Walks of the Canadian Volkssport Federation Convention take place over the next four days with morning and afternoon walks offered during each day. Yellowknife’s perpetual twilight throughout the night during June will be celebrated with midnight walks on two of the days! Schedules are still firming but the following walks are currently planned between June 12th and 15th:

• Frame/Niven Lake Trails: 6 km, 10 km
• Cameron Falls: distance unknown
• Old Town President’s Walk: 6 km, 10 km
• Tin Can Hill: 6 km, 10 km
• Range Lake: 5 km, 10 km
• Capital Cities: 6 km, 10 km
• New Town: 5 km, 10 km
• Midnight Sun walks available on two nights!

WAI will have our own coach and will provide optional afternoon and evening activities, such as a visit to the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, as time allows. Once the Convention schedule is finalized, travelers will be advised of the options available. 

Walk: Fort Providence, NWT – 5 km

From Yellowknife, we chart a course west around the Great Slave Lake to Fort Providence, population 770. Traffic along Highway 3 (single digits are sufficient for highway numbering this far north!) is not likely to be a problem but bison jams have been reported, and during our walk in Fort Providence, we are likely to see them roaming freely in town. Fort Providence is situated on the north bank of the mighty MacKenzie River, the longest river system in Canada! In days gone by, the river was forded in the winter by a combination of ferry and ice bridge.  Fortunately for us, the addition of a bridge in 2012 provides year-round passage across a 1+ kilometer section of the river.  Continuing south, we stop at Lady Evelyn Falls, where the Kakisa River forms a giant curtain of water falling 50 feet over a limestone escarpment. We end our day in Hay River, along the south shore of Great Slave Lake!

Walk: Twin Falls Gorge, NWT Walk – 6 km

Walk: Bonus evening walk – High Level, AB – 5/10 km

We continue the waterfall theme today! Heading south towards the Alberta border, our walk of the day is a permanent trail (YRE) that follows the rim of Twin Falls Gorge and links a pair of stunning falls fed by the Hay River! At just over 100 feet, lovely Alexander Falls is the third tallest in the NWT. Three kilometers further, Louise Falls, second of the “twin falls”, descends another 50 feet in a series of three captivating cascades. Stair climbers are welcome to use a spiral staircase to explore the base of Louise Falls. A short stop at the 60th Parallel Visitor Information Centre is a fun way to mark our passage into the province of Alberta and back into the balmy latitude climes of the 50s! Our first stop in Alberta is the town of High Level, population 3,159. High Level was established in the 1940s because of its location on a transportation route, but the discovery of oil nearby cemented its regional importance in the 1960s. It also claims the northernmost grain elevator in the world, and serves an area of about 350,000 acres of farm land. A bonus walk provided by the CVF is available in the evening from our hotel.

Walk: Peace River, Alberta Walk – 5 km

Walk: Dunvegan Historic Area, Alberta Walk – 5 km

Walk: Bonus evening walk – Grande Prairie, AB – 5/10 km

The town of Peace River is situated at the confluence of Peace River, Smoky River, Heart River, and Pat’s Creek. Peace River itself achieved its passivist label when two warring tribes, the Cree and the Beaver, declared a truce in the mid-18th century using the Unchagah (Peace River) as the boundary between their hunting grounds. With a population of nearly 7,000, it’s the largest town we’ve experienced since Yellowknife. Farming and government services play a large role in the local economy, but Peace River is also situated next to the Peace River Oil Sands, Alberta’s 3rd largest oil sands deposit. 

A 5 km walk here introduces us to the town. Further south along the Peace River, Dunvegan was a gathering place for indigenous peoples for eons before Sir Alexander Mackenzie (as in Mackenzie River) passed through in 1793. Mackenzie, a Scottish explorer who became the first to cross the continent north of Mexico from east to west, twelve years before Lewis and Clark, noted the natural wealth (“an exuberant verdure”) of the area in his journals. Early in the 19th century, the fur trading companies arrived – first the North West Company then rival Hudson’s Bay Company, and established Fort Dunvegan, one of Alberta’s earliest fur trade posts. 

