The Canadian Rockies

2012 Season
Departs From: Vancourver

From 1,382EUR

Length:  12 days from Vancouver to Vancouver

Overview

Canada’s national parks highlight this wonderful Canadian Rockies vacation. Begin your trip in Vancouver with a sightseeing tour of Vancouver’s major sites and time to explore on your own. Then, travel to the resort city of Kelowna for a winery tour and overnight. Journey through the Okanagan Valley to Canada’s Glacier National Park for panoramic vistas and to Yoho National Park with its Natural Bridge. Enter Alberta and Banff National Park, the scenic heart of the Canadian Rockies. In Banff, one of Canada’s favorite resorts, you have time to hike, fish, relax, and much more. Then it’s on to Jasper National Park. But first, stop in Lake Louise and travel north on Icefields Parkway to savor stunning views of alpine meadows, waterfalls, and glacier masses. Next: a highlight of your vacation—take a thrilling ride aboard an Ice Explorer, an all-terrain vehicle that travels on the Columbia Icefield, the largest expanse of ice in the Canadian Rockies. Continue on to Jasper National Park, the largest national park in Canada, for two nights and an orientation tour in Jasper.

Head back into British Columbia via the base of 12,972-foot Mount Robson, the highest point in the Canadian Rockies. Enjoy leisure time in Sun Peaks and the alpine resort of Whistler, host of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Then travel to the Pacific Coast, where you’ll sail across the Strait of Georgia to Victoria for an orientation tour, two overnights, free time to discover some of Victoria’s most popular attractions, and a visit to Butchart Gardens with its 55 acres of floral displays. Your Canadian Rockies vacation ends in Vancouver. Exploring the Canadian Rockies is an unforgettable vacation not to be missed.

Duration:  12 Days

Schedule:

Start Date	End Date
28 May, 2012	08 June, 2012
04 June, 2012	15 June, 2012
18 June, 2012	29 June, 2012
25 June, 2012	06 July, 2012
02 July, 2012	13 July, 2012
09 July, 2012	20 July, 2012
16 July, 2012	27 July, 2012
30 July, 2012	10 August, 2012
06 August, 2012	17 August, 2012
13 August, 2012	24 August, 2012
27 August, 2012	07 September, 2012
03 September, 2012	14 September, 2012
10 September, 2012	21 September, 2012
17 September, 2012	28 September, 2012
24 September, 2012	05 October, 2012
01 October, 2012	12 October, 2012

City Highlights

Sightseeing in Vancouver and Victoria; orientation tour in Jasper; Stanley Park; included winery tour; Columbia Icefield (Ice Explorer ride); Butchart Gardens.

Notes:

Maximum elevation on tour: 7,700 ft.
The Canadian Rockies are blessed with stunning lakes, exquisite mountain scenery, and extraordinary outdoor attractions. Visiting and participating in activities in these locations is subject to favorable weather conditions.

Scenic Highlights

Lake Okanagan, Okanagan Valley, Glacier National Park, Yoho National Park, Kicking Horse Pass, Banff National Park, Canadian Rockies, Lake Louise, Jasper National Park, Fraser River, Mount Robson, Seton and Duffey Lakes, Whistler, Strait of Georgia, and the Gulf Islands.

Day 1   Vancouver. Enjoy time at leisure to relax or to do some independent exploring. Your Tour Director is on hand this evening to answer any questions.

Day 2   Vancouver. This morning an included city tour highlights STANLEY PARK, Chinatown, the harbor and beaches, and more. The remainder of the day is at leisure, and your Tour Director will have suggestions for your further exploration of the city. Shoppers and browsers can take a water taxi to lively Granville Island with its outdoor markets, street musicians, and waterfront cafés. Or, visit historic Gastown with its steam-powered clock, antique shops, art galleries, and street vendors.

Day 3   Vancouver–Kelowna. This morning our journey begins in British Columbia’s fertile valleys and continues through rich mountain forests to Lake Okanagan. Travel along the lake to the resort city of Kelowna, attractively set on the lake shore and surrounded by orchards and vineyards. Sample the local wines on the included WINERY TOUR this afternoon.

