20 Days Ultimate Northern Escape Canadian Rockies & Alaska Cruise

Itinerary

Day 1 - VANCOUVER

Greetings from Vancouver! Late this afternoon, your tour director is available to answer any inquiries.

Day 2 - VANCOUVER

A guided city tour includes stops at Stanley Park, Chinatown, the harbour, beaches, and more this morning. You have the remainder of the day to yourself. Your tour director might recommend additional things to see in the city. Perhaps go to Granville Island by water taxi, which has waterfront cafes, street performers, and outdoor markets; alternatively, explore historic Gastown, which is home to a steam-powered clock.

VANCOUVER - KELOWNA

We start our tour in the lush valleys of British Columbia and go to Okanagan Lake via lush mountain forests. Follow the lake to the resort city of Kelowna, which is encircled by vineyards and orchards and is exquisitely located on the lake's edge. On the included winery tour, sample regional wines.

KELOWNA - BANFF NATIONAL PARK

Travel northward via the Okanagan Valley, renowned for its wineries and peaches. Scale Rogers Pass, which is 4,379 feet tall in Glacier National Park. Take a rest at the pass, which makes for great photo ops with the craggy mountains, waterfalls, and glaciers. Go into Yoho National Park and climb 5,421-foot Kicking Horse Pass. Discover Banff National Park, the country's first national park, tucked away in the heart of the breathtaking Canadian Rockies and renowned for its unmatched alpine splendour. An orientation tour reveals the pristine splendour of Banff.

BANFF NATIONAL PARK

Take a day to see Banff, one of Canada's most popular all-year resorts and home to 53 different kinds of animals. The most frequent sights are bighorn sheep and deer. You might see wolves, grizzlies, or black bears if the timing is good. There will also be recommendations from your tour director for an optional helicopter flight over the Canadian Rockies.

BANFF NATIONAL PARK - LAKE LOUISE - COLUMBIA ICEFIELD - JASPER NATIONAL PARK

First, let's head to Lake Louise, whose azure waters serve as a beautiful natural mirror, reflecting the glaciers and mountains. The motorcoach heads north into Jasper National Park, where views of precipitous canyons, snowcapped peaks, and lakes of vivid blues and greens unfold. The highlight of the day is riding the Ice Explorer on 750-foot-thick ice during a visit at the Columbia Icefield. Come along on our optional float tour down the Athabasca River this afternoon. As soon as you arrive, take advantage of an introductory tour of Jasper.

JASPER NATIONAL PARK

Take part in our optional tour to Spirit Island and Maligne Lake today, and go on a guided cruise. You have the rest of the day to see everything Jasper has to offer, including its charming stores and its wandering nature.

JASPER NATIONAL PARK - MOUNT ROBSON - SUN PEAKS

After leaving Jasper, follow the Fraser River to the foot of Mount Robson, which rises to a height of 12,972 feet, making it the tallest mountain in the Canadian Rockies. Continue south on the North Thompson River, which is the Yellowhead Highway—a path that was first taken by fur trappers. Spend the night in Sun Peaks, a mountain resort hamlet.

SUN PEAKS - LILLOOET - WHISTLER

Follow the once-perilous Cariboo Waggon Trail as you head south. Your motorcoach will go through Lillooet, dubbed "Mile 0 of the Gold Rush Route," and arrive in Whistler late in the afternoon. It will pass by the beaches of Seton and Duffey Lakes.

WHISTLER

Enjoy a day at Whistler, an alpine resort tucked away at the foot of the magnificent Blackcomb and Whistler Mountains. During your spare time, take in the numerous sights of this location's 2010 Winter Olympics. You can choose to embark on one of the extra excursions, which include a gondola ride between Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains, "the perfect bear-spotting vantage point," or a flightseeing tour by floatplane over the glaciated peaks.

WHISTLER - FERRY CROSSING - VICTORIA

Sail across the Strait of Georgia, which has a climate similar to that of the Mediterranean. Famous Butchart Gardens and a tour of Victoria's stunning city, which includes Bastion Square, Thunderbird Park with its unique collection of totem poles, and the inner harbour, are included in the afternoon sightseeing.

VICTORIA

You can explore this wonderful city on a day off by visiting the Royal British Columbia Museum, going shopping on Government Street, or taking a leisurely stroll around the harbor. Consider taking part in the optional wildlife and whale-watching excursion, where you'll cruise the stunning seas of the San Juan and Gulf Islands in search of seals, eagles, whales, and porpoises.

VICTORIA - FERRY CROSSING - VANCOUVER (EMBARKATION

A picturesque voyage by ferry to the mainland. After arriving, proceed to Canada Place to board the MS Koningsdam or MS Zaandam of Holland America for a remarkable Inside Passage voyage. Holland America's "Have It All Premium Cruise Package" is included in the package price. 

SCENIC CRUISING: INSIDE PASSAGE

Take a day trip on one of the most breathtaking canals in the world. The world's longest protected inland waterway is called the Inside Passage, and it runs along the British Columbian coast. Look out for humpback whales and orcas in the sea. 

JUNEAU

The gigantic Mendenhall Glacier and the Juneau Icefield are right outside the door of Juneau, the capital city of Alaska, which is situated at the base of majestic mountain ranges on the Gastineau Channel. Explore the charming stores in the village or go fishing, hiking, rafting, flightseeing, kayaking, or whale watching. The extended daylight hours mean that the adventure never ends.

SKAGWAY

Skagway's pavements are practically rolled up in the winter, so you can only image the terrifying conditions that gold prospectors who passed through on their way to the Yukon faced. Spend some time exploring each small store, ranging from Lynch & Kennedy's Dry Goods to the Trail Bench. With its honky-tonk piano and costumed barmaids, the Red Onion Saloon is a veritable gold mine of nostalgia, complete with photos of Peahull Annie, Klondike Kate, and other historical figures. Visit the sentimental Trail of '98 Museum to finish the image of those wild times. 

SCENIC CRUISING: GLACIER BAY

There are more tidewater glaciers in Glacier Bay than anywhere else in the world that are actively calving. What does it feel like to watch a massive iceberg break off a glacier and fall into the ocean? It sounds thunderous. Water is blasted hundreds of meters into the air by the impact. Breathing hard, you record the moment on video and then wait for it to happen again.

KETCHIKAN

Ketchikan, the "First City" of Alaska, gets its name from the fact that most cruise ships make their first significant landfall there as they enter the scenic fjords of the Inside Passage. The town is perched on the banks of the Tongass Narrows, surrounded by verdant forests that have been nourished by copious amounts of rain. A significant center for the salmon-fishing and -packing industries, visitors can enjoy fresh seafood at one of the neighborhood eateries or take a chance on a sport-fishing adventure. Additionally, it is among the greatest locations on the Inside Passage to discover the rich cultural sites of Native American tribes in Alaska, including the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian.

SCENIC CRUISING: INSIDE PASSAGE

The Inside Passage, which connects the renowned Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve to the breathtaking Misty Fjords National Monument, is widely regarded as one of the world's best cruise itineraries. Some of Alaska's most recognizable species can be seen when sailing the Inside Passage, including grizzly bears lumbering along the shoreline, bald eagles flying overhead, while humpback whales and orcas navigate the abundant seas beside the ships.

VANCOUVER (DISEMBARKATION)

Your vacation ends this morning. Please schedule homebound flights after noon.