13D12N The Canadian Rockies (8900)

Day 1 Arrive Vancouver, Canada

• Welcome to Vancouver! Make your own way (by taxi) to the hotel
• Your Tour Director is on hand late this afternoon to answer any questions.

 

Day 2 Vancouver

• This morning, an included city tour highlights Stanley Park, Chinatown, the Harbor, beaches, and more.
• The rest of the afternoon is at leisure; your Tour Director can suggest ways to further explore the city.
• Maybe take a water taxi to Granville Island with outdoor markets, street musicians, and waterfront cafes. Or, visit historic Gastown with its steam-powered clock.

Day 3 Vancouver - Kelowna

• Our journey begins in British Columbia’s fertile valleys and continues through rich mountain forests to Lake Okanagan.
• Travel along the lake to the resort city of Kelowna, beautifully situated on the lake shore and surrounded by orchards and vineyards.
• Sample local wines on the included winery tour.

Day 4 Kelowna - Glacier National Park - Yoho National Park - Banff National Park

• Motor north through the Okanagan Valley, famous for its peaches and vineyards.
• Our journey will Climb up 4,379-foot-high Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park.
• Take a break at the pass, perfect for photos of the rugged mountains, glaciers, and waterfalls. Enter Yoho National Park and ascend Kicking Horse Pass at 5,421 feet.
• Reach Banff National Park, gateway to the majestic Canadian Rockies.
• An orientation tour includes Banff’s unspoiled beauty.

Day 5 Banff National Park

• Banff is one of Canada’s favourite year-round resorts, and home to 53 species of mammals.
• The most commonly seen are deer and big horn sheep. If the timing is right, you may spot black bears, grizzlies, or wolves.
• Your Tour Director will also have suggestions for an optional helicopter ride over the Canadian Rockies.

Day 6 Banff National Park - Lake Louise - Columbia Icefield - Jasper National Park

• First, to Lake Louise, its turquoise waters a perfect natural mirror that reflects the mountains and glaciers.
• Precipitous gorges, snowcapped summits, and lakes of exquisite blues and greens come into view as the motorcoach continues northward into Jasper National Park.
• A highlight today is a stop at the Columbia Icefield to ride the Ice Explorer that travels on ice measuring 750 feet thick.
• This afternoon, join our optional float trip down the Athabasca River.
• Enjoy an orientation tour of Jasper townsite upon arrival.

Day 7 Jasper National Park

• Today, join our optional excursion to Maligne Lake and Spirit Island, and embark on a narrated cruise.
• The balance of the day is free to enjoy everything Jasper has to offer- from quaint shops to meandering wildlife.

Day 8 Jasper National Park - Mount Robson - Sun Peaks

• Leave Jasper and follow the Fraser River to the base of Mount Robson, the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies, peaking at 12,972 feet.
• Continue following the Yellowhead Highway south along the North Thompson River-a route pioneered by fur trappers.
• Overnight at the Sun Peaks mountain resort.

Day 9 Sun Peals - Lillooet - Whistler

• Head south, following the once treacherous Cariboo Wagon Trail. Via Lillooet, “Mile 0 of the Gold Rush Route,” your motorcoach will follow the shores of Seton and Duffey Lakes with a late-afternoon arrival in Whistler.

Day 10 Whistler

• Spend the day in the alpine resort of Whistler, nestled at the base of breathtaking Blackcomb Mountain.
• Enjoy free time to explore many sites of the 2010 Winter Olympics held here.
• You may decide to join one of many optional excursions, including a flightseeing excursion by floatplane over the glaciated peaks, or a gondola ride between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains-the perfect bear- spotting vantage point.

Day 11 Whistler - Ferry Crossing - Victoria

• Set sail across the Strait of Georgia, known for its Mediterranean-type climate.
• Afternoon sightseeing in Victoria includes world-famous Butchart Gardens, Bastion Square, and Thunderbird Park with its unusual collection of totem poles.

Day 12 Victoria

• A day at leisure gives you the chance to discover this splendid city, including the Royal British Columbia Museum, shopping on Government Street, or a leisurely stroll around the Harbor.
• Perhaps join the optional wildlife and whale-watching trip cruising the beautiful waters of the San Juan and Gulf Islands, looking for whales, porpoises, seals, and eagles.

Day 13 Depart Victoria - Ferry Crossing - Vancouver

• A scenic ferry crossing to the mainland, where the trip ends at Vancouver International Airport.
• Please schedule flights after 1:30 pm.