The Land of the Lotus Eaters
  Join us as we travel off the beaten path along Canada’s majestic west
 coast!    See Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise and Victoria. Stand atop a
 glacier.  Travel by rail through the northern Rockies. Sail the Inside
 Passage to Vancouver Island and discover a fabulous, hidden nature
 resort along the Way!

Day 1 – Sunday, August 8, 2010 – flight to Calgary, Alberta – Banff .  Fly from the LAX to Calgary in Alberta. Renowned for its annual rodeo
and stampede, Calgary is a cosmopolitan city nestled in the foothills of
the spectacular Rocky Mountains. Upon arrival, you enjoy an orientation tour of the city. This includes a look at the famous stampede grounds
that give the city its ‘Wild West’ feel. You also drive past Fort Calgary, which was built by the Northwest Mounted Police in 1875, and operated until 1914. This afternoon we travel to Banff.  Welcome dinner. Today
you travel from Calgary ascending the Rocky Mountains to Banff National Park. In a world that has destroyed many of its natural wonders, Banff National Park stands in all its natural beauty. It is a wilderness paradise with magnificent mountains, dense forests, flower-strewn meadows,
clear lakes and rivers, massive glaciers and the freshest of air.   (D)
 
Day 2 – Monday, August 9, 2010 – Banff  Rise and Shine! This morning, enjoy a brief tour and a cable-car ride that will gently hoist
you to the summit of Sulphur Mountain for spectacular views over Banff and a sweeping panorama of mountains and valleys. Sulphur Mountain acquired its name because of the sulphurous hot springs, which are
situated at the Park’s Cave and Basin Spring close to the cable-car station. Victorian visitors used to descend into the warming springs to sample the health-restoring attributes of the waters through a hole in the cave roof. This afternoon enjoy free time to shop and explore Banff’s quaint downtown area.      (B D)

Day 3 – Tuesday, August 10, 2010 – Banff to Jasper   
Today you travel to Jasper National Park, stopping enroute at beautiful Lake Louise. Often called the Jewel of the Rockies, its sparkling jade-coloured waters reflect the Victoria Glacier and the surrounding mountains. Continue your journey along the Icefields Parkway, perhaps
the most exciting stretch of highway in Canada. The Icefields Parkway
runs 143 miles from Lake Louise to Jasper, right through the heart of
the Rockies. It is a neverending procession of huge snow-capped peaks, cobaltblue lakes, and hearty forests. You take an included ’sno-coach’
ride over part of the Athabasca Glacier, which covers 233 square miles. Snow and ice surround you, enhancing the natural beauty of the landscape. You arrive at Jasper National Park late this afternoon.
Dinner is included at the hotel this evening.   (B D)

Day 4 – Wednesday, August 11, 2010 – Jasper to Prince George 
A leisurely morning today as you are taken to Jasper’s picturesque
railway station to board the Skeena train for your two-day journey via Prince George to Prince Rupert. Outside the station, a 21-metre totem
pole and an old Canadian National steam locomotive are on display.
The railway line along which you will be travelling was opened in 1914
as the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. It is an important freight route, and you are sure to see heavy goods trains carrying lumber, grain, coal and other freight. The Skeena is scheduled to leave Jasper at 12:45pm, and travels roughly northwest today, crossing Yellowhead Pass into British Columbia and then following the Fraser River Valley to Prince George.
One of the highlights of the journey comes not long after leaving Jasper, when the railway passes close to the foot of Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. During the course of the journey, the train staff will point out places of interest, in addition to any unusual wildlife
they may spot. Look out for wild animals, such as bears, moose, elk, deer, wolves and coyotes. You may also see birds, including hawks and bald eagles.  You will be given a brochure with a map of the railway and a description of the route. Although Canada now generally uses the metric system, distances along the track are still marked in miles, and the white mileposts by the trackside will enable you to work out the train’s position
at any time. Yamato has reserved seats in Totem Deluxe class. You travel
in a luxurious modern carriage with panoramic windows, and all meals are included during the journey. Meals are served at your seat. You can either admire the Rockies from your own ‘Panorama Car’ or walk up to the double-deck Park Car, at the rear of the train, where you can sit in the classic 1950s semicircular lounge or in the dome with its 360º views.  Drinks may be purchased from the steward in the Park Car.
After enjoying lunch on board the train, you may pause at McBride
station. Although it has a population of only a few hundred, McBride is
one of the largest towns on today’s journey. Afterwards, our journey continues past sawmills and salmon hatcheries to the tiny settlement of Penny, which cannot be reached by road. Here the train conductor may
get off to deliver mail to the village, and to collect outgoing mail from the small post office beside the railway. This is just one example of the
valuable service the Skeena still performs to isolated communities along the line. Penny is just one of many ‘flag stops’ where the train stops on request to pick up or set down passengers. Your steward will advise you
of any station stops where you will have time to get off and stretch your legs. Please note that no smoking is permitted anywhere on the train.
Lunch and dinner are taken on board the train. The Skeena is scheduled
to arrive in Prince George at 7:08pm. This industrial city has an oil
refinery and pulp mills, and is the largest town in the north of British Columbia. Here you leave the train to spend the night in Prince George.
  (B L D)

