12 Day Rail, Rockies, and Ocean Circle Explorer

Continue eastward with Rocky Mountaineer to the mighty Canadian Rockies and the province of Alberta. You will see a spectacular range of scenery as you travel across ranch lands, along rocky lakeshores, over high mountain passes and through the remarkable tunnels that form the rich rail history of the Canadian Rockies.

Join a small group tour and visit Banff's landmarks and historic places. The afternoon is free to explore Banff at your leisure; a pass is included to take a ride up the Banff Gondola. In the evening travel through a variety of landscapes on a small group evening wildlife safari.

Travel along the Bow Valley Parkway to Johnston Canyon. Visit Moraine Lake in the Valley of the Ten Peaks before crossing the Great Divide into Yoho National Park via the scenic Kicking Horse Pass and Takakkaw Falls. Overnight at the jewel of the Rockies, stunning Lake Louise.

Travel to Jasper along one of the most scenic drives in North America - the Columbia Icefields Parkway. This is home for black and grizzly bears, elk, moose, mountain goats and sheep. Visit the Columbia Icefield, a series of glaciers 325 square kilometres in area, where time is allowed for an Ice Explorer ride onto the surface of the Athabasca Glacier.

This morning ride the Jasper SkyTram to the top of Whistlers Mountain. In the afternoon embark on a memorable rail journey across British Columbia's Caribou region to the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Pass the cloud-veiled peak of Mount Robson and watch the horizons widen as the train descends from the Rockies onto the rugged interior plateau.

Reboard the train this morning, continuing west, enjoy the rugged beauty and pioneering character of a landscape once solely travelled by First Nation people and fur traders. The train follows the turbulent currents of the Skeena River and meanders through spectacular canyons and open valleys in the presence of ever-present mountain ridges.

Depending on the month you are here, we recommend you join a grizzly bear tour where you will be taken into the pristine wilderness of Khutzeymateen, home of the largest population of grizzly bear OR join a whale-watching excursion, where you will see whales diving, flashing enormous fan shaped tails and feeding with vast open mouths.

Board the BC Ferry for a full day boat trip through the spectacular Inside Passage to Vancouver Island. You will sail through a maze of islands, view deep fjords, densely forested shorelines, massive ice-flows and jagged inlets. Watch bald eagles soaring overhead, sea lions slumbering on the rocks and whales traversing the offshore waters.

Travel by a short flight or rental car, through the forest clad mountains of the interior and along a spectacular coastline dotted with charming fishing villages. Enjoy sweeping views of the shoreline and the distant Coast Mountains. Arrive in Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, experience the very English ambience of this delightful city, with historic buildings, gorgeous gardens and relaxed seaside atmosphere.This afternoon visit the Royal BC Museum and experience the limited time Egypt: Time of Pharaohs exhibit. Experience a time when civilization grew along the Nile, pyramids dotted the skyline and people believed gods walked among us. Be among the first in North America to see this staggering exhibition's priceless ancient artifacts, such as the coffin of Nakht, an exceptional bust of Hatshepsut and an ornate gold and garnet necklace from the Ptolemaic period.

Have the choice today of joining the luxurious five star supercat whale-watching excursion or a zipline Eco-Adventure provided by Zipline Adventure Tours. Experience an exhilarating ride up to 60km/hr as you soar up to 150 feet off the ground on eight scenic zip lines ranging from 150 feet to an unforgettable 1000 feet OR a whale watching excursion with over 80 resident orcas and numerous transient orcas you will be out on the water for over 3 hours, OR join an exhilarating zipline ride on eight scenic ziplines sprawled across 40 hectares of ecologically diverse coastal temperate rainforest.

Depart Victoria for a tour along scenic Marine Drive passing Beacon Hill Park, Oak Bay Residential district, Uplands and the University of Victoria. The tour will then stop at the Butchart Gardens with it's 50 acre display of magnificent colour for 2 hours. Continue onboard BC Ferries and enjoy the scenery of the Gulf Islands as you cross to Vancouver. Package ends upon arrival in Vancouver.