Day 1 - Arrive in Vancouver

Welcome to Vancouver, Canada’s glimmering city on the Pacific.  Your driver will be in the flight arrivals area, waiting to greet you and assist with your luggage.  A limousine transfer has been arranged from the airport to your hotel. You are sure to enjoy your stay at The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, one of the famous  “Railroad Hotels” and a shining example of the grand hotels of that era.  The hotel has been restored to its original grander and is lovingly maintained by the deluxe Fairmont Hotel Group. When you arrive at the hotel ask to be directed to the “Fairmont Gold” check in area.  Here the staff will assist with your check in arrangements.  As a Fairmont Gold client, you are welcome to use the private Fairmont Gold Lounge, enjoy complimentary afternoon appetizers and a deluxe continental breakfast. This evening, we have reserved a table for dinner at Griffins, in the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver.  Your Cartan representative will join you for dinner and discuss the exciting days ahead.
Overnight – Fairmont Hotel Vancouver Fairmont Gold

Day 2 – Vancouver

We have left the morning free so you can enjoy breakfast in the lounge at your leisure.    This afternoon, your city tour shows you just how much Vancouver has to offer. You will visit historic Gastown, colorful Chinatown, BC Place, the Sunken Gardens of Queen Elizabeth Park, the Bloedel Conservatory and towering totem poles in Stanley Park.  Refreshments are available in the Fairmont Gold lounge in the afternoon. For dinner Vancouver offers an array of excellent restaurants, some right in your hotel.  Enjoy your evening.
Overnight – Fairmont Hotel Vancouver Fairmont Gold

Day 3 - Vancouver to Victoria

An early morning is in order as you depart for delightful Victoria.  Your motorcoach will be driven aboard a modern BC Ferry for a refreshing cruise through the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver Island.  Once on board, relax in the main lounge or enjoy the ocean breezes from the deck.  When you arrive on Vancouver Island, you re-board your motorcoach and go to  Butchart Gardens.  Bring your camera and lots of film!  No picture quite prepares you for the size and abundance of these glorious gardens.  Victoria's historic waterfront is your next stop.  Victoria has numerous endearing qualities, but the one you will remember longest is warmth and kindness extended by everyone you come in contact with. The Fairmont Empress puts you in the heart of everything and Victoria’s Parliament buildings etched in lights make nightfall truly enchanting.   
Overnight – Fairmont Empress Hotel – Deluxe Harbor View Room

Day 4 – Victoria to Vancouver
The Fairmont Empress is the perfect place to stay when visiting Victoria.  This hotel, like many of the Fairmont Hotels in Canada, was built in the era of elegance and romance.  Each of the hotel’s public rooms is a shining tribute to the craftsmen of that era. Your  morning is at leisure. A mid-day departure from Victoria will ensure that you arrive at the Vancouver Rail station with time to spare.  Your train departs at 5:30PM and the trip from Victoria takes about three hours.

Nothing shows you Canada like a trip on the train.  Your bedroom is VIA Rail’s “top of the line” accommodation.  Your sitting room by day converts to upper and lower berths at night.  Once aboard the train, the staff will see you settled into your room.  As a Silver and Blue Class passenger, your fare includes all meals, use of any of the lounges and access to the skyline car for spectacular viewing.
Overnight - Spent aboard VIA Rail 

Day 5 - Enroute to Jasper

You will wake this morning to the beauty of the Canadian Rockies, as you continue your rail journey to Jasper. Today you follow the Thompson River through rolling plateaus into the snowy peaks of the Monashee Mountains.  Pass by Mt. Robson the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies.   A full Canadian breakfast is offered prior to your arrival in Jasper.   Upon arrival in Jasper, we have arranged a transfer to the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.  Here you will find wilderness elegance at it finest.  The Lodge offers golf, tennis, a beautiful swimming pool as well as hiking and horseback riding.  Yet you may elect to walk the grounds, gaze at the reflections in the emerald lake and sit on your porch.   Dinner this evening has been arranged at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.
Overnight – Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge – Deluxe Room with sitting area

Day 6 - Jasper

Relax, have a wonderfully unhurried breakfast.  If you decide to have breakfast from room service, you will be surprised to see it delivered on a bike, an experience that only the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge provides.  This afternoon we have booked you on the drive to Maligne Lake with a cruise to Spirit Island.  The drive is simply beautiful.  If you are lucky you will see the crowd of longhorn sheep that wait along the road hoping that they might be the recipients of a few treats from the passing sightseers.  The cruise to Spirit Island is as informative as it is beautiful.  And if you have always wondered why that picture of Spirit Island is so familiar, maybe you will find out why. When you return to the Lodge, stroll the walking paths around the lake or ask to leave the tour downtown Jasper.  The long summer days leave lots of time to explore before dinner. Again this evening, enjoy dinner at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.
Overnight – Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge – Deluxe Room with sitting area

Day 7 - Jasper to Lake Louise (Breakfast & Dinner)

This morning you meet your driver and say goodbye to Jasper as you get ready for a sightseeing day filled with towering peaks, rushing streams and thundering waterfalls.  A highlight of this day is a visit to the Columbia Icefields for a ride on a specially constructed Ice Explorer.   You will be on snow and ice, so please make sure your footwear is appropriate.  When you tour by private car, you can pack a multitude of sightseeing treasures into a day.  Your driver knows the history, the people and the geology of the area.  A visit to special places brings a great deal of value to this day.    When you arrive at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, your driver will assist with your check in arrangements. 
Overnight – Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise - Lake View

Day 8 - Lake Louise to Banff (Breakfast)

Your morning is at leisure, so enjoy a delicious breakfast before walking the grounds of the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. You will not be able to resist the sight of the vivid turquoise waters of Lake Louise and the magnificence of Victoria Glacier.   Even when you see it, you can hardly believe that it is real!  This afternoon, meet your driver and continue your sightseeing enroute to Banff.  You will find it surprising that each of the three resort areas in Alberta have scenery that is quite different.  Banff is very alpine, with the mountains close around you.  You will see rushing falls and mysterious hoodoo clusters.  You may choose to take a trip to the top of Sulphur Mountain for a 360-degree view of Banff and the beautiful Bow Valley.   The Fairmont Banff Springs offers a wide range of activities, from their deluxe European Spa, to their world famous golf course. 
Overnight …Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel – Fairmont Deluxe View Side

Day 9 - Banff to Calgary/Home

Your driver will meet you for your transfer to Calgary Airport.  We hope you have enjoyed this wonderful visit to Western Canada.  Thank you for selecting a Cartan Tour. 

NOTE: Tours of the Columbia Icefields are seasonal.