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The Essential Tailor Made Holiday to CanadaIncluding the best sightseeing, the most beautiful lakes, and the Rocky Mountaineer railway, Plus... a choice of fantastic extensions such as seeing grizzly bears at Knight Inlet |  |
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| The Essential Canadian Rockies Itinerary | |
Here are a few of the highlights of the Canadian Rockies - in each place we have a good collection of hotels in excellent locations, for all budgets.
Total: 12 nights The itinerary in more detail is shown below... | |
Banff (3 nights) Your flight will be from London to Calgary, however unless you are visiting in early July when the Calgary Stampede is on, there is not really much to see in Calgary – the best is further on. Collect your hire car and start your journey! Banff is a delightful tourist town in the Rockies about 90 minutes drive from Calgary airport and a great base for many activities. There are lots of lovely shops, boutiques, cafes and restaurants. What to do
| Where to Stay? Best affordable hotel
Best character hotel
Best luxury hotel
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Rundlestone Lodge is set in a great location on Banff Avenue with cosy rooms and a large fireplace in the lobby.
Our character option is the charming Buffalo Mountain Lodge set within nine forested acres on the slopes of Tunnel Mountain. It is just a 15 minute walk to the centre of Banff.
The luxury option is the world famous Fairmont Banff Springs hotel which has been styled after a Scottish castle and offers world class golf courses, food and service, and of course its breathtaking location and views.
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Lake Louise (2 nights) Many tours that I see include Lake Louise as simply a stop-off between Jasper and Banff, or even a half-day excursion from Banff. However the area around Lake Louise have the three most stunning lakes in the whole of the Canadian Rockies - Lake Louise itself, Moraine Lake and Emerald Lake. So we recommend at least 2 nights here. If you base yourself at Lake Louise, then 40 minutes to the west is serene Emerald Lake, and 20 minutes south is probably the best of all, Moraine Lake, with an intense blue colour that is best seen by walking up the path at the front of the lake to the stunning viewpoint. At Lake Louise, it is worth walking through the forest to an incredible vantage point about half way along the lake, where you will find the most incredible view of the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. Its possible to go inside and have an afternoon tea or coffee in the lounge - there is a £5 charge for non residents, but is an experience and well worth it for the views of the lake and glacier. At the hotel you can go on walks such as these or take a canoe out on to the lake. What to do
| Where to Stay? Best affordable hotel
Best character hotel
Best luxury hotel
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For a budget stay in Lake Louise, we recommend Deer Lodge which is a good value 3* option serving great food. And even better it is one of the few that is within walking distance of the lake itself!
A little further on is what we would argue is the most beautiful lake in Canada – Moraine Lake. Again there is a hotel by the lake, Moraine Lake Lodge, although much smaller with only 33 rooms. This is for a quieter and less touristy experience.
The luxury option is Fairmont Lake Louise Hotel which is situated right on the lake and offers tennis, horse riding, canoeing, mountain biking, heated outdoor pool, hot tub and sauna.
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Jasper (3 nights) The road to Jasper is called the Icefields Parkway and is considered one of the world’s most spectacular drives. Don’t be surprised if you stop off so many times to take pictures that it takes all day! Shortly after leaving Lake Louise, stop at Peyto Lake which is an unbelievable shade of blue-green. Then further along, you will come to the glacier where you should not miss the Icefield tour on a specially designed ice-buggy which transports you on to the glacier. What to do
| Where to Stay? Best budget hotel
Best character hotel
Best luxury hotel
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The budget option is Chateau Jasper, within easy walking distance of the centre and with an award winning restaurant. There is a cosy lounge with a fireplace, and the rooms are quite spacious.
Tekarra Lodge is set by the river, just over a mile from Jasper town centre, and in a spectacular location with stunning views over the river. The rustic cabins feature a balcony, stone fireplace and fully equipped kitchen.
The luxury option is Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge - it is the best hotel in Jasper by a long way, and in a stunning location just outside the town centre, with an outdoor pool, tennis courts, horse riding and 18 hole golf course on site.
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Rocky Mountaineer (1 night in Kamloops) The train journey from Jasper to Vancouver is said to be most scenic in the world, taking two days, and passing 600 miles of forests, river canyons, and snow capped mountains. The night is spent in a hotel in Kamloops, about half way to Vancouver. The entire journey takes place in daylight, allowing you to enjoy the breathtaking scenery to the full. There are 2 levels of service on the Jasper to Vancouver route: Red Leaf, Silver Leaf, and Gold Leaf
The Jasper to Vancouver service runs on set dates only, and your holiday will need to be planned around these dates: 26 April
If these dates do not fit in with your dates, then there are a couple of other options. For example you could do the whole itinerary in reverse (Vancouver to Jasper), or you could travel on the Banff to Vancouver (or Vancouver to Banff) routes - it will need a bit of re-jigging the itinerary, but all things are possible!
| Where to Stay? Hotel in Kamloops
Photo credit: Rocky Mountaineer. |
You will overnight in Kamloops which is about half way to Vancouver - there are several medium standard hotels which have restaurants, as well as a few restaurants in the resort within walking distance.
