Saskatoon to Alaska2

Saturday early morning departures
Day 1 Saturday Our incredible train journey begins! Transfer to Saskatoon's Train Station for our departure (Thursday, Saturday at 2:00AM). All aboard the "VIA Rail Transcontinental" bound for the Pacific Coast. Our first class rail cars are refurbished to the 1950's genre in Art Deco. The private bedrooms are comfortable and all meals are included (Checked baggage is not available until day 5, smaller overnight bag is recommended on the train). Enjoy a delicious breakfast and relax as we forge across the great wheatfields of Saskatchewan before our morning arrival into Edmonton, capital and largest metropolis in Alberta. After a brief stop we continue the train journey to the "Jewel of the Canadian Rockies" JASPER, Alberta. Disembark and transfer (transfer not included in price) to one of our Jasper hotels. Keep on the lookout for wild animals often seen in and around the town. VIA RAIL BEDROOMS / DINING CAR / DOME CAR / PARK-LOUNGE CAR

Day 2 Sunday 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. 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.

Day 3 Monday 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

Great cuisine and scenery

Day 4 Tuesday A very special day awaits! Our excursion today includes mountains, lakes and waterfalls. Depart Banff on our motor coach and travel the beautiful Bow Valley Expressway to JOHNSTON CANYON where you are given time for a short nature walk. We continue to beautiful MORAINE LAKE to see its mystical green waters and then visit LAKE LOUISE. Visitors come from all over the World to stand before this magnificent setting. After lunch at Lake Louise (lunch not included in fare), cross the Great Divide and enter Yoho National Park. You’ll visit Yoho’s scenic highlights such as tumbling Takakkaw Falls, Emerald Lake and the Natural Rock Bridge before returning to Banff in the late afternoon. What a great day! Overnight Banff

Day 5 Wednesday Enjoy a free day in delightful Banff. Rent a car, take the Sulfur Mountain Gondola to the top 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.

Day 6 Thursday 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 7 Friday 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 our downtown hotel (a very easy cab ride).

Johnston Canyon

Stunning Lake Louise

Day 8 Saturday/Sunday Cruise Departure (some sailings depart on Sundays and require one more overnight in Vancouver/some Monday sailings available) 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.

Day 9 Sunday/Monday 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 10 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 11 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 12 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 13 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.

Cruise the inside passage

Day 14 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 and golds.

Day 15 Saturday/Sunday Arrive in Vancouver in the morning and disembark. Transfer to Vancouver International airport or you may choose to extend your stay and visit 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).

Wildlife awaits you

This tour can also be booked in the opposite direction MORE TOURS FROM SASKATOON

This tour can also be booked in the opposite direction
MORE TOURS FROM SASKATOON