Day 1 : Vancouver – Victoria
This morning’s sightseeing tour of lovely Vancouver will visit the city's oldest neighbourhood, Gastown, which was designated a National Historic Site in 2009. You'll also visit buzzy Chinatown, and admire the famous collection of totem poles at Stanley Park, before jumping on the ferry bound for Vancouver Island, and drive into the capital of British Columbia, Victoria. After docking at Swartz Bay and making the short drive into the city, you’ll no doubt be struck by the distinctly English influence of Victoria. An orientation tour of the city will take you along the waterfront district and into the bustling downtown area, passing the Parliament Buildings, Government Street and through Beacon Hill Park so you can really get your bearings. This evening is yours to explore or dine out with new found friends.
Accommodation : Days Inn Uptown
Day 2 : Victoria Sightseeing and Free Time
Spend the morning amid the blossoms of world famous Butchart Gardens. This expansive estate is over a century old and offers sunken, rose, Japanese, Italian and Mediterranean gardens. Stroll through and find plenty of photo opportunities amidst moments of beauty. The rest of the day is yours to explore Victoria as you like. Learn about the surrounding waters on a whale watching cruise and keep a lookout for orcas, bald eagles, porpoises and seals.
Accommodation : Days Inn Uptown
Day 3 : Victoria – Whistler
First up on today’s agenda is Chemainus, a seaside community and former industrial town that is best known for its series of giant outdoor murals depicting local history. Hopping on board a ferry across the Georgia Strait and arriving into Horseshoe Bay, you’ll then travel along the iconic Sea-to-Sky Highway, one of the world’s most scenic drives. We challenge you not to keep your eyes to the horizon as you pass cascading waterfalls, jagged mountain peaks and the dreamy ocean vistas of Howe Sound, before stopping off at Shannon Falls Provincial Park, which boasts the third highest waterfall in all of British Columbia. Still in awe of the scenery offered by today’s drive, you’ll finish today in the alpine village of Whistler, which sits nestled in the shadows of the Blackcomb Mountains.
Accommodation : The Crystal Lodge
Day 4 : Whistler Free Time
Enjoy your day in Whistler as you explore this stunning adventure playground. Go hiking or biking on one of the many trails or the labyrinth of lanes that make up Whistler Village. Or make the day your own with action-packed Choice Experiences, each one more exhilarating than the next! You could go bear viewing with a local wildlife photographer, whitewater rafting, zip lining at 100 km per hour amidst the stunning mountain wilderness, and many more options. When we said exhilarating, we weren't joking!
Accommodation : The Crystal Lodge
Day 5 : Whistler – Sun Peaks
Fuel for another big day with a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® iconic breakfast at Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre where you’ll get to know more about First Nations culture through food and music, treated to authentic tastes including blueberry and cheese and onion bannock (a kind of quick skillet bread) and a performance by cultural ambassadors dressed in traditional regalia singing, dancing, and sharing stories from Squamish and Lil’wat Nations. You will then leave Whistler behind as you venture along scenic Duffey Lake Road, spotting the freshwater fjord of Seton Lake, and the ominous sounding Mt. Rohr along the way. Following the once treacherous Cariboo Wagon Trail, which formed part of the Gold Rush Route, your final port of call for today is Sun Peaks, one of British Columbia’s best loved ski resorts. Winter time here sees ski and snowboard enthusiasts from across the globe flocking to this pretty little town to enjoy just some of the 135 ski runs that pepper the horizon. In the warmer months, the ski lifts stay open to provide access to more than two dozen hiking and mountain bike trails, making Sun Peaks yet another outdoorsy gem.
Accommodation : Sun Peaks Lodge
Day 6 : Banff Sightseeing and Free Time
Make sure your camera’s in-hand today for optional helicopter flights (weather dependent) that will have you soaring over iconic sites including the Three Sisters Peak, the Sundance Ranges and the Gloria and Assiniboine Glaciers (weather dependent). Next up in Banff - famed for its world-class national parks, lakes and vistas - get a taste on a sightseeing tour along Tunnel Mountain Drive. Take in sights such as Cascade Mountain, Mt. Rundle, Bow Falls, and the surreal, hoodoos rock formations, which have gained their twisted shapes over years of erosion from water and wind. Venture into the stunning wilderness of Banff National Park to take advantage of a range of Choice Experiences to capture the best of the region. Enjoy golf with a view at Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course or join a Plant Medicine Walk with a First Nations Local Specialist. Or, join an optional experience in Canmore, including an E-bike food tour. As an evening option, book a Banff Gondola ride including dinner with a view.
Accommodation : Canmore Inn and Suites
Day 7 : Canmore - Vernon (1 Night)
It will be another incredible drive today as you climb higher and higher to cross the Continental Divide at Kicking Horse Pass, stopping at the Spiral Tunnels on the way to marvel at one of the steepest railroad stretches in the world. You’ll then travel through not one, not two, but three beautiful national parks, slowly descending from the mountains as the landscape changes from snowcapped peaks to sprawling wineries and fruit orchards, indicating that you’ve arrived in Canada’s ‘fruit basket’, the Okanagan Valley. Surrounded by so many grapes the temptation for a tasting will be hard to resist, so you’ll stop off at Larch Hills Winery for a tour and tasting before heading on to Vernon, the unofficial capital of the Okanagan.
Accommodation : Sandman Hotel Vernon