Those who prefer to opt out of today’s walk along the Peace River are welcome to join a guided tour of the historic buildings for a small fee.  From Dunvegan, we cross the Peace River over Alberta’s only suspension bridge and finish our day in Grande Prairie, Alberta’s 7th largest city (over 60,000 population), and the largest town north of the provincial capital of Edmonton. Its prominence came relatively late – starting with the arrival of the railroad in 1916 and the development of major oil discoveries in the region in the 1940s. After dinner on your own, an evening bonus walk is available from our hotel.

Walk: Maligne Canyon Walk – 4 km, rated 2C

Walk: Beauvert Lake Walk – 4 km, rated 1B

Intriguing geology of Canada and Alberta is one of the subthemes of this journey of discovery, and today we leave the Alberta Basin we’ve been traveling through, entering the stunning panoramas of the Canadian Rockies. The bulk of the afternoon is devoted to exploring Jasper National Park, one of Canada’s most scenic treasure troves. Our first walk descends along the dramatic edge of Maligne Canyon, one of the Canadian Rockies’ most beguiling gorges. Laced with waterfalls, jaw-dropping bridge crossings, and underground streams emerging from nowhere, this afternoon stroll will leave you hungry for more of Alberta’s myriad wonders. The fun continues a short bus ride away as our second walk takes us past rustic but elegant Jasper Park Lodge on a stunning loop around Beauvert Lake, where magnificent mountain vistas abound and elk sightings are common. Following check-in at our Jasper hotel, the remainder of the evening is free to enjoy dinner on your own.

SPECIAL NOTE: Due to severe fire damage in Jasper in 2024, some of our preferred trails may be closed. If this happens, we will find suitable alternatives in the area that show of the region’s beauty.

Walk: Lake Louise, Alberta Walk – 5 km, rated 1A

Bidding farewell to Jasper this morning, we travel by coach along one of the planet’s most breathtaking mountain drives—the Icefields Parkway. First stop on this scenic sojourn is a fantastic photo op at thunderous Athabasca Falls. Continuing south to the mighty Columbia Icefields, we board a sno-coach and enjoy a rare opportunity to walk directly on Athabasca Glacier! Mid-afternoon motoring brings us to the idyllic shores of Lake Louise where we walk along the banks of this shimmering blue mountain gem, soaking up picture-postcard views of Victoria Glacier and iconic Chateau Lake Louise. We also hope to take you up to the magnificent Moraine Lake for a stunning view! Following this dazzling day of sensory overload, we cross the continental divide through the Rockies into British Columbia for our first night in Canada’s westernmost province in the optimistically named town of Golden, population 3,701.

Walk: Golden, British Columbia Walk – 5 km, rated 1B

Walk: Revelstoke, British Columbia Walk – 5 km, rated 1A

Walk: Bonus evening walk – Kamloops – 5 km, rated 1B

After several days of early mornings and long drives, you are in control of today’s morning! A walk through delightful Golden, perched at the junction of the Columbia River and Kicking Horse River, is available from our hotel, or you can opt to start your day a bit slower and enjoy a late breakfast and checkout. A short ride from our hotel, we enjoy a fun visit to the lofty and scenic Golden Skybridge for a short but memorable walk with great photo ops. Late-morning, our bus carries us west through panoramas of the Columbia Mountains and Glacier National Park to Revelstoke, founded in the 1880s to serve the Canadian Pacific Railway, Canada’s first transcontinental railway. A 5 km walk here winds through this town situated on the banks of the Columbia River (the same water that later forms the border of Oregon and Washington). From Revelstoke, we continue west through British Columbia’s interior, past a series of lovely lakes to Kamloops. Sprawled along two rivers, Kamloops is an outdoor lover’s paradise and the Tournament Capital of Canada, having hosted national and world competition in skating, fly fishing, bike racing, junior hockey, and the uniquely Canadian winter sport of curling. Another bonus walk is available this evening in Kamloops.

