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A journey through breathtaking Canada and Alaska promises magnificent landscapes, iconic wildlife, vibrant cities, and a wealth of heritage and culture, where you’re sure to experience the trip of a lifetime. Few landscapes anywhere in the world match the Rocky Mountains. Spectacular snow-capped mountains fill the skyline, lush forests blanket their sides, glacial lakes are dotted throughout the landscape and are home to an array of unique wildlife. Located on Vancouver Island, Victoria is home to the world-famous Butchart Gardens and is the whale-watching capital of Canada. Travel along the magnificent Icefields Parkway and board the Ice Explorer that will take you onto the Athabasca Glacier. Wind your way through the Rocky Mountains by train, admiring local wildlife and the immense firs that grace the route before venturing into Alaska’s mighty fjords. This is a part of the world that is as vast as it is beautiful.
Highlights
Visit the “Diamond in the Wilderness” Lake Louise and the spectacular Moraine Lake (seasonal)
Travel the Icefields Parkway, one of the most breathtaking highways in the world
Wander through the famous Butchart Gardens
Enjoy “Breakfast with the Bears” at Grouse Mountain
Board the ‘Ice Explorer’ and climb the Athabasca Glacier
Take the Banff Gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain and enjoy dinner with a view
Travel on board the Rocky Mountaineer train, one of the world’s great rail journeys
Multiple Departures April - September 2027
*Advertised price and savings is based on per person twin share on 13 April 2027 departure. Correct as of 1 September 2026. Offer is valid until 31 October 2026, unless sold out prior.
Welcome to Canada! You will be met at Victoria International Airport and transferred to your hotel. Sitting on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria is British Columbia's capital and a memorable place to begin your journey. This evening, meet your Tour Director and fellow travellers for a welcome dinner.
Two-Night Stay: Chateau Victoria or similar
Meals: dinner
Day 2 | Victoria
Victoria is a graceful harbour city with a relaxed coastal feel, known for its heritage charm, waterfront setting and long connection with gardens. This morning, visit the world-famous Butchart Gardens, a 22-hectare showplace of colourful gardens that began as a reclaimed limestone quarry and has grown into one of Canada’s most celebrated natural attractions. Wander through its beautifully designed spaces. The Sunken Garden at its heart is particularly striking with its sweeping flowerbeds creating one of the most memorable scenes in the gardens. Later, enjoy an orientation tour of Victoria’s most iconic sites, taking in the elegant Inner Harbour, historic Bastion Square, leafy Beacon Hill Park and the city’s attractive residential neighbourhoods. The rest of the day is at leisure.
Meals: breakfast
Day 3 | Victoria – Whistler
After breakfast, drive north along Vancouver Island to Nanaimo. Board the BC Ferry and travel through the Georgia Strait to Horseshoe Bay. The views of the Coast Mountains rising above the water make for a striking crossing and a fitting introduction to the landscapes ahead. Journey inland along the Sea to Sky Highway as the road follows the rugged coastline with views of Horseshoe Bay on your left and forested parks and mountains on your right. Continue to Whistler Village, a lively alpine resort at the base of two world-class ski mountains.
Overnight Stay: Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa or similar
Meals: breakfast
Day 4 | Whistler – Thompson Valley
Travel along the scenic Duffy Lake Road, where thick forest, turquoise lakes and winding mountain curves create one of British Columbia’s most memorable drives. Passing through the town of Lillooet, the landscape gradually shifts from coastal mountain terrain to the drier, more open scenery of the interior, offering a quietly dramatic contrast along the way. Continue into the picturesque Thompson Valley, where the North and South Thompson rivers meet, for your overnight stay. With its peaceful riverside setting and warm character, this region offers a relaxed pause during your journey.
Overnight Stay: South Thompson Inn or similar
Meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 5 | Thompson Valley – Lake Louise – Emerald Lake
Continue along the Trans-Canada Highway past Castle Mountain and Mount Temple to Lake Louise, the “Diamond in the Wilderness”, long celebrated for its striking alpine setting and historic place in Canada’s mountain story. Here you will have free time to stroll the lakeshore and take in the shifting shades of turquoise and jade. Continue to Emerald Lake for your overnight stay, named for the vivid colour of its glacier-fed waters, where the surrounding peaks and peaceful setting make it one of the most rewarding stops on your journey.
