Best of Canadas West - About this Tour

Tour Details | Departure Dates and Pricing

Details

• Duration (with arrival/departure): 11
• Tour Style: Discovery Tours
• Destinations: Vancouver, Kamloops, Jasper, Banff, Lake Louise, Kelowna, Whistler, Victoria, Butchart Gardens

Itinerary

• Day 1- Arrive Vancouver Welcome to Vancouver! A complimentary transfer is provided to the Trafalgar hotel. Your Tour Director is at the hotel this afternoon to greet you and answer your questions. Join us at 6:00pm for a Welcome Reception at the hotel. 
  
  Hotel: Georgian Court Hotel



• Day 2 - Vancouver – Strait of Georgia – Victoria (2 nights) Our tour of Vancouver takes us to Stanley Park to view the famous totem poles, beautiful English Bay, Chinatown and historic Gastown with its charming cobbled streets. We then cross the Strait of Georgia by ferry to Vancouver Island and the quaint and very British city of Victoria for a two-night stay. Our orientation tour introduces us to Bastion Square, the Inner Harbour and the ornate Parliament Buildings. This evening, dinner is served at a local restaurant. (Full Breakfast, Highlight Dinner)
  
  Hotel: Laurel Point Inn (2 nights)



• Day 3 - Victoria sightseeing & at leisure We start the day with breakfast at the world-famous Butchart Gardens. We are joined by a horticulturist and learn about the garden's history and plant species. Later, there is time to explore this 55-acre showcase of extraordinary floral displays. The rest of the day is at leisure for optional activities. (Highlight Breakfast)



• Day 4 - Victoria – Sea to Sky Highway – Whistler We travel north to Chemainus, a seaside town known for its beautiful murals. Later, we journey across the Strait of Georgia and along the scenic Sea-to-Sky Highway. We stop at 337-meters Shannon Falls before arriving at Whistler for a guided walking tour of the village. (Full breakfast)
  
  Hotel: Delta Whistler Village Suites



• Day 5 - Whistler – Kamloops Climbing over the Coast Mountains, we journey along the picturesque Duffy Lake Road, often referred to as "one of the best drives in Canada." We then descend into the great Fraser River Canyon and cross BC's interior to arrive at the logging town of Kamloops. After dinner at a local restaurant, we are taken on an exclusive, after-hours guided visit to the Secwepemc Museum, and learn about the First Nations peoples of Canada. We then join an Aboriginal guide for a tour of Heritage Park and enjoy demonstrations of native dances and storytelling. (Full Breakfast, Highlight Dinner)
  
  Hotel: Four Points by Sheraton



• Day 6 - Kamloops – Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks – Banff (2 nights) Today we head for the great Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks. Weather permitting, we enjoy a walk through Giant Cedars, a beautiful temperate rainforest, before climbing over Rogers Pass inside Glacier National Park. We then cross the Columbia River and enter Yoho National Park, where we view Natural Bridge and Spiral Tunnels. Crossing the Continental Divide, we enter Banff National Park, Canada’s oldest national park. We arrive at the quintessential alpine resort of Banff, our home for the next two nights. (Full Breakfast, Dinner)
  
  Hotel: Delta Banff Royal Canadian Lodge (2 nights)



• Day 7- Banff sightseeing & at leisure Our sightseeing tour of Banff features the classic viewpoint of Surprise Corner along Tunnel Mountain Drive, Bow Falls and the wind-shaped rock formations known as hoodoos overlooking Bow Valley. We then board the Banff Gondola for a ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain. Experience a bird's eye view of six mountain ranges from the upper terminal. The afternoon is at leisure. Why not enjoy an optional float trip on the Bow River, a helicopter flightseeing over the Rockies, or a bit of Canadian fun at an excellent dinner theatre show? (Full Breakfast)
  
  



