Grand Canadian Rockies
A LBE RTA
B RITISH
C OLUMBIA
The Canadian
The Butchart
Gardens
Victoria
rth n
No mpso
o ver
h
T Ri
Jasper National Park
(3,500 ft.)
Athabasca Glacier
(7,200 ft.)
Banff National
Park (4,500 ft.)
Yoho National Park
Lake Louise
(5,500 ft.)
Vancouver
Calgary
W ASHINGTON
Maximum Elevation: 7,200 ft.
“This was such a wonderful experience.
The accommodations and travel arrangements
were superb. Our Tauck Director was outstanding.
He possesses extensive knowledge about the area
and articulated it capably and interestingly, in addition
to being considerate and helpful in many ways.
We will be recommending Tauck!
– Mr. & Mrs. A. Sharrett, VA
”
1. Arrive Vancouver
Tour begins: The Fairmont Waterfront at 6:00 PM. A transfer is
included upon arrival from the Vancouver Airport to The Fairmont
Waterfront, ideally located in the heart of the city. One of the
most beautifully sited cities in North America, cosmopolitan
Vancouver dazzles with scenic views of the Pacific Ocean,
majestic mountains and a glittering skyline. We invite you to join
us tonight for a welcome reception followed by dinner. Meals D
Nature reigns in
Maligne Canyon,
nestled in Jasper
National Park, and
maritime delights rule
in Vancouver
48
2. Vancouver / Ferry
to
Victoria
Chosen as the host of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games and
steeped in charm, Vancouver is home to a vibrant cultural
scene, rich history and abundant natural resources. View historic
Gastown, Chinatown, and trail-laced Stanley Park, on a guided
city sightseeing excursion. Board a ferry and cruise across the
Strait of Georgia to Vancouver Island and Victoria, the capital of
British Columbia, for a two-night stay at the Hotel Grand Pacific,
Victoria’s only five-star hotel. Your balconied, Grand Harbor View
room overlooks vistas of the stunning Victoria waterfront. Meals BD
Tauck Value Includes:
•F
loatplane flightseeing excursion over the Gulf Islands from
Victoria to Vancouver
• Accommodations in four acclaimed Fairmont hotels and resorts,
from Vancouver to Jasper and Banff National Parks
•A
n overnight rail journey aboard VIA Rail’s newly renovated
The Canadian from the beautiful Vancouver coast to Canada’s
Rocky Mountains – enjoy spectacular mountain scenery from
Tauck’s private domed observation car
•A
fternoon Tea served in the elegantly restored Tea Lobby of
The Fairmont Empress, a Victoria tradition for nearly a century
• In Victoria, visits to The Butchart Gardens – a National Historic
Site of Canada boasting stunning floral gardens – and the Royal
BC Museum
Explore The Butchart Gardens in Victoria to see floral beauty that astounds
•A
n “Ice Age” adventure at Athabasca Glacier as you ride
aboard a specially designed Ice Explorer
• Raft trip on the Bow River in Banff National Park
3. The Butchart Gardens / Afternoon Tea
• Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted
Throughout your stay in Victoria, you’ll discover more than
a bit of England here amidst the rustic beauty of the Pacific
Coast, including stately Victorian architecture and abundant
gardens. Nowhere is floral beauty more celebrated than at
The Butchart Gardens, which began over a century ago with a
Sunken Garden created by Mrs. Jennie Butchart from what had
been an abandoned limestone quarry on her family’s Tod Inlet
estate. During your visit, explore what has grown to encompass
55 colorful acres of flowers and show gardens, including the
Japanese, Italian and Rose gardens. Later, indulge in a beloved
English ritual that has become one of Victoria’s grandest
traditions – the taking of Afternoon Tea in the restored Tea Lobby
of The Fairmont Empress. Return to the Hotel Grand Pacific,
where you’ll spend the rest of the day at leisure. Meals B
• 18 meals (9 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 7 dinners), service charges,
gratuities to local guides, admission fees, taxes and porterage
4. Flightseeing / Board “The Canadian”
After a morning visit to Victoria’s stunning Royal BC Museum, a
very special scenic flight via floatplane over the Gulf Islands wows
you with amazing views of the ocean and mountains as you fly to
Vancouver late this afternoon. Enjoy leisure time and dinner on
your own in historic Gastown. Tonight, a champagne toast signals
that it’s “all aboard” VIA Rail’s gleaming, newly refurbished
The Canadian – for a memorable overnight rail excursion to the
awe-inspiring national parks of the Canadian Rockies. Sleep to
the rhythm of the rails tonight en route to this majestic alpine
sanctuary where luxury awaits at your wilderness lodge. Meals B
5. A Private Dome Car
to the
accessible by rail, you’ll enjoy the show from the comfort of a
private domed observation car – reserved for Tauck guests only!
