Five stay Alaska Cruise & the Canadian Rockies with Rocky Mountaineer

Tour Itinerary

• Day 1 • Fly to Calgary and drive to Banff

  Fly west to the cattle town of Calgary, where you’ll meet your tour manager and board your coach for the scenic journey up into the towering Rocky Mountains. You’ll spend the next three nights in the exquisite mountain capital, Banff, surrounded by breath-taking scenery.

• Day 2 • Day at leisure with optional excursions

  Explore the Rockies' spectacular capital, perhaps joining one of the exciting optional excursions on offer. If you’re good with heights, you can take to the skies and discover the unspoilt beauty of Banff’s spectacular surroundings by helicopter. You’ll soar over the high mountain peaks of the Goat and Sundance Ranges, and glide across the alpine meadows and pristine lakes on this 25-minute flight. You can also join a panoramic cable car ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain for all-encompassing, 360-degree views. You’ll have time for coffee before returning to Banff for a tour of this popular mountain resort town renowned for its hot springs. Marvel at the imposing Cascade Mountain looming above Banff Avenue, before the tour ends with Surprise Corner’s spectacular views of the infamous Banff Springs Hotel.

• Day 3 • Day at leisure with optional Banff Lakes excursion

  You'll be free to spend today however you see fit, perhaps journeying into Banff National Park for an optional excursion around three of the Rocky Mountains’ most impressive vistas. Your first stop will be the Vermillion Lakes, three shallow bodies of water backed by striking mountain views. As you drive along the shores, you can enjoy uninterrupted views of the park’s sprawling landscapes and learn about Banff’s early history under guidance. The tour will also stop at Two Jack Lake, one of the national park’s most popular spots for water sports and photography. Complete the day with a drive to Lake Minnewanka, where you’ll board a cruiser for an hour-long sailing. As you cross Minnewanka’s still waters, you’ll witness Banff National Park from a different perspective, and your captain will introduce you to some of the lake’s most scenic spots. If you’re lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the park’s magnificent local wildlife. Afterwards, reboard the coach for the return journey to the hotel.

• Day 4 • Included Lake Louise visit and scenic drive on the Icefields Parkway

  Another breath-taking day awaits this morning as you board the coach for an easy-going excursion to idyllic Lake Louise, an expanse of turquoise water which remains frozen for much of the year. Set against the backdrop of the imposing Victoria Glacier, these serene lakeside vistas are amongst the most memorable sights in all of the Rockies. Continue along the renowned Icefields Parkway, one of the world’s most scenic roads. As you glide through the stretches of dense woodland and imposing mountain peaks, keep an eye out for the elk, bears and mountain goats that inhabit its untamed wilderness. This afternoon’s drive will take you to the historic Rockies' railroad town of Jasper, at the gateway to picturesque Jasper National Park, where you’ll check into your next hotel. With time at leisure this evening, you’ll be free to soak up the atmosphere of one of Canada’s most "Western" townships.

• Day 5 • Day at leisure in Jasper with optional Jasper Skytram and Lake Maligne excursion

  Today, you’ll have the chance to join a scenic optional excursion, which will include a ride on the historic Jasper Skytram, Canada’s longest cable car. After taking in the sights from above, enjoy some of the sights of Jasper National Park including a drive up to mirror-like Maligne Lake, which reflects the faces of its craggy surrounding peaks and a quick stop at lakeside Jasper Park Lodge. This evening, reconvene at your Jasper hotel for the rest of the evening under your own steam.

• Day 6 • Ride the Rocky Mountaineer to Kamloops

  All aboard! This morning, begin your two-day rail journey on the legendary Rocky Mountaineer, following the path of the North Thompson River past Mount Robson, Pyramid Falls and Yellowhead Pass, and through the scenic wonderland of the Monashee and Caribou mountains. Enjoy breakfast and lunch on board the train as you gaze in awe at the majestic mountain scenery and arrive in Kamloops in the late afternoon to transfer to a comfortable overnight hotel.

• Day 7 • Reboard the Rocky Mountaineer and travel to Vancouver

  Re-board the train to continue your spectacular journey to the coast. Highlights will include the mighty Fraser River, the rushing waters of Hell's Gate in the Fraser Canyon, and the stunning coastal ranges that rise up as you near beautiful Vancouver. Once again, you'll enjoy breakfast and lunch on board, and once you arrive in Vancouver, you'll transfer to your hotel. Relax, or head out to enjoy your first evening in a city often voted among the best places in the world to live.

