.Presents…
Canadian Rockies by Rail
with the Calgary Stampede

Community Education Department 
• West Valley College • 
408-741-2096

Highlights:
British Columbia • Vancouver • Victoria • Rocky Mountaineer® Train • Kamloops • Jasper • Columbia Icefields • Lake Louise •
Banff • Calgary Stampede


Itinerary

Day 1: Vancouver, British Columbia - Tour Begins
Join Collette as you explore the beautiful Canadian Rockies by train.  Your exciting tour begins in the beautiful city of Vancouver.

Day 2: Vancouver
Enjoy breakfast at Capilano Suspension Bridge and experience breathtaking views as well as “walking on the tree tops”!! Experience the splendor of Vancouver with a sightseeing tour that begins at beautiful Stanley Park, an “urban” rainforest which juts out into the sea.  You will also visit Chinatown, one of North America’s largest, and the waterfront area.  Your tour will end in Gastown, Vancouver’s turn-of-the-century pedestrian mall filled with pubs, restaurants, art galleries, specialty stores, and the world-famous steam-powered clock, perhaps the most photographed subject in all of Vancouver.  (B, D)

Day 3: Vancouver - Victoria - Vancouver
Early this morning you will take a scenic ferry to Vancouver Island where you will visit the lovely Butchart Gardens, created on the site of a worked-out quarry. These gardens are among the world’s most beautiful and are a veritable explosion of color and fragrances.  Next, take a short sightseeing tour of the "City of Gardens", Victoria, and have some leisure time to explore this lovely seaside city.  This evening you will journey back to the mainland via a short ferry ride. 

Day 4: Vancouver - Rocky Mountaineer® Train - Kamloops
Board your train for the scenic journey of a lifetime.  The Rocky Mountaineer® Train will take you on a spectacular voyage from Vancouver to Jasper.  Spend two days viewing coastal forests, roaring river canyons and lofty mountain peaks. Today, your route takes you along the verdant fields of Fraser Valley and the scenic Fraser River. You will also view the beauty of the Thompson River and the shimmering, fish-filled waters of Kamloops Lake before arriving in Kamloops for an overnight stay.  (B, L)

Day 5: Kamloops - Jasper, Alberta
Continue east aboard your train, passing the striking mountain peaks of the Monashee Mountains and viewing Pyramid Falls cascading down Mt. Cheadle.  In addition, you will see the glaciers of the Albreda Icefields and view Mt. Robson (weather permitting), the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies.  The area is home to moose, mountain goats, bear and caribou. Early this evening you arrive in Jasper, the northern gateway to the Icefields Parkway.  (B, L, D)

Day 6: Jasper
*Begin your day with a trip to the extraordinary Maligne Canyon.* Later, travel to the sparkling waters of Maligne Lake, the largest natural lake in the Canadian Rockies, where an optional cruise, highlighting the beauty of Spirit Island, will be offered.  Return to Jasper where the remainder of the day is at leisure to explore this lovely town.  (B)

Day 7: Jasper - Icefields Parkway - Lake Louise
A wonderful day of sightseeing is in store for you while en route to Lake Louise.  The highlight is a journey along the unforgettable Icefields Parkway: behold majestic waterfalls, rushing rivers, glacial peaks, imposing cliffs and snowcapped mountain ranges. A stop will be made to marvel at the beauty and power of Athabasca Falls which has carved fanciful features into stone. Then you will continue on to the Columbia Icefields, where a special ride is in store for you (weather permitting) across this mass of glacial ice which is over 1,000 feet thick and represents the largest accumulation of ice south of the Arctic Circle.  As you continue down the parkway, you will most likely see bears, furry marmots and stately elk. *Stop at the serene Peyto Lake and arrive in Lake Louise, where you will enjoy a stay at the world-famous Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.* (B, D)

Day 8: Lake Louise - Banff
En route to Banff, view the spectacular Moraine Lake and the awesome Valley of the Ten Peaks. The jagged Ten Peaks are distinctively saw-toothed and stand out even in this stunning Alpine region. Arrive at the magnificent Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, known as the “Castle in the Mountains.”  The afternoon is at leisure for exploring or strolling through the many well-known shops of Banff.  (B, D)

Day 9: Banff - Calgary
Begin the day with a scenic drive around Banff featuring Bow Falls and the impressive Hoodoos, also known as the “Land of the Sleeping Giants.”  Then it’s off to the cosmopolitan city of Calgary for your final stop on this wonderful adventure.   Tonight you will have the opportunity** to have reserved seating for a great view of the various Stampede performances including the Chuckwagon races and musical entertainment.
(B)

Day 10: Calgary
This morning, it’s off to the Calgary Stampede which has been entertaining people since 1912.  You will travel to the Stampede grounds where you can visit the Midway, an authentic Indian Village, various exhibits and entertainment.  Later, enjoy a dinner at a popular local restaurant.  (B, D)

Day 11: Calgary - Depart for Home
Today you will depart for home with a lifetime of memories.  (B)

(B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)




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Tour Details

11 Days • 16 Meals
Tour Departs:
June 28, 2008
Rates:
Double $3,899 pp 
Single $5,099 
Triple $3,849 pp*

Price Includes:
Round Trip Air from San Francisco Intl Airport, Hotel Transfers, Air Taxes and Fees/Surcharges of $75 (subject to increase until paid in full)

Not Included:
Cancellation Waiver and Insurance of $235 per person
For details contact:

Community 
Education Department 
•West Valley College•
408-741-2096

Your Itinerary at a Glance

Day 1 - 3

Renaissance Vancouver Hotel Harbourside, Vancouver, BC

Day 4

Kamloops, BC

Day 5, 6

Sawridge Hotel, Jasper, AB

Day 7

The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise,

Lake Louise, AB

Day 8

The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Banff, AB

Day 9, 10

Westin Hotel, Calgary, AB

*On some dates alternate hotels may be used

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COLLETTE EXPERIENCES:

*Spend two days on the Rocky Mountaineer® Train viewing coastal forests, roaring river canyons and lofty mountain peaks.

 * See the glaciers of the Albreda Icefields and view Mt. Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies.

 * Stand on the amazing 1,000-foot thick Athabasca Glacier during an exciting Glacier Experience excursion at the Columbia Icefields.

* Overnight at the magnificent Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, nicknamed the “Castle in the Mountains”.