India :: South Africa
       Vancouver and the Rockies

VANCOUVER, VICTORIA ISLAND
AND THE CANADIAN ROCKIES
12 to 22 SEPTEMBER 2008

This very inclusive tour includes all the most beautiful excursions, which most operators charge as expensive extras and which could add over £200 to a holiday. Cross the Capilano bridge, enjoy a dinner cruise on an authentic Paddlesteamer, travel over a glacier on an Ice Explorer, sail across Lake Maligne to Spirit Island! American breakfasts are included throughout and accommodation is in comfortable well-positioned superior three or four-star hotels. Flights are direct from Manchester on the latest wide-body A330 jets operated by Thomas Cook Airlines. Optional return home transfers are available. Clients may also extend the holiday at either end with possibilities to add an Alaskan cruise, additional time in Vancouver or Banff, or travel to Eastern Canada to Toronto, Niagara Falls, Montreal or Quebec.

ITINERARY

Day 1 - September 12, 2008 - Friday / Arrival Vancouver (D)

Our flights are with Thomas Cook Airlines from Manchester airport. Seat pitch is in excess of the traditional long haul airlines. Pre-booked and extra legroom seats are available for a small additional charge. Premium cabins with upgraded service and additional legroom can also be booked. Arriving early afternoon in Vancouver our local representative will assist with transfer to our hotel, where we spend the first three nights of our holiday; the Sandman Hotel and Suites situated in the heart of the city.

The rest of the afternoon is at leisure before we enjoy a light evening meal together.

Day 2 - September 13, 2008 - Saturday / Vancouver (D)

Full American breakfast at the hotel. Discover why Vancouver is one of Canada's most popular destinations. Our city tour encompasses many of the attractions that make Vancouver such a special place, besides the natural beauty of its mountain backdrop and blue Pacific waters. Enter Stanley Park, with 1000 acres of majestic evergreens and 10kms of scenic seawall. Experience the city's kaleidoscope of cultural heritage with visits to West Coast Native Totem Poles, British-flavoured Gastown with its unique steam clock, and colourful Chinatown, second in size only to San Francisco. Also highlighted in the morning's sightseeing will be Lions Gate Bridge, Prospect Point and English Bay.

In the afternoon we visit the famous historic Capilano Suspension Bridge, one of the world's longest suspension bridges - 450 feet across and 230 feet above the Capilano Canyon! Time will be allowed to explore the surrounding Nature Park, which offers meandering trails through an old-growth forest.

This evening transfer out for dinner and climb aboard Vancouver's only authentic Paddlewheeler, the luxurious M.P.V. Constitution for a one-of-a-kind dining experience. Take in the sights and sounds of magnificent Vancouver Harbour while enjoying a deluxe buffet dinner of West Coast-themed cuisine, accompanied by live music. Enjoy a two-hour leisurely cruise past the downtown skyline, the cruise ship terminal of Canada Place, the Mountains behind the North Shore, the West Vancouver shoreline and more. We'll have the best spot in Vancouver to watch the sun slowly disappear into the Pacific Ocean.

Day 3 - September 14, 2008 - Sunday / Vancouver - Victoria - Vancouver (L)

After breakfast we will travel to Tsawwassen to board the BC Ferries to Swartz Bay. Victoria has been the capital of British Columbia since the late 1800's, and today it still looks every inch the British Empire outpost it once was. Today we enjoy the sights of this charming "Garden City" ... lovely homes, handsome 19th century stone buildings, vibrant gardens and many points of historical interest. We tour the city centre, Chinatown and Antique Row as well as experiencing the truly English flavor of the Rockland area before visiting the world famous Butchart Gardens. With over 50 acres of gardens including the fragrant Rose Garden, the relaxing Japanese Garden, the unique Sunken Garden, the Italian Garden, the Concert Lawn, and Ross Fountain, a visit to Butchart Gardens is a treat for all our senses! Lunch is included in a restaurant in Butchart Gardens.

Late afternoon we return to Vancouver by ferry on our relaxing voyage through the Gulf Islands - renowned for their picturesque landscapes and seascapes and particularly for their rustic character. Occasionally, killer whales may be seen from the ship's deck.

