Majestic Rockies & Alaskan Cruise

Upon arrival in Calgary, you will be transferred directly to the mountain town of Banff, where a three-night Scenic Special Stay at the iconic Fairmont Banff Springs awaits. Set against a dramatic backdrop of soaring peaks and the rushing Bow River, this castle-like hotel is one of Canada’s most celebrated landmarks. Take time to settle in and absorb the surroundings before meeting your Tour Director and fellow guests this evening for a welcome briefing and dinner.

Please book your flight to arrive into Calgary prior to 05:00 PM.

After breakfast, discover Banff’s natural beauty and historical significance on a guided tour, taking in the Bow Falls, Surprise Corner Lookout, Hoodoos Viewpoint and Lake Minnewanka. A visit to Cave and Basin offers a deeper perspective on the journey ahead. A gathering place of profound significance to Indigenous Peoples for over ten thousand years, it was the discovery of thermal springs here in 1883 that sparked the creation of Canada’s first national park. Rich in both history and natural beauty, it remains one of the most thought-provoking stops on the journey. The remainder of the day is yours to explore the vibrant streets of downtown Banff at leisure.

Today, World Heritage-listed Banff National Park is yours to explore, with your choice of Scenic Freechoice experiences shaping the day entirely as you wish.

Scenic Freechoice:
Heli Flightseeing Banff: Lift off and venture into one of earth’s most dramatic mountain landscapes via helicopter. Weave between the iconic Three Sisters Peaks as sheer rock faces rise around you and the true scale of the Canadian Rockies sinks in. Rugged peaks, glittering lakes and untouched wilderness surround you on every side, with the winding Bow River far below, a breathtaking experience that cannot be replicated from the ground.

Bow River Float Trip: Just minutes from downtown Banff, step onto your raft on the Bow River and let it carry you through one of earth’s most spectacular mountain landscapes. No experience needed, just a sense of wonder. Drift peacefully downstream as towering peaks rise on every side, wildflowers line the banks and water birds glide alongside. Wildlife has a habit of appearing when you least expect it.

E-Bike & Hike Johnston Canyon: A guided e-bike tour through mountain forest and along shimmering lakeshores, followed by a hike into Banff’s most beloved canyon, walking deeper into towering rock walls until the spectacular Lower Falls thunders into view. Two iconic Banff experiences, beautifully combined into one extraordinary day.

Banff Gondola: Ride to the summit of Sulphur Mountain for a stunning bird’s-eye view of Banff township and six mountain ranges stretching to every horizon.

Willow Stream Spa at Fairmont Banff Springs: Rejuvenate in the mineral pools of the Willow Stream Spa, drawing energy from the mountains around you in this serene and beautifully appointed sanctuary (available on select early season departures only).

Leaving Banff behind, your journey follows the storied Bow Valley Parkway toward Lake Louise. The south-facing slopes along this historic route are home to lush foliage and a resident cast of elk, mule deer, bears and even the occasional wolf. Arrive at Lake Louise, known as the Diamond in the Wilderness, and settle into your Lakeview Room at the breathtaking Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise for an overnight Scenic Special Stay. This evening, the choice of where to dine is yours.

Scenic Enrich
Meet a retired member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for a fascinating and personal insight into the enduring importance of the Mounties, past and present.

Scenic Freechoice Dining:
Choose between a French-Canadian Brasserie-style dining experience overlooking the spectacular lake or the refined elegance of contemporary Canadian cuisine, both within the elegant surrounds of the Chateau where attentive service and thoughtful flavours make every meal an occasion.

Leaving Banff behind, your journey follows the storied Bow Valley Parkway toward Lake Louise. The south-facing slopes along this historic route are home to lush foliage and a resident cast of elk, mule deer, bears and even the occasional wolf. Arrive at Lake Louise, known as the Diamond in the Wilderness, and settle into your Lakeview Room at the breathtaking Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise for an overnight Scenic Special Stay. This evening, the choice of where to dine is yours.

