Welcome to Canada!
Vast plains sweep from the nearby mountains to the city of Calgary, where your journey begins. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel and check-in for an orientation briefing in the lobby with your guide, anytime between 4–8pm. You’ll also be provided with your Calgary Stampede tickets and welcome gifts at ths time.
Take the rest of your day at leisure.
Arrival & Transfers:
Please book your flights to arrive at Calgary International Airport (YYC) by 6pm. Airport transfers are included on the first day of your tour. Your transfer will meet you on arrival and take you to your hotel. Check-in on Day 1 is at 3pm.
Saddle up! After a leisurely morning in the city, the excitement begins in the afternoon. Known as ‘The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth’, the Calgary Stampede has been a staple of Canadian culture since 1912. Don your included Stampede cowboy hat and head to the Stampede Grounds, where the sounds of hooves pounding and crowds cheering echo through the air at the 1.30pm show.
Prepare for a heart-pounding three hours of world-class rodeo action, featuring six major events: bareback riding, barrel racing, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping and the ultimate adrenaline rush – bull riding. Witness the sheer strength and skill of wranglers as they compete in these traditional events. Spend the afternoon soaking in the spirit of Canada’s wild west, before enjoying a restful evening, gearing up for second day of excitement tomorrow.
With your morning and afternoon at leisure, take full advantage of the activities on offer at the Stampede showgrounds. Learn about Calgary’s rich history with cultural exhibits, join the crowds to watch some live music and get a glimpse of Calgary’s ranching scene at agricultural shows. If you prefer a slower pace, stroll around the city and see the iconic Calgary Tower, the bustling downtown area, the scenic Bow River pathways and vibrant neighbourhoods like Kensington and Inglewood.
Then, prepare for an adrenaline-fueled evening as the Calgary Stampede presents its thrilling Rangeland Derby. From 7.45pm, take in all nine heart-stopping chuckwagon races. This intense competition, a true test of nerves and horsepower, sees teams of horses and drivers clear courses while sprinting toward the finish line, igniting the crowd of thousands with every thundering lap.
Following the races, the evening continues with the Grandstand Show – a two-hour outdoor stage spectacular. Prepare to be dazzled by this lavishly produced and impressively choreographed musical variety show, featuring an array of talents. From heartwarming musical numbers to breathtaking acrobatics, the Grandstand Show caps off an unforgettable day at the Calgary Stampede.
Leave the city behind, as you board your touring vehicle and drive west on the Trans-Canada Highway into rolling foothills. As you approach Banff National Park, the majestic peaks of the Canadian Rockies begin to dominate the horizon, creating a breathtaking panorama.
Upon arrival in Banff, your driver will guide you along the lively main drag, lined with charming shops, inviting cafes, and a lively energy. Settle in your hotel – the afternoon is yours to explore the resort town at leisure. Whether you choose to stroll down picturesque Banff Avenue, take a relaxing soak in Banff Upper Hot Springs or try for light hike on the nearby trails, you’re guaranteed stunning mountain views in all directions.
Travel time: Driving – approx. two hours
Start your day with touring of Banff’s most scenic and historically significant highlights, including the palatial Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, roaring Bow Falls, Surprise Corner Lookout and tranquil Lake Minnewanka, Banff’s largest lake. You’ll then head to the base of Sulphur Mountain for a ride on the Banff Gondola. Ascend to the summit at over 2,200 metres – your reward is an unparalleled view of Banff, Bow Valley and a 360-degree vista of six scenic mountain ranges.
This evening return to Banff National Park, where much of the park’s wildlife becomes active in the cooler hours around sunset. Led by a knowledgeable guide, this wilderness safari takes you to spots where sightings of elk, bighorn sheep and even grizzly bears are most common. Learn about the park’s efforts to protect these animals and their habitats from various threats. With a 95% success rate in wildlife sightings, you’re bound to see some of these creatures up close.
Today, journey to the awe-inspiring Columbia Icefield, a must-see for anyone visiting the Canadian Rockies. Watch as the alpine landscape becomes more rugged on your ascent to the icey expanse. Covering 325 square metres, it is one of the largest icefields in North America, straddling the border between British Columbia and Alberta. The icefield comprises several glaciers, including the Athabasca Glacier, one of the most accessible to humans in the world.
Rug up as you take this unique opportunity to walk atop the ancient ice-mass. After, continue to the Glacier Skywalk, a glass-floored observation platform suspended 280 metres above the Sunwapta Valley and providing breathtaking views across the glacier’s sheer magnitude.
In the evening, return to Banff, reflecting on the day’s extraordinary encounters with one of nature’s most impressive landscapes.
Travel time: Driving – approx. six hours
Checkout of your Banff accommodation and head to Lake Louise. Nestled between soaring peaks and the magnificent Victoria Glacier, the turquoise waters of this glacier-fed lake offer a painterly image of the quintessential Canadian landscape. Check-in at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, a world-renowned hotel offering views across the water and access to its nearby resort facilities.
You’ll have the afternoon to spend at leisure – perhaps indulge in a spa treatment or sit for high tea looking out on the lake (both at own expense). In the evening, join your fellow travellers for a luxurious three-course dinner at the hotel.
Travel time: Driving – approx. one hour
Bright and early this morning, board the Rocky Mountaineer for a scenic rail journey across Western Canada. Recline before the panoramic picture windows of your coach and savour both a gourmet breakfast and lunch on board while expansive views of evergreen forests and jagged, snow-capped peaks zip past.
