Pacific Frontier Circle

From Vancouver

2009

13 Days / 12 Nights

 

Tour Includes:

• 12 Nights hotel accommodations
• Sightseeing tour of Vancouver
• Excursion from Vancouver to Victoria
• Sightseeing tour of Victoria with admission to Butchart Gardens
• Excursion from Victoria to Port Hardy
• BC Ferry from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert with reserved seating in the Midship Private Lounge
• VIA Rail “Skeena” service Prince Rupert to Prince George
• VIA Rail “Skeena” service Prince George to Jasper
• 2 Breakfasts, 2 lunches, 1 dinner onboard VIA Rail
• Transfers between train stations and hotels and ferries
• Sightseeing tour of Jasper and Banff
• Maligne Lake Cruise
• Ice Explorer ride on Athabasca Glacier
• Admission to Cave & Basin
• Banff Gondola
• Porterage at hotels
• National Park fees

 

Day 01 Vancouver

Upon arrival at Vancouver International Airport, transfer (Not Included) independently to your downtown hotel.

Overnight in Vancouver

Day 02 Vancouver

A morning scheduled –service sightseeing tour will introduce you to the natural beauty of Vancouver’s spectacular setting. Visit historic Gas Town, Chinatown, Stanley Park and English Bay. Remainder of day at your leisure

Overnight in Vancouver

Day 03 Vancouver toVictoria

This morning, transfer by taxi to the Pacific Central Bus Station (taxi included), and board a scheduled-service motorcoach to Vancouver Island. Then it’s off on a leisurely cruise aboard a BC Ferries’ vessel, through the Gulf Islands to Victoria, stopping at Butchart Gardens (Admission Included) Upon arrival at the Victoria Bus Depot, transfer by taxi (included) to your hotel.

Overnight in Victoria

Day 04 Victoria

Enjoy a free day to explore more of Victoria. You may wish to visit the Royal British Columbia Museum, have High Tea at the Fairmont Empress or take a carriage ride through the park..Overnight in Victoria

Day 05 Victoria to Port Hardy

Take an early morning tax transfer (included) to the Victoria Bus Depot, where you will board a scheduled-service motorcoach to Port Hardy. Winding northward over the Nalahat Highway, your route offers panoramic views of the Gulf Islands and the Strait of Georgia. Pass through farmlands, fishing villages, deep sea ports, and logging communities, in the late afternoon, arrive in Port Hardy and transfer by taxi (included) to your hotel.

Overnight in Port Hardy

Day 06 Port Hardy to Prince Rupert

This morning, transfer by taxi (included) to the BC Ferry Terminal and embark on a full day of cruising the sheltered waters of the Inside Passage (reserved seating in the private Midship Lounge included). During the length of this fifteen-hour journey, a wonderful array of snow-capped mountains combine with rich forests to provide a background for a series of dramatic fjords. Killer whales, sea lions and playful porpoise often appear in these waters. Arrive at the seaport of Prince Rupert and transfer to your hotel by taxi (included).

Overnight in Prince Rupert

 

Day 7 Prince Rupert

A 1 1/2 hour cruise around Kaien Island is the highlight of this day of leisure in the quaint coastal town of Prince Rupert. During the cruise, see WWII military installations, Reversing tidal rapids at Butze Rapids and Zanardi Rapids. Also during the voyage, there will be a good possibility of sighting porpoise, harbor seals and eagles.

Overnight: Prince Rupert

 

Day 8 Prince Rupert to Prince George

Early this morning, transfer to the Prince Rupert Train Station (transfer included) and board VIA Rail’s “Skeena.” The railroad travels up the stunning Skeena River valley, passing jagged mountain peaks, canyons, native totem poles. Towns such as Terrace, New Hazelton and Smithers are also en route. You will enjoy first class “Totem-Class” service onboard. (including breakfast, lunch and dinner), and exclusive use of the dome car and lounge. Upon arrival in Prince George, transfer to your hotel (included).

