Secrets of the Rockies and Glacier National Park

This was our third Trafalgar trip because our last 2 had been very good experiences. In fact based upon our previous trip experiences we convinced some very close friends to join us on this trip to the Canadian Rockies and Glacier NP. Unfortunately our anticipation of a third great Trafalgar experience did not happen as Trafalgar "overpromised and underdelivered" on this trip. Day 1 we had a "Be My Guest" experience (which we have always enjoyed in the past) that was an hour and half in the opposite direction of our first National Park experience in Waterton National Park. Consequently we spent the majority of the first day on the bus arriving in Waterton just in time for dinner. If the "Be My Guest" experience had been along the way toward Waterton NP we would have likely had several hours to actually explore Waterton instead of just in time for dinner and then off to bed. Disappointing. Oh well, Day 2 itinerary says we are off to Glacier National Park and an anticipated drive through the park on the Road to the Sun in the famously restored 1930 "red jammers" with the open roof giving us a stupendous view of Glacier National Park. Oops, Trafalgar screwed up and we couldn't get on to the red jammers as advertised when we booked the trip, so we got to go on a tour bus instead. Dang 2 days of pretty country, but not what we believed for. Our overall trip and experiences Trafalgar included was certainly beautiful, but we felt like there was more time on the bus then anything else. The rare opportunity we had time to actually explore, go on a hike, at any of the parks, Glacier, Banff, Jasper, etc, was less than an hour. I suppose since we had so many opportunities (hours of free time) to explore and hike on our previous Trafalgar trips to Utah's Mighty 5 and California's Yosemite/Sequoia/Kings Canyon NPs (many hikes recommended by our Travel Directors) we expected at least a few opportunities for the same on this trip. Oh yes Trafalgar has a referral program for travelers that you refer to them in which you are to receive a $100 credit towards your Trafalgar trip for both those you refer as well as yourself. We referred our 2 friends (husband & wife) who traveled with us on this trip and they both received the promised $100 credit, but my wife and I never did receive our promised credit. Again overpromised and undelivered.

This was our 3rd trip with Trafalar. The other two Trafalgar trips were excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed them. This trip we invited close friends with us this time and it did not meet our expectations. I'm sorry our friends experienced this. They have said they will do their own planning of a trip next time. We expected much more hiking, and only 1 time was there the opportunity to hike and we only had 20 minutes to do so. I turned back so not to miss the bus, and my husband had to run back to make the bus. We were supposed to have the open air red jammer bus on the Road to the Sun (as advertised in the trip), but Trafalgar dropped the ball and we did not have an open air bus. Disappointing. Also, we drove 1.5 hours in the opposite direction for our 1st day to Painted Warriors. The meal was delicious, but we chose foraging and we foraged about 20 feet. Not what I would call foraging. Also, Painted Warriors was 1.5 hours in the opposite direction of our destination of Waterton Park. If we had not wasted the 3 hours for this side trip, we might have been able to go hiking in Waterton. We arrived too late to hike. Also, the room we stayed at was fine, but the place on the outside looked run down. On prior Trafalgar trips, our bus driver would drop us off in the town and wait and drive us back. This trip we had to find our own way into several towns, except in Jasper, after everyone asked the driver if he would drop us off. We did enjoy the Glacier excursion and Fairmont was very nice as the sites were beautiful, but we disappointed on some of the activities. I would have much more enjoyed an extra day in Glacier National Park without the Painted Warrior stop. I'm not sure I will use Trafalgar for my next trip.

Could have gone without the Painted Warriors experience. We also skipped the hockey experience, not only because I played competitively, but also not a site seeing experience in my mind. Too many other things to see in the Canadian Rockies. We hiked near the hotel instead. That was a much better experience. It would be good to clearly know before booking, how much hiking and free exploratory time would be available. We like to hike.

The glacier national park in Montana while interesting was too long of a trip. The scattered lunches especially the one in the shopping center was terrible. The tour guide seemed ill informed at times. The knelling feature of the bus was out of order for two days a step stool should have been purchased.

There was alot of time wasted, traveling far to see next to nothing.l Day 2 saying at a hotel that had bugs, attached to a taco restaurant, so it smelled, could not open windows, blinds were all bent and badly needed to be replaced. Being left in a parking lot for a scattered lunch, supermarket. Dollar store, somewhere a tim hortons... come on. No water on bus from tour director, but the bus driver was charging $1 a bottle for warm water. Our group of 8 people were scattered all over the hotels. No consideration for our traveling companions. No considerations for our age, 2ed floor with no elevator. Average age p this trip was 71. And our tour director told us he was not a tour guide but a tour director. He got that right, His lack of knowledge about out tour was very limited. He would make stuff up. Or point out things after we passed them. TRAFALGER SHOULD DO BETTER WE SPOKE TO MANY DURING OUR TRAVELS, NO ONE HAD THESE ISSUES. TARA & RICH DAILEY