Compare Grand Canadian Rockies by Intrepid Travel vs 3-Day Vancouver Tour Package from Seattle**Choice from Vancouver City Tour, Whistler Day Trip, or Victoria Day Trip** by Tours4Fun

Day 1 Vancouver

Welcome to Canada! Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. If you do arrive early, perhaps explore the happening neighbourhood of Yaletown, or head to Granville Island to visit the colourful markets full of fresh produce and handcrafts. Vancouver’s coastal setting is beautiful, bordered by an ocean harbour to the north and a river to the south. The majestic Coastal Mountains, often snow-capped, provide the eastern horizon, making it a picturesque place to spend a few days before the tour begins. After your welcome meeting, perhaps wander around downtown Vancouver or grab a craft beer in the Gastown neighbourhood.

Day 2 Whistler

On your way out of Vancouver today, check out Stanley Park’s carved totem poles, representing the historical crests of First Nations families and their clans. During the drive to Whistler you’ll stop at the beautiful Shannon Falls, then learn more about First Nations art, history and culture at Squamish Lil'Wat Cultural Centre. Refuel with a late lunch at the onsite cafe, serving a modern take on traditional First Nations food. In Whistler Village, enjoy free time to wander the bustling hub of shops and award-winning restaurants, all surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery. Later, you may like to join in on the Whistler nightlife by sampling one of the town’s lively bars.

Day 3 Whistler

Stunning Whistler is ready to be explored, up the mountain or back down in the village. Perhaps buy yourself a ticket to ride the PEAK 2 PEAK gondola to enjoy unparalleled views of towering volcanic peaks and surrounding forest on the world’s longest and highest lift. Once at the top, check out the nearby scenic walking trails, mountaintop restaurants and indoor interpretive displays. Otherwise, you could hire a bike and ride along the Valley Trail to Lost Lake, or go wildlife or wildflower spotting. If you're after something a little more cultured, perhaps hit the Audain Art Museum to see a selection of First Nations and British Columbian artwork.

Day 4 Sun Peaks

Drive through the mountains to Sun Peaks (approximately 4–5 hours). Sun Peaks township is set on one of many peaks along the mountain range and the views from the top are incredible. On arrival you may have time to explore the area on foot. This evening, rejoin your group for dinner together.

Day 5 Jasper

Head to Jasper, one of the most photographed places in Canada. Jasper is the largest of Canada's Rocky Mountain parks, famous for wildlife such as elk, moose, deer, coyotes, grizzly bears and mountain lions, as well as smaller mammals and birds. During your free time in Jasper you’ll have options to explore including hiking in the Valley of Five Lakes and riding the Jasper SkyTram – the highest and longest aerial tramway in Canada. Climbing to 2300 metres, the SkyTram provides spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains.

Day 6 Jasper

Today is a free day in Jasper. Join the group on a visit to Maligne Lake for some hiking, and perhaps book yourself a cruise on the lake’s shimmering blue waters past the much-photographed Spirit Island. Alternatively, a ride on the Jasper SkyTram is highly recommended if you didn’t do it yesterday, as it provides stunning views over the township and surrounding mountains. For adventure seekers, Jasper is an excellent destination to hire a mountain bike and explore the surrounding trails which weave through dense forest and pass stunning lookouts.

Day 7 Banff National Park

Buckle up for Banff. Today is a long day, with many scenic stops and visits along the way (in total, up to 12 hours). In the morning, travel towards Banff, stopping off at the Columbia Icefields Centre, Athabasca Falls and Sunwapta Falls. You'll have the chance to join an optional glacier hike with a professional guide (at own expense). Then head into Banff National Park in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. Banff is considered the oldest national park in Canada, showcasing the Rockies’ valleys and mountain chains which began forming up to 75 million years ago.

Day 8 Lake Louise / Banff National Park

Today pay a visit to Lake Louise with the group. Take a walk around the turquoise lake (season depending) or check out the interior of the luxury mountain resort, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. This afternoon, don an old-fashioned swimsuit and soak in the hot mineral waters of the Banff Upper Hot Springs. If there is extra time today, you may like to take part in one of the many adventure activities available within the park. With its coniferous forests, alpine meadows, icefields and glaciers, the park is an outdoor enthusiast's paradise. There are opportunities for canoeing, mountain biking, hiking or riding the gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain.