Overnight in Prince George

Day 9 Prince George to Jasper

This morning, return to the Prince George Train Station (transfer included) and re-board the “Skeena” for your continuing journey to Jasper. Your route today follows the Fraser River. Enjoy breakfast and lunch onboard (included) Keep your eyes open for grizzly, moose, beaver and osprey. You will pass Mount Robson (3954 meters) the Rockies highest peak. Crossing into the province of Alberta, you will arrive late afternoon in the town of Jasper. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel (included).

Overnight in Jasper

 

Day 10 Jasper to Banff

Today you depart Jasper and tour along the scenic Icefields Parkway, one of the world’s greatest mountain highroads, named for the huge Icefields which dominate the Rockies. Located at the boundary of Banff and Jasper National Parks, the Columbia Icefield is an enormous expanse of ice and snow covering nearly 230 square kilometres and is the greatest mass of ice outside the Arctic Circle. Time is allowed for a thrilling ride on a specially constructed Ice Explorer onto the surface of the Athabasca Glacier (ride included). In the afternoon continue south into Banff National Park. After a brief stop at Lake Louise you will continue to Banff.

Overnight in Banff

Day 11 Banff

Begin your day with Brewster as we provide you with a taste of Canada’s first National Park. Highlights include a visit to the hoodoos, shaped by centuries of wind, Surprise Corner, Tunnel Mountain Drive, which overlooks the Bow Valley, and the Cave & Basin. Your tour includes a Banff Gondola Ride which may be taken any time during your stay in Banff. The afternoon is at leisure.

Overnight in Banff

 

Day 12 Lac Le Jeune

This morning depart Banff on a Brewster motorcoach and travel westward to Kamloops via Kicking Horse Canyon. The highway’s highest point of elevation will be reached at Kicking Horse Pass (1625 metres). It is from this point, the Continental Divide, that the waters flow west to the Pacific Ocean or east to empty into Hudson’s Bay. After a lunch stop (included)

at Coast Hillcrest Resort, located above the city of Revelstoke. After lunch,  you will continue on through Shuswap Lakes area. Keep your eyes open for a glimpse of osprey and eagles nesting in the treetops. By the end of the day you will have crossed through both Yoho and Glacier National Parks.

Overnight in Lac Le Jeune.

 

Day 13 Vancouver

After breakfast (Included) you will travel to Vancouver via Duffey Lake Road to Whistler and the scenic Sea to Sky Highway. Begin the day traveling to Lillooet known as the land of the Gold Rush Trail. A lunch stop in Lillooet (lunch included). Upon arrival in Vancouver, you will be dropped off at your selected hotel, ending your tour (hotel accommodations this evening not included)

 

2009 Departure Dates

Wednesday (Selected Dates)

 

May 27

June 10, 24

July 8, 22

August 5, 19

September 2, 16

 

VIA Rail Boarding Time

Prince Rupert            7:30am

Prince George           7:00am

 

Rate Per Person US Dollars	Twin	Single	Triple
Moderate Program
May 21-June 18	$4487.00	$6219.00	$4143.00
July 2-September 10	$4587.00	$6219.00	$4143.00
Deluxe Program
May 21-June 18	$5499.00	$7977.00	$4915.00
July 2-September 10	$5725.00	$8428.00	$5065.00

 

 

Accommodations
City	Moderate Accommodations	Deluxe Accommodations
Vancouver	Pacific Palisades,	Fairmont Hotel Vancouver,
	Deluxe Room	Fairmont Room
Victoria	Marriott Inner Harbor	Fairmont Empress Hotel,
		Fairmont Room
Port Hardy	Glen Lyon Inn	Glen Lyon Inn
Prince Rupert	Pacific Inn	Crest Motor Hotel
Prince George	Ramada Inn Downtown	Ramada Hotel Downtown
Jasper	Lobstick Lodge	Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge,
		Fairmont Room
Banff	Mount Royal	Fairmont Banff Springs,
		Fairmont Room
Lac Le Jeune	Lac Le Jeune Resort	Lac Le Jeune Resort