Best of the West
ITINERARY
1-2
Vancouver
City + Activity & Adventure
Vancouver, including historic Gastown and Chinatown, is quite compact and easily explored by foot. Set on water and encompassed by mountains, this cosmopolitan city basks in a glorious natural setting. The smart and arty Listel Hotel will be your base for the next two nights, perfectly situated for your whirlwind introduction to the city with the best restaurants and attractions just minutes away from your hotel.

On your second day, ride along with Vancouver's beautiful Stanley Park's network of trails and along the seawall. This leisurely cycle gives you the best views of downtown Vancouver, the North Shore, Lion’s Gate Bridge, and English Bay. Your guide will be on hand to tell you all the need-to-know facts and stories from Vancouver’s 125-year history.

This afternoon has more adventure waiting with a simulated flight over Canada. At FlyOver Canada, you’ll sit suspended surrounded by a huge spherical screen while you take a sensory journey that will have you seeing, feeling and smelling the Canadian adventures that lie ahead of you.

The evening is yours to take your pick of restaurants and choose whether you want to party the night away in one of the city’s livelier districts or get an early night ahead of moving on to Vancouver Island the next day.

THINGS TO DO
Stanley Park Bike Tour
Stanley Park Bike Tour
Half-day experience
Enjoy lovely views across Vancouver and learn about Stanley Park’s history on this guided cycling tour.

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FlyOver Canada
FlyOver Canada
Half-day experience
Suspended from 20 meters up you will see, hear, smell and feel Canada from this immersive 4D ride.

3-4
Victoria
City + Wildlife
This morning board a seaplane bound for the city of Victoria on Vancouver Island. Flying in a seaplane is quite a thrill, and after touching down in the water of Vancouver Island make your way to your accommodation.

This afternoon has you getting familiar with Canada’s culinary highlights on a walking tour of Victoria. You’ll make six restaurant stops on the route from Fisherman’s Wharf to Government Street, so make sure you arrive hungrily! There’ll be the opportunity to try classic Canadian dishes like candied salmon, poutine, Nanaimo bars, and deliciously sweet maple syrup.

Day 4 has a Canadian must-do in-store – whale watching! In the spring and summer, resident orca whales can be spotted off the coast of Vancouver Island. You’ll go in search of them on a zodiac speedboat, zipping across the waves and freshened by sea spray on an exhilarating ride.

THINGS TO DO
Eat like a Canadian
Eat like a Canadian
Half-day experience
Try the famous maple syrup, sample candied salmon and poutine and wash it down with a Caesar cocktail!

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Orca Spirit whale watching
Orca Spirit whale watching
Half-day experience
View orca whales in their natural habitat on this 3-hour boat cruise off the coast of Victoria.

 

5-6
Tofino
Tour + Wildlife
Today you’ll make your way to the quaint beach town of Tofino. Have your camera at the ready as the journey there offers excellent wildlife spotting opportunities. The next morning you’ll head out on a wildlife sighting expedition where you’ll explore the fjord inlets of Clayoquot by boat in search of black bears.

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7-9
Whistler
City + Activity & Adventure
Enjoy a picturesque ferry journey from Vancouver Island back onto the mainland and then drive the famous Sea-to-Sky highway northbound to Whistler. Be sure to make plenty of pit stops along the way to admire the increasingly impressive views.

Day 8 is yours to explore the area. The village of Whistler is a labyrinth of pedestrianized streets with lines of shops and restaurants that cater to the resort’s year-round visitors. If you’re in town on a Saturday, visit the Pemberton Distillery for samples of their craft spirits that include artisan gin and vodka and dangerously good whiskey and wild honey liqueur.

Day 9 and the adventure dials up again. Today you’ll be hitting Canada’s longest zip line, Sasquatch Zip Line, whizzing two kilometers from high on Blackcomb Mountain down to Whistler Mountain. But the fun doesn’t stop there. Next, soak up the stunning scenery on the world record-breaking Peak 2 Peak gondola between the two mountains.

THINGS TO DO
Sasquatch Zipline
Sasquatch Zipline
Half-day experience
Ride the 2km zipline to Whistler - the longest zipline in all of Canada and the USA!

10-12
Wells Gray Provincial Park
Tour
You’ll bid farewell to Whistler today, and head north to Clearwater on the southern edge of Wells Gray Provincial Park where you’ll check into Clearwater Lodge for one night.

The next two days are utterly exhilarating. You’re off on two-day hiking, camping and rafting trip, riding some of Canada’s most thrilling free-flowing river rapids. You’ll see two incredible thundering waterfalls and camp on a riverside beach where a guide will cook and serve delicious fire-cooked food.

After a night under the stars, return to the comfort of Clearwater Lodge for a final night in Wells Gray Provincial Park.

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13-15
Jasper
Tour
Cross over into the province of Alberta today into Jasper and catch your first glimpse of the Canadian Rockies. You’ll have some time to explore the rugged scenery, the deep river gorges, and the soaring mountains. There’s an abundance of wildlife here – think elk, moose, and bears.

Day 14 will surely be an absolute highlight of your trip, and if we were still in the age of writing postcards, this would be the experience you wrote home about. Today you’ll don some leathers and head out to explore the Canadian Rockies in the sidecar of a Harley Davidson. You’ll be driven by a professional rider, stopping for photos on a two-hour tour of the region's highlights. You’ll get to choose what you see – perhaps the Athabasca Falls? Mount Edith Cavell or Medicine Lake? Jasper has so much insanely beautiful scenery, it’ll be difficult to pick.

The next day and the adventures in Jasper continue, albeit on a calmer expedition today. You’ll embark on a cruise down the Sampson Narrows to Spirit Island. On-board, you’ll learn about the fascinating glaciology of Maligne Lake (and how the lake gets its intensely blue color), drinking in the superlative-inducing scenery as you go. On arrival at Spirit Island, you’ll have time to walk to the viewpoint that overlooks the southern shores of Maligne Lake before your journey back.

THINGS TO DO
Maligne Valley Boat Cruise
Maligne Valley Boat Cruise
Half-day experience
Cruise past Maligne Lake's stunning scenery to Spirit Island; one of the Rockies' most picturesque spots.

16-18
Moraine Lake
Tour + Wildlife
You’ve got a short drive south to Moraine Lake. Along the way hike onto the Athabasca Glacier, guided by a specially trained glacier guide and led safely across the terrain, admiring the ice-carved landscapes as you go.

Later, you’ll be checking into the luxurious Moraine Lake Lodge where you will be very comfortable for the next three nights. Each cabin has views of the towering Ten Peaks and set in a tranquil forest. Each night, you’ll be treated to a sumptuous feast at the hotel’s restaurant. The days are yours to get to know the area better, you can canoe on Moraine Lake, go hiking in the wilderness or cover more ground by horseback. Perhaps some fishing will capture your fancy? But if you just want some quiet downtime, we think it’s well-earned after the adventures of the past two weeks.

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19-21
Canmore
Tour + Wildlife
Today you’ll drive to Canmore for two nights, your last stop on your discovery of Western Canada. The following day the short drive to Banff and enjoy a gondola ride to the summit of Sulphur Mountain for far-reaching views across Banff National Park.

Day 21 and the adventure comes to an end. You’ll fly home from Calgary this evening, a 90-minute drive from Banff, so you might find you have some time on your last day to explore the area or do a little last-minute shopping in the town before it's time to head to the airport.