Best of Canada's West and Alaska Cruise

Day 1 (Door to Door)

Arrive Vancouver

Enjoy your private car door to door transfer to your departure airport before your scheduled flight to Vancouver, where a transfer is provided to your first hotel. At 6pm, gather at the hotel with your Tour Director and fellow companions for a Welcome Reception.
Hotel: Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown (SFC)

Day 2

Vancouver - Strait of Georgia - Victoria (2)

This morning we set out for Stanley Park and its towering totem poles and explore the vibrant neighbourhoods of Chinatown and Gastown. We travel by ferry to Victoria to see the lovely Inner Harbour and the impressive Parliament Buildings. Then we travel to Cobble Hill and visit a familyowned ciderhouse and taste the bubbly fresh flavours of apple cider accompanied by artisan breads. After a private tour of the orchards and distilling room, the family will host us for an alfresco Be My Guest Dinner featuring delectable cuisine paired with locally produced cider. (FB)
Hotel: Marriott Inner Harbour Hotel (FC)

Day 3

Victoria sightseeing and at leisure

We greet the day with breakfast at Butchart Gardens, a 55- acre preserve of gorgeous floral gardens. We meet with a representative who can answer any questions you have, and then spend some time exploring the gardens on your own, strolling the winding pathways, spotting butterflies and taking in their unique natural beauty. Back in Victoria or perhaps join an optional whale-watching trip. (FB)
Hotel: Marriott Inner Harbour Hotel (FC)

Day 4

Victoria - Sea-to-Sky Highway - Whistler

We return to the mainland for the scenic drive along the Sea-to-Sky Highway, which winds between the glittering waters of Howe Sound and the soaring Coastal Mountains. Feel the spray on your face and listen to the thunder of the water at the 1,105-foot (337-metre) Shannon Falls near the town of Squamish. This afternoon we arrive inWhistler and stretch our legs on a guided walking tour of the village. (FB)
Hotel: Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa (SFC)

Day 5

Whistler - Cache Creek - Kamloops

We cross the Coast Mountains and travel along Duffy Lake Road through some of Canada's most beautiful scenery. At Historic Hat Creek Ranch we chat with costumed interpreters who introduce us to what life was like in the midst of the great gold rush of the 1860s. Before the gold rush, the Shuswap people lived in this verdant valley and we visit a village where we can talk with these native people who still live close to the land. This evening, savour a Highlight Dinner at a local restaurant in Kamloops, a translated Shuswap word meaning "the meeting of the waters." (FB, HD)
Hotel: The Thompson Hotel (FC)

Day 6

Kamloops - Rocky Mountain Parks - Banff (2)

Today we sample the best of Canada's natural treasures in the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks. We visit Mount Revelstoke National Park and view giant red cedars and alpine meadows rich with wildflowers. Next we enter Glacier National Park. Keep an eye out for native wildlife such as caribou, mountain goats and grizzly bears. After crossing the Columbia River, we will be on the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains in Yoho National Park with its towering waterfalls, ice-clad peaks and natural bridge that spans the Kicking Horse River. We then enter Banff National Park where we arrive at our quintessential alpine resort. (FB, D)
Hotel: Banff Park Lodge (FC)

Day 7

Banff sightseeing and at leisure

Immerse yourself in the natural glories of Banff including the classic viewpoint of Surprise Corner, spectacular Bow Falls and the hoodoo rock formations. Then we board the Banff Gondola for a ride to the top of SulphurMountain for a bird's-eye view of six mountain ranges. Spend the rest of the day as you like; maybe join an optional activity, including a scenic helicopter flight over Mount Assiniboine, a river float trip down the Bow River or a guided nature walk. (FB)
Hotel: Banff Park Lodge (FC)

Day 8

Banff - Lake Louise - Icefields Parkway - Jasper (2)

We arrive on the shores of Lake Louise where we learn about the history and geology of the area on a short interpretive walk. Then, soak in the stunning scenery with its azure glacial waters surrounded by deep green forests and jagged snow-covered mountains. We head north amidst a landscape of towering peaks, thundering waterfalls and ancient glaciers, keeping an eye out for elk, black bear and mountain goat. Get ready for a unique adventure at the Columbia Icefield when we board an Ice Explorer on the massive Athabasca Glacier. More action is in store if you'd like to take an optional float trip on the Athabasca River on the way to Jasper National Park. We stay in the heart of the park where we learn about the wildlife that call these stunning mountains home at an interactive, after-dinner presentation by a local naturalist. (FB, D)
Hotel: Chateau Jasper (SFC)

