Wave goodbye to Vancouver as you board your coach for the drive to Whistler. Travelling along the Sea-to-Sky Highway, you’ll pass by the misty veil of Shannon Falls and the lumber town of Squamish.
Later, arrive at the popular ski resort of Whistler Village, situated between the towering peaks of Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains. Centred around a pedestrian village, Whistler is among Canada’s most popular ski towns.
Check in to your hotel before spending the rest of your day freely.
Travel time: Driving – approx. 90 minutes / 120km
Set out for another scenic drive as you make your way to Sun Peaks. Along the way, pass through Lillooet on the shores of the Fraser River – once a key supply centre for the Cariboo Gold Rush of the 1860s – and the cowboy country of Kamloops and Cache Creek. Arrive later today at Sun Peaks, surrounded by one of Canada’s biggest ski areas.
The rest of the day is spent at leisure, whether you choose to take the chairlift to the top of Sundance or Mount Tod, or simply relax in this northern town. For those eager to explore on foot, choose an optional twilight hiking lift ticket, for access to the region’s trails.
Travel time: Driving – approx. five hours / 380km
Gather your energy over breakfast, then set off for Clearwater and the landscapes of Wells Gray Provincial Park, where old-growth forests and thundering waterfalls lead to whitewater rivers. Continue to Mount Robson Provincial Park for a photo stop before the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies.
Later, follow the Yellowhead Highway to the alpine region of Jasper, Alberta, where you’ll check in for a restful evening.
Travel time: Driving – approx. six hours / 450km
Greet Jasper National Park this morning, with the promise of a full day spent seeking out the area’s wildlife. Follow your guide through meadows, around lakes and under mountain peaks as you search for deer and elk, moose, mountain goats or resident black bears.
Take an afternoon visit to the falls of Maligne Canyon, then continue to Maligne Lake for a narrated cruise across the largest lake in the Canadian Rockies, making sure to snap a photo as you glide along its waters.
Please note: Tour departures in May will have a hike through Maligne Valley instead of the Maligne Lake narrated cruise.
Rise and shine for another day on the road. Start along the vast Icefields Parkway and hop aboard an all-terrain Ice Explorer for a drive out onto the Athabasca Glacier, one of six principal glaciers fed by the Columbia Icefield, sitting at an altitude of 2,700 metres. Enjoy the 90-minute tour where you can step out for a photo opportunity and the chance to fill your bottle from fresh glacial waters.
Later, continue to Lake Louise. Nestled between mountains and the Victoria Glacier, the shores of this glacier-fed lake are where you’ll be staying tonight. 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 book in a spa treatment or sit for high tea looking out on the lake (both at your own expense). In the evening, join your fellow travellers for a decadent three-course dinner at the hotel.
Travel time: Driving – approx. three hours / 250km
Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise five-star stay
After a leisurely breakfast, you’ll check out of your Fairmont stay and continue onward to the popular mountain resort town of Banff. Established in 1885, the national park of the same name is Canada’s oldest, and home to Cascade Mountain and Vermilion Lakes. Here, you’ll check in at your hotel and settle in ahead of your eventful evening ahead.
Tonight, enter Banff National Park, where much of the park’s wildlife becomes active in the cooler hours around sunset. Led by a 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.
Travel time: Driving – approx. one hour / 60km
This morning, set off on a half-day tour of Banff and its surrounds. Pass by the Fairmont Banff Springs, witness the tumbling rapids of Bow Falls, look out over the Bow River from Surprise Corner Viewpoint and gaze at Lake Minnewanka. Along the way, sip light refreshments and enjoy maple cookies.
Continue to Sulphur Mountain for a trip up the Banff Gondola with admission included, ascending to the 2,451-metre summit for 360-degree views over the valleys.
This morning, board the Rocky Mountaineer for a rail journey across Western Canada. Recline before the panoramic windows of your coach and enjoy both breakfast and lunch aboard.
Over the next two days, the winding tracks of this historic railway will carry you through Canada’s wilderness, traversing the Continental Divide on the way to Vancouver. Travel from the Canadian Rockies and ranchlands of the Interior, passing the Spiral Tunnels, Kicking Horse Canyon and 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 your time freely.
