Canadian Rockies & Jasper featuring Rocky Mountaineer

Take a remarkable journey through the stunning landscapes, charming towns and beautiful lakes of the Canadian Rockies. As arrival times will vary, today is yours to settle in and soak up the city at your own pace. Take a walk, find a café, and let the anticipation build.

This morning, follow Stanley Park’s seawall during your Vancouver sightseeing tour. Take in views of the mountains alongside trails, beaches, historical landmarks, and gardens in full color from within this urban rainforest. This afternoon, make your way to Granville Island Public Market, where local artisan food producers and handmade craft makers fill every stall. As evening falls, enjoy dinner with your fellow travelers at a local restaurant.

All aboard Rocky Mountaineer – and your single-level dome coach is the best seat in the house. Beyond the glass, coastal forests open up to river canyons and snowcapped peaks as you move through the Fraser Valley and the Coast Mountains. Keep your eyes on the Fraser River and look down at the churning white water of Hell's Gate far below. The scenery shifts one more time – from mountain drama to open, semi-arid desert – as you arrive in Kamloops for the night.*

Heading east this morning, the Canadian Rockies take full shape around you. This is the legendary rail route that helped unite Canada as a nation — and passing through the century-old Spiral Tunnels along the Kicking Horse River, the history of it is tangible. Cross the Continental Divide with your eyes on the tree line: moose, elk, bighorn sheep, osprey, eagles, and the occasional bear all call this corridor home. Raise a glass for a final toast before pulling into the alpine town of Jasper as evening falls.

This morning, travel to Maligne Lake – the largest natural lake in the Canadian Rockies – and enjoy breakfast right at the water's edge. Afterward, perhaps choose an optional cruise out to Spirit Island, one of the most photographed places in the Rockies. Back in Jasper, the rest of the day is yours to explore at your own pace – or join an optional rafting tour on the Athabasca River for a little adventure in the Rockies.

Today's drive along the Icefields Parkway delivers all day – keep a camera close. Waterfalls, rushing rivers, glacial peaks, and imposing cliffs line the route at every turn. Stop at Athabasca Falls, where the sheer volume and force of the water is something to stand in front of. Then, it's your choice! Visit the Athabasca Glacier and ride across more than 1,000 feet of ancient ice – the largest accumulation south of the Arctic Circle -OR- walk the glass-floored Columbia Icefield Skywalk and experience the sweeping views across the Sunwapta Valley and the dramatic landscape below. Watch for bears, marmots, and elk as you continue down the parkway, and stop at glacier-fed Bow Lake before arriving at the iconic Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, your home for the night. This evening, experience world-class dining at one of the great restaurants at the Chateau.

This morning, enjoy a leisurely departure from Lake Louise, allowing time to take in the serene beauty of its turquoise waters and surrounding peaks. Continue on to Banff on the Icefields Parkway. A scenic drive through Banff follows, with stops to witness the powerful drop of Bow Falls and the wide panoramas of Surprise Corner. Arrive in the mountain town of Banff for a two-night stay.

Start your day at Cave and Basin National Historic Site, where the conservation story that gave birth to Canada's first national park began. After, meet a local ammolite specialist and learn what makes this gemstone – found only in Alberta – so remarkable. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy at leisure; Banff's downtown rewards a good wander.

The mountains ease into open Alberta prairie as you head toward Kananaskis Valley. Visit a local ranch for a line dance lesson, a wagon ride in search of buffalo, and a traditional Albertan barbecue with the Rockies still painted on the horizon. As the prairies roll by on the way to Calgary, let the day sink in – then gather one last time with your fellow travelers for a private farewell dinner worth raising a glass to.

Your tour comes to a close today in Calgary – with the Rockies, the rails, and a whole lot of memories to take home.