Day 4 - September 15, 2008 - Monday / Vancouver - Kamloops

Leaving Vancouver we meet up with the Coquihalla Highway which climbs through the Great Bear Snow Shed, crests the summit of Coquihalla Pass (elevation 1240 m), then crosses the top of the Thompson Plateau, with side roads leading off into rolling countryside speckled with fishing lakes. Travelling through Sagebrush Country we arrive at Kamloops by mid-afternoon at the Thompson Hotel, an attractive downtown hotel with an indoor swimming pool. Kamloops is a beautiful resort set on the wide Thomson River amidst the Rockies foothills. In addition to the surrounding natural beauty, attractions include the Heritage Steam Railway, the BC Wildlife Park, the Art Gallery and the Lumberjack Show.

Day 5 - September 16, 2008 - Tuesday / Kamloops - Jasper

A beautiful journey awaits us between Kamloops and Jasper. Our stops include the Wells Gray Provincial Park with several dozen waterfalls to visit, the most spectacular being the famous Helmcken Falls, four times as tall as the Niagara Falls.

We arrive at the Jasper National Park for two nights at the Chateau Jasper

Day 6 - September 17, 2008 - Wednesday / Jasper

Jasper National Park is the largest and wildest park in the Canadian Rockies. In addition to the wonderful mountain scenery it is internationally-renowned for wildlife viewing, and is home to some of North America's rarest animals, including healthy populations of grizzly bears, moose, caribou and wolves. Our half-day excursion from Jasper stops at many famous beauty sites such as Pyramid Lakes, Patricia Lakes and the beautiful Maligne Canyon, where we embark on a cruise on Maligne Lake. The shadows of vast, snowcapped peaks cast themselves brilliantly over a glacial blue sea deep in the interior of Maligne Lake, the largest lake in the Rockies. Our boat allows us to disembark on pristine Spirit Island, from where we capture the most spectacular views of the surrounding mountain scenery. Our coach returns us to our hotel and the rest of the day is for our individual exploration of the National Park.

Day 7 - September 18, 2008 - Thursday / Jasper - Lake Louise - Banff

Considered one of the most scenic highways in the world, the Icefields Parkway offersan ever-changing view of waterfalls, emerald lakes, alpine meadows and snow-capped peaks Our first stop is at the largest icefield south of Alaska. Shimmering glacial ice and snow cover some 233 sq. miles of the Columbia Icefields . An exciting tour on a special Ice Explorer vehicle takes us out onto the Athabasca Glacier, for an awe-inspiring glimpse of icy crevasses and ice-fed streamlets.

Our second stop is Lake Louise. With its blue-green water set against the stark backdrop of the Victoria Glacier, it is probably the most beloved and most photographed scene in the Canadian Rockies.

We arrive in Banff in the evening and spend our final three nights at the Charlton's Cedar Court, a popular central hotel which features a traditional design and indoor pool.

Day 8 - September 19, 2008 - Friday / Banff

There is so much to see in the fantastic Banff National Park. Our scenic tour includes stops at Yoho National Park, a scenic viewpoint of the Valley of the Ten Peaks, as well as Moraine Lake and Johnston Canyon.

Day 9 - September 20, 2008 - Saturday / Banff (D)

This morning's sights include Bow Falls, Tunnel Mountain and an optional ride up a gondola to see the spectacular views atop Sulphur Mountain. The rest of the day is spent at leisure. Banff itself has many interesting sights; the pioneer Luxton Home and Gardens, the beautiful Cascade Gardens, the Cave and Basin National Historic Site and the Buffalo Nations Museum.

Our farewell dinner tonight is at Wild Bill's Legendary Saloon, providing a special western atmosphere.

Day 10/ Day 11- September 21/22, 2008 - Sunday/Monday / Banff - Calgary

After a leisurely breakfast we depart through the mountains towards Calgary Airport for our flight back to the UK, arriving Monday morning.

Pricing and additional information

The price of this holiday is £1,690pp sharing a twin bedded room. This includes flights from Manchester airport to Vancouver and return from Calgary, nine nights accommodation with American breakfast, three evening meals and one lunch, excursions, coach transfers and entrance fees as listed above and the on-site services of a Grosvenor Travel representative throughout. Single supplement is £470pp. Return home transfers are included from £30 per person (conditions apply). Deposit is £190pp.

If you are interested in extending this holiday please contact us.

Clients must have adequate travel insurance cover. We can provide insurance at £47pp for those aged up to 65 when booking, (certain medical conditions may require an additional premium to be paid), £94pp aged 66 to 75, £110pp aged 76 to 79. Annual insurance is also available.

This holiday will operate based on a minimum of 25 clients booking. Booking period is scheduled to close 15 February or sooner subject to demand.