2 Weeks in Canada: Ultimate 14-15-16 Day Itinerary

2 weeks in Canada: what to do and see?

Want to spend two weeks in Canada?

Excellent choice!

To help you organize your stay, I have prepared a 2-week Canada itinerary for you to discover the must-see places of interest in the West of the country.

On the program: visits to the 2 most famous cities in the region, Vancouver and Calgary, but also the discovery of the splendid landscapes of the national parks of Jasper and Banff.

A quick note: If you would rather visit the East and more specifically the province of Quebec, I recommend that you read my other article: Itinerary of 2 weeks in Quebec.

For this itinerary of 14, 15 or 16 days in Western Canada, in addition to my advice and tips, I also give you my selection of the best accommodation for each stage of your stay.

Here is the summary of this 2-week Canada itinerary:

Day Highlights Overnight
Day 1-2 Vancouver tour, Stanley Park, Granville Island Vancouver
Day 3-4 Butchart Gardens, Chinatown, Inner Harbour, boat trip, Beacon Hill Park Victoria
Day 5-6 Village of Duncan/Cathedral Grove, Pacific Rim National Park Pacific Rim
Day 7-8 A short stroll, winter sports/hiking Whistler
Day 9-10 Things to do and see in Wells Gray Wells Gray Park
Day 11-12 Maligne Lake, boat trip, Medicine Lake, Miette Hotsprings Jasper
Day 13-14 The Icefields Parkway, Athabasca Falls, Lake Louise Lake Louise / Banff National Park
Day 15 Glenbow Museum, Calgary Tower, Heritage Park Village, Kensington Village Calgary

Day 1-2: Vancouver

To visit Canada for 14-15 days and discover the essentials of Western Canada, I recommend that you land in Vancouver.

The city can be visited on foot or by public transport, but car rental is essential for all the following stages of this 2-week tour of Canada. It’s up to you whether you prefer to pick it up when you arrive or come back to pick it up before changing town.

For your first day in Vancouver, I suggest the following tour program (in order):

In the afternoon, head to Stanley Park for a walk or bike ride (guided tours are also available by clicking here!) in the city’s largest park. While strolling, do not miss to pass by the sector of the Native American totems and to go to the point of view overlooking the Lions Gate Bridge.

At sunset, I advise you to reach the Vancouver Lookout, a large tower with a panoramic platform over the city, somewhat in the same style as the CN Tower in Toronto or the Bayoke Tower in BangkokTickets can be reserved by clicking here.

You can finish this first day in Vancouver by tasting good meals in one of the best restaurants in the city located in the Yaletown district.

Spend the night in Vancouver.

Vancouver

The next day, for the continuation of this two-week stay in Canada, I suggest you continue your walk in Vancouver.

And we start very strong with a unique and original experience: a flight over the city in a seaplane! The flight of about twenty minutes allows you to discover the city in a completely new way.

You can book this Vancouver seaplane trip in advance.

Once back on earth, here are the other things to see during the day:

You will find other ideas for activities and visits to do in Vancouver, such as:

Tips for your Vancouver itinerary:
For all the attractions in Vancouver, whether it’s the Vancouver Lookout, the Fly Over, the Botanical Garden, etc., I advise you to book your tickets in advance. These sites are very touristy and there are often a lot of queues.

Accommodation in Vancouver

Vancouver seen from Granville Island

Day 3-4: Victoria

For the second leg of your itinerary in Canada, join the capital of British Columbia, Victoria.

To get there from Vancouver, you’ll need to take the ferry at Tsawwassen, which is about a 45-minute drive south of downtown. The crossing takes 1h30 at a cost of approximately $60 for the car and $18 per passenger.

The boat will drop you off at Swartz Bay, 30 km from central Victoria.

Before reaching the city, I advise you to stop and visit Butchart Gardens, located halfway between Swartz Bay and Victoria. These gardens are one of the main tourist attractions to discover.

You can stroll among the sublime flowerbeds and trees. The park is organized into different themed gardens including a rose garden and a Japanese garden.

Then reach Victoria, 30 minutes by car.

For the end of the day, you can take a walk on foot:

Spend the night in Victoria.

On the second day in Victoria, I recommend that you take a boat trip to go and watch orcas and whales.

