Grand Canadian Rockies

9 night tour - Starting in Vancouver, Britsh Columbia - ending in Calgary, Alberta.

2016 Early Booking Offer - Book before the 28th February 2016 and enjoy a free pre or post nights stay on us! making this an 10 night tour.

A Tauck World Discovery Tour.

Celebrating 90 years in the travel touring business, Tauck offer the ultimate in luxury touring. Throughout the years, ingenuity and innovation, plus a focus on customer servce and authentic experiences, have grown Tauck into one of the world's leading travel touring companies. On your tour you can expect an itinerary carefully designed to create an unforgetable experience, ensuring the finest hotels, luxury motorcoaches and highly experienced tour directors.

Prepare to be dazzled on Tauck's action-packed western Canada tour... featuring a classic overnight rail journey from Vancouver into the Canadian Rockies, a floatplane excursion over the Gulf Islands, a ferry cruise to Victoria, an Ice Explorer ride across a glacier, and a raft trip down the Bow River. Explore the cities of Vancouver and Victoria... travel the Icefields Parkway... visit Victoria's celebrated The Butchart Gardens and the Royal BC Museum... enjoy afternoon tea at The Fairmont Empress... and discover Banff and Jasper national parks from legendary inside-the-park Fairmont resorts.

2016 departure dates:
May 19th & 24th
June 7th & 21st
July 5th, 12th, 19th & 23rd
August 2nd, 6th*, 9th, 11th, 16th, 18th*, 20th, 25th & 30th
September 6th, 8th & 15th*
 
* Small Group Departures – Select small group departures averaging just 24 guests
 
TO BOOK THIS TOUR: CALL US ON FREEPHONE 0800 0336 335 OR EMAIL US RESERVATIONS@PURELYTRAVELGROUP.CO.UK
View Itinerary Details

Day 1: Arrive in Vancouver

Tour begins at 6:00 PM at The Fairmont Waterfront. A transfer is included from Vancouver Int'l Airport to The Fairmont Waterfront. Your hotel is located within easy walking distance of Vancouver's lively Gastown and Stanley Park. Meet your Tauck Director and travel companions at the welcome reception followed by dinner.

Lodging: The Fairmont Waterfront

Dinner

Day 2: Vancouver highlights and a ferry to Victoria

Continue Tauck's western Canada tour with guided sightseeing including Chinatown and Stanley Park, introducing you to the history and vibrant cultural life of Vancouver, site of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Have lunch on your own, then hop aboard a ferry to Victoria, British Columbia's capital, where you'll spend two nights at the Hotel Grand Pacific, in a balconied, Grand Harbor View room overlooking Victoria's beautiful waterfront.

Lodging: Hotel Grand Pacific

Breakfast, Dinner

Day 3: Victorian ways with The Butchart Gardens and afternoon tea

Throughout your stay in Victoria, you’ll discover more than a bit of British influence in its double-decker buses, horse-drawn carriages and formal gardens, all surrounded by the rustic beauty of the Pacific coast. You’ll find floral beauty in exceptional form at The Butchart Gardens, begun over a century ago. During your visit this morning, explore what has grown to encompass 55 magnificent acres of flowers and show gardens, including the Japanese, Italian and Rose gardens. The rest of the day is free to explore one of the oldest cities in the Pacific Northwest; downtown restaurants and shops and the attractions of Fisherman’s Wharf are within walking distance.

Lodging: Hotel Grand Pacific

Breakfast

Day 4: Visit the Royal BC Museum, afternoon tea, flightseeing & all aboard "The Canadian"

Morning is free to spend as you wish, perhaps visiting the Royal BC Museum with your Tauck-included tickets. Meet up this afternoon for a short walk from the hotel to board a float plane; enjoy flightseeing over the pristine Gulf Islands en route to Coal Harbour in the city of Vancouver. Your next stop is Vancouver’s historic Gastown district; explore at leisure before a champagne send-off on VIA Rail’s The Canadian for an overnight journey to the awe-inspiring Canadian Rockies. Board the sleek, newly restored rail cars of VIA Rail's The Canadian, and celebrate the start of your overnight journey to the Canadian Rockies with a champagne toast. Sleep on board the train tonight – you will be nothing less than stunned by the spectacular alpine scenery that dawn reveals!

Lodging: Aboard The Canadian

Breakfast

Day 5: Into the Canadian Rockies by rail to Jasper

The vistas are nothing short of spectacular from Tauck's reserved seats aboard VIA Rail's beautiful new panorama car aboard The Canadian, as your western Canada tour continues across British Columbia, where towering peaks and glaciers highlight the route. Cross the Continental Divide into the province of Alberta; arrive in Jasper National Park for a two-night stay at The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. Join us for a BBQ dinner in the Clubhouse tonight.

Lodging: The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: A day as you please in Jasper National Park

The day is yours to spend just as you wish among the carefully protected ecosystems – and "photographer's paradise" of Jasper National Park, where optional choices at your resort (at additional cost) include horseback riding or tennis. Rent a canoe or paddleboat on Lake Beauvert; go on a trail ride or a guided nature walk; play a round of golf on a top-rated course; or visit the historic town of Jasper on your own. This evening, a presentation by a Parks Canada official precedes dinner at your choice of restaurants at the lodge.

