Destinations: Vancouver, Kamloops, Banff, Lake Louise, Columbia Icefield, Calgary
Destinations: Glacier Bay, Inside Passage, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Ketchikan
Experience the best of the Canadian Rockies on this classic tour. After arriving in Calgary, journey into the Canadian Rockies to discover Banff. Marvel at Lake Minnewanka, ascend Sulphur Mountain on a scenic gondola ride, then spot diverse wildlife on an evening safari through Banff National Park.
Walk across glaciers at Columbia Icefield and step onto the Glacier Skywalk suspended 280 metres above the Sunwapta Valley. Admire Lake Louise with an overnight stay at five-star Fairmont Chateau. Finish with the Rocky Mountaineer rail journey, passing by the Spiral Tunnels, Kicking Horse Canyon, Rogers Pass and Craigellachie. Spend one night in Kamloops before following the rails on to Vancouver.
GoldLeaf Upgrade: Select the Superior Upgrade at checkout to experience GoldLeaf Service aboard the Rocky Mountaineer. Enjoy views from a bi-level glass-dome coach, take in more details on an exclusive viewing platform, and indulge in gourmet meals in your carriage’s white-cloth dining section.
Destinations: Vancouver, Kamloops, Banff, Lake Louise, Columbia Icefield, Calgary
Destinations: Glacier Bay, Inside Passage, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Ketchikan
Welcome to Canada! Your journey begins in Calgary. Upon arrival at the airport, make your way to your hotel, where you’ll be provided all the information you’ll need on tour.
Spend some time at leisure discovering Canada’s fourth largest city.
Leave the city behind as you drive west on the Trans-Canada Highway. Approach Banff National Park, where the Canadian Rockies dominate the horizon.
Upon arrival in Banff, your driver will guide you along the main drag, lined with shops and cafes. Check in at your hotel before a free afternoon exploring the resort town at your leisure. Stroll down Banff Avenue, take a soak in Banff Upper Hot Springs or take a hike on the nearby trails.
Travel time: Driving – approx. two hours
Start your day with a tour of Banff’s most historically significant highlights, including Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Bow Falls, Surprise Corner Lookout and Lake Minnewanka, Banff’s largest lake. Head to the base of Sulphur Mountain for a ride on the Banff Gondola, in which you’ll ascend to the summit at over 2,200 metres, offering 360-degree vistas of six 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 guide, this wilderness safari takes you to spots where sightings of elk, bighorn sheep and even grizzly bears are most common, with a 95% success rate in wildlife sightings. Learn about the park’s efforts to protect these animals and their habitats from varied threats.
Today, journey to Columbia Icefield. Covering 325 square metres, Columbia is one of the largest icefields in North America, straddling the border between British Columbia and Alberta, and comprising of several glaciers. As one of the most accessible glaciers in the world, you’ll have the chance to walk atop Athabasca Glacier.
Continue to the Glacier Skywalk – a glass-floored observation platform suspended 280 metres above the Sunwapta Valley and providing views across the glacier’s magnitude.
Later, return to Banff for an evening at leisure.
Travel time: Driving – approx. six hours
Check out of your Banff accommodation and head to Lake Louise. 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 – you may want to enjoy a spa treatment or a high tea overlooking the lake (surcharges apply). In the evening, join your fellow travellers for a three-course dinner at the hotel.
Travel time: Driving – approx. one hour
This morning, you will board the Rocky Mountaineer for a rail journey across Western Canada, with a gourmet breakfast and lunch included.
Over the next two days, you will pass through Canada’s wilderness, traversing the Continental Divide on the way to Vancouver. Travel from the Canadian Rockies, 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, you will spend the night in Kamloops, known for outdoor adventure.
GoldLeaf Upgrade: Select the Superior Upgrade at checkout to experience GoldLeaf Service aboard the Rocky Mountaineer. Enjoy views from a bi-level glass-dome coach, take in more details on an exclusive viewing platform, and indulge in gourmet meals in your carriage’s white-cloth dining section.
Join the Rocky Mountaineer for one more day. Depart British Columbia’s Interior and follow the Thompson and Fraser Rivers on your continued journey.
From the arid Interior, pass through river canyons and forests, and on to the Cascade Mountains and Fraser Valley.
Once you reach the coast, your local driver will transfer you to your hotel for check-in.
On your final day in Western Canada, enjoy a morning tour of Vancouver’s attractions. Begin with a visit to Stanley Park to see the 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 and cafes.
At the conclusion of your itinerary, it’s time to say goodbye as you make your own way to the airport for your onward travel.
Booking Summary: After you book, please follow the instructions in your booking summary email and ensure you complete your Traveller Details in full.
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Accommodation for the duration of your tour is included in the Tour package.
Please note:
Pre- & Post-Tour Accommodation
Pre- and post-tour accommodation can be booked to extend your stay before or after your tour by contacting our Tours Concierge Team at tours@luxuryescapes.com.
Luxury Escapes uses a range of accommodation partners. For pre- and post-tour accommodation options where we can offer the same hotel as the start and end of your tour, your pre- and post-tour accommodation will be booked independent of your tour. If the hotel for your tour changes, this will be independent of your pre- or post-tour accommodation booking. In this instance, change fees may apply on your pre- or post-tour accommodation. If you choose to change, change fees can be found in your ‘My Escapes’.
For pre- and post-tour accommodation bookings, you may be required to check out of your room and check in again on the first or last day of your tour. You will need to confirm these details directly with the hotel.
Please contact the Tours Concierge Team at tours@luxuryescapes.com for further information.
Optional experiences
Banff Cowboy Cookout and Trail Ride
Banff Cowboy Cookout by Wagon
Three Sisters Peak helicopter tour
Transfers
Tipping
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Cruise
Cabin Sizes and Bedding Configuration
Onboard Dining
Tipping
Cruise Documentation
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Travel Insurance
Passports & Visas
Traveller Details
Tour Pace
Travel Styles
Health and Fitness Acknowledgement:
Your tour begins at your Calgary accommodation and ends at your Vancouver accommodation. The extended tour ends at Vancouver’s Canada Place Cruise Ship Terminal.
Return flights are not included in your package and must be purchased separately. If your chosen tour departure date is guaranteed at the time of booking, you may be able to purchase flights immediately. If your tour departure date is not yet guaranteed (still pending minimum numbers), flights should not be booked until you receive an update on the status of your tour.
Please book your flights to arrive at Calgary International Airport (YYC) by 4pm on Day 1 and depart from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) after 3pm on Day 8 for the base tour, or any time after 12pm on Day 15 for the extended tour.
Important: Please allow for travelling time from international countries. International flights are not included in your package and must be purchased separately. It is your responsibility to make your own travel arrangements and ensure that you arrive at your starting location on your chosen tour start date.
A visa may be required for the destination you are visiting. It is each traveller’s responsibility to ensure they are holding a current visa. Please take the time to visit our preferred vendor website, Visas Direct, to assist you with any visa application requirements and processes. If you require any supporting documentation when applying for your visa, please let us know and we will be more than happy to assist. Click here to visit the website.
Need flights? Our dedicated flights concierge can assist with all your flight requirements (subject to availability). Contact sales@luxuryescapes.com.
Important Destination Information:
Canada
Time zone: GMT-7 (Vancouver)
Telephone: +1
Currency: Canadian dollar
Accessing money: ATMs are widely available with credit cards widely accepted within the city. Cash is advised when visiting rural areas.
Language: English, French
Climate: The northern two-thirds of the country have very cold winters and short, cool summers. The central-southern area of the interior plains typically experiences very cold winters and hot summers.