Cross the Continental Divide into Alberta, arriving for a two-night
stay at The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. Meals BD
6. A Day
in
Jasper National Park
Spend an entire day as you please at The Fairmont Jasper Park
Lodge in the heart of Jasper National Park, whose incredible
scenery is comprised of carefully protected ecosystems, and is
a photo­grapher’s par­a­dise. There are many optional activities
available at the lodge, including trail riding, tennis, golf, hiking,
Rockies
Sporting sleek new interiors blending modern elements with
echoes of classic 1950s styling, The Canadian winds its way
along the North Thompson River. As the train passes towering
peaks and glacial valleys in a vast wilderness once only
Call your travel agent or Tauck at 800-468-2825
Flightseeing offers a bird’s-eye view of the scenic Gulf Islands
www.tauck.com 49
and swimming, that enable you to truly indulge in the natural
wonders that surround you; additional charges may apply. Attend
a presentation by a Parks Canada official before dinner at your
choice of The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge’s restaurants. Meals BD
7. Explore
EXPERIENCE THE CANADIAN!
JOURNEY ACROSS BRITISH COLUMBIA
amidst INCOMPARABLE MOUNTAIN VIEWS
Enjoy unparalleled views of British Columbia’s wilderness from a
private domed observation car –
exclusively for Tauck guests – on
a spectacular train journey aboard
VIA Rail’s newly renovated The
Canadian, traveling between
Vancouver and the great national
parks of the Canadian Rockies.
The Canadian, sporting sleek
new interiors combining
state-of-the-art elements with
classic mid-20th-century styling, offers a nostalgic travel experience
enhanced by great views of the passing mountain scenery.
Doubles are accommodated in bedrooms with a window and two
armchairs, which are replaced
by upper and lower beds for
sleeping. Amenities include a
small closet, mirror, sink/vanity
and private toilet.
Singles are accommodated in
smaller single bedrooms with a
window seat that converts to a bed
folding out from the wall. Triples
are accommodated in one double
bedroom and one single bedroom. Amenities include sink/vanity, mirror
and toilet; single bedroom toilet is not accessible when bed is lowered.
There are restrooms, and a public shower, in each sleeping car.
The Canadian is owned and operated by VIA Rail Canada, a
Canadian Federal Crown Corporation.
SCHEDULE:
The train departs Vancouver at 8:30 PM on Day 4 and arrives in
Jasper at 4:00 PM on Day 5; breakfast and lunch included.
These schedules are current as of 10/15/10 and are subject to
local rail and traffic conditions. Itineraries are designed to minimize
missed sightseeing should delays occur.
