Rockies Panorama (GoldLeaf)
Day 1 - Arrive Vancouver (2 nights) Welcome to cosmopolitan Vancouver! A complimentary transfer is provided to the Trafalgar hotel. Your Tour Director is at the hotel this afternoon to greet you and answer your questions. Join us at 6:00pm for a Welcome Reception at the hotel.
Day 2 - Vancouver sightseeing & at leisure Our morning sightseeing tour includes a stop in Queen Elizabeth Park, explores the origins of the city in the "Gastown" district and visits Chinatown. Then on to historic Stanley Park to photograph Vancouver's amazing skyline and the totem poles carved by Canada's west coast First Nations Peoples. Rest of the day is at leisure. This evening, enjoy a welcome drink hosted by our Tour Director followed by dinner at a specialty restaurant. (Full Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 2 - Vancouver sightseeing & at leisure Our morning sightseeing tour includes a stop in Queen Elizabeth Park, explores the origins of the city in the "Gastown" district and visits Chinatown. Then on to historic Stanley Park to photograph Vancouver's amazing skyline and the totem poles carved by Canada's west coast First Nations Peoples. Rest of the day is at leisure. This evening, enjoy a welcome drink hosted by our Tour Director followed by dinner at a specialty restaurant. (Full Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 2 - Vancouver sightseeing & at leisure Our sightseeing tour starts with Chinatown, North America's second largest Chinatown after San Francisco's. Next is Gastown, with its charming cobbled streets, historic buildings, courtyards and mews. Our last stop is in Stanley Park, where we view the park's famous totem poles and learn about their significance to the aboriginal community. This afternoon is at leisure for you to pursue your own interests. In the evening, join us for dinner at one of Stanley Park's fine restaurants. (Full Breakfast / Highlight Dinner)
Day 2 - Vancouver sightseeing & at leisure Our sightseeing tour starts with Chinatown, North America's second largest Chinatown after San Francisco's. Next is Gastown, with its charming cobbled streets, historic buildings, courtyards and mews. Our last stop is in Stanley Park, where we view the park's famous totem poles and learn about their significance to the aboriginal community. This afternoon is at leisure for you to pursue your own interests. In the evening, join us for dinner at one of Stanley Park's fine restaurants. (Full Breakfast / Highlight Dinner)
Day 3 - Vancouver — Rocky Mountaineer Train — Kamloops All aboard! The next two days are spent on board the Rocky Mountaineer for an unforgettable daylight rail journey through British Columbia and Alberta. We travel through the fertile fields of the Fraser River Valley and alongside the towering peaks of the Coast Mountains before entering the Fraser Canyon. Following the Thompson River, we arrive at historic Kamloops for overnight. (Continental Breakfast / Lunch)
Day 4 - Kamloops — Rocky Mountaineer — Jasper (2 nights) Back on board the Rocky Mountaineer, we continue through rolling hills and plateaus into the snowy peaks of the Monashee Mountains. Highlights of today's journey include Pyramid Falls, the expansive glaciers of the Albreda Icefield and Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. In the afternoon, we arrive at the delightful alpine town of Jasper for a two-night stay. After dinner, we enjoy a fun and informative lecture by a local expert on the area's abundant wildlife. (Continental Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)
Day 5 - Jasper sightseeing We start the day with a narrated walk along Maligne Canyon, one of the Canadian Rockies' most beautiful gorges. Marvel at the spectacular rock formations and waterfalls, and learn about one of Canada's longest underground river systems. The rest of the day is at leisure in Jasper. Enjoy the superb vistas, stroll the quaint streets of Jasper, or join one of our optional activities including a lake cruise, a gentle river float trip, or a guided alpine walk. Your Tour Director will be happy to help you plan your day. (Full Breakfast)
Day 6 - Jasper — Columbia Icefield — Banff (2 nights) Another day of breathtaking scenery as we travel along the world-renowned Icefields Parkway, hailed as one of the world's most scenic drives. We stop at the Columbia Icefield and board an Ice Explorer for an exciting expedition on the massive Athabasca Glacier. Next, we climb up the Sunwapta Pass where more glorious vistas await us. We stop at Bow Lake for stunning glacial scenery before arriving at the quintessential alpine resort of Banff, our home for the next two nights. (Full Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 7 - Banff at Leisure Our morning tour introduces us to the highlights of Banff, including Bow Falls, the classic viewpoint of Surprise Corner along Tunnel Mountain Drive, and the wind-shaped hoodoos overlooking Bow Valley. We then board the Banff Gondola for a thrilling ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain. Experience a bird's eye view of six mountain ranges from the upper gondola terminal. The afternoon and evening are at leisure. Perhaps take an optional scenic helicopter flight over Mount Assiniboine, a float trip down the Bow River and an evening of entertaining musical celebration of Canada. (Full Breakfast)
Day 8 - Banff — Lake Louise — Chase Our first stop this morning is at stunning Lake Louise. Join a narrated walk along the lakeshore and learn about the wildlife, nature and history of Lake Louise. We then head west, over Kicking Horse Pass, and enter the Columbia Mountains and Glacier National Park. Journeying through the temperate rainforest of Mount Revelstoke National Park, we arrive at our lodge, located on the shores of Little Shuswap Lake. We are greeted by a native Elder of the Little Shuswap Indian Band and enjoy an interpretive walk, viewing the resort's native artifacts, beautiful wood carvings and a kekuli pit house, the traditional Shuswap winter home. Enjoy a delicious BBQ dinner while traditional stories are presented by a native Storyteller. After dinner, learn about the legend of the dreamcatcher and get a chance to make your very own! (Full Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 9 - Kelowna — Victoria (2 nights) Today we travel over the majestic Cascade Range and alongside the Coast Mountains. We follow the Fraser River to the Pacific, where we cross the Strait of Georgia by ferry, cruising through the Gulf Islands to beautiful Vancouver Island. We then drive on to Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, for a two-night stay. Our city orientation tour introduces us to the beautiful Inner Harbour, the ornate Parliament Buildings and Bastion Square. As an option this evening, why not join us on a unique cultural experience through Canada's oldest Chinatown, complete with a great Chinese banquet" (Full Breakfast)
Day 10 - Victoria sightseeing & at leisure Start the day with breakfast hosted by a horticulturist at the flower-filled conservatory of the Blue Poppy Restaurant at the world-famous Butchart Gardens. You then have time to explore this fifty-five acre showcase of wonderful floral displays. The rest of the day is yours to explore this quaint and very "British" city. Stroll through the flower-filled streets and browse the shops for souvenirs, or perhaps partake in one of our optional activities, including a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride, an exciting orca killer whale excursion, an outing aboard a historic tall ship, or simply relax with a cup of tea at the regal Empress hotel. This evening, our farewell dinner is served at a local specialty restaurant. (Highlight Breakfast / Highlight Dinner)
Day 11 - Victoria — Depart Vancouver This morning we head back for the mainland, where a complimentary transfer is provided to Vancouver International Airport and the Trafalgar hotel in Vancouver for passengers extending their stay. (Full Breakfast)
Note: Please do not schedule any flights before 3:30pm
|