Zodiac Killer Whale Safari

There are departures every hour between May and September and the cruise lasts 3 hours.

As this excursion is in high demand, it must be booked in advance by clicking here.

After this morning by boat, head to the Parliament, which you can visit for free, then join the Royal BC Museum located just next door. This museum is the most popular in Victoria. Very rich and really well done, it retraces the history and culture of the province in an interactive way and with careful reconstructions and stagings.

Royal BC Museum

For the end of the day, you can go for a walk in Beacon Hill Park which is located by the sea.

Beacon Hill Park, one things to do in Victoria, Canada

Spend a second night in Victoria.

For more details and information on Victoria, it’s in my article: 2 Days in Victoria: Ultimate 2-Day BC Itinerary

Tips for your Victoria itinerary:
To organize your ferry crossing from Vancouver to Victoria, you will find all the information on the ferry website: BC Ferries.

I advise you to book your tickets in advance.

Accommodation in Victoria

Fairmont Empress Hotel

Day 5-6: Pacific Rim

For the next stage of this 2-week Canada itinerary, I suggest you discover Vancouver Island a little more.

The day will be devoted to reaching Ucluelet, 300 km from Victoria. To cut the 4 hour journey a bit and stretch your legs, you can make 2 stops:

From Cathedral Grove, then count 1h50 drive to reach Ucluelet.

Spend the night in the surroundings.

The next day, day dedicated to the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. From Ucluelet, you can easily explore the part of the park between the city and Tofino that includes Pacific Rim’s must-see Long Beach .

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

There are several very nice and easy little hikes like the RainForest trail or Schooner Cove. Don’t hesitate to go to the visitor center to get the trail map.

Spend a second night towards Pacific Rim.

Accommodation in Pacific Rim

Day 7-8: Whistler

To continue this two-week Canada itinerary, leave Vancouver Island to reach your next stop: Whistler, one of the most famous ski resorts in Western Canada.

Allow a full day to travel from Ucluelet to Whistler. You will first need to go to Nanaimo (2h40 drive) to take the ferry. After 1h40 of crossing, you will arrive at Horseshoe Bay. From there, you will still have a 1h30 drive to Whistler.

Arrived in the middle or late afternoon, take a short stroll through the streets.

Whistler, Canada itinerary

Spend the night in Whistler.

For the second day, you will have the choice between several activities:

Stay a second night in Whistler.

Accommodation in Whistler

Whistler is Western Canada’s premier ski resort. Even if you book as early as possible, expect high prices all the same. In the middle of winter, it is very likely that the rates I have given you will be doubled.

For a slightly more economical alternative and if you don’t mind sleeping in a dorm bed, I recommend sleeping at the Hi Whistler Hostel. Bed in dormitory from 40€ per night.

Peak to peak gondola

Day 9-10: Wells Gray Provincial Park

And we continue this 2-week Canada itinerary with another big day’s drive of about 5h30 to go to Wells Gray Provincial Park.

It’s quite a drive but the park is a must for vacations in the West, and it has the added advantage of being located halfway between Whistler and Jasper (next stop).

You can choose to depart early from Whistler to arrive in Wells Gray in the afternoon and start exploring. Or you can just plan a road trip day to admire the landscapes and take some photos. Note that the road 99 that you will take is classified among the most beautiful roads in Canada so it would be a shame not to take your time.

The next day, spend the day in the provincial park. Depending on your mood, there are several things to do and see in Wells Gray:

Tips for your Wells Gray itinerary:
To plan your program in the park, go through the visitor center. We will provide you with a plan with all the information.

Access to Clearwater Lake is via a 26 km track, I recommend that you go there only if you have rented an SUV.

Accommodation in Wells Gray Park

I would prefer to warn you that the hotels in the park are not necessarily recent and some display decor or equipment that is a bit outdated, but for a short stopover it does the trick.

And anyway, there are not many other solutions.

Helmcken Falls in Wells Gray Park

Day 11-12: Jasper National Park

New stage of this two-week long Canada itinerary, heading to Jasper National Park. Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is a great classic of any good itinerary in the West.

From Wells Gray Park, allow approximately 4 hours to reach it. Just before getting there, stop at Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies.

