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Canada Holidays - Journey through the Canadian Rockies by train

First Passage to the West Culinary Exploration

Reference WW53636
9 nights from
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May - October 2024
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What's Included

Return flights from the UK
9-nights Hotel accommodation
2 days onboard the Rocky Mountaineer in SilverLeaf Service, including 2 breakfasts, 4 lunches & 2 dinners
Culinary walking tour of Granville Island or Chinatown
Vancouver Lookout Admission
Icefield Parkway Tour, including the Ice Explorer.
Six-course wine-paired gourmet menu at the Post Hotel Dining Room, Lake Louise
Yoho Park Tour, Lake Louise to Banff
Six-course wine-paired chef’s tasting menu at Eden Restaurant in the Rimrock Hotel, Banff
Banff to Calgary Tour, including Banff Gondola
Panoramic Helicopter Flightseeing
A culinary tour of one of Calgary’s neighborhoods
Calgary Tower Admission
Rail Station Transfers

Overview

Ref: 16303

Spice up your Rocky Mountaineer holiday with a dash of foodie-focused features in Vancouver, Lake Louise, Banff and Calgary. Indulge all of your senses as you tour through the peaks of the Rocky Mountains in the morning, before feasting on gourmet cuisine in the evening!

Itinerary

Arrive in Calgary and spend the rest of the day independently sightseeing in “The Heart of the New West”. Overnight in Calgary. 

Today, enjoy a culinary tour of one of Calgary’s neighbourhoods. Professional guides lead three hour small group walking/tasting tours, where you’ll meet local chefs, restaurant owners and food artisans while enjoying a delicious meal filled with Alberta’s best food, drink, fun and adventure. Along the way, the tour leader will share entertaining stories of the area’s history, art and culture. Lunch is definitely included! The rest of the day is yours at leisure. Overnight in Calgary. 

Depart Calgary this morning for a full-day tour. Journey to Kananaskis where you will enjoy the highlight of today: a 12-minute Panoramic Helicopter Tour over the remarkable landscape of the Rockies. Continue to Banff for a sightseeing tour including Bow Falls, Lake Minnewanka, Surprise Corner and the Hoodoos - Banff Gondola included. Your tour ends on arrival in Banff late this afternoon. Overnight in Banff. 

Today you will have an entire day to explore Banff National Park on your own. Why not unwind in the mineral pools at Upper Hot Springs or enjoy a nature walk on nearby mountain trails? Other activities include visiting Banff’s historic museums, cruising on Lake Minnewanka or playing a round of golf at The Fairmont Banff Springs.

Tonight, you will relax in the luxurious atmosphere and take in incredible mountain views while enjoying Banff’s finest dining experience at Eden, renowned for its delicately crafted French cuisine, influenced by fresh local ingredients. Located in The Rimrock Resort Hotel, Eden has been honored since 2003 with AAA/CAA 5-Diamond and “Best of Award of Excellence” Wine Spectator awards. You will enjoy the diverse flavours of a six-course chef’s tasting menu with wine pairings for each item to compliment and enhance each course. Overnight in Banff.

A half-day tour takes you into Yoho National Park to view some of its natural wonders. Among the attractions are the Spiral Tunnels, Emerald Lake and a natural rock bridge spanning the Kicking Horse River. The tour ends in Lake Louise where the remainder of the afternoon is at your leisure to enjoy this magnificent location. Overnight in Lake Louise. 

Today, enjoy a full day tour along one of the most scenic highways in the world as you travel to Jasper National Park on the Icefields Parkway. The Columbia Icefield is one of the largest accumulations of ice south of the Arctic Circle and one of the most accessible icefields in North America. At the Columbia Icefield Centre, time is provided for lunch (not included) after you have had a chance to experience the Columbia Icefield Glacier Adventure (admission included). Here you will ride on an Ice Explorer to the middle of the Athabasca Glacier to learn more about its geological features. Afterwards, brief stops will be made at Bow and Peyto Lakes before arriving back in Lake Louise this afternoon.

Tonight, surrounded by Canadian pine and fresh flowers - along with the warm glow of the grand fireplace - savour the exquisite talents of the Post’s international cooking team led by European-trained Executive Chef Hans Sauter. The “Grand Award” winning wine cellar with more than 25,500 bottles and over 2,300 selections offers the perfect complement to the tastes of Chef Sauter’s six course gourmet menu. Overnight in Lake Louise.

Travel onboard the Rocky Mountaineer from the mountain hamlet of Lake Louise to Kamloops in the heart of British Columbia. Your journey will expose you to spectacular array of scenery. Travel between glacier and snow-capped peaks, over mountain passes and through remarkable tunnels, along rocky lakeshores and across the ranchlands of the interior. Today’s highlights include the Continental Divide, the Spiral Tunnels, the Kicking Horse Canyon, Rogers Pass and Craigellachie – where the last spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway was driven. Overnight in Kamloops. 

Your journey continues west towards the Pacific Ocean and the coastal city of Vancouver. You will again see dramatic changes in scenery; from the desert-like environment of the Interior, through winding river canyons and pristine forests, to the Coast and Cascade Mountains and the lush green fields of the Fraser Valley. Highlights include the steep slopes and rock sheds along the Thompson River and the rushing waters of Hell’s Gate in the Fraser Canyon. Your time onboard the Rocky Mountaineer ends on arrival in Vancouver this evening. Overnight in Vancouver. 

Today, select one of two culinary activity options: 

British Columbia’s mild climate and unique geographic location, tucked between mountains and sea, provide the province with an abundance of amazing culinary bounty.  Guests will explore this on an in-depth “Made in BC” Vancouver food tour on Granville Island. In the company of an experienced local chef or food writer (maximum six guests/docent), this 2.5 hour walk will get under the skin (or peel) of this delicious world as you tour the market, meet some of the local producers and taste their delicious wares.

OR

It’s no secret that off-duty chefs love to shop for themselves and select freshest local and exotic fruits, vegetables, seafood, and meats. Get to know this colourful district from a culinary and cultural perspective with “A Wok Around Chinatown”. The adventure will begin at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Gardens, and will explore the diverse specialty shops and vendors, featuring products from barbecued crispy ducks and teas, to herbal medicines and cookware supplies. A viewing of historical landmarks, a visit to a symbolic merchant, and a well-deserved dim sum lunch will be part of the tour!

Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure to explore Vancouver. Overnight in Vancouver.

Your vacation ends upon checkout from your Vancouver hotel.