Lodging: The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

Breakfast, Dinner

Day 7: Icefields Parkway, Athabasca Glacier and on to Lake Louise

Drive the Icefields Parkway, featuring jaw-dropping views of mountains, waterfalls, glaciers, and snowfields around every turn. Watch for bears, elk, bighorn sheep, and mountain goats, especially in the spring and fall. View Athabasca Glacier flowing from the Columbia Icefield, and take a memorable climb across the glacier's surface on an Ice Explorer, a specially designed vehicle. Continue on to your chateau-style hotel on the edge of Lake Louise overlooking Victoria Glacier, for a night in a Lake View room.

Lodging: The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8: Moraine Lake, Yoho National Park & on to Banff National Park

Travel via the Bow River Valley to Moraine Lake, a photographer's paradise, then continue through Kicking Horse Pass into Yoho National Park. See the Natural Bridge, a rock formation over the Kicking Horse River; the Spiral Tunnels, a century-old railway engineering feat; and the Continental Divide before setting off for The Fairmont Banff Springs for a two-night stay inside Banff National Park. Often referred to as "the Castle in the Mountains," your resort has been a Rocky Mountain icon since the 1880s; enjoy dinner at leisure this evening.

Lodging: The Fairmont Banff Springs

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9: Bow River float trip and a day of resort leisure

Embark on a float trip along the Bow River*, then spend the rest of the day at leisure at your grand hotel, built more than a century ago to resemble a Scottish baronial castle. Or discover the town of Banff as you please. Your resort offers a full range of optional activities (some available at additional cost) to try;  perhaps take a guided nature walk, book a treatment at the renowned Willow Stream Spa, enjoy horseback riding or a round of golf, or ride the scenic Banff Gondola. Or head over to explore the town of Banff itself. Wrap up your western Canada tour this evening by joining us for a festive farewell reception followed by dinner.

Lodging: The Fairmont Banff Springs

Breakfast, Dinner

Day 10: Home or extend your stay

Travel from Banff National Park to Calgary, Alberta this morning, approximately 80 miles. Your western Canada tour and mountain adventure ends at 10:00 AM at Calgary International Airport. Tauck can arrange additional nights at The Westin Calgary for guests wishing to extend their stay; an airport transfer is included for these bookings. Allow a minimum of three hours for flight check-in.

Breakfast

 

Your Tauck Tour Highlights

Floatplane flightseeing excursion over the Gulf Islands from Victoria to Vancouver
Accommodations in four acclaimed Fairmont hotels and resorts, from Vancouver to Jasper and Banff national parks
An overnight rail journey aboard VIA Rail's newly renovated The Canadian from the beautiful Vancouver coast to Canada's Rocky Mountains – enjoy spectacular mountain scenery from Tauck's reserved seats in VIA Rail's beautiful new panorama car
Afternoon Tea served in the elegantly restored Tea Lobby of The Fairmont Empress, a Victoria tradition for nearly a century
In Victoria, visits to The Butchart Gardens – a National Historic Site of Canada boasting stunning floral gardens – and the Royal BC Museum, showcasing British Columbia's human & natural history
An "Ice Age" adventure at Athabasca Glacier as you ride aboard a specially designed Ice Explorer
Raft trip on the Bow River in Banff National Park
Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted
19 meals (9 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 7 dinners), service charges, gratuities to local guides, admission fees, taxes and porterage

Your Hotels....

Night 1 : The Fairmont Waterfront - Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada  Tauck Guests enjoy complimentary Internet access in guest rooms!

Surrounded by the spectacular coastal mountains and overlooking the scenic harbor, The Fairmont Waterfront is located in the heart of Vancouver and is convenient to all the many charms of this lovely city. Spacious, comfortable guestrooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over either the harbor or Vancouver’s beautiful cityscape. A heated outdoor swimming pool overlooks Stanley Park and the North Shore Mountains and the Health Club offers an indoor whirlpool, steam rooms and Fitness Center equipped with all the latest exercise equipment. The readers of both Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure place The Fairmont Waterfront among the 500 best hotels in the world.

Nights 2 - 3 : Hotel Grand Pacific - Victoria, British Columbia, Canada  Tauck Guests enjoy complimentary Internet access in guest rooms!

The Hotel Grand Pacific, which has been named the “Best Hotel in Canada” by Condé Nast Traveler, enjoys a lovely and most convenient location right on Victoria’s inner Harbour. You’ll find a welcoming ambiance in your beautifully appointed guest room as well as a private balcony, color cable TV, minibar, in-room safe, coffee maker, Gilchrist & Soames bath amenities, hairdryer, iron / ironing board and an in-room safe. An indoor swimming pool, a Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna compete for your attention with free weights, treadmills, stationary bikes and more in the Grand Pacific Fitness Club, while the Spa at the Grand tempts with all sorts of pampering experiences. At Hotel Grand Pacific, food and wine are taken seriously, with a focus on the food and wine of the Pacific Northwest using fresh, local, organic and wild ingredients. During your stay, keep an eye out for the resident mallard ducks that like to hang out in the hotel’s forecourt and gardens.

Night 4 : Aboard The Canadian - Canadian Rockies

By day, enjoy unparalleled wilderness views and attentive service from the comfort of Tauck’s private domed observation car aboard VIA Rail’s The Canadian, traveling from Vancouver to Jasper. The Canadian’s interiors combine state-of-the-art amenities with cozy, contemporary style, to offer a relaxing travel experience and inspiring mountain scenery. The Canadian is owned and operated by VIA Rail Canada, a Canadian Federal Crown Corporation. In sleeping cars, doubles are accommodated in a bedroom with a window and two armchairs, replaced at night by an upper and lower bunk bed system – a bench that becomes the lower bed and a "Murphy" upper bunk that is pulled out of the wall; amenities include a small closet, sink / vanity, mirror, and a private toilet. Singles are accommodated in smaller single bedrooms with a window seat that converts to a bed (folding out from the wall). Triples are accommodated in one double bedroom and one single bedroom. All sleeping cars feature restrooms and a public shower.

Nights 5 - 6 : The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge - Jasper, Alberta, Canada  Tauck Guests enjoy complimentary Internet access in guest rooms!

Nestled in the midst of majestic Jasper National Park, The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge is the epitome of rustic elegance. Once the world’s largest single-story log structure, today the hotel delights sophisticated travelers seeking top-drawer accommodations, amenities and hospitality in combination with countless opportunities for adventurous activities in a pristine wilderness location. Cozy guest rooms feature cable TV, coffee maker, hair dryer, iron and ironing board and windows that open for fresh air. The Health Club facilities include an outdoor heated swimming pool, an indoor whirlpool, an exercise room, and sauna, while the brand-new luxury Fairmont Spa waits with pampering treatments.

Night 7 : The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise - Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada   Tauck Guests enjoy complimentary Internet access in guest rooms!

The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is one of the world’s most-often photographed hotels and is one of Canada’s most renowned resorts. Built in 1890, this elegant hotel is set in the midst of extraordinary Banff National Park. Exuding old-world charm, this fine hotel is known to many as “the diamond in the wilderness.” Welcoming guest rooms, with their alpine decor, offer all the modern amenities that today’s sophisticated travelers expect. The well-equipped Health Club facilities include an indoor swimming pool and state-of-the-art exercise equipment. With its signature Palladian window offering stunning views of Victoria Glacier and rugged mountain peaks, the Lakeview Lounge is the perfect place for a pre-dinner cocktail. The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise richly deserves its five-star rating.

Nights 8 - 9 : The Fairmont Banff Springs - Banff, Alberta, Canada  Tauck Guests enjoy complimentary Internet access in guest rooms!

Built in the style of a Scottish baronial castle, The Fairmont Banff Springs lies within the heart of Banff National Park. Well-appointed, cozy guest rooms feature cable TV, coffee maker, iron and ironing board and windows that open. Guests may take advantage of the hotel’s numerous facilities, which include a championship Stanley Thompson-designed golf course (available at additional cost), tennis courts, heated indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a bowling center, beautifully landscaped grounds to explore and the acclaimed Willow Stream Spa. The Waldhaus Pub, one of Banff’s best-kept secrets, offers a wide selection of locally brewed beers while wine lovers can sample Canada’s extraordinary wines at the Grapes Wine Bar.

 

Tour Only Cost: All prices quoted below are per adult person, per tour in British Pounds (GBP)

Departure Dates

Single Twin/Double Triple Quad
2016: Small group departure*: 6th & 18th Aug and 13th September £5066 £4114 £3888 Please call us
2016: Departures in May £3818 £3087 £2969 Please call us
2016: 7th June Departure £4300 £3475 £3307 Please call us
2016: All other departures in 2016 £4629 £3668 £3450 Please call us

 

2016 Early Booking Offer - Tauck's most popular tours fill very quickly. Don't be disappointed, book before the 28th February 2016 and enjoy a free pre or post nights stay on us!.
 
Special Solo Traveller Savings – save up to £130 off the single room price on select departure dates – Please call us for more details. 
 
Children - may qualify for a discount when sharing a room with 2 adults - Please call us for details. 
 
Not included in your tour cost:
Flights – we can package your tour with flights at very competitive airfares using our airline partners. Please call us to discuss the best airline for your itinerary.
Pre or post accommodation - If you want to extend your stay at the start or the end of your escorted tour or add another destination to your booking please call us and we will be happy to provide a quote.
Meals, other than those listed in the itinerary.
The customary gratuities for the Tour Director and local drivers are not included.
 
FAQs:
There are many questions and considerations you might have when planning an escorted tour with Tauck Tours. For more information please click here.
 

TO BOOK YOUR TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS:

Please call us on FREEPHONE 0800 0336 335 or EMAIL us reservations@purelytravelgroup.co.uk we are open 7 days a week.

We will be happy to answer any questions, check the availability of your tour, offer a quote for flights and any pre or post nights you would like to add.

When you are ready to go ahead with the booking, a non-refundable deposit of 10% will be due at time of booking or the full balance if you are due to travel within 8 weeks.