Walk: Hope, British Columbia Walk – 5 km, rated 1B

Walks in places like “Golden” and “Hope” portend a successful journey of discovery! Hope is a small town at the east end of the Fraser Valley and southern end of Fraser Canyon that serves as a playground for recreation enthusiasts. It also claims fame as the site for 1980s filming Rambo: First Blood. More relevant to us, Hope is renowned for its chainsaw carvings which we see around town on our walk. Our destination today is Victoria, capitol of British Columbia, situated at the extreme south end of Vancouver Island. We reach the island on a scenic cruise through the Canadian Gulf Islands on a BC ferry. With a reputation of being “more English than England,” Victoria combines wonderful European charm with outstanding scenery and one of the oldest Chinatowns in North America. We look forward to a two-night stay in the Inner Harbour of lovely Victoria.

Walk: Victoria, BC Walk – 11 or 5 km, rated 1B

This morning’s walk provides a chance to discover this multi-faceted city, with numerous highlights including the picturesque Inner Harbour, fascinating alleys of Chinatown, regal Empress Hotel, architecturally stunning Parliament, vibrant hues of Fisherman’s Wharf, endless Olympic Mountain views across Juan de Fuca Strait, and nicely manicured grounds of Beacon Hill Park. The afternoon is free to explore the environs of Victoria and the harbor near our well-placed hotel. A trio of optional activities are also offered for your consideration. NOTE: Time constraints allow participation in only two of the three activities. 

Optional activity – High Tea: For those who would like to fully immerse themselves in the English tradition of afternoon tea, Victoria’s most recognizable landmark, the Fairmont Empress Hotel, offers the grandest of many afternoon teas available in town. This British tradition takes place in the hotel’s famous Tea Lobby, overlooking the city’s picturesque Inner Harbour. While formal attire is not necessary for this optional experience, smart-casual dress is recommended. We sample from the hotel’s exclusive tea menu, including fresh fruit cocktail or berries with whipped cream, and an assortment of tea sandwiches, fresh scones, tea cakes, and pastries (Don’t eat lunch beforehand—the food served is plentiful!). Estimated price: TBD  

Optional activity – Butchart Gardens: A short bus ride north brings us to the gates of world famous Butchart Gardens, a fanciful floral fun-house! The Butchart family ran a cement manufacturing business here and began converting their empty quarry to gardens in 1907. The gardens were named a National Historic Site of Canada in 2004 and are now run by the 4th generation of Butcharts. Over 900 plants are on display in the summer – the most colorful time of year in the gardens. Estimated price: TBD 

Optional activity – Royal BC Museum: Situated in Victoria not far from our hotel, the Royal BC Museum was founded in 1896 and portrays the natural and human history of the province of British Columbia. One of North America’s must-see collections, the Royal BC Museum is consistently ranked as one of the top 3 things to do in Victoria. Estimated price: TBD (tickets for this optional excursion can be purchased by travelers at the museum entrance) 

Later this evening, we rendezvous to share highlights of the day, and the trip, at a farewell dinner.

After a final Canadian breakfast at our hotel, our adventure draws to a close. We’ve covered three provinces (starting at 62.45° North) during our epic journey. Thanks for sharing this wide-ranging voyage of discovery with us!

With help from local experts and walking guides, these itineraries are crafted with extensive on-site planning by WAI tour planners.

When designing Classic Curated Tours, our objective is to capture the essence of a
destination—the history, culture, and natural wonders unique to that part of the world. We then build activities and walks that take us inside these characteristics.

Yes, these tours are educational, but they are also interactive and immersive; walking gets us off the bus and penetrates local cultures to not only see, but also touch, smell, and feel these special spaces.

Along the way, interactions with locals amplify the experience by sharing insights into the magic of that particular location.

What is a Volkssport Tour?

