Canada’s awe-inspiring Rocky Mountains and the stunning city of Vancouver combine to fill this tour with scenic wonders. Your adventure begins in Banff, with a ride of the Banff Gondola for unrivalled views. Explore the UNESCO-listed National Park in the heart of the Rockies, an incredible wilderness of glistening glaciers, ice-covered lakes and swathes of pine forest where wolves, elk and deer roam. Visit the glacial, jade-green waters of Lake Louise, said to be one of the most beautiful places in Canada, then head to Jasper to explore the world-renowned Jasper National park, home to abundant wildlife, thundering waterfalls and Maligne Lake. You’ll then journey to Kamloops in British Columbia, where you’ll embark a Rockies river safari through Grizzly Bear Valley on the lookout for, you guessed it, grizzly bears! There’s a chance to go whale-watching in Victoria, before visiting Vancouver, where highlights include Gastown, Stanley Park and the beautiful harbour.
You'll depart on your scheduled flight to Calgary today. On arrival, we'll transfer you to Banf. Nestled in the heart of the Rockies, this is a great starting point for your adventure, and three nights here gives you plenty of time to explore.
You're going to get out in the great outdoors this morning on a tour of Banff. There are so many scenic highlights here, and we're going to fit in as many as possible. You'll see the Hoodoos of Bow Valley, imposing spires of rock carved by the forces of nature which stand guard over the Bow River, and Surprise Corner. As the name suggests, sensational picture-postcard views are waiting for you here, so remember to bring your camera! A great way to round off the morning is an optional ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain on the Banff Gondola.
You might choose to make your own discoveries this afternoon. However, you've also got the chance to see more spectacular views of the Rockies, but this time from the sky on an optional helicopter flight.
A full day out today takes you to a destination often described as the most beautiful place in Canada, Lake Louise. See if you think this glacial jade-green lake surrounded by mountains lives up to its reputation.
At times, the Banff-Jasper Highway reaches nearly 7,000ft above sea level, and the mountain ranges flanking it soars to more than 11,000ft. We're going to travel along this iconic route on our way to Jasper, our next base. Before we arrive, we're going to stop at the Great Columbia Icefield. If you're up for an adventure, an optional Ice Explorer ride across the Athabasca Glacier is highly recommended.
A former railroad town, Jasper is now known for its breathtakingly beautiful national park. You're going to discover its incredible highlights today, in particular, the spectacular Maligne Lake, renowned for its azure waters, and the Maligne Canyon.
During our time at Maligne Canyon, we'll stop at the Wilderness Kitchen where a lunch of distinctly Canadian produce will be served such as grilled elk sausages, smoked bison ribs or oven-seared salmon. You have a couple of thrilling optional excursions to choose from today too. You could join an exhilarating Athabasca River rafting experience, and later you can take in more stunning sights on an evening nature walk.
Our journey to Kamloops in British Columbia takes us over Yellow Head Pass, past Mount Robson – the highest peak in the Rockies – and along the Trans-Canada Highway. The scenery may be spectacular, but the highlight of your day is sure to be our stop at Blue River for an exciting Rockies river safari. This once-in-a-lifetime cruise will take you through Grizzly Bear Valley on the lookout for an array of wildlife including moose, eagles, ospreys and, of course, grizzly bears
The ferry terminal is where we're headed this morning, on a journey which takes us once again through the rugged scenery of the Rocky Mountains. Our ferry will take us to Vancouver Island and then we'll travel by road to Victoria, the provincial capital of British Columbia. This is our base for the next two nights, and we'll get our bearings right away with a sightseeing tour on arrival.
Soak up Victoria's old-world charm as you explore at leisure today. Highlights include the fabled Empress Hotel, which overlooks the picturesque inland harbour. The waters here are home to an array of marine mammals, so an optional whale-watching excursion is sure to leave a lasting impression. Another thrilling possibility is an optional seaplane flight over the city.
Your morning tour takes you to the famous Butchart Gardens to see a dazzling display of flowers and plants. Later, we return to the mainland by ferry and travel by road to Vancouver. This city boasts an idyllic setting, where the ocean meets the mountains, and you'll see its highlights this afternoon. Your tour will take you to the city's historic core, known as 'Gastown', then on to Chinatown and Stanley Park with its famous totem poles.
Vancouver is yours to explore as you please today. If you'd like to join an optional excursion, come with us to Vancouver's north shore. Here you'll see the spectacular Capilano Suspension Bridge and take a cable-car ride up Grouse Mountain. On a clear day the views of the city, the snow-capped mountains of Washington State and Vancouver Island are just wonderful.
Enjoy a little more free time in Vancouver before we transfer you to the airport for your flight home.
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