Great Rail Journeys · Independent

Canada's Rockies and Alaska Cruise

Canadian Rockies rail touring plus a 7-night Alaska cruise

Canada's Rockies and Alaska Cruise, a rail journey with Great Rail Journeys

Great Rail Journeys' 17-day independent trip combines the Canadian Rockies with a 7-night Alaska cruise. It begins with two nights in Banff, where a guided tour visits Tunnel and Rundle Mountains and the Banff Gondola, before continuing to Lake Louise and Jasper. From Jasper, a single overnight aboard VIA Rail's Canadian carries you through the Rockies to Vancouver, with Sleeper Plus access to the Skyline and Park Cars. After two free days in Vancouver, you board Holland America's ms Koningsdam for a 7-night round trip cruise through Alaska's Inside Passage, calling at Tracy Arm Inlet, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, and Ketchikan. Days are mostly free to explore at your own pace, with optional excursions offered at each stop. It suits travellers who want mountain scenery, one classic Canadian train journey, and an Alaska cruise combined into a single independent trip, without a tour manager.

What to know before you look closer

  • Hotels are offered as tiered options in each town, from the 3-star Banff Ptarmigan Inn to the 5-star Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, so the exact hotel depends on the tier you choose.
  • Only one night of this 17-day trip is spent on a train, VIA Rail's Canadian from Jasper to Vancouver; the rest of the rail-and-mountains portion is by coach, and 7 nights are on an Alaska cruise ship.
  • The trip includes overnight flights both ways: London to Calgary at the start and Vancouver to London at the end.

Day by day

  1. Day 0overnight: Flight

    Outbound Travel – UK to Calgary

    Your journey begins today with your flight from London to Calgary.

  2. Day 1overnight: Banff

    Banff

    On arrival in Calgary you'll be transferred to the town of Banff and to your hotel where you'll spend the next two nights. Relax at your hotel or start exploring this beautiful alpine resort town.

  3. Day 2railovernight: Banff

    Banff

    Take a guided tour of Banff to get to know this alpine town better. You'll learn the history of the town, founded in the 1880s when the Canadian Pacific Railway landed here. Visit Tunnel and Rundle Mountains, the Cave & Basin National Historic Site, and the Hoodoos. Take the Banff Gondola to the summit of Sulphur Mountain. In the evening enjoy free time to explore, or optionally visit Banff Hot Springs or take an evening wildlife safari.

  4. Day 3overnight: Lake Louise

    Banff to Lake Louise

    Enjoy a free morning in Banff before travelling to Lake Louise this afternoon. Alternatively, take an optional sightseeing tour from Banff to Lake Louise through Yoho National Park, seeing the Valley of the Ten Peaks, Spiral Tunnels and Emerald Lake. Explore the pretty village of Lake Louise and the lake with Victoria Glacier as its backdrop.

  5. Day 4overnight: Jasper

    Lake Louise to Jasper

    Continue your journey to Jasper on a sightseeing tour along the Icefields Parkway, taking in incredible views of the unique landscape and stopping at the dramatic Columbia Icefield. On arrival in Jasper, transfer to your hotel.

  6. Day 5overnight: Jasper

    Jasper

    A free day in Jasper. Take the Jasper Tramway for incredible views over the town and surrounding area, choose a walking food tour for a gastronomic introduction to Jasper, or take to the Athabasca River on an easy rafting/float trip.

  7. Day 6railovernight: VIA Rail's Canadian (train)

    VIA Rail's Canadian

    After your own independent breakfast, transfer to the railway station to board VIA Rail's Canadian train to Vancouver. With your Sleeper Plus package you'll have access to the Skyline and Park Cars where you'll enjoy breathtaking views of the scenery as you pass through the Canadian Rockies.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  8. Day 7overnight: Vancouver

    Arriving in Vancouver

    On arrival in Vancouver you have a free day to enjoy the city. Make your own way to your hotel, or take a hop-on hop-off sightseeing tour covering Stanley Park, the Vancouver Aquarium, English Bay Beach, Granville Island, Chinatown, and the Robson Street shopping district.

  9. Day 8overnight: Vancouver

    Exploring Vancouver

    A second free day in Vancouver. Walk the coastal paths, go shopping on Robson Street, book a Vancouver city tour including the Capilano Suspension Bridge, take a food tour of Granville Island Market, or take a bike tour of Stanley Park.

  10. Day 9overnight: ms Koningsdam (cruise ship)

    Alaska Cruise

    Leave your hotel and make your way to the cruise ship terminal to board your Holland America ship. Get to know your accommodation onboard, meet the crew, and watch Vancouver drift away as you sail toward Alaska.

