Western Canada and the Rockies

DAY 1 – CALGARY ARRIVAL

Arrive at Calgary International Airport by non-stop flight from the U.K. taking approximately 9 hours. You will arrive in the afternoon / early evening where you will be met with a name board and taken by private car to your hotel in the downtown area where the tour will begin the following day.  Your experienced tour director will contact you to re-confirm your joining instructions that evening.

If time allows you might want to explore a little, or maybe consider arriving a day earlier to explore Calgary – We can easily arrange this. Explore the Old West at the Glenbow Museum or Fort Calgary on your own, browse through the Eau Claire Market, ride up the Calgary Tower for a great view and savour the great restaurants and dynamic nightlife. Overnight in Calgary.

Hotel:
Delta Hotels by Marriott Calgary Downtown

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DAY 2 – CALGARY TO BANFF NATIONAL PARK

You begin the day with a city tour of Calgary. Leaving the city, you travel west on the Trans-Canada Highway into the rolling foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The majestic peaks of the Canadian Rockies soon fill the horizon as you approach Banff National Park, our first of several in the Canadian national parks system. You soon arrive in the charming resort town of Banff. Overnight in Banff. Continental breakfast included.

Hotel:
Mount Royal Hotel, Banff Aspen Lodge or the Delta Banff Royal Canadian Lodge

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DAY 3 – BANFF NATIONAL PARK

Today you will enjoy a tour of the region around Banff. The area became Canada’s first national park in 1885 to protect its natural hot springs. An optional Helicopter Sightseeing Tour will give you the chance to see the eastern ranges of the Rocky Mountains. Alternatively, you can take an optional gondola ride to spectacular Sulphur Mountain. Bring your camera! The rest of the day is at leisure to explore the surroundings of Banff, stroll along Banff Avenue, or relax and enjoy the scenery. Overnight in Banff. Canadian breakfast included.

Hotel:
Mount Royal Hotel, Banff Aspen Lodge or the Delta Banff Royal Canadian Lodge

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DAY 4 – BANFF NATIONAL PARK TO JASPER NATIONAL PARK

Today’s journey through Banff and Jasper national parks promises to be a highlight of your Rockies Trail programme. Shortly after leaving Banff you visit the famous scenery of Lake Louise, one of the most photographed lakes in Canada. Afterwards, you travel north on the famed Icefields Parkway through a rugged wilderness flanked by dramatic mountain ranges. At the Columbia Icefield you board a specially constructed Ice Explorer to ride on the surface of the ancient Athabasca Glacier. Close to Jasper, you have the chance to go on an optional raft trip on the Athabasca River. Your experienced guide will point out the natural and human history as you raft through short rapids and stretches of calm waters. Overnight in Jasper. Canadian breakfast included.

Hotel:
Lobstick Lodge

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DAY 5 – JASPER NATIONAL PARK TO KAMLOOPS

Before leaving Jasper National Park this morning, you can take part in an optional Spirit Island Cruise on Maligne Lake, the most picturesque and largest glacier-fed lake in the park. You may alternately take an optional motorcycle tour of Jasper, riding in the comfortable sidecar with an unmatched view of the forests and mountains. Then, you travel west along the Yellowhead Highway and into the heartland of British Columbia. Breathtaking, unspoiled vistas await visitors in every season of the year. The route takes you along the Thompson River through the picturesque Shuswap Highlands. Overnight in Kamloops. Canadian breakfast included.

Hotel:
Doubletree by Hilton Kamloops or Hotel 540

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DAY  6 – KAMLOOPS TO WHISTLER

You can expect a day of dramatic scenery changes when you drive through the ranch lands and head for the coastal mountains. A journey along the Duffey Lake Road exposes new vistas at every turn. An optional Floatplane Sightseeing Tour over Garibaldi Park gives you an inspiring view of a natural preserve of volcanic peaks, alpine lakes and meadows. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in Whistler. Canadian breakfast included.

Hotel:
Delta Hotels by Marriott Whistler Village Suites

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DAY 7 – WHISTLER TO VICTORIA

The Sea-to-Sky Highway leads the tour south through spectacular coastal scenery today. You will visit the Capilano Suspension Bridge suspended high above a magnificent canyon. From Horseshoe Bay, you then cruise by ferry across the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver Island and continue by coach to Victoria, British Columbia’s capital city. Arriving in Victoria, you embark on a city tour of this former British enclave. Overnight in Victoria. Canadian breakfast included.

Hotel:
Coast Harbourside Hotel & Marina

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DAY 8 – VICTORIA

Proud of her maritime heritage, Victoria has retained a quaint, colonial demeanour evident in the many 19^th century landmarks throughout the city. Today you treat yourself to a tour of the world famous Butchart Gardens, one of the world’s great floral displays set in a reclaimed stone quarry. Time will be allocated here for browsing through the regal gardens. You can take part in an optional Floatplane Sightseeing Tour over downtown Victoria and the Strait of Juan de Fuca with the Olympic Mountains in the distance. You can also go on an optional Whalewatching Excursion aboard a Zodiac or a regular vessel. Watch for the magnificent orcas and the abundance of marine wildlife. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore the city’s delights. Overnight in Victoria. Continental breakfast included.

Hotel:
Coast Harbourside Hotel & Marina

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DAY 9 – VICTORIA TO VANCOUVER

Today the tour continues through the resort region of the Gulf Islands to the oceanside city of Vancouver. Upon arrival in Vancouver, you enjoy an interesting tour of the city, including Stanley Park, English Bay, Gastown, Chinatown, and much more. The remainder of the day is free for independent exploration or simple relaxation. This evening features our farewell dinner. Overnight in Vancouver. Continental breakfast and dinner included.

Hotel:
Sutton Place Hotel

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DAY 10 – END OF TOUR

A time for last-minute shopping and sad farewells that is of course unless you would like us to extend your stay in Vancouver and this is without doubt a city well worthy of an extended stay with a wide choice of things to see and optional excursions, we can arrange for you including floatplane flights, boat tours and wildlife viewing tours. Whenever you decide to leave a car will arrive at your hotel to provide a private transfer back to Vancouver Airport.  Continental breakfast included.