Rockies & Alaska Experience Solo Traveller

Day 1 - Fly UK to Calgary

On arrival at Calgary, transfer to your hotel in Banff.

(Transfer included.)

Day 2 - Discover Banff & Itss Wildlife

This morning we have included a 3 hour Discover Banff & its Wildlife Tour. 

The Town of Banff is an island of culture and history, surrounded by a sea of untamed wilderness. This tour enriches your visit with stories of 11,000 years of history, hidden in these rugged hills.

Navigate a half-day journey to some of the most important landmarks in the area. You'll stop at the iconic Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Bow Falls, Lake Minnewanka and the "oh wow!" view at Surprise Corner.

Venture down peaceful pine-scented trails and learn about wildlife habitat and behaviour. Ask as many questions as you like, as our guides are experts and love to share their knowledge. Don't forget your camera - we spot wildlife on 95% of these tours.

You have the afternoon at your leisure - why not take a trip on the Gondola and have lunch at the top, or relax at the Banff Hot Springs. 

Day 3 - Banff to Lake Louise

Today, take the short transfer to Lake Louise (included) and check in at your hotel for your one night stay.

Day 4 - Lake Louise to Jasper

Today you travel to Jasper on our "scenic transfer" 

This morning you will depart Lake Louise and drive through the "heart" of the Canadian Rockies to Jasper along the world-famous Icefields Parkway. Rushing waterfalls, crystal-clear rivers, emerald lakes, alpine meadows and snow-capped peaks create an ever-changing montage of mountain wilderness. The entire day is spent in the majesty of Canada's two most famous National Parks, Banff and Jasper. Stops will be made at Crowfoot Glacier, Bow Lake, and the Weeping Wall before arriving at the Athabasca Glacier and Columbia Icefield to visit the chalet and allow time to enjoy the Ice Explorer ride on the Glacier and Glacier Skywalk. From the Chalet the parkway descends Tangle Ridge and follows the Athabasca River, which begins as melt water from the Athabasca Glacier. We then stop at the Athabasca Falls, where the boiling waters of the river plunge into a chasm gouged out of the valley floor. Your exciting day ends in the quaint townsite of Jasper.

Highlights: - A boxed lunch is included - Glacier Adventure Package (Ice Explorer & Glacier Skywalk) admissions are included.

Day 5 - Maligne Lake & Guided Walk

We have included the popular Maligne Lake & Guided Walk 5-6 hour tour morning. This amazing tour is a guided interpretive drive up the Maligne Valley. Our exploration will include a stop at Maligne Canyon for a gentle guided walk to the first two bridges above the gorge, a short stop at the "disappearing" Medicine Lake, and finally Maligne Lake. At this picturesque gem of the Canadian Rockies enjoy a guided walk along the Mary Schaffer Loop (3.2km return). We highly recommend adding on the evening Discover Jasper & its Wildlife tour, it is one of our best selling tours.

Day 6 - Jasper to Kamloops Rocky Mountaineer GoldLeaf Service

Travel onboard Rocky Mountaineer from Jasper in the Canadian Rockies to Kamloops, in the heart of British Columbia’s interior. As you journey west and south you will be surrounded by the dramatic scenery of the Continental Divide and by the river valleys of the Monashee and Cariboo mountains. Today’s highlights include Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies at 3,954 metres (12,972 feet), Pyramid Falls, the climb over Yellowhead Pass and the journey along the North Thompson River as you approach Kamloops. Overnight in Kamloops. Breakfast and Lunch included.

Day 7 - Kamloops to Vancouver Rocky Mountaineer GoldLeaf Service

Your journey continues west towards the Pacific Ocean and the coastal city of Vancouver. On today’s journey you will again see dramatic changes in scenery, from the desert-like environment of the interior, through 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, where you will be transferred to your Vancouver hotel.(Transfer included) Breakfast and Lunch included.

Day 8 - Explore Vancouver

Today you can explore Vancouver at your own pass with a Vancouver Hop on Hop off Sightseeing tour included.

Day 9 - Cruise from Vancouver

Transfer from your hotel to Canada Place and embark Holland America Line for an awe-inspiring 7 night Alaska Cruise.

(Transfer included.)

Day 10 - Scenic Cruising of Inside Passage

Today cruise one of the most scenic sea-lanes in the world - the Inside Passage - where ships can sail close to steep mountain walls, giving magnificent views of the unbelievable scenery from forests to evocative towns.

Day 11 - Tracy Arm/Juneau

The narrow Tracy Arm Fjord twists is way through the Tongass National Forest, surrounded by 300 foot high granite walls! The melting snow-caps create waterfalls which dot the shoreline, along with trees growing at odd angles from the rocky outcroppings. Catch a glimpse of the varied wildlife that make their home in and around the fjord’s icy waters, including black & brown bears, wolves, deer, moose, seals and whales At the end of the Fjord, view the dramatic Sawyer glaciers which are framed by the mountains. Juneau, the capital of Alaska, has an air of mystique – a town you cannot reach by road, you need to fly or come by sea! Juneau delights with an abundance of water, forests and mountains. Situated between the Coast Mountains and the Gastineau Channel, Juneau offers a lot of variety, with the immense Mendenhall Glacier and the Juneau Icefields at its back door and the Tongass National Forest stretching out to the northeast. Juneau offers a variety of activities from shopping downtown to dog-sledging, hiking, whale-watching and so much more.

Day 12 - Skagway

Skagway was the gateway to the Klondike gold rush in 1898 and the glory days still resound through the town. Stroll through Skagway and browse the restored buildings and wooden boardwalks at the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park or take a ride on the White Pass & Yukon narrow-gauge railway and finish up in the Red Onion Saloon!

Day 13 - Glacier Bay

Glacier Bay National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that protects a unique ecosystem of plants and animals living in concert with an ever-changing glacial landscape. It has more actively calving tidewater glaciers than any place else in the world. Watch as monumental chunks of ice split off a glacier and thunder into the sea - the impact sending water hundreds of feet into the air. Hold your breath, catch the moment on film. Then wait for it all to happen again. As it always does.

Day 14 - Ketchikan

With shops and houses built out over the water, Ketchikan clings to the shoreline of the Tongass Narrows. The stairways are weathered and the vibe is cheerful in the town that calls itself the Salmon Capital of the World. Besides the main attractions – Creek Street, the Tongass Historical Museum, Totem Bight State Park and Saxman Village – try a flight sightseeing trip to Misty Fjords National Monument. These deepwater fjords were gouged out by retreating glaciers, leaving granite cliffs towering thousands of feet above the sea and countless waterfalls plunging into placid waters.

Day 15 - Scenic Cruising of Inside Passage

Cruise back along the Inside Passage and take in the breath-taking wilderness coastline, with snow capped mountain peaks, glaciers, and rain forests. You may see whales, eagles, sea lions, sea otters, and mountain sheep.

Day 16 - Fly Vancouver to UK

Disembark in Vancouver this morning and transfer to the airport.

(Transfer included.)