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Grand Canadian Rockies Price from £3640 pp

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Experience the majesty of the Canadian West, enjoying two-night stays in Victoria, Banff and Jasper. Enjoy a two-day scenic rail journey through the British Columbian wilderness. See glaciers and green forests combine to create a pristine experience that captures the grandeur of the Canadian West and Alaska.

Itinerary:

Day 1 - ARRIVE VANCOUVER

Enjoy your complimentary V.I.P. Door to Door transfer to your UK departure airport. Welcome to Vancouver! On arrival at Vancouver International Airport, your airport transfer service takes you to your tour hotel. Join us at 6 p.m. for a Welcome Drink. Meet your fellow travellers and prepare yourself for an adventure like no other. Hotel: Fairmont Pacific Rim

Day 2 - VANCOUVER - VICTORIA

Explore Vancouver; stop in the evergreen oasis of Stanley Park and learn the significance of the park's famous totem poles to the aboriginal people. Discover the eclectic community of English Bay and explore Chinatown, North America's second largest Chinese community after San Francisco. Visit historic Gastown, where Vancouver was originally built in 1867. Later, travel by ferry to Victoria and join an orientation tour that introduces you to the Inner Harbour, the ornate Parliament Buildings and Bastion Square. This evening, dinner tonight is served at one of Victoria's restaurants. Hotel: Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour (B,HD)

Day 3 - VICTORIA SIGHTSEEING

Start the day with breakfast at the famous Butchart Gardens, 55 acres of exquisite floral displays, meandering paths and spectacular views. A representative from Butchart Gardens will give a brief talk on the gardens and the history of the Butchart family. There is ample time to explore these gardens which have delighted visitors from around the world for over one hundred years. The rest of the day is yours to leisurely explore Victoria. Popular optional activities include a whale watching cruise and horse-drawn carriage ride. As an option this evening, why not experience the magic of Old Chinatown on a guided walking tour, complete with a Chinese banquet? (B)

Day 4 - VICTORIA - WHISTLER

Journey across the Strait of Georgia back to the mainland and motoring along the scenic Sea-to-Sky Highway. Enjoy a stop at the beautiful Shannon Falls before climbing over the Coast Mountains. Upon arrival in Whistler, join a local guide for a walking tour of the village and learn about this 2010 Olympic venue. Enjoy the remainder of the afternoon at leisure. Perhaps join an optional excursion to the Peak 2 Peak Alpine Experience, the world's highest and longest gondola ride between the Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains or a visit to the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Center and learn about two distinctly different First Nations of British Columbia. Hotel: Westin Whistler (B,D).

Day 5 - WHISTLER - KELOWNA

Travel to the Okanagan Valley to Kelowna, one of Canada's most beloved vacation spots. The lush Okanagan region is Canada's wine capital with some 60 wineries producing world-class vintages. Visit a beautiful winery and sample an array of outstanding local wines. Hotel: Delta Grand Okanagan Resort (B)

Day 6 - KELOWNA - BANFF NATIONAL PARK

Journey through four of Canada's most spectacular national parks: Mount Revelstoke, Glacier, Yoho and Banff. Travel from primeval forests to Ice Age glaciers, from spectacular waterfalls to soaring peaks. At Giant Cedar in Mount Revelstoke, enjoy a guided walk through a stand of 1,000-year-old red cedars (weather permitting). At Kicking Horse Pass, cross the Continental Divide, where all the rivers of North America are diverted to the Pacific or Atlantic Oceans. Enjoy a sightseeing tour of Banff before arriving at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, a grand Scottish baronial castle, for a two-night stay in the heart of Banff National Park. This evening, your Tour Director offers you a selection of restaurants for your dining pleasure. Hotel: The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel (B,DA)

Day 7 - BANFF AT LEISURE

Enjoy leisure time in Banff. Perhaps enjoy an optional float trip down the Bow River or a helicopter tour of Mount Assiniboine. This evening, why not partake in a fun and entertaining dinner show? (B)

Day 8 - BANFF - YOHO NATIONAL PARK

Enjoy an interpretive walk along the shore of Lake Louise, Canada's "Diamond in the Wilderness," and learn about the history and geography of this breathtaking area before moving on to another great icon of the Canadian Rockies - Moraine Lake, crowned by ten notable peaks. As you approach Yoho National Park, stop at the Spiral Tunnels viewpoint and learn about the construction of these famous tunnels. Pass by the spectacular Natural Bridge, patiently carved by the Kicking Horse River, and arrive at exquisite Emerald Lake, one of Canada's most outstanding wilderness settings. Your home tonight is the historic Emerald Lake Lodge, built of hand-hewn timber and featuring massive stone fireplaces. After dinner, enjoy an informative presentation on the local history of the region. Later stargaze under the night sky and savour a liqueur and s'mores, a traditional American campfire treat, by a lakeside bonfire. Hotel: Emerald Lake Lodge (B,D)

Day 9 - YOHO NATIONAL PARK - JASPER NATIONAL PARK

Today motor along the unforgettable Icefields Parkway and witness amazing scenery such as Crowfoot Glacier hanging improbably from a cliff face some 900 feet above and Columbia Icefield, North America's largest sub-polar ice pack. At Athabasca Glacier, one of the icefield's six principal "toes," climb aboard a specially-designed Ice Explorer for a once-in-a-lifetime guided tour over steep grades, snow and ice as you ascend partway up the glacier. En route to Jasper, perhaps join an optional gentle float trip down the Athabasca River. Your home for the next two nights is the picturesque Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge in the heart of Jasper National Park, an alpine wonderland of immense forests, jeweled lakes, soaring waterfalls, soothing mineral hot springs, rugged glaciers, colourful meadows and majestic mountains. After dinner a local wildlife expert will lead an informative presentation about some of the park's most interesting residents which include elk, moose, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, grizzly bear, black bear, beaver and caribou. Hotel: The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge (B,D)

