Best of Western Canada including Rocky Mountaineer

Arrive at Vancouver International Airport. Individual transfer to your centrally located hotel. After a check-in with your tour director, the remainder of the day is free. Overnight in Vancouver.

We get better acquainted with our travelling companions at breakfast before setting out on our morning sightseeing tour of Vancouver. Highlights include Stanley Park, English Bay, Gastown, Chinatown, Capilano Suspension Bridge, and much more. The afternoon is free for independent exploration or relaxation. Overnight in Vancouver.

Today we depart Vancouver and cross the Strait of Georgia by ferry to Victoria and begin the day with a visit to Butchart Gardens, one of the world’s great floral displays. Ample time is allocated for browsing through these regal gardens. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore the city. Overnight in Victoria.

The day is at leisure to further explore the delights of this seaside city or perhaps take part in an optional floatplane sightseeing tour over downtown Victoria and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Enjoy nature in the city with a long walk through the trails and over the stone bridges of Beacon Hill Park. Explore the waterfront or perhaps arrange for high tea at the Fairmont Empress Hotel. Overnight in Victoria.

Today is a sampling of modern and ancient British Columbia culture as we travel up the coast of Vancouver Island. We step back into the province’s distant past with visits to Chemanius and its spectacular native murals and to the town of Duncan. We arrive in the small coastal town of Campbell River in the afternoon.

Today we continue farther north up the road as it turns inland for a time before arriving in Port Hardy. We will also embark on a fascinating whale watching and marine wildlife tour in Telegraph Cove. Afterward, relax at the hotel or independently explore this pleasant seaside town. Overnight in Port Hardy.

Cameras at the ready! This morning we board a spectacular BC Ferries ship to set sail on an incredible full-day cruise along the coast of British Columbia to the inlet community of Prince Rupert. The famous Inside Passage is one of the most spectacular waterways in Canada, showcasing the rugged shorelines of the Pacific Northwest. Overnight in Prince Rupert.

Today we begin our journey into the British Columbia interior eastward along the scenic Yellowhead Highway as it follows the Skeena River Valley. Along the way, we’ll stop for a tour of ‘Ksan Indian Village – a recreation of an ancient traditional community of the Gitxsan First Nation peoples. Arriving at our destination, the remainder of the day is at our leisure. Overnight in Smithers.

Continuing east, we travel the Yellowhead Highway and are treated to some of Canada’s most forested and rugged terrains. We enjoy a visit to Fort St. James National Historic Park to relive the days of the fur trade. In the afternoon, we settle into Prince George, located at the tip of British Columbia’s Cariboo Region. Overnight in Prince George.

Today we ascend to the highest passes of the Rockies as we travel towards the Alberta provincial border and stop at the Mount Robson Viewpoint. We may even see the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies before entering the national parks that have made the province famous. In Jasper, be dazzled by the stars at the Jasper Planetarium. Overnight in Jasper.

Today is a day of adventure! Close to Jasper, you have the chance to go on an optional raft trip on the Athabasca River with an experienced guide conducting the group through short rapids and stretches of calm waters. For a quieter experience, enjoy the local restaurants on an optional food tour. Overnight in Jasper.

Today’s journey through Jasper and Banff National Parks promises to be a highlight of your Rocky Roundup program. We travel south on the famed Icefields Parkway through a rugged wilderness flanked by dramatic mountain ranges. At the Columbia Icefield, we board a specially constructed Ice Explorer to ride on the surface of the ancient Athabasca Glacier. Afterward, we visit the dramatic scenery of Lake Louise, one of the most photographed lakes in Canada before arriving in Banff.

Today we will enjoy a tour of the region around Banff. The area became Canada’s first national park in 1885 to protect its natural hot springs. An optional Helicopter Sightseeing Tour will give you the chance to see the eastern ranges of the Rocky Mountains. You may also take part in an optional gondola ride up to spectacular Sulphur Mountain. The rest of the day is at leisure to explore the surroundings of Banff, stroll along Banff Avenue, or relax and enjoy the scenery. Overnight in Banff.

After breakfast, board the Rocky Mountaineer for your day-long journey through and over the Rockies into British Columbia. From the large, sightseeing windows, marvel at the ancient forests and crescendoing cliff faces, surrounded by azure lakes and primeval valleys below. Arrive in Kamloops late in the afternoon. Overnight in Kamloops. Meals on board included.

Boarding your train again in the morning, continue on to Vancouver, traversing the lush valleys that produce some of the country's most bountiful fruit farms and wineries. Arrive in Vancouver where you disembark and are transferred to Sheraton Vancouver Centre (or airport). All meals while on board the train are included.

NOTE: Rocky Mountaineer train arrives in Vancouver at approx. 7:30 pm. We recommend a post night is booked downtown or at the airport.