Welcome to Vancouver! With most flights from the UK landing in the morning or early afternoon, you can enjoy the rest of the day to explore Vancouver at your leisure. Why not wander through the cobbled streets of historic Gastown and see the famous steam clock, enjoy a huge variety of dining options in lively Yaletown, catch the ferry to Granville Island, or head to Stanley Park for a stroll along the seawall.

SilverLeaf & GoldLeaf: Sutton Place Hotel or similar

Head to the station early this morning, as your journey aboard the Rocky Mountaineer begins today. As you head from Vancouver to Kamloops, you’ll see a dramatic shift in the scenery. You’ll traverse lush green fields, forests, winding river canyons and towering mountain peaks.

SilverLeaf & GoldLeaf: Selected Kamloops hotel (comfortable, moderate standard)

Breakfast and lunch

Reboard the Rocky Mountaineer early this morning, ready to continue east towards Banff. The scenery is ever-changing as you travel through ranchlands, along rocky lakesides and cross over high mountain passes.

Highlights today include the climb over Rogers Pass, winding your way through Kicking Horse Canyon and the Spiral Tunnels. As you near Banff, you’ll be welcomed by stunning views of snow-capped peaks and glittering glaciers. You’ll bid farewell to the Rocky Mountaineer, for now, this evening, heading to your Banff hotel.

Breakfast and lunch

SilverLeaf & GoldLeaf: The Rimrock Resort or similar

Explore Banff at your leisure today; you’re free to do as much or as little as you like.

For a relaxed day, you may wish to explore the town on foot, before heading to Banff Upper Hot Springs, where you can soak in the hot, mineral-rich waters.

At Freedom, we also offer a range of day tours around Banff that you can book before you travel. Our comprehensive Banff day tour explores this charming mountain town, before heading to the summit of Sulphur aboard the Banff Gondola and cruising on picturesque Lake Minnewanka. Banff also boasts its own cowboy culture, which you can experience on a guided horse ride, soaking in some stunning scenery, or you can go on a cowboy cookout.

SilverLeaf & GoldLeaf: The Rimrock Resort or similar

This morning, you’ll be transferred by coach to Yoho National Park. Known for its high-alpine, bright turquoise lakes, including Emerald Lake and Lake O’Hara, and the fossil-rich Burgess Shale, you can explore its natural wonders. The park boasts some stunning hiking trails and viewpoints that will take your breath away.

In the afternoon, you’ll continue to Lake Louise. Take a stroll around the lake, taking in the magnificent view over the lake as you go, or hire a canoe to enjoy the scenery from the water.

SilverLeaf: Post Hotel & Spa or similar

GoldLeaf: Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise or similar

Enjoy a day of stunning scenery and incredible experiences as you make your way from Lake Louise to Jasper. You’ll tick off some iconic Canadian Rockies sights: Bow Lake, Glacier Skywalk and Athabasca Falls.

You’ll also get to tour the Columbia Icefields, one of the largest accumulations of ice below the Arctic Circle. Board an Ice Explorer and ride to the middle of the Athabasca Glacier to take in its scale and learn about its fascinating geological features.

SilverLeaf: Chateau Jasper or similar

GoldLeaf: Forest Park Hotel or similar

Lunch

Enjoy today to explore Jasper. You’ll have the morning to spend at your leisure, exploring this charming resort town, before you embark on a tour of Jasper National Park.

Discover the glassy waters of Patricia Lake and Pyramid Lake, ride the Jasper SkyTram, for incredible views over the park.

SilverLeaf: Chateau Jasper or similar

GoldLeaf: Forest Park Hotel or similar

Reboard the Rocky Mountaineer this morning, as you begin to descend through the Rocky Mountains, you’ll pass through the dramatic scenery of the Continental Divide, and the river valleys of the Monashee and Cariboo Mountains.

Look out for Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, and the scenic Pyramid Falls.

SilverLeaf & GoldLeaf: Selected Kamloops hotel (comfortable, moderate standard)

Breakfast and lunch

Enjoy your last day aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, as you make your way back to Vancouver. You can expect a shift in the scenery again, as you wind  through river canyons and pristine forests to the Cascade and Coast Mountains, and the green fields of the Fraser Valley.

SilverLeaf & GoldLeaf: Sutton Place Hotel or similar

Breakfast and lunch

Your incredible holiday in the Canadian Rockies draws to a close today.

You may wish to extend your stay in Vancouver, or continue your adventure, adding an Alaska Cruise or a trip to Vancouver Island, for example. Just let our Canada Experts know what you’d like to do.