Canada’s West
Big wild wilderness, vibrant cities, quiet villages, and cold glass lakes skirting magnificent mountains – that’s Canada’s West!
Quaint Victoria, with touches of bygone Britain, gives us Butchart Gardens, named one of the most beautiful in the world (National Geographic). Travel the San Juan de Fuca Islands by ferry to Vancouver where Chinatown and artsy Gas Town never disappoint.
Head north along the Sea-to-Sky Highway where sheer rock faces and waterfalls fill the large coach windows. Whistler’s refined backcountry shops and best-kept-secret food spots enliven the base of the mountain. You have a free day to explore the best of Canada’s Aspen!
Alberta wears North America’s raw beauty crown. Glacier National Park has elk, curly-horned sheep, and grizzlies! Take the gondola above Banff’s Sulphur Mountain and shoot the river on a Hoodoo River Float. Finish with a breathtaking drive on the Columbia Icefields (the largest icefield south of the Arctic Circle).
National Parks of Alberta
Jasper is Canada’s largest Rocky Mountain Park, one of the greatest swaths of nature in North America, and a sightseer’s utopia. Clear lakes mirror lush evergreen valleys and towering peaks. Ancient glaciers watch over crashing falls, charging rivers, deep canyons and wildlife. Nature is outdone nowhere else… except for maybe in Banff! The peaks of Mount Rundle and Cascade cut through the sky in Banff National Park, and Lake Louise’s turquoise glacier-fed waters line its floor. Take a gondola up the eastern slope of Sulphur Mountain. Observation decks at the summit ridge show off the Bow Valley, where you might see elk and grizzly bears!
Glacier National Park
Glaciers carved this inspiring, ancient place, and people come the world over to stand before its enormity. The “backbone of the world,” the impressive Selkirk mountains (older and harder than the Rockies) dominate Glacier National park. Within its towering arms exist 200 pristine lakes and rare inland rainforests. Under its awesome domain, over a million acres preserve one of the planet’s most diverse ecosystems, including hundreds of species of animals, birds, and fish – some at risk, like the woodland caribou.
In the heart of the park you’ll see how humans have made their mark at Rogers Pass National Historic Site. An engineering feat, the pass is a tribute to the pioneering Canadians who carved their way through the mountains to build our national railway.
This is Canada’s mountain country, designed by nature’s best paintbrush. At sunrise, watch pink-orange peaks rise out of the blue, inviting you to fill your lungs and your camera roll. At sunset, take home memories that last a lifetime!
• Butchart Gardens
• Ferry to Vancouver
• Vancouver guided city tour including Gastown, Chinatown, and Stanley Park
• Travel to Whistler via Sea-to-Sky Highway
• Travel to Kamloops and cross the Coast Mountains
• Mount Revelstoke National Park
• Glacier National Park
• Roger’s Pass
• Banff National Park
• Gondola ride up Banff’s Sulphur Mountain
• Hoodoo River Float tour in Banff
• Lake Louise
• Columbia Ice Fields
• Athabasca Glacier
• Jasper National Park
Motorcoach transportation, 9 nights accommodation, 9 breakfasts, 4 dinners, all highlights listed, Tour Director, and all taxes.
Land only price – Air available from $800
Prices are in Canadian dollars, are per person and include HST.
Highlights:
• Butchart Gardens
• Ferry to Vancouver
• Vancouver guided city tour including Gastown, Chinatown, and Stanley Park
• Travel to Whistler via Sea-to-Sky Highway
• Travel to Kamloops and cross the Coast Mountains
• Mount Revelstoke National Park
• Glacier National Park
• Roger’s Pass
• Banff National Park
• Gondola ride up Banff’s Sulphur Mountain
• Hoodoo River Float tour in Banff
• Lake Louise
• Columbia Ice Fields
• Athabasca Glacier
• Jasper National Park
Day1
Victoria, BC
Arrive in picturesque Victoria and settle into your one-bedroom suite where you’ll stay for two nights. Get to know your travel companions at a welcome dinner this evening.
