DAY 1 - VANCOUVER AIRPORT / VANCOUVER (12 Km)
Welcome to the cosmopolitan city of Vancouver, between the Pacific Ocean and the coastal mountains. Tonight you will be staying at a comfortable hotel, the Coast Plaza Vancouver***.
 You will receive your Authentik travel book, with all the details of your adventure including a road map indicating your route, as well as a personalized roadbook, a host of practical tourist information, a tax refund form for foreign visitors, your vouchers, a toll-free assistance number.
This evening, take the time to explore some of the city's well-known neighborhoods: Gastown, English Bay, Robson Street...
Have a great vacation in Canada's wide open spaces!
Authentik Advice: Don't pick up your rental vehicle at the airport upon your arrival at the Vancouver airport. As in all major cities around the world, driving in Vancouver is challenging and it can be hard to find your way around, especially after 12 hours of travel and the time change! We suggest that you take a taxi from the airport to your hotel ($30) - the easiest and most economical choice.
DAY 2 - VANCOUVER
Breakfast. Vancouver, Canada's most beautiful metropolis and ranked as one of the best cities in the world to live in, will enchant lovers of culture and nature alike. Set out on foot or by Trolley Bus for a tour of the city. Nature lovers won't want to miss Stanley Park and the Vancouver Aquarium! Night at the Coast Plaza Vancouver***.
Optional activities in Vancouver
Tour of Vancouver
Dinner-Cruise in Vancouver Bay
Capilano Suspension Bridge
Vancouver Aquarium
DAY 3 - VANCOUVER/ VICTORIA (2 hr ferry ride + 69 km)
 You pick up your vehicle downtown after breakfast, and then board the ferry for the charming city of Victoria. With its attractive 19th century architecture, beautiful gardens and waterfront promenades, Victoria is a lovely port city, easily visited on foot.
Optional activity along the way
Butchart Gardens
 At the heart of Victoria, in Beacon Hill Park, you will find lovely gardens and a superb view of the ocean and the mountains of Washington State. You will be spending the night at the Coast Harbourside***.
Optional activities in Victoria
Royal BC Museum
Orca watching Safari (boat)
Orca watching Safari (zodiac)
DAY 4 - VICTORIA / UCLUELET (297 km)
After a free morning in Victoria, you set out to discover Vancouver Island. For your first stop, we suggest that you stop in the village of Duncan.
Also known as the ''City of Totems'', Duncan is a real Indian village, with more that 80 totem poles lining its streets. You will also pass the tourist village of Chemainus, whose history and culture are told through a series of about thirty murals.
 Toward the end of the day, you will pass through McMillan Park, one of the last vestiges of the rain forest that covered the island more than 1000 years ago. Inside the park, pay a visit to Cathedral Grove, a magical place where you will find enormous 800 year old Douglas firs. Cathedral Grove was a sacred place for the First Nations people
At sunset you will arrive at the typical village of Ucluelet, on the edge of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. This is where you will be spending the next three nights, at the Canadian Princess Resort***.
DAY 5-6 - PACIFIC RIM NATIONAL PARK RESERVE
The next two days are an invitation for discovery and relaxation. After all, you are on holiday! The Pacific Rim is kilometres of deserted beaches, bordered by lush temperate rainforest, with an abundance of life on water and on land. The Long Beach section between Ucluelet and Tofino has nine well-maintained hiking trails, most of which can be walked in less than hour. This is an enchanting, restful, invigorating place, a  paradise for outdoors enthusiasts and nature lovers.
The sunset over the Pacific Ocean is not to be missed!
Optional activities
Black bear Safari
Fishing in the Pacific Ocean
Sea Kayak
The Explorer
STAY IN AN OUTFITTER BETWEEN VICTORIA & WHISTLER (OPTIONAL) |
Name of the Outfitter |
Activities |
Destination |
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Wildlife observation (grizzlies, orcas, bald eagles and other bird life), jet boating on the Klinaklini River, interpretive walk in the Kwalate Forest, sea kayak... |
Glendale Cove, Pacific Coast |
DAY 7 - UCLUELET / WHISTLER (2 hour ferry ride + 284 km)
Last moments to admire the splendour of the landscape before setting out for the town of Nanaimo, where you take a ferry back to Horseshoe Bay on the mainland. From there, you will follow the panoramic ''Sea to Sky'' highway through mountain villages, alpine meadows and luxuriant forests, past waterfalls and crystalline lakes, to that fabulous destination for outdoor adventure and recreation and North America's number one ski resort, Whistler.
Whistler will be host to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. The pedestrian village, with its exceptional setting and distinctive mountain resort architecture, is the heart of the ski resort, vibrant with restaurants, boutiques and terraces. The surrounding valley has five lakes lined with beaches and parks, all linked by hiking trails. You will spend the night at Crystal Lodge***.
Optional activity in Whistler
Scenic floatplane flight
STAY IN AN OUTFITTER BETWEEN WHISTLER & WELLS GRAY PARK (OPTIONAL) |
Name of the Outfitter |
Activities |
Destination |
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Canoeing, fishing, safari, wildlife observation (black bear, grizzly, moose, deer,...), ATV, mountain biking, gold panning, hiking, horseback riding, archery, horseshoes, volleyball, sauna, jacuzzi,... |
Gold Bridge,
Cariboo Mountain |
DAY 8-9 - WHISTLER / WELLS GRAY PARK (395 Km)
This morning you will cross the splendour of the Coast Mountains to reach the village of Lillooet, along the raging Fraser River. Lilooet is located at kilometre ''0'' of the historic Cariboo Trail, the famous Gold Rush route! You will drive the first 170 km of the Cariboo Trail before heading west toward the superb Cariboo Mountains in Well's Gray Park.
Optional activity along the way
Historic Hat