50
the
Icefields Parkway
The Icefields Parkway, linking Jasper and Lake Louise, is one
of North America’s most spectacular drives. Travel the road as
it winds between snow-domed peaks and immense hanging
glaciers; you may see elk, deer, bighorn sheep or bears. A
specially designed Ice Explorer takes you for a ride on the
Athabasca Glacier, part of the Columbia Icefield. One of the
largest ice masses outside of the Arctic Circle, its meltwaters
flow into the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans. Your destination
today is The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, in the heart of Banff
National Park, where you’ll stay in a lake-view room. Meals BLD
8. Yoho National Park
and
Banff
Journey via the Bow River Valley to Moraine Lake, and have
lunch at the Emerald Lake Lodge. Head through Kicking Horse
Pass into Yoho National Park to see the Natural Bridge, the
remarkable Spiral Tunnels and the Continental Divide, continuing
to The Fairmont Banff Springs. In the early 1880s, the accidental
discovery of the Cave and Basin Hot Springs by Canadian Pacific
Railway workers led to the establishment of Banff National Park,
the first in Canada’s history. Styled after a Scottish baronial
castle, The Fairmont Banff Springs was built in 1888 as Canadian
Pacific opened tourism to the Rocky Mountains. Enjoy dinner at
your leisure tonight at this fabulous alpine resort. Meals BLD
Walk atop Athabasca Glacier en
route to The Fairmont Chateau Lake
Louise in Banff National Park
The lure of the great outdoors
rewards on a rafting trip in the Bow
River Valley and from park overlooks
in the Canadian Rockies
9. Bow River Valley Rafting / Banff
Start the day with a leisurely raft trip along the Bow River, the
perfect prelude for a day to spend as you wish in one of the
world’s major recreation destinations. Your resort offers many
amenities and optional activities from golf and horseback riding
to guided hikes along more than 1,000 miles of nature trails
(additional charges may apply) – or explore the resort town of
Banff. Please join us this evening for a farewell dinner. Meals BD
10. Journey Home
Travel to Calgary this morning (approximately 80 miles) for
your journey home. Tour ends: Calgary Airport, Alberta at 10:00
AM. Direct flights to the United States will clear U.S. customs
in Calgary. Tauck can arrange additional nights at The Westin
Calgary for guests wishing to extend their stay in Calgary; an
airport transfer is included for these bookings. Allow a minimum
of three hours for flight check-in. Meals B
10 Days from $4,590 plus airfare
(9 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches & 7 Dinners)
Begins Vancouver
May 21, 26, 31 Jun 9, 14, 18, 23, 28
Jul 2, 7, 12, 16, 21, 26, 30
Aug 4, 9, 13, 18, 23 Sep 1, 6, 10, 15, 20
Dates in blue indicate Small Group Departures with no more than 26
Tauck Guests, priced from $5280 per person double; specific dates
apply – inquire at time of booking.
Go to www.tauck.com for space availability; additional departure dates
may become available as these sell out.
Price Per Person
Double $4590
May
Single $5796
Double $4890
June 1 – 18
Single $6096
Double $5190
June 19 – September
Single $6396
Triple $4302
(double with rollaway)
Triple $4602
(double with rollaway)
Triple $4902
(double with rollaway)
Airfare is additional – Tauck can book your air, to Vancouver and from
Calgary, for travel originating in the U.S., subject to availability; inquire
upon booking for special airfares that may be available.
Please ask about additional hotel nights before or after your tour and
about our comprehensive Guest Protection Product.
Fine Hotels / Great Locations
Night 1
Night 2,3
Night 4
Night 5,6
Night 7
Night 8,9
The Fairmont Waterfront
Vancouver, BC
Hotel Grand Pacific
Victoria, BC
Aboard The Canadian Train
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Jasper Nat’l Park, AB
The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise Banff Nat’l Park, AB
The Fairmont Banff Springs
Banff Nat’l Park, AB
Grand Canadian Rockies combines well with these
journeys; ask at time of booking!
San Francisco, Sonoma & Napa Valley (7 days, page 30)
A Taste of the Pacific Northwest (8 days, page 56)
Grand Alaska (15 days, page 102)
Call your travel agent or Tauck at 800-468-2825
www.tauck.com 51