Overview

1. Day 1: Arrive in Vancouver.

   Welcome to beautiful Vancouver, one of the most eclectic cities in Canada. On arrival, your airport transfer takes you to your hotel. At 18:00, join your Tour Director for a Welcome Reception and an opportunity to mingle over drinks and a light meal.

   meal(s):WD

   hotel:Marriott Vancouver Pinnacle Downtown.

2. Day 2: Cruise the Gulf Islands to Victoria.

   Embark on a guided tour of Vancouver and all its highlights. Explore Gastown, Chinatown and the diverse community of English Bay along with the famous totem poles in Stanley Park. Then board the ferry and sail through the beautiful Gulf Islands to Vancouver Island and on to Victoria, British Columbia's stunning capital city. Enjoy the rest of the evening relaxing or taking in the city as you please.

   meal(s):FB

   hotel:DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel and Suites Victoria (2 nights).

3. Day 3: Butchart Gardens.

   Start your day at the world-renowned Butchart Gardens, a National Historic Site of Canada. Wander through the gardens with incredible views of the Italian Garden, Residence Lawn and Rose Garden. Next, take a guided sightseeing tour of Victoria with the city's spectacular Inner Harbour, viewing the stately Parliament Buildings, down Government Street to Old Town, Canada's oldest Chinatown and view the last remnants of Fort Victoria. Continue on as you follow Antique Row, before passing Craigdarroch Castle and through the Oak Bay residential area. Stop at the summit of Mount Tolmie for a photo opportunity high above the city and continue on to Uplands and along Marine Drive with vistas of the straits of Juan de Fuca and past Beacon Hill Park. The afternoon is free. Perhaps take an optional whale watching experience seeking out pods of Orcas. Tonight, partake in a Highlight Dinner at a modern brewpub offering homemade seasonal brews on the waterfront.

   meal(s):FB, HD

   hotel:DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel and Suites Victoria.

4. Day 4: Victoria, Vancouver’s Bridges, VIA Rail Canada's 'The Canadian'.

   Cruise back to the mainland and head to Vancouver's North Shore to experience the Capilano Suspension Bridge and its 7 suspended footbridges, 100 feet (30 metres) above the forest floor. View towering evergreens, gushing streams and breathe in the fresh cedar-scented rainforest air. Enjoy a Highlight Dinner sipping a local craft beer or a glass of chilled BC wine from the sun drenched seated deck overlooking the Stanley Park gardens. After, step on-board VIA Rail Canada's 'The Canadian' for your overnight journey to the world-renowned Canadian Rockies. Settle in the restored rail cars and celebrate the start of your rail journey with a champagne send-off. Retire to your private Sleeper Plus Class cabin and let the train gently lull you to sleep.

   meal(s):FB, HD

   hotel:VIA Rail Canada’s 'The Canadian', Sleeper Plus Class.

5. Day 5: The Alpine Wonderland of Jasper National Park.

   Wake up to stunning vistas from The Canadian while viewing scenes from your reserved access seats of the Skyline, Park or brand new Panorama Car topped with a full-domed window roof. Enjoy breakfast and lunch onboard as you travel past towering peaks and glaciers, cross the Continental Divide into the province of Alberta. In the afternoon, arrive in Jasper National Park, your home for the next two nights and an alpine wonderland of immense forests, jewelled lakes, soaring waterfalls, soothing mineral hot springs, rugged glaciers, colourful meadows, and majestic mountains.

   meal(s):FB, L

   hotel:Sawridge Inn, Jasper National Park, Balcony Rooms (2 nights).

6. Day 6: Exploring Jasper National Park.

   Start the day with an interpretive walk on the trails of Maligne Canyon, one of the most beautiful gorges in the Canadian Rockies. Then, embark on a private, narrated cruise across the serene waters of Iconic Maligne Lake – one of the jewels of the Canadian Rockies. Stop at Spirit Island, one of the most photographed sites in the Canadian Rockies, before returning to Jasper where the rest of the day is yours to do as you please, with dinner at the hotel.

   meal(s):FB, D

   hotel:Sawridge Inn, Balcony Rooms.