Two-Night Stay: Emerald Lake Lodge or similar
Meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 6 | Athabasca Glacier
This morning, travel north along the Icefields Parkway. Stretching 230 kilometres between Banff and Jasper, it's widely regarded as one of the great drives of the world. Enjoy dramatic mountain scenery as you pass rugged peaks and glaciers fringed by thick forest and shimmering lakes. Keep your eyes on the verges, elk, bighorn sheep, and the occasional bear are frequently spotted along this stretch of road. After this experience, you will return to Emerald Lake. At the Columbia Icefield, board the Ice Explorer, a purpose-built glacier vehicle designed to travel safely onto the surface of the 300-metre-thick Athabasca Glacier. Standing on this ancient ice with the mountains rising around you is a remarkable way to appreciate the sheer scale and raw beauty of the Canadian Rockies.
Meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 7 | Emerald Lake – Banff
As you leave Emerald Lake this morning, take a moment to admire the stunning glacial hues of Moraine Lake, nestled in the Valley of the Ten Peaks (accessible seasonally). Continue to Banff, framed by mountain scenery and located within Banff National Park. Enjoy a sightseeing tour taking in Bow River and Bow Falls, two natural landmarks that capture the character of this mountain town. Fed by glacier melt high in the Rockies, the Bow River winds through Banff National Park and has long shaped both the landscape and the town itself, while Bow Falls is known for its broad, powerful rush of water and dramatic mountain setting.
Two-Night Stay: Mount Royal Hotel or similar
Meals: breakfast
Day 8 | Banff
Surrounded by soaring peaks and pine forests, the charming town of Banff invites you to slow down and take it all in, with a relaxed pace and striking scenery in every direction. Today, you can choose how you’d like to explore with a day at leisure before coming together this evening for a memorable EmeraldPLUS experience. This evening, ascend the Banff Gondola to the summit of Sulphur Mountain, where far-reaching views across Banff, the Bow Valley and the surrounding Rocky Mountains unfold around you. Then enjoy dinner at Sky Bistro, a striking mountaintop setting where locally inspired dishes are served alongside one of the most impressive outlooks in the region.
Meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 9 | Banff – Kamloops
Set off on a two-day rail experience on the Rocky Mountaineer. Settle back in your SilverLeaf carriage where oversized panoramic windows and attentive hosts ensure you don’t miss a moment of the unfolding scenery. As you travel west through the Canadian Rockies, take in ever-changing landscapes of dense forest, sweeping river bends and dramatic mountain ranges, including views of Mount Robson, Canada’s highest peak at 3,954 metres, whose imposing wall of rock and ice dominates the horizon on clear days.
From breakfast to lunch, enjoy freshly prepared, regionally inspired cuisine served at your seat, paired with a selection of premium beverages. All drinks are included, from wines, beers and spirits to soft drinks, coffee, tea and juices, allowing you to fully relax and savour the experience as the landscape transforms outside your window before arriving at your half-way point of Kamloops in the evening.
Overnight Stay: Hotel in Kamloops (assigned by Rocky Mountaineer)
Meals: breakfast, lunch
Day 10 | Rocky Mountaineer – Vancouver
Reboard the Rocky Mountaineer and continue your rail journey west towards the coast. Follow the Thompson River and pass through the fertile Fraser Valley, where the scenery gradually opens from rugged canyon country to wide green farmland, small towns and the softer landscapes of coastal British Columbia. Breakfast and lunch are once again served on board, with a full range of included beverages, allowing you to relax and enjoy the final stage of this remarkable rail experience. Arrive in Vancouver in the late afternoon, where mountains and ocean frame one of Canada’s most naturally striking cities. On arrival, transfer to your hotel for a two-night stay.
Two-Night Stay: Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre or similar
Meals: breakfast, lunch
Day 11 | Vancouver
With its harbourside setting, relaxed pace and mix of urban energy and natural beauty, Vancouver is a wonderful city to explore in more depth today. As you take in more of the city, you’ll discover a place that feels both vibrant and easy-going, with a strong sense of character at every turn. Today you will enjoy a sightseeing tour of Vancouver including Stanley Park with its intricately carved totem poles, the waterfront area and Granville Island, which is famous for its fresh food markets, artist studios, restaurants and bars. Later, visit the Suspension Bridge Park where you can make your way across this spectacular suspension bridge, 70 metres above the Capilano River. From here, take in the surrounding old-growth forest and join the award-winning Treetops Adventure along a series of elevated walkways high above the forest floor.
Meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 12 | Vancouver – 7 Night Alaskan Cruise
Begin your day with a special EmeraldPLUS experience. Enjoy a unique breakfast with the bears at Grouse Mountain. The mountain sits above the city's North Shore and is home to a grizzly bear sanctuary. Watching the bears move through their habitat over breakfast is an unexpectedly moving way to begin the day. Then, head to Canada Place Pier to board your Holland America ship ms Koningsdam and settle in for an unforgettable 7-night voyage through the famed Alaskan waterways. Check into your comfortable Ocean View Stateroom. Carrying up to 2,650 guests, the ms Koningsdam combines contemporary design with spacious public areas, attentive service, and a dining program that reflects the regions you pass through. Enjoy the added comfort of a dedicated Emerald Cruise Liaison, providing attentive support, hosted activities, and a smooth, stress-free cruise experience throughout your voyage.
Meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 13 | Cruising Day
Relax as you cruise one of the world’s most spectacular waterways. The Inside Passage is a sheltered network of channels, islands, and inlets running along the Pacific Coast and the views from deck rarely disappoint. Today is a chance to settle into the rhythm of life on board, whether you spend time on deck watching the coastline slip by, enjoy the ship’s dining and lounge spaces, or simply keep an eye out for wildlife along the shore. Bald eagles, sea otters, and humpback whales are all frequently spotted along this stretch.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 14 | Inside Passage Cruising – Juneau
Spend the day cruising the Inside Passage, where a relaxed day of ever-changing views, time on deck and delicious included meals on board sets the tone for your arrival in Alaska. In the afternoon, sail into Juneau, arguably one of America’s most beautiful state capitals, with the looming summits of Mt. Juneau and Mt. Roberts providing a gorgeous backdrop. Accessible only by sea or air, and backed by mountains and icefields, Juneau feels genuinely remote for a capital city.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 15 | Skagway
Cruise into Skagway, the gateway to the Klondike. Enjoy free time to go ashore and stroll along the weathered boardwalks admiring the shopfront facades, reminiscent of the gold rush era. Streets largely unchanged from the late 1800s tell the story of the thousands of gold seekers who passed through here on their way north.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 16 | Glacier Bay National Park
Enter the iceberg-strewn waters of Glacier Bay National Park, where thirteen spectacular glaciers flow from surrounding mountains into the waters of the bay. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the park is one of the world's most significant areas of glacial retreat and a living record of how landscapes change over centuries. A National Park Service Ranger will help you spot wildlife, while pointing out sights and explaining glacial activity. Perhaps you will be lucky enough to see a pinnacle of ice ‘calve’ or break away from the face of the glacier.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 17 | Ketchikan
Ketchikan invites you to explore one of Alaska’s most character-filled coastal towns, set between the mountains and the sea and known as the salmon capital of the world. While you’re here, you can discover the town’s strong Indigenous heritage through its remarkable collection of totem poles, which reflect the art and traditions of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian peoples. You may also like to wander along historic Creek Street, where colourful buildings on stilts house boutiques, galleries and cafés above Ketchikan Creek, creating one of the town’s most photographed waterfront scenes.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 18 | Inside Passage
Enjoy a day of relaxation as you cruise south, back through the Inside Passage, passing the forested shores of Tongass National Forest, one of the world’s largest temperate rainforests. Today is ideal for making the most of your ship, whether that means a swim, a spa treatment, time in the Fitness Centre or simply finding a comfortable spot on deck to watch the coastline unfold. This evening, you may wish to round out the day with one of the ship’s live music venues or a performance at World Stage before Vancouver comes back into view.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 19 | Depart Vancouver
This morning, you will disembark and be transferred to Vancouver International Airport to board your homeward flight.
Meals: breakfast
*The itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons.
Booking terms and conditions apply.
*
Term and conditions apply: All pricing subject to change and availability. Advertised prices are per person twin share unless stated otherwise. Offers may be withdrawn at any time. Itineraries are subject to change. Booking Conditions and Phil Hoffmann Travel Schedule of Professionalism* applies. Please speak to your Phil Hoffmann Travel Consultant for more information.