Stay: Doubletree by Hilton, Victoria, BC
Nights: 2
Meals: D
Day2
Victoria, BC
After breakfast at the hotel, meet your local guide for a tour of Victoria, one of the top ten islands in the world as voted by Travel+Leisure. The city’s blend of old-world charm and new world experiences are a delight. After lunch on your own, visit the renowned Butchart Gardens. Once a quarry, these remarkable gardens have been captivating visitors for over 100 years. The rest of the evening is free to enjoy at your leisure.
Meals: B
Day3
Vancouver, Whistler, BC
Travel by ferry this morning to vibrant Vancouver for a guided tour that highlights the beauty of the city’s parks and attractions, with stops at Gastown, Chinatown and Stanley Park. This afternoon travel the Sea-to-Sky Highway with a stop at Shannon Falls, the third-highest waterfall in British Columbia, where water falls from a height of 335 meters. On to Whistler, where you’ll check into your one-bedroom suite at the beautiful Delta Whistler before enjoying a free evening to explore
Stay: Delta Whistler Village Suites, Whistler, BC
Nights: 2
Meals: B
Day4
Whistler, BC
Today enjoy a full free day to explore on your own. There is lots to do at Whistler so let your experienced tour director help you make the most of your free time. There is no shortage of things to do in Whistler Village, options include the Cloudraker Skybridge, Audain Art Museum, Squamish First Nations Museum, or try something more active like zip lining, white water rafting, or biking the many trails.
Meals: B, D
Day5
Kamloops, BC
After breakfast get your camera ready for stupendous scenery through the spectacular Coast Mountains to the arid Bench Lands of the Fraser River on the Duffy Lake Road. Visit Historic Hat Creek where you will thoroughly enjoy a guided tour of the original buildings used by the Gold Rush travellers of the 1860’s. Arrive in friendly Kamloops and breathe in the fresh mountain air by strolling the charming streets or exploring one of the many walking trails.
Stay: Holiday Inn Express, Kamloops, BC
Nights: 1
Meals: B
Day6
Banff, AB
Many of Canada’s most treasured natural wonders are yours to discover today as you journey to Banff. Discover tranquil lakes, raging rivers, sparkling glaciers, rocky canyons and stupendous mountain peaks as you make your way to Banff, located in the heart of Canada’s Rocky Mountains – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stop in Craigellachie, the site of the Last Spike on the CP Railway before making your way through the Columbia Mountains into the heart of Glacier National Park including Roger’s Pass, known for its winter snow accumulation of approximately 10 metres per year! Here watch for some of Canada’s most iconic wildlife – you’re sure to spot elk and mountain goats! After dinner, settle into your hotel located in the center of downtown Banff for the next two nights.
Stay: Banff Park Lodge, Banff, AB
Nights: 2
Meals: B,D
Day7
Banff Sightseeing
After breakfast, enjoy a breathtaking ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain aboard the Banff Gondola. This is a unique opportunity for a bird’s eye view of six mountain ranges. Afterward, explore all the beauty that Banff has to offer as you travel 7 km down the Bow River between Tunnel Mountain and Mount Rundle on a Hoodoo Raft! Bow River is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a large variety of wildlife. Your guided raft tour does not require paddling and is the perfect opportunity to take fantastic photos.
Meals: B
Day8
Lake Louise, Jasper, AB
This morning, travel to Lake Louise, where translucent green waters are framed by the most famous mountain vista. Enjoy the spectacular views on the Columbia Icefields Parkway. At the Athabasca Glacier, ride aboard the SnoCoach and walk on top of 1,000 feet of ice over the largest icefield in the Rockies before making your way to Jasper.
Stay: Tonquin Inn, Jasper, AB
Nights: 1
Meals: B
Day9
Edmonton, AB
After breakfast at your hotel, depart for Edmonton. Arrive in the afternoon and some free time at the West Edmonton Mall before a farewell dinner this evening.
Stay: Westin Edmonton, Edmonton, AB
Nights: 1
Meals: B, D
Day10
Return Flight Home
After breakfast this morning transfer to the airport for your return flight home.
Meals: B
Travellers could be required to walk on uneven surfaces regularly, and the day could be busy with activities from morning until evening. Any daytime rest is taken while travelling on the motorcoach from one attraction to another. There may also be a number of one-night stays that necessitate the need to pack up each morning. Many of our overseas tours fall into this category.
