Canada, Niagara Falls & the Rocky Mountains

Canada's culture-packed cities and astounding range of scenery await as your vacation begins today in the West Coast metropolis of Vancouver. The city is regarded as one of the world's most desirable places to live, thanks to its charming atmosphere and incredible setting between the mountains and the Pacific Coast. As you arrive today, make your way to our hotel, which is located a short distance from downtown. Check in for the first of three nights and meet the Tour Manager and your group of fellow travelers before enjoying an evening at leisure to soak up your new surroundings.

You might like to try some of western Canada's cuisine, with fresh Pacific seafood, such as salmon, oysters and Dungeness crab on the menus of many local restaurants. With a multicultural population, you can also find local versions of Asian and Mexican dishes. Overnight Vancouver.

 Our first full day in Canada takes us on a guided sightseeing tour of Vancouver's most character-filled districts. 

  As Vancouver's original Downtown, Gastown is the city's most historic area. Redbrick Victorian buildings dot the tree-lined streets surrounding Maple Tree Square. Many coffee shops, art galleries, upscale fashion boutiques and the famous Gastown Steam Clock can be found in this area named after the beloved sailor and barman "Gassy" Jack Deighton. 

  Crossing East Hastings Street, we arrive in Chinatown - the largest in Canada - where we experience the sights and sounds of the streets and squares. From leafy Stanley Park, where we view colorful totem poles celebrating the region's indigenous history, we travel to Granville Island, where our tour concludes.   

The rest of the day is free to explore independently, and you could take some time to explore the market stalls of Granville Island or head to North Vancouver and find the Capilano Suspension Bridge hanging 450 feet above the forest floor. Alternatively, take the cable car to the top of Grouse Mountain for sweeping views of Vancouver. Overnight Vancouver.

 Making the most of a full day on Vancouver Island, we make our way by coach early this morning to Tsawwassen for the ferry over to Swartz Bay. Known for its population of black bears, Vancouver Island is Canada's 11th-largest island, and while rugged in parts, it is also dappled with charming towns and cities.   

One of its most renowned manmade attractions is Butchart Gardens, where we head on arrival. These beautiful botanical gardens started as Robert Butchart's limestone quarry in 1904 before his wife expanded the grounds to include a Japanese garden, an Italian garden and a fragrant rose garden.     

After exploring this picturesque haven, we transfer by coach to British Columbia's capital, Victoria. There is free time to explore and get lunch independently. You could visit the Inner Harbour, lined with grand buildings, including the Parliament, Royal BC Museum and Fairmont hotel, or wander the streets of Canada's oldest Chinatown. Later, we sail back to Vancouver, where you can dine independently tonight. Overnight Vancouver.

 Our trans-Canadian adventure sets underway today as we leave Vancouver by coach for a scenic journey along stunning valleys, with Canada's grand landscapes laid out before us. 

  Following the course of the Fraser Valley, we arrive in the historic trading post of Hope, surrounded by the immense Cascade Mountains. Here, there is time to grab lunch independently before joining the Coquihalla Highway. Swathes of land blanketed in deep forests pass our windows as we climb through the Columbia Mountains to Sun Peaks.   

On arrival in the early evening, there is free time to find dinner and explore the village. A year-round destination whose claim to fame comes from its skiing opportunities, this mountain resort town boasts a distinctly European feel that you can savor at your own pace. Overnight Sun Peaks.

 Canada's iconic scenery becomes even more incredible today as we enter the Rocky Mountains. Joining the Yellowhead Highway after breakfast at the hotel, we follow the course of the North Thompson River to the small town of Clearwater. There is time to wander and have lunch before continuing our journey deep into Canada's wilderness toward the jaw-dropping Mount Robson. 

  With a summit at nearly 13,000 feet, this rugged peak is often called the "King of the Rockies," and its seemingly vertical southern face dominates views from miles around. The varied stratum of rock gives the impression of a road twisting around the mountain - a fact noticed by the indigenous Texqa'kallt people who call it the "Mountain of the Spiral Road." 

  Jasper is a beautiful enigma. Although it is a popular destination for visitors to the Rockies, it retains a calm, small-town feel. The charming buildings lining its streets are peppered with interesting shops and restaurants, and yet wild scenery surrounds. After checking into our hotel, you are free to explore this picture-perfect town this evening. Overnight Jasper.

• Breakfast

 A free morning gives you a chance to unwind at our hotel or stroll around Jasper, admiring its location surrounded by imposing mountains.   

Later, we board our coach for a scenic excursion deep into UNESCO-listed Jasper National Park on a tour of the Maligne River Valley. Traveling through some of Canada's grandest landscapes, we view snow-dusted mountains, plunging waterfalls, hot springs and crystalline lakes.     

We visit Medicine Lake, where we are treated to an array of staggering vistas, before we continue our route to Maligne Lake - the largest glacier-fed body of water in the region.   

