Itinerary Details
Great Canadian Rail Journey
Day 1 ARRIVE IN TORONTO, ONTARIO Welcome to Toronto! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and travel companions for a welcome drink.
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Day 2 TORONTO. EXCURSION TO NIAGARA FALLS Taking the Plunge Drive along the shores of Lake Ontario to Niagara Falls. Take a Niagara Falls sightseeing cruise for a thrilling boat ride to view the thundering falls from river level. Return to Toronto for an orientation drive before a special dinner atop the 1,815-foot-tall CN Tower. (B,D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
NATURAL WONDERS The famous natural wonder of Niagara Falls consists of three massive waterfalls – American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Horseshoe Falls – plummeting from the southern end of Niagara Gorge. Spanning the border between Canada’s Ontario and America’s New York State, the largest of the falls is Horseshoe Falls – also known as the Canadian Falls –which straddles the border of both countries. Take a thrilling sightseeing cruise on the waters below the thunderous cascades of Niagara Falls and feel the mist and magic of this stunning spectacle of nature.
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Day 3 TORONTO–VIA RAIL THE CANADIAN–ONTARIO All Aboard in Toronto! After breakfast, head to Union Station for departure on the Canadian, VIA Rail’s premier transcontinental train. (B,L,D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
TRAIN SPOTLIGHT Spend the next three days and nights on this classic trip across Canada’s heartland. Your VIA Rail Sleeper Plus class rail cars are refurbished art-deco cars from the 1950s. Domed observation cars let you enjoy views of the Canadian countryside as you roll past Ontario’s beautiful landscapes.
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Day 4 VIA RAIL THE CANADIAN–ONTARIO–WINNIPEG, MANITOBA Riding the Rails Your exciting travel on the VIA Rail train continues through Ontario and Manitoba. (B,L,D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
EPIC RIDE Watch the scenic countryside from your train as you glide past sparkling lakes and sun-dappled forests of Ontario. Try the observation dome for unparalleled views or enjoy quiet conversation in one of the comfortable lounges. Enter Manitoba with its endless golden prairies and vast cultivated fields.
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Day 5 VIA RAIL THE CANADIAN–MANITOBA & SASKATCHEWAN Spectacular Saskatchewan Continue through the picturesque prairies and winding rivers of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. (B,L,D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
SCENIC WONDERS View the ever-changing landscape with ease and comfort as you meet and mingle with fellow passengers and enjoy freshly prepared meals that showcase Canadian cuisine and regional specialties courtesy of your VIA Rail first-class train service.
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Day 6 VIA RAIL THE CANADIAN–SASKATCHEWAN–JASPER, ALBERTA Rocky Mountain Trails Travel from Saskatchewan to Jasper. Admire the scenery as your train roughly parallels the famed Yellowhead Route, Canada’s historic trail of westward expansion. Arrive in Jasper for an orientation drive and free time this evening. (B)
ENHANCED FREE TIME
EXPLORE MORE in Jasper with free time to taste the traditions of Alberta’s gorgeous town nestled in the Canadian Rockies. Take your pick of an abundance of local eateries serving everything from Mediterranean cuisine to wood-fired pizza to good old-fashioned comfort food like smokehouse brisket, mac-and-cheese, venison sausage, bison short ribs, and baked beans, of course! Your Tour Director can recommend the best spots to satisfy your adventurous appetite and your GlobusGO mobile app has maps and tips for a terrific night under the Dark Sky stars.
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Day 7 JASPER. EXCURSION TO MALIGNE LAKE Untamed Beauty Travel through Jasper’s unspoiled beauty to glacial Maligne Canyon to stunning Maligne Lake for lunch and a narrated scenic cruise to Spirit Island. Return to Jasper where the balance of the day is at leisure to explore Jasper on your own. (B,L)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
NATURAL WONDERS Spanning nearly 4,250 square miles of spectacular natural beauty, Jasper is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies. Its vast wilderness, majestic peaks, abundant wildlife, and breathtaking panoramic sights lie below an incredible Dark Sky to thrill stargazers as well. A cruise to Spirit Island on the turquoise waters of Maligne Lake is a spectacular sight to behold as one of the most photographed locations in the world for its jaw-dropping beauty.
