9 AM - 6 PM IST - Mon-Fri

10 AM - 1 PM IST - Sat

Western Canada by Rail with Alaska Cruise ( 8934)

16 days from Calgary to Vancouver

2025 Tour Details

Create a lifetime of incredible memories traveling through the majestic Canadian Rockies! Take an Ice Explorer ride on the Columbia Icefield in Alberta, travel across British Columbia on the Rocky Mountaineer Train, and enjoy scenic ferry crossings to/from Victoria—these are just a few of the many highlights on this Western Canada by Rail tour. You’ll overnight in Calgary, Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, Kamloops, Vancouver, and Victoria, and you’ll enjoy a 7-night Alaska cruise. Along the way, witness spectacular scenery and explore western Canada’s most famous cities. Two nights in both Banff National Park, one of Canada’s favorite resorts, and Jasper National Park, the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, give you time to hike, stroll the townsites, and go to new heights with optional excursions like a helicopter ride with breathtaking views over the Rockies! Between Banff National Park and Jasper National Park, stop in Lake Louise and marvel at this world-famous location with its turquoise waters reflecting the surrounding mountains and glaciers. You’ll also take a thrilling ride aboard an Ice Explorer to Athabasca Glacier, part of the Columbia Icefield, the largest expanse of ice in the Canadian Rockies. And you’ll board the Rocky Mountaineer for a 2-day, all-daylight journey from Jasper National Park to Vancouver. This train ride through stunning scenery takes you back to a time when getting to your destination was part of the fun. Along the way, pass Mount Robson, the Canadian Rockies’ highest mountain; wild rivers; magnificent mountain ranges; and turbulent Hell’s Gate. More beautiful scenery awaits on your ferry crossing from Vancouver through the picturesque Gulf Islands to Victoria. On the way into Victoria, enjoy sightseeing that includes a trip to world-famous Butchart Gardens with its 55 acres of floral displays. But that’s not all…watch for spouting whales, soaring eagles, barking seals, and other wildlife on your Alaska cruise. Marvel at glaciers and witness the amazing spectacle of thunder and spray as tremendous slabs of ice break off and “calve” into the sea. This is a value-minded vacation with an itinerary full of awe-inspiring sights and once-in-a-lifetime experiences that is not to be missed!

To know more about the visas for this vacation, click here

 Tour Highlights

Notes:

Early departures may not be able to visit Columbia Icefield, which opens in early May, or take the Maligne Lake & Spirit Island optional excursion, which opens in mid to late May. Visiting and participating in other activities in this region may be subject to favorable weather conditions and vendor dates of operation.

At least one member of the traveling party must be 21 years of age or older.

Cruise itineraries are provided by Holland America Line and are up to date at time of printing. Your travel documents will contain the most current information.

Maximum elevation on tour: 7,500 ft.

UNESCO World Heritage

World Heritage Sites are designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for having cultural, historical, scientific or other form of significance. The sites are judged to contain cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.

The following UNESCO World Heritage Sites can be seen or visited on this vacation:

  • Glacier Bay
  • Banff National Park
  • Jasper National Park

 Meals

 Meals & Itinerary

9 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 7 dinners

 Itinerary

Day 1

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

Day 2

CALGARY–BANFF NATIONAL PARK 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.

Day 3

BANFF NATIONAL PARK Enjoy the day exploring Banff, Canada’s first national park. Hike the many wilderness trails, horseback ride, golf, stroll through Banff townsite, or simply relax at the hot springs. The park is the perfect place for wildlife watching as it is home to 53 species of mammals. You may spot some of these amazing creatures in their natural habitat. The most commonly seen are deer, elk, and big horn sheep.

Day 4

BANFF NATIONAL PARK–LAKE LOUISE–COLUMBIA ICEFIELD–JASPER NATIONAL PARK First stop is stunning Lake Louise, with its turquoise waters reflecting the surrounding mountains and glaciers. Then precipitous gorges, snowcapped mountain ranges, and more exquisite lakes come into view as your motorcoach scales three mountain passes. Stop at the Columbia Icefield for another trip highlight and experience the Ice Explorer, an all-terrain vehicle that travels on ice measuring 750 feet thick! Late this afternoon, let it flow on an optional float trip down the historic Athabasca River. Spend the next two nights in Jasper National Park. An orientation tour showcases the area’s unspoiled beauty.

Day 5

JASPER NATIONAL PARK A day at leisure to explore the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies. This morning, consider joining the optional narrated cruise on magical Maligne Lake to Spirit Island*. On the return journey, view picturesque Medicine Lake and Maligne Canyon keeping an eye out for native wildlife, including grizzly bears, moose, and elk. Later, perhaps do some hiking or peruse the shops in town.

