Cosmos Western Canada with Inside Passage (8380)
13 days from Vancouver to Calgary
Take a fantastic adventure on this affordable guided vacation in Canada. Begin in Vancouver with a tour of the city, including Stanley Park, Chinatown, the harbor, beaches, and more. Cross the Strait of Georgia by ferry to Vancouver Island for sightseeing, including Butchart Gardens. Spend a free day in Victoria as you please—from whale watching to afternoon tea. Embark on your Inside Passage cruise from Port Hardy at the northern end of the island. Cruise through spectacular scenery to see mountains, waterfalls, islands, and rainforests. Watch for sea lions, eagles, porpoises, and orcas! Disembark your ship for two overnights in the historic fishing village of Prince Rupert. Take a guided tour of British Columbia’s oldest cannery village. Board your VIA Rail train through the mountains, following the mighty Skeena River to the Pacific Coast Rainforest. Retrace the ancient steps of the First Nations and fur trading routes while keeping watch for eagles, bears, and moose. Ascend the Canadian Rockies peaks to the highest, 13,000-ft. Mount Robson. In Jasper, take in the unspoiled beauty with an optional excursion to Maligne Lake and Spirit Island, or to hike, shop, or relax. Coming down the western slopes of Alberta, you’ll roam the 750-foot-thick Columbia Icefield in the all-terrain Ice Explorer. Take in the crystal blue waters of Lake Louise reflecting the surrounding peaks and glaciers. Witness more gorges, snowy peaks, and alpine lakes of green and blue as you approach Banff National Park. Explore the park with hiking, boating, horseback riding, fishing, or join us for an optional helicopter tour of the Canadian Rockies. This amazing value tour is jam-packed with beauty and adventure that’s not to be missed.
Itinerary (2023)| Day 1 | VANCOUVER AREA | | | Welcome to Vancouver! Your Tour Director is on hand late this afternoon to answer any questions. | | Day 2 | VANCOUVER AREA | | | This morning, an included city tour highlights Stanley Park, Chinatown, the harbor, and beaches, and more. The rest of the day is at leisure, and your Tour Director will have suggestions for your further exploration of the city. Maybe take a water taxi to lively Granville Island with its outdoor markets, street musicians, and waterfront cafés. Or, visit historic Gastown with its steam-powered clock, antique shops, art galleries, and street vendors. | | Day 3 | VANCOUVER AREA–FERRY CROSSING–VICTORIA | | | This morning, set sail across the Strait of Georgia through the spectacular Gulf Islands, an area known for its Mediterranean-like climate. Afternoon sightseeing in Victoria includes world-famous Butchart Gardens, Bastion Square, and Thunderbird Park with its unusual collection of totem poles. | | Day 4 | VICTORIA | | | Be sure to discover some of the attractions this splendid city has to offer, including the Royal British Columbia Museum, afternoon tea at the Empress Hotel, a whale-watching cruise on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and fine shopping along Government Street. | | Day 5 | VICTORIA–CHEMAINUS–PORT HARDY | | | An early departure from Victoria follows the eastern coastline of Vancouver Island, stopping in Chemainus, the unique village with more than 30 murals depicting pioneer settlement of the area. Then, it’s through the port of Campbell River, the “Salmon Capital of the World.” | | Day 6 | PORT HARDY–INSIDE PASSAGE CRUISE–PRINCE RUPERT | | | Early this morning, embark on one of the world’s most beautiful ocean voyages. The scenery is spectacular, with towering mountains, roaring waterfalls, endless islands, and virgin rainforests. Marine life abounds, often with sightings of sea lions, eagles, and porpoises—you may even spot a killer whale! Late-evening arrival in Prince Rupert.NOTE:Cruising time through the Inside Passage is approximately 16 hours. Please come prepared with all medications, eyeglasses, and any other items you will need. | | Day 7 | PRINCE RUPERT | | | Enjoy an orientation tour of Prince Rupert, and visit the North Pacific Historic Fishing Village, a National Historic Site, for a guided tour of British Columbia’s oldest cannery village. Learn of the canning process and what life was like in the village during peak production in the last century. | | Day 8 | PRINCE RUPERT–VIA RAIL THE SKEENA–PRINCE GEORGE | | | This morning, board VIA Rail’s Skeena train for the trip of a lifetime. Sit back and enjoy an all-daylight journey that winds its way through the majestic Coast Mountains, follows the mighty Skeena River—often referred to as the “River of Mists”—and concludes in the Pacific Coast Rainforest. You’ll retrace ancient First Nations trading routes and follow the paths of the earliest fur traders. Soaring bald eagles, inquisitive black bears, browsing moose, and other wildlife may be spotted.NOTE:Train travel is subject to unforeseen delays. | | Day 9 | PRINCE GEORGE–MOUNT ROBSON–JASPER NATIONAL PARK | | | As we continue onward to Jasper National Park, the peak elevations grow, culminating with Mount Robson, the highest of Canada’s Rockies at almost 13,000 feet. In Jasper, an orientation tour showcases the unspoiled beauty. Overnight in Jasper National Park. | | Day 10 | JASPER NATIONAL PARK | | | Today, join the optional excursion to Maligne Lake and Spirit Island, where you embark on a narrated cruise of the lake. The balance of the day is free to enjoy everything Jasper has to offer, from guided hikes and quaint shops to meandering wildlife. | | Day 11 | JASPER NATIONAL PARK–COLUMBIA ICEFIELD–LAKE LOUISE–BANFF NATIONAL PARK | | | Winding our way down the western fringe of Alberta, our journey takes us through some of the Canadian Rockies’ most breathtaking wilderness. Our first highlight is a stop at the Columbia Icefield to experience the Ice Explorer, an all-terrain vehicle that travels on ice measuring 750 feet thick. Next, Lake Louise, its cold waters perfectly mirror the surrounding mountains and glaciers. Precipitous gorges, snowcapped mountain ranges, and lakes of exquisite blues and greens come into view as we continue the journey south to Banff National Park. On arrival, enjoy an orientation tour. | | Day 12 | BANFF NATIONAL PARK | | | Banff is one of Canada’s favorite year-round resorts, with summer activities including hiking, boating, horseback riding, and fishing. Cosmos has arranged an optional helicopter ride high over the Canadian Rockies. | | Day 13 | BANFF NATIONAL PARK–CALGARY | | | Your vacation ends at Calgary International Airport. Please schedule flights after 1 pm. For those wanting to extend their time in the Canadian Rockies, consider extra nights in Banff. |
Related Cosmos Tours 8385 - Add the Calgary Stampede to Your Vacation on select departures
Cosmos Pricing Details Gratuities for Tour Director and driver are available for pre-purchase. Any applicable Goods and Service Tax (GST) and/or Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) for Canada are additional. Taxes will be calculated and listed at the time of booking, prior to payment being collected
Cosmos Notes Maximum elevation on tour: 7,500 ft.
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