vancouver Tours Highlights of the Rockies with VIA Rail & Alaska Cruise

Itinerary:

Day 1 Vancouver    
Transfer to your centrally located Vancouver hotel and enjoy a welcome reception with your fellow guests and tour director.    

Day 2 Vancouver to Whistler    
View Vancouver’s highlights on a sightseeing tour through the dense high rise waterfront region to historic Gastown. Afterwards depart up the Sea to Sky highway to Whistler’s mountain scenery.    

Day 3 Whistler to Quaaout Lodge    
Travel through the Cariboo region for a walking tour exploring Canada’s indigenous culture before a First Nation’s inspired dinner.  

Day 4 Quaaout Lodge to Banff    
Continue through Yoho National Park before arriving in Banff National Park for a visit to the breath-taking Lake Louise.    

Day 5 Banff    
Enjoy a relaxing day at your own pace or select from a range of optional excursions including a helicopter tour or a Bow River float trip.    

Day 6 Banff to Jasper    
Journey through the rugged scenery of the Icefields Parkway, stopping en route at the Athabasca Glacier for an exhilarating Ice Explorer ride.    

Day 7 Jasper    
Today is at leisure to enjoy the scenery or perhaps select an optional excursion. Choices include a Harley Davidson sidecar tour or a rafting adventure.

Day 8 Jasper to Vancouver    
After breakfast board the westbound VIA Rail service and spend the night onboard in a sleeper plus cabin.  

Day 9 Jasper to Vancouver    
Continue alongside Fraser River where you can catch a glimpse of the raging rapids of Hell's Gate, before finally arriving in Vancouver. Enjoy some free time to explore the city’s attractions before a farewell diner.    

Day 10 Vancouver to Seattle – Holland America Line Cruise
(Optional cruise extension begins). Your tour concludes today, or alternatively transfer to Seattle to join your ship for your Alaska Inside Passage Cruise and settle in to your well-appointed Inside Stateroom.    

Day 11 Inside Passage Cruising    
Enjoy a day at sea as your ship navigates its way past rocky headlands and dramatic cliff faces. Keep an eye out for humpback whales and orcas as you sail through the stunning Inside Passage scenery.    

Day 12 Juneau    
Sail into Juneau which has been Alaska’s capital since 1906. Spend some time taking in the diverse terrain or perhaps make your way to the town and explore the rustic shops located here.  

Day 13 Skagway
Reach the northernmost point of the Inside Passage at Skagway, the gateway to the Klondike gold rush of 1898. Take some time to explore this frontier town with an optional gold prospecting experience.    

Day 14 Glacier Bay NP    
Awake to the breathtaking sight of Glacier Bay National Park with its striking rivers of ice and glittering icebergs. Enjoy commentary from a local ranger explaining the geological wonders and diverse marine mammals that inhabit this World Heritage listed region.    

Day 15 Ketchikan    
Arrive into Ketchikan, known as the salmon capital of the world. You might like to join an optional walking tour of the town or learn about Tlingit Indian culture at the Saxman Native Village.  

Day 16 Inside Passage Cruising    
Spend a final day cruising south through the spectacular landscape of the Inside Passage.    

Day 17 Seattle    
Your cruise ends today in Seattle. Disembark after breakfast and enjoy some time at leisure before being transferred to the airport for your flight home.

Departs:

Frequent departures Apr - Sep 2020.  

*Blue River Safari not available Apr 2020.    
Also for April departures clients stay at Nancy Greene's Cahility Lodge, Sun Peks in lieu of Mike Wiegele Blue River and sailing on the Eurodam cruising to Glacier Bay in lieu of Hubbard Glacier.