Escorted Tours Cosmos U.S.A & Canada Tour 8900
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| The Canadian Rockies Tour 8900 - 12 days from Seattle to Seattle Tour 8905 - 14 days from Seattle to Vancouver |
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| Day 1 SEATTLE LEAVENWORTH KELOWNA. Leave Seattle from the Edmond Meany Hotel at 8 a.m. Cross the unique floating bridge over Lake Washington and head for Stevens Pass in the Cascade Mountains. Stop for lunch in Leavenworth, a typical alpine village situated along the Wenatchee River. Reach the arid side of the Cascade Mountains and drive through miles of apple and peach orchards en route to the Canadian border. Overnight in the resort city of Kelowna, attractively set on the shores of Lake Okanagan. |
| Day 2 KELOWNA-KICKING HORSE PASS-
BANFF. Motor north through Okanagan Valley, famous for its peaches and vineyards. Then begin the climb up 4,379-foot-high Rogers Pass in GLACIER NATIONAL PARK. A break at the pass, a perfect spot for photos of the impressive surrounding rugged mountains, glaciers, and waterfalls. Continue over Kicking Horse Pass, peaking at 5,421 feet. By early evening reach BANFF NATIONAL PARK, gateway to the majestic Canadian Rockies. |
| Day 3 BANFF. Banff is one of Canada's favorite year-round resorts with facilities ranging from skiing in the winter to hiking, boating, and fishing in the summer. Start your day with an optional helicopter ride high over the Canadian Rockies. Then early this afternoon, sightseeing includes a scenic drive to SULPHUR MOUNTAIN for a thrilling gondola ride, complete with panoramic views of Banff's spectacular scenery. Then stop at pretty Bow Falls. Tonight join our optional cruise on Lake Minnewanka, followed by a delightful western-style barbecue. |
| Day 4 BANFF- LAKE LOUISE-JASPER
NATIONAL PARK. A day of scenic grandeur. First to Lake Louise, whose cold waters form a perfect natural mirror which reflects the surrounding mountains and glaciers. Precipitous gorges, snow-capped mountains, and lakes of exquisite blues and greens come into view as the coach scales two mountain passes. Stop at the Columbia Icefield for a SNOWCOACH ride over the 1,000-foot-thick Athabasca Glacier. Late this afternoon ride down the Athabasca River on our optional raft trip. Special treat tonight — an included dinner featuring local delicacies. Accommodations are in JASPER NATIONAL PARK. (D) Note: The snowcoach at the Columbia Icefield usually operates between May 1 and September 30. Unfavorable weather conditions and seasonal changes and/or demand may also affect the availability of this excursion. |
| Day 5 JASPER. Tour Jasper's unspoiled beauty, including glistening Pyramid Lake. Afterward an optional trip to Maligne Lake, where you embark on a narrated cruise. On the return journey, stop to view mighty Maligne Canyon. With free time this evening you might take a hike along the trails and watch for elk, or enjoy a canoe trip on any of the numerous lakes. |
| Day 6 JASPER-MOUNT ROBSON-SUN
PEAKS. Leave Jasper and follow the Fraser River to the base of Mount Robson, the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies, peaking at 12,972 feet. Continue following the Yellowhead Highway south along the Thompson River — a route pioneered by fur trappers a century ago. Overnight at the mountain resort of Sun Peaks. |
| Day 7 SUN PEAKS-VANCOUVER. Through Kamloops, once a trading post for the Hudson Bay Company. Then journey from British Columbia's mountainous beauty to its majestic Pacific coastline and reach Vancouver by early afternoon for a city sightseeing tour. See Vancouver's Chinatown, Gastown, and the harbor, then tour Stanley Park. Select the sights to revisit over the next two days in the city Canada proudly calls its "Gem of the Pacific." |
| Days 8 & 9 VANCOUVER. Choose from a variety of optional excursions covering many of Vancouver's major attractions. Perhaps a coach ride along the spectacular Sea to Sky Highway to the elegant mountain resort of Whistler or ride the Royal Hudson steam train in a cliff- hugging tour along the Coast Mountains. Other suggestions include a tour to Vancouver's North Shore for a visit to the remarkable Capilano Suspension Bridge and a tram ride up Grouse Mountain for panoramic views of the city. For the shoppers and browsers, try a water taxi ride to lively Granville Island with its outdoor markets, street musicians, entertainers, and waterfront cafes. Or visit historic Gastown with its steam-powered clock, antique shops, art galleries, and street vendors. Your tour director has other suggestions for sights to see and the best places to eat. |
