CANADIAN ROCKIES & VANCOUVER ISLAND

Day 1
The group flight usually arrives in the evening.

Day 2
Morning free to explore Calgary before heading to the resort town of Banff. Banff is best explored on foot; we visit the famous Banff Springs Hotel and Bow Falls and do some shopping. There is the option here of taking a gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain, the reward being breathtaking panoramic views of the Rockies.

Day 3
Alberta is one of the highlights of any visit to Western Canada. Today we drive to Moraine Lake located in the Valley of the Ten Peaks, the highest of which is Deltaform Mountain (3,424m). We then take a walk on one of the many trails at nearby Lake Louise. The lake and province were named after Queen Victoria's daughter, Princess Louise Caroline Alberta. Both of these lakes are famous for their striking blue colour, caused by rock flour carried into the lakes by melt-water from the surrounding glaciers. There is an optional excursion to a hot springs nearby this evening.

Day 4
After breakfast we take one of the most famous and magnificent drives in the world, along the Columbia Icefields Parkway. It's a busy road, but very worthwhile, stopping at all of the 'must see' sights, including Bow Summit and Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, the Crowfoot Glacier and the views of the many glaciers along the road. We have the option of a guided glacier ice-walk. The roadside verges are popular with bears grazing on the vegetation and Bighorn sheep are also often seen.

Day 5
Jasper is much quieter and less developed than Banff and here it is easy to escape the crowds. Today we spend time exploring Jasper National Park and its environs. We may choose to take the Whistler Tram and walk to the summit, which provides fantastic views over the Canadian Rockies. There are various possible hikes at Mt Edith Cavell, including a short trek in the alpine meadows, which will provide us with spectacular views of the Angel Wing Hanging glacier.

Day 6
Today we transfer to Yoho National Park, enjoying more viewpoints of the Icefields Parkway as we go. We'll stop at the Athabasca Falls and the Saskatchewan Crossing and we usually complete a short hike at Wilcox Pass or Parker Ridge. There are breathtaking views of the huge glaciers and valleys en route to Yoho. In the national park we discover the Takkakaw Falls and Emerald Lake - at over 300 metres these are the second highest falls in Canada. This evenings overnight stop is in the small town of Golden.

Day 7
With its impressive inclines, chutes and steep cliffs the Kicking Horse Ski Resort is not for the faint of heart - it boasts some of the most challenging skiing in the Rockies. But we visit over the summer, when the resort becomes a great place to discover the mountain. We take the gondola to the middle of the mountain and visit a Grizzly bear sanctuary with a ranger for a close up encounter. In afternoon, there is an optional walk in Yoho N.P.

Day 8
We drive southwest across the Selkirk Mountains and discover Roger's Pass, a stretch of road in Glacier N.P that follows the ancient railroad used by the Canadian Pacific Railways in 1885. We take a short walk here at Rogers Pass. In the Revelstoke interpretation centre we discover stories of the engineering prowess that surround this road's unique history. Nearby, Mount Revelstoke National Park offers a great opportunity to access alpine meadow and mountain views with the Meadows In the Sky Parkway. Time permitting we take a short trail in the middle of the alpine meadows before continuing to Kamloops for the night.

Day 9
Whistler is one of the most renowned ski-resorts in Canada! In the summer, the lush green slopes offer spectacular views and plenty of terrain to explore. En route to Whistler from Kamloops (journey time approx. four and a half hours) we cross the huge Coastal Mountain Range where we stop for a short walk (1km) to reach Joffre Lake, a glacial lake with turquoise blue water surrounded by peaks. As we approach Whistler we enjoy another walk in the middle of the forest to Cheakamus Lake (6 km round trip, mostly flat). At 915 metres, Cheakamus Lake lies in the middle of mountains. This is a great opportunity for us to watch some of the Black bears that frequent this area. The rest of the afternoon is free to enjoy Whistler.

Day 10
Today is free to spend at your leisure exploring everything that Whistler has to offer! Take the Peak to Peak gondola for views of the breathtaking scenery, try some of the many hiking or biking trails, opt for a thrilling whitewater rafting experience or have a go at zip lining. Whistler village also has fine boutiques, museums and spas to enjoy.

Day 11
Today we head to Horseshoe Bay where we board the ferry to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. After the one and a half hour crossing over the Strait of Georgia we have a beautiful 3.5 hour drive from eastern Vancouver Island to Tofino. We make a stop at Cathedral Grove in MacMillan Provincial Park which is one of the most accessible areas of giant Douglas-fir trees in the province. There are many trails to meander through the Douglas-fir, Western Hemlock, Grand fir and Western Red Cedar trees.

Day 12
Tofino is one of British Columbia's most popular destinations, located on the border of Clayoquot Sound, a region which retains the largest area of temperate rainforest on Vancouver Island. There's a vast range of optional activities possible today: hiking in the rainforest of the Pacific Rim National Park, whale watching, Black bear watching, sea kayaking or a visit to hot springs.

Day 13
We travel on to Victoria (about 4 hours), Vancouver Island's main town and the capital of British Columbia. It's a remarkable mix of English Edwardian, First Nations and even some Chinese building styles and was home to the first Chinatown in Canada. In the afternoon we will take a tour of the city's highlights, including the Provincial Museum, which gives an introduction to the history of the First Nations and the natural history of the region. The rest of the day is free to relax or choose from a vast array of activities.

Day 14
In the morning we board a ferry to Vancouver, often hailed as Canada's most beautiful city. This cosmopolitan and diverse metropolis is in stark contrast to the rest of British Columbia, but always proves to be a highlight. The rest of the day is free to explore the city.

Day 15
Those on the group flight will depart in the afternoon and land in the UK the following afternoon. The group return flight to London is an overnight flight arriving home on day 16.

Day 16
Arrive London.