Day 9

Jasper National Park sightseeing and at leisure

We can start the day with an optional cruise on Maligne Lake before embarking on an interpretive walk at Maligne Canyon. We learn about the underground river system while following the canyon's trail past beautiful waterfalls and spectacular rock formations. The rest of the day is yours to spend as you like; relish the superb vistas, stroll the quaint streets of Jasper or join an optional guided alpine excursion to Mount Edith Cavell. (FB)
Hotel: Chateau Jasper (SFC)

Day 10

Jasper - Mount Robson - Lac Le Jeune

This morning we head west over Yellowhead Pass and arrive at Mount Robson, the Rockies' tallest peak at 12,989 feet (3959 metres). We follow the Thompson River through the ColumbiaMountains and arrive at our resort at Lac Le Jeune. We take a nature walk with a local expert to the beaver dam at the end of the lake. This evening, enjoy a Celebration Dinner with your travelling companions. (FB, HD)
Hotel: Lac Le Jeune Resort (MFC)

Day 11

Lac Le Jeune - Vancouver

Returning to the Pacific coast we arrive back in Vancouver and settle in at our downtown hotel. Bid farewell to your Tour Director and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. (FB)
Hotel: Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown (SFC)

Day 12

Vancouver - Inside Passage Cruise

Enjoy a day at leisure until we are transferred to Canada Place, where we board Holland America Line'sms Zuiderdam for a 7-night luxury Glacier Bay Inside Passage cruise. (FB, D)

Day 13

Scenic cruising - Inside Passage

The Inside Passage winds between the continental shoreline and the great Pacific from Alaska down to the Pacific Northwest. Revel in the scenery as we slowly glide past a maze of bays, glacier-carved fjords and waterways protected from the open sea by rugged, isolated islands. (FB, L, D)

Day 14

Scenic cruising - Tracy Arm and Sawyer Glaciers - Juneau

Famed naturalist John Muir said of Tracy Arm, "no ice-work that I have ever seen surpasses this." The 26-mile-long fjord is home to numerous glaciers, calving enormous chunks of ice into the clear waters, countless waterfalls streaming down the lush mountainsides and a ravishing wildness you won't soon forget. Arrive in Juneau and stroll its picturesque streets, visit a Gold Rush-era saloon or take an optional excursion to Tongass National Forest. (FB, L, D)

Day 15

Skagway

The Gold Rush transformed Skagway from a sleepy hamlet to a riotous boomtown. Step into its colourful past at The Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park with its frontierstyle storefronts and rustic wooden boardwalks. (FB, L, D)

Day 16

Scenic cruising - Glacier Bay National Park

No roads lead to the pristine wilderness of Glacier Bay National Park. Grizzly bears roam the seemingly endless spruce forests. Bald eagles soar upon the thermals. From the comfort of the ship watch this landscape of immense glaciers, towering peaks and icy rivers. (FB, L, D)

Day 17

Ketchikan

Scenic, remote Ketchikan clings to the side of a steep hillside overlooking the expanse of the northern Pacific. While ashore check out the world's largest collection of totem poles. Consider taking an optional guided tour through town, a harbour cruise or a floatplane flightseeing trip. If you're craving excitement why not kayak through the clear waters or journey into the mountains on a jeep. (FB, L, D)

Day 18

Scenic cruising - Inside Passage

Today is a day of relaxation as we cruise back to Vancouver. Take advantage of your ship's superb facilities or relax on deck and watch the unmatched scenery glide by. (FB, L, D)

Day 19

Depart Vancouver

We sail into Vancouver early this morning and transfer to Vancouver International Airport for your return flight back to the UK. If you are arranging your own flights please do not schedule them before noon. Please note that flights to the UK will generally depart in the evening. (FB)

Day 20 (Door to Door)

Arrive UK

On arrival at your UK airport, your driver will greet you and escort you to your waiting private car for your door to door transfer to your home.

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