Mighty Rockies & Eastern Maritimes

Day 1 - Vancouver

Arrive in Vancouver, spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Day 2 - Vancouver City Highlights tour

This morning we have included a 3.5 hour Vancouver City Highlights tour.  

Prepare to experience the unique history and unfolding splendour as you tour through the modern streets of Vancouver. Drive by the most renowned sights and learn how Vancouver became the city it is today. Situated on the edge of the Pacific Ocean and framed by British Columbia's imposing mountains, it's easy to fall in love with this astonishing city. Drive through historic neighbourhoods such as Gastown, Chinatown, scenic English Bay and the picturesque Vancouver Harbour. Stops in Stanley Park feature Indigenous Peoples' Totem Poles, spectacular views of the mountains and the Lions Gate Bridge. Also includes the opportunity to wander through the charming farmer's market at Granville Island.

We recommend being dropped off at Granville Island, have lunch at their market or nearby restaurants and have a wander around the area and shops before taking a water taxi back to downtown Vancouver.

Day 3 - Explore Vancouver

A day at leisure to explore Vancouver, ask our Canada Experts if you wish to add one of our Canada Experiences. 

Day 4 - Rocky Mountaineer, Vancouver to Jasper in SilverLeaf Service

Board Rocky Mountaineer in the urban oasis of Vancouver and journey through the farmlands of the Fraser Valley. From fertile greenery, the landscape transforms to the towering peaks of the Coast Mountains. You’ll see the mighty Fraser River and the raging white waters of Hell’s Gate. The train will slow to fully appreciate this narrow canyon where the volume of water rushing through is about three times greater than Niagara Falls. Then, the landscape undergoes another transformation and you’ll find yourself amid scrub brush and desert. 

Overnight in Kamloops

Day 5 - Rocky Mountaineer - Kamloops to Jasper in SilverLeaf Service

When you board the train after spending the night in a charming Kamloops hotel, you will follow the North Thompson River, slowing to take in Pyramid Falls, a 91.5-metre (300-foot) cascade of white water. After giving you time to pick up your jaw, the train continues on to the Yellowhead Pass. Moving past teal-green lakes, you’ll close in on Mount Robson, the tallest peak in the Canadian Rockies. It’s so high it has its own weather system. The striking thing about this route is that once you’ve seen what you think is the most beautiful sight ever, something even more stunning comes along. To cap it all off, you’ll wind up in the alluring alpine town of Jasper.

Day 6 - Jasper Sightseeing

This morning we have included a 6 hour excursion to Maligne Lake with a guided walk.

This introduction to Jasper begins with a short tour of the town before heading across the Athabasca River to Maligne Lake. A century after Mary Schaeffer's remarkable adventure, come discover the world-renowned Maligne Lake for yourself! A stop at Maligne Canyon offers staggering views of the river thundering through a series of magnificent waterfalls in a gorge 10,000 years in the making. Farther up the valley, stop to solve the mystery of "disappearing" Medicine Lake. Next we'll carry on to the pinnacle of our tour, breathtaking Maligne Lake! Enjoy a gentle guided walk along the shores of this pristine lake before heading back to Jasper. Remainder of afternoon/evening at leisure. We highlighly recommend adding on a Discover Jasper & its Wildlife Evening tour.

Day 7 - Columbia Icefield Tour from Jasper to Banff

Full day tour from Jasper to Banff, this is an incredibly scenic tour and will be one of the main highlights of your trip. Following the spine of the Canadian Rockies, view a never-ending procession of mammoth mountains, jagged snowy peaks, and over 100 glaciers. The entire day is spent in the majesty of Canada's two most famous National Parks, Banff and Jasper. Enroute, make a stop at Athabasca Falls located just outside of the Jasper Townsite. Among the most powerful and breathtaking falls in the Rocky Mountains, the Athabasca River thunders through a narrow gorge where the walls have been smoothed and potholed by the sheer force of the rushing water carrying sand and rock. Our next stop is the breathtaking Columbia Icefields and Athabasca Glacier where we will allow time to enjoy a Ice Explorer ride on the Glacier & Glacier Skywalk. Next we continue to the Weeping Wall, and the Crowfoot Glacier before joining the Trans Canada Highway near Lake Louise where a stop will be made to view the lake and famous Chateau, then continue on the Trans Canada Highway, passing fortress formations of Castle and Protection Mountains to arrive in to Banff late afternoon. Your picnic lunch and Glacier Adventure package is included.

Day 8 - Banff

This morning we have included the popular Discover Banff and its Wildlife Tour with Gondola ride.