Scenic Enrich
Meet a retired member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for a fascinating and personal insight into the enduring importance of the Mounties, past and present.

Scenic Freechoice Dining:
Choose between a French-Canadian Brasserie-style dining experience overlooking the spectacular lake or the refined elegance of contemporary Canadian cuisine, both within the elegant surrounds of the Chateau where attentive service and thoughtful flavours make every meal an occasion.

Consistently ranked among the world’s great scenic drives, the Icefields Parkway winds through a procession of towering peaks, ancient glaciers, turquoise lakes and cascading waterfalls that few roads on earth can match. Journey through this magnificent highway to the Columbia Icefield, where you board an Ice Explorer and glide onto the vast icy expanse of the Athabasca Glacier, a humbling encounter with ice that has been forming for centuries. Later, arrive in Jasper and settle in for two nights at the renowned Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.

Scenic Enrich
Embark on a guided walk led by an Indigenous storyteller, learning about the medicinal and culinary uses of native plants gathered from the surrounding wilderness. Inspired by the walk, dinner this evening features ingredients drawn directly from Jasper’s landscape, a beautifully considered connection between place and plate.

Consistently ranked among the world’s great scenic drives, the Icefields Parkway winds through a procession of towering peaks, ancient glaciers, turquoise lakes and cascading waterfalls that few roads on earth can match. Journey through this magnificent highway to the Columbia Icefield, where you board an Ice Explorer and glide onto the vast icy expanse of the Athabasca Glacier, a humbling encounter with ice that has been forming for centuries. Later, arrive in Jasper and settle in for two nights at the renowned Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.

Scenic Enrich
Embark on a guided walk led by an Indigenous storyteller, learning about the medicinal and culinary uses of native plants gathered from the surrounding wilderness. Inspired by the walk, dinner this evening features ingredients drawn directly from Jasper’s landscape, a beautifully considered connection between place and plate.

Spanning approximately 11,000 square kilometres, World Heritage-listed Jasper National Park is the largest park in the Canadian Rockies. Whether drawn to the skies, the river or the deep wilderness, today is entirely yours to shape with your choice of Scenic Freechoice experiences.

Scenic Enrich
Join a guided wildlife tour into Jasper’s natural wonderland, where elk, deer, black bears, moose and mountain goats thrive in their pristine habitats, an intimate encounter with the wild heart of the Canadian Rockies.

Scenic Freechoice:
Harley-Davidson Sidecar Tour: Gear up, climb in and feel the rumble of a Harley-Davidson beneath you as you roll out into the heart of the Canadian Rockies. Wind up dramatic mountain roads where sweeping views of the Athabasca Valley stretch before you, or venture off the beaten track into the wilder, quieter side of Jasper that most visitors never encounter. Open air, open road and the Rockies all around, the kind of experience that stays with you.

Athabasca River Rafting: Board your raft and float the very same waters that fur traders navigated over two centuries ago, deep in the heart of one of the world’s most celebrated national parks. No experience needed. Gentle rapids add just the right touch of excitement, and the riverbanks reward those who pay attention, with elk, moose, wolves, eagles and bears making regular appearances.

Maligne Valley & Lakes: Journey deep into the spectacular Maligne Valley on an interpretive drive through the heart of Jasper National Park. Witness Medicine Lake, a remarkable natural phenomenon that disappears entirely each year, before arriving at Maligne Lake where impossibly vivid water, soaring peaks on every horizon and three glaciers in plain view frame the iconic Spirit Island, one of the most photographed scenes in all of Canada.

Wildfire Peak-Nic: In July 2024, a wildfire of historic proportions swept through Jasper National Park, the largest in over a century. On this 4km hike through one of Canada’s most dramatically transformed landscapes, witness new growth, wildflowers pushing through ash and wildlife quietly returning. At the peak, share a hot lunch and hear why wildfire is not destruction, but nature’s most powerful tool for renewal.

