19 Day Spirit of the Rockies with Rocky Mountaineer & Alaska Cruise

WELCOME TO VANCOUVER!

At 6pm, meet your travel companions for a welcome drink. Your Tour Director will prepare you for your upcoming adventure.

BRITISH COLUMBIA TREASURES

Tour Vancouver, including the waterfront,Chinatown, and Stanley Park with its oldgrowth evergreen forests and totem poles. The afternoon is free to explore the many attractions at your leisure before dinner at a local restaurant. (B,D)

RIDING THE RAILS

Board the Rocky Mountaineer train to follow the Fraser Canyon and Thompson River through beautiful landscapes from Vancouver to historic Kamloops. Tonight, enjoy free time in Kamloops. (B,L)

THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE

Back aboard the Rocky Mountaineer train, journey from Kamloops eastward to Shuswap Lake. Follow the Kicking Horse River and pass over the Continental Divide into Banff National Park. (B,L)

BREATHTAKING BANFF

This morning, tour the highlights of Banff: Bow Falls, Tunnel Mountain, and Surprise Corner. The remainder of the day is at leisure to enjoy all that Banff has to offer. (B,D)

ROCKY MOUNTAIN MAJESTY

Travel north within Banff National Park to Lake Louise, one of the most photographed lakes in the world, framed with mountains, glacial creeks and lakeshore trails. Take delight in the enchanting Lake Louise with a guided heritage walk along the lake. Enjoy an overnight stay and dinner at the exclusive Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. (B,D)

ON THE ICE

Travel on awe-inspiring Icefields Parkway past towering peaks and immense hanging glaciers to Jasper National Park. Take an exciting ride on an all-terrain Ice Explorer to the Athabasca Glacier and thundering Athabasca Falls. Your overnight destination is the charming village of Jasper in Jasper National Park. (B,D)

LEGENDARY PATHWAYS

Departing Jasper, watch the scenery unfold while travelling the Yellowhead Highway to the year-round alpine resort of Sun Peaks in British Columbia. (B)

RUGGED BEAUTY

This morning, travel past some of the most beautiful and rugged lakes and mountains in British Columbia. This afternoon, we arrive in Whistler—one of Canada’s most exciting mountain resorts and host of the 2010 Winter Olympics— and settle into the deluxe Fairmont Chateau Whistler. (B)

ANCIENT TRADITIONS

Visit the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, dedicated to the history and culture of First Nations, for a private presentation and breakfast. Victoria awaits! Board a BC Ferry for a cruise to Vancouver Island and the very British “Garden City” of Victoria. This afternoon, discover the beauty and rich history of British Columbia’s capital on a city highlights tour. Later, you may want to stroll around the Parliament buildings or do some shopping. Enjoy dinner on your own at one of the many restaurants in this delightful harbour city. (B)

SPEND YOUR DAY YOUR WAY IN VICTORIA

Discover vibrant floral colours at the worldfamous Butchart Gardens this morning. Explore more of Victoria with your choice of included Globus Choice excursions. Choose between a visit to the Royal BC Museum and Thunderbird Park OR Malahat SkyWalk and TreeWalk nature experience. (B,D)

(EMBARKATION)

READY TO CRUISE!

Travel on a scenic BC Ferry crossing through the Gulf Islands to Vancouver where you will begin your 7-night Alaska’s Inside Passage cruise. (B,D)

ALASKA GLACIAL FJORDS & GRAND FORESTS

Alaska’s Inside Passage is a protected network of waterways that wind through glacier-cut fjords and lush temperate rain forests along the rugged coast of Southeast Alaska. One of the greatest cruising routes in the world, the Inside Passage stretches through stunning landscapes, from Misty Fjords National Monument to famed Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve. (B,L,D)

COASTAL CLIFFS & THE CATCH OF THE DAY

Steep cliffs and glacier-covered mountains flank the Tracy Arm fjord, fringed by the largest intact coastal temperate rain forest in the United States. Old-growth trees colonised Tracy Arm’s mouth long ago as the Ice Age retreated. Continue cruising to Juneau, Alaska. Surrounded by water, forest and mountain sights, visitors to Juneau can hike a glacier, eat fresh-caught fish on a seaside patio and tour a grand capitol building all in one day. (B,L,D)

THE RUSH FOR GOLD

At the height of the Klondike Gold Rush, the port town of Skagway served as the primary gateway to the legendary gold fields and quickly grew into Alaska’s largest settlement. It was then a raucous frontier hub packed with trading posts, saloons, and guesthouses. As the gold rush faded into the 1900s, so did Skagway—but today it has been reinvigorated as a gateway for a new kind of visitor: those looking to explore Alaska’s colourful history, pristine wildlife, and unrivaled natural beauty. (B,L,D)

MAKING A SPLASH

On your cruise to Glacier Bay (UNESCO World Heritage Site), close your eyes and take in the sounds—the creaks and groans of “living” ice, the shrill cries of gulls and soaring eagles, the splash of a breaching humpback whale. Be awed by frosted peaks towering over mossy forests, wide tidewater glaciers (there are seven in the park), and typical sightings of marine wildlife are just a few thrilling experiences while cruising on Glacier Bay. (B,L,D)

ALASKA’S FIRST CITY

Visit to Ketchikan, Alaska, where the town clings to the banks of the Tongass Narrows, flanked by green forests and picturesque fjords to welcome you to the Inside Passage. (B,L,D)

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

Scenic cruising through the Inside Passage offers outstanding opportunities to spot some of Alaska’s most iconic wildlife. (B,L,D)

(DISEMBARKATION)

SAFE TRAVELS UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN!

Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning. (B)