• Day 8 - Banff – Lake Louise – Icefields Parkway – Jasper National Park (2 nights) This morning, we are taken on an interpretive walk along the shores of Lake Louise. Learn about the wildlife, nature and history of the area, and soak in the stunning landscape combining azure glacial waters with deep green forests, jagged snow-capped peaks and the mighty Victoria Glacier. We then head north along the stunning Icefields Parkway, driving beneath snow-capped peaks, thundering waterfalls and glistening glaciers. Keep an eye out for wildlife including elk, black bears and mountain goats. Take the trip of a lifetime aboard an Ice Explorer as we journey onto the massive Athabasca Glacier. We end the day in the heart of Jasper National Park, our home for the next two nights. After dinner tonight, learn about Rocky Mountain wildlife at a fun and informative presentation by a local expert. (Full Breakfast, Dinner)
  
  Hotel: Chateau Jasper (2 nights)



• Day 9 - Jasper National Park sightseeing & at leisure This morning enjoy an interpretive walk at Maligne Canyon, one of the most beautiful gorges in the Rockies. Learn about the underground river system as we wander along the canyon's trail, past beautiful waterfalls and spectacular rock formations. The rest of the day is at leisure. Stroll the township of Jasper or join us on an optional guided glacier hike to Mount Edith Cavell, or a relaxing cruise on beautiful Maligne Lake. (Full breakfast)



• Day 10 - Jasper – Mount Robson – Lac Le Jeune This morning we head west over Yellowhead Pass and arrive at Mount Robson, the Rockies' tallest peak at 3,954m. We then follow the Thompson River as it winds its way down through the Columbia Mountains. We arrive at our resort, beautifully located on the shores of Lac Le Jeune. Here, we join a local expert on a nature walk to the beaver dam at the end of the lake, and learn about the resident beaver colony. This evening, join us for a hearty farewell dinner party. (Full Breakfast, Dinner)
  
  Hotel: Lac Le Jeune Resort



• Day 11- Lac Le Jeune – Depart Vancouver Today we head south over the Cascade Mountains and Coquihalla Pass, back to the Fraser Valley and Vancouver. Our 11-Day Tour Members leave the tour today. Complimentary transfers to Vancouver International Airport and the Trafalgar hotel in Vancouver are provided (Full Breakfast)
  
  Please do not schedule any flights before 6.00pm


Arrive VancouverVancouver – Strait of Georgia – Victoria Victoria sightseeing & at leisureVictoria – Sea to Sky Highway – WhistlerWhistler – KamloopsKamloops – Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks – Banff Banff sightseeing & at leisureBanff – Lake Louise – Icefields Parkway – Jasper National Park Jasper National Park sightseeing & at leisureJasper – Mount Robson – Lac Le JeuneLac Le Jeune – Depart Vancouver

Whats Included

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Sightseeing Highlights

• Vancouver Sightseeing tour
• Strait of Georgia Enjoy a ferry crossing through the Strait of Georgia.
• Victoria Sightseeing tour
• Butchart Gardens Breakfast & sightseeing
• Whistler Walking tour Secwepemc Museum & Heritage Park
• Lake Louise Interpretive walk
• Columbia Icefield Ice Explorer ride
• Banff National Park Scenic gondola ride
• Canada's National Parks Banff, Mount Revelstoke, Glacier, Yoho, & Jasper National Parks
• Maligne Canyon Interpretive walk
• Lac Le Jeune Guided nature walk

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Dining Highlights

• Welcome Reception hosted by your Tour Director
• 9 Full Breakfasts
• 3 three-course dinners in hotels.
• 2 specialty dinner at local restaurants in Victoria and Kamloops
• 1 specialty breakfast at Butchart Gardens in Victoria.
15 included meals in total (see day by day itinerary)

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First Class Travel Highlights

• The services of one of Trafalgar's professional Tour Directors on tour
• Complimentary transfers on Day 1 from Vancouver International Airport to the Trafalgar hotel in Vancouver and on Day 11 from Lac Le Jeune to Vancouver International Airport and the Trafalgar hotel in Vancouver.
• Travel on Tragalgar's luxury air-conditioned motorcoaches with reclining seats and restroom facilities.
• You'll stay in twin-bedded rooms with private facilities.
• All hotel service charges, baggage handling fees (one suitcase per person) and local taxes.
• A stylish travel bag and wallet containing tour documents and helpful information.

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Optional 7-night Inside Passage Cruise
Why not extend your vacation with a 7-night Alaskan Inside Passage Cruise? Contact Trafalgar or your Travel Agent for further details.

Options

Child Prices: Apply to children 11 years of age and under.