Calgary Explorer Trips

The only negative issues with this tour are related to the itinerary. At times the tour leader was trying to accommodate many different option choices which required her to drive various people in different directions and pick them up again on the same day, as other transport options were limited. This must've been very tiring for her, as she was managing a tightly scheduled tour and doing all the driving- often whole days of driving- at the same time. She seemed to have a different list of visits to the published itinerary at times, and was concerned her agency might penalise her for not visiting everything on it, so perhaps more liaison with the agency is needed here. Whilst she was generous enough to offer to cut out a walk on one day so we could spend more time in Victoria, this meant out voting another member of the group who wanted the walk. I would recommend changing to this on the itinerary anyway, so that a whole afternoon is spent in Victoria, which is a really charming place. There also seemed to be a very long diversion just to see bears and whales which could've been seen elsewhere on the trip. The element that really made the trip was our tour leader Manon, who constantly went above and beyond to ensure we had the best experience possible. She was always enthusiastic and energetic, and worked hard from the start to bond us, so we were a very happy and integrated group during the trip. She organised a WhatsApp system of voting for choices of restaurants or trip options, and made some great recommendations, and she helped by buying picnic food for a small group of us to share for some of the lunches, and also took us to supermarkets so we could buy our own lunches. Accommodation and food was generally of a high standard, and whilst I believe several people would request the inclusion of hotel breakfasts, I would've found the extra cost off putting, as this has been the most expensive tour for food and optional trips I've ever been on. This is an amazing holiday, seeing a variety of stunning landscapes from beaches to waterfalls, snow topped mountains and glaciers. Whistler was a high point, as was Lake Louise, and I would really recommend the peak to peak gondola, the zodiac bear watching trips, Fisherman's Wharf in Victoria and the harbour cruise in Vancouver.

We enjoyed this tour very much. We had a great group of people in our group and we all got along very well. The landscape was fantastic and we also saw an abundance of wildlife. The only thing that didn’t really apply to me was the size of the hotels. They were to big. We were lucky with our knowledgeable tour leader Marie Eve who was also a good driver.

The tour was amazing! Rainforests, lakes, glaciers, plus varied landscapes, history, and wonderful people. We were fortunate to see black and grizzly bears (and their cubs), elk, bald eagles, seals, sea otters, as well as marvelled at the rock flour coloured lakes. Our tour guide - Marie-Eve - made sure the tour was a truly great experience. Always happy to offer suggestions on hikes, highlight optional activities outside the itinerary, and check-in with everyone.

The hole trip more than lived up to expectations. Fantastic scenery with options for some walks in it. Our driver come guide Sean Hoy was excellent especially one day when the road was blocked by an accident, he took us somewhere where could spend time while he found a route around the problem.

A Unique and Personal Journey This trip was particularly meaningful for me due to the group dynamic, which included an adult with additional needs. It was a unique experience that I will cherish. I'm delighted that the individual with additional needs was able to have a life-changing experience and successfully complete the trip. While the group dynamic added a new layer to the experience, it was overall an amazing journey. We were fortunate to witness breathtaking scenery and have the guidance of an exceptional guide who was both calm and professional. They ensured that everyone had a fantastic time.

Great holiday, shame we weren't able to go to Jasper. Beautiful countryside, excellent guide, we packed a lot into the two weeks. Great fun travelling with a group of like minded people..