7. Day 7: Icefields, Glaciers and Lakes to Banff National Park.

   Get ready for a scenic symphony of glistening glaciers, turquoise lakes and rushing waterfalls as you follow the majestic Icefields Parkway – simply one of the world's most stunning mountain drives. At the Icefield Visitor Center, embark on a specially designed Ice Explorer for a remarkable excursion onto the surface of the Athabasca Glacier. Led by an expert driver-guide, step out onto the frosty flow, formed centuries ago. After your icy adventure, warm up at sumptuous Chateau Lake Louise. Continue to Banff, your home for the next two nights.

   meal(s):FB

   hotel:Rimrock Resort, Banff (2 nights).

8. Day 8: The Unspoiled Wilderness of Banff National Park.

   Spend the full day exploring the wonders of Banff as you wish. Choose from several optional experiences, including a helicopter flight over the magnificent peaks of the Canadian Rockies or a ride on-board the Banff Gondola. For your dining pleasure, choose from three popular local eateries in the village of Banff.

   meal(s):FB, DA

   hotel:Rimrock Resort.

9. Day 9: Quest for Buffalo on the way to Glacier National Park.

   Depart for the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump to discover how the indigenous people used this 36 foot high cliff to hunt stampeding herds of bison. Join a local Blackfoot elder and hear fascinating stories about the Plains people of long ago. Later, cross the US border into Montana, admiring the rugged beauty of mountainous Glacier National Park. 

   meal(s):FB

   hotel:Many Glacier Hotel, Glacier National Park.

10. Day 10: Going-to-the-Sun and the Glacier National Park.

    Board the historic Red Jammer buses for a journey along the Going-to-the-Sun Road–an engineering marvel running through the park's wild interior. During your narrated trip, marvel at the stunning views from Logan Pass, before disembarking at Lake McDonald.

    meal(s):FB, D

    hotel:Lake McDonald Lodge, Glacier National Park.

11. Day 11: Silver Mine, Lake Coeur d'Alene and Spokane.

    Head east and stop in Wallace, Idaho, where you meet an experienced miner for a personalised visit to the Sierra Silver Mine. Walk through the main drift of an underground silver mine, as your guide shares personal experiences as a hard-rock miner. Continue on to the beautiful shores of Lake Coeur d'Alene, one of America's most beautiful lakes, and arrive in Spokane, where you stay at The Historic Davenport Hotel. This is Washington State's grandest hotel, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with soaring architecture, award-winning amenities and a rich history. In the evening, enjoy a Highlight Dinner at the Steam Plant, an award-winning brewery situated in a nationally recognised historic building.

    meal(s):FB, HD

    hotel:The Historic Davenport.

12. Day 12: Wonderful Wines en route to Seattle.

    Continue on through the wide, endless horizons of the wine-producing area of Washington State. Enjoy a visit behind the cellar doors of Cave B Estate of the award-winning boutique winery. Explore the nuances of their fine wine selection with some tastings. Learn how these excellent wines combine with food over lunch. Then it's on to Seattle, the ‘Emerald City', for an evening at leisure at the stunning Fairmont Olympic.

    meal(s):FB, L

    hotel:The Olympic Fairmont Seattle (2 nights).

13. Day 13: The Soaring Sights of Seattle.

    Start your day with a sightseeing tour of Seattle's major sights including Pioneer Square, Pike Place Market (watch out for flying fish!) and Seattle's iconic Space Needle, with its jaw-dropping panoramic views of the skyline and Puget Sound. The afternoon is yours to do as you please, perhaps visit the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibits, or the Experience Music Project Museum (EMP). In the evening, join your Tour Director and fellow travelers for a Celebration Dinner at Ivar's Acres of Clams, for the best of Northwest's dining and cuisine, on Seattle's waterfront.

    meal(s):FB, CD

14. Day 14: Depart Seattle

    Today, you have the choice of an included transfer to Seattle SeaTac International Airport or Vancouver International Airport. Guests taking the Optional Alaska Cruise will be transferred back to the Marriott Vancouver Pinnacle Downtown for the night before boarding their cruise on Day 15.

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