Marvel at snowcapped mountain peaks, roaring waterfalls, and green coastal forests as you wind through western Canada's "road less traveled" aboard the Rocky Mountaineer® train. Take a city tour of Vancouver featuring Chinatown and the world-famous steam-powered clock. In the Old English-styled city of Victoria on Vancouver Island, meander through 50 acres of gorgeous flowers and lush plant life in Butchart Gardens. Traveling from Vancouver to Jasper, you won't be able to turn away from the window as you pass the stunning Monashee Mountains and view beautiful Pyramid Falls cascading down Mt. Cheadle. During a snocoach excursion across the Columbia Icefield, get out and stand on the impressive Athabasca Glacier, a mass of ice over 1,000 feet thick! Here you have a good change of spotting the area's wildlife including grizzly bears, furry marmots, and elk. View the unrivaled beauty of Maligne Lake and Peyto Lake, whose waters turn a deep turquoise at the height of summer. You'll overnight at fabulous hotels including the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel and the world-famous Chateau Lake Louise, known as the "Diamond in the Wilderness." You'll also see the stunning glaciers of the Albreda Icefields, the powerful waters of Athabasca Falls, and the impressive Hoodoos, land of sleeping giants.
Itinerary:
Day #1 Vancouver, British Columbia - Tour Begins - Join tour group as you explore the beautiful Canadian Rockies by train. Your exciting tour begins in the beautiful city of Vancouver.
Day #2 Vancouver - Enjoy breakfast at Capilano Suspension Bridge and experience breathtaking views as well as “walking on the tree tops”!! Experience the splendor of Vancouver with a sightseeing tour that begins at beautiful Stanley Park, an “urban” rainforest which juts out into the sea. You will also visit Chinatown, one of North America’s largest, and the waterfront area. Your tour will end in Gastown, Vancouver’s turn-of-the-century pedestrian mall filled with pubs, restaurants, art galleries, specialty stores, and the world-famous steam-powered clock, perhaps the most photographed subject in all of Vancouver.
Day #3 Vancouver - Victoria - Vancouver - Early this morning you will take a scenic ferry to Vancouver Island to visit the lovely Butchart Gardens, created on the site of a worked-out quarry. These gardens are among the world’s most beautiful and are a veritable explosion of color and fragrances. Next, take a short sightseeing tour of the "City of Gardens," Victoria, and have some leisure time to explore this lovely seaside city. This evening you will journey back to the mainland via a short ferry ride.
Day #4 Vancouver - Rocky Mountaineer® Train - Kamloops - Board your train for the scenic journey of a lifetime. The Rocky Mountaineer® Train will take you on a spectacular voyage from Vancouver to Jasper. Spend two days viewing coastal forests, roaring river canyons and lofty mountain peaks. Today, your route takes you along the verdant fields of Fraser Valley and the scenic Fraser River. You will also view the beauty of the Thompson River and the shimmering, fish-filled waters of Kamloops Lake before arriving in Kamloops for an overnight stay.
Day #5 Kamloops - Jasper, Alberta - Continue east aboard your train, passing the striking mountain peaks of the Monashee Mountains and viewing Pyramid Falls cascading down Mt. Cheadle. In addition, you will see the glaciers of the Albreda Icefields and view Mt. Robson (weather permitting), the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. The area is home to moose, mountain goats, bear and caribou. Early this evening you arrive in Jasper, the northern gateway to the Icefields Parkway.
Day #6 Jasper - Begin your day with a trip to the extraordinary Maligne Canyon. Later, travel to the sparkling waters of Maligne Lake, the largest natural lake in the Canadian Rockies, where an optional cruise, highlighting the beauty of Spirit Island, will be offered. Return to Jasper where the remainder of the day is at leisure to explore this lovely town.
Day #7 Jasper - Icefields Parkway - Lake Louise - A wonderful day of sightseeing is in store for you while en route to Lake Louise. The highlight is a journey along the unforgettable Icefields Parkway: behold majestic waterfalls, rushing rivers, glacial peaks, imposing cliffs and snowcapped mountain ranges. A stop will be made to marvel at the beauty and power of Athabasca Falls which has carved fanciful features into stone. Then you will continue on to the Columbia Icefields, where a special ride is in store for you (weather permitting) across this mass of glacial ice which is over 1,000 feet thick and represents the largest accumulation of ice south of the Arctic Circle. As you continue down the parkway, you will most likely see bears, furry marmots and stately elk. Stop at the serene Peyto Lake and arrive in Lake Louise, where you will enjoy a stay at the world-famous Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.
Day #8 Lake Louise - Banff - En route to Banff, view the spectacular Moraine Lake and the awesome Valley of the Ten Peaks. The jagged Ten Peaks are distinctively saw-toothed and stand out even in this stunning Alpine region. Upon arrival in Banff, enjoy a visit to a local ammonite specialist and learn about this rare gemstone that is found only in Alberta. Later, arrive at the magnificent Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, known as the “Castle in the Mountains.” The afternoon is at leisure for exploring or strolling through the many well-known shops of Banff.
Day #9 Banff - Calgary - Begin the day with a scenic drive around Banff featuring Bow Falls and the impressive Hoodoos, also known as the “Land of the Sleeping Giants.” Then it’s off to the cosmopolitan city of Calgary for your final stop on this wonderful adventure. Tonight, be sure not to miss a very special farewell dinner at a popular local restaurant.
Day #10 Calgary - Depart for Home - Today you will depart for home with a lifetime of memories.
