Holidays to Canada - Classic Canadian Rockies Fly-Drive plus Grizzly Bears Ref: C93

Day 1
U.K. – Calgary
Your Canada holiday starts with a scheduled flight by Air Canada from London Heathrow to Calgary. O­n arrival you will met and transferred by private sedan to your downtown hotel. The rest of your day is at leisure.
Overnights(2): Calgary

Day 2
Calgary
Widely regarded as the “gateway to the Rockies”, and home to the famous Stampede, Calgary is a stylish and friendly city. Your morning is at leisure to start to explore this city of contrasts or for some shopping. Visit TD Square, the Eaton Centre or Hudson’s Bay shopping areas, all of which are linked by Calgary’s Plus 15 walkway system. In the afternoon why not take a guided sightseeing tour of the highlights of Calgary – Scotsman Hill, Fort Calgary (the original base of the North West Mounted Police), Stampede Park, the Saddledome and Ski Jump Tower at Olympic Park?

Day 3
Calgary – Banff (77 miles)
The mountains beckon. Collect your hire car from downtown before heading west into the Rockies and Banff.
Overnights(2): Banff

Day 4
Banff
Sometimes regarded as o­ne of the most attractive small towns in North America, Banff is compact enough to comfortably explore o­n foot. Situated o­n the doorstep of spectacular scenery, Banff nestles amidst the glory of the Canadian Rockies. With a wealth of attractions, ranging from the Hot Springs to the gondola ride to the summit of Sulphur Mountain, Banff boasts an attractive main street with numerous cafes and craft shops.

Day 5
Banff – Jasper (175 miles)
Enjoy a spectacular drive today through stunning scenery along the Icefields Parkway. En route visit the Columbia Icefield, the largest accumulation of snow and ice in the Rockies and take the ‘snocoach’ ride o­nto the Athabasca Glacier. Lake Louise, with its sparkling blue waters and mountain goats o­n Mount Fairview, is also worth a stop as are the thundering Athabasca Falls.
Overnights(2): Jasper

Day 6
Jasper
Enjoy a day at leisure to delight in the peaceful, magnificent surroundings of Jasper National Park. A showcase of glacial blue lakes, long ridge-top hikes, canyons and a world-class golf resort, the town of Jasper is a sleepy sanctuary, known as a refuge for bighorn sheep, elk, deer and moose - all of which have been spotted wandering its streets. A trip to the exquisite Maligne Lake, the second largest glacier-fed lake in the Rockies, is well recommended where a cruise will take you past glacier-studded mountain peaks to world-famous Spirit Island.

Day 7
Jasper –Sun Peaks (276 miles)
Drive west and then south along the scenic Yellowhead Highway with views of Mt. Terry Fox, Tete Jaune Cache and, at 3954 m. Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. A visit to Wells Gray Park, accessed from Clearwater, en route is recommended. Here you’ll discover a multitude of rapids, cataracts and waterfalls – two of the most spectacular being Dawson Falls and Helmcken Falls. Continue south to Kamloops and to Sun Peaks to enjoy a day at leisure in idyllic surroundings.
Overnight(1): Sun Peaks

Day 8
Sun Peaks– Whistler (193 miles)
Meander through “Gold Rush Country”, passing Cache Creek and Lillooet. Both townships are rich in historic lore, dating back to the days when wagon trains and prospectors followed the trail to the Cariboo Gold Fields in the 1800's. However, Cache Creek owes its origins, and name, to the earlier fur traders who cached, or stored, their furs in the area before taking them east to trade.
Overnights(2): Whistler

Day 9
Whistler
Established in the late 19th Century, with just half a dozen wooden huts as a remote honeymoon resort beside a lake, Whistler today is a top mountain resort, nestling between world-renowned Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains. The natural setting of Whistler offers numerous activities from winter sports to golf, hiking, fishing, canoeing and mountain biking in the summer. The pedestrian o­nly Whistler Village has superb dining, intriguing shops, boutiques and sunny sidewalk cafes as well as, for the young at heart, a vibrant nightlife.

Day 10
Whistler - Campbell River (195 miles)
Drive south to the ferry terminal at Horshoe Bay and take the included ferry to Nanaimo o­n Vancouver Island before driving north to Campbell River. Campbell River is located o­n Discovery Passage o­n the northeast side of Vancouver Island and is known as “the Salmon capital of the World” as its waters are home to all five varieties of pacific salmon.
Overnight(1): Heron's Landing - Campbell River

Day 11
Knight Inlet
You are transferred to the seaplane terminal for your flight to Knight Inlet. Located 50 miles north of Campbell River, Knight Inlet is o­ne of the largest fjords o­n the B.C. coast. Situated 37 miles from the mouth of the inlet is Knight Inlet Lodge. The floating lodge is tucked into Glendale Cove, which offers o­ne of the few protected anchorages in the inlet. Knight Inlet abounds with marine wildlife (Orcas, seals, sea lions, otters, Pacific white sided dolphins, humpback, minke, and gray whales), birds (bald eagles, common loons, herons, trumpeter swans, Canada geese and ducks) and land based wildlife (black bears, deer, mountain goats, cougars) – including, of course the notorious grizzly bear! Glendale Cove is home to o­ne of the largest concentrations of grizzly (brown) bears in British Columbia. In the peak autumn season, it is not uncommon for there to be up 50 bears within 5 miles of the lodge, when the salmon are returning to the river. Starting in late April the bears return from hibernation and start the year off feeding in the estuary. This is the time to see the tiny cubs emerge with their ever-cautious mothers in close proximity. In the summer the berry crop is very heavy and this helps to keep the bears in the general area. Usually some bears are seen every day but not in the high numbers seen in the spring and autumn seasons.
Overnight(1): Knight Inlet Lodge - Knight Inlet

Day 12
Knight Inlet – Vancouver (145 miles)
The floatplane will return you to Campbell River. Pickup your hire car and drive south via the included ferry to beautiful Vancouver. Return your hire car downtown after checking in to your hotel.
Overnights(3): Vancouver

Days 13-14
Vancouver tour
Enjoy a fully narrated tour of dynamic Vancouver, nestled o­n the shores of the Strait of Georgia, in the shadow of the Coast Mountains. Travel through Vancouver’s past, present and future as you visit historic Gastown, colourful Chinatown and the lively entertainment district. Discover the beauty of 1000-acre Stanley Park and English Bay as well as the bustle of Robson Street in the heart of the shopping district. Continue to the prestigious Olde Shaughnessy residential mansions area and Granville Island. The tour includes admission to the Lookout Tower year round.

Day 15
Vancouver to UK
Time for last minute shopping and a final look at the stunning backdrop to Vancouver before you transfer by private sedan to the airport and your overnight flight home.

Day 16
Arrive UK

Dear Mike,

Re: Classic Rockies + Grizzly Bears C93 Sun 21 Jun - Mon. 6 July

We would like to thank you so much for organising such an enjoyable holiday for us.  Everything went extremely smoothly from the collection at the airport, the hotels, the hire-car and the highlight of the holiday at Knights Inlet Lodge.  Your detailed itinerary and voucher system led us through the Rockies effortlessly and made our holiday a trip of a lifetime.

Many thanks again.

Regards,
Nigel & Jo Hunt

PLEASE NOTE that due to the limited availability of this tour package an additional DEPOSIT OF £200 per person is required to confirm a reservation.