Day 5 – Thursday, August 12, 2010 – Prince George to Prince Rupert
There is an early start this morning as you are taken to Prince George railway station to rejoin the Skeena for the second stage of its journey. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included on the train today.  The Skeena
is scheduled to leave Prince George at 8am, and leaves the industry of Prince George almost immediately, following the course of the Nechako River. Wolves and bears are sometimes seen in this area. Later, you pass scenic Fraser Lake, named after the explorer Simon Fraser who built a
fur-trading post here. Here also the last spike, completing the railway,
was driven-in on April 7, 1914. Today’s journey includes more tunnels
and viaducts than yesterday, and you will also pass a number of Gitksan settlements, inhabited by native Canadians. Look out for the totem poles
by the track. Around lunchtime you pass through Houston, a centre for recreational fishing, where a giant fishing-rod stands beside the station. Further on, you pass Smithers station, and soon afterwards enjoy fine
views of the Hudson Bay Mountain and Kathlyn Glacier. From New Hazelton, the train at last reaches the River Skeena after which it is
named.  The word Skeena means ‘river of mists’ in Gitksan. You will see numerous waterfalls by the tracks as you follow the river to Chatham Sound.  Along this stretch of the line you may well see large numbers of bald eagles. After dinner on the train, you are scheduled to reach Prince Rupert, the terminus, at 8:25pm.  Prince Rupert is an attractive port surrounded by deep green mountains that seem to rise out of the sea. Prince Rupert has  a population of only about 17,000 but is nonetheless
the largest town on the mainland British Columbian coast after Vancouver. We overnight in Prince Rupert.   (BLD)

Day 6 – Friday, August 13, 2010 –Prince Rupert to Port Hardy, sail the Inside Passage     
An early start is necessary this morning, as you transfer to the ferry port
or your comfortable British Columbia ferry to Port Hardy. The ferry is scheduled to sail at 7:30am. The ferry travels through the picturesque Inside Passage, passing small Native villages, inlets and dramatic mountain scenery. You may see killer whales, seals and other wildlife from the
ferry. There is a choice of restaurants on board, and you can rest in your day cabin or weather permitting, relax in a sun-lounger out on deck.
You arrive in Port Hardy, a small town near the northern tip of
Vancouver Island, at 10:30pm.   (B)