This small group tour is the perfect introduction to Banff and includes some of Banffs most scenic and historically significant highlights such as the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Bow Falls, Surprise Corner Lookout, and Banffs largest lake, Lake Minnewanka. Plus, enjoy hot chocolate or fresh water (depending on the time of year) and maple cookies at one of the scenic stops.

You'll then be transported to the base of Sulphur Mountain and ride the Banff Gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain at 7,486 feet. At the summit, marvel at the unsurpassed view of Banff, the Bow Valley and a 360-degree view of six scenic mountain ranges. Youll feel like youre on top of the world when you are standing on the spacious main level observation deck. After your download on the Banff Gondola, our guide will transport you back to your Banff hotel.

It's a great tour for seeing wildlife, so don't forget your camera! Remainder of the afternoon/evening at your leisure.

Day 9 - Explore Banff

Day at leisure in Banff. Please ask one of our Canada Experts for recommendations of tours and how to spend your day.

Day 10 - Banff to Montreal

Coach transfer from Banff to Calgary Airport for your flight to Montreal. Make your own way to your Montreal downtown hotel for your 2-night stay.

Day 11 - Montreal

Morning at leisure before your walking tour at 11am Duration: 4 hours

  This tour is a combination of the East and West Walking Tours! A one-hour lunch break is included from 12.30 - 13.30 (lunch not included).

East: Discover the major historical sites in the eastern sector of Old Montreal, with a professional guide. Stroll through the charming cobblestone streets and winding alleys of the historic district, revealing its rich heritage.

West: Go off the beaten track and explore the west side of Old Montreal on foot with a professional guide. Look back on Montreal's economic effervescence of the 19th century and witness the dynamism of the metropolis today. In the company of a professional guide, this urban trek is filled with historical, architectural and anecdotal information that will let you discover a rich area with many hidden treasures, whether you are a tourist or a Montrealer.

Highlights: Notre-Dame Basilica (admission not included), Cours le Royer, St-Paul Street, Place Jacques-Cartier, City Hall, Champ de mars, Bonsecours street and its chapel, Bonsecours Market, Place d'Armes, St-Jacques Street and it banks, McGill Street, Place d'Youville and Place Royale, Pointe-a-Calliere Museum.

Day 12 - Board Your Cruise & Cruise Saint Lawrence River

Spend the morning at leisure before boarding your cruise. The ship sets sail this evening and cruises the Saint Lawrence River tonight.

Day 13 - Cruise to Quebec

Few places in North America are as steeped in history as Québec City, Canada. Older than Jamestown and founded before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, it is the only city north of Mexico whose original fortifications remain intact. The Québec City historic district, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is still home to religious orders and hospitals that date back to the 17th century. Its Place-Royale would look familiar to the explorer Samuel de Champlain, even with its modern attractions of gift shops and cafés. On the Plains of Abraham, you can walk the battlefield where, in 1759, the French forces under General Montcalm were decisively trounced by the British, led by General Wolfe.

The British took control of all of New France within a year of that 1759 battle, but even so French culture still lives on here in Québec City. More than 95 percent of Québec City's population speaks French as its first language, though it's easy to sightsee and navigate the city in English. As you tour the museums and historic sights of Québec City that celebrate Québecois history and dine at restaurants that serve its distinctive cuisine, you'll discover a remarkable culture that has survived and thrived into the 21st century.

Day 14 - Cruising Gulf Of St. Lawrence

A lighthouse on little St. Paul’s Island is a stark reminder of days gone by as you sail past this infamous old shipwreck site, known as the graveyard of the gulf, on your way through the Cabot Strait and into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. So huge is the gulf that half of Canada’s 10 provinces have a coastal connection to it. Perhaps that’s not surprising, considering that it’s the world’s largest estuary and fed all the way from the Great Lakes 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) away.

A mere 19,000 years ago, it was covered under a mile-thick sheet of ice. Every Canadian schoolkid knows that in 1534, Jacques Cartier was the first European known to enter the gulf waters and encounter Maritime Algonquian peoples. In short order, the French kept arriving, as did Portuguese and Basque, who established whaling operations and shipped unimaginable amounts of cod to the Old World. Today, visitors come to explore massive islands, colorful towns and national parks that straddle the surrounding mainland, as well as thousands of tiny islets around which whales now thrive.

