British Columbia Holidays
Sample itineraries
Grand Canadian Rockies-Tauck Escorted Tour
From £3955
Tauck's action-packed western Canada tour features a classic overnight rail journey from Vancouver into the Canadian Rockies, a floatplane excursion over the Gulf Islands, a ferry cruise to Victoria, an Ice Explorer ride across a glacier, and a raft trip down the Bow River. Explore the cities of Vancouver and Victoria... travel the Icefields Parkway... visit Victoria's celebrated The Butchart Gardens and the Royal BC Museum... enjoy afternoon tea at the Fairmont Empress... and discover Banff and Jasper national parks from legendary inside-the-park Fairmont resorts.
Grand Canadian Rockies - A Tauck Escorted Tour
From £3955 per adult
(based on two people sharing)
EXCLUSIVE to Bon Voyage in the UK-
Book your Tauck Tour through Bon Voyage and enjoy return private car transfers from your home to your local airport*. Your holiday will begin in true style from the moment we collect you from your front door and assist you with your luggage. Sit back, relax and enjoy the stress free journey in a standard of car that will reflect the excellent quality of your Tauck Tour.
Prefer to make your own way? Not a problem, we will reduce the cost of your
tour accordingly.
*our exclusive door to door airport transfers is for journeys from your home to within 100 miles of your local airport.
Your Tauck Tour includes:
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Return flights from the UK to Vancouver, British Columbia and home from Calgary, Alberta
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9 nights deluxe accommodation at sought after locations
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Floatplane flightseeing excursion over the Gulf Islands from Victoria to Vancouver
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Accommodations in four acclaimed Fairmont hotels and resorts, from Vancouver to Jasper and Banff National Parks
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An overnight rail journey aboard VIA Rail’s newly renovated The Canadian from the beautiful Vancouver coast to Canada’s Rocky Mountains – enjoy spectacular mountain scenery from Tauck’s private domed observation car
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Afternoon Tea served in the elegantly restored Tea Lobby of The Fairmont Empress, a Victoria tradition for nearly a century
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In Victoria, visits to The Butchart Gardens – a National Historic Site of Canada boasting stunning floral gardens – and the RoyalBC Museum
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An “Ice Age” adventure at Athabasca Glacier as you ride aboard a specially designed Ice Explorer
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Raft trip on the Bow River in Banff National Park
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Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted
- 19 meals (9 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 7 dinners), service charges, gratuities to local guides, admission fees, taxes and porterage
Tour Departure Dates 2012: (subject ot availability)
May 19th, 24th, 29th
June 2nd, 7th, 12th, 16th, 21st, 26th, 30th
July 5th, 10th, 14th, 19th, 24th, 28th
August 2nd, 7th, 11th, 16th, 21st, 25th, 30th
September 4th, 8th, 13th, 18th
Per person prices are for off-season. Please do call for your preferred date of departure.
Day 1 Arrive Vancouver
Tour begins at 6:00 PM at The Fairmont Waterfront. Your hotel is located within easy walking distance of Vancouver's lively Gastown and Stanley Park. Meet your Tauck Director and travel companions at the welcome reception followed by dinner.
Meals: Dinner
Lodging: The Fairmont Waterfront
Day 2 Vancouver
A guided sightseeing tour including Chinatown and Stanley Park introduces you to the history and vibrant cultural life of Vancouver, site of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Enjoy lunch on your own on Granville Island, then board a ferry for a cruise across the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver Island and Victoria, British Columbia's capital. Stay two nights at the Hotel Grand Pacific in a balconied, Grand Harbor View room overlooking Victoria's beautiful waterfront.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Hotel Grand Pacific, Victoria, BC
Day 3 The Butchart Gardens & Afternoon Tea
Discover a little piece of England on a visit to The Butchart Gardens in Victoria, encompassing 55 acres of breathtaking floral beauty in Japanese, Italian, Rose and Sunken show gardens dating back to the early 20th century. Later, indulge in a beloved English ritual - and a Victoria tradition - with Afternoon Tea in the restored Tea Lobby of The Fairmont Empress on the Inner Harbor. Explore on your own for the rest of the day and evening.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Hotel Grand Pacific, Victoria, BC
Day 4 Canadian Rockies by Rail
The many treasures of one of the world's finest museums of natural and cultural history are yours to explore on a visit to Victoria's Royal BC Museum. Then return to Vancouver via floatplane in late afternoon, with spectacular views over the Gulf Islands. Tonight, board the sleek, newly restored rail cars of VIA Rail's The Canadian, and celebrate the start of your overnight journey to the Canadian Rockies with a champagne toast. Spend the night on the train while speeding across some of the most breathtaking scenery in North America.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Aboard The Canadian, VIA Rail Canada
Day 5 A Private Dome Car to the Rockies
The vistas are nothing short of spectacular from Tauck's private domed observation car - reserved for Tauck guests only - aboard The Canadian, as your western Canada tour continues across British Columbia, where towering peaks and glaciers highlight the route. Cross the Continental Divide into the province of Alberta; arrive in Jasper National Park for a two-night stay at The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge on the shores of Lac Beauvert.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, Jasper National Park
Day 6 Jasper
The day is yours to spend just as you wish among the carefully protected ecosystems - and "photographer's paradise" of Jasper National Park, where optional choices at your resort (at additional cost) include horseback riding or tennis. Rent a canoe or paddleboat on Lake Beauvert; go on a trail ride or a guided nature walk; play a round of golf on a top-rated course; or visit the historic town of Jasper on your own. This evening, a presentation by a Parks Canada official precedes dinner at your choice of restaurants at the lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, Jasper National Park
Day 7 Icefields Parkway
Drive the Icefields Parkway, featuring jaw-dropping views of mountains, waterfalls, glaciers, and snowfields around every turn. Watch for bears, elk, bighorn sheep, and mountain goats, especially in the spring and fall. View Athabasca Glacier flowing from the Columbia Icefield, and take a memorable climb across the glacier's surface on an Ice Explorer, a specially designed vehicle. Arrive at your chateau-style hotel on the edge of Lake Louise overlooking Victoria Glacier, for a night in a Lake View room.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Banff National Park
Day 8 Yoho National Park and Banff
Travel via the Bow River Valley to Moraine Lake; after lunch at the Post Hotel. Then continue through Kicking Horse Pass into Yoho National Park. See Spiral Tunnels, a century-old railway engineering feat, and Natural Bridge, a rock formation over the Kicking Horse River, before setting off to The Fairmont Banff Springs, a Rocky Mountain icon since the 1880s, for a two-night stay inside Banff National Park; enjoy dinner at leisure at your resort tonight.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: The Fairmont Banff Springs, Banff National Park
Day 9 Bow River
Embark on a float trip along the Bow River, then spend the rest of the day at leisure at your grand hotel, built more than a century ago to resemble a Scottish baronial castle. There's a full range of optional activities (available at additional cost) to try. Perhaps take a guided nature walk; book a treatment at the renowned Willow Stream Spa; ride the scenic Banff Gondola; or enjoy horseback riding, a round of golf, or the museums in the town of Banff. Join us this evening for our farewell dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: The Fairmont Banff Springs, Banff National Park
Day 10 Journey Home
Travel from Banff National Park to Calgary, Alberta this morning, approximately 80 miles. Your western Canada tour and mountain adventure ends at 10:00 AM at Calgary International Airport. Direct flights to the U.S. will clear U.S. customs in Calgary. Allow a minimum of three hours for flight check-in.
Meals: Breakfast
