Western Canada by Rail with Alaska Cruise

Welcome to Calgary! Your Tour Director is on hand late this afternoon to answer any questions.

The discovery of oil converted this cattle-ranching town into a thriving, sophisticated city. Sightseeing highlights downtown, Fort Calgary, Stampede Park, the Saddledome, and Canada Olympic Park. Next, drive west through the foothills of the Rockies into Banff National Park. On arrival, enjoy an orientation tour.

Today is at leisure. Play golf, horseback ride, hike the many wilderness trails in the area, stroll through Banff, or simply relax at the hot springs. The park is the perfect place for wildlife watching, and you may spot some of these amazing creatures in their natural habitat. The most commonly seen are deer and big horn sheep.

First stop is Lake Louise, with its cold waters reflecting the surrounding mountains and glaciers. Precipitous gorges, snowcapped mountain ranges, and exquisite lakes come into view as your motorcoach scales three mountain passes. Another highlight is a stop at the Columbia Icefield to experience the Ice Explorer, an all-terrain vehicle that travels on ice measuring 750 feet thick.

Late this afternoon, join our optional float trip down the historic Athabasca River. In Jasper, an orientation tour showcases the area's unspoiled beauty. Accommodation for the next two nights is in Jasper National Park.

Join the optional narrated cruise on Maligne Lake to Spirit Island. On the return journey, view picturesque Medicine Lake and Maligne Canyon. With much of the afternoon and evening free, consider hiking or exploring Jasper's local charm. While exploring the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies keep an eye out for native wildlife, including grizzly bears, moose, elk, and wolves.

An exciting morning as you board the Rocky Mountaineer for a 2-day, all-daylight, classic rail journey from the Canadian Rockies to the Pacific Coast. En route, pass Mount Robson, the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies. Follow the North Thompson River and enjoy vistas of the Monashee Mountains. Free time in Kamloops this evening. (B/L)

Reboard your train and head through the ranchlands along the Thompson River. Continue through the stark beauty of Fraser Canyon and the turbulence of mighty Hell's Gate. After an evening arrival in Vancouver, transfer to your hotel. (B/L)

Morning sightseeing focuses on Vancouver's Chinatown, Gastown, and lovely Stanley Park. Afterward, sail through the spectacular Gulf Islands, known for their Mediterranean-like climate. Afternoon sightseeing in Victoria includes world-famous Butchart Gardens, Bastion Square, and Thunderbird Park with its collection of totem poles.

Morning departure for Vancouver. After arrival in Vancouver, transfer to Canada Place and board your cruise ship. Your package price includes Holland America's 'Have It All Premium Cruise Package.' (D)

Spend the day cruising one of the world's most spectacular waterways. Located along the coast of British Columbia, the Inside Passage is the longest sheltered inland waterway in the world. Watch the water for orcas and humpback whales. (B/L/D)

Located at the foot of grand mountain peaks on Gastineau Channel, Alaska's capital city of Juneau has massive Mendenhall Glacier and the Juneau Icefield at its back door. Visit the rustic shops in town-or get out and kayak, raft, hike, whale watch, flightsee, or fish. There is no end to the adventure because of the long daylight hours. (B/L/D)

In winter, the sidewalks are all but rolled up in Skagway, so you can imagine the frightful conditions endured by gold prospectors who passed through enroute to the Yukon. Take your time and poke your head into every little shop, from the Trail Bench to Lynch & Kennedy's Dry Goods. The Red Onion Saloon, with its honky-tonk piano and costumed barmaids, is a treasure trove of memorabilia featuring pictures of Klondike Kate, Peahull Annie, and other historic characters. To complete the picture of those rip-roaring days, visit the nostalgic Trail of '98 Museum. (B/L/D)

Glacier Bay has more actively calving tidewater glaciers than anyplace else in the world. How does it feel when a colossal chunk of ice splits off a glacier and crashes into the sea? The sound is like thunder. The impact shoots water hundreds of metres into the air. You hold your breath as you capture the moment on camera, then you wait for it all to happen again. (B/L/D)

Alaska's "First City" of Ketchikan is so named because it is the first major landfall for most cruisers as they enter the picturesque fjords of the Inside Passage, where the town clings to the banks of the Tongass Narrows, flanked by green forests nurtured by abundant rain. An important hub of the salmon-fishing and -packing industries - visitors can try their luck on a sport-fishing excursion or simply savour the fresh seafood at one of the local restaurants. It is also one of the best spots along the Inside Passage to explore the rich cultural sights of Native Alaskan nations like the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian. (B/L/D)

Arguably one of the greatest cruising routes in the world, the Inside Passage stretches through stunning landscapes, from Misty Fjords National Monument to famed Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve. Sailing the Inside Passage offers opportunities to spot some of Alaska's most iconic wildlife, with humpback whales and orca plying the bountiful waters alongside the ships, bald eagles soaring overhead and brown bears lumbering on the shoreline. (B/L/D)

Your cruise ends this morning. Please schedule flights after noon. (B)