Board the legendary Rocky Mountaineer for one of the world’s great rail journeys. Settled into your GoldLeaf Service glass-dome carriage, traverse dramatic mountain passes and sweeping canyons as the landscapes of the Canadian Rockies unfold in every direction. There is a quiet rhythm to train travel — the landscape unfolds at its own pace, the scenery draws you in, and every curve reveals a new perspective. Tonight, unwind in a Kamloops hotel selected by Rocky Mountaineer.

Vancouver is a delicious juxtaposition of urban sophistication and on-your-doorstep wilderness adventure. The mountains and seascape make the city an outdoor playground for hiking, skiing, kayaking, cycling, and sailing—and so much more—while the cuisine and arts scenes are equally diverse, reflecting the makeup of Vancouver’s ethnic (predominantly Asian) mosaic. Vancouver is consistently ranked as one of the world’s most livable cities, and it’s easy for visitors to see why. It’s beautiful, it’s outdoorsy, and there’s a laidback West Coast vibe. On the one hand, there’s easy access to a variety of outdoor activities, a fabulous variety of beaches, and amazing parks. At the same time, the city has a multicultural vitality and cosmopolitan flair. The attraction is as much in the range of food choices—the fresh seafood and local produce are some of North America’s best—as it is in the museums, shopping, and nightlife.Vancouver’s landscaping also adds to the city’s walking appeal. In spring, flowerbeds spill over with tulips and daffodils while sea breezes scatter scented cherry blossoms throughout Downtown; in summer office workers take to the beaches, parks, and urban courtyards for picnic lunches and laptop meetings. More than 8 million visitors each year come to Vancouver, Canada’s third-largest metropolitan area. Because of its peninsula location, traffic flow is a contentious issue. Thankfully, Vancouver is wonderfully walkable, especially in the downtown core. The North Shore is a scoot across the harbor, and the rapid-transit system to Richmond and the airport means that staying in the more affordable ’burbs doesn’t have to be synonymous with sacrificing convenience. The mild climate, exquisite natural scenery, and relaxed outdoor lifestyle keep attracting residents, and the number of visitors is increasing for the same reasons. People often get their first glimpse of Vancouver when catching an Alaskan cruise, and many return at some point to spend more time here.

Vancouver is a delicious juxtaposition of urban sophistication and on-your-doorstep wilderness adventure. The mountains and seascape make the city an outdoor playground for hiking, skiing, kayaking, cycling, and sailing—and so much more—while the cuisine and arts scenes are equally diverse, reflecting the makeup of Vancouver’s ethnic (predominantly Asian) mosaic. Vancouver is consistently ranked as one of the world’s most livable cities, and it’s easy for visitors to see why. It’s beautiful, it’s outdoorsy, and there’s a laidback West Coast vibe. On the one hand, there’s easy access to a variety of outdoor activities, a fabulous variety of beaches, and amazing parks. At the same time, the city has a multicultural vitality and cosmopolitan flair. The attraction is as much in the range of food choices—the fresh seafood and local produce are some of North America’s best—as it is in the museums, shopping, and nightlife.Vancouver’s landscaping also adds to the city’s walking appeal. In spring, flowerbeds spill over with tulips and daffodils while sea breezes scatter scented cherry blossoms throughout Downtown; in summer office workers take to the beaches, parks, and urban courtyards for picnic lunches and laptop meetings. More than 8 million visitors each year come to Vancouver, Canada’s third-largest metropolitan area. Because of its peninsula location, traffic flow is a contentious issue. Thankfully, Vancouver is wonderfully walkable, especially in the downtown core. The North Shore is a scoot across the harbor, and the rapid-transit system to Richmond and the airport means that staying in the more affordable ’burbs doesn’t have to be synonymous with sacrificing convenience. The mild climate, exquisite natural scenery, and relaxed outdoor lifestyle keep attracting residents, and the number of visitors is increasing for the same reasons. People often get their first glimpse of Vancouver when catching an Alaskan cruise, and many return at some point to spend more time here.

