Circle Tour by Train through the Canadian Rockies with Alaska Cruise

Day 1 Vancouver | Embarkation Your Alaska journey starts early this afternoon at the Vancouver cruise terminal where you board the ms Volendam. (Dinner included)

Day 2 - 7 Canada & Alaska Inside Passage | Alaska Cruise The fabled Inside Passage is one of the most scenic sea-lanes in the world, and one of the few where deep-draft vessels can sail close to steep mountain walls. The scenery is unbelievable, with forests in a hundred shades of green, tumbling turquoise glaciers, and evocative towns loaded with history, culture and adventure. This roundtrip cruise aboard a modern Holland America Line ship is a perfect base for exploring Alaska and Canada's coast. Ports of calls include the picturesque towns of Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan plus a day of sailing into Glacier Bay National Park. (Breakfast, lunch & dinner included)

Day 8 Vancouver | Disembarkation After breakfast disembark in Vancouver. The balance of day is at leisure. Canada’s third-largest metropolitan centre, Vancouver is a busy port city with a thriving multi-cultural ambiance. Restaurants, shopping, nightlife, a mild climate and a cosmopolitan atmosphere make Vancouver a favourite tourist destination. (Breakfast included)

Day 9 Vancouver | Freedom of Choice - Choose 1 of 2 Excursions Today you can personalize your day by choosing one of these excursions Option 1. Victoria & Butchart Gardens | Coach | ferry | floatplane Experience Victoria’s signature beauty visiting the cities top attractions including the Butchart Gardens. Traveling by coach and ferry, witness the region’s stunning waterways and mountains en-route to Victoria. Then return from Victoria’s inner harbour by floatplane on a scenic 35 minute flight back to downtown Vancouver. Option 2. Whistler with Sea to Sky Gondola | Coach | floatplane This tour takes guests through the breathtaking views and scenic stops along the spectacular Sea-To-Sky Highway. Guests enjoy Whistler’s spectacular beauty and quaint mountainside village appeal. Take time to relax, shop, or partake in a variety of seasonal activities. End the day with an awe inspiring 35-minute floatplane flight to Vancouver with stunning aerial views of mountains lakes and glaciers.

Day 10 Vancouver to Jasper | VIA Rail This afternoon, board VIA Rail’s ‘Canadian’ train for the famous rail journey to the majestic Canadian Rockies. Step back in time to the days of classic rail travel, riding in the original steel ‘streamliner’ railcars made famous by the ‘Canadian’ in the 1950s. Each car has been lovingly restored with air conditioning, a dining car, lounge car, and dome car. Pass through the rich fields of the Fraser Valley and the towering peaks of the Coastal Mountains before entering the Fraser Canyon. Follow the Thompson River through spectacular landscapes as you enjoy dinner (included), then retreat to your private quarters that have been converted into a bedroom.

Day 11 Arrive Jasper (Rail) Rise to the snowy peaks of the Canadian Rockies today as you arrive in Jasper and transfer to your hotel. The day is free to explore this unique alpine community. (Breakfast included today onboard VIA Rail)

Day 12 Jasper to Lake Louise | Sightseeing with picnic lunch Your sightseeing tour today will encompass the ultimate glacier exploration as you travel along the spectacular Icefields Parkway. From walking on ancient ice with the Ice Explorer ride (included), to standing on a glass platform almost one thousand feet in the air at the Glacier Skywalk (included), today’s experiences will leave you with a special appreciation for this treasured region of the Rockies (Picnic lunch included today)

Day 13 Lake Louise to Banff | Coach Depart Lake Louise mid-morning for a short drive via the scenic Bow Valley to Banff, arriving mid-day.

Day 14 Banff | Freedom of Choice - Choose 1 of 3 Excursions Today you can personalize your day by choosing one of these excursions Option 1. Discover Banff & Its Wildlife Tour + Banff Gondola Explore the natural wonders near the town of Banff on this half-day, small-group tour. Admire the unparalleled beauty of natural sights including Bow Falls, the surreal Hoodoos rock formation, and beautiful Lake Minnewanka, among others. Then Maximize your views of Banff National Park with minimal exertion during this round-trip gondola ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain. Option 2. Discover Grizzly Bears, Lakes & Waterfalls Pursue the elusive Canadian Grizzly Bear on this 10 hour excursion through Banff and Yoho National Parks, perfect for animal and nature-lovers alike. Head out for a gondola ride up to 7,700 feet for a mountain-top lunch at Canada’s highest restaurant, and then take a chairlift ride up to the world’s largest enclosed and protected grizzly bear habitat to see Boo the resident bear rescued as a cub. Option 3. Cowboy Horseback Cookout BBQ Lunch or Dinner Saddle up for a ride along the Bow River in Banff and a Western style cookout. Choose from riding on horseback or in a covered wagon through the beautiful Rocky Mountain terrain

Day 15 Banff to Kamloops | Rocky Mountaineer All aboard Rocky Mountaineer for the scenic rail journey to Kamloops in the interior of British Columbia. As the train crosses over the continental divide you pass through the spiral tunnels in Yoho National Park, a remarkable engineering achievement. Continue on through the Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park with endless views of snow capped mountains and stunning glaciers. Pass by Craigellachie, where the last spike was driven completing the Canadian Pacific Railway Trans Canada link in 1885. (Breakfast & lunch is included today)

Day 16 Kamloops to Vancouver | Rocky Mountaineer Re-board the Rocky Mountaineer Train and follow the Thompson River through Ashcroft - one of Canada’s driest towns (with an average rainfall of just 18 centimetres). Pass through Rainbow Canyon with its cliffs striped with pinks, greens and greys creating a stunning effect. Continue on to the Fraser Canyon where at Hell’s Gate you will observe a water torrent past the canyon walls at its narrowest point. The last leg of the journey takes you through the lush farming region of the Fraser Valley to arrive in the Pacific port of Vancouver late afternoon. (Breakfast & lunch is included today)