16 DAYS FROM CALGARY TO VANCOUVER
Along the way, witness spectacular scenery and explore western Canada’s most famous cities. Two nights in both Banff National Park, one of Canada’s favorite resorts, and Jasper National Park, the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, give you time to hike, stroll the townsites, and go to new heights with optional excursions like a helicopter ride with breathtaking views over the Rockies! Between Banff National Park and Jasper National Park, stop in Lake Louise and marvel at this world-famous location with its turquoise waters reflecting the surrounding mountains and glaciers. You’ll also take a thrilling ride aboard an Ice Explorer to Athabasca Glacier, part of the Columbia Icefield, the largest expanse of ice in the Canadian Rockies. And you’ll board the Rocky Mountaineer for a 2-day, all-daylight journey from Jasper National Park to Vancouver. This train ride through stunning scenery takes you back to a time when getting to your destination was part of the fun. Along the way, pass Mount Robson, the Canadian Rockies’ highest mountain; wild rivers; magnificent mountain ranges; and turbulent Hell’s Gate. More beautiful scenery awaits on your ferry crossing from Vancouver through the picturesque Gulf Islands to Victoria. On the way into Victoria, enjoy sightseeing that includes a trip to world-famous Butchart Gardens with its 55 acres of floral displays. But that’s not all…watch for spouting whales, soaring eagles, barking seals, and other wildlife on your Alaska cruise. Marvel at glaciers and witness the amazing spectacle of thunder and spray as tremendous slabs of ice break off and “calve” into the sea. This is a value-minded vacation with an itinerary full of awe-inspiring sights and once-in-a-lifetime experiences that is not to be missed!
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Full Trip Itinerary
Welcome to Calgary! Your Tour Director is on hand late this afternoon to answer any questions.
The discovery of oil converted this cattle-ranching town into a thriving, sophisticated city. Sightseeing highlights downtown, Fort Calgary, Stampede Park, the Saddledome, and Canada Olympic Park. Next, drive west through the foothills of the Rockies into Banff National Park. On arrival, enjoy an orientation tour.Today's Distance: 118 mi / 190 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORIC SPOTS England’s national treasure of St. Paul’s Cathedral is home to a spectacular array of art from delicate carvings to gilded dome murals and modern works of art. As the seat of the Bishop of London, the cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London, where notable remembrances have been served here, including Queen Victoria’s jubilee, birthdays of Queen Elizabeth II, and funerals of luminaries like Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher.
While we include select excursions and must-see sights on your trip, you may wish to explore other options to enhance your free time. Below is a selection of excursions that may be available for purchase on your tour.
Enjoy the day exploring Banff, Canada’s first national park. Hike the many wilderness trails, horseback ride, golf, stroll through Banff townsite, or simply relax at the hot springs. The park is the perfect place for wildlife watching as it is home to 53 species of mammals. You may spot some of these amazing creatures in their natural habitat. The most commonly seen are deer, elk, and big horn sheep.
While we include select excursions on your trip, you may wish to explore other options to enhance your free time. Below is a selection of excursions that may be available for purchase on your tour.
First stop is stunning Lake Louise, with its turquoise waters reflecting the surrounding mountains and glaciers. Then precipitous gorges, snowcapped mountain ranges, and more exquisite lakes come into view as your motorcoach scales three mountain passes. Stop at the Columbia Icefield for another trip highlight and experience the Ice Explorer, an all-terrain vehicle that travels on ice measuring 750 feet thick! Late this afternoon, let it flow on an optional float trip down the historic Athabasca River. Spend the next two nights in Jasper National Park. An orientation tour showcases the area’s unspoiled beauty.
While we include select excursions on your trip, you may wish to explore other options to enhance your free time. Below is a selection of excursions that may be available for purchase on your tour.
A day at leisure to explore the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies. This morning, consider joining the optional narrated cruise on magical Maligne Lake to Spirit Island*. On the return journey, view picturesque Medicine Lake and Maligne Canyon keeping an eye out for native wildlife, including grizzly bears, moose, and elk. Later, perhaps do some hiking or peruse the shops in town.
*This optional excursion begins operating in late May/early June.
While we include select excursions on your trip, you may wish to explore other options to enhance your free time. Below is a selection of excursions that may be available for purchase on your tour.
