18 DAYS ~ BRITISH COLUMBIA ~ ALBERTA ~ ONTARIO

Tour Pace -A well-balanced tour that perfectlycombines touring by coach, ferry and rail. Spendtwo nights unwinding in Vancouver, Victoria andBanff, with a further two-and-a-half days relaxingon the train.Two nights in cosmopolitan Toronto capoff a fantastic trip.

Fellow Passengers - Nature lovers and rail enthusiasts come together for an ideal 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 Falls.

DAY 1 - ARRIVE VANCOUVER.
Welcome to Vancouver! Your tour begins with a complimentary transfer from the airport to your hotel.After meeting with your Tour Director this afternoon, please join us at 6 p.m. for a Welcome Reception. Meet your fellow travelers and prepare yourself for an adventurelike no other.
Hotel: RenaissanceVancouver Hotel Harbourside

DAY 2 - VANCOUVER SIGHTSEEING.
Enjoy breakfast at the Vancouver Aquarium and learn aboutindigenousmarinelife.Then exploreVancouver see StanleyPark, English Bay,Gastown, and Chinatown. Tonight’s dinner will be served at a local restaurant. (B,HD)

DAY 3 - VANCOUVER - SUNSHINE COAST.
Experience the stunning Sunshine Coast while cruising byferry across Howe Sound. Delight in some of British Columbia’s most beautiful marine landscapes andarrive at your unique oceanfront wilderness retreat.
Hotel: Rockwater Secret Cove Resort (B,D)

DAY 4 - SUNSHINE COAST - VICTORIA.
Ferry across the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver Islandand journey to the charming village of Chemainus, where antique shops, art galleries, and cafés appear on every corner. Follow the yellow footprints to see the collection of huge heritage murals on the buildings’ exteriors. Continue on to delightful Victoria, where an orientation tour introduces you to the InnerHarbour, the ornate Parliament Buildings and Bastion Square.
Hotel: The Magnolia Hotel & Spa (B)

DAY 5 - 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 flora. There is ample time to explore these gardens whichhave delighted visitors from around the world for over one hundred years. Enjoy the afternoon at leisurein Victoria. Dinner tonight is served at one of Victoria’s fine restaurants. (B,HD)

DAY 6 - VICTORIA - KELOWNA.
Return to the mainland and visit a beautiful winery and estate affording magnificent views of the region. Enjoy a wine-making tour and sample an array of outstanding local wines. This evening is at leisure.
Hotel: Grand Okanagan Lakefront Resort (B)

DAY 7 - KELOWNA - YOHO NATIONAL PARK.
Today journey through three of Canada’s most spectacular national parks: Mount Revelstoke, Glacier and Yoho. At Giant Cedar in Mount Revelstoke, enjoy a self-guided walk through a stand of 1,000-year-old red cedars (weather-permitting). This afternoon arrive at the historic Emerald Lake Lodge. Afterdinner enjoy an informative presentation by a local expert on the history and early explorers of the area. To round off the evening, gather around a bonfire overlooking the lake to roast s’mores and enjoy a liqueur. The setting is superb and the experience memorable!
Hotel: Emerald Lake Lodge (B,D)

DAY 8 - YOHO NATIONAL PARK - CALGARY.
Visit Natural Bridge, the famous Spiral Tunnels, Moraine Lake (seasonal), and enjoy an interpretive walk along Lake Louise. Arrive at the luxuriousWestin Calgary, your home for the next two nights. Later enjoy the evening chuckwagon races followed by live musical entertainment.
Hotel: TheWestin Calgary. (B)

DAY 9 - CALGARY STAMPEDE.
Visit the world’s largest rodeo and enjoy all the action.You have access to all the events including the world-famous rodeo and fairgrounds. (B)

DAY 10 - CALGARY - BANFF NATIONAL PARK.
Visit spectacular Natural Bridge, patiently carved by the Kicking Horse River. View the famous Spiral Tunnels, constructed so freight trains (typically a mile long) can safely climb the narrow valley. Visit an icon of the Canadian Rockies - Moraine Lake (seasonal), crowned by ten notable peaks before arriving at Lake Louise. Enjoy an interpretive walk along Lake Louise, Canada’s “Diamond in the Wilderness”, and learn about the history and geography of this spectacular area. Later this afternoon arrive at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, a spectacular Scottish baronial castle, for a two-night stay in the heart of Banff National Park. This evening, exemplary service and a variety of sumptuous restaurants await you for dinner. Hotel: The Fairmont Banff Springs. (B,DA)

DAY 11 - BANFF SIGHTSEEING.
Tour Banff, then enjoy some leisure time. Perhaps enjoy an optional float trip down the Bow River, a helicopter tour or a guided walk to Sunshine Meadows. This evening,why not partake in a fun and entertaining dinner show? (B)

DAY 12 - BANFF 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 part way up the glacier. Your home for the next two nights is in the heart of Jasper National Park, an alpine wonderland of immense forests, jeweled lakes, soaring waterfalls, soothing mineral hot springs, rugged glaciers, colourful meadows and spectacular mountains. After dinner a local wildlife expert will lead an informative discussion about some of the park’s most interesting residents which include elk, moose, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, grizzly bear, black bear, beaver and caribou.
Hotel: Sawridge Inn (B,D)

DAY 13 - 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 & Blueclass onboard The Canadian, one of the world’s greatest rail journeys. (B,D)

DAYS 14 & 15 - 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 night as the gentle rocking of the trainlulls you to sleep. (B,L,D)

DAY 16 ...