Detailed Itinerary

(Please note, like most of our Canada rail packages & tours, this Canadian Rockies and west coast railroad vacation featuring the Rocky Mountaineer can be customized to your needs).
Day 1 – Your Canadian Train Vacation Package Begins - Vancouver to Victoria
After arriving in Vancouver by air, you go straight to the ferry terminal for a trip to the provincial capital Victoria. The sea breeze on a walk around the deck is just what you need after hours in airports and on planes! Enjoy the beautiful Gulf Islands as you keep an eye out for dolphins and Orca whales in the water below.

Victoria’s British charm is evident in the quaint shops and antique stores that line the streets downtown. You never know what kind of treasures lie there, so get out and explore the capital city with the small town feel! Overnight in Victoria.

Day 2 – British Charm – Butchart Gardens & Victoria
Step onto a deluxe bus this morning to travel through pastoral landscapes, dotted with sprawling farms, to world-famous Butchart Gardens, for a morning relaxing amid a profusion of fragrances and colors. Returning to the tour, enjoy an insight into the culture and history of Victoria from a local perspective. As you admire the stately homes, historic landmarks, and lively communities you will surely discover the infectious charm of the city. Overnight in Victoria.

Day 3 – Victoria Whale-watching – Returning By Ferry & Bus To Vancouver
The coastal breeze wakes you up this morning as you bob with the rhythm of the sea. Orcas, Minke & Gray whales can all be found in these waters - but the whales (actually members of the Dolphin family) that everyone wants to see are the entertaining and curious Orcas.

The ferry back to Vancouver is just as exciting as the journey over. Your hot tea keeps your hands warm as you get some fresh air on the deck. Enjoy your evening in Vancouver relaxing - perhaps taking a stroll around Stanley Park and dining at a beautiful waterfront restaurant (ask us to recommend our favorites.) Overnight

Day 4 – Canada Train trip from Sea to Sky – Whistler Mountaineer
You feel right at home onboard Rocky Mountaineer’s newest train - the Whistler Mountaineer. You start the day off with the aroma of coffee and taste of a hearty breakfast. Picture mountain peaks, covered in deep green trees, rising up from the water just outside your window. These are the Coastal Mountains that British Columbia is famous for. Hold your breath as your train chugs slowly through the Cheakamus Canyon, and then wander out to the open air observation car for your first taste of the postcard worthy sights that await you on your Canada train vacation.

Day 5 – Onboard the Rocky Mountaineer Railway – Whistler to Quesnel
The train’s whistle breaks the mountain silence and the smell of hot tea and sizzling bacon wafts through your car as the famous Rocky Mountaineer train rolls out of Whistler. Over coffee you chat with old friends and new, but mostly you can’t help staring out the window at some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world. Overnight in Quesnel

Day 6 – Onboard the Rocky Mountaineer Train – Quesnel to Jasper
This is the day you’ve been waiting for – the day you reach the breathtaking Canadian Rockies. The Rocky Mountain trench engulfs you and makes you realize just how small you really are as you look up to see the Canadian Rockies to the north. You step off the train in Jasper tonight and are overcome with the serenity of the mountains. You’re on top of the Earth, far from the stresses at home, and ready to embrace the calmness of the Canadian Rockies.

Day 7 - In The Canadian Rockies - The Icefields Parkway – Jasper to Lake Louise
Welcome the morning by boarding a luxury motorcoach and relaxing in comfort as you head south along the spine of the Canadian Rockies on the Icefields Parkway, one of the most scenic highways in the world. Optional snocoach tours on the Athabasca Glacier will have you in awe of the wonders that nature builds - and that feeling only gets more intense when you arrive in Lake Louise. Picture the clearest glacier water you can imagine, and then frame this water with some of the most majestic mountains in the world – Lake Louise is like nothing else.

Day 8 – In the Canadian Rockies - Lake Louise to Banff
The mist hangs above Lake Louise this morning, only in the Canadian Rockies could you wake to such a stunning sight. Continue discovering the unrivaled beauty of the Canadian Rockies as you arrive in Banff, the most lively town in the Canadian Rockies.

Day 9 – In the Canadian Rockies – Exploring Banff
Today’s the day to get outside, explore, and get to know the wonders of Banff. From the pristine wilderness to the charming town. From the wildlife to the sweet scents of fudge and ice cream. From the calm of the towering mountains to the laughter on the streets. You now understand the charm that keeps people returning to Banff year after year.

Day 10 - With Fond Memories Made – Depart Banff
Much too soon, you leave the clean air and colorful sights of Canada behind as your West Coast and Rocky Mountain train adventure comes to an end. Yet you leave with wonderful memories to revisit and cherish for a lifetime.

Bon Voyage!