Day 1
Arrive in Toronto
Upon arrival at the Toronto International Airport you will be met by your private sedan and transfer to your downtown hotel.
CN Tower 3 Course Dinner
Defining the Toronto skyline, the CN Tower is Canada's most recognizable and celebrated icon. At a height of 553.33m (1,815 ft., 5 inches), it is the World's Tallest Building. This evening you will dine at the 360 Restaurant, acclaimed for its exquisite cuisine, service and selection of over 400 International and Canadian wines. You will enjoy a panoramic tour of the city as the restaurant completes one revolution in 72-minutes. Your dinner consists of a choice of appetizer & main course, dessert of the day and tea/coffee. After your meal, you can explore the Lookout & Glass Floor levels.
Overnight - Fairmont Royal York - Fairmont Gold (includes breakfast)
Day 2
VIA Rail - Toronto / Ontario
Today you have a full day to enjoy this fantastic city on your own or as a part of an included tour, depending on your itinerary. This evening, proceed to the conveniently located VIA Rail station to board the world-famous Canadian. Let the journey begin! You are retracing a journey that started over 120 years ago on a ribbon of steel that still connects Canadians from coast-to-coast. As the train slowly moves away and the bright lights of Toronto fade into the darkness, slip into the cozy comfort of your private bedroom accommodation and let the rhythm of the train rock you to sleep.
Optional - Niagara Falls Full Day Tour
Today you will be taken on a narrated day tour to Niagara Falls. You will enjoy a boat ride on the "Maid of the Mist" to the foot of the falls for a spectacular, close up view. Lunch is also included in today's tour. Before returning to Toronto, the tour will pass through the charming 19th century town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Return to Toronto at approximately 7:30pm.
Overnight VIA Rail in a private bedroom
Day 3 & 4
VIA Rail - Ontario / Manitoba / Saskatchewan
Wake up this morning and enjoy breakfast in the private dining car. For the next 3 days you will be the guests of VIA Rail and its famous Silver and Blue Service. From the comfort of the scenic dome enjoy the great Canadian mosaic as the provinces of Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan reveal themselves to you. You will soon find that your fellow travelers are from all over the world. Join them for dinner or a beverage in the lounge car. Although the journey is rarely interrupted by civilization, stops will be made in Winnipeg and Saskatoon. As the train rolls relentlessly westward, the rugged rivers and lakes of Manitoba give way to the rolling wheat fields of Saskatchewan. You may be lucky and witness a dramatic prairie lightning storm from the dome car before you turn in for the night.
Overnight VIA Rail in a private bedroom
Day 5
Arrive Jasper / Evening Miette Hot Springs & Wildlife Tour
If you look out your bedroom window early enough this morning you might catch a glimpse of oil wells and grain elevators as the train crosses the rolling hills of Alberta. While the oil and gas industries drive the Alberta economy the importance of agriculture and the cattle industry are also very visible. Early in the morning the train arrives in Edmonton, the capital city of the province of Alberta. Soon, the Canadian is once again heading west, this time along the banks of the mighty Athabasca River and into the Rocky Mountains and Jasper National Park. Your rail journey comes to an end as the Canadian rolls to a stop in the picturesque community of Jasper, northern gateway to the spectacular Columbia Icefields and the world-famous resorts of Lake Louise and Banff. Your overnight accommodation is nearby.
Miette Hot Springs/Watchable Wildlife Tour
This combination of Hot Springs and Animal viewing has proven to be very popular! This 1.5 hour trip passes quickly while you relax and enjoy the many stops for wildlife and the commentary of the guide. Possible wildlife including bear, bull elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, deer, coyotes, beaver, moose and birds. The variety of topics discussed includes the habitat and habits of animals seen, fire controls in the Park, railroad history and more. At the Springs, go for a short walk to the Source of the Springs, enjoy a soak in the Hot Springs Pool (pool admittance fee included) and/or enjoy a meal (not included) at the quaint restaurant at the Springs to fill out the 1.5 hour visit.
