Canada, Niagara Falls & the Rocky Mountains

Arriving in Vancouver to begin our Canadian overland adventure

Meeting the Tour Manager at London Heathrow, board a direct flight to Vancouver, arriving early evening local time. Check in to the downtown hotel; evening free to unwind or explore western Canada's cuisine including seafood such as salmon, oysters and Dungeness crab.

Sightseeing in Vancouver

Guided sightseeing tour of Vancouver's most characterful districts including Gastown, Chinatown, Stanley Park with totem poles, and Granville Island. Afternoon free to explore independently, options include Capilano Suspension Bridge or Grouse Mountain cable car.

Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island

Coach to Tsawwassen for the ferry to Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island. Visit the renowned Butchart Gardens (sunken garden, Japanese garden, Italian garden, rose garden). Transfer to Victoria for free time to explore the Inner Harbour. Sail back to Vancouver; dine independently.

Through the mountains to Sun Peaks

Leave Vancouver by coach along the Fraser Valley to Hope, surrounded by the Cascade Mountains. Continue via the Coquihalla Highway through the Columbia Mountains to Sun Peaks, a popular year-round mountain resort with a European feel and Canada's second-largest ski resort.

Into the Rockies to Jasper

Follow the Yellowhead Highway along the North Thompson River to Clearwater, then continue to Mount Robson (summit nearly 13,000ft, 'King of the Rockies'). Continue to Jasper, a calm, small-town feel with charming buildings, shops and restaurants nestled among imposing mountains.

Meals: Breakfast

The stunning sights of Jasper National Park

Free morning to unwind or stroll around Jasper. Afternoon coach excursion into UNESCO-listed Jasper National Park through the Maligne River valley, snow-dusted mountains, plunging waterfalls, hot springs, crystalline lakes, Medicine Lake and Maligne Lake. Free evening with wildlife-spotting opportunities.

Beginning a three-night journey on the Canadian train

Free morning in Jasper. Transfer to the train station to board VIA Rail's Canadian for a three-night ride to Toronto. Follow the Athabasca River down the Rocky Mountains into the foothills. Views of glaciers, canyons, mountains and pine forests. Cross into Alberta; pass Edmonton in the evening.

Meals: Dinner

Into Canada's great wide open

Wake up to Saskatchewan's vast prairies. View the Great Plains from the glass-roofed panoramic observation car. Travel through the southern plains with deer, eagles, antelope, moose and bison. Cross into Manitoba with its 100,000+ lakes; pass through Winnipeg late evening.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Across the Canadian Shield in northern Ontario

Cross the rocky Canadian Shield, a geological formation of ancient rock stretching over 3 million square miles. Pass through remote communities where the Canadian Pacific Railway has been a lifeline. After lunch, the train changes direction southeast towards the Great Lakes. Dinner served on board.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Arrival in Toronto

Continental breakfast as the train travels south towards Toronto. Arrive at Toronto's Union Station (built 1927, Beaux-Arts, 22 Romanesque columns). Transfer to downtown hotel. Evening free to explore Canada's most populous city and dine independently.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Sailing into the mist on a Niagara Falls cruise

Full-day guided excursion to Niagara Falls. Cruise to the falls (American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Horseshoe Falls) with protective ponchos. Lunch independently in Niagara. View falls from Table Rock. Visit the whirlpool where the river bursts from the Niagara Gorge. Stroll Niagara-on-the-Lake. Return to Toronto; dine independently.

Homeward bound

Free time in Toronto, explore the Distillery Historic District, CN Tower observation decks (glass floor option), or ferry to Ward's Island/Toronto Island Park. Mid-afternoon regroup at hotel and transfer by coach to the airport for the direct overnight flight to London.

Arrival in London

Land at London Heathrow early this morning, concluding the Canadian adventure having journeyed overland from the Pacific coast to the Great Lakes.