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Vancouver (3 nights) Vancouver is actually quite a small city and therefore many places are reachable on foot from your hotel. It is worth staying 3-4 nights here - Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities in the world with its harbour setting, mountain backdrop and delightful restaurants. What to do
| Where to Stay? Best budget hotel
Best character hotel
Best luxury hotel
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For large rooms, a great location and a good price, it's hard to beat Rosedale on Robson which also boasts a swimming pool, lounge area and restaurant.
Our favourite boutique hotel is the Loden with modern, comfortable rooms, restaurant, lounge and spa. The hotel is beautifully designed throughout, while the large rooms have floor to ceiling windows and luxury linens and bathrobes.
The luxury option is Fairmont Vancouver - the quality of the service, comfort, decor and location are all superb. The lounge serves afternoon tea, while in the evening there is great live entertainment.
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Vancouver Island (2-4 nights) Victoria is a small compact city on Vancouver Island, and is known as the 'Garden City' due to the number of flowers and gardens. It is worth spending a night or two down by the harbour area but it is the trips to the amazing Butchart Gardens and Tofino that make a trip to the island worthwhile. There are a couple of ways to get here. One is to fly by seaplane from Vancouver and the other is to drive to the ferry terminal and take the ferry. Some day trips use a combination of both - i.e. drive + ferry there, and get the seaplane back to save time. If you take the ferry, then why not travel on the 4 hour whale watch transfer service (no cars) which includes 90 minutes whale and wildlife viewing. What to do
| Where to Stay? Best budget hotel
Best character hotel
Best luxury hotel
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The Royal Scot Suite Hotel is in a superb location right by the Undersea Gardens. Rooms are large and modern, there is a lounge and restaurant, plus a laundry.
Our choice for the best character hotel is the Oswego located steps away from the inner harbour, shopping and main attractions. They have a superb restaurant, spa, laundry and live jazz most Wednesdays.
Our favourite hotel in Victoria is the Fairmont Express overlooking the inner harbour with an award winning spa, 4 restaurants and a lounge. Enjoy afternoon tea in the historic tea lobby.
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Knight Inlet (3 nights) Knight Inlet is the best place in Canada to see grizzly bears. It is a once in a lifetime experience, and only reachable by a 30 minute floatplane from Campbell River on Vancouver Island. Here's how your itinerary works: Day 1: Make your way to Campbell River. You can fly from Vancouver, or if you are already on Vancouver Island, then it is a several hour drive from Victoria. There are a few hotels where you spend the night. Day 2: Fly to the lodge at 9.30am, and arrive at 10am. You will then go and view the grizzly bears, either on small boats or in purpose built stands, depending on where the bears are at the time. Day 3: Enjoy more bear viewing but also the other wildlife tours on offer. These will take you to see seals, sea lions, porpoises, dolphins and sometimes whales, although you will see more whales in September than in other months. There is also a bald eagle viewing excursion included in the 3 night rate. Day 4: Fly back to Campbell River at 10.30am, arriving at 11am. Then either fly back to Vancouver or collect your car and drive back south towards Victoria. The best time to see the bears is in late May to early summer, and then even better in late summer to early autumn. You can still see bears in high summer as they will be present, but not in the same numbers as in early autumn. Please note the last date is mid October, and the lodge is closed for the last week in July.
| Where to Stay? Knight Inlet Lodge
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Knight Inlet is a rustic lodge, floating in the ocean, but small as there are only 12 rooms. It is this reason why you need to book several months to a year in advance. Food is exceptional with fresh meats and fine wines. All your meals are included in the package. There is a lounge area with a wood burning stove.
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Alaska Cruises (7 nights) There are several cruise companies that sail to Alaska and it can be quite a minefield picking the best one for you. But here are a few general notes:
An example 7 night round trip:
An example 7 night one-way trip:
| Which cruise line? Here is a brief rundown of the different cruise lines, and give a personal opinion of the advantages and disadvantages of each.
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Rockwater Secret Cove (3 nights) After several days touring, you might be looking for a little hideaway for a few days relaxation before your journey home. And the best place to come is the Rockwater Secret Cove Resort which is on the Sunshine coast, about 3 hours from Vancouver including a ferry ride. You can choose to relax at the resort and sit by the pool, or enjoy some of the many activities. Hire a bike and ride one of the trails through the cedar forest, or go hiking - there are several routes available fro easy to difficult, while sports and watersports include kayaking and croquet. The spa tents are located on a bluff overlooking the ocean with a wide variety of treatments and massages available. The restaurant serves delicious fresh food and has an excellent reputation.
| Where to Stay? Rooms at Rockwater
Close to the water are one bedroom cabins while for something special why not treat yourself to a tent house suite built of canvas but with an interior of a deluxe hotel room. They have a hydrotherapy tub with a view, rainforest shower, private veranda and great ocean views. Photo Credit: Leslie Forsberg |
There is accommodation available for all budgets, starting with the ocean view rooms which come with a balcony, flat screen TV, tea and coffee making, but best of all the view of the Malaspina Straight. Poolside rooms also come with a fireplace, jacuzzi tub, luxury bathrobes and a rainforest shower. There is an outdoor sun deck with superb ocean views.
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What else? Here are a few examples of what else or past customers have done in addition to the standard itinerary.
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