Welcome to Calgary! Enjoy some leisure time to relax or to do some independent exploring. Your Tour Director is on hand this evening to answer any questions.

The discovery of oil converted this ranching town into a sophisticated city with skyscrapers and elegant shopping centers. It is also home to the world-famous Calgary Stampede. Tour many of the city’s attractions, including Canada Olympic Park, the Saddledome, and FORT CALGARY. Drive west through the foothills and into BANFF NATIONAL PARK, gateway to the majestic Canadian Rockies. Join the optional excursion to Sulphur Mountain for panoramic views of Banff’s spectacular scenery. Tonight, take an optional excursion to the theatre for a Canadian show and dinner.

Banff is one of Canada’s favorite round-the-year resorts, with summer activities such as hiking, boating, and fishing. With a free day, your Tour Director will recommend an optional helicopter ride over the Canadian Rockies.

Enjoy a day of scenic grandeur. First halt is Lake Louise, whose turquoise waters create a perfect natural mirror that reflects the surroundings. Next, journey north into JASPER NATIONAL PARK, where precipitous gorges, snowcapped summits, and lakes of exquisite blues and greens come into view as the motorcoach scales two mountain passes. Another high point on the agenda is a stop at the COLUMBIA ICEFIELD to experience the Ice Explorer, an all-terrain vehicle that travels on ice that is 365 meters (1,200 feet) thick. Later, your Tour Director suggests an optional float trip down the Athabasca River. Enjoy an orientation tour of Jasper townsite upon arrival.

Today, join our optional excursion to Maligne Lake and Spirit Island, where you embark on a narrated cruise of the lake. The remaining day is free to enjoy everything Jasper has to offer—from guided hikes and quaint shops to meandering wildlife.

Leave from Jasper and follow the Fraser River to the base of Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. The Yellowhead Highway continues south along the mighty Thompson River, with outstanding views of the Monashee Mountains. Overnight in Kamloops.

As you travel through British Columbia’s Coast Mountain Range to its majestic Pacific coastline, the vegetation changes from desert landscape to lush alpine forests. Board your afternoon ferry for the spectacular crossing to Vancouver Island. Sightseeing in Victoria includes the Inner Harbour, Bastion Square, Thunderbird Park, and world-famous BUTCHART GARDENS. In the evening, enjoy a stroll along the lively Waterfront Promenade.

A free day for independent sightseeing. Your Tour Director will have recommendations to enhance your enjoyment of this most British of Canadian cities. Take an optional whale-watching cruise and seek out pods of killer whales. A suggestion for this evening is an optional historic walk followed by dinner in Chinatown.

Today, set sail across the Strait of Georgia and through the spectacular Gulf Islands, an archipelago known for its climate. In Vancouver, city sightseeing includes STANLEY PARK, Gastown, Chinatown, and many other famous landmarks. The remainder of the day is free to explore Robson Street and experience British Columbia’s premier shopping and entertainment location.

The trip ends today with guests departing on individual schedules. Transfers to Vancouver International Airport are included. You can extend your vacation with extra nights and explore Vancouver further with a variety of exciting optional activities.
Transportation:Ferry crossing to/from Vancouver Island; private, deluxe air-conditioned motorcoach while touring.