MAJESTIC ROCKIES 11 Day Tour from Vancouver to Calgary
MAJESTIC ROCKIES 11 Day Tour from Vancouver to Calgary.
2018 Tour Details
The Canadian Rockies—a land of majestic mountain scenery, fascinating wildlife, sparkling glaciers, crystal-clear lakes, and interesting towns. If you want to see breathtaking scenery and jagged mountain peaks, this Canadian Rockies tour is for you. Spend time in Vancouver, Victoria, Whistler, Sun Peaks, Jasper National Park, and Banff National Park. A tour highlight is the Ice Explorer ride on the 1,200-foot-thick Columbia Icefield. It is one of the few places where you can actually ride on an icefield. You’ll also enjoy unsurpassed scenery on the drive between Jasper National Park and Banff National Park. As you parallel the Great Divide, keep an eye out for alpine meadows, waterfalls, massive glaciers, and wildlife, including big horn sheep and elk. Other tour highlights include a stop at gorgeous Lake Louise and a cruise on Maligne Lake, one of the most picturesque spots in the Canadian Rockies with the beautiful lake and towering peaks.
On this Canadian Rockies tour, Globus has included some out-of-the-ordinary adventures to make your vacation unique. After your ferry ride from Vancouver to Victoria, visit Butchart Gardens, where you’ll admire the floral displays on 55 acres and enjoy dinner at the original Butchart family residence. Globus has also arranged a special private breakfast at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler, where you’ll learn about the First Nations people.
You’ll have leisure time in the towns to explore on your own or to participate in optional activities. Sample the cuisine offered in the towns, take a scenic walk, relax, and enjoy peace and quiet while surrounded by awe-inspiring scenery. Words and photos cannot adequately capture the beauty of this area. You must witness it in person, and this tour offers the opportunity to sit back and take it all in while Globus handles all the details.
Itinerary
Day 1: DESTINATIONS & SIGHTSEEING
DESTINATIONS & SIGHTSEEING
VANCOUVER
Sightseeing
VICTORIA
Orientation tour; dinner at Butchart Gardens
WHISTLER
Visit Shannon Falls; breakfast at Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre
JASPER NATIONAL PARK Sightseeing; cruise Maligne Lake
COLUMBIA ICEFIELD
Ice Explorer ride on the Columbia Icefield
BANFF NATIONAL PARK
Gondola ride up Banff’s Sulphur Mountain with breakfast; sightseeing; farewell dinner
Notes:
- The Canadian Rockies are blessed with stunning scenery and extraordinary outdoor attractions. Visiting and participating in activities in these locations is subject to favorable weather conditions.
The following UNESCO World Heritage Sites can be seen or visited on this vacation:
- Banff National Park
- Jasper National Park
Transportation:
Free Wi-Fi available on your motorcoach and in most hotels.
MEALS
Breakfast daily, 3 three-course dinners including a farewell dinner in Banff
ITINERARY
Inside visits and special features are shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description, including admission charges where applicable.
DAY 1 ARRIVE IN VANCOUVER, BC
Welcome to Vancouver, your gateway to the Canadian Rockies! At 6 pm, meet your traveling companions for a welcome drink. Your Tour Director will prepare you for your upcoming adventure.
DAY 2 VANCOUVER–VICTORIA
This morning, tour Vancouver, including the waterfront, Chinatown, and Stanley Park with its old-growth evergreen forests and totem poles. Catch the FERRY over to Vancouver Island and Victoria. Visit world-famous
BUTCHART GARDENS, followed by a special dinner in the original Butchart family residence. See major attractions on your city orientation tour including the Fairmont Empress Hotel, Bastion Square, and Thunderbird Park.
Breakfast
Dinner
DAY 3 VICTORIA
The day is free to explore on your own; your Tour Director suggests an optional marine wildlife and whale-watching trip. Shoppers will love Government Street’s elegant shops and Market Square’s specialty stores, while history buffs should be sure to visit the Royal British Columbia Museum.
Breakfast
DAY 4 VICTORIA–WHISTLER
Today, board a BC FERRY and cross the Strait of Georgia and cruise through the spectacular Gulf Islands, an archipelago known for its Mediterranean-type climate. Stop at SHANNON FALLS, where a boardwalk leads to a viewing platform near the base of the roaring falls. On to the alpine resort of Whistler at the base of breathtaking Blackcomb Mountain. Time to explore the 2010 Winter Olympics’ sites.
Breakfast
DAY 5 WHISTLER
Today is free to explore all that Whistler has to offer. You might enjoy a trip on Whistler’s Peak2Peak Gondola, connecting Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains. Enjoy spectacular scenery and incredible photo opportunities as you travel via the longest unsupported gondola span in the world. Other options include a walk in the tree tops, a sightseeing excursion by air, shopping in the village, or just relaxing at your resort.
Breakfast
DAY 6 WHISTLER–SUN PEAKS
This morning, enjoy a visit and private breakfast at the SQUAMISH LIL’WAT CULTURAL CENTRE, dedicated to the history and culture of the First Nations people. Then, journey north through the heart of the magnificent Cariboo region. Spectacular scenery abounds as you pass by rolling hills, deeply incised rivers, and sparkling lakes. Afternoon arrival in Sun Peaks with the balance of the day at leisure. You may take advantage of an optional canoe trip on Lake McGillivray, where, surrounded by beautiful scenery, you learn about Canada’s fur trade.
NOTE:
Operation of the canoe trip is subject to favorable weather conditions.
Breakfast
DAY 7 SUN PEAKS–JASPER
Continue north, following Yellowhead Highway and hugging the mighty North Thompson River, into the province of Alberta. See the base of 12,972-foot Mount Robson (the highest point in the Canadian Rockies) before entering JASPER NATIONAL PARK. Marvel at the precipitous gorges, snowcapped summits, and lakes of exquisite blues and greens in this wild mountain wilderness. Before arriving at your hotel, perhaps take an optional float trip down the historic Athabasca River, where your experienced guide will navigate as you absorb the splendor of Jasper National Park.
Breakfast
Dinner
DAY 8 JASPER. EXCURSION TO MALIGNE LAKE
Enjoy a 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.
Breakfast
DAY 9 JASPER–COLUMBIA ICEFIELD–LAKE LOUISE–BANFF
This morning, travel through Jasper National Park on Icefields Parkway to the 1,200-foot-thick Columbia Icefield for a thrilling ICE EXPLORER RIDE. Climb Sunwapta Pass to savor stunning vistas of alpine meadows, waterfalls, and massive glaciers, then scale Bow Pass with splendid views of Peyto Lake. Next, stop at Lake Louise, whose green-blue waters form a perfect mirror reflection of Mount Victoria. Continue into BANFF NATIONAL PARK.
Breakfast
DAY 10 BANFF
Breakfast this morning is served on top of Sulphur Mountain. Take a scenic ride on the BANFF GONDOLA to the top of the mountain and then enjoy spectacular views of the valley below as you savor a flavorful meal. Additional sightseeing in Banff includes a visit to Bow Falls and the Hoodoos. The balance of the day is at leisure. Consider an optional flightseeing trip for a bird’s-eye view of the Rockies. This evening, join your Tour Director for a farewell dinner.
Breakfast
Dinner
DAY 11 BANFF–CALGARY
Depart Banff for Calgary International Airport. Airport transfers are provided. Please schedule flights after Noon.
Breakfast