| Day 10 VANCOUVER-NANAIMO-VICTORIA. Drive to Horseshoe Bay and board the ferry for a spectacular crossing of the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver Island. Disembark at Nanaimo and drive southward to charming Chemainus, Canada's only permanent outdoor art gallery. Throughout the village 32 larger than life-sized murals are displayed, depicting the early settlement of pioneers in the area. Continue along the coastal route to Victoria, the provincial capital, attractively.set at the southernmost tip of the island. Afternoon sightseeing includes world-famous BUTCHART GARDENS, Beacon Hill Park, Bastion Square, and Thunderbird Park with its unusual collection of totem poles. |
| Day 11 VICTORIA. Victoria has been described as the most British of all Canadian cities, and its colonial heritage is proudly reflected in many of its major landmarks. The day is at leisure to discover some of its attractions, including the Royal British Columbia Museum, afternoon tea at the Empress Hotel, the majestic Legislature Buildings, whale watching on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, a seaplane flight, and fine shopping along Government Street and at Eaton Centre. Tonight your tour director suggests an optional carriage ride through Beacon Hill Park, followed by a delightful dinner at one of Victoria's waterfront restaurants. End the evening with a drive through some of the city's beautiful residential neighborhoods. |
| Day 12 VICTORIA-FERRY CROSSING-
SEATTLE. Depart Vancouver Island by ferry through Canada's lovely Gulf Islands. Arrive in Seattle in the late afternoon with a stop at the Edmond Meany Hotel. The tour ends at Seattle- Tacoma International Airport for tour members with homebound flights. Please do not schedule homebound flights earlier than 5 p.m. - Combine this tour with "Pacific Northwest Explorer" . You pay less for your second tour. |
| Extend your tour in Vancouver Tour 8905 Days 1 to 12 Like tour 8900. Continue your stay at your Vancouver hotel. Your Cosmos host will have ideas for things to do and suggest the best places to shop and dine. Day 13 VANCOUVER. A day at leisure for independent activities or choose from a variety of optional excursions covering Vancouver's major attractions. Day 14 VANCOUVER. The tour ends today, with tour members departing on individual schedules. Transfers are provided to Vancouver International Airport. YOUR HOTEL IN VANCOUVER is the Plaza 500 Hotel. Centrally located in uptown Vancouver, across from City Hall and Vancouver's newest boutique shopping mall, this hotel is within easy access of the city's major attractions. All rooms are tastefully decorated and equipped with telephone, voice messaging, color cable TV, clock radio, coffee maker, hair dryer, refrigerator, iron, and ironing board. The hotel has a restaurant, lounge, sports pub, beauty salon, and jewelry shop. Note: On some departures your hotel in Vancouver will be the Best Western Chateau Granville. Please see page 19 for the hotel description. |
| • Services of a professional tour director • Hotels listed below or equivalent; see also page 6. Twin-bedded rooms with private bath or shower, hotel taxes, service charges, and tips for baggage handling. • Private deluxe air-conditioned motorcoach • Dinner in Jasper (D) • Gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain; snowcoach ride on the Athabasca Glacier; ferry crossing to/from Vancouver Island • Sightseeing tours in Victoria and Vancouver • Visits to Leavenworth, Kelowna, Glacier National Park, Yoho National Park, Banff National Park, Lake Louise, Jasper National Park, Mount Robson, Sun Peaks, Butcehart Gardens, Chemainus, La Conner • Other scenic highlights: Cascade Mountains, Okanagan Valley, Rogers Pass, Kicking Horse Pass, Icefields Parkway, Thompson River, Strait of Georgia, Canada's Gulf Islands • Inside visits as shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description, including admission charges where applicable • Portfolio of travel documents |
KELOWNA Ramada Lodge (F), BANFF Banff Voyager Inn (ST/NP), JASPER Jasper House Bungalows (ST/NP) or Astoria Hotel (T/NP), SUN PEAKS Four Points Sundance Lodge (F), VANCOUVER Plaza 500 Hotel (F) or Chateau Granville (F), VICTORIA Queen Victoria Inn (F) |
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