Rockies, Rail and an Alaskan Cruise

Day 1: UK/Calgary
Depart on your scheduled flight to Calgary today. On arrival you will transfer to your hotel in Banff for a three-night stay.

Day 2: Banff
This morning, head off on an included sightseeing tour of Banff. It will include attractions such as the classic Hoodoos of Bow Valley – imposing spires of rock, carved by wind and water, standing guard over the Bow River. Don’t miss Surprise Corner, either – so named because, as you drive out of Banff, the view suddenly opens out into a fantastic mountain vista, featuring the famous picture-postcard Banff Springs Hotel on your right. You’ll be glad you brought your camera.

Day 3: Lake Louise
Today, we’ll take you on a full-day included excursion to Lake Louise – a glacial, jade-green lake, surrounded on all sides by towering peaks, and described as one of Canada’s most beautiful locations. There are hiking trails and a chairlift/gondola up onto the mountains, from which to take in the stunning view.

Day 4: Rocky Mountaineer
You will bid Banff farewell today as you board the iconic Rocky Mountaineer train for an exciting two-day journey to Kamloops. On board, the RedLeaf service includes breakfast and lunch served at your seat, while complimentary snacks, tea, coffee and soft drinks are available throughout the journey. Beer and wine is included with your meals, and a full bar service is also available.

Settle back in your roomy, reclining seat and enjoy the on-board commentary which will ensure you don’t miss any of the scenic grandeur of the Rockies. Your journey takes you past Lake Wapata, into two spiral tunnels down to Kicking Horse Pass, past Golden and through Roger’s Pass with its tunnels, snowsheds and glistening glaciers, past Craigellachie, Silverdale, and along the South Thompson river to Kamloops, where an overnight stay has been arranged.

Day 5: Rocky Mountaineer
This morning you will re-board the Rocky Mountaineer and continue your journey from Kamloops to Vancouver, following the Thompson River. Eventually the Thompson merges with the Fraser River, which the train follows nearly all the way to Vancouver. After the town of Hope, the rugged canyons give way to the fertile fields of the Fraser River Valley. On arrival in Vancouver, you’ll leave the train and transfer to your hotel for a two-night stay.

Day 6: Vancouver
The city of Vancouver is located in one of the most beautiful settings in the world, surrounded by mountains, forests and islands. As Canada’s third largest city, it is a busy seaport and an important centre for fishing and timber industries. You are free to explore Vancouver at your own pace today. Alternatively, join our full-day optional tour of Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. You’ll take a ferry across to the island, where you’ll visit the internationally-renowned Butchart Gardens, Parliament building, the impressive Empress Hotel, and see much of Canada’s British Victorian heritage.

Day 7: Vancouver
Depart 17:00
You will transfer to Vancouver harbour today and join your cruise ship, the impressive MS Volendam, which sets sail at 5pm. Before that you’ll have plenty of time to settle into your comfortable cabin and explore the ship, your floating hotel for the next seven nights.

Day 8: The Inside Passage
Ahead of you lie days of luxurious relaxation and exploration as your ship traces the outline of North America’s most scenic coastal landscape. Enjoy the facilities on board and make sure you spend plenty of time on deck keeping a watchful eye open for breaching whales, soaring eagles, inquisitive seals, and grizzly bears on the shoreline.

Day 9: Cruising at Sea
Your ship will be cruising Tracy Arm and Sawyer Glacier (weather permitting) today, ahead of an early-afternoon arrival in Juneau, the capital of Alaska, where you’ll be free to explore the city and its surrounding natural wonders, such as the mighty Mendenhall Glacier.

Day 10: Skagway
This morning you’ll arrive in Skagway, a lively relic of the famous Klondike Gold Rush of 1898. Wooden sidewalks and turn-of-the-century buildings recall the riotous living of those days.

Day 11: Glacier Bay
Today you’ll visit the scenic highlight of your cruise, Glacier Bay, where great ice castles float serenely in blue-green water, and glaciers ‘calve’, sending thousands of tons of ice crashing into the mirror-calm water with a thunderous sound – an unforgettable experience.

Day 12: Ketchikan
You’ll arrive in Ketchikan early this afternoon. This quaint, weathered town clings to the mountainside, and you can soak up its spectacular setting by exploring the Totem Poles Park, by taking a seaplane flight over the Misty Fjords, or simply by enjoying a lunch of fresh Alaskan salmon.

Day 13: Cruising at sea
Today you’ll cruise the Inside Passage back towards Vancouver as its scenic splendours continue to unroll before you, a wonderland of ice and rock, forest and river.

Day 14: Vancouver
This morning, your cruise comes to an end as you disembark your ship in Vancouver, and transfer to the airport for your flight home.

Day 15: Vancouver/UK
Arrive in the UK.

Please note
To maximise your enjoyment of this holiday a certain amount of walking is essential.

Accommodation throughout is in hotels of a comfortable standard, typical of the hotels you will stay in are:

Irwins Mountain Inn in Banff
This hotel offers amenities including a fitness centre, whirlpool, conference room, and the El Toro restaurant featuring Canadian cuisine with a Spanish and Mexican influence. Guest rooms feature en suite facilities, TV, telephone and coffee-maker.

Best Western Plus Downtown in Vancouver
This hotel features a restaurant and bar, and is only a short distance from many attractions including Stanley Park, Vancouver Aquarium and lovely beaches. Guest rooms feature en suite facilities, TV, telephone and coffee-maker.

Your ship is Holland America Line’s MS Volendam
On board you’ll find a great choice of restaurants, bars, a show lounge, swimming pools, spa and salon. Service and standards are extremely high on board the ship, so your Travelsphere Tour Manager will not travel on the cruise with you. Holland America staff are on hand to provide assistance and information where required.

Rocky Mountaineer
Accommodation on board the Rocky Mountaineer is in RedLeaf class, which includes breakfast and lunch at your seat, complimentary snacks, tea, coffee, soft drinks, beer and wine with meals.

Hotels will be confirmed in your final documentation.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Included excursions and visits

Journey through the Canadian Rockies on board the Rocky Mountaineer
Banff tour (half day)
Lake Louise tour (full day)
Optional excursions

Victoria tour (full day)
Banff helicopter tour
Your holiday includes

Scheduled flights
Overseas transfers and other transportation
6 nights’ hotel accommodation on a room-only basis
7 nights’ on board Holland America Line’s MS Volendam on a full-board basis
The services of a Travelsphere Tour Manager (pre cruise)
Hotel porterage (one bag per person)
All airport taxes and security charges
UK Airline Passenger Duty
All state and local taxes

With 50 years’ experience in arranging escorted tours to exciting destinations across the globe, Travelsphere have built an excellent reputation founded on quality and value.

By choosing a Travelsphere escorted holiday you can travel with confidence, knowing that every aspect of your holiday has been carefully planned and arranged from start to finish. Further to this they are ATOL bonded and members of ABTA.

Travelsphere’s thorough planning of travel arrangements, itineraries and accommodation combined with the unique insight of their knowledgeable Tour Managers and Local Guides will enable you to experience the culture, traditions and hidden away places less accessible to other travellers.

Our Opinion
“Travelsphere are one of the biggest names in the Escorted Tour market. Finely tuned over the last 50 years their tours have been tried, tested and refined by thousands of customers.”