Vancouver is a delicious juxtaposition of urban sophistication and on-your-doorstep wilderness adventure. The mountains and seascape make the city an outdoor playground for hiking, skiing, kayaking, cycling, and sailing—and so much more—while the cuisine and arts scenes are equally diverse, reflecting the makeup of Vancouver’s ethnic (predominantly Asian) mosaic. Vancouver is consistently ranked as one of the world’s most livable cities, and it’s easy for visitors to see why. It’s beautiful, it’s outdoorsy, and there’s a laidback West Coast vibe. On the one hand, there’s easy access to a variety of outdoor activities, a fabulous variety of beaches, and amazing parks. At the same time, the city has a multicultural vitality and cosmopolitan flair. The attraction is as much in the range of food choices—the fresh seafood and local produce are some of North America’s best—as it is in the museums, shopping, and nightlife.Vancouver’s landscaping also adds to the city’s walking appeal. In spring, flowerbeds spill over with tulips and daffodils while sea breezes scatter scented cherry blossoms throughout Downtown; in summer office workers take to the beaches, parks, and urban courtyards for picnic lunches and laptop meetings. More than 8 million visitors each year come to Vancouver, Canada’s third-largest metropolitan area. Because of its peninsula location, traffic flow is a contentious issue. Thankfully, Vancouver is wonderfully walkable, especially in the downtown core. The North Shore is a scoot across the harbor, and the rapid-transit system to Richmond and the airport means that staying in the more affordable ’burbs doesn’t have to be synonymous with sacrificing convenience. The mild climate, exquisite natural scenery, and relaxed outdoor lifestyle keep attracting residents, and the number of visitors is increasing for the same reasons. People often get their first glimpse of Vancouver when catching an Alaskan cruise, and many return at some point to spend more time here.

Juneau, Alaska’s capital and third-largest city, is on the North American mainland but can’t be reached by road. Bounded by steep mountains and water, the city’s geographic isolation and compact size make it much more akin to an island community such as Sitka than to other Alaskan urban centers, such as Fairbanks or Anchorage. Juneau is full of contrasts. Its dramatic hillside location and historic downtown buildings provide a frontier feeling, but the city’s cosmopolitan nature comes through in fine museums, noteworthy restaurants, and a literate and outdoorsy populace. The finest of the museums, the Alaska State Museum, is scheduled to reopen in May 2016 on its old site as the expanded Alaska State Library, Archives, and Museum (SLAM) following several years of planning and exhibit research. Another new facility, the Walter Soboleff Center, offers visitors a chance to learn about the indigenous cultures of Southeast Alaska–-Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian. Other highlights include the Mt. Roberts Tramway, plenty of densely forested wilderness areas, quiet bays for sea kayaking, and even a famous drive-up glacier, Mendenhall Glacier. For goings-on, pick up the Juneau Empire (www.juneauempire.com), which keeps tabs on state politics, business, sports, and local news.

Located at the northern terminus of the Inside Passage, Skagway is a one-hour ferry ride from Haines. By road, however, the distance is 359 miles, as you have to take the Haines Highway up to Haines Junction, Yukon, then take the Alaska Highway 100 miles south to Whitehorse, and then drive a final 100 miles south on the Klondike Highway to Skagway. North-country folk call this sightseeing route the Golden Horseshoe or Golden Circle tour, because it passes a lot of gold-rush country in addition to spectacular lake, forest, and mountain scenery.The town is an amazingly preserved artifact from North America’s biggest, most-storied gold rush. Most of the downtown district forms part of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, a unit of the National Park System dedicated to commemorating and interpreting the frenzied stampede of 1897 that extended to Dawson City in Canada’s Yukon.Nearly all the historic sights are within a few blocks of the cruise-ship and ferry dock, allowing visitors to meander through the town’s attractions at whatever pace they choose. Whether you’re disembarking from a cruise ship, a ferry, or a dusty automobile fresh from the Golden Circle, you’ll quickly discover that tourism is the lifeblood of this town. Unless you’re visiting in winter or hiking into the backcountry on the Chilkoot Trail, you aren’t likely to find a quiet Alaska experience around Skagway.

