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Western Canada’s Scenic Trains with Dazzling
Domes
10 Days/9 Nights 3 Remarkable Train Trips in 1 Fabulous Tour
Thousands of travelers have discovered the majestic beauty of the Canada’s West as they traveled between Vancouver and the Rockies, but only a handful have traveled by rail through the towering peaks and emerald lakes of British Columbia. This package combines three remarkable train trips, traveling though some of the most beautiful and dramatic country in the world. So get on board to experience the Rocky Mountaineers Yellowhead and Kicking Horse route from Vancouver to Banff, the new Fraser Discovery Route from Jasper to Whistler and the new Whistler Mountaineer Sky Service from Whistler to Vancouver.
Cartan's Tour Highlights
May 14 – Oct
1, 2008
Departure dates as shown below will determine the Price Per Person Based on Double Occupancy
Please note if you wish to mix and match RedLeaf and GoldLeaf Service, simply let us a know and we will provide the appropriate pricing.
Day 1 - Arrive in Vancouver
Welcome to Vancouver. Our choice of the Fairmont Hotel
Vancouver makes you feel special from the moment you arrive. Here, in the heart
of the city, you are close to shops, museums and restaurants.
Overnight – Fairmont Hotel Vancouver Day 2 - Rocky Mountaineer Gold Leaf Service, Vancouver to
Kamloops (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner) Today is the first of three memorable rail trips in domed
viewing cars. Nothing quite describes the sightseeing sensation that a domed
viewing car brings to a train trip. Add to that, meal service that rivals the
finest restaurants, and you have quite a day. As Gold Leaf passengers, you have
confirmed seating in the Dome Car with gourmet meal service in the lower level
dining room. Breakfast and lunch are served aboard the train. Your journey takes
you through the fertile fields of the Fraser River Valley and the Coastal
Mountains, before entering the Fraser Canyon and viewing the raging turbulence
of Hell’s Gate. You follow the Frazer River through beautiful landscapes to
Kamloops for an overnight stay with dinner at your hotel. The Rocky Mountaineer
staff will provide transfers between the train and your hotel. Dinner this
evening is at your hotel. Overnight – Kamloops
Day 3 – Rocky Mountaineer Gold Leaf Service, Kamloops to Banff
(Breakfast & Lunch) This day brings you through vast ranchlands to Shuswap Lake
and past 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 in the lower level dining area. When you
arrive in Banff, you are but a short taxi ride from your hotel.
Overnight – Fairmont Banff Springs Day 4 – Banff at Leisure Bring your camera, as your “Discover Banff” tour takes you to
the sightseeing highlights of this area. Your day includes Bow Falls, Hoodoos,
Surprise Corner, the Cave and Basin where Banff’s history began, as well as a
gondola ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain. You are never at a loss for things
to do in Banff. The town is filled with delightful shops and boutiques. The
facilities and activities offered by the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel make it a
village in itself. Their European Spa and health club is outstanding and their
golf course is known throughout the world. Indoor and outdoor pools are
great for kids and adults alike. Lounges with sweeping views and a wide
selection of dining options make the Fairmont Banff Springs the place to be! Overnight – Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel Day 5 – Banff / Lake Louise This afternoon your transfer from Banff takes you past
vermilion lakes, flowering meadows and along beautifully forested roads. Your
destination, the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, is a storybook setting, next to
one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.
Overnight – Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. Day 6 – Lake Louise to Jasper 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, their slow 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 Icefields’ Parkway, one of the
most scenic drives in North America. A highlight of the day is a ride on the
Ice Explorer. The Columbia Icefield is made up of a series of glaciers covering
325 square kilometers. After a day of scenic wonders you arrive at The Fairmont
Jasper Park Lodge, an experience in wilderness luxury at its finest.
Overnight – Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge
Day 7 – Fraser Discovery Route from Jasper - Rocky Mountaineer
GoldLeaf Service (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner) We will arrange transfers from the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge
to the rail station. From Jasper, you will travel aboard the Rocky Mountaineer
in their first season of operations on their “Fraser Discovery Route.” Few
train journeys offer such dramatic scenery. These two days of daylight rail
travel will take you on a 634 mile odyssey that will astound you with the
diverse beauty of Canada’s West. You bid farewell to Jasper at
7:00am and travel through the Yellowhead pass to
Mt. Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. Entering the Rocky
Mountain Trench, you are surrounded by the steeply rising Rocky Mountains to the
north and the Cariboo Mountains to the south. Travel through the forests of
British Columbia into Prince George and follow the Fraser River arriving at
4:30PM into Quesnel, a little known spot on the map, but soon to be known as the
overnight stop on this great rail trip. The staff of the Rocky Mountaineer will
meet you at the station and take you to your hotel.
Overnight - Quesnel Day 8 – Quesnel to Whistler (Breakfast & Lunch) The Rocky Mountaineer Rail staff will pick you up from your
hotel and have you aboard the train at 7:00am, for day two of your journey!
Following the Fraser River, highlights of this scenic day include; the Deep
Creek Bridge one of the highest railway bridges in the world, sweeping views of
Fraser Canyon, glacial fed Seton Lake, and the shorelines of Anderson Lake. You
will pass through the rolling hills and vast ranchlands of the Cariboo Plateau,
the desert-like conditions of Fraser Canyon, the lush farmland of the Pemberton
Valley and towering peaks before your scheduled arrival into Whistler at 6:30pm.
Your hotel is a short taxi ride from the station. Overnight – Hilton Whistler Resort Day 9 - Whistler to Vancouver Whistler Mountaineer Glacier
Dome (Light Refreshments) Wake early and bask in the sweet fresh mountain air. If you
don’t mind heights, take a ride to the top of Whistler or Blackcomb Mountain.
The ride on the gondola makes you feel like you are at the top of the world.
Whistler Village was designed for pedestrians. Filled with flowers and sweet
smelling candy shops, you will have no problem finding things to fill your
morning. The Whistler Mountaineer departs at 2:30pm, so use a taxi for the
short ride from your hotel to the station. If you thought the scenery couldn’t
get any better, you will quickly realize that these three hours of going from
mountain peaks to shimmering ocean views on this “Sky to Sea” route, have no
problem holding their own! Cross over the pinnacle of Brandywine Falls before
descending a steep grade through the Cheakamus Canyon, where the river below
tumbles through a craggy gorge. Pass through the town of Squamish, BC, home to
the West Coast Rail Association and the Royal Hudson steam train, and look out
for the spectacular dome peak of Mount Garibaldi,
rising 2,678 meters (8787 feet). Continuing south, pass the impressive cascade
of Shannon Falls, as the train hugs the eastern shores of Howe Sound with the
Coast Mountains rising steeply to the left and stunning views of ocean and
mountain to the right. As you approach the end of your rail tour, enjoy views of
downtown Vancouver and Stanley Park from the scenic waterfront of West
Vancouver's exclusive residential area, before passing under the Lions Gate
Bridge and arriving at North Vancouver Rail Station. Transfers will be arranged
from North Vancouver to your hotel. Overnight –Fairmont Hotel Vancouver Day 10 – Vancouver Home Airport transfers have been arranged from your hotel. If you would like more information on any of our tours, please go to our "Request Form". Site Map For Tour Package Information Contact SNOWBIRD TRAVEL AGENCY Snowbird Travel Agency@Copyright 1998-2008. All rights
reserved.
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