CANADIAN & ALASKAN MASTERPIECE (COACH, ROCKY MOUNTAINEER REDLEAF & VERANDAH CABIN)
Day by Day
| Day | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | VANCOUVER. Enjoy time at leisure to relax or to do some independent exploring. Your tour director is on hand late this afternoon to answer any questions. |
| 2 | VANCOUVER - VIA ROCKY MOUNTAINEER - FRASER CANYON - KAMLOOPS. Follow the Fraser River through snow-capped mountains, eventually arriving at Kamloops. The Rocky Mountaineer travels through some of Canada's most spectacular scenery. Breakfast and lunch are included. (B,L) NOTES: It will be necessary for all Red Leaf travellers to pack an overnight bag for the train journey. Suitcases for Gold Leaf travellers will be delivered in Kamloops, but suitcases for Red Leaf will be checked and unavailable for the overnight at Kamloops. No porterage service is available in Kamloops. Continental breakfast and a cold lunch are included on board the Rocky Mountaineer in Red Leaf (hot meals in Gold Leaf); snacks and non-alcoholic drinks are also provided free of charge. |
| 3 | KAMLOOPS - VIA ROCKY MOUNTAINEER - YOHO NATIONAL PARK - SPIRAL TUNNEL - BANFF. Board your train this morning and witness spectacular sights such as Shuswap Lake, the Monashee Mountains, and Glacier National Park. Travel through the heart of the Selkirk Mountains before entering the spectacular domain of YOHO NATIONAL PARK. The train winds through the Spiral Tunnels before climbing Kicking Horse Pass. Cross the Continental Divide and enter the province of Alberta and BANFF NATIONAL PARK. (B,L) |
| 4 | BANFF. Morning sightseeing includes a visit to Sulphur Mountain for a GONDOLA RIDE, complete with panoramic views of Banff's spectacular scenery. The balance of the day is at leisure. Play golf, horseback ride, hike the many wilderness trails in the area, stroll through Banff, or simply relax at the hot springs. Your Tour Director will suggest an optional helicopter ride over the Canadian Rockies and can offer recommendations for dinner. |
| 5 | BANFF - LAKE LOUISE. A day of scenic grandeur. Travel to Lake Louise and Yoho National Park. See the Natural Bridge spanning Kicking Horse River. Also visit Emerald Lake and Moraine Lake. Overnight in Lake Louise, where green-blue waters form a perfect mirror reflection of Mount Victoria. |
| 6 | LAKE LOUISE - COLUMBIA ICEFIELD - JASPER. Scale Bow Pass with splendid views of Peyto Lake, then climb Sunwapta Pass to savour stunning vistas of alpine meadows, waterfalls, and massive glaciers. Next stop: 1,200-feet (365-metres)thick COLUMBIA ICEFIELD for a thrilling Ice Explorer ride. |
| 7 | JASPER - SUN PEAKS. Stand at the base of awesome, 12,970-foot Mount Robson. Travel through British Columbia's Gold Rush and Cariboo regions, enjoying tantalising glimpses of the soaring granite mountains of Canada's Rockies. Watch for wildlife as you continue to the internationally renowned Sun Peaks ski resort. |
| 8 | SUN PEAKS - LILOET - WHISTLER. Head south following the once treacherous Cariboo Wagon Trail. From Lillooet - "Mile 0 of the Gold Rush Route" - your motorcoach will follow the shores of Seton and Duffey Lakes with a mid-afternoon arrival in Whistler. There are plenty of optional activities to choose from, including flightseeing by floatplane over the lakes and glaciated peaks of Garibaldi Provincial Park. |
| 9 | WHISTLER - FERY CROSING - VICTORIA. This morning, set sail across the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver Island. In Victoria, sightseeing includes BUTCHART GARDENS, Empress Hotel, Legislative Buildings, Bastion Square, and Thunderbird Park. |
| 10 | VICTORIA. A day at leisure gives you the chance to stroll around the harbour, go shopping on Government Street, or have lunch in one of the many pubs. Your Tour Director will suggest several optional excursions, including a whale-watching cruise. |
| 11 | VICTORIA - VANCOUVER (EMBARKATION). Board your ferry this morning back to the Canadian mainland, where you will transfer to your luxurious Holland America cruiseliner for a 7-night voyage through the famed Inside Passage. (D) |
| 12 | CRUISING INSIDE PASAGE. Spend the day cruising one of the world's most spectacular waterways. Located along the coast of British Columbia, the Inside Passage is the longest sheltered inland waterway in the world. Watch the water for orcas and humpback whales. (B,L,D) |
| 13 | JUNEAU. See what many consider to be the most beautiful capital in the nation-Juneau, Alaska. The terrain is hilly and winding, and narrow streets create a small town quaintness that exists side-by-side with cosmopolitan sophistication. (B,L,D) |
| 14 | SKAGWAY. Peacefully seated at the base of a river valley bordered by the Coast Mountains, Skagway takes you back more than a century to a time when this native fishing village was teeming with prospectors. Today, wooden sidewalks, old-fashioned saloons, quaint gift shops, and horse-drawn carriages serve as reminders of the Alaska Gold Rush days. (B,L,D) |
| 15 | CRUISE GLACIER BAY. This protected national park is home to 15 active glaciers and abundant wildlife, including seabirds, otters, and humpback whales. If you're lucky, you may witness enormous walls of ice crashing thunderously into the sea. (B,L,D) |
| 16 | KETCHIKAN. Home to the largest concentration of Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people in the state, Ketchikan on Revillagigedo Island boasts the world's largest collection of totem poles. Equally impressive is its selection of museums and cultural centres featuring native dance, carvings, and artefacts. (B,L,D) |
| 17 | CRUISE INSIDE PASAGE. Travel through the Inside Passage, shaped by glaciers millions of years ago. Tonight, enjoy a sumptuous dinner and onboard entertainment. (B,L,D) |
| 18 | VANCOUVER (DISEMBARKATION). Disembark this morning and transfer to Vancouver International Airport for your return flight home. Please schedule homebound flights after 1pm. (B) |