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Day 8 JASPER–COLUMBIA ICEFIELD–LAKE LOUISE–BANFF Moving Mountains and Lifting Hearts Head south through Jasper National Park on Icefields Parkway to the Columbia Icefield for a thrilling Ice Explorer ride on Athabasca Glacier. Climb Sunwapta Pass to savor stunning vistas of alpine meadows, waterfalls, and massive glaciers. Next, stop at Lake Louise, whose green-blue waters form a perfect mirror reflection of Mount Victoria. Continue into Banff. (B,D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
EPIC RIDE Be moved by an expedition across the Athabasca Glacier. Traverse this massive ice field aboard the all-terrain Columbia Ice Explorer and walk on the surface where the Earth’s geology is changing beneath your feet. Feel the force of nature’s strength on an ancient glacier that still carves the face of the Rocky Mountains today.
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Day 9 BANFF Breathtaking Banff Guided sightseeing includes Bow River and Falls. The balance of the day is at leisure. Consider an optional flightseeing trip for a bird’s-eye view of the Rockies. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
PICTURE PERFECT Get ready for a spectacular adventure to explore the beauty of Rocky Mountain peaks, turquoise glacial lakes in Banff National Park - Canada’s first national park. This awe-inspiring natural wonder, where soaring peaks and sapphire lakes meet the heavens for a breathtaking experience like no other on Earth!
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Day 10 BANFF–KAMLOOPS Heavenly Heights This morning, travel through the spectacular beauty of Yoho National Park, one of Canada’s most popular recreational areas and site of pre-Cambrian fossil finds. On to Canada’s Glacier National Park, where the motorcoach climbs 4,379-foot-high Rogers Pass, a perfect spot for photos of the surrounding mountain cliffs and glaciers. Continue to your riverside resort at the South Thompson Inn in Kamloops. Tonight, enjoy a [LF] riverside BBQ with S’mores. (B,D)
LOCAL FAVORITE
ACCOMMODATION SPOTLIGHT Put your feet up in historic elegance in this beautifully rugged setting at the South Thompson Inn in Kamloops. Once home to a thoroughbred-racing stable, the 55-acre riverfront property retains its original Manor and Carriage Houses, renovated into first-class luxury lodging.
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Day 11 KAMLOOPS–VICTORIA British Columbia Treasures Continue west and catch a BC Ferry to Vancouver Island. A city tour of Victoria includes the gardens of Beacon Hill Park, the Fairmont Empress Hotel, Bastion Square, and Thunderbird Park. Free time this evening—enjoy dinner on your own at one of the many restaurants in this harbor city. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
EPIC RIDE Cruise on the BC Ferry from Vancouver to Victoria for its 90-minute cruise across the water, keep a watchful eye on this bracing crossing to spy sea birds, seals, dolphins, or maybe even a humpback whale or a pod of orcas. Arrive in the very British city of Victoria on Vancouver Island – also known as the Garden City for its amazing array of blooming flowers. Wander the quaint downtown core with its British colonial architecture to shop and admire its heritage buildings and stunning gardens, then relax over proper British afternoon tea.
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Day 12 VICTORIA The Grandest of Gardens The morning and afternoon are at leisure for independent sightseeing and shopping. For shoppers, Government Street’s elegant shops and Market Square’s collection of specialty stores are good places to start. History buffs should be sure to visit the Royal British Columbia Museum. Later, visit [LF] Butchart Gardens, followed by a special farewell dinner in the original, now restored, greenhouse. (B,D)
LOCAL FAVORITE
PICTURE PERFECT Butchart Gardens, named for the woman who founded this botanical oasis of blooming shades and horticultural design, is a National Historic site for its legacy and lush treasure of millions of flowering beds and over 900 varieties of plants in exquisitely landscaped gardens bring fairytales to life.
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Day 13 VICTORIA–VANCOUVER British Columbia Treasures Take the BC Ferry through the Gulf Islands, an archipelago known for its Mediterranean-type climate. Arrive in Vancouver for a city tour that includes the Waterfront, Chinatown, and Stanley Park with its towering evergreen forests and totem poles. Free time this evening to enjoy this vibrant city on your own. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CITY SIGHTS Created in 1888, Stanley Park is considered the 'crown jewel' of Vancouver. The oldest park in the city of Vancouver, the dramatically beautiful and panoramic setting of Stanley Park spans more than 1000+ acres right next to downtown Vancouver. Native culture is preserved with a striking collection of First Nations Totem Poles, carved from western red cedar and each carving tells of a real or mythical event bearing significant meanings – the eagle representing the kingdom of air; the whale as the lord of the sea; and the wolf as the genius of the land – to name a few.
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Day 14 VANCOUVER Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
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