WAI offers walking adventures all over the planet. Most of our adventures are Classic Curated itineraries with walks developed by WAI tour planners in cooperation with local walking guides (see What is a Classic Curated Tour above).

A Volkssport Tour, on the other hand, streamlines the tour planning process and focuses more on walks and less on sightseeing. The objective is to feature more walking, offer more volkssport stamps (a record of walks volkswalkers keep in a passport-like walking book), and keep the price lower by eliminating on-site planning. Primary differences between Volkssport Tours compared to Curated Classic Tours include:

• Walks offered are hosted by clubs, not planned by WAI staff. Usually, they are self-guided walks using club-provided maps and directions.
• Itineraries are focused more on local club walks, and less on sightseeing and cultural activities.
• Itineraries tend to be paced faster, giving us the ability to offer walks in more locales.
• Extensive work is done by in-office, but on-site planning is generally not done by WAI tour planners (experience gained on previous editions of the tour, however, produces improvements to subsequent itineraries).
• Volkssport Tours tend to be limited to the USA and Canada. International tours generally follow the Classic Curated model.

We generally walk at a pace of 2 to 3 miles per hour. Some walks are oriented more towards education, and therefore take longer due to stops for guide commentary. Nature walks, on the other hand, generally continue at a steadier pace because we’re stopping less to talk.

In most cases, we are not “strolling.” We are walking at a relaxed but steady pace. Your experience will be significantly affected by your level of physical fitness. If not walking regularly at home, we strongly recommend that you make a priority of “training” beforehand in order to both enjoy the trip and avoid medical issues due to overexertion. If you have questions about your ability to participate, please reach out to our office at hello@walkingadventures.fun.

The walks on this tour come from a variety of sources and include:

• • Guided walks at the CVF Convention in Yellowknife
  • Special walks prepared for convention travelers by the Convention committee in NWT and Alberta
  • Year-round events or YREs (self-guided) offered by local volkssport clubs in British Columbia and
  • A couple of trails planned by WAI planners
  • After we leave Yellowknife, most walks will be offered as YREs, and maps and directions will be provided by local clubs. Your WAI Guide will lead a few of the walks as guided walks and will walk the YRE trails and be the navigator for any who wish to have a guide.
  • In terms of difficulty, where we have concrete ratings from the local clubs, the walks on this adventure range anywhere from 1A (very little elevation on pavement) to 2C (moderate hill or stair climbing with somewhat difficult terrain at times).

The CVF (Canadian Volkssport Federation) offers a trail route rating system as follows:

INCLINE

1. Very little hill or stair climbing
2. Some moderate hill or stair climbing
3. Some significant hill or stair climbing
4. A good deal of significant hill or stair climbing
5. Many steep hills or high altitude trails

TERRAIN

1. Almost entirely on pavement.
2. A significant part of the route is on well-groomed trails with very few obstacles.
3. A significant part of the route is on somewhat difficult terrain (rocky / rooted paths or soft sand).
4. A significant part of the route is on very difficult terrain
5. The majority of the route is on very difficult terrain

Good quality, tourist-class accommodations are the standard for our Adventure. Most accommodations on this tour are selected primarily as a practical base from which to pursue our itinerary. Many, but not all, of our accommodations on this adventure are either single floor or two-floors with elevators. Travelers should be able to carry their luggage up a number of steps to get to a second-floor room if necessary.

The tour starts at our hotel in Yellowknife, NWT (Canada), served by Yellowknife Airport (YZF). Our starting hotel is about 3 miles (10 minute taxi ride) from Yellowknife Airport. The tour finishes at our hotel in Victoria, British Columbia (Canada), served by Victoria International Airport (YYJ). Victoria Airport is located a 30-45-minute taxi ride from our hotel in Victoria.

We recommend that you contact Laura Pfahler, the travel agent we work with, to help book your flight arrangements. In this age of airfare complications and airport uncertainty, using a travel agent is a good investment! 

