12 Days Spirit of the Rockies Tour Package
Duration: 12 Days / 11 Nights
Priced From: $3,729 pp Dbl. Occ.
Dates: Jun - Sep
Create a lifetime of incredible memories traveling through the unforgettable Canadian Rockies! Begin in Vancouver with a tour that includes Chinatown and the famed totem poles of Stanley Park. Then, board the Rocky Mountaineer train and head for historic Kamloops, east to Shuswap Lake, and over the Continental Divide to breathtaking Banff National Park. En route to Lake Louise, enjoy a side trip to Moraine Lake and the Valley of the Ten Peaks, and travel on Icefields Parkway to Jasper National Park. View Peyto Lake and Athabasca Falls, and ride an Ice Explorer on the Athabasca Glacier. Drink in the scenery as you pass Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, then on to the mountain resort of Whistler. Visit the Squamish Lil‘wat Cultural Centre before ferrying across to Victoria and the world-famous Butchart Gardens. Return via ferry to mainland Vancouver, a great ending to your exciting Rocky Mountain adventure.
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Vancouver, BC
Welcome to Vancouver, your gateway to the Canadian Rockies! Tonight you are the guest of your Tour Director at a WELCOME RECEPTION. This is an opportunity to get to know your traveling companions and prepare for your Canadian Rockies journey. (WR)
Day 2 Vancouver
This morning, tour Vancouver, including the waterfront, Chinatown, and Stanley Park with its old-growth evergreen forests and totem poles. The remainder of the day is free to explore Vancouver’s many attractions at your leisure. (B)
Day 3 Vancouver–Rocky Mountaineer®–Kamloops
At Vancouver’s Rocky Mountaineer Station, board the ROCKY MOUNTAINEER. Follow the Fraser Canyon and the Thompson River through beautiful landscapes to historic Kamloops. Tonight, enjoy an optional dinner and a show at Two River Junction. (B,L)
Note:
Kamloops properties are considered moderate 2- or 3-star hotels or motor inns. The city does not offer any hotels in the superior category. Your chosen hotel is determined by Rocky Mountaineer Railtours; however, you can rest assured it satisfies our high standards of cleanliness and comfort. For your convenience, baggage that will not be needed during the train journey will be checked through to Banff. Checked luggage 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 4 Kamloops–Rocky Mountaineer–Banff
Back aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, journey from Kamloops eastward to Shuswap Lake with its thousand miles of shoreline. The Kicking Horse River leads to passes over the Continental Divide to Banff National Park. (B,L)
Day 5 Banff. Choose Your Experience
Breathe in the fresh mountain air! This morning, tour the highlights of Banff-Bow Falls, Tunnel Mountain, and Surprise Corner. Later, enjoy your choice of activities! A PLATINUM EXCLUSIVE, you choose how to spend your afternoon. Take a leisurely NATURE WALK in Sunshine Meadows with a picnic lunch or enjoy AFTERNON TEA at the Banff Springs Hotel. (B,D)
Day 6 Banff–Lake Louise
En route to Lake Louise today we’ll take a side trip to see one of the crown jewels of the Rockies—Moraine Lake and the Valley of the Ten Peaks. Here, 10 mountain peaks soar above 10,000 feet and surround the tranquil waters of the lake. Later, we arrive at enchanting Lake Louise. After we have checked into our rooms at the spectacular Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, the rest of the afternoon is free to fully enjoy the beauty, romance, and serenity of this world-famous location. (B,D)
Day 7 Lake Louise–Icefields Parkway–Jasper
Travel the awe-inspiring Icefields Parkway, past towering peaks and immense hanging glaciers, to Jasper National Park. View sapphire Peyto Lake and thundering Athabasca Falls, and ride an exciting “Ice Explorer ” on the 1,000-foot-thick Athabasca Glacier. Your overnight destination is the charming village of Jasper in Jasper National Park. (B,D)
Day 8 Jasper–Sun Peaks
Departing Jasper, watch the scenery unfold while traveling the Yellowhead Highway along the Thompson and Fraser Rivers. This is the same route followed by the early fur brigades of the Hudson’s Bay Company as they paddled fully laden canoes to their headquarters in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Pass regal Mount Robson; at 12,972 feet, it is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. (B,D)
Day 9 Sun Peaks–Whistler
A spectacular day lies ahead! This morning, travel past some of the most beautiful and rugged lakes and mountains in British Columbia. This afternoon, we arrive in Whistler—one of Canada’s newest and most exciting mountain resorts, and host of the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics—and settle into the deluxe Fairmont Chateau Whistler. (B,D)
Day 10 Whistler–Victoria
This morning, enjoy a visit and breakfast at the SQUAMISH LIL’WAT CULTURAL CEN TRE , dedicated to the history and culture of the First Nations people. Afterward, Victoria awaits! Board a BC Ferry for a picturesque cruise to Vancouver Island and the charming, very British “Garden City” of Victoria. En route, visit the world-famous BUTCHART GARDEN S. This estate offers more than 700 varieties of flowers on 130 acres and includes Italian, Japanese, and English-style gardens. Enjoy dinner on your own at one of the many restaurants in this harbor city. (B)
Day 11 Victoria. Choose Your Experience
Today, discover British Columbia’s capital with a city highlights tour. Later, enjoy another choice of included activities! Enjoy traditional HIGH TEA at the grand Fairmont Empress Hotel, or for the more adventurous, choose the WHALE-WATCHING excursion from Victoria’s Inner Harbour. This afternoon is at leisure to do as you please. Perhaps stroll around the Parliament buildings or shop the many stores this charming city has to offer. Tonight, your Tour Director hosts a festive FARE WELL DINER . (B,D)
Day 12 Victoria–Vancouver
This morning, travel via BC Ferry through the Gulf Islands back to the British Columbia mainland for a transfer to the Vancouver International Airport. Please schedule flights after 2 p.m. (B)
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Contact: Travelwizard.com
Phone: 1-800-330-8820 or 1-415-446-5252
9/08
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