Day 7 – Saturday, August 14, 2010 – Port Hardy to Campbell River
This morning you leave Port Hardy and drive to Telegraph Cove, a
typical ‘boardwalk village’ where most of the houses are built on wooden pilings over the water. Telegraph Cove was founded in 1912 as a telegraph station, and today many of the attractive wooden buildings are protected owing to their historic interest. You will have free time here to explore
the old village and purchase lunch. From Telegraph Cove you enjoy a
3½-hour Stubbs Island Whale Watching cruise. Although sightings
cannot be guaranteed, killer whales are seen on over 90% of cruises,
and you may also observe porpoises, dolphins, sea lions, sea otters and mink or humpback whales.  Leaving Telegraph Cove, you drive to Campbell River, overlooking the Strait of Georgia about halfway down
the east coast of Vancouver Island.  This small town is popular with
anglers and is nicknamed ‘the salmon capital of the world’. You will be spending the next two nights at Painter’s Lodge, which is situated just
north of Campbell River. Located on the beautiful Discovery Passage on Vancouver Island’s east coast, Painter’s Lodge offers comfortable resort accommodation  and a wide variety of activities and services. 
Each room has a direct dial telephone, television, a balcony or terrace
and a bathroom with a bath and an overhead shower.
The hotel’s accommodation is in five separate two-story wooden
buildings, set in attractive landscaped grounds. Smoking inside the
hotel buildings is not permitted. There are tennis courts, a gym and an outdoor swimming pool.
The hotel’s sister resort, the April Point on Quadra Island, has an Aveda spa, which offers a full range of therapeutic and beauty treatments, for
an additional charge. A free shuttle boat service runs throughout the day between Painter’s Lodge and April Point, enabling guests to enjoy the facilities of both resorts. The ride takes ten minutes each way.
Dinner is included at your hotel this evening.    (B D)

Day 8 – Sunday, August 15, 2010 – Campbell River  
It is hard to imagine a more perfect spot to relax than Painter’s Lodge, where you can sit on your balcony or terrace and watch ships passing
on Georgia Strait, or perhaps enjoy a game of tennis or a swim in the outdoor pool. A wide range of activities is arranged by the hotel’s Marine Centre. You may like to join a guided fishing expedition on a 17-foot
Boston whaler, or enjoy a wildlife adventure tour on board a Hurricane
Zodiac.   If you take the free boat service across the Strait to April Point, you can explore Quadra Island on foot or by mountain bike. Kayaks may also be hired at April Point. You may purchase lunch or dinner today in
any of  the restaurants at either Painter’s Lodge or April Point. If you
wish to dine in April Point, please advise the reception in advance.
If you go fishing and catch a suitable fish, the hotel chef can cook it for
your dinner.  http://www.painterslodge.com      (B)

Day 9 – Monday, August 16, 2010 – Campbell River to Victoria     
Leaving Painter’s Lodge this morning, you travel south through
Vancouver Island. Although the main road runs relatively close to the island’s east coast, this is not always obvious from the coach, but you
will gain an idea of the vast extent of the forests that still cover much of
the island. You make a stop in the pretty little town of Chemainus,
where you have free time to purchase lunch. Known as the ‘Little Town That Did’, Chemainus created its own tourist attraction. Fearful of the town’s extinction after a large local sawmill closed in 1982, the town commissioned an artist to paint a huge mural recording the area’s local history. 34 further murals followed, and they are now one of Vancouver Island’s most famous sights. The town is now a centre for the arts, with antique shops, art galleries and a flourishing theatre. You continue south from Chemainus to Victoria, the capital of Vancouver Island. This is Canada’s most westerly city, and has a very mild climate. The city’s
150-year British colonial heritage is still very much in evidence, but contemporary Victoria has a distinctly Pacific Northwest flavour.
It is known as the ‘Garden City’, as it is green all year round. You will
have free time to explore Victoria this afternoon, and view the impressive Parliament buildings. You will notice English tea shops, and hanging baskets of flowers on the lamp posts, and in summer you may see red London double-decker buses operating sightseeing tours or even see
the locals playing a game of cricket.    (B D)

Day 10 –  Tuesday, August 17, 2010 – Victoria and return home 
This morning we explore the beautiful Butchart Gardens, one of the greatest tourist attractions of Vancouver Island and a fantastic way
to end our unique tour of Canada’s spectacular west coast.   (B)

Rate includes:
- all your hotel accommodations (3 & 4* hotels)
- all land, rail and sea transportation
- 9 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 7 dinners
- entrance fees to all of the activities
in the itinerary / and much more! Call us for details!
- kindly note that these rates are “land only” and do not include airfare

Cost:

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