*This optional excursion begins operating in late May/early June.

Day 6

JASPER NATIONAL PARK–MOUNT ROBSON–ROCKY MOUNTAINEER–KAMLOOPS 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. Enjoy free time in Kamloops this evening.
Breakfast Breakfast Lunch Lunch

Day 7

KAMLOOPS–ROCKY MOUNTAINEER–VANCOUVER This morning your train adventure continues as you head through the ranchlands along the Thompson River. View the stark beauty of Fraser Canyon and the turbulence of mighty Hell’s Gate. After an evening arrival in Vancouver, transfer to your hotel.
Breakfast Breakfast Lunch Lunch

Day 8

VANCOUVER–FERRY CROSSING–VICTORIA Morning sightseeing focuses on Vancouver’s Chinatown, Gastown, and beautiful 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.

Day 9

VICTORIA–FERRY CROSSING–VANCOUVER (EMBARKATION) Morning departure via ferry 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.'
Dinner Dinner

Day 10

SCENIC CRUISING: INSIDE PASSAGE 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.
Breakfast Breakfast Lunch Lunch Dinner Dinner

Day 11

JUNEAU 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.
Breakfast Breakfast Lunch Lunch Dinner Dinner

Day 12

SKAGWAY 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.
Breakfast Breakfast Lunch Lunch Dinner Dinner

Day 13

SCENIC CRUISING: GLACIER BAY 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 meters into the air. You hold your breath as you capture the moment on camera, then you wait for it all to happen again.
Breakfast Breakfast Lunch Lunch Dinner Dinner

Day 14

KETCHIKAN 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 savor 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.
Breakfast Breakfast Lunch Lunch Dinner Dinner

Day 15

SCENIC CRUISING: INSIDE PASSAGE 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.
Breakfast Breakfast Lunch Lunch Dinner Dinner

Day 16

VANCOUVER (DISEMBARKATION) Your cruise ends this morning. Please schedule flights after noon.
Breakfast Breakfast

 Tour Director

With Cosmos, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of your Tour Director. Averaging over a decade... we’d like you to meet a Tour Director, who is representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

SERENA CAMPBELL

Escorting tours for more than 20 years

" As a small child I was fascinated when hearing my grandparents' travel adventures. I would listen to their stories for hours! Here I am, years later, taking passengers around, sharing stories and showcasing my beautiful country! Combining my love for working with people and traveling is a perfect fit. Seeing the fascination in passengers' eyes as they witness Western Canada's stunning and ever changing scenery is the part I love best. Bringing the world alive through stories is a privilege."

Tour Director -  SERENA CAMPBELL

MARK LOVE

Escorting tours for more than 5 years

" Travel has always been my passion. After completing my degree in Tourism, I lived overseas and had the opportunity to visit numerous countries and experience different cultures. My background in the travel industry has enabled me to realize how invaluable a respected and experienced tour operator is. I have 5 years of experience as a Tour Director with Globus family of brands and am proud every time I represent the company and travel with my guests. The Canadian Rockies are my home and I can not imagine a better office space in the world. Regardless if I am viewing wildlife with my group, telling a story of historical significance, or just standing close by as guests enjoy the beautiful scenery of Western Canada, I love my role as a Tour Director. Being a part of a guests travel experience is the best reward that I can ask for!"

Tour Director -  MARK LOVE

 Accommodation

CALGARY

SANDMAN SIGNATURE CALGARY DOWNTOWN HOTEL

Hotel as shown or similar
First-Class
  Free Wifi

BANFF

RUNDLESTONE LODGE

Hotel as shown or similar
Moderate First-Class
  Free Wifi

JASPER

LOBSTICK LODGE

Hotel as shown or similar
First-Class
  Free Wifi

VANCOUVER

HOLIDAY INN & SUITES VANCOUVER DOWNTOWN

Hotel as shown or similar
First-Class
  Free Wifi

VICTORIA

ROYAL SCOT HOTEL & SUITES

Hotel as shown or similar
First-Class
  Free Wifi

 Optional Excursions

Contact your Travel Consultant for more information.
Price Ranges

$ ($50 USD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 USD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 USD)
$$$$ (Over $150)



* The "Starting at" or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per passenger based on double occupancy and does not include airfare; additional fees/charges are not included. If a price is crossed out, the new price includes a limited time promotional offer(s) – please review current promotions or deals for additional information. Some tours require intra-vacation flights (and in some cases intra-vacation segments must be purchased from Cosmos).
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