Over the next two days, the winding tracks of this historic railway will carry you through Canada’s untamed wilderness, traversing the Continental Divide on the way to Vancouver. Travel from the glaciated Canadian Rockies and ranchlands of the Interior, passing the Spiral Tunnels, Kicking Horse Canyon and expansive Rogers Pass, as well as Craigellachie, where the last spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway was set.
This evening, check-in at your Kamloops accommodation and spend some time admiring this riverside hub, known for outdoor adventure.
GoldLeaf Upgrade: Select the Superior Upgrade at checkout to experience GoldLeaf Service aboard the Rocky Mountaineer. Enjoy panoramic views from a stunning bi-level glass-dome coach, take in even more details on an exclusive viewing platform, then sit down for gourmet meals in style in your carriage’s white-cloth dining section as you traverse a landscape of peerless grandeur.
Join the Rocky Mountaineer for one more day of humbling natural scenery. Depart British Columbia’s Interior and follow the Thompson and Fraser Rivers on your continued journey.
From the arid Interior, through winding river canyons and pristine forests, and on to the Cascade Mountains and lush green fields of Fraser Valley, today’s scenery is a dramatic display of the country’s natural diversity. Watch for steep slopes along the Thompson River and the rushing waters of Hell’s Gate in Fraser Canyon.
Once you reach the coast, your local driver will transfer you to your hotel for check-in.
On your final day in Western Canada, embark on a morning sightseeing tour of Vancouver’s most iconic attractions. Begin with a visit to Stanley Park to admire the impressive collection of totem poles and take in the view from the Lions Gate Suspension Bridge.
Continue to Gastown, Vancouver’s historic heart with cobblestone streets and the famous steam clock. Next, explore Chinatown and head to Canada Place, an architectural landmark and hub of activity along the waterfront. Finally, stroll down Robson Street, known for its trendy shops, cafes, and lively energy.
At the conclusion of your tour, transfer to Canada Place Cruise Ship Terminal to board Holland America Line’s Koningsdam for your Alaskan voyage. Your ship sails at 4pm, so be sure to arrive in time for embarkation; boarding times will be provided ahead of your departure date.
Today, you’ll pass through the Inside Passage, a protected network of waterways that wind through glacier-cut fjords and lush temperate rain forests along the rugged coast of Southeast Alaska. Arguably one of the greatest cruising routes in the world, the Inside Passage stretches through stunning landscapes, from Misty Fjords National Monument to the famed Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.
Sailing the Inside Passage offers opportunities to spot some of Alaska’s most iconic wildlife, with humpback whales and orcas plying the bountiful waters alongside the ships, bald eagles soaring overhead and brown bears lumbering on the shoreline.
Today, a brief service stop will enable you to admire the beauty of Tracy Arm Inlet. Steep cliffs and glacier-covered mountains flank this fjord, fringed by the largest intact temperate coastal rainforest in the United States.
Next, arrive in Juneau at 1pm, with time to enjoy this most remote, beautiful and strange state capital until 10pm. Surrounded by water, forest and mountains, in Juneau you can hike a glacier, eat freshly caught fish on a seaside patio and tour a capitol building all in one day. Of course, the real highlight of any visit to Juneau is the plentiful opportunities for spotting wildlife. Hike up Mount Roberts and you may just chance upon wild deer and bald eagles.
Arrive into Skagway at 7am, with a full day to discover this port town before your 8pm departure. At the height of the Klondike Gold Rush, this port town served as the primary gateway to legendary goldfields and quickly grew into Alaska’s largest settlement – a raucous frontier hub packed with trading posts, saloons and guesthouses.
As the gold rush faded in the 1900s, so did Skagway, but today it has been reinvigorated as a gateway for a new kind of visitor: those looking to explore Alaska’s colourful history, pristine wildlife and unrivalled natural beauty.
On your way through Glacier Bay, close your eyes and take in the soundscape – creaks and groans of ‘living’ ice fields, shrill cries of gulls and soaring eagles and splashes from breaching humpback whales. Frosted peaks tower over mossy forests, wide tidewater glaciers (there are seven in the park) and marine wildlife are all a given on the Glacier Bay cruises. Still, every experience in this changing biosphere is unique.
Arrive in Ketchikan at 11am for a full day of exploration. Alaska’s ‘First City’ is so named because it’s the first major landfall most cruisers pass as they enter the picturesque fjords of the Inside Passage. The town clings to the banks of the Tongass Narrows, flanked by green forests nurtured with abundant rain.
Ketchikan has long been an important hub for the salmon-fishing and packing industries. Visitors can try their luck sportfishing or simply savour freshly caught seafood at one of the local restaurants.
Rejoin the ship before 7pm for a timely departure and dinner on board.
Enjoy sights you may have missed on your way north as you now traverse the Inside Passage heading south, back to Vancouver. Take in stunning surroundings all day long, breaking to take advantage of the ship’s onboard amenities as you please.
Your ship arrives back in Vancouver at 7am this morning. Disembark and make your own way to the airport for your onward departure.
Departure & Transfers:
Please book your flights to depart from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) after 12pm. Airport transfers are not included on the last day of your tour. The airport is approximately a 20-minute drive from Canada Place Cruise Ship Terminal.