Day 9 Calgary

Complete your crossing of the Rockies today on a drive to Calgary. Along the way, make a stop in the cosy little town of Canmore, the perfect place to grab some lunch and soak in some final mountain views. Say goodbye to the Rockies and continue to Calgary, arriving in the afternoon. Home to the famous Calgary Stampede, the city is growing at a rapid rate, largely thanks to oil and mining. While it may not be the most picturesque of cities, Calgary makes up for it with a budding dining and nightlife scene. In the evening perhaps head for dinner at one of the city's great restaurants.

Day 10 Calgary

There are no activities planned for today and you can depart the accommodation at any time, though please be sure to comply with any hotel check-out times.

Day 1 Seattle - Vancouver

Welcome to Seattle! Today we'll do the Seattle mini city tour, visiting the Space Needle and Seattle Aquarium (admission not included). Afterwards we'll travel to Vancouver, arriving in the evening.

Day 2 Vancouver Tour or Day Trips

Today you'll have three options to choose from: Vancouver Day Tour We will visit the major attractions with our Vancouver city tour! First we'll head to Chinatown, one of the largest in North America. We will visit the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Classical Chinese Garden, a tranquil Ming Dynasty-style garden which grows the rarely found black bamboo tree. We will also see the Sam Kee Building, at just 1.5m/6ft wide, it's the world's most narrow office. Next we'll visit Gastown, where Vancouver's economy began and see the historic steam clock which will whistle every hour. From here it's off to Canada Place, which was home to the 1986 World Expo site and is now a Cruise Ship Terminal, with five stars hotel and a convention center. You will see the Five Sail, one of Vancouver's landmark. Afterwards we'll visit the Canada Winter Olympic Park to take photos with Olympic cauldron, followed by Stanley Park, the largest city park in Canada which over 1,000 acre of forests, totem poles and the most spectacular view from Prospect Point. Then we'll head to Capilano Suspension Bridge (admission not included) to feel the thrill of walking on a suspension bridge 70 meters above the river where you may find ancient pine trees. Stroll the Cliff Walk to challenge your bravery. Later in the tour we'll visit Granville Island, a 50,000 square feet island with a public market of dry goods, fresh fruit, cheese produce, honey, Italy salami and international food. It is also known as Vancouver's Art Town with a lot of unique shops, restaurant, marinas and galleries. Lastly, we'll visit Queen Elizabeth Park, which is famous for being the highest point in Vancouver (152m above sea level), which makes for spectacular views of the park, downtown Vancouver, and the mountain that line the North Shore. Victoria Day Trip In the morning, our Victoria tour will depart from Vancouver, where we'll transfer to the Tsawwassen and board the BC Ferries to Victoria (admission not included), the capital of British Columbia on Vancouver Island. The luxury ferries provide facilities including restaurants and gift shop. Upon arrival in Vancouver Island, our Victori tour will begin with a visit to the century old Butchart Garden (admission not included). The garden covers an area of 50 acres filled with themed gardens like Sunken Garden featuring a large variety of flowers, begonia kiosks. Sunken Garden is the most exciting district, originally a nest shaped trap lime quarry, it has transformed into a garden covered with colorful flowers and ingenuity set of trees. Other theme gardens are the Concert Lawn, Rose Garden Three Sturgeon Fountain, Japanese Garden, and Italian Garden. The next stop on our day trip from Vancouver will be at the narrowest commercial street in Canada, the Fan Tan Alley. After passing by Chinatown’s historic Gate of Harmonious Interest, the next destination is the British Victorian and Edwardian style inner harbor tourist area. Then our tour will lead us to the magnificent Fairmont Empress Hotel, the Royal BC Museum (admission not included), and the historic Neo-baroque Legislative Building. The Victorian Inner Harbor is next on our route where you can choose to travel the area on foot or by carriage (admission not included). Lastly, we'll head to Beacon Hill Park with a stop at “Mile Zero”, the start of the 8000 km Trans-Canada Highway that spans the entire length of Canada. Our Victoria tour will return to Vancouver in the late afternoon. Whistler One Day Tour We'll begin our day trip from Vancouver to Whistler by driving along the Sea to Sky Highway, passing through Horseshoe Bay and Squamish. Then we'll arrive in Whistler and begin our Whistler tour. Our visit we'll include a visit to Shannon Falls, the third highest waterfall in Canada, and Stawaus Chief, the 2nd largest granite monolith in the world. Then we'll explore Whistler Village, co-host of 2010 Winter Olympics and famous ski resort. Lastly, we'll have the chance to board the Peak2Peak Gondola (admission not included) to enjoy stunning views of the region.

Day 3 Vancouver - Seattle

We offer complimentary SEA drop-off, and we'll leave for Seattle at about 7:00am.