More details about flight arrangements and travel agent contact information will be provided in an Adventure Advice PDF by email after you register for the Adventure. Please do not book your airfare prior to receiving these flight details from us!

• Laura Pfahler: 503.434.6401 or llp@wtpdx.com

WAI believes strongly in the importance of travel insurance for financial and medical protection from any number of unforeseen circumstances that can arise before departure or during your Adventure. Many travel insurance providers are available for you to consider.
Laura Pfahler and Sharon Mitchell of World Travel Inc. are travel agents who provides air travel and insurance services to many WAI travelers.

Laura Pfahler: 503-434-6401 or llp@wtpdx.com

Sharon Mitchell: 971-261-2091 or smitchell@wtpdx.com

Check out Insurance Tips from World Travel for a short introduction to travel insurance.
(NOTE: WAI receives no commission or financial remuneration from World Travel Inc.).

Be aware that some travel insurance policies contain time-sensitive provisions (i.e. some benefits, such as coverage of pre-existing conditions, are available only if the policy is purchased within a certain number of days of the purchase of the travel package). In addition, remember that airfare is not covered by any travel insurance policy you may have purchased for the tour.

As always, do some shopping to ensure you are getting the best value. Using the SquareMouth.com website can be a good way to compare pricing.

Other options include:
Allianz
Betins
Travel Guard
Travel Insured International

WAI bears no responsibility for travel insurance benefits advertised by various credit card companies. If you are relying on this type of benefit for insurance, we advise you to verify coverage types and limits and that your purchase does in fact qualify you for this insurance.

NOTE: We suggest purchasing from a reputable, well-established insurance company (avoid buying insurance from an unknown company found only online). Travelers interested in purchasing “cancel for any reason” insurance coverage should be careful to check pricing and terms BEFORE they register for a tour. Recent changes in the international travel landscape has caused changes in the policies of some insurance companies, and made the purchase of this particular type of policy even more time-sensitive.

Walking Adventures International reserves the right to cancel this tour departure with fewer than 15 participants, in which case registered participants will receive a 100% refund of payments received.

This refund policy contains one exclusion. Many suppliers require non-refundable deposits as a condition of booking services. Though it is rare, unforeseen circumstances can force us to cancel a tour. In cases where supplier’s non-refundable policies are imposed, WAI attempts to retrieve as much of these deposits as possible but cannot guarantee a 100% refund. In cases where full refunds cannot be obtained for a cancelled tour, we will do our best to transfer unrefunded money as traveler credits to be applied to a future tour to that destination.

Our approach to wellness on tour has traditionally been to encourage travelers to:

• Focus on health before the tour so you start healthy.
• Pace yourself while on tour; travel is inherently stimulating and can produce adrenalin boosts that mask energy drain. Guard your energy reserves and consider the length of the trip and whether to opt out of some activities and/or walks.
• Be self-aware. If you feel yourself tiring or feel a bug coming on, take precautions to
  block it (e.g. extra rest, extra doses of vitamin C, etc).
• If you feel a bug coming on or if you take ill, distance yourself from others when
  possible.
• If you feel ill, isolate yourself towards the back of the bus and away from others and
  please wear a mask.

Soon after registration, an “Adventure Advice” email will be sent with critical information on flight arrangements as well as important steps to take in the months before your trip. Please do not buy your airline tickets until you review this Adventure Advice email.

A second non-refundable deposit of $500 is due 6 months before departure (December 11, 2025). If you request a single room, an additional $300 non-refundable single supplement deposit will also be collected at that time.

A final payment is due 90 days before departure (March 13, 2026) and is non-refundable after the due date. You will receive a prompt email from us a week or two in advance. Please see our General Tour Conditions for the full terms and conditions for participation in this Adventure.

Around 2-3 weeks before departure, you will receive a final email packet with details of the program, including hotel names and contact information, a list of fellow travelers, and a more detailed daily schedule.

Take a few minutes to peruse the Yellowknife Canadian Walking Festival itinerary. We are eager to share the delights of Canada in the summertime with you!