    Meals: Dinner

  11. Day 10overnight: ms Koningsdam (cruise ship)

    Joining The Inside Passage

    Enjoy breakfast onboard as you travel the coast of Southeast Alaska along the Inside Passage, a network of protected waterways through rainforests and fjords flanked by glaciers. Look out for grizzly bears, bald eagles, orcas and humpback whales. From Misty Fjords National Monument to Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve. Take advantage of the ship's spa and swimming pool or take a cooking class in the Culinary Arts Centre.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  12. Day 11overnight: ms Koningsdam (cruise ship)

    Tracy Arm Inlet & Juneau

    Arrive at Tracy Arm Inlet, travelling through America's largest intact coastal temperate rainforest. Continue through the Sinuous Waterway and arrive at Juneau, capital city of Alaska. Discover Tongass National Park, take the Mount Roberts Tramway, hike the mountains, kayak, or choose an optional city excursion.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  13. Day 12railovernight: ms Koningsdam (cruise ship)

    Klondike Gold Rush National Park – Skagway

    Stop at the gold rush town of Skagway, part of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Visit old saloons including the Red Onion Saloon, see the White Pass and Yukon Route Railway, visit the cemetery and the Skagway Museum and Trail of '98 Museum. Optional excursions include gold panning, dogsledding, or a gastronomical adventure.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  14. Day 13overnight: ms Koningsdam (cruise ship)

    Glacier Bay

    Travel through Glacier Bay, experiencing breathtaking scenery with dramatic rock walls, sheer cliffs, snow-capped mountains and pristine beaches. See 16 glaciers and enjoy whale watching. National Park service rangers and Huna Tlingit guides step aboard to share information about the ecosystem and native culture.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  15. Day 14overnight: ms Koningsdam (cruise ship)

    Ketchikan

    Stop at Ketchikan, significant to Alaska's fishing industry. Try must-visit seafood restaurants, visit the Tongass Historical Museum, Totem Heritage Centre, Totem Bright State Park and Saxman Village. Take a trip to Misty Fjords National Monument.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  16. Day 15overnight: ms Koningsdam (cruise ship)

    The Inside Passage

    Spend the day onboard the ship as you begin your journey back through the Inside Passage. Enjoy the enchanting landscapes, use the spa, try your luck in the casino, shop in the onboard boutiques, or take an onboard cookery class.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  17. Day 16overnight: Flight

    Vancouver to UK

    Your adventure comes to its end as you arrive back into Vancouver. Disembark the ship and transfer to Vancouver airport for your overnight flight back to the UK.

  18. Day 17

    Arrive UK

    Arrive back into the UK with many new memories.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2A guided tour of Banff visits Tunnel and Rundle Mountains, the Cave and Basin National Historic Site, the Hoodoos, and the Banff Gondola to the summit of Sulphur Mountain.
  • Day 4The drive to Jasper on the Icefields Parkway stops at the Columbia Icefield, where an Ice Explorer crosses the Athabasca Glacier.
  • Day 6You board VIA Rail's Canadian to Vancouver, with Sleeper Plus access to the Skyline and Park Cars through the Canadian Rockies.
  • Day 11The ship reaches Tracy Arm Inlet and Juneau, Alaska's capital, through America's largest intact coastal temperate rainforest.
  • Day 13The ship sails through Glacier Bay, passing 16 glaciers with National Park rangers and Huna Tlingit guides aboard to narrate.

Included

  • Hotel accommodations for 7 nights
  • 7-night round-trip Alaska cruise aboard Holland America's ms Koningsdam
  • Rail travel on VIA Rail (1 night on train) with Sleeper Plus package
  • Flight from London to Calgary and Vancouver to London
  • Airport transfers in Canada
  • All meals onboard the train and ship

Not included

  • Cancellation and travel insurance

Questions travellers ask

Is the train travel included?
Yes, one night aboard VIA Rail's Canadian from Jasper to Vancouver in Sleeper Plus class is included, alongside a 7-night Alaska cruise and coach touring in the Rockies.
Is this trip escorted or independent?
It is an independent trip; for example you arrange your own breakfast before the train and make your own way to your hotel in Vancouver.
Which train is used?
VIA Rail's Canadian, from Jasper to Vancouver, in Sleeper Plus class with access to the Skyline and Park Cars.
What ship is used for the Alaska cruise?
Holland America's ms Koningsdam, on a 7-night round trip from Vancouver through the Inside Passage.
What hotels are used?
Hotel options vary by town and star rating, from the 3-star Banff Ptarmigan Inn to the 5-star Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, plus properties in Lake Louise, Jasper and Vancouver.
What is not included?
Cancellation and travel insurance.

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