  Before returning to Jasper for a free evening, there is plenty of time to admire the atmosphere and look for some of the area's wildlife, including mule deer, moose, eagles and ospreys - as well as bears, caribou and wolves. Overnight Jasper. 

 The morning is yours to continue enjoying Jasper at your own pace, perhaps setting out on a gentle hike or finding breakfast in one of the local restaurants, based on our departure time. Later this morning, we transfer to the train station for one of the world's most epic train journeys.

Boarding the steel carriages of the Canadian, we settle into our semi-private berths for a three-night ride across Canada to Toronto. As we follow the Athabasca River, we wind down the Rocky Mountains into the verdant foothills. With dinner served onboard, we can enjoy views of glaciers, plunging canyons, soaring mountains and endless pine forests.

Crossing further into Alberta, the scenery changes with remote settlements and serene lakes dotting the landscape before passing through Edmonton this evening. All along the way, we can relax and look forward to a laid-back journey as the Canadian continues its easterly path. Overnight train.

• Dinner

 Waking up on the Canadian, we are welcomed to Saskatchewan's vast prairies, which we can view while eating breakfast. The seemingly endless grasslands of the Great Plains stretch as far as the eye can see, with farming communities passing our windows as the Canadian rolls on.   

With a population similar to that of Montana and an area about the size of Texas, Saskatchewan is ideal for sitting back and watching the world go by - and the glass-roofed panoramic observation car is the perfect place to do this. We travel through the southern plains of Saskatchewan, home to deer, eagles, and, in select areas, antelope, moose and bison. Lunch and dinner are also served on board.   

We later cross into Manitoba, a province with more than 100,000 lakes stretching up to the shores of Hudson Bay. Late this evening, the train pulls into its capital, Winnipeg, home to more than 50 ethnic communities, before continuing eastward overnight. Overnight train. 

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 Over breakfast on the Canadian this morning, we cross the rocky ground of northwestern Ontario, a landscape pocked with stunning lakes and thick, verdant forests of ancient trees. 

  For the isolated communities we pass through, the Canadian Pacific Railway has been a lifeline for decades. While Ontario might be the most populous of Canada's provinces, the remote areas we pass today are raw Canadian wilderness, with moose and black bears prowling dense woodlands.   

After lunch onboard, the Canadian changes direction, continuing its journey in a southeasterly direction toward the Great Lakes. Spend some time in the observation car or lounge as we travel through this evocative scenery to witness the changes for yourself. Dinner is served this evening, and the Canadian continues overnight toward our final destination, Toronto. Overnight train.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Our final morning onboard the Canadian begins with a continental breakfast as we travel south toward Toronto. The views change from the mountains and prairies of the past few days to more familiar suburban scenes as we make our way around Lake Simcoe into the Greater Toronto area.   

After brunch on board, we arrive at Toronto's Union Station - Canada's largest and most elegant train station. Its Great Hall looks every bit like a temple to the railroad, while its resplendent limestone exterior is dominated by 22 Romanesque columns. Nearby is the iconic CN Tower, built by the Canadian National Railway Company and the world's tallest free-standing structure from 1975 until 2007.   

  We transfer to our downtown hotel, where there is time to unwind or explore Canada's most populous city at leisure. There is no shortage of restaurants nearby for you to find dinner, from steak and seafood to European and Asian cuisine. Overnight Toronto.

• Breakfast, Lunch

 Today is a highlight of our trans-Canadian adventure. On our coach, we are joined by an expert local guide for a full-day trip to Niagara Falls. 

  Connecting two of the Great Lakes - Erie and Ontario - the Niagara River plunges down three astonishing waterfalls. When we arrive, we set sail on a cruise to get closer to one of the world's most impressive natural sights, with protective ponchos supplied. Marveling at the American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and the iconic Horseshoe Falls is an unforgettable experience as the clouds of spray and thunderous roar emphasize nature's majesty.

  Back on shore, there is time for lunch independently in one of Niagara's restaurants before viewing the falls from above at Table Rock. Continuing our exploration, we reach the whirlpool, where the river bursts out of the Niagara Gorge.   

We conclude our excursion at the pretty town of Niagara on the Lake, where there is time to stroll its streets before returning to Toronto for a free evening to dine independently. Overnight Toronto.

This spectacular expedition has seen us journey from the Pacific Coast to the Great Lakes, witnessing many highlights of the world's second-largest country. After exploring Vancouver and its many attractions, we dove into the highlights of Jasper National Park before boarding the iconic Canadian, where three nights aboard provided a front-row seat to Canada's varied landscapes. Concluding our trip in Toronto, a Niagara Falls cruise sealed our unforgettable journey.

Your tour comes to a close in Toronto this morning. After checking out of the hotel, you can continue exploring this unique city at your own pace or transfer to the airport for your return home.