Day 10 - JASPER NATIONAL PARK SIGHTSEEING

Join your Tour Director for an interpretive walk at Maligne Canyon, one of the most beautiful gorges in the Canadian Rockies. Stroll along the canyon's trail, past beautiful waterfalls, astounding rock formations, and learn about the underground river system. The rest of the day is yours to do as you please. Jasper is the base for a host of optional tours and activities. Perhaps enjoy a boat cruise on Maligne Lake or join a guided nature walk at Mount Edith Cavell along the "Path of the Glacier." The choice is entirely yours! (B)

Day 11 - JASPER - ROCKY MOUNTAINEER TRAIN - KAMLOOPS

Relive the golden age of rail travel aboard the Rocky Mountaineer train, one of the world's great rail journeys. For the next two days, enjoy travelling in GoldLeaf Service as the train journeys from Jasper in the Rocky Mountains to Vancouver and the Pacific Ocean. View spectacular scenery as the train journeys across the Continental Divide and over the Yellowhead Pass back to British Columbia. On arrival in Kamloops, transfer to your Rocky Mountaineer-assigned hotel. Hotel: Assigned by Rocky Mountaineer (CB,L)

Day 12 - KAMLOOPS - ROCKY MOUNTAINEER TRAIN - VANCOUVER

Continue your journey onboard the Rocky Mountaineer train and follow the river into the Thompson Canyon with its rugged walls and dry sagebrush landscape until it dramatically merges with the Fraser River. On arrival in Vancouver, transfer to your hotel. End the day with dinner at a local restaurant before retiring to your hotel for the night. Hotel: Fairmont Pacific Rim (CB,L,HD)

Day 13 - DEPART VANCOUVER

Head out to North Vancouver and the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Park. Cross the spectacular suspension bridge, 230 feet (70 metres) above the Capilano River, and join the award-winning Treetops Adventure, a guided nature tour along a series of elevated walkways. Then 13-day tour guests take a departure transfer to Vancouver International Airport, or for those extending their stay in Vancouver, back to the hotel. On arrival at your UK airport, your driver will greet you and escort you to your waiting car for your return V.I.P. door to door transfer home.(B) Please do not schedule flights before 2 p.m.

GoldLeaf Service

• Custom-designed bi-level GoldLeaf Dome
• Coach with panoramic views from full-length dome windows
• Enjoy assigned reclining seats with extended legroom in a temperature controlled full-length glass dome coach
• Gourmet breakfast and lunch selections served in lower-level dining room with picture windows
• Complimentary snacks and all beverages including alcohol served at your seat

Included Premium Highlights

• Enjoy breakfast at the Vancouver Aquarium and view orcas and belugas
• Enjoy breakfast at the Butchart Gardens and explore the spectacular floral displays
• Tour a renowned winery and taste local vintages in the scenic Okanagan Valley
• Gather around a bonfire overlooking Emerald Lake, roast s'mores and enjoy a liqueur
• Climb aboard a specially-designed Ice Explorer to ascend partway up the Athabasca Glacier
• Travel onboard the Rocky Mountaineer train for one of the world's great rail journeys
• Visit the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Park and join the Treetops Adventure

Included Personal Insights

• Join an informative talk with a representative from Butchart Gardens
• Stroll along Lake Louise with your Tour Director and enjoy an informative talk
• Learn of the history and early explorers of the area at Emerald Lake Lodge
• Enjoy Jasper National Park's wildlife from a unique perspective at a fun get together with a local expert
• Learn about the underground river system at beautiful Maligne Canyon

Included additional Excursions & Sights

• See English Bay, Chinatown, Gastown and the totem poles of Vancouver's Stanley Park
• Enjoy views over Vancouver from Cypress Mountain Lookout
• Cruise by ferry along British Columbia's spectacular Sunshine Coast
• Visit the charming village of Chemainus, renowned for its huge murals
• See the Inner Harbour, Parliament Buildings and Bastion Square in Victoria
• Visit five national parks: Mt. Revelstoke, Glacier, Yoho, Banff and Jasper
• Enjoy a walk through 1,000-year-old red cedars
• See Moraine Lake, the Spiral Tunnels and Natural Bridge in the Rocky Mountains
• Journey along the magnificent Icefields Parkway

Included First Class Services

• Welcome Drink reception
• Airport arrival and departure transfers on the first and last day of your tour
• Escorted by a professional Tour Director (Days 1-13) - Maximum group size of 40 people
• Luxury air-conditioned coach with extra legroom
• First-class hotels with all service charges, taxes and porterage
• GoldLeaf Service onboard the Rocky Mountaineer train including gratuities to onboard train personnel
• Insight Traveller document wallet, Welcome on Tour book with map and information pack

Included Quality Dining

• 2 Highlight Dinners in Victoria and Vancouver (HD) plus choose from a selection of restaurants on a Dine-Around evening at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel (DA)
• 10 Full Breakfasts (B) and 3 Hotel Dinners (D)
• 2 Gourmet breakfast (CB) and 2 lunch selections (L) onboard the Rocky Mountaineer train in GoldLeaf Service

VIP Door to Door Transfers

Complimentary private door to door transfers included within 100 miles of your local airport, for additional miles contact reservations.

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