Compare Heart of the Canadian Rockies with Calgary Stampede by Cosmos
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| Trip |
4 | Great
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| Duration | 12 days |
| Price From | $ 3,041 |
| Price Per Day | $ 253 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included |
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| Meals Included |
This Cosmos travel package does not include meals. Most of our hotels offer anything from coffee to a full breakfast, so you can start the day the way you like best. At most lunch stops, your Tour Director will have information on local restaurants. Dinnertime is your chance to sample local cuisine. Sometimes your Tour Director will offer an optional dinner outing. |
| Description | Welcome to Calgary! It’s no wonder the Calgary Stampede is “the greatest outdoor show on Earth.” This celebration of the Old West brings frontier days to life with entertainment and exhibits, great food, world-famous Chuckwagon horse races, and the Calgary Stampede Rodeo. Continue your adventure through the western Canada’s stunning scenery, rugged mountains, breathtaking glaciers, mighty rivers, and gorgeous national parks. Your value-minded Canadian vacation takes you to Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, Kamloops, Victoria, and Vancouver. Enjoy two nights in Banff National Park, Canada’s oldest national park and gateway to the Canadian Rockies. You’ll have time to explore the alpine meadows, glaciers, lakes, hot springs, and quaint shops on your own or take an optional excursion like viewing the spectacular scenery by helicopter. You’ll also enjoy two nights in Jasper National Park, the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies. You can hike, peruse the shops, and take an optional excursion to Maligne Lake and Spirit Island. Between Banff and Jasper, you’ll experience a highlight of this Canadian Rockies tour—a thrilling ride aboard an Ice Explorer all-terrain vehicle to the Athabasca Glacier, part of the Columbia Icefield, the largest expanse of ice in the Canadian Rockies. Your journey between the two national parks also includes a stop in Lake Louise, whose turquoise waters create a natural mirror that reflects the surrounding mountains and pristine wilderness. Embark on ferry crossings between Vancouver and Victoria to visit the world-famous, gorgeous Butchart Gardens. For the value-minded traveler, the stunning scenery, adventure, and natural wonders of this affordable vacation in Canada with the historic wild west of Calgary is the trip of a lifetime! |
Day 1: CALGARY
Welcome to Calgary, home of the Calgary Stampede! Your Tour Director is on hand late this afternoon to answer any questions.
Day 2: CALGARY STAMPEDE GROUNDS
Welcome to Calgary and “The Greatest Show on Earth.” Dressed in your best Cowboy fashion from belt buckles, boots to chaps, step through the gates of Stampede Park into a world of wonder, fun, and “Wild West” excitement with your included admission. Walk back in time and experience the traditions and culture of Canadian First Nations at Elbow River Camp or stroll the streets of a recreated frontier town. Enjoy a wide variety of exciting talent on the many entertainment stages, and then maybe head into the dazzling array of international exhibits and displays of Western art. This evening, watch the heart-stopping Chuckwagon Races in an all-out dash for the finish line, an amazing contest of nerves and horsepower. You’ll be out of your seats cheering on your favorite driver during each heat. Afterward, get ready for an outdoor stage show featuring hundreds of singers, dancers, and musicians in a lavishly produced and choreographed musical variety spectacular.
Day 3: CALGARY STAMPEDE GROUNDS AND RODEO
Fuel up for the day’s activities by visiting Fluor Rope Square at Olympic Plaza for a pancake breakfast. Return to the Stampede grounds this morning to see anything you missed yesterday, and cheer on your favorite rodeo contenders. If you haven’t already, get suited with a cowboy hat, threads, and boots at one of the many stalls before heading to the Grandstand for the Calgary Stampede Rodeo this afternoon. See the best of the best as they saddle up for world-class rodeo action. Top professionals take on the West’s wildest horses. You’ll also enjoy rodeo’s most famed event—bull riding! You will be in awe of the talent as you sit on the edge of your seat. Make the most of your time here and discover Canada’s country core. With square dancing, mock gun fights, country bands, bars, restaurants and livestock, there is loads to see.
Day 4: CALGARY–BANFF NATIONAL PARK
The discovery of oil converted this ranching town into a sophisticated city. Sightseeing includes downtown, Fort Calgary, Stampede Park, the Saddledome, and Canada Olympic Park. Motor west through the foothills and into Banff National Park, gateway to the majestic Canadian Rockies. An orientation tour highlights Banff’s unspoiled beauty.
Day 5: BANFF NATIONAL PARK
Banff is one of Canada’s favorite year-round resorts, with summer activities such as hiking, boating, and fishing. With a free day, your Tour Director will have many suggestions, including an optional helicopter ride over the Canadian Rockies.
Day 6: BANFF NATIONAL PARK–LAKE LOUISE–COLUMBIA ICEFIELD–JASPER NATIONAL PARK
Enjoy a day of scenic grandeur. First stop is Lake Louise, whose turquoise waters create a natural mirror that reflects the surroundings. Up next: a stop at the Columbia Icefield to experience the Ice Explorer, an all-terrain vehicle that travels on ice measuring 750 feet thick. Then, journey north into Jasper National Park, where precipitous gorges, snowcapped summits, and lakes of exquisite blues and greens come into view as the motorcoach scales three mountain passes. Later, perhaps take an optional float trip down the Athabasca River. Enjoy an orientation tour of the town of Jasper upon arrival.
Day 7: JASPER NATIONAL PARK
Today, join our optional excursion to Maligne Lake and Spirit Island, where you embark on a narrated cruise of the lake. The balance of the day is free to enjoy everything Jasper has to offer—from guided hikes and quaint shops to meandering wildlife.
Day 8: JASPER NATIONAL PARK–MOUNT ROBSON–KAMLOOPS
Depart Jasper and follow the Fraser River to the base of Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. The Yellowhead Highway continues south along the mighty Thompson River, with spectacular views of the Monashee Mountains. Overnight in Kamloops.
Day 9: KAMLOOPS–FERRY CROSSING–VICTORIA
As you travel through British Columbia’s Coast Mountain Range to its majestic Pacific coastline, the vegetation changes from desert landscape to lush alpine forest. Board your ferry for the spectacular crossing to Vancouver Island. Sightseeing in Victoria includes world-famous Butchart Gardens, the Inner Harbour, Bastion Square, and Thunderbird Park. This evening, consider a stroll along the lively Waterfront Promenade.
Day 10: VICTORIA
Today is free to explore on your own. You may choose to join an optional wildlife and whale watching trip cruising the beautiful waters of the San Juan and Gulf Islands, looking for whales, porpoises, seals, and eagles. Your Tour Director will have ideas for enjoying this most British of Canadian cities.
Day 11: VICTORIA–FERRY CROSSING–VANCOUVER
This morning, set sail across the Strait of Georgia and through the spectacular Gulf Islands. In Vancouver, city sightseeing includes Stanley Park, Gastown, Chinatown, and other famous landmarks. The remainder of the day is free to explore Robson Street and experience British Columbia’s premier shopping and entertainment location.
Day 12: VANCOUVER
Your vacation ends this morning. You may choose to extend your vacation with extra nights and explore Vancouver further.
