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Best of Both Worlds
 

Best of Both Worlds

Tour Overview - 8 days & 7 nights

• Tour Highlights - 8 days & 7 nights

  • Guaranteed departures
  • Airport arrival and departure transfers in Vancouver
  • Two days of scenic rail travel aboard the Rocky Mountaineer in RedLeaf* service from Vancouver to Kamloops and Kamloops to Banff. Breakfast and lunch will be served at your seat each day of your trip.
  • 2 nights - The Marriott Pinnacle Vancouver or Renaissance Vancouver Harbourside
  • 1 night - Kamloops
  • 2 nights - Fairmont Banff Springs
  • 1 night - Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge
  • Overnight aboard VIA Rail -Sleeper Touring Class in a private bedroom from Jasper to Vancouver with access to the domed viewing cars, dinner and breakfast aboard the train in the main dining room
  • Discover Banff tour and a ride on the Sulphur Mountain Gondola (Tour ends Oct 19)
  • Full day motorcoach sightseeing excursion from Banff to Jasper with a trip onto the Columbia Icefields aboard an Ice Explorer (Icefields close Oct 17)
  • Vancouver city sightseeing tour
  • Transfer from Vancouver hotel to train station
  • Transfer from Vancouver train station to hotel
  • Hotel Taxes & GST as applicable
  • Maps and destination information
  • *The cost to upgrade to GoldLeaf service, with dome car seating and meals served in the lower level dining room are available upon request

Ask About The Kamloops Dinner and Musical Review Shows

See 2010 Brochure Click Here:

Tour Itinerary - 8 days & 7 nights

Day 1- Arrive in Vancouver

Welcome to Vancouver, your starting point for your rail journey across western Canada. Your package includes a transfer from the airport to your hotel. Whether you chose the Renaissance Vancouver Harbourside or Marriott Pinnacle, your choice puts you in the heart of the city, close to shops, museums and restaurants.
Overnight - Vancouver

Day 2 - Rocky Mountaineer RedLeaf Service, Vancouver to Kamloops (Breakfast & Lunch)

Your package includes a transfer from your hotel to the train station. Today your journey takes you through the fertile fields of the Fraser River Valley and the towering peaks of the Coastal Mountains, before entering the Fraser Canyon and viewing the raging turbulence of Hell’s Gate. You follow the Fraser River through beautiful landscapes to Kamloops for an overnight stay. The Rocky Mountaineer staff will serve breakfast and lunch at your seat. Their fun loving staff will be on hand with beverage service and snacks throughout the day. When you arrive in Kamloops, you will be met and transferred to your hotel.
Overnight – Kamloops

Day 3 – Rocky Mountaineer RedLeaf Service, Kamloops to Banff (Breakfast & Lunch)

Continue your journey eastward to the Canadian Rockies. First you will travel through vast ranchlands to Shuswap Lake. Next pass Craigellachie, where the "last spike" was driven completing the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885. Beyond Craigellachie is Rogers Pass with its tunnels, glistening glaciers and snow capped-mountains. Before crossing over the Continental Divide into Banff National Park, the train will travel through the unique Spiral Tunnels a remarkable engineering achievement. Once again breakfast and lunch will be served at your seat. When you arrive in Banff, the Fairmont Banff Springs is just a short taxi ride from the rail station.
Overnight – Fairmont Banff Springs

Day 4 – Banff at Leisure

Bring your camera, as your "Discover Banff" tour takes you along Tunnel Mountain Drive for a great view of Banff. Visit the Cave and Basin National Historic Site, stroll along Lake Minnewanka and take a gondola ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain. Your afternoon is at leisure to explore Banff and enjoy the many facilities offered by the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel.
Overnight – Fairmont Banff Springs

Day 5 – Banff to Jasper

Your travels to Jasper take you along the Icefields Parkway, one of the most scenic drives in North America. A highlight of the day is a stop at the Columbia Icefields where a series of glaciers cover 325 square kilometers. We have also arranged for you to take an Ice Explorer ride on to the Icefields. Continue to Jasper along the Athabasca River Valley. You will arrive into Jasper late afternoon, but the long summer days will allow time to explore the grounds of the beautiful Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.
Overnight – Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

Day 6 – Jasper to Vancouver

Your train departs this afternoon, so you have your morning available to enjoy the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. It is quite a thrill to take the train from Jasper, as you view the mountains from a perspective that can’t be experienced any other way. The long summer days ensure that you have lots of mountain views before dinner and the excitement of spending an overnight aboard the train in your own private bedroom. Once onboard, the VIA Rail staff will be on hand to assist 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 Sleeper Touring Class passenger, your fare includes all meals, use of any of the lounges and access to the domed skyline car for spectacular viewing.
Overnight - Spent aboard VIA Rail

Day 7 - Arrive Vancouver

You are scheduled for a morning arrival into Vancouver and your room may not be available for check-in. If that is the case, we suggest you leave your bags at the hotel and use your Vancouver “hop on hop off” tour and set out to explore Vancouver.
Overnight – Marriott Pinnacle or Renaissance Vancouver Harbourside

Day 8 – Vancouver Home

Airport transfers have been arranged from your hotel. We hope this has been one of many visits to this lovely country. Thank you for choosing Cartan Tours!