11 Days Great Canadian Rail Journey Tour Package
Duration: 11 Days / 10 Nights
Priced From: $3,089 pp Dbl. Occ.
Dates: Jun - Aug, Sep
This breathtaking 11-day Panorama vacation crosses Canada using two scenic railroads. Enjoy sightseeing in Toronto and a Maid of the Mist cruise at Niagara Falls before boarding the art deco cars of VIA Rail’s Canadian train for your rail journey through Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Disembark in Jasper for a thrilling snocoach ride on the Columbia Icefield and the spectacular sights of Lake Louise and Jasper and Banff National Parks. Next, board the Rocky Mountaineer for a two-day, all-daylight rail journey from the Canadian Rockies to the Pacific coast, stopping in Kamloops en route. Your trip ends with visits to sophisticated Vancouver and charming Victoria. An excellent choice of vacation to see all of Canada.
Itinerary
Day 1 Toronto
Welcome to Toronto! This evening, mix and mingle with your traveling companions at the 6 p.m. WELCOME RECEPTION. Your Tour Director will prepare you for your upcoming adventure. (WR)
Day 2 Toronto. Visit Niagara Falls
Drive south along the shores of Lake Ontario to Niagara Falls. For the adventurous, your Tour Director will suggest optional flightseeing over the falls. Then board the MAID OF THE MIST for a thrilling boat ride to view the thundering falls from river level. Before leaving the area, see the Floral Clock. Then return to Toronto for an orientation tour of the downtown area. Tonight, you may opt to join the optional dinner atop the 1,815-foot CN Tower —the world’s tallest free-standing structure. (B) Note: The operation of the Maid of the Mist cruise is subject to favorable weather and/or river conditions. When weather is unfavorable, a walking tour through the scenic tunnels will be substituted.
Day 3 VIA Rail® The Canadian–Ontario
This morning, transfer to the train station for your departure on THE CANADIAN. Watch the scenic countryside from your windows as you relax in first-class refurbished art deco cars from the 1950s. Travel through “Cottage Country,” a favorite retreat for the city dwellers of southern Ontario. (B,L,D) Note: For your convenience, baggage that will not be needed during the train journey will be checked through to Jasper. Checked baggage will not be accessible during the journey. Plan to pack an overnight bag with necessities for the train portion of the tour, including any medications, eyeglasses, and other important items.
Day 4 VIA Rail The Canadian through Northern Ontario & Manitoba
Continue past the sparkling lakes and sun-dappled forests of northern Ontario today. Try the observation dome for unparalleled views or enjoy quiet conversation in one of the comfortable lounges. Enter Manitoba with its endless golden prairies and vast cultivated fields. (B,L,D)
Day 5 VIA Rail The Canadian through Saskatchewan & Alberta–Jasper
From Winnipeg to Jasper, the train roughly parallels the famed Yellowhead Route, Canada’s historic trail of westward expansion. Arrive in Jasper this afternoon with the remainder of the day free. Alternatively, you may join an optional narrated cruise on Maligne Lake to Spirit Island, followed by dinner. (B,L)
Day 6 Jasper–Columbia Icefield–Lake Louise–Banff
This morning, travel through JASPER NATIONAL PARK on Icefields Parkway to the 1,000-foot-thick Columbia Icefield for a thrilling ICE EXPLORER RIDE. Climb Sunwapta Pass to savor stunning vistas of alpine meadows, waterfalls, and massive glaciers, then scale Bow Pass with splendid views of Peyto Lake. Next, stop at Lake Louise, whose green-blue waters form a perfect mirror reflection of Mount Victoria. Continue into BANFF NATIONAL PARK. (B,D)
Day 7 Banff
Sightseeing includes a visit to Sulphur Mountain for a ride on BANFF GONDOLA, complete with panoramic views of Banff ’s spectacular scenery. Also visit Bow Falls and the hoodoos. The balance of the day is at leisure, or perhaps choose an optional float trip excursion on the Bow River or a helicopter flightseeing trip, offering bird’s-eye views of the Rockies. (B)
Day 8 Banff–Rocky Mountaineer®–Spiral Tunnels–Yoho National Park–Kamloops
Depart this morning from Banff ’s train station and board the ROCKY MOUNTAINEER for a 2-day, all daylight, classic rail journey from the Canadian Rockies to the Pacific Coast. Begin by crossing the Continental Divide and climbing Kicking Horse Pass before winding through the engineering feat of the Spiral Tunnels. Continue through the dramatic domain of Yoho National Park and enter the heart of the Selkirk Mountains before passing the spectacular sights of Glacier National Park, the Monashee Mountains, and Shuswap Lake. End today’s journey in Kamloops, where you may opt to experience frontier dining at Two River Junction, complete with a musical review tonight. (B,L) Note: For your convenience, baggage that will not be needed during the train journey will be checked through to Vancouver. Checked baggage will not be accessible during the journey. Plan to pack an overnight case with necessities for the train portion of the tour, including medications, eyeglasses, and other important items. (GoldLeaf passengers will have their luggage delivered to their Kamloops hotel.)
Day 9 Kamloops–Rocky Mountaineer–Fraser Canyon–Vancouver
Board your train this morning and witness dramatic changes in scenery en route to Vancouver. Highlights include the steep slopes and rock sheds along the Thompson River and the rushing waters of Hell’s Gate in the Fraser Canyon. Upon arrival in Vancouver, transfer to your hotel for an evening at leisure. (B,L)
Day 10 Vancouver
This morning’s city tour of Vancouver includes the harbor and beaches, Chinatown, and Stanley Park. Balance of the day is at leisure. Perhaps rent a bike and ride around the seawall of Stanley Park or for the shoppers and browsers, take a water taxi to Granville Island or visit historic Gastown. Tonight, your Tour Director hosts a FAREWELL CELEBRATION DINNER. Wonderful conversation and cuisine make the perfect finale for your vacation. (B,D)
Day 11 Vancouver
The vacation ends this morning after breakfast with guests departing on individual schedules. Airport transfers are provided. (B)
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