Itinerary
Inside visits and special features are shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description, including admission charges where applicable.
Day 1 TORONTO
Welcome to Toronto! Your Tour Director is on hand late this afternoon to answer any questions.
Day 2 TORONTO. EXCURSION TO NIAGARA FALLS
Leave bustling Toronto and travel along the shores of Lake Ontario to Niagara Falls. Sightseeing here includes a SIGHTSEEING BOAT CRUISE past the world-famous falls. Later, visit picturesque Niagara-on-the-Lake, where there is time to browse the shops of Main Street. Return to Toronto and spend the evening exploring the city sights on your own, including Harbourfront Centre, Ontario Place, and Chinatown.NOTE:Operation of the Niagara Falls sightseeing cruise is subject to favorable weather and/or river conditions. When unfavorable conditions exist, a walking tour through the scenic tunnels will be substituted.
Day 3 TORONTO–VIA RAIL THE CANADIAN
Setting Toronto’s exciting architectural pace are City Hall; the downtown banking district; Roger’s Center; and stunning CN Tower, more than a third of a mile high. See all this and more on your city sightseeing tour. This evening, join the optional outing that combines dinner with the spectacular sight of Toronto’s lights from the CN Tower. Afterward, transfer to Union Station for a late-evening departure on the CANADIAN, VIA Rail’s premier transcontinental train. Spend the next three days and nights on this classic trip across Canada’s heartland. Your Sleeper Plus class rail cars are refurbished art-deco cars from the 1950s. Domed observation cars let you enjoy views of the Canadian countryside as you roll past Ontario’s landscapes. All meals are included, and you won’t want to miss any of them, as the chef offers a tempting array of soups, salads, main courses, and desserts.
Day 4 VIA RAIL THE CANADIAN
Today, watch the scenery as you whisk by the ever-changing Canadian landscape and travel the full length of the Canadian National Railway’s breathtaking mainline.
Day 5 VIA RAIL THE CANADIAN–WINNIPEG
An early arrival into Winnipeg, Manitoba’s capital, a city rich in history and culture. In the early afternoon, we continue our journey through Manitoba’s prairies and into Saskatchewan.
Day 6 VIA RAIL THE CANADIAN–JASPER NATIONAL PARK
Wake early and enjoy a delicious breakfast as you continue on the Canadian into the very heart of the Canadian Rockies. Arrive in Jasper this afternoon. An orientation tour includes Jasper’s unspoiled beauty. Perhaps an optional float trip on the Athabasca River to end the day? The evening is free to enjoy the ambiance of this delightful mountain setting.
Brunch
Day 7 JASPER NATIONAL PARK
Consider an optional trip to Maligne Lake for a narrated cruise to much-photographed Spirit Island. On the return journey, stop to view mighty Maligne Canyon. With free time this afternoon, maybe hike on the trails and watch for wildlife, or stroll the streets of Jasper.
Day 8 JASPER NATIONAL PARK–COLUMBIA ICEFIELD–LAKE LOUISE–BANFF NATIONAL PARK
Board your motorcoach this morning and journey through JASPER NATIONAL PARK, stopping along the way at the COLUMBIA ICEFIELD to experience the Ice Explorer, an all-terrain vehicle that travels on ice that is 1,200 feet (365 meters) thick. Continue down Icefields Parkway to Lake Louise, where cold waters mirror the surrounding mountains and glaciers. Arrive in BANFF NATIONAL PARK for a leisurely 2-night stay.
Day 9 BANFF NATIONAL PARK
This morning, consider an optional helicopter ride over the Canadian Rockies. Later, join the optional excursion to Sulphur Mountain for a gondola ride with panoramic views of the stunning scenery and a stop at sparkling Bow Falls.
Day 10 BANFF NATIONAL PARK–YOHO NATIONAL PARK–GLACIER NATIONAL PARK–KAMLOOPS
This morning, leave Banff National Park and travel over Kicking Horse Pass on the Continental Divide. Travel through YOHO NATIONAL PARK, where pre-Cambrian fossils were discovered, and GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, where recreational mountain climbing was introduced to North America a century ago. Late this afternoon, arrive at the cattle-ranching center of Kamloops, a Shuswap Indian word for “meeting of the waters.”
Day 11 KAMLOOPS–FERRY CROSSING–VICTORIA
As you travel through the Coast Mountain Range to its majestic Pacific coastline, the vegetation changes from desert landscape to lush alpine forests. Board your afternoon ferry for the spectacular crossing to Vancouver Island. Sightseeing in Victoria includes the Inner Harbour, Bastion Square, Thunderbird Park, and world-famous BUTCHART GARDENS. This evening, consider strolling along the Waterfront Promenade.
Day 12 VICTORIA
Be sure to discover some of the attractions this splendid city has to offer, including the Royal British Columbia Museum, Afternoon Tea at the Empress Hotel, a whale-watching cruise on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and fine shopping along Government Street.
Day 13 VICTORIA–FERRY CROSSING–VANCOUVER
This morning, set sail across the Strait of Georgia and through the spectacular Gulf Islands, an archipelago known for its climate. In Vancouver, city sightseeing includes STANLEY PARK, Gastown, Chinatown, and many other famous landmarks. The remainder of the day is free to explore Robson Street and experience British Columbia’s premier shopping and entertainment location.
Day 14 VANCOUVER
Today is at leisure for independent sightseeing. Maybe take a water taxi to lively Granville Island with its outdoor markets, street musicians, and waterfront cafés. Or, re-visit historic Gastown with its steam-powered clock, antique shops, art galleries, and street vendors.
Day 15 VANCOUVER
The trip ends today with guests departing on individual schedules. Transfers are provided to Vancouver International Airport.