For the rest of the day, you will have time to admire the 2 most beautiful lakes of the national park:

It is highly recommended to book this boat trip in advance to ensure space (valid for all activities in Jasper). It’s very simple, just have to click here.

Spend the night in Jasper, the only town in the national park with few shops, hotels and restaurants.

The next day I recommend you go for a hike. With plenty of trails suitable for all abilities, the park is the perfect place to walk a bit. I advise you to go through the visitor center to get the map of the different paths.

Here is a small list of the most popular:

Jasper National Park

At the end of the day, nothing better than a visit to the Miette Hotsprings, outdoor hot springs, to relax and enjoy an exceptional view of the surrounding mountains.

Tips for your Jasper National Park itinerary:

For the second day in Jasper, you can also opt for other activities instead of hiking. For all these activities, it is necessary to book in advance by clicking on the following orange links:

Accommodation in Jasper

A word of advice: book your accommodation in Jasper as soon as possible!

Most establishments are full months in advance, even campsites. Prices can also soar depending on the week: a room offered at €120 goes up to €350 the following week. The rates of the hotels that I propose to you are therefore really random.

If you have a small budget to sleep in Jasper National Park, I recommend the Jasper Downtown HostelThis youth hostel offers dormitory beds from €30 per night. Everything is super clean and modern.

Jasper National Park

Day 13-14: Banff National Park

Impossible to visit Western Canada in 2 weeks without stopping in Banff National Park.

From Jasper, you will have to take the legendary route of this part of the country: the Icefields Parkway. Known to be one of the most beautiful scenic roads in Canada, the Icefield Parkways (route 93) connects Jasper to Banff in 230 km.

It is best to plan a whole day to cover it because there are several viewpoints with parking where you can stop.

Here are the places that I advise you not to miss:

All the points of interest of the glacier walk are listed on the official website.

At the end of the day, stop in the town of Lake Louise, next to the famous Lake Louise, one of the most photographed in the world for its intense turquoise blue water.

The glacier walk

On the next day’s program, you will not miss a hike, the main activity to do in Banff National Park.

Most of the trails start from Lake Louise (you can go around it in 1 hour) or from Lake Moraine (around 45 minutes). These 2 steps are part of the easy trails with the climb to the Fairview belvedere which allows you to admire the lake (45 minutes).

If you want a little more difficulty, I recommend the Plain of Six Glaciers hike which takes you through splendid landscapes. Count about 4 hours of walking there and back.

All possible hikes in Banff can be found on the Canada Park website.

For added security, you can also hike in the park with a guide. You will have the choice between several different courses. All information is available by clicking here.

And if you don’t feel like walking, no problem, you will have the choice between:

Spend a second night in Lake Louise.

Tips for your Banff National Park itinerary:

To avoid these small traffic or parking problems, you can also choose the hop-on hop-off bus which stops at Johnston Canyon, Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. Get off and go back up whenever you want!

The guides will be happy to help you plan your day according to the schedules.

Accommodation in Lake Louise / Banff National Park

Here, same recommendation as for Jasper National Park, book in advance! And also the same observation for the (very) high prices.

A much more economical option for small budgets, spending a night in a hostel. I recommend the HI-Lake Louise Alpine CenterBed in dormitory from 40€ per night, hard to find cheaper! The hostel also offers double rooms from €100 per night.

The Fairmont Lake Louise Hotel – Banff’s Best Hotel

Day 15: Calgary

You have arrived at the last stage of this 15-16 day Western Canada itinerary.

You will have to take the road one last time to reach Calgary, the city where you will end your vacation. From Lake Louise, count 2 hours drive.

You can take advantage of your last day to visit the city a bit.

Here is an idea of ​​a program to discover the main places of interest:

For more details and information on Calgary, it’s in my article: What to do in Calgary?

Calgary at night

The next day, you will only have to go to the Calgary airport to catch your return flight.

Tips for your Canada itinerary:
For a 14-day trip to Canada, remove one day in Vancouver.

For a 16-day tour in Western Canada, you can add a day in Vancouver to go to the Capilano suspension bridge, for example. Or if you are more into nature and hiking, add a day in Jasper or Banff National Park.

Accommodation in Calgary

Calgary

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