Coastal Cities & the Rocky Mountains

Day 1 - Fly UK to Victoria

Arrive in Victoria Airport making your own way to your choosen hotel. 

Day 2 - Victoria & Butchart Gardens

Day at leisure to enjoy Victoria, or take one of our free excursions today - we recommend Butchart Gardens..

Butchart Gardens from Victoria

From Victoria’s Inner Harbour, we take you to the Butchart Gardens, named a National Historic Site of Canada in 2004, the 100th birthday of the gardens. 22 Hectares (55 acres) of breath-taking gardens on the 53 hectare (130 acre) estate are visited by more than a million people each year. The gardens are glorious any time of year. Once at the gardens stroll through the floral splendour which greets you at every turn. Return to downtown Victoria on a shuttle convenient for you...

Day 3 - Explore Victoria

Another day in beautiful Victoria, why not try the Whale Watching excursion, a great experience...

Whale Watching tour from Victoria

This coastal excursion is an exhilarating round trip of 50 to 80 kilometres in search of Orcas, minke whales, grey whales, porpoises, harbourseals and other marine wildlife. You will ride aboard a comfortable covered vessel or a custom-built zodiac boat that offers high speed with extraordinary stability giving you an exhilarating, safe and intimate whale watching experience. Comments by a certified marine biologist and naturalist are provided.

Day 4 - Victoria to Vancouver

Today depart Victoria and head over to Vancouver for a 2 night stay.

Day 5 - Vancouver

Enjoy Vancouver and take up our Hop On/Hop Off City Tour.

Vancouver 1 day hop on/off city tour

This flexible city tour offers up the highlights of downtown Vancouver, including major attractions, and scenic points of interest with live commentary. Choose to Hop-Off at any of the 20 plus stops, and Hop-On again to continue the tour. Highlights of the route include English Bay, Stanley Park, Granville Island, Gastown, Chinatown, Robson Street, and the Entertainment District.

Full commentary over headphones in English.

Below is a list of the key attractions you get to experience when riding Hop-On, Hop-Off Sightseeing.

False Creek Ferries • Departs from Aquatic Centre and David Lam Park • Goes to Granville Island • Your pass on Hop-on, Hop-Off Sightseeing is good for a one way trip with False Creek Ferries to Granville Island

Granville Island with one way ferry • The amazing public market • Galleries and great boutique shops • Improv theatre • Restaurants and food stands • Kayak rentals

Stanley Park • 1000 acres (400 hectares) of Coastal Rainforest dominated Park • Totem poles • Vancouver Aquarium • Stunning Seawall Walk

Day 6 - Rocky Mountaineer Vancouver to Kamloops

Travel onboard Rocky Mountaineer from the coastal city of Vancouver to Kamloops, in the heart of British Columbia’s interior. On today’s journey you will see dramatic changes in scenery, from the lush green fields of the Fraser River valley, through forests and winding river canyons surrounded by the peaks of the Coast and Cascade mountains, to the desert-like environment of the interior. Highlights include the rushing waters of Hell’s Gate in the Fraser Canyon and the steep slopes and rock sheds along the Thompson River. Your day concludes as the Rocky Mountaineer travels along the shores of Kamloops Lake and into Kamloops.

Overnight in Kamloops. Breakfast & Lunch included.

Day 7 - Rocky Mountaineer Kamloops to Jasper

Your journey continues north and east to the mighty Canadian Rockies and the province of Alberta. Once again you will be surrounded by dramatic scenery as you follow the banks of the North Thompson River through the Monashee and Cariboo mountains, climbing ever nearer to the high peaks of the Continental Divide. Today’s highlights include Mount Robson, at 3,954 metres (12,972 feet) the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, Pyramid Falls, and the climb over the Yellowhead Pass into Jasper National Park. Your rail journey ends on arrival in the resort town of Jasper this evening.

Breakfast and Lunch included

Day 8 - Discover Jasper

At leisure in Jasper today. Why not take our included excursion this early evening...

Discover Jasper & its Wildlife – departs 1730  duration approx. 3 hours

If you want to see wildlife when visiting the Rockies your best opportunity is in Jasper! The area the town occupies is the largest inhabitable valley in the Canadian Rockies, which means more food for “All Creatures Great and Small”. Put on your safari hat as you set out into the Park with your own Wildlife Interpreter in search of Bear, Elk, Sheep, Goats, Coyote, Wolves, Moose and many of Mother Nature’s other mountain creatures. This three hour tour is the perfect chance to enjoy spectacular scenery and learn more about Jasper’s original inhabitants. Don’t forget your camera!

Day 9 - Jasper to Lake Louise

Today we travel the Icefield Parkway from Jasper to Lake Louise:

Jasper to Lake Louise 

Today you will depart Jasper and drive south along the Icefields Parkway, to the mountain resort town of Banff. Following the spine of the Canadian Rockies, view a never-ending procession of mammoth mountains, jagged snowy peaks, and over 100 glaciers. The entire day is spent in the majesty of Canada’s two most famous National Parks, Banff and Jasper. Enroute, make a stop at Athabasca Falls located just outside of the Jasper Townsite. Among the most powerful and breathtaking falls in the Rocky Mountains, the Athabasca River thunders through a narrow gorge where the walls have been smoothed and potholed by the sheer force of the rushing water carrying sand and rock. Our next stop is the breathtaking Columbia Icefields and Athabasca Glacier where we will allow time to enjoy an Ice Explorer ride (included) and the Glacier Skywalk (optional). Next we continue to the Weeping Wall, Peyto Lake and the Crowfoot Glacier before arriving at Lake Louise.

Highlights:

A hearty picnic lunch is included and will be enjoyed at a secluded location along the Icefields Parkway.

Day 10 - Lake Louise to Banff

Transfer from the Lake Louise to Banff for the remaining 3 nights

Day 11 - Banff at leisure

Day at leisure in Banff

Day 12 - Banff

Day at leisure in Banff, or why not have an early start with our Discover Banff tour.  We would suggest you take advantage of the drop off at the Banff Gondola, ask our team about tickets. You could also visit the hot springs, only minutes away from the Gondola.

FREE Excursion: Discover Banff & it’s Wildlife Tour  Departs 0830  Duration approx. 3 hours

Build a connection to our World Heritage Site on our trademark sightseeing tour as you visit Banff’s landmarks and historic places. Hear how the 11,000 year old human history of the Bow Valley changed when three railway workers rediscovered the Cave & Basin, now a National Historic Site - Your time will be spent enjoying the sights, taking photos, and participating in short walks to view points, on the many stops of the tour.

Apr 12 - Nov 30: Drop off at Banff Gondola possible

Highlights: • Bow Falls • Banff Springs Hotel • Surprise Corner • Hoodoos & Bow Valley Viewpoint • Lake Minnewanka • Bankhead: An abandoned mining town and relic of Banff’s industrial past • Refreshment and maple cookies

Day 13 - Fly Calgary to UK

Transfer from your Banff hotel to Calgary airport for your flight to the UK