Day 4   Kelowna–Kicking Horse Pass–Banff. Motor north through the Okanagan Valley, famous for its peaches and vineyards. Then, begin the climb up 4,379-foot-high Rogers Pass in GLACIER NATIONAL PARK. Take a break at the pass, a perfect spot for photos of the impressively rugged mountains, glaciers, and waterfalls. Enter YOHO NATIONAL PARK and scale Kicking Horse Pass at 5,421 feet. By early evening, reach BANFF NATIONAL PARK, gateway to the majestic Canadian Rockies.

Day 5   Banff. Banff is one of Canada’s favorite year-round resorts with activities ranging from skiing in the winter to hiking, boating, and fishing in the summer. With a free day, your Tour Director will suggest an optional helicopter ride over the Canadian Rockies. Tonight, why not take in an optional dinner theater performance featuring cuisine and entertainment about Canada?

Day 6   Banff–Lake Louise–Columbia Icefield–Jasper. A day of scenic grandeur. First to Lake Louise, its turquoise waters a perfect natural mirror that reflect the mountains and glaciers. Precipitous gorges, snowcapped summits, and lakes of exquisite blues and greens come into view as the motorcoach continues northward into JASPER NATIONAL PARK. Another highlight on today’s agenda is a stop at the COLUMBIA ICEFIELD to board the Ice Explorer, an all-terrain vehicle that travels on ice that is 1,200 feet (365 meters) thick. Late this afternoon, your Tour Director suggests an optional float trip down the Athabasca River. Enjoy an orientation tour of Jasper townsite upon arrival.

Day 7   Jasper. Today, join our optional excursion to Maligne Lake and Spirit Island, where you embark on a narrated cruise of the lake. The balance of the day is free to enjoy everything Jasper has to offer—from guided hikes and quaint shops to meandering wildlife.

Day 8   Jasper–Mount Robson–Sun Peaks. Leave Jasper and follow the Fraser River to the base of Mount Robson, the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies, peaking at 12,972 feet. Continue following the Yellowhead Highway south along the North Thompson River—a route pioneered by fur trappers a century ago. Overnight at the mountain resort of Sun Peaks.

Day 9   Sun Peaks–Lillooet–Whistler. Head south following the once treacherous Cariboo Wagon Trail. Via 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. Tonight, wander the many alpine trails or enjoy the shopping and great selection of restaurants and nightlife.

Day 10   Whistler–Ferry Crossing–Victoria. This morning, sail across the Strait of Georgia and through the spectacular Gulf Islands, an archipelago known for its Mediterranean-type climate. Afternoon arrival in Victoria. Sightseeing today includes the Marine Drive, Bastion Square, and Thunderbird Park with its unusual collection of totem poles. Tonight, a stroll along the lovely waterfront might be fun.

Day 11   Victoria. This morning, visit world-famous BUTCHART GARDENS, one of Victoria’s most celebrated sites and rated among the most beautiful gardens in the world. Once there, stroll through the colorful arrangements of the Sunken Garden, the Japanese and Italian Gardens. This afternoon is at leisure to discover some of the attractions this splendid city has to offer, including the Royal British Columbia Museum, Afternoon Tea at the Empress Hotel, an IMAX presentation at the National Geographic Theatre, whale watching on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and fine shopping along Government Street.

Day 12   Victoria–Ferry Crossing–Vancouver. Early this morning, board the ferry for a scenic crossing to the mainland for a mid-afternoon arrival. The trip ends today with guests departing on individual schedules. Transfers to Vancouver International Airport are included. Please schedule flights after 1:30 pm.

Hotel Information:  VANCOUVER Sandman Hotel Downtown Vancouver City Centre (F), KELOWNA Ramada Hotel & Conference Centre (F), BANFF NATIONAL PARK Bow View Lodge (ST), JASPER NATIONAL PARK Marmot Lodge (F), SUN PEAKS Sun Peaks Lodge (ST), WHISTLER Listel Hotel Whistler (MF), VICTORIA Royal Scot Hotel & Suites (F)

Guides

Services of a professional Tour Director.

Transportation

Ferry crossing to/from Vancouver Island; private, deluxe air-conditioned motorcoach while touring.


Terms and Conditions

Note: Flights are NOT included with the Tour and unless otherwise stated above transfers are also NOT included.

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