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8 Days/7 Nights

Banff or Kananaskis, Lake Louise, Jasper, VIA Rail's Canadian from Jasper to Vancouver, Vancouver

Each of the lodges included in this program offer excellent accommodations in delightful settings, as well as wonderful dining.  If you like the idea of a warm, welcoming lodge, a car that allows you to come and go as you please, and a rail trip through the Rocky Mountains, this tour is a superb choice.

• Guaranteed Departures

• 6 Nights Lodge/Hotel Accommodations

  • 2 Nights Delta Lodge in Kananaskis or the Buffalo Mountain Lodge

  • 1 Night Deer Lodge

  • 2 Nights Sawridge Inn

  • 1 Night Renaissance Harbourside

• One overnight aboard VIA Rail – Silver and Blue Class in a private bedroom from Jasper to Vancouver with access to the domed-viewing cars               

•  Meals while aboard VIA Rail

•  Compact car -  Pick up Calgary Airport, Drop in Jasper including unlimited mileage and drop fee

•  Drop in Jasper…Rental includes unlimited mileage & the drop fee

•  Vancouver City Sightseeing Tour

•  Maps and destination information

•  Hotels & car taxes, GST as applicable

     See 2010 Brochure Click Here:

Day 1 – Arrival/Calgary to Kananaskis or Banff

You might choose the Delta Lodge at Kananaskis, located just 60 miles west of Calgary.  As the foothills give way to the Rockies, you’ll find some of the most stunning scenery you are ever likely to run across – Mountains, meadows, lakes and plains filled with wild flowers.  The rooms at the lodge are spacious and designed with family travel in mind.  Or you may choose to stay in the bustling alpine village of Banff.  The town is filled with shops and restaurants.  The Buffalo Mountain Lodge lets you enjoy all the activities that Banff has to offer in a setting that is restful and serene.

Overnight – Delta Lodge at Kananaskis or the Buffalo Mountain Lodge

Day 2 – Kananaskis or Banff at Leisure

The breathtaking aura of the Rockies is yours to revel in today.  You can explore the village of Banff, where you can see Bow Falls, Hoodoos and take a gondola ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain. Hike beautiful Johnson Canyon, go river-rafting, golf or relax in the refreshing mountain air.

Overnight – Delta Lodge at Kananaskis or the Buffalo Mountain Lodge

Day 3 – Banff to Lake Louise

As you travel in the Canadian Rockies, you come to realize that many of the names you have seen are those of glaciers, resting in mountains high above the valley floor.  In summer, the steady melting creates lakes with color to rival the finest jewel.   You begin your day traveling past jagged mountains and lush valleys, as we drive along the meandering Bow Valley Parkway to spectacular Moraine Lake and the Valley of the Ten Peaks.  Nestled in the Valley of the Ten Peaks is a lake of incredible color.  It is often debated if Moraine Lake or Lake Louise has the most beautiful color.  You can decide for yourself, as your final destination is the Deer Lodge.  The lodge is just a short walk from the magnificent waters of Lake Louise.  Your travels today can also take you into Yoho National Park in British Columbia.  Here you will see first-hand, breathtaking waterfalls, emerald lakes and awe-inspiring tunnels known as “The Spiral Tunnels” – One of the Canadian Pacific Railway’s engineering feats!  Stop at Takakkaw Falls, a Cree Indian word for “awesome”.  The glacier-fed stream that feeds the falls runs a mere quarter of a mile, before plunging straight down more than a thousand feet into the Yoho Valley.  You can also stop and explore a natural rock bridge before making your way to the Deer Lodge.  Rustic by intent, Deer Lodge offers a picture-perfect setting.

Overnight – Deer Lodge, Heritage Room

Day 4 – Lake Louise to Jasper

Today, travel along the Icefields Parkway, one of the most scenic stretches of highway in North America.  Stops for consideration might be: Num-Ti-Jah Lodge on the shores of stunning Bow Lake for a wonderful view of the Crowfoot Glacier.  This one-time trapper’s lodge is rich with history and in one of the most picturesque settings in the Rockies.  Plan to visit Peyto Lake and the Weeping Wall, before arriving at the Athabasca Glacier.  Here you have an opportunity to go out onto the Icefield in a specially –designed Ice Explorer.  From here the parkway descends Tangle Ridge and follows the Athabasca River, which begins as melt water from the Athabasca Glacier.  Stop at Sunwapta and Athabasca Falls, where the boiling waters of the river plunge into a chasm gorged our of the valley floor.  Continue on to the Sawridge Inn in Jasper, where the staff is waiting to welcome you and assist you with your check-in arrangements.

Overnight – Sawridge Inn

Day 5 – Jasper at Leisure

The scenery in and around Jasper is remarkable!  We highly recommend the drive to Maligne Lake and consider taking a cruise to Spirit Island.

Overnight – Sawridge Inn

Day 6 – Jasper to Vancouver aboard VIA Rail

Your train departs this afternoon, so you have your morning available to explore Jasper. Consider a visit to the lovely Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.  Your train departs at 2:30 this afternoon, so plan on being at the station one hour prior to your departure.  The Budget office is a short walk from the station.  We suggest that you drop one person and your bags at the station, and then return the car to the Budget office.  You can walk back to the station or the Budget staff will take you in their van.

It is quite a thrill to take the train from Jasper, as you view the mountains from a prospective that can’t be experienced any other way.  The long summer days ensure that you have lots of mountain views before dinner.  Once you board the train, find a seat in the domed-skyline car.  The scenery out of Jasper is breathtaking.  The VIA Rail staff will be on-hand to assist you with your every need.  Your bedroom is VIA Rail’s “top of the line” accommodation.  Your sitting room by day, converts to upper and lower berths at night.  As a Silver and Blue Class passenger, your fare includes all meals, use of any of the lounges and access to the skyline car for spectacular viewing.

Overnight – Spent aboard VIA Rail

Day 7 – Arrive Vancouver

You are scheduled for a 9:30AM arrival into Vancouver.  Take a short taxi ride to your hotel, the Renaissance Vancouver Harbourside.  The cost should be about $15CAD. Due to your early arrival, your room may not be available for check-in.  If that is the case, leave your bags at the hotel and set out to explore Vancouver. The city is preparing itself for the 2010 winter games!  Your hop on/off trolley tour gives you a wonderful overview of Vancouver and allows you to make stops along the way at your leisure.  Visit Gastown, a lovely 19^th century restoration offering a selection of excellent restaurants and shops.  Other places to visit while in Vancouver are Stanley Park, the Aquarium, Granville Island, the Capilano Suspension Bridge, Grouse Mountain, colorful Chinatown, BC Place, the Sunken Gardens of Queen Elizabeth Park and the Bloedel Conservatory.

Overnight – Renaissance Vancouver Harbourside

Day 8 – Vancouver Home

Please check with the front desk for the exact pickup point and time for the shuttle bus to the airport.  Present the enclosed voucher to the driver.  We hope you have enjoyed your visit to Canada, and that this will be one of many trips in the future.  Thank you for choosing Cartan Tours!