Canadian Rockies & Alaska Adventures

Day 1 - UK to Calgary Transfer to Banff

Arrive at Calgary Airport and transfer to Banff for your 3 night stay. 

Day 2 - Moraine Lake & Lake Louise Sunrise Tour

It's an early rise today as we have included a sunrise tour of Moraine Lake and Lake Louise.

On this small group experience, you'll have exclusive access to Moraine Lake, now closed to public vehicle access, where your expert local guide will show you to the best locations to watch the sunrise hit the glaciers above The Valley of the Ten Peaks and the stunning Moraine Lake. Sip on a hot chocolate, coffee or tea as you eagerly await the sunrise under a blanket (all complimentary), and utilize your expert local guides' photography skills & knowledge to fine-tune your camera settings for an amazing sunrise photoshoot. Then, explore the trails of Moraine Lake before all the big buses arrive. Travel through backroads where bears, moose, and elk can often be seen starting their day, on the way to Lake Louise Village where a delicious hot coffee breakfast awaits. After fuelling up for the day, you'll make your way to Lake Louise, well before the buses arrive to enjoy what remains of the early tranquility and witness the lake at its calmest, resulting in perfect mirror images of Victoria Glacier and the Rockies reflecting back at you across the neon blue waters. Highlights: sunrise access to Moraine Lake before big tour buses arrive; hot cafe breakfast included; best time of day for wildlife spotting; expert local guide shares stories and photo tips

This tour is available from June to September, alternative tour is Mountain, Lakes & Waterfalls. 

Day 3 - Discover Banff and Its Widlife & Gondola

This small group tour is the perfect introduction to Banff and includes some of Banff's most scenic and historically significant highlights such as the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Bow Falls, Surprise Corner Lookout, and Banff's largest lake, Lake Minnewanka. Plus, enjoy hot chocolate or fresh water (depending on the time of year) and maple cookies at one of the scenic stops. You'll then be transported to the base of Sulphur Mountain and ride the Banff Gondola to the top at 7,486 feet. At the summit, marvel at the unsurpassed view of Banff, the Bow Valley and a 360-degree view of six scenic mountain ranges. You'll feel like you're on top of the world when you are standing on the spacious main level observation deck. After your download on the Banff Gondola, the guide will transport you back to your Banff hotel. It's a great tour for seeing wildlife, so don't forget your camera!

Day 4 - Banff to Jasper

Today you travel to Jasper on our "scenic transfer" 

This morning you will depart Banff and drive through the "heart" of the Canadian Rockies to Jasper along the world-famous Icefields Parkway. Rushing waterfalls, crystal-clear rivers, emerald lakes, alpine meadows and snow-capped peaks create an ever-changing montage of mountain wilderness. The entire day is spent in the majesty of Canada's two most famous National Parks, Banff and Jasper. Stops will be made at Crowfoot Glacier, Bow Lake, and the Weeping Wall before arriving at the Athabasca Glacier and Columbia Icefield to visit the chalet and allow time to enjoy the Ice Explorer ride on the Glacier and Glacier Skywalk. From the Chalet the parkway descends Tangle Ridge and follows the Athabasca River, which begins as melt water from the Athabasca Glacier. We then stop at the Athabasca Falls, where the boiling waters of the river plunge into a chasm gouged out of the valley floor. Your exciting day ends in the quaint townsite of Jasper.

Highlights: - A boxed lunch is included - Glacier Adventure Package (Ice Explorer & Glacier Skywalk) admissions are included

Day 5 - Maligne Lake & Guided Walk

This introduction to Jasper begins with a short tour of the town before heading across the Athabasca River to Maligne Lake. A century after Mary Schaeffer's remarkable adventure, come discover the world-renowned Maligne Lake for yourself! A stop at Maligne Canyon offers staggering views of the river thundering through a series of magnificent waterfalls in a gorge 10,000 years in the making. Farther up the valley, stop to solve the mystery of "disappearing" Medicine Lake. Next we'll carry on to the pinnacle of our tour, breathtaking Maligne Lake! Enjoy a gentle guided walk along the shores of this pristine lake before heading back to Jasper.

Day 6 - Discover Jasper & it's Wildlife

As you travel through Jasper and the surrounding area in one of our comfortable sightseeing vehicles, not only will you be amazed at some of the beautiful scenery on this journey, you will also learn about the ways the wildlife in the area contribute to the rich diversity of the National Park. The knowledgeable guides are trained to seek out all of the park's most iconic creatures. Big or small, Jasper National Park provides a great opportunity to view animals in their natural habitat. Have your camera ready to capture some amazing photos of the highlights of this informative and entertaining "Discovery Tour".

Day 7 - VIA Rail Jasper to Vancouver

This morning, board VIA Rail's "Canadian" train for the journey from Jasper to Vancouver. Using the original steel railcars from the 1950s, sit back and relax in the dome car to enjoy a dramatic change in scenery as you travel the "Yellowhead" route past the sprawling grandeur of Mount Robson. Watch the landscape transition from mountains to desert as you follow the Thompson River into central British Columbia. Brunch and dinner is included onboard VIA Rail, and your private quarters will be transformed into a bedroom for the overnight journey.  

