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Day 1: Halifax, NS to Montreal, QC
Depart Halifax for Montreal in the early afternoon aboard VIA’s Touring Class service. This inlcudes your own cabin and use of the rear Park Car, the Scenic Dome, the Mural Lounge, and the Bullet Lounge. (L, D)
VIA Rail (Sleeper Touring Class) - Private Washroom Equipped Cabin with Shower
Day 2: Arrive Toronto, ON
Upon arriving in Montreal this morning, transfer to Business Class to Toronto. Check into your downtown hotel for the night. (CB, L)
Delta Chelsea - Toronto, Ontario
Day 3: Toronto, ON
Relax at your hotel or do some exploring on your own this morning. After lunch, enjoy a guided tour of Toronto beforing dining atop the world’s tallest building – the CN Tower with its panoramic views of Toronto. At 10:00 pm, depart Toronto on VIA Rail's Transcontinental train, restored to its original 1950's style. “The Canadian” is a handsome stainless steel re-creation of the great era of train travel. Enjoy your private room...socialize over a drink with friends in the Mural Lounge...or ascend the staircase to the dome of the Park Car for coffee under the stars. (B, D)
Via Rail (Sleeper Plus Class) - Toronto to Jasper
Day 4: Northern Ontario and Manitoba
After a peaceful night’s rest, awake and enjoy the view of the untamed wilderness of Northern Ontario. Cross the rugged rocks of the Canadian Shield to enter the Province of Manitoba while you sleep. (B, L, D)
Via Rail (Sleeper Plus Class) - Toronto to Jasper
Day 5: Manitoba to Saskatchewan
Arrive in Manitoba’s capital city Winnipeg early this morning. There will be time to explore on our own before departing Winnipeg at noon. Guests will want to visit the Dome for sweeping views of the vast rolling prairies as we travel across Saskatchewan during the afternoon and into Alberta this evening. (B, L, D)
Via Rail (Sleeper Plus Class) - Toronto to Jasper
Day 6: Alberta
After passing Edmonton, Alberta's capital, we will notice our first glimpse of the Canadian Rockies. We will be in awe of the majesty of the mountains as the train takes us to the charming mountain town of Jasper. Arrive in Jasper in the early afternoon and transfer to our accommodations for a two night stay. (CB, L)
Sawridge Inn - Jasper, Alberta
Day 7: Jasper, AB
No trip to Jasper National Park is complete without seeing Maligne Canyon and Maligne Lake, which is considered to be one of the most picturesque spots in the Canadian Rockies. Keep your eyes open for grizzly bears and other wildlife as you drive through the park this morning. This afternoon is free time to explore on your own. (B, D)
Sawridge Inn - Jasper, Alberta
Day 8: Jasper, AB to Banff, AB
Travel by motorcoach south on the Icefields Parkway to the Columbia Icefields, where we board a sno-coach for a ride up the Athabasca Glacier (weather permitting). Continue along the Parkway, whose scenery is rated "the most spectacular in the entire Canadian National Parks System", en route to Banff, a bustling resort village nestled under imposing peaks. Visit Lake Louise before checking into your Banff hotel for a two-night stay. (B)
Banff International Hotel - Banff, Alberta
Day 9: Banff, AB
Today you will tour Banff including Bow Falls, the Banff Springs Hotel, Tunnel Mountain and Sulphur Mountain Gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain where we can look down over the entire town of Banff. The rest of your day is free to explore on your own. (B)
Banff International Hotel - Banff, Alberta
Day 10: Rocky Mountaineer
Today it's "All Aboard" as we pull out of the Banff Station on the "Rocky Mountaineer" two-day rail tour, "the Most Spectacular Train Trip in the World". Sit back and relax in spacious, comfortable reclining seats with picture windows...our meals will be served at our seats, along with snacks and non-alcoholic drinks. Our Onboard Service Attendant will provide interesting and informative commentary on the history and geography of the route. Travel through the snow-capped mountains of Banff, Yoho and Glacier National Parks...twist a figure eight through the "Spiral Tunnels"...watch for wildlife on the hillsides...traverse Rogers Pass...and discover Craigellachie, where, in 1885, the last spike on the Canadian Pacific Railroad was driven. Overnight is in Kamloops. (CB, L)
TBA - Kamloops, British Columbia
Day 11: Kamloops, BC to Vancouver, BC
Re-board the train to continue our journey westward through Canada's semi-arid desert. Travel down the Thompson River, where whitewater rafters challenge the rapids at the Jaws of Death Gorge. Along the historic Fraser River, see Hell's Gate in the Fraser Canyon before entering the lush fertile fields of the Fraser Valley. In the late afternoon, arrive in Vancouver for a three-night stay. (CB, L)
Blue Horizon Hotel - Vancouver, British Columbia
Day 12: Victoria Day Trip
It’s an early start to enjoy a day trip to charming Victoria. Board the ferry at Tsawwassen to cross the Strait of Georgia to Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island. Visit Butchart Gardens, offering a magnificent array of flowers, trees and much more. Victoria - ”the Emerald of the West and Sunshine City” - is a regal capital with a British accent and old English charm. Your tour of the city includes the Tudor-style buildings, parks, flower-lined streets and more. Return to Vancouver for overnight. (B)
Blue Horizon Hotel - Vancouver, British Columbia
Day 13: Vancouver, BC
A morning city tour will acquaint us with this magnificent western Canadian city, site of the 1986 World Exposition and the host of the 2010 Winter Olympics. See historic Gastown, 1000-acre Stanley Park, the downtown area, English Bay beaches, the waterfront and the third largest Chinatown in North America. The afternoon is free to pursue our own interests. This evening our tour director will host a Farewell Dinner. (B, D)
Blue Horizon Hotel - Vancouver, British Columbia
Day 14: Depart Vancouver, BC
Depart Vancouver for Halifax on your included flight back home.
Ask us about beginning this tour from other VIA stations en route to Toronto.
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