Prairies and Mountains

The Canadian Shield, The Mighty Rocky Mountains, Across the divide to the Pacific Rim
Toronto - Sioux Lookout - Winnipeg - Saskatoon - Edmonton - Jasper - Kamloops - Vancouver 

Day 1  Thursday/Saturday  Board the train in  Toronto at Union Station (downtown) and unpack for the next 2 nights aboard VIA's Trans-Continental.  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  Friday/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 including World-Class Cuisine.  
How about a night cap in the Park Car tonight?

Day 3  Saturday/Monday  Enjoy a delicious breakfast in the Dining Car 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 4  Sunday/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.  A few miles to the south of  Jasper is the JASPER GONDOLA from where the views of the valleys and peaks are outstanding.  Overnight Jasper

Great scenery rolls by the dining car windows
   
Vermillion Lakes near Banff

Day 5  Monday/Wednesday  Depart Jasper towards BANFF NATIONAL PARK 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 in Banff.  This evening step out for a walk past the magnificent Banff Springs Hotel, styled after a Scottish Baronial style castle it is perched on the side of a mountain overlooking gushing Bow Falls.   Overnight Banff

Day 6  Tuesday/Thursday  Join us on an afternoon tour up Sulfur Mountain on the 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 or a relaxing sail onto LAKE MINNEWANKA.  Overnight in one of our Banff hotels

Day 7  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 our overnight. 

Day 8  Thursday/Saturday  We scoot along the shores of Kamloops Lake by motor coach (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 where our orientation tour includes 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.  We can pre-book a harbor dinner cruise for you or perhaps visit beautiful QUEEN ELIZABETH PARK.  Overnight in one of our Vancouver hotels

Day 9  Thursday/Sunday  Transfer to Vancouver International airport.

 

Banff Springs Hotel