Western Round Trip with Local Flavour

Transfer from the airport by hotel-owned shuttle bus. Hotel near the Vancouver airport for the first night. Meet the guide this evening for pre-trip information.

Departing from Vancouver you drive through the fertile valley of the Fraser River east into the mountains and into the arid Interior Plateau with huge lakes and wonderful beaches. Coffee break at Tim Hortons, the popular Canadian doughnut shop where you can try every Canadians favorite; the Timbit. Warning: Timbits can be addictive. Your lakefront hotel for tonight is on the shore of beautiful Shuswap Lake with luxuries like hot tub, indoor/outdoor pool, spa, restaurant and lounge

- Stock up on fresh cherries, peaches or pears at a fruit stand beside the road. The visitor center at Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park shows the ongoing battle between the highway and railroad builders and Mother Nature with her avalanches, raging rivers and rock slides. You reach the Rocky Mountains in Yoho National Park where a stop is made at the Natural Bridge and beautiful Emerald Lake surrounded by towering peaks. A 2 km walk along the lake shore takes you to the far end and if you feel ambitious you can take the easy uphill climb from here into Yoho Pass. Base for the next two days is the bustling holiday town of Banff with colourful shops, boutiques and restaurants.

The village of Lake Louise is in the heart of the Rockies with picture postcard scenery and premier hikes close by. Suggested is a moderate hike up to the Lake Agnes Tea House, other options are renting a canoe, joining a trail ride or a white-water rafting trip. Or just enjoy the view of the turquoise lake surrounded by snow covered giants and Victoria Glacier as backdrop. The outdoor pool of the Sulphur Mountain Hot Springs is heaven after a busy day.

Today you travel the Icefields Parkway, one of the world’s most scenic high alpine routes with photo opportunities and so many reasons to stop and admire. At the Columbia Icefields you have the opportunity to take a driving tour on the glacier or a short but very rewarding hike with the guide. Then on to Jasper and your hotel in this small mountain town. For dinner the guide will be happy to arrange the first barbeque, all the necessary utensils are part of the group equipment. Today’s special is Bison burger with all the trimmings.

A day to soak in the magic of this mountain paradise. One of Jasper’s many attractions is Maligne Canyon. A short hike takes you to breathtaking views into the depth of the canyon, water roaring up to 165 feet (50 m) below. On a side trip to Maligne Lake you have best chances to see bear, moose and other wildlife right by the side of the road. Several premier mountain trails start at the lake, even reaching a summit is not impossible for the average hiker. You can take a 90-minute boat cruise to Spirit Island at the far end of the lake, rent a canoe, try your luck catching a trout or enjoy a cool drink by the dock. Other options are guided trail rides or renting a mountain bike to explore the surroundings.

Driving west to you pass beneath Mount Robson, with 3954 m (12964 ft) highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. During a walk beside the roaring Robson River you find trees and plants which are more typical for the rain forest of the west coast realize yet they thrive here in the micro climate created by this colossus of a mountain. In Prince George, the hard-working logging town, we can check out the local entertainment: a game of baseball, the bowling alley, or try your luck at the bingo hall.

- The drive further north and west leaves a good impression of the vastness of the country – trees and little lakes as far as the eye can see. Smithers is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise, an insider tip, overshadowed by the world-famous Rocky Mountain parks. Two days of exploring the mountains, valleys and lakes around Smithers.

Only a short distance from Smithers is Babine Mountains Park with a choice of hiking trails to summits for spectacular views, abandoned mining camps and hidden mountain lakes. There are options for trail riding and mountain bike rentals, a flightseeing trip in a small float plane over glaciers and peaks. The Buckley Valley is studded with lakes - large and small. Here you can rent a kayak or paddle board for an afternoon on the water. For dinner the guide suggests another barbeque, or a lumberjack’s menu of steak and corn on the cob.

From the bridge over the Buckley River Canyon you can observe Natives fishing salmon during July and August. Today’s highlight is a visit and tour of the ‘Ksan Indian Village in Hazelton. The reconstructed Native settlement consists of five traditional longhouses and several totem poles. After this impressive experience you continue to Prince Rupert, the harbour town on the Pacific. In the guide’s favourite tavern, they serve beer by the jug, an invitation to share.

Early start for the cruise through the world-famous Inside Passage from Prince Rupert to Port Hardy. During the 15-hour-trip there are good chances to watch wildlife: bald eagles, dolphins, sea otters and sometimes even whales. You arrive late evening in Port Hardy and for the next two nights you check into your waterfront hotel.

This morning you have the opportunity for a 4-hour whale watching tour starting in Telegraph Cove or a fishing trip with an expert guide. Suggested as well is the visit of a salmon hatchery where you can learn about the life circle and importance of this iconic creature.

Campbell River calls itself Canada’s Salmon Capital. Whoever books a fishing trip here will almost certainly not be disappointed. You now cross over to the rugged and exposed western shores of Vancouver Island. Home for the next two nights is a hotel near the beach. Watch powerful waves rolling in all the way from across the Pacific at high tide. Star fish in many colors are visible in the small pools at low water.

It is a magical place to relax and explore the trails of Pacific Rim National Park in a fairy tale forest of ferns and mosses and thousand-year old trees. There is more: many artists have made the charming villages of Ucluelet and Tofino their home, small shops offer unique and special souvenirs. A 7-hour boat excursion (optional) features a short hike to natural hot springs. Grey and humpback whales spend summers in these waters, you can join a tour where you get very close to bears feeding on crabs and clams in tidal pools. Surfing lessons, sea kayaking are other safe and fun activities can all be arranged. Talk your guide into organizing a clam bake by the shore, the oysters don’t come any fresher.

The half hour walk along Wild Pacific Trail is your farewell to this coastal paradise. Along the picturesque coastal highway, you drive along the beaches of Parksville, pass through Chemanius with it’s colourful downtown murals and Duncan, the city of totems. Around noon you are in Victoria, the easygoing, laid back capital city of British Columbia. The afternoon is at leisure to explore the sights around the picturesque Inner Harbour. Then the scenic Marine Drive to the ferry terminal and a 90-minute crossing back to the mainland. Hotel in downtown Vancouver for the last two nights.

This morning the guide takes you on an orientation tour of downtown Vancouver with Canada Place, Gastown, Chinatown and Stanley Park. Included for today is the shuttle bus up Grouse Mountain for a day of fun in Capilano Park. You walk through the Story Centre with artifacts, antiques and voices from the past and First Nations totem poles. The first nerve tingling thrill is crossing Capilano Canyon on a 137 m (450 feet) Suspension Bridge high above the river. The Treetops Adventure takes you like the squirrels through the evergreens 30 m (100 feet) above the forest floor and during the Cliff Walk you cling to the granite cliff above Capilano Canyon. Back in downtown on firm ground there is the famous Museum of Anthropology and of course last-minute shopping and restaurants along busy Robson Street.

Transfer on own to the airport. The Skytrain Canada Line station is a short walk or taxi ride away, then the 25 minute train ride direct into the airport. About $9.00 per person.