded by the soaring, layered cliffs of Glacier Park's mountains.

After a picnic lunch by the lake, we begin our return journey.

After breakfast, we start the day with a short walk around McDonald Lake, where we will have the opportunity to observe deer and other wildlife.

Next, we head to Logan Pass, where we can view the sight of the “Continental Divide,” the point where the Atlantic and Pacific tectonic plates separate—stretching from Alaska to Canada, Mexico, Peru, Chile, and Argentina.

Today's hike covers the famous “Highline Trail,” particularly its section known as the Garden Wall. Our trek will follow the open mountain slopes beneath the rugged ridge of the Continental Divide. During the hike, we will have excellent opportunities to observe wildlife.

As we traverse the rocky terrain during the hike, mountain goats may accompany us in the rugged and protruding sections. At the end of the hike, we’ll stop and rest near a promontory known as Haystack Butte, and then return by the same path.

After breakfast, we set out towards the striking mountain lake known as Iceberg Lake.

The trail climbs quite steeply for the first few hundred meters and then gradually continues ascending towards the lake.

At the beginning of summer, we will pass through slopes adorned with creamy white flowers, and in mid-summer, with colorful wildflowers including vibrant fireweed thistles.

The rewards of today's hike will be the unique views of Swiftcurrent Lake, Grinnell Point, and Mount Wilbur. After photographing and enjoying the scenery here, we'll visit Ptarmigan Falls. Leaving the waterfall, we continue hiking until we reach Iceberg Lake, where icy turquoise waters greet us. After enjoying the lake at an altitude of 1850 meters, we begin our return journey.

After an early breakfast, we depart from the United States and cross into Canada. Following a journey of approximately 4-5 hours, we arrive at Banff National Park. We will take a break in Calgary along the way.

Located in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, Banff National Park was established in 1885 and is Canada's oldest national park. Its mountainous terrain includes coniferous forests, alpine meadows, ice fields, and glaciers.

Our first hike in Banff National Park will be to Lake Louise, considered the heart of the Rockies. In addition to a walk around the lake, we may also take a hike toward the Plain of Six Glaciers. We might even visit Lake Agnes as well. After these relatively easy hikes of about 6–6.5 km, we settle into our hotel and enjoy the beauty of the national park.

After breakfast today, we set off for Sunshine Village Ski Resort, located on the border between Alberta and British Columbia, where we will observe the Canadian section of the Continental Divide, which we discovered in the USA. Here, we'll take the chairlift to the summit and enjoy the enchanting views of Banff, nestled in a vast valley surrounded by breathtaking peaks.

After completing the first half of the day, our route leads to Rummel Lake. On the easy-to-moderate hike through the pine forests, Rummel Falls will greet us before we reach the lake. After taking in the waterfall, we continue on to the lake, where we can relax and sample the British Columbia wines we've brought with us.

After breakfast, we head to Moraine Lake. Following a walk around the lake, we will have the opportunity to go canoeing. Next, we set off towards Minnewanka Lake, famous for its dazzling, glassy surface and one of the region’s most stunning lakes, and begin our walk. After hiking among pine, spruce, and fir trees, we arrive at the lake. During our walk around the lake, we will take photos amidst magnificent views and then return to our hotel.

In the morning, we fly from Calgary Airport to Vancouver. Then, with our vehicle, we head to Vancouver Island, known for its tranquil, untouched wilderness.

During our one-hour ferry ride along the Strait of Georgia, we’ll have the chance to see the sparkling cityscape and cedar-lined shores.

After arriving at Nanaimo, the island’s port city, we’ll continue our journey towards Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park.

Here, after exploring the coastline and the park’s wide, sandy beach, we may have a picnic. After lunch, we’ll take a short walk in Cathedral Grove and take the ferry to Newcastle Island (called Saysutshun in the local language), located within the Traditional Territory of the Snuneymuxw People. The Snuneymuxw are a Coast Salish people who have long called Vancouver Island home.

Before venturing into the island’s interior, we’ll take a short walk in Marine Provincial Park, a pristine paradise featuring coastal views, Douglas firs, oaks, and dogwood trees.

Then we delve into the interior of the island. After an easy 10-kilometer hike lasting about 3 hours in the forest, we head towards our hotel.

After breakfast, we begin our hike in Pacific Rim National Park.

Today, we will hike approximately 7-8 kilometers in Pacific Rim National Park, following the Wild Pacific Trail. This area, home to moss-covered rainforests, wind-sculpted and deformed tree sculptures, wave-battered rocks, and striking beaches, boasts some of the most beautiful hiking trails on the west coast.

After having lunch at Long Beach, we head to the Ancient Cedar Trees Trail, where some of the largest trees on Vancouver Island stand. Giant red cedars, spruces, and western hemlocks are among the tree species we’ll see here. Of the mammoth cedars we will encounter, two are 800 years old and have a diameter of about 13-14 meters.

After completing the hike, we have lunch. Then the second stage of the day begins. After a short drive, we arrive at Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park, located by the shore of Cameron Lake. This pastoral paradise, one of the most beautiful parks on the island, bursts into blooming Douglas-fir forests and colorful wildflowers in spring. Afterwards, we cross to the island’s west side for the “Wild Pacific” walk. After admiring the Pacific Ocean from the lighthouse at the tip of the island, we return to our hotel.

After breakfast, we return to Vancouver and begin our city tour. We visit Stanley Park, the totem poles, and one of Vancouver's oldest neighborhoods, China Town. Afterwards, we head to Vancouver Airport and say goodbye until we meet again on another BUKLATUR trip.