By day, rest comfortably in an armchair while enjoying the spectacular views of the landscape rolling by. Each spacious cabin has private toilet facilities, a sink, a mirror, razor outlet, small closet, large window with blind and locking door. A shower, just a few steps away from the bedrooms and berths, is reserved for sleeper plus class passengers. Complimentary shower towels and an amenity bag for body care articles are provided. At night, your armchair will be converted into a cozy bed equipped with a reading light. Pillows, sheets and blankets are provided.  

Inclusions: All meals and non-alcoholic beverages included in the dining car. Complimentary coffee, tea, fruit and cookies in the lounge cars.

Day 8 - Vancouver

Arrive into the viberant city of Vancouver the following morning. Transfer to your downtown hotel spending the rest of your day at lesuire. We have included a pass for the Hop on Hop off Bus to allow you explore Vancouver at your own pace. 

Day 9 - Gastronomic Gastown Food Tour

Vancouver's most-historic neighbourhood, Gastown, is a charming maze of cobblestone streets, Victorian architecture, local boutiques, and legendary eating and drinking establishments. It's a magnificent juxtaposition of old and new; Indigenous art and modern galleries are side-by-side, while ambitious restauranteurs thrive alongside Vancouver classics. The tour demystifies Gastown's cobblestone maze of restaurants, boutiques, and cocktail bars, to reveal what locals love about the neighbourhood. From Pork Belly Crackling, to Vancouver?s best pizza, wicked desserts and more, guests will have an indulgent exploration through Gastown, just like the locals love to do! From savoury to sweet, this is an all-inclusive, historic tour with a progressive meal at 4 of Gastown's best restaurants. It's history, food, and a whole lot of Vancouver character! Highlights: experience legendary tastes in Vancouver's #1 Foodie neighbourhood; indulge in Canadian comfort food, creative dishes, and delicious beverages; discover Vancouver's history, iconic architecture, and evolution of the area.  

Day 10 - Alaska Cruise

Today transfer to Canada Place to board your awe-inspiring Holland America Alaska Cruise. 

Day 11 - Cruise the Inside Passage

Today cruise one of the most scenic sea-lanes in the world - the Inside Passage - where ships can sail close to steep mountain walls, giving magnificent views of the unbelievable scenery from forests to evocative towns.

Day 12 - Tracy Arm/Juneau

The narrow Tracy Arm Fjord twists is way through the Tongass National Forest, surrounded by 300 foot high granite walls! The melting snow-caps create waterfalls which dot the shoreline, along with trees growing at odd angles from the rocky outcroppings. Catch a glimpse of the varied wildlife that make their home in and around the fjord’s icy waters, including black & brown bears, wolves, deer, moose, seals and whales At the end of the Fjord, view the dramatic Sawyer glaciers which are framed by the mountains. Juneau, the capital of Alaska, has an air of mystique – a town you cannot reach by road, you need to fly or come by sea! Juneau delights with an abundance of water, forests and mountains. Situated between the Coast Mountains and the Gastineau Channel, Juneau offers a lot of variety, with the immense Mendenhall Glacier and the Juneau Icefields at its back door and the Tongass National Forest stretching out to the northeast. Juneau offers a variety of activities from shopping downtown to dog-sledging, hiking, whale-watching and so much more.

Day 13 - Skagway, Alaska

Skagway was the gateway to the Klondike gold rush in 1898 and the glory days still resound through the town. Stroll through Skagway and browse the restored buildings and wooden boardwalks at the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park or take a ride on the White Pass & Yukon narrow-gauge railway and finish up in the Red Onion Saloon!

Day 14 - Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska (Cruising)

Glacier Bay National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that protects a unique ecosystem of plants and animals living in concert with an ever-changing glacial landscape. It has more actively calving tidewater glaciers than any place else in the world. Watch as monumental chunks of ice split off a glacier and thunder into the sea - the impact sending water hundreds of feet into the air. Hold your breath, catch the moment on film. Then wait for it all to happen again. As it always does.

Day 15 - Ketchikan

With shops and houses built out over the water, Ketchikan clings to the shoreline of the Tongass Narrows. The stairways are weathered and the vibe is cheerful in the town that calls itself the Salmon Capital of the World. Besides the main attractions – Creek Street, the Tongass Historical Museum, Totem Bight State Park and Saxman Village – try a flight sightseeing trip to Misty Fjords National Monument. These deepwater fjords were gouged out by retreating glaciers, leaving granite cliffs towering thousands of feet above the sea and countless waterfalls plunging into placid waters.

Day 16 - Inside Passage

Cruise back along the Inside Passage and take in the breath-taking wilderness coastline, with snow capped mountain peaks, glaciers, and rain forests. You may see whales, eagles, sea lions, sea otters, and mountain sheep.

Day 17 - Fly Vancouver to UK

This morning disembark off your cruise and transfer to Vancouver Airport for your flight home.