Overnight - Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge - Junior Suite Lakeview
Day 6
Sightseeing Transfer from Jasper to Banff
Enjoy a narrated tour from Jasper through the heart of the Canadian Rockies to Banff along the Icefields Parkway. You will be inspired by rushing waterfalls, crystal-clear rivers, emerald lakes, alpine meadows and snow-capped peaks create an ever-changing montage of mountain wilderness. This tour along the Icefields Parkway takes you through Jasper and Banff National Parks, stopping at the Columbia Icefield. Included in your package is the Ice Age Adventure, a tour onto the icy slopes of the Athabasca Glacier. You will travel in a specially designed Ice Explorer to the middle of the glacier, on a 5-kilometre round- trip journey. Your driver-guide will explain how glaciers are formed and point out interesting geological features as you travel in comfort and safety. The trip affords many opportunities to see mountain wildlife and photograph the spectacular views.
Overnight - Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel - Fairmont Gold (includes continental breakfast)
Day 7
Evening Wildlife Safari
Discover the challenges of protecting animals and their habitat in Banff National Park. On this evening journey travel through a variety of landscapes and learn about wildlife, their needs, and their inter-relationships. Leave the Safari with a greater understanding of the land, and animals that you will see on the tour.
Overnight - Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel - Fairmont Gold (includes continental breakfast)
Day 8
Depart on the Royal Canadian Pacific Luxury Train
Today, you will be chauffeured by private sedan from your Banff hotel to Calgary. Known as the "Heart of the New West", the frontier spirit of Calgary is alive and well amidst the thriving energy sector that has entrenched this city as a corporate powerhouse. Your luxury rail tour will depart the Canadian Pacific Railway Pavilion in the late afternoon bound for Cowley, a small town in Southern Alberta nestled in the shadows of the mountains guarding historic Crowsnest Pass. Meet your traveling companions during a cocktail reception and enjoy a splendid dinner as the sun sets over the Alberta prairie.
Overnight - Royal Canadian Pacific Train
Day 9
Royal Canadian Pacific Luxury Train / Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park
Enjoy a short excursion by motorcoach to Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, the rare wild flowers, unusual geology, and pure beauty of this mountain park recognized as the "crown of the continent" will leave you awestruck. A lake cruise of the scenic Waterton Lakes, traveling by boat from Waterton, Canada to Goat Haunt, Montana, U.S.A. and back, is sure to be the most exclusive border crossing you will ever experience. Returning to the train, travel into the Rockies at Crowsnest Pass.
Overnight - Royal Canadian Pacific Train
Day 10
Royal Canadian Pacific Luxury Train / Canadian Museum of Rail Travel
Crossing the continental divide, travel west through Elk Valley to Fort Steele, B.C. An off-train excursion, you will visit the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel at Cranbrook. Telling the story of rail travel in Canada from the vantage point of it's historical rail cars, this museum focuses on the changes in décor, finish, and service over the years since Canadian Pacific Railway was first established in Canada. Continuing north through the Columbia Valley, arrive in Golden for a sunset dinner at 7,700 feet in the Kicking Horse Resort's Eagle Eye Restaurant, overlooking the Rocky and Purcell mountain ranges.
Overnight - Royal Canadian Pacific Train
Day 11
Royal Canadian Pacific Luxury Train / Spiral Tunnels
Enjoy the views from an open air vestibule as the train climbs through Kicking Horse Pass. This pass was one of the biggest challenges to the building of the transcontinental railroad, now demonstrating the ingenious engineering feat known as the "Spiral Tunnels" which have allowed safe rail movement through the pass since 1909. On arrival in Lake Louise, disembark for a day of area sightseeing.
Overnight - Royal Canadian Pacific Train
Day 12
Royal Canadian Pacific Luxury Train / Banff
Continue your sightseeing adventure as you travel on through the Bow Valley to the famous mountain town of Banff. Amongst the many towering peaks you will see as you travel through the park are the classically stunning mountains Victoria, Temple, Castle, Rundle. Visit the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel - "Castle of the Rockies" - before enjoying some free time for shopping. Returning to the train, enjoy one last dinner as the Royal Canadian Pacific transports you back to Calgary for your final overnight stay.
Overnight - Fairmont Palliser - Fairmont Gold (includes continental breakfast)
Day 13
Depart Calgary
After breakfast and checkout, return to the Calgary International Airport, marking the end of your journey with Royal Canadian Pacific.