Our unique 8-day international bicycle tour through the Canadian Rockies region offers something nobody else does: the trio of Glacier National Park, plus Banff and Jasper National Parks.

We meet in the charming resort town of Whitefish, Montana, on a Saturday morning and cycle a lightly traveled, scenic, forested road toward Glacier National Park. After lunch we cycle into the park along lush alpine meadows, then hike along the shore of Lake McDonald. We spend the night in the park on the lake at historic Lake McDonald Lodge.

Sunday morning we cycle the Going-to-the-Sun Road, one of America’s best one-day rides. We ride past waterfalls, evergreen forests, extraordinary snow-capped mountain scenery, and sweeping vistas of beautiful glacial valleys. Our 21-mile climb to Logan Pass (3,700′ of climbing to reach the 6,646′ summit) is rewarded with a 20-mile gentle downhill on the other side. We spend another night in the park at the storied Many Glacier Hotel, enjoying the panoramic mountain views across Swiftcurrent Lake.

On Monday we pedal across the border into Canada and Waterton Lakes National Park. We’ll watch for elk, moose, and bighorn sheep as we ride along the rolling prairie, overlooked by the craggy peaks of the Canadian Rockies. Our lodging for the night is in charming Waterton townsite.

On Tuesday we travel north to Banff and cycle beside the Bow River on the Bow Valley Parkway. This ride is within the virgin evergreen forest of Banff National Park and leads us to Lake Louise. The area is “filled with glittering snowcapped peaks, valleys draped in evergreen forests, turquoise lakes, flowered alpine meadows, glaciers, hot springs, waterfalls, and abundant wildlife,” says National Geographic. In the afternoon we lead a hike into Johnston Canyon. We’ll spend two nights at the Lake Louise Inn, a modern mountain resort in this picturesque setting.

Turquoise Lake Louise is a sight to behold. On Wednesday, our layover day, you’ll have a chance to hike beside it up to a European-style teahouse overlooking the Plain of Six Glaciers. If you prefer, you may take a shorter walk, cycle into adjoining Yoho National Park, get a massage, or just relax at the inn.

Thursday we are back on our bikes to cycle along the spectacular Icefields Parkway. A gradual climb brings us to Bow Summit for lunch. We hike to Peyto Lake, another turquoise jewel, then descend between the peaks on a long, gradual downhill to the Saskatchewan River and our lodging for the night. You can stop at Mistaya Canyon and watch the water from Peyto Lake rush through the narrow canyon on its way to the Saskatchewan River.

On Friday we continue our ride on the Icefields Parkway amid stunning mountain scenery. We visit the Weeping Wall — 2,000-foot cliffs streaked with waterfalls — as we cycle to the Columbia Icefield and cross into Jasper National Park. The icefield, a relic from the Ice Age, spans 125 square miles with an estimated maximum depth of more than 1,000 feet. You’ll get a close-up view of its famous Athabasca Glacier, a river of ice spilling from the majestic peaks. After lunch it’s mostly downhill following the Sunwapta River to our cabins at Sunwapta Falls Resort. Tonight we enjoy a barbeque dinner at our resort, followed by a private ranger talk discussing local wildlife and geology.

Saturday morning there’s an optional hike to Sunwapta falls. Afterward we’ll head to Banff and ride to a lakeside lunch at gorgeous Lake Minnewanka, the largest lake in Banff National Park. After a final 25-mile loop ride through the valley, we’ll shuttle everyone to Calgary International Airport, where you can depart for home.