East Meets West Train Explorer 10 Days / 9 Nights
Detailed Itinerary
Please note, like most of our Canada rail packages & tours, this railway vacation can be customized to your needs - just ask one of our local experts when you call.Day 1 - Your Across Canada Train Adventure Begins – Arrive Toronto
The sounds of Canada’s largest city welcome you as you arrive in downtown Toronto. Couples hurry along the sidewalk, rushing to one of Toronto’s big stage productions. A woman quickly shifts all her shopping bags to one arm as she raises a hand to hail a cab, and the smell of Chinese food makes you salivate as a delivery boy bikes along the street in front of you. Toronto beckons and you’re anxious to get out and explore this fresh Canadian city.
Day 2 - Toronto Tour / Via Rail’s The Canadian – Toronto to Jasper
Before heading off to the Rockies on tonight’s train, you have the day to enjoy a Toronto Hop-on-Hop-off city tour. Highlights include the CN Tower, SkyDome, Casa Loma, Queens Park, Yorkville and Chinatown to name a few. It takes two hours to complete the entire circle, but you can step on or off at any time, so the true length depends on you!
After your tour, you’re on your way to the great Canadian Rockies! The overnight train across Canada between Toronto and Jasper is an incredible rail journey that takes 3 full days. Leave the picturesque lakelands of Northern Ontario behind, as you travel west to Jasper.
Day 3 & 4 - Canadian Rail Journey to the West – Onboard the Canadian Train
The scenery changes once again as you travel across the undulating plain of the Canadian prairie provinces. Settle into your seat and enjoy watching the sights from your window. This is the second and third day and night of your across Canada rail journey.
Day 5 - Enter Canada’s Rocky Mountains – Arrive in Jasper
Step off the Canadian train and take a deep breath – the crisp mountain air is invigorating. You are completely surrounded by mountains and trees. You look to your left and see a downtown gas station with a snow topped mountain peak standing proudly in the distance behind it. Jasper is summed up in that one view. It’s a town with all the modern touches, but the splendor of the Canadian Rockies is never out of your thoughts.
Day 6 - Icefields Parkway Tour - Jasper to Banff
Travel the Icefields Parkway through the natural splendour of Jasper and Banff National Parks, with a small group and an experienced guide. Glistening glaciers, cascading waterfalls, emerald lakes, pristine rivers and alpine meadows dot this awe-inspiring mountain wilderness. The breathtaking panorama of snow-capped peaks and endless mountain ridges occasionally opens up to afford a spectacular view of deep valleys stretching to a distant horizon. The tour stops at the Columbia Icefield where you will venture onto the massive Athabasca Glacier in a specially designed Ice Explorer. Other brief sightseeing stops include an opportunity to photograph the turquoise waters of picturesque Lake Louise are made throughout the tour. A picnic lunch and an Ice Explorer ride are included.
Day 7 - Banff Tour
Enjoy an intimate tour through the towering mountains of Rundle, Tunnel, Cascade, and Norquay while learning about the natural attractions such as the wind shaped Hoodoos and Johnstone Canyon. Surprise Corner along Tunnel Mountain Drive delivers a breathtaking view of the valley without comparison, while an ascent by gondola to the summit of Sulphur Mountain reveals endless mountain ranges and rivers sparkling in the distance. Take as much time as you like up here, before returning to your hotel.
Day 8 - Onboard the Rocky Mountaineer to Kamloops
Travel onboard the Rocky Mountaineer from the mountain town of Banff to Kamloops in the heart of British Columbia’s interior. Your journey offers you a spectacular range of scenery as you travel between the high peaks of the Canadian Rockies, over mountain passes and through remarkable tunnels, along rocky lakeshores and across the ranchlands of the interior. Today’s highlights include the Continental Divide, the Spiral Tunnels, the Kicking Horse Canyon, Rogers Pass, Craigellachie where the last spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway was driven, and of course the glaciers and snow-capped peaks of the Canadian Rockies. Overnight in Kamloops.
Day 9 - Onboard the Rocky Mountaineer train Vancouver Arrival
Your journey continues west towards the Pacific Ocean and the coastal Canadian city of Vancouver. On today’s journey you will again see dramatic changes in scenery, from the desert-like environment of the interior, through the winding river canyons and pristine forests, to the Coast and Cascade Mountains and the lush green fields of the Fraser River Valley. Highlights include the steep slopes and rock sheds along the Thompson River and the rushing waters of Hell’s Gate in the Fraser Canyon. Your rail journey ends on arrival in Vancouver this evening. Overnight in Vancouver.
Day 10 - With Fond Memories Made – Depart
Today you leave the fresh air and colorful sights of Canada behind as your across Canada train vacation comes to an end.
Which part of Canada should I explore?
Call one of our friendly experts in Canada now.
| US & Canada 1 877 913 5286 |
United Kingdom 0800 917 5924 |
Australia 1800 176 968 |
Other Countries 1 604 737 8743 |
Contact Us » |
