Rockies Circle West

From Vancouver

2009

8 Days/7 Nights

 

Includes:

• 6 Nights accommodations
• VIA Rail’s “The Canadian” Silver and Blue Class from Vancouver to Jasper
• Sleeping accommodation onboard VIA Rail for one night
• 1 Dinner, 1 breakfast while onboard VIA Rail
• Transfer from Jasper train station to hotel
• Sightseeing tour of Jasper and Banff
• Maligne Lake Cruise
• Ice Explorer ride on the Athabasca Glacier
• Admission to Cave and Basin
• Transfer Banff to Lake Louise
• 2 Lunch, 1 breakfast
• One dinner
• Porterage at hotels
• National Park fees

 

Day 1 Via Rail

Transfer independently to the Vancouver Pacific Central Station (transfer not included) and board VIA Rail’s “Canadian” for your overnight journey through the Rockies to the resort town of Jasper. Leaving Vancouver you will head east through the lush Fraser Valley with its abundant orchards and huge dairy farms. Follow the Fraser River to the Fraser Canyon and the mighty Hell’s Gate. Other points of interest will include Suicide Rapids in the North Thompson Canyon and  the Cisco Tunnels above the Fraser River. Dinner is included onboard the train this evening. Overnight onboard VIA Rail.

 

Day 2 Jasper

You will travel between the Monashee and Caribou mountain ranges before ending your train journey in the resort town of Jasper. Breakfast is included onboard the train. Upon arrival at the Jasper train station, transfer to your hotel. (transfer included) Overnight Jasper.

 

Day 3 Jasper

Jasper, fascinating in beauty and history, is set amid some of the most rugged peaks in the Rockies. Your three hour Brewster motorcoach tour today will encompass some outstanding scenery including Pyramid Lake, Patricia Lake and Maligne Canyon with its narrow gorge and limestone walls reaching 50 metres below. Once onboard the tour boat, you begin your 90 minute cruise heading toward the south end of this postcard setting. Stopping at Spirit Island, you will have the opportunity to take your own version of the world-famous photograph of the lake. Return to Jasper. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Overnight Jasper

 

Day 4 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 Banff

 

Day 5 Lake Louise

Begin your day with a morning Brewster motorcoach tour. Highlights of this three hour tour include a visit to the hoodoos-shaped by centuries of wind, Surprise Corner, Tunnel Mountain Drive which overlooks the splendor of the Bow River Valley, and Cave and Basin where Banff’s history began.Take a ride (Included) on a gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain. This afternoon transfer via Brewster motor coach to the “Jewel of the Rockies”, Lake Louise. Steeped in history and fabulous panoramas, your journey takes you by the Vermilion Lakes with the spectacular background setting of Mount Rundle. Then continue along #1A Highway, passing the Hole-in-the-Wall, stopping at Johnston Canyon for one of the many views of Castle Mountain. Continue to Lake Louise.

Overnight Lake Louise.

 

Day 6 Kamloops/Lac Le Jeune

This morning depart Lake Louise on a Brewster motor coach 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 7 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 travelling to the gold rush town of Cache Creek. The historic Hat Creek Ranch literally takes you back to the gold rush days (admission included) , then on to Lillooet known as the land of the Gold Rush Trail. A lunch stop in Lillooet (lunch included)

 Overnight Vancouver.

 

Day 8 Vancouver

Transfer independently to the Vancouver International Airport for your ongoing or return flight home (transfer not included). You may use scheduled Airporter coach, taxi or Limo.

 

 

 

2009 Departure Dates

VIA Rail Boarding Vancouver 4:30pm

 

Sunday, Tuesday

May 3, 5, 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, 26, 31

June 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30

July 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 26, 28

August  2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, 25, 30

September 1, 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29

October 4, 6

 

Rates Per Person US Dollars	Twin	Single	Triple
Moderate Program
May 3-May 17	$2387.00	$3121.00	$2238.00
May 19-June 23	$2985.00	$4053.00	$2782.00
June 28-August 30	$3002.00	$4088.00	$2795.00
September 1-September 29	$3208.00	$4293.00	$3000.00
October 04-October 06	$2742.00	$3430.00	$2607.00
Deluxe Program
May 3-May 17	$3105.00	$4335.00	$2977.00
May 19-June 23	$4043.00	$5891.00	$3723.00
June 28-August 30	$4095.00	$5993.00	$3757.00
September 1-September 29	$4357.00	$6255.00	$4020.00
October 04-October 06	$3417.00	$4444.00	$3353.00

 

 

 

Accommodations
City	Moderate Accommodation	Deluxe Accommodation
VIA Rail	Upper/Lower Berth	Bedroom/Roomette
Jasper	Lobstick Lodge	Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge,
		Fairmont Room
Banff	Mount Royal Hotel	Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel,
		Fairmont Room
Lake Louise	Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise,	Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise,
	Fairmont Room	Fairmont Deluxe
Lac Le Jeune	Lac Le Jeune Resort	Lac Le Jeune Resort
Vancouver	Blue Horizon	Fairmont Hotel Vancouver,
		Fairmont Room