GoldLeaf Upgrade: Select the Superior or Deluxe Upgrade at checkout to experience GoldLeaf Service aboard the Rocky Mountaineer. Enjoy views from a bi-level glass-dome coach, step out onto an exclusive viewing platform, then sit down for gourmet meals in your carriage’s white-cloth dining section.
Rocky Mountaineer railway journey
Join the Rocky Mountaineer for one more day of scenic rail travel. Depart British Columbia’s interior and follow the Thompson and Fraser Rivers on your journey back to Vancouver.
From the arid interior, through river canyons and forests, and on to the Cascade Mountains and 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 Vancouver hotel for check-in.
Rocky Mountaineer railway journey
Begin your day with a guided tour and discover what makes Vancouver one of the most liveable cities in the world. Visit forested Stanley Park and its series of totem poles, walk along the waterfront of English Bay and gaze towards Kitsilano Beach. Next, walk through the bustling shopping and dining district known as Robson Street.
Enjoy your afternoon at leisure or join the optional Gastown foodie tour (surcharges apply).
On your final day in Western Canada, enjoy time at leisure exploring Vancouver.
Later, you’ll be transferred from the hotel to Canada Place Cruise Ship Terminal to board the Celebrity Solstice for your Alaskan voyage. Your ship sails at 4.30pm – boarding times will be provided ahead of your departure date.
Alaska Inside Passage cruise
Today, you’ll pass through the Inside Passage, a protected network of waterways that wind through glacier-cut fjords and rainforest, from Misty Fjords National Monument to the famed Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, along the coast of Southeast Alaska.
Sailing the Inside Passage offers opportunities to sight some of Alaska’s most sought-after wildlife, with humpback whales and orcas, bald eagles and brown bears waiting to be spotted.
Alaska Inside Passage cruise
Today, arrive at Icy Strait Point at 1.30pm. The town is renowned for its scenery, wildlife spotting opportunities, and has been home to the Tlingit people for thousands of years. With some time to explore, you might spot humpback whales or brown bears, or take the time to discover the area’s fishing heritage.
Return to the ship before 10pm to continue your journey.
Alaska Inside Passage cruise
Arrive in Skagway at 7am with a day to discover this port town. At the height of the Klondike Gold Rush, this port town served as the primary gateway to goldfields and quickly grew into Alaska’s largest settlement – a 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 history and wildlife. Return to the ship by 8.30pm.
Alaska Inside Passage cruise
Glide through the Endicott Arm, the southern edge of Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness area, surrounded by granite cliffs, lush valleys, waterfalls and icebergs. Keep your eyes peeled for harbor seals, with Endicott Arm being one of the world’s largest breeding grounds.
The journey continues with up-close views of the towering Dawes Glacier, renowned for its calving displays. Next, arrive in Juneau at 1.30pm with time to enjoy this state capital, surrounded by water, forest and mountains. Here, you can choose to embark on a glacial dogsled adventure (at own expense).
Reboard your vessel by 8.30pm as you set sail south once more.
Alaska Inside Passage cruise
Arrive in Ketchikan at 2pm for a day of exploration. Alaska’s ‘First City’ is so named because it’s the first major landfall most cruisers pass as they enter the fjords of the Inside Passage.
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 (at own expense).
Rejoin the ship by 8.30pm for a timely departure and dinner on board.
Alaska Inside Passage cruise
Enjoy sights you may have missed on your way north as you now traverse the Inside Passage heading south, back to Vancouver. Take in the vast scenery, breaking to take advantage of the ship’s onboard amenities as you please.
Keep watch of the abundance of wildlife along the islands, fjords and bays and spot mountain goats, bald eagles, bears, sea otters and more. The most remarkable site is one to remember is the whales hurling themselves in the air, with a chance of luck to see them swim together.
Alaska Inside Passage cruise
Your ship arrives back in Vancouver at approximately 6am this morning. Disembark before 11.30am and make your way to Vancouver International Airport (YVR) for your onward departure.