• Day 8 • Optional Vancouver city tour

  Enjoy an optional guided tour this morning for an introduction to Vancouver’s major highlights. Start at Stanley Park, where you can admire its array of colourful totem poles. Continue to lively Gastown, with its trendy art galleries and cocktail bars, before visiting colourful Chinatown, and the glass and steel wonders of the Burrard Inlet waterfront. Next, cross Lion’s Gate Bridge into the leafy suburbs of North Vancouver and the wilderness beyond to brave the famous Capilano Suspension Bridge. Surrounded by ancient Douglas fir trees and teetering above the Capilano River, this historic bridge offers magnificent views of Vancouver’s wild green spaces. Keep an eye out as you cross, and you might also find a few of the park’s traditional native American totem poles.

• Day 9 • Board your Alaska cruise

  This morning, check out of your hotel to board your Holland America Line cruise ship ahead of the late-afternoon sailing. After settling into your stateroom, you’ll have the rest of the day to get acquainted with the ship’s first-class amenities or perhaps mingle with your fellow passengers on deck. If live music is on the agenda, why not pay the Rolling Stones Lounge a visit, or relive the classic hits at Billboard Onboard? Live music, theatrical performances and expert-led talks are all available while wellness is front of mind at the ship’s pool, fitness and spa centre. Admire the views as you set sail out into the Strait of Georgia, heading north towards the wilderness state of Alaska, you can find dinner at one of the diverse onboard restaurants.

• Day 10 • Cruise the Inside Passage

  Awake to enjoy a day at sea, as your ship cruises the waters of British Columbia’s scenic Inside Passage. This narrow waterway is surrounded on both sides by a thickly forested land of mountains and glaciers, and the very occasional settlement, often referred to as The Last Frontier. Take a turn on deck, keep watch for aquatic life, and enjoy the ship’s wide range of on-board amenities.

• Day 11 • Included stop in Juneau

  Today, you'll call in the Alaskan capital, Juneau, in its setting at the foot of the magnificent mountains from which the immense Mendenhall Glacier flows. Built with the proceeds of gold prospecting, Juneau, which is only accessible by air or sea, is a surprisingly chic and stylish city framed by dense forest. Optional shore excursions on offer will include guided city tours, a fascinating trip to the nearby Mendenhall Glacier, and activities like kayaking or dogsledding.

• Day 12 • Included visit to Skagway

  Skagway, the northernmost point of your cruise, was the historic gateway to the Yukon Territory. It was from here that tens of thousands of hopeful adventurers once set off into the wilderness, many never to return, and it remains a pioneering town of honky-tonk saloons and Klondike memorabilia. A fascinating shore excursion to Klondike Gold Rush National Park will reveal one of American history’s most colourful chapters, and some of the improbable characters that lived through it.

• Day 13 • Sail through Glacier Bay

  Today brings the scenic highlight of your cruise as your ship sails through the UNESCO-listed Glacier Bay. Start the day with spectacular views of the bay, a magnificent prehistoric landscape which was carved by the slow retreat of the Grand Pacific Glacier over the last two centuries. As you sail through its channels, you’ll have the unique opportunity to view the towering walls of ice up close. Keep an eye on the surrounding landscapes, and you might also witness a teeming display of wildlife on land and sea, as black and brown bears, and native moose, vie with humpback whales, porpoises, seals and a whole variety of sea birds for your attention.

• Day 14 • Included stop in Ketchikan

  The last of your Alaskan ports is the southernmost settlement of Ketchikan, with its historic wooden buildings, boardwalks and profusion of arts and crafts stores. From here, why not join an optional shore excursion by floatplane to the remote Misty Fjords National Monument?

• Day 15 • Sail back along the Inside Passage

  Enjoy a last day at sea, cruising the Inside Passage, and making the most of life aboard your wonderfully appointed Holland America Line ship. This evening, a farewell dinner completes your wonderful cruise experience.

• Day 16 • Arrival in Vancouver and overnight return flight

  This morning, after enjoying a final breakfast onboard and docking back in Vancouver, you’ll have a few hours at leisure to do some last-minute shopping or perhaps revisit your favourite spots from earlier in the tour. This afternoon, head to Vancouver airport for your overnight return flight.

• Day 17 • Land in the UK

  Your holiday concludes as you touch down back in the UK.