Outbound Collective logo

Canadian Rockies — Fly Over Alpine Lakes & Mountains with HB Mertz

Canadian Rockies, British Columbia

Starting From

$2,880/person

Book Now

Book this tour through our partner: Moment Travel

Drive the legendary Icefields Parkway, hike to some of the most pristine glacial lakes in the world, and experience the mind-blowing magic of the Canadian Rockies. This adventure will push you to get out of bed early to capture the sunrise, help you to properly plan your shoots, and teach you skills that will show rewards time and time again.

Additional Information

Meet Your Guide: HB Mertz

I have a passion for immersing myself in cold, remote places where few desire to venture. This has created a unique body of work that not only defines me as an individual, but pushes me to find and create unique, compelling stories from these overlooked corners of the world. I've experienced the ins and outs of the Canadian Rockies, including many off the beaten path spots and hidden gems. If you're willing to join me and push yourself, you'll learn and grow as a creative and walk away from this trip with unbelievable photographs.


Day 1: Sunset on Mt. Rundle

Summary:
Welcome to the Canadian Rockies! We arrive in Calgary and immediately head towards the mountains. Our group will get to know each other on the drive, get settled in the town of Banff, and bag a killer hike for sunset.

Photo Spots:
East End of Mt. Rundle

Activities:
An epic sunset hike with incredible mountain views, and hanging out in the famous mountain town of Banff.

Morning:
After arriving in Calgary, we'll head towards Banff. Our group will get to know one another while we go over the itinerary and goals for the upcoming week.

Afternoon:
Get situated in Banff and explore the surrounding area. Depending on weather, potentially shoot some of the classic lake views nearby.

Evening:
Hike the east end of Mt. Rundle to catch sunset.

Lodging:
Hotel / Airbnb in Banff

Food:
Stop for lunch along the way to Banff, choose from any of the awesome dinner spots in downtown Banff.

Day 2: Blue Hour at Iconic Lake Louise

Summary:
Drive north along the famous Icefields Parkway and stop at leisure to photograph some of the legendary lakes along the way. We'll take some time during non-shooting hours to dive into some editing as a group.

Photo Spots:
Bow Lake sunrise, Lake Louise sunset

Activities:
Shooting the various lakes in the Lake Louise area.

Morning:
Early wake up call to depart from Banff and hit sunrise at Bow Lake.

Afternoon:
The afternoon will be a combination of shooting in Yoho National Park and some group editing tutorials.

Evening:
Spend a relaxing evening hanging out around Lake Louise shooting sunset and blue hour.

Lodging:
Hotel / Airbnb in Lake Louise

Food:
We’ll grab bites from multiple locations around Lake Louise area.

Day 3: Soar Over the Rockies

Summary:
Before heading further north, we tackle one of the best hikes in Alberta: Larch Valley. After capturing sunrise here, we’ll continue up the Icefields Parkway, stopping to take a once in a lifetime helicopter ride.

Photo Spots:
Larch Valley Hike, Athabasca Falls,

Activities:
Epic hike for sunrise at Moraine Lake and a helicopter ride over the Rockies.

Morning:
We head to the Moraine Lake trailhead to hike to towards Larch Valley for sunrise, stopping at the iconic Moraine Lake on our way back down.

Afternoon:
Continue up the Icefields Parkway, stopping at various photo spots along the way, in addition to our helicopter ride over the Rockies.

Evening:
Hang out and relax in Jasper. We’ll go over some images from the past few days during group and individual editing tutorials, as well as discuss some workflow and organization strategies for images.

Lodging:
Hotel / Airbnb in Jasper

Food:
We’ll hit spots in the Lake Louise area and Jasper.

Day 4: Boating Around Spirit Island

Summary:
Today we’ll hit one of the most incredible locations in all of Canada: Spirit Island. After we catch sunrise there, we’ll hang out in Jasper before heading back south towards Banff.

Photo Spots:
Spirit Island

Activities:
Boat tour out to Spirit Island on Maligne Lake

Morning:
Head to Maligne Lake and catch the first boat out to Spirit Island. This will potentially be a good opportunity to discuss how to approach shooting in less than ideal light.

Afternoon:
Stop back in Jasper and grab food before heading south towards Banff.

Evening:
Drive back down the Icefields Parkway and shoot sunset at Peyto Lake.

Lodging:
Hotel / Airbnb in Lake Louise

Food:
Pick from some great food options in Jasper and Lake Louise

Day 5: Sunrise at Moraine Lake

Summary:
We’ll end our time in the Canadian Rockies shooting the iconic Moraine Lake at sunrise.

Photo Spots:
Moraine Lake

Activities:
Shoot Moraine Lake for sunrise and celebrate the end of a fantastic trip as a group.

Morning:
See the ice-blue water of Moraine Lake with epic sunrise colors.

Afternoon:
Last stop in Banff to grab lunch and shoot the lakes we haven't seen yet.

Evening:
Head to Calgary for our last night as a group to celebrate the end of an incredible trip.

Lodging:
Hotel / Airbnb in Calgary

Food:
Breakfast and lunch in Lake Louise area with a celebratory dinner in Calgary

Day 6: Final Goodbyes

Summary:
Final packing and goodbyes before heading to Calgary Airport to catch flights home.

Morning:
Head to Calgary Airport for our flights home. Bye, HB!

WHERE WE'RE GOING
Calgary
Banff
Icefields Parkway
Bow Lake
Lake Louise
Yoho National Park
Emerald Lake
Athabasca Falls
Moraine Lake
Jasper
Spirit Island
Maligne Lake
Canadian Rockies


WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
My goal is to evoke the natural desire within all of us: the desire to see the world, and tell the world your story. I'm ready to give you all the tips and tricks you need to begin: 

Planning and executing a successful photo itinerary/trip around weather and available daylight
Learning how to adapt when things don’t go as planned
Capturing an authentic feeling in your images
Cultivating unique images in popular locations
Post processing, specifically to display a feeling associated with a location, season, etc.
Creating a basic workflow from taking RAW photos all the way to posting on the web or social
Don't have a camera besides your smartphone? No problem. Shoot & edit on whatever device you want!

WHAT'S INCLUDED
5 nights hotel/Airbnb (prices based on double occupancy)
Entrance to all activities
Transportation to/from airport
Transportation around the Canadian Rockies
Photography and editing lessons
Discount on Moment gear
20% off listed price for first 4 travelers

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
Airfare
Alcoholic Beverages
Guide gratuities
Insurance of any kind
Breakfast on Day 1
Lunch or dinner on Day 6
Trekking Poles (complimentary upon request)

Canadian Rockies — Fly Over Alpine Lakes & Mountains with HB Mertz Reviews

Have you done this tour? Be the first to leave a review!

Starting From

$2,880/person

Book Now

Details

Duration

6 Days

Starts

Calgary

Ends

Calgary

Group Size

4-10

Difficulty

3/5

Add your business today to reach The Outbound's audience of adventurous travelers.