15 Days ~ British Columbia ~ Alberta ~
Ontario
Tour Pace - A well-balanced
tour that perfectly combines touring by coach, ferry
and rail. Spend two nights unwinding in Victoria and
Banff, with a further two-and-a-half days relaxing
on the train. Three nights in cosmopolitan Toronto
cap off a fantastic trip.
DAY 1 – ARRIVE VANCOUVER.
Welcome to Vancouver! Your adventure begins with a
complimentary transfer from the airport to
your hotel. After meeting with your Tour Director,
please join us at 6 p.m. for a Welcome Reception.
Hotel: Renaissance Vancouver Hotel Harbourside
DAY 2 – VANCOUVER – SUNSHINE COAST.Experience
the stunning Sunshine Coast as you cruise
by ferry across Howe Sound and Jervis
Inlet to Saltery Bay before arriving at
your oceanfront hotel. Tonight, enjoy a scenic
dinner cruise on these incredible waterways.
Hotel: Historic Lund Hotel (B,HD)
DAY 3 – SUNSHINE COAST – VICTORIA.
Ferry across the Strait of Georgia to
Vancouver Island and arrive at the charming village
of Chemainus, where antique stores, art
galleries, quaint cafes and gift shops lurk around
every corner. Follow the yellow footprints to the
world’s largest outdoor art gallery where artists
from around the world painted huge, magnificent
heritage murals on the sides of buildings.
Continue on to Victoria, where an
orientation tour introduces the Inner Harbour,
the ornate Parliament Buildings, and
Bastion Square. Hotel: The Magnolia Hotel & Spa
(B)
DAY 4 – VICTORIA SIGHTSEEING.
Start the day with breakfast at the famous
Butchart Gardens, 55 acres of exquisite floral
displays, meandering paths and spectacular views. A
horticulturist joins you and explains the garden’s
history and plants. There is ample time to
explore these gardens which have delighted
visitors from around the world for over a hundred
years. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure. Dinner
tonight is served at one of Victoria’s restaurants.
(HB,HD)
DAY 5 – VICTORIA – KELOWNA.
Return to the mainland and travel to the Okanagan
Valley, Canada’s wine capital. On arrival in
Kelowna, learn about wine making from a local
expert and enjoy wine tasting. This evening is
at leisure. Hotel: Grand Okanagan Lakefront
Resort (B)
DAY 6 – KELOWNA – BANFF NATIONAL PARK.
Journey through four national parks: Mount
Revelstoke, Glacier, Yoho, and Banff. At
Giant Cedar, enjoy a guided walk through
1,000-year-old red cedars. Continue to your
hotel in the heart of Banff National Park. For
dinner, enjoy a choice of five sumptuous
restaurants. Hotel: Fairmont Banff Springs
Hotel (B,HD)
DAY 7 – BANFF SIGHTSEEING. This
morning, head for the Buffalo Nations Luxton
Museum for a guided visit and an insight into the
rich history, culture and traditions of the First
Nations peoples. Taste bannock and jam while
a mystery guest (sorry, we can’t say who)
regales you with interesting stories. The rest of
the day is yours to pursue your own interests. (B)
DAY 8 – BANFF – YOHO NATIONAL PARK.
Enjoy an interpretive walk along Lake
Louise. See the famous Spiral Tunnels and
pass by spectacular Natural Bridge. Our home
tonight is the historic Emerald Lake Lodge.
After dinner, enjoy a cordial and s’mores by a
lakeside bonfire accompanied by an
informative presentation by a local expert.
Hotel: Emerald Lake Lodge (B,D)
DAY 9 – YOHO NATIONAL PARK – JASPER
NATIONAL PARK. Today motor along the
unforgettable Icefields Parkway and witness
spectacular scenes like Crowfoot Glacier and
Columbia Icefield, North America’s largest
sub-polar ice pack. At Athabasca Glacier, climb
aboard a specially-designed Ice Explorer for a
once-in-a-lifetime guided tour over steep grades,
snow and ice as you ascend partway up the glacier.
Your home for the next two nights is amid the
forests, lakes, waterfalls, mineral hot springs,
rugged glaciers and spectacular mountains of
Jasper National Park. After dinner, a local
expert will lead an enlightening discussion
about the park’s wildlife. Hotel: Sawridge Inn
(B,D)
DAY 10 – JASPER – THE CANADIAN TRAIN.
Join your Tour Director for an interpretive walk
at Maligne Canyon, one of the most spectacular
gorges in the Canadian Rockies. Then, bid farewell
to your Tour Director and settle in your private
compartment with en suite facilities in VIA
Rail’s Silver & Blue class on board The Canadian.
One of the world’s greatest rail journeys. (B,L,D)
DAY 11 – THE CANADIAN TRAIN.
Enjoy comfortable accommodations, superb
meals and impeccable service on board the
train. See prairies stretching to the horizon and
cross forests studded with sparkling lakes. Discover
the unique pleasure of rail travel by moonlight as
the gentle rocking of the train lulls you to sleep.
(B,L,D)
DAY 12 – THE CANADIAN TRAIN – ARRIVE
TORONTO. The rail adventure continues, as
you pass shimmering lakes and forests, which in
autumn are ablaze in orange, yellow and red. After
dinner, arrive in Toronto where you are met
and transferred to your hotel. Hotel: Hilton
Toronto (B,L,D)
DAY 13 – TORONTO SIGHTSEEING.
Cosmopolitan Toronto, Canada’s largest city, is
yours to discover. Use your “Hop on – Hop off”
sightseeing pass to see the enormous Rogers
Centre, CN Tower, Ontario’s Parliament buildings,
Queen’s Park and the city’s museum row at
your own pace. (B)
DAY 14 – NIAGARA FALLS EXCURSION.
Have your cameras ready as you travel to one of the
world’s great natural wonders, Niagara Falls.
Enjoy close-up views of the falls on the Maid of
the Mist cruise. The region’s climate is ideal
for wine-making, so stop at a local winery
for tasting before returning to Toronto. (B)
DAY 15 – DEPART TORONTO. Your
tour comes to an end with a complimentary transfer
to Toronto International Airport. (B)
Hotels - Experience country
comfort in the chateau-like Fairmont Banff Springs
and magnificently located Emerald Lake Lodge. While
in the cities, enjoy urban luxury at its best at
Vancouver’s waterfront Renaissance Harbourside and
the trendy Toronto Hilton.
Fellow Passengers - Nature
lovers and rail enthusiasts come together for an
ideal first-time tour of Canada, combining not only
different modes of transport but contrasting
scenery, from the Sunshine Coast and Rocky Mountains
to the Western Prairie lands and Niagara.
Highlights - The 360-degree
views and first-class dining aboard The Canadian are
experiences not to be missed. Equally impressive are
the Maid of the Mist cruise at Niagara, Buffalo
Nations Luxton Museum, Butchart Gardens and the
drive along the stunning Icefields Parkway.
