Bus & Minivan Tours

Raft the Athabasca River on a thrilling, family-friendly 2-hour adventure set against a backdrop of dramatic alpine mountains, rushing glacial waters, grazing moose, and other wildlife. While you sign your waiver form at the Jasper office, watch highlights of your adventure to come on 8 big TV screens. Then transfer by minibus for the short 15-minute drive to your rafting start point. On arrival, guides will distribute wet suits and safety equipment, and give an instructive and entertaining safety talk to ensure everyone is comfortable. Once on the river, go through a serious of paddle commands and practice on the flat water before you hit the rapids. Paddle and splash 5 miles down river, heading to Old Fort Point and back towards Jasper. Along the way, you will encounter no less than 5 sets of class-2 rapids of splashy white water, ideal for first timers and children aged 5 and up.

Benefit from pick-up at your hotel or guesthouse in Jasper, and then travel by comfortable minibus down into the valley. Look out of the large windows to get stunning views of the mountains and surrounding wilderness. Travel on paved roads searching for the many species of animals found in Jasper National Park. Your guide will select the route based on seasonal wildlife movements, giving you the best chances of finding animals in their natural habitat. Encounter amazing creatures at the time of day when they are most active. Take stunning photos from inside the minibus or during occasional short walks, at the discretion of your guide. Get valuable insights into the challenges of managing and protecting wildlife within the national park. Ask your guide any questions you may have and be amazed as the animals are brought to life before your eyes. 

Take on the grade 2 whitewater rapids on the Athabasca River while taking in the fresh air and scenic mountain views. Start your tour in the town of Jasper and head only 8 km south to the put-in point. After suiting up in wetsuits and a safety talk, it's off to the river. Begin with a 10-minute float to get comfortable in the raft, experience the river environment, and admire the 360-degree Mountain View. After, embark on the grade 2 rapids which guarantee a splash without the likelihood of falling in. You can choose to swim in the glacial water if you feel brave enough. After 4 or 5 sections of rapids, the Miette River joins the Athabasca and the trip ends just around the corner at Old Fort Point. All trips are in 8-person rafts with a licensed river guide.

The Athabasca Falls trip is probably our most scenic. After a 30-minute bus drive from town guests are suited up in our wetsuit gear. After a safety talk there is a 5-minute portage to the river. This river trip starts with a bang. Once out in the main current the first set of rapids is only seconds way. Once these rapids have soaked everyone in the raft the rafters find themselves in a canyon. For the next 30-minutes there are no trails or roads next to the river it is just the river and you. The canyon ends with another set of rapids and spectacular views of the Athabasca River valley. Once back at the highway it is about 20 minutes to the take out. There are more sections of rapids but also flat section to enjoy and learn about the natural surroundings. All trips are in 8-person rafts with a licensed river guide.

Begin the tour with a 30-minute bus ride to the river at the base of Athabasca Falls. Get geared up with all the necessary equipment and change into your wetsuit. Your highly experienced, certified guide will give an overview of all rafting and safety procedures before you jump onboard the 6-passenger, self-bailing raft. As you embark, hear the thundering of Athabasca Falls plunging behind you. Your raft will join a turbulent stir of whitewater whisking you downstream as your guide expertly navigates the river, surrounded by the high rock walls of the Athabasca Canyon. In the first part of the 12-km ride, punch through consistent sections of exhilarating Class II rapids before the river mellows giving you a chance to relax. Take in spectacular views of the Canadian Rockies and perhaps even spot some local wildlife on the shoreline of this pristine environment. All technical equipment will be supplied including paddles, wetsuits, neoprene booties and paddle jackets. You will need to wear a swimsuit or a t-shirt and shorts under your casual clothes and be prepared to get wet. Bring dry clothes, a towel and on cooler days, wool socks to wear inside the booties and a warm jacket to put on afterward. You are also welcome to bring snacks and water to enjoy on the bus to and from the river. These trips do not require any previous experience and are suited for individuals aged 5 years and above, looking for an introductory whitewater adventure.

Relax and enjoy an afternoon that you'll never forget. This is a true Canadian outdoor experience. Take a fun and scenic trip down the Athabasca River, a designated Canadian Heritage River.A National Park-licensed guide will provide commentary on the human and natural history of Jasper while navigating you along the same route used by the fur traders over 200 years ago. The specially designed, 7-meter- or 25-foot-long, oar-powered rafts come equipped with life jackets, and provide a safe, comfortable ride through a few small sets of rapids and calm stretches that any first-time rafter will enjoy. Don’t worry - the guides do all the rowing. All you have to do is sit back and relax while you take in the spectacular scenery.  You can spot various local wildlife, including elks, deer, moose, coyotes, wolves, eagles, ospreys, mountain sheep, and bears.

