Grand Western Canada

Tour Information

12nt Tour Begins & Ends Seattle: 2nts Seattle; 1nt Kelowna; 2nts Banff; 2nts Jasper; 1nt Sun Peaks; 1nt Whistler; 2nts Victoria; 1nt Vancouver

Optional 7 night Alaska Cruise extension aboard Holland America’s MS Zaandam available - please call for details

Day 1

Fly from the UK – Seattle
Arrive in Seattle. (Sun.)
Welcome to the Emerald City! At 6:30 pm, meet your traveling companions for a welcome drink. Your Tour Director will prepare you for your upcoming adventure.
Overnight Sheraton Seattle

Day 2

Seattle – Kelowna. (Mon.)
A sightseeing tour of Seattle introduces you to the highlights, including historic Pioneer Square. Next, travel through the Cascade Mountains to the resort city of Kelowna, attractively set on the shores of a lake. Upon arrival, enjoy a visit to KELOWNA LAND & ORCHARD, one of the largest family-owned orchards in Canada. Receive farm-fresh apple juice and then hop on the farm wagon for a behind-the-scenes, interactive look at the working farm. You might even have an opportunity for a hands-on experience of an orchard technique. Continue to the Grand Okanagan, the area’s premier lakefront resort. (B)
Overnight Delta Grand Okanagan

Day 3

Kelowna – Glacier National Park – Yoho National Park – Banff. (Tue.)
This morning, travel through the agricultural region of the Okanagan Valley to Canada’s Glacier National Park. On Rogers Pass, enjoy panoramic vistas of peaks exceeding 10,000 feet, then continue on to Yoho National Park. View Natural Bridge before scaling Kicking Horse Pass. Then, enter the province of Alberta and BANFF NATIONAL PARK, the scenic heart of the Canadian Rockies. (B,D)
Overnight Banff Park Lodge

Day 4

Banff National Park. (Wed.)
Sightseeing today includes a ride on the BANFF gondola up Sulphur Mountain and stops at the Hoodoos along the Bow River and at Bow Falls. The balance of the day is at leisure for you to enjoy the tranquil setting of this mountain resort. Maybe take an optional helicopter ride over the Canadian Rockies and, in the evening, join our optional excursion to the Oh Canada Eh? dinner show. (B)
Overnight Banff Park Lodge

Day 5

Banff – Lake Louise – Columbia Icefield – Jasper. (Thu.)
Follow Icefields Parkway and head for JASPER NATIONAL PARK. First stop is Lake Louise, whose green-blue waters form a perfect mirror reflection of Mount Victoria. Scale Bow Pass with views of Peyto Lake, then climb Sunwapta Pass. Next, stop at the 1,000-foot-thick Columbia Icefield for an ICE EXPLORER ride before reaching the resort village of Jasper. Time this afternoon allows for an optional float trip down the historic Athabasca River, where your experienced guide will navigate as you absorb the splendor of Jasper National Park. (B,D)
Overnight Sawridge Hotel

Day 6

Jasper National Park. Excursion to Maligne Lake. (Fri.)
A short sightseeing tour to see Jasper’s unspoiled beauty. Afterward, travel to glacial Maligne Lake for a narrated CRUISE to Spirit Island. On the return journey, stop to view Maligne Canyon. Balance of the day is at leisure to explore Jasper on your own. (B)
Overnight Sawridge Hotel

Day 7

Jasper – Mount Robson – Sun Peaks. (Sat.)
Head back into British Columbia via the base of 12,972-foot Mount Robson (the highest point in the Canadian Rockies). Then, descend the Yellowhead Highway hugging the mighty North Thompson River, a route pioneered by fur trappers more than a century ago. Afternoon arrival in Sun Peaks with the balance of the day at leisure. You may take advantage of an optional canoe trip on Lake McGilvary where, surrounded by beautiful scenery, you learn about Canada’s fur trade. (B) Note: The operation of the canoe trip is subject to favorable weather conditions.
Overnight Delta Sun Peaks

Day 8

Sun Peaks – Whistler. (Sun.)
Journey south today through the heart of the magnificent Cariboo region. Spectacular scenery abounds as you pass by rolling hills, deeply incised rivers, and sparkling lakes. Arrive at the alpine resort of Whistler, site of the 2010 Winter Olympics, nestled at the base of breathtaking Blackcomb Mountain. Balance of the day is at leisure. (B)
Overnight Delta Whistler Village Suites

Day 9

Whistler – Gulf Islands – Victoria. (Mon.)
Depart Whistler for the Pacific coastline. SAIL this afternoon across the Strait of Georgia to Victoria. Sightseeing today includes Marine Drive, Bastion Square, and Thunderbird Park with its unusual collection of totem poles. (B,D) Overnight Marriott Victoria Inner Harbour

Day 10

Victoria. (Tue.)
Full day at leisure. Maybe discover some of the city’s most popular attractions, including the Royal British Columbia Museum and afternoon tea at the Empress Hotel, or join one of our optional excursions highlighting marine wildlife and whale watching or a flightseeing trip over the provincial capital of Victoria. (B)
Overnight Marriott Victoria Inner Harbour

Day 11

Victoria – Vancouver. (Wed.)
This morning, visit BUTCHART GARDENS, 55 acres of floral extravagance subdivided into different themes: the Rose Garden, the Japanese Garden, the formal Italian Garden, and the showpiece Sunken Garden. Afterward, take the FERRY and sail through the Gulf Islands, an archipelago known for its mediterranean-type climate. Arrive in Vancouver for a city tour including the harbor and beaches, Chinatown, historic Gastown, and Stanley Park with its towering evergreen forests and totem poles. (B)
Overnight Georgian Court

Day 12

Vancouver – Seattle. (Thu.)
Today, return to Seattle for time to explore Pike Place Market, famous for its seafood-slinging fish mongers. Later, join your Tour Director for a special farewell dinner at Seattle’s famous SPACE NEEDLE, the perfect finale to your holiday. (B,D)
Overnight Sheraton Seattle

Day 13

Seattle. (Fri.)
The holiday ends after breakfast this morning. Independent transfers back to the airport for your return flight. (B)

Day 14

Arrival back to the UK

What's Included

• Return transatlantic scheduled flights
• Professional Tour Director throughout the tour
• Airport transfers
• Superior hotel accommodation in hotels listed or of a similar standard
• Meals as detailed in itinerary

Activities & Sights included in the price

• Seattle: City sightseeing; farewell dinner at the Space Needle
• Kelowna: Kelowna Land & Orchard behind-the-scenes
• Banff National Park: Gondola ride up Banff’s Sulphur Mountain
• Columbia Icefield: Ice Explorer ride on the Columbia Icefield
• Jasper National Park: Sightseeing and cruise Maligne Lake
• Vancouver–Victoria: Ferry ride through Gulf Islands
• Victoria: Orientation tour; Butchart Gardens
• Vancouver: City sightseeing