Trains & Spas of the Rockies

VIA Rail and Rocky Mountaineer
Toronto - Sioux Lookout - Winnipeg - Saskatoon - Edmonton - Jasper - Banff - Lake Louise - Kamloops - Vancouver 

Day 1 Transfer by train in coach class from Quebec City to downtown Toronto.     Arrive at Toronto's Union Station to board VIA Rail's Trans-Continental (10:00PM departure) and unpack for the next 3 nights aboard.  Your porter is on-hand throughout the journey to ensure that you have a comfortable stay.  Roll across the Canadian Shield, boreal forests, countless lakes and the hardest rock on Earth! 1/3 of the fresh water in the World is in Canada and you will see some of it on this trip. 
VIA RAIL BEDROOMS  /  DINING CAR  /  DOME CAR  /  PARK-LOUNGE CAR

Day 2 and Day 3  Arrive into Winnipeg to take on more passengers and continue rolling through Manitoba, the province of 100,000 lakes.  Drink in the vistas from the dome cars and enjoy the terrific on-board service. 

Day 4  Enjoy a delicious breakfast and relax as we forge across the great wheatfields of Saskatchewan before our morning arrival into Edmonton, capital and oil capital of North America.   After a brief stop we continue the train journey to the "Jewel of the Canadian Rockies" Jasper, Alberta.  Disembark and pick up your car or van rental in the train station.  Drive the short distance to your chosen hotel in Jasper.  Unpack at one of our Jasper hotels for 2 nights  

   
Ask about our comfortable suites

Terrific food, amazing scenery

 
Vermilion Lakes

Day 6  Depart Jasper for Banff on our deluxe motor coach along the Icefields Parkway.  This is one of the most scenic drives on earth.  We'll ride a Sno-Coach (weather permitting) onto the Columbia Icefield's ATHABASCA GLACIER.  The Columbia Icefields are 125 square miles in size (massive!), with no fewer than 30 glaciers where 3 river systems flow to three different oceans.   The Icefields Parkway delivers us  past BOW LAKE, PEYTO LAKE and MISTAYA LAKE south to LAKE LOUISE, one of the most enchanting spots on earth.  We see the reflections of the mountains in her aqua blue waters and we'll find out how rock flour helps the water retain its mesmerizing color.  Continue further into BANFF NATIONAL PARK to the majestic town of  BANFF.  Early evening arrival and overnight at the world famous Banff Springs Hotel.  Styled after a Scottish Baronial style castle it is perched on the side of a mountain overlooking a Bow Falls.

Day 8  Rent a car, take the BANFF GONDOLA to the top of Sulfur Mountain for amazing views, stroll the massive Banff Springs Hotel or take one of the many hikes available from town.  Helicopter tours can be arranged as well as boat tours on LAKE MINNEWANKA or you might want to soak in the Upper Banff Hotsprings.  Consider a visit to beautiful LAKE LOUISE  which can be easily arranged at the hotel or hike past 7 waterfalls at JOHNSTON CANYON.  Those wishing a second day of pampering in the spa will not be disappointed.

Day 9  This morning, board the Rocky Mountaineer westbound (Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays).  The Rocky Mountaineer is all daylight travel and is one of the most dramatic train trips in the World.  Service by on-board multi-lingual attendants is superb.  You will travel through rugged terrain and experience the great Spiral Tunnels (where the train circles around inside a mountain and comes out over itself) and ascent over Rogers Pass.  Roll on through 5 mountain ranges to the city of Kamloops.  We stop and transfer to our hotel for the night (included). 

Day 10   Re-board the Rocky Mountaineer in the morning and continue west.  This region of Canada is interesting as we emerge from the great Rockies into Canada's only desert.  Dramatic scenery rolls by as we parallel the mighty Thompson and Fraser Rivers past Hell's Gate.  Arrive in Canada's most beautiful city, VANCOUVER in the early evening.  Transfer on your own to one of our downtown spa hotels.  We recommend the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver (5 star hotel, same management as the Fairmont Banff Springs and Jasper Park Lodges), Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center (4 star) or the Sutton Place Luxury Hotel (5 star). 

Day 11  This is another of those amazing days that we all live for!  Enjoy another day of "special treatment" at the spa facilities of the resort you have chosen.  This evening we recommend a visit to "Seasons" restaurant a very classy and romantic restaurant near to QUEEN ELIZABETH PARK.  Other options include a harbor dinner cruise with buffet dinner or a visit to one of the two revolving restaurants that have amazing views of Vancouver's waterfronts.   Overnight at your choice of Fairmont Hotel Vancouver (5 star hotel, same management as the Fairmont Banff Springs and Jasper Park Lodges), Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center (4 star) or the Sutton Place Luxury Hotel (5 star). 

Day 12  Transfer to Vancouver International airport BUTCHART GARDENS and the city of VICTORIA  on Vancouver Island or travel up to WHISTLER Resort area (North of Vancouver). 
We can pre-book  7 night ALASKA CRUISES at wholesale rates.

We include:   Via Rail Trans-Canada train journey including private bedroom (all meals are included aboard the train but not on motor coach tours or in hotels), tourist-class or superior hotels across Canada, motor coach tours as per itinerary,  GST tax is additional.  Checked baggage is not available on the train, smaller overnight bag is recommended.