Located in Southeast Alaska, west of the capital city of Juneau, Glacier Bay is a beautiful National Park full of snow capped mountains, tidewater glaciers and wildlife. Experience wildlife in all its beauty from boat trips for whale watching and hiking through the trails of the Park. It is a protected area full of wonder to be explored.

Ketchikan is famous for its colorful totem poles, rainy skies, steep–as–San Francisco streets, and lush island setting. Some 13,500 people call the town home, and, in the summer, cruise ships crowd the shoreline, floatplanes depart noisily for Misty Fiords National Monument, and salmon-laden commercial fishing boats motor through Tongass Narrows. In the last decade Ketchikan’s rowdy, blue-collar heritage of logging and fishing has been softened by the loss of many timber-industry jobs and the dramatic rise of cruise-ship tourism. With some effort, though, visitors can still glimpse the rugged frontier spirit that once permeated this hardscrabble cannery town. Art lovers should make a beeline for Ketchikan: the arts community here is very active. Travelers in search of the perfect piece of Alaska art will find an incredible range of pieces to choose from.The town is at the foot of 3,000-foot Deer Mountain, near the southeastern corner of Revillagigedo (locals shorten it to Revilla) Island. Prior to the arrival of white miners and fishermen in 1885, the Tlingit used the site at the mouth of Ketchikan Creek as a summer fish camp. Gold discoveries just before the turn of the 20th century brought more immigrants, and valuable timber and commercial fishing resources spurred new industries. By the 1930s the town bragged that it was the “salmon-canning capital of the world.” You will still find some of Southeast’s best salmon fishing around here. Ketchikan is the first bite of Alaska that many travelers taste. Despite its imposing backdrop, hillside homes, and many staircases, the town is relatively easy to walk through. Favorite downtown stops include the Spruce Mill Development shops and Creek Street. A bit farther away you’ll find the Totem Heritage Center. Out of town (but included on most bus tours) are two longtime favorites: Totem Bight State Historical Park to the north and Saxman Totem Park to the south.

Vancouver is a delicious juxtaposition of urban sophistication and on-your-doorstep wilderness adventure. The mountains and seascape make the city an outdoor playground for hiking, skiing, kayaking, cycling, and sailing—and so much more—while the cuisine and arts scenes are equally diverse, reflecting the makeup of Vancouver’s ethnic (predominantly Asian) mosaic. Vancouver is consistently ranked as one of the world’s most livable cities, and it’s easy for visitors to see why. It’s beautiful, it’s outdoorsy, and there’s a laidback West Coast vibe. On the one hand, there’s easy access to a variety of outdoor activities, a fabulous variety of beaches, and amazing parks. At the same time, the city has a multicultural vitality and cosmopolitan flair. The attraction is as much in the range of food choices—the fresh seafood and local produce are some of North America’s best—as it is in the museums, shopping, and nightlife.Vancouver’s landscaping also adds to the city’s walking appeal. In spring, flowerbeds spill over with tulips and daffodils while sea breezes scatter scented cherry blossoms throughout Downtown; in summer office workers take to the beaches, parks, and urban courtyards for picnic lunches and laptop meetings. More than 8 million visitors each year come to Vancouver, Canada’s third-largest metropolitan area. Because of its peninsula location, traffic flow is a contentious issue. Thankfully, Vancouver is wonderfully walkable, especially in the downtown core. The North Shore is a scoot across the harbor, and the rapid-transit system to Richmond and the airport means that staying in the more affordable ’burbs doesn’t have to be synonymous with sacrificing convenience. The mild climate, exquisite natural scenery, and relaxed outdoor lifestyle keep attracting residents, and the number of visitors is increasing for the same reasons. People often get their first glimpse of Vancouver when catching an Alaskan cruise, and many return at some point to spend more time here.