An exciting morning as you board the Rocky Mountaineer for a 2-day, all-daylight, classic rail journey from the Canadian Rockies to the Pacific Coast. En route, pass Mount Robson, the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies. Follow the North Thompson River and enjoy vistas of the Monashee Mountains. Enjoy free time in Kamloops this evening.Today's Distance: 304 mi / 490 km
This morning your train adventure continues as you head through the ranchlands along the Thompson River. View the stark beauty of Fraser Canyon and the turbulence of mighty Hell’s Gate. After an evening arrival in Vancouver, transfer to your hotel.Today's Distance: 298 mi / 480 km
Morning sightseeing focuses on Vancouver’s Chinatown, Gastown, and beautiful Stanley Park. Afterward, sail through the spectacular Gulf Islands, known for their Mediterranean-like climate. Afternoon sightseeing in Victoria includes world-famous Butchart Gardens, Bastion Square, and Thunderbird Park with its collection of totem poles.
Morning departure via ferry for Vancouver. After arrival in Vancouver, transfer to Canada Place and board your cruise ship. Your package price includes Holland America’s ‘Have It All Premium Cruise Package.'Today's Distance: 249 mi / 400 km
Spend the day cruising one of the world’s most spectacular waterways. Located along the coast of British Columbia, the Inside Passage is the longest sheltered inland waterway in the world. Watch the water for orcas and humpback whales.Today's Distance: 37 mi / 59 km
Located at the foot of grand mountain peaks on Gastineau Channel, Alaska’s capital city of Juneau has massive Mendenhall Glacier and the Juneau Icefield at its back door. Visit the rustic shops in town—or get out and kayak, raft, hike, whale watch, flightsee, or fish. There is no end to the adventure because of the long daylight hours.
In winter, the sidewalks are all but rolled up in Skagway, so you can imagine the frightful conditions endured by gold prospectors who passed through enroute to the Yukon. Take your time and poke your head into every little shop, from the Trail Bench to Lynch & Kennedy’s Dry Goods. The Red Onion Saloon, with its honky-tonk piano and costumed barmaids, is a treasure trove of memorabilia featuring pictures of Klondike Kate, Peahull Annie, and other historic characters. To complete the picture of those rip-roaring days, visit the nostalgic Trail of ’98 Museum.
lacier Bay has more actively calving tidewater glaciers than anyplace else in the world. How does it feel when a colossal chunk of ice splits off a glacier and crashes into the sea? The sound is like thunder. The impact shoots water hundreds of meters into the air. You hold your breath as you capture the moment on camera, then you wait for it all to happen again.
Alaska’s “First City” of Ketchikan is so named because it is the first major landfall for most cruisers as they enter the picturesque fjords of the Inside Passage, where the town clings to the banks of the Tongass Narrows, flanked by green forests nurtured by abundant rain. An important hub of the salmon-fishing and -packing industries—visitors can try their luck on a sport-fishing excursion or simply savor the fresh seafood at one of the local restaurants. It is also one of the best spots along the Inside Passage to explore the rich cultural sights of Native Alaskan nations like the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian.
Arguably one of the greatest cruising routes in the world, the Inside Passage stretches through stunning landscapes, from Misty Fjords National Monument to famed Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve. Sailing the Inside Passage offers opportunities to spot some of Alaska’s most iconic wildlife, with humpback whales and orca plying the bountiful waters alongside the ships, bald eagles soaring overhead and brown bears lumbering on the shoreline.
Your cruise ends this morning. Please schedule flights after noon.
All This. Included.
The world is within reach with everything you need for perfectly affordable touring. Cosmos includes hand-selected accommodations, guided sightseeing, and seamless transportation between destinations—with value-minded travel lovers in mind. Explore with expert Cosmos Tour Directors and Local Guides, and private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi (where available), as well as a ferry crossing from/to Vancouver Island. Enhance your free time to explore like a local with your CosmosGO mobile app!
Your adventure includes a 2-day, all-daylight rail journey on the Rocky Mountaineer in SilverLeaf Service (GoldLeaf Service upgrades are available) and a cruise on Holland America’s MS Zaandam! Your tour includes Holland America’s ‘Have It All Premium Cruise Package,’ featuring a signature beverage package, dinner in a specialty restaurant, $100 shore excursion credit, and Wi-Fi package.
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