Best of the West & Alaska

See the grandeur of the prairies, the majesty of the mighty Canadian Rocky Mountains
 including Jasper and Banff, Hell's Gate, Vancouver followed by an exciting Alaska Cruise!   Amazing!
Montreal - Toronto - Sioux Lookout - Winnipeg - Saskatoon - Edmonton - Jasper - Banff - Kamloops - Vancouver - Cruise

Transfer by train in coach class from downtown Montreal to downtown Toronto.  Overnight in one of our Toronto hotels  

Day 2 Saturday  Board the trans-continental at Union Station (departs at 9:00AM).  Your porter will introduce you to your comfortable quarters and let you know about sitting times in the restaurant car.  Roll through Ontario cottage country and then across the Canadian Shield.  You are immersed in  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.  We can arrange a pre-night hotel in Toronto close to the train station if needed.    VIA RAIL BEDROOMS  /  DINING CAR  /  DOME CAR  /  PARK-LOUNGE CAR

Day 3  Sunday  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  Monday   Enjoy a delicious breakfast and relax as we forge across the great wheatfields of Saskatchewan before our morning arrival into Edmonton, capital and most vibrant metropolis in Alberta.   After a brief stop we continue the train journey to the "Jewel of the Canadian Rockies" Jasper, Alberta.  Disembark and we are transferred to our hotel for the first of 2 nights.  Keep on the lookout for wild animals often seen in and around the town.  

Day 5  Tuesday   This morning we tour JASPER and, above the townsite, beautiful PYRAMID LAKE.   Perhaps take an optional cruise of magnificent MALIGNE LAKE and its incredible aquamarine waters.  The views are stunning and the water is a shade of blue found only in these mountains.   Spirit Island is a famous spot for  photographers seeking the perfect picture.  Return to Jasper via the Valley of the FIVE LAKES.  Those staying for additional nights can travel on their own a few miles to the south of  Jasper to the JASPER GONDOLA from where the views of the valleys and peaks are outstanding and ATHABASCA FALLS / HORSESHOE LAKE.  Overnight at one of our Jasper Hotels

Day 7 Thursday  Join us on an afternoon tour up Sulfur Mountain BANFF GONDOLA.  The views will take your breath away.  In the evening we can enjoy an optional dinner featuring cuisine and entertainment all about Canada.  The very adventurous can take an optional  helicopter ride over the Canadian Rockies.    Overnight at one of our Banff Hotels

Day 8 Friday  Depart for Kamloops by motor coach in the sunny Okanagan via Kicking Horse Pass.  Pass over the Continental Divide and begin our slow downhill descent to the Pacific Ocean.  Travel through Yoho National Park, one of four parks that comprise a World Heritage Sight.  We arrive in the late afternoon at the "cattle country"  center of Kamloops for overnight. 

Day 9 Saturday  We scoot along the shores of Kamloops Lake (Kamloops being a native word meaning "meeting of the lakes") and then shadow the mighty Frasier River past Hell's Gate Canyon.  We arrive in lovely VANCOUVER and transfer to our hotel.  This evening we can visit Gastown (be sure to see the steam clock), Chinatown (second largest in North America), the harbor area and the famous Totem Poles at STANLEY PARK on our own.  We can pre-book a harbor dinner cruise for you.  Overnight at one of our downtown Vancouver Hotels.

Day 10  Sunday/Monday Cruise Departure (some sailings depart on Saturdays and require starting from Toronto 2 days earlier and spending on more night in a hotel in Vancouver)  Transfer the short distance to one of Vancouver's two cruise ship terminals.  Board the cruise ship in the early afternoon for a 4:00 sailing departure.  We work with all the major cruise lines.  We can arrange affordable inside cabins, picturesque outside cabins and verandas and staterooms.  We do it all.  Sail north along the beautiful inside passage.  
ALASKA CRUISES

Day 11  Monday/Tuesday  Cruise the inside passage.  Towering mountains, narrow fjords and pre-historic glaciers combine to make one of the World's great sea voyages.  This is prime habitat for grizzly bears, sea lions, bald eagles, porpoise and of course several species of whales.  Ocean currents between Vancouver Island and mainland British Columbia are some of the fastest in the World and you can see fish farms, loggers  and coastal cities fade into wilderness as you calmly sail north. 

Day 12  Monday/Tuesday  Arrive at Ketchikan, Alaska and disembark.  This city is both wet and wild.  Pristine wilderness is fed by the abundant moisture.  It is here you find pristine wilderness and a high concentration of animal life.  Consider seeing the outside museum of native art and one of the largest collections of totem poles in the World. 

Day 13  Tuesday/Wednesday  Juneau is the next stop.  Juneau is only accessible by water and air.  Grizzly bears are commonly seen here and you can see the Governer's Mansion here.  Majestic Mendenhall Glacier is just 13 miles from the state capital, where you have views of Juneau Icefield, Lynn Canal and Stephens Passage.  Following Juneau we cruise either Sawyer or Hubbard Glacier.  These glacier parks continually amaze and inspire cruisers.  Massive chunks of ice calve off the edges and crash into the salt water below, often as frequently s once per hour.  Backdropped with coastal mountains with white caps the sightseeing here is unique in the World and absolutely astounding. 

Day 14  Wednesday/Thursday  Situated at the head of the scenic Lynn Canal, Skagway was once the gateway to the Goldrush.  Listen for the echoes of "There's Gold in them thar hills" echoing from the canyon walls and valleys.   Stroll the famous historic Gold Rush National Historic Park, Trail of '98 Museum and the White Pass and Yukon narrow-gauge Railroad.   Others may want to experience a shore excursion to the glaciers of Chilkat State Park or go dogsledding on Denver Glacier. 

Day 15  Thursday/Friday  The quaint port of Wrangell, at  the mouth of the Stikine River has much to offer.  Be sure to check out the Anan Bear and Wildlife Observatory or Petroglyph Beach State historic Park.   

Day 16  Friday/ Saturday  We cruise the inside passage southbound back into Canadian waters.  Enjoy the fabulous food and entertainment aboard the ship Pass the Alaska Panhandle.  The colors are inspiring with brilliant blue ice of glaciers, emerald green of virgin forests, diamond-bright waterfalls and fall foliage yellow, red and golds.    

Day 17 Saturday/Sunday  Arrive in Vancouver in the morning and disembark.  Some passengers will transfer to Vancouver International Airport VANCOUVER and the largest island in North America, mighty Vancouver Island.  Those extending their stay can go whale watching, see BUTCHART GARDENS and the city of VICTORIA  on Vancouver Island or travel up to WHISTLER Resort area (North of Vancouver).   

   
Gourmet meals and scenery

   
Vermillion Lakes near Banff

Banff Springs Hotel
 


 

See glaciers calving


 
 

Wildlife abounds

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 7%.  Checked baggage is not available on the train, smaller overnight bag is recommended.