British Columbia & Alberta

Wonders of Western Canada

14 Days

Take the stress out of travel as you journey from the Pacific Coast to the Prairie lands

This holiday can be re-designed and tailor-made for your own unique experience

Introduction

Explore the rugged west coast of British Columbia and the prairie lands of Alberta without the need for a hire car. Fly from Vancouver to Port Hardy and take an iconic ferry journey through the Inside Passage from the northern tip of Vancouver Island to the ‘city of rainbows’, Prince Rupert. Here you will board a train and travel from the Pacific Coast to the Rocky Mountains and luxury motor coaches complete your adventure, allowing you more time to soak up both the scenery and wildlife along the way.

Highlights

	Sea Otters and whales
	Cruise the Inside Passage
	Bears in the Khutzeymateen Valley
	Travel cross country onboard The Skeena
	Spectacular Icefields Parkway

Activities

	Sea Otter and Whale Watching Tour
	Grizzly Bear Cruise or Whale Watching from Prince Rupert
	Icefields Parkway Discovery Tour
	Evening Wildlife Tour in Banff
	City exploration in Vancouver & Calgary

Itinerary

	Depart UK from London Heathrow to Vancouver
	Explore Vancouver
	Fly to Port Hardy
	Sea Otter and Whale Watching
	Cruise the Inside Passage
	Grizzly Bears of Khutzeymateen or Whale Watching
	The Skeena Train to Prince George
	The Skeena Train to Jasper
	At leisure in Jasper National Park
	Icefields Parkway Discovery tour from Jasper to Banff
	Evening wildlife tour in Banff
	Transfer to Calgary
	Explore Calgary
	Depart Canada, arrive back into UK next day.

Description

Your adventure begins in Vancouver, one of the country's most vibrant cities, where both urban and coastal exploration, and just maybe some shopping, is on the agenda, before taking the short flight across to Vancouver Island.

Here, Port Hardy offers a gateway to authentic, unspoiled, nature-driven adventures and during your short stay you will take to the waters in search of sea otters and whales. Both humpback and orca may be observed, alongside porpoise, dolphins and sealions, while above, you may see eagles soar.

Holidays are all about relaxation and your journey from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert allows a whole day to just sit back and take in the stunning vistas and natural beauty as you cruise along the sheltered inlets of the Inside Passage. On this 16-hour voyage, you will pass old cannery towns, cascading waterfalls and picturesque lighthouses that punctuate the shoreline, and be sure to keep an eye out for orcas and seals frolicking in the waters.

Prince Rupert brings more adventures and includes a cruise through Chatham Sound to the famous Khutzeymateen Valley to see the mighty grizzly bears in their natural environment (June/July). If you are travelling later, in August/September, you can experience the awe-inspiring gentle giants of the sea during a whale watching cruise instead, before leaving the forest clad beauty of the Pacific coast for the rugged splendour of Jasper National Park. This epic 2-day rail journey takes place onboard The Skeena, breaking your journey in Prince George along the way before arriving in Alberta.

Spend time exploring Jasper, before travelling the Icefields Parkway to Banff, stopping along the way for an Ice Explorer adventure on the Athabasca Glacier and unobstructed views from the glass-floored observation platform at the Skywalk. Banff brings you face to face with nature and you may meet some of the majestic wild animals during an evening wildlife safari before swapping the forested alpine valleys for the Western hospitality of Calgary, where your journey ends.

Best Time To Travel

June - September

Expected Wildlife Species

Highlight species

	Sea otters
	Humpback whales and orca
	Porpoise, dolphin, seals and sealions
	Black bears and grizzly bears
	Birds of prey
	Big Horn sheep, elk and deer

Additional Details - Cost, Dates, Rating etc.

Cost from £

Please contact us for a cost for when you wish to travel.

Our trips are almost always tailored to your requirements, we'll make small changes or alter the itinerary completely for you. For instance we get many requests to slow down the pace of a trip.

Departure Dates

Any day to your requirements.

Difficulty

An easy tour, some walking may be on rough ground and steps may be encountered

Flights

Direct flights on a number of carriers, some regional departures may be possible.

Time

GMT -8 hours

Consider Extensions To

Extend your stay in Canada and travel back to prehistoric times to the Dinosaur Capital of the World: Drumheller, Alberta and explore the Alberta Badlands.