VANCOUVER
Hotel Blue Horizon (3-star), 3 nights room only.
Located on Vancouver’s famous Robson Street, this contemporary hotel offers great views of English Bay and the city. Facilities include a restaurant, cafe, pool and fitness centre. Guest rooms have TV, coffee maker and hairdrier.
WHISTLER
Delta Whistler Suites (4-star), 1 night room only.
At this excellent hotel you will find two restaurants, a bar and a health club with indoor and outdoor pools, hot tubs, sauna and steam rooms. Guest suites feature fullyequipped kitchen, fireplace and TV.
QUESNEL
Best Western Tower Inn (RedLeaf) or Sandman Hotel (goldLeaf), 1 night room only.
The conveniently located Best Western Tower Inn has a bar and bistro. Guest rooms feature air-conditioning, refrigerator, hairdrier and complimentary hot drinks. The Sandman Hotel offers a Denny’s Restaurant, the Shark Club Bar & Grill, indoor pool and comfortable guest rooms with complimentary coffee and tea.
JASPER
Amethyst Lodge (3-star), 2 nights room only.
The Amethyst Lodge has comfortable guest rooms, a restaurant, plus a pool or hot tubs. BANFF Rundlestone Lodge (4-star), 3 nights room only. This wonderful mountain lodge is just a short distance from town and offers a restaurant, swimming pool and whirlpool, as well as spacious rooms with TV and coffeemaker.
Trains
WHISTLER MOUNTAINEER – Vancouver to Whistler
Our Coast Classic seats feature large picture windows, access to the open-air observation car, breakfast served at your seat and on-board commentary. If you choose to upgrade to Glacier Dome seats you have the added benefit of panoramic views from the dome windows.
ROCKY MOUNTAINEER – Whistler to Quesnel & Quesnel to Jasper
Enjoy Redleaf Red service with assigned seating and meals served at your seat; continental breakfast, lunch, snacks and non-alcoholic beverages are included, and alcohol may be purchased on board.
DAY 1 Jersey/Vancouver
We fly via London to Vancouver and transfer into the city to the centrally located Hotel Blue Horizon, our base for the first three nights.
DAY 2 Vancouver
Take in the sights this morning on our included city tour. We see exotic Chinatown, renowned for its cuisine; historic Gastown, an atmospheric area of cobbled streets, named after a garrulous Englishman known as ‘Gassy’ Jack; and Stanley Gardens, where wonderful totem poles, well-tended lawns and beautiful flowers provide a peaceful oasis in the midst of the city. Explore this afternoon or join our optional excursion to the North Shore. See the dramatic suspension bridge spanning the Capilano Canyon and ride the aerial tramway to the summit of Grouse Mountain for magnificent views of the city, the ocean and the surrounding peaks.
DAY 3 Victoria
Cross the straights of Georgia this morning on our optional excursion to Vancouver Island and Victoria, the region’s capital. This charming city has a distinctly British atmosphere. We stroll through the Butchart Gardens, 50 breathtaking acres of rose, Japanese and Italian gardens; experience the colonial splendour of the Empress Hotel with its huge lobbiesand palatial lounges; and visit the famous Parliament Buildings, completed in 1897 in time for Queen Victoria’s jubilee.
DAY 4 Whistler Mountaineer
Today we board the Whistler Mountaineer train for a spectacular three-hour journey from Vancouver to Whistler, one of Canada’s most beautiful mountain resorts and host to the 2010 Winter Olympics. Take in the wonderful views over the city and Stanley Park as we leave Vancouver and travel along the shores of Howe Sound. The Coast Mountains are magnificent, with soaring peaks and cascading waterfalls. We spend the afternoon in Whistler and overnight at the Delta Whistler Suites.
DAY 5 Rocky Mountaineer to Quesnel
We head for the heart of the Gold Rush towns on a magnificent journey aboard the Rocky Mountaineer train from Whistler to Quesnel. We follow the length of the mighty Fraser River, along the Anderson and Seton lakeshores, through the Fraser Canyon and the vast ranchlands of the Cariboo Plateau. Discover the gold mining heritage of the region in Quesnel, where we stay overnight.
DAY 6 Rocky Mountaineer to Jasper
Reboard the train this morning for another thrilling day taking us through the spectacular Rocky Mountain Trench.This is where the Rocky Mountains rise steeply to the north and the Cariboo Mountains soar to the south. We pass Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Rockies and journey to Jasper, a friendly town at the foot of Whistler Mountain. We spend two nights in the Amethyst Lodge.
DAY 7 Jasper National Park
The scenery of Jasper National Park epitomises every visitor’s image of the Rockies. Take in the jewel-like Pyramid and Patricia Lakes and the deep limestone gorge of Maligne Canyon on this morning’s included tour, before a free afternoon to explore at your leisure. Perhaps take a ride on the Jasper Sky Tram to the summit of Whistler Mountain for stupendous views; or an exhilarating float trip along the Athabasca River.
DAY 8 Icefields Parkway to Banff
An unforgettable day is in store as we travel along one of the most visually dramatic highways in the world, Icefields Parkway, passing through some of the country’s highest mountain peaks. We skirt the vast glaciers of the Columbia Icefields and the fast-flowing Sunwapta River, and if we’re lucky we might even catch sight of a moose or grizzly bear. We’ll have the opportunity of an optional snocoach ride over the Athabasca Glacier before arriving in Banff for a three-night stay.
DAY 9 Banff National Park
Jagged snow-capped mountains, rushing rivers, dense forests and hot mineral springs are all waiting to be discovered in Canada’s oldest national park. We spend the morning sightseeing in the town and the park followed by a free afternoon. Perhaps take a gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain to admire the views over Sundance Valley.
DAY
10 Lake Louise & Yoho National Park
You won’t want to miss today’s full-day optional excursion taking us to the incomparably beautiful Lake Louise. Set in a small glacial valley, its sapphire waters reflect the surrounding forests and mountains, creating one of the Rockies’ most magical vistas. We also take in the awesome grandeur of Yoho National Park and the amazing spiral tunnels, built to solve the problems of runaway trains and disastrous crashes on the transcontinental train line at the end of the 19th century.
DAYS 11 & 12 Banff/Jersey
We transfer to Calgary airport for the homeward flight via London to Jersey.