The word Sunwapta is a Stoney Indian word meaning turbulent waters. Our trip on the river lives up to the name. The Sunwapta is a narrow, steep, glacial feed river in the heart of Jasper National Park and is rated as an overall Grade 3. The Sunwapta is the only grade 3 whitewater offered in Jasper National Park. The river is glacial fed and as long as the weather is warm we can have great water up until closing. The river trip itself begins with a float where crews can practice their paddling technique before the show begins. Once the rapids start they just build and build until the Whopper soaks everyone just before the take out. Once the rapids start it is still important to look at the 360 degree Mountain Views. The river follows the jagged ridge of the Endless Chain. All trips are in 8 person-guided rafts.

Get picked up from your Banff hotel in a modern mini bus by your friendly guide. Departing from Banff, your guide will welcome you on the tour with an overview of where you'll be headed as you sit back and enjoy the ride along the Icefields Parkway, one of the world’s most stunning scenic drives. Because you don’t have to navigate or watch the road, this tour lets you to focus on the amphitheater of mountains towering above as you keep your eyes peeled for wildlife at the edges of the forest. The highlight of the tour is the Glacier Adventure, located halfway along the Icefields Parkway near the border of Jasper National Park. Stop at the Columbia Icefield Glacier Discovery Centre and board a bus that will take you to the specially designed 56-passenger Ice Explorer vehicle. Then, drive onto the Athabasca Glacier that is thousands of years old. After learning about the glacier along the way, enjoy 20 minutes of free time on the glacier to soak up the views, touch this ancient sheet of ice, and even drink pure, cold water straight from the glacier. From here, head to the nearby glass floor Glacier Skywalk and follow the 1-kilometer walkway that leads to a platform where glass is all that separates you from a 918-foot (280 m) drop. As you step out on the cliff-edge walkway, witness the giant glaciers perched above you and admire the views of the spectacular Sunwapta Valley spread out below. After the Glacier Adventure component of the tour (around 3 hours in total), there will be a scenic stop (weather permitting) to enjoy your hearty packed lunch of a sandwich, juice, fruit, chips, and brownies. Visit iconic landmarks along the Icefields Parkway such as Bow Lake, the headwaters of the mighty Bow River before heading back to Banff.

Experience magical mountains, alpine meadows and thrilling rivers on this 5.5-hour tour to the Maligne Valley from Jasper. Part of the Jasper National Park, the valley is home to magnificent lakes and outstanding hiking trails. Following a pick-up from your Jasper hotel, you will go on a short hike past the sheer 100-foot walls of Maligne Canyon. Then, take a scenic drive to Maligne Lake and the "disappearing" Medicine Lake. Look out for elk and moose as you drive. Maligne Lake is the second largest glacial fed lake in the world. It drains into the Maligne River and continues down to Medicine Lake. You will visit what is arguably the most extensive karst system - or underground river system - in Canada. An underground network of caves remains largely out of reach to visitors, keeping it a mystery for future exploration. Your professional guide will expand on this inscrutable place during an immersive narrative. During the summer season you can join an inclusive boat cruise to Spirit Island, the only means of reaching the isolated island, for serene views of the stunning alpine scenery. During the rest of the year you can enjoy a guided hike along the Mary Schaffer Loop. Depending on the time of the year, you will enjoy wildlife viewings in the area around Maligne Canyon, including moose, sheep, caribou and bears. Jump back on the bus for your return journey and hotel drop-off in Jasper, at the heart of Canada’s largest Rocky Mountain national park.

A 45-minute bus journey brings you to the arrival point where you will be given all the necessary equipment and will change into your wetsuit. You will be given an in-depth briefing on all rafting procedures and safety precautions before getting wet and wild on this turbulent ride. ‘Sunwapta’ is the Stoney Indian term for ‘turbulent river’ and this river lives up to its name. Traveling in 6 passenger self-bailing rafts, your expert guide will maneuver your group skillfully down the 13 kilometer stretch of river punching through a consistent flow of Class II rapids in between several sections of Class III whitewater. Set in a pristine wilderness area of Jasper National Park, the Sunwapta is a low volume, technical river that follows the Endless Chain Mountain Range from its source at the toe of the Athabasca Glacier. You will be surrounded by spectacular Canadian Rockies scenery in a prime wildlife habitat, giving you the opportunity to spot elusive native wildlife from the raft or during the scenic bus ride. All technical equipment will be supplied including paddles, wetsuits, neoprene booties, paddle jackets and helmets. You will need to wear a swimsuit or t-shirt and shorts under your casual clothing. Bring dry clothes, a towel and on cooler days, wool socks to wear inside the booties and a warm jacket to put on afterward. You are also welcome to bring snacks and water to enjoy on the bus ride to and from the river.