Emerald Lake, Takakkaw Falls & Canadian Rockies Hidden Gems

If you feel like you’ve seen & done just about everything in the beautiful, but busy Banff National Park, then joining us on this tour to the lesser-known but just as incredible Yoho National Park will most definitely scratch that adventure itch you’re still working away at!

Highlighted by stops at the amazing, neon blue waters of Emerald Lake, Canada’s tallest waterfall at Takkakaw Falls and one of the Rockies nearby best kept secrets in neighbouring Kootenay National Park, this tour gives adventurous folks access to our personal favourite locations to experience the epic beauty of the Canadian Rockies without the summer crowds.

- Escape the big bus crowds and explore the Canadian Rockies epic, hard to reach gems in Yoho & Kootenay National Parks

- Feel the power of some of the biggest waterfalls in all of Canada (380m tall!)

- Get off the beaten path and experience the Canadian Rockies best kept secrets!

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Pass By: Yoho National Park, Yoho National Park, Kootenay Rockies, British Columbia

Yoho National Park might be one of the smaller parks in the Canadian Rockies, but we believe it packs the biggest punch!

Located a little further up the road from the busy & bustling Lake Louise & Banff National Park, Yoho National Park has an intimate feel, despite being filled with immense, snow-capped mountains and thundering waterfalls!

This beautiful region is heaven for explorers looking to escape the ordinary, and we think it should be on everyone’s Rockies bucket list.

On this tour, your fun & local expert Radventures guide will determine the best times to visit each of these following locations, in no particular order, based on weather conditions, big bus tour schedules & a few other factors that we as locals consider to ensure that you, as our valued guests, are getting the best and most authentic experience on the day.

As one of our signature small group tours, we'll also treat you to a few secret locals spot with incredible views too!

Stop At: Emerald Lake Road, Yoho National Park, British Columbia Canada

It’s pretty easy to figure out where Emerald Lake gets its name.

If the colour of the lake isn't enough to move you, the surrounding landscape certainly will!

The President Range mountains surround the lake and form a natural amphitheater of the grandest scale with towering peaks and forested banks.

As our guest on this small group tour, you’ll get guaranteed & expedited entry right to the shoreline of the lake.

Here, you will have 1.5 hours to explore the lakeside trails or simply hang out under a tree and watch the world go by!

1.5 hours is also plenty of time to try canoeing (Extra cost, please contact Radventures before booking)

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Stop At: Spiral Tunnels, Trans-Canada Highway, Yoho National Park, British Columbia Canada

Witness a historical example of engineering ingenuity firsthand at Spiral Tunnels.

The tunnels make up two vast figure-eight tracks that run through the mountains and mark the site where a train plummeted into the lake, killing three workers.

You may just see a freight train pass through; if not, the picturesque mountain range makes this short stop worthwhile!

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Takakkaw Falls, Yoho National Park, Columbia-Shuswap, BC V0A 1G0, Canada

At 1, 224 ft, Takakkaw Falls is the tallest waterfall in the Canadian Rockies and the second tallest in Canada.

As the snow and ice melt in the early summer, they fuel the cascading water creating picturesque mist through the pines. If you’re lucky, you may see a rainbow or two at its base.

It’s no wonder that the waterfall is based on the Cree word for “wonderful”, to go hand in hand with national park name of Yoho, which is the Cree expression of awe and amazement, similar to “wow.”

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Marble Canyon, Kootenay Highway 93, Kootenay National Park, British Columbia V0A 1M0 Canada

Just over the continental divide, where the Rockies cross from Alberta into British Columbia, lays one of our favourite local secrets in Marble Canyon.

Awaiting us here is an easy 1.3 kilometre out and back trail that crosses several bridges providing amazing views across the canyon and down into the startling turquoise water of Tokumm Creek below.

If you like a learning moment woven into on your hikes, stop to marvel at how this little creek carved through the creamy coloured sedimentary rock over millennia to create the canyon. Otherwise, just marvel at the beauty.

Duration: 1 hour

Pass By: Kootenay National Park, Kootenay National Park, Kootenay Rockies, British Columbia

A land of ice and fire, Kootenay National Park is a place of contrasts, with valleys and canyons carved by glaciers and grasslands marked by fire. Take a scenic drive along its historic highway. Step out to experience ancient fossils and steamy hot springs.

You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.