The Grand Canadian West
Trip Itinerary
Day 1
Vancouver Arrival
Arrive in Vancouver and pick up your rental car. Proceed independently to your hotel.
Day 2
Vancouver – Revelstoke / driving distance: 347 mi / 559 km
Leave the bustling metropolis of Vancouver and drive to Revelstoke. Situated on the Columbia River between the Selkirk and Monashee Mountain Ranges, Revelstoke enjoys a spectacular setting.
Day 3
Revelstoke – Banff – Canmore / driving distance: 175 mi / 282 km
Upon leaving town, pass through the spectacular Rogers Pass, the section of the Trans-Canada Highway that traverses Glacier National Park. See a jagged profile of angular mountains and narrow steepwalled valleys. Pass through Yoho National Park, with its sparkling lakes, natural bridges, and prehistoric fossil beds. See one of the spiral tunnels that had been built for the US Pacific Railway on the way to Banff. Overnight in Canmore.
Day 4
Canmore – Banff National Park – Canmore
Nestled in the heart of the Canadian Rockies is the charming town of Banff. The glacial-green Bow River flows through the mountain-ringed valley, which is the setting for Banff, gateway to Canada’s oldest national park of the same name.
Day 5
Canmore – Jasper National Park / driving distance: 173 mi / 279 km
Travel along the scenic Icefields Parkway to Jasper National Park and see the Athabasca Glacier, part of the massive Columbia Icefields. Arrive in Jasper at the end of the day.
Day 6
Jasper National Park – Prince George / driving distance: 469 mi / 755 km
Travel to the pastoral town of Prince George for your overnight stay.
Day 7
Prince George – Smithers / driving distance: 231 mi / 371 km
Travel the rugged wilderness terrain of the interior mountain ranges. Overnight in Smithers and take in its fine shopping and dining.
Day 8
Smithers – Prince Rupert / driving distance: 220 mi / 350 km
Follow the Yellowhead Highway across the wilderness of British Columbia through forests and past glistening lakes. Continue west across the Hazelton Mountains to the seaport town of Prince Rupert. Spend the night in Prince Rupert.
Day 9
Prince Rupert – Port Hardy (Inside Passage)
Enjoy a scenic 15-hour car ferry trip through the Inside Passage with breathtaking vistas. Arrive in Port Hardy at the northern tip of Vancouver Island.
Day 10
Port Hardy – Campbell River / driving distance: 320 mi / 515 km
Travel the eastern shores of Vancouver Island to Campbell River, a focal point for sport salmon fishing.
Day 11
Campbell River – Port Alberni – Ucuelet – Tofino / driving distance: 299 mi / 482 km
This morning, travel to Port Alberni where you can take a stroll around the harbor. Continue across the pristine Pacific Rim National Park to the village of Tofino.
Day 12
Tofino – Butchart Gardens – Victoria / driving distance: 61 mi / 99 km
Travel back accross Vancouver Island, see the village of Nanaimo featuring The Bastion, a small fort that was built in 1853. Continue to historic Victoria where great shopping, dining and scenery await. Enjoy an optional visit to Butchart Gardens, regarded by many as the most spectacular gardens in all of North America.
Day 13
Victoria – Port Renfrew – Sooke – Victoria – Vancouver / driving distance: 175 mi / 282 km
Leave Victoria to the west and drive along the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail. When the shoreline ends at Port Renfrew, turn around and head back to the charming village of Sooke. Continue on to the city of Victoria, which has a very distinct British feel to it. Ivy-covered hotels and inns accentuate the downtown area in the shadows of the majestic old-world Parliament buildings. Travel to Swartz Bay for the ferry trip (not included) to Tsawwassen, and your return to the city of Vancouver.
Day 14
Vancouver Departure
Return your rental car to Vancouver International Airport prior to your return flight.
Prices, Dates, Hotels & Conditions
CHANGE CURRENCY
€
£
$
A$
¥
C$
The final price you will pay for this tour is that displayed in CAD. Prices converted in other
currencies are for guidance purposes only and are approximate.
| DAILY DEPARTURES | PRICE FROM |
|---|---|
| April | 1294 |
| May, June, July, August, September, October | 1539 |
| NIGHT | CITY | HOTEL ACCOMMODATION |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vancouver | Pacific Gateway Hotel |
| 2 | Revelstoke | Coast Hillcrest Hotel |
| 3-4 | Canmore | Coast Canmore Hotel |
| 5 | Jasper | Tonquin Inn Jasper |
| 6 | Prince George | Coast Inn of the North |
| 7 | Smithers | Sandman Inn Smithers |
| 8 | Prince Rupert | Crest Hotel |
| 9 | Port Hardy | Providence Place |
| 10 | Campbell River | Best Western Austrian Chalet |
| 11 | Tofino | Best Western Tin Wis Resort |
| 12 | Victoria | Accent Inns Victoria |
| 13 | Vancouver | Pacific Gateway Hotel |
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
- Take a hike in the impressive mountain ranges that surround Revelstoke
- Travel by way of Rogers Pass, the early route of the Canadian Pacific Railway’s main line
- Get back to nature in the wild interior of Glacier National Park
- View the fossilized remains of ancient marine life in Yoho National Park
- See where Kicking Horse River has carved a natural bridge through solid rock
- Pull over and watch trains pass through the Spiral Tunnels, an engineering wonder
- Discover Banff National Park, Canada’s first national park and the world’s third
- Drive right up to an icefield and touch it on the Icefields Parkway
- Stand on powerful ancient ice at Columbia Icefield
- Enjoy the magic of Jasper, the gentle giant of the Rockies
- Explore the largest city in Northern British Columbia, Prince George
- Sit back, unwind and relax in Smithers, an outdoor oasis
- Travel the Yellowhead Highway, once the secret trail to the fur cache of its namesake
- Delight in wildlife viewing experiences in the port town of Prince Rupert
- Sail through spectacular scenery onboard BC Ferries iconic Inside Passage cruise from Prince Rupert to Port Hardy
- Partake in reel-time adventure salmon fishing in the paradise known as Campbell River
- Stroll along Rainforest Trail, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve’s magical boardwalk trail
- Submerge yourself in floral splendor at Victoria’s Butchart Gardens
- Hike the rugged oceanfront wilderness of Juan de Fuca Marine Trail
Admission fees not included
Day 9 - The ferry fees are payable locally and are not included in cost of tour. Fares are approximately 450 CAD per vehicle and 200 CAD per passenger. Reservations should be made in advance according to ferry schedule - ferry departure is seasonal and not daily.