Day 15 - Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island,

Charlottetown is the capital of Canada’s smallest province, Prince Edward Island, as well as its largest city, though it has fewer than 35,000 residents. Despite its modest size, the city has an impressive number of Victorian houses and buildings and great parks waiting to be explored. For Canadians, it is perhaps most famous as the Birthplace of Confederation. It was here, mostly at Province House, that an 1864 conference led to the creation of the Dominion of Canada. 

Prince Edward Island is linked to New Brunswick on the mainland of Canada by the 13-kilometer (eight-mile) Confederation Bridge that soars over the Northumberland Strait. A remarkable feat of engineering, the bridge opened in 1997 and is the longest in the world over icy waters.

Sites within downtown Charlottetown include the lovely Victoria Row, which becomes a pedestrian mall each summer, and other historic buildings, some of which are now museums. Nearby Prince Edward Island National Park is home to white-sand beaches and hiking and biking trails—plus fans can see the house and farm that inspired the beloved book Anne of Green Gables. During your visit, you can also learn about the daily lives, past and present, of residents on lighthouse and boat tours.

Day 16 - Cruise to Sydney Nova Scotia

Sydney is the largest city on Cape Breton Island, which is linked by causeway to the rest of Nova Scotia. Sydney’s attractions start at the harbor, where visitors can shop for locally made crafts and see the world’s largest fiddle, which towers beside the port’s cruise pavilion. Some of the city’s historic houses and churches date back to the 1700s and 1800s and are open for tours. Restaurants often provide live music (expect fiddles and sea chanteys) along with meals of seafood fresh-caught in nearby waters. Sydney’s galleries give visitors a chance to meet local artists and purchase their work.  

Cape Breton's natural wonders include the spectacular scenic drive known as the Cabot Trail. Hikers in Cape Breton Highlands National Park will find stunning vistas around every turn, while a boat ride on massive Bras d’Or Lake, which is ringed by wild hills, offers a different perspective on the province. Explore the region’s past with a visit to the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site, and learn about the area’s First Nations communities at Membertou Heritage Park. If you decide to go deep underground at the Cape Breton Miners Museum, your tour guide is likely to be a man who toiled for years in the island's coal mines and has many stories to tell. Another must-see: the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site, where the famous inventor made his summer home.

Day 17 - Halifax

Located on a rocky inlet on the Atlantic Ocean, Halifax—Nova Scotia’s provincial capital—is defined by its maritime geography. It's a spirited mix of world-class history and nautical-themed museums alongside bunkers and fortresses that guarded the harbor, plus striking public art and sights, funky shops and excellent pubs serving up folk music (and good pints).

Explore the Halifax waterfront where steamships once anchored to drop off arriving immigrants at Pier 21. Savor the low-key but classy culinary scene for fresh seafood and Nova Scotia specialties—the city has both street vendors and casual joints catering to university students and upscale eateries with elegant settings. Along Nova Scotia's southern shores, the city is surrounded by lush greenery and charming villages that are worth the trip from downtown proper. Snap photos of attractions in the charming fishing village, Peggy's Cove, with its picturesque lighthouse on a rocky outcropping. Or wander the streets of Lunenburg, whose colorful Old Town is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can also soak in the charms and sights of Mahone Bay, home to artists' studios and a trio of steepled churches.

Day 18 - Bar Harbor

Located on Mount Desert Island in Maine, Bar Harbor is the quintessential New England coastal town. Our Bar Harbor cruise takes our guests to this picturesque and charming town with its scenic and walkable streets lined with restaurants and boutiques. Dining on lobster is a must, as is a scoop or two at one of the town’s homemade ice cream shops. Boat tours explore the waters and islands that surround Bar Harbor, with seasonal opportunities to see wildlife—including whales—and lighthouses along the way.

A favorite attraction many of our guests enjoy on our cruises to Bar Harbor is the magnificent Acadia National Park, an adventurer’s playground. The park, which is celebrating its centennial in 2016, is home to sites such as Cadillac Mountain, the tallest mountain along the eastern coast of the United States and the first place in the country to see the sun rise. Bar Harbor cruise guests can hike, bike or take a horse-and-carriage ride to explore Acadia’s lakes and striking coastline. While on your cruise to Bar Harbor, take advantage of the best bargain in town during your visit: The free Island Explorer buses take guests to Acadia’s major sites and to other nearby destinations.

Day 19 - Boston

Arrive in the historic city of Boston. Check into your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure

Day 20 - Boston

Enjoy a full day at leisure in Boston, speak to your consultant with regard to the optional day trips and tours on offer.

Day 21 - Fly Boston to UK

Catch up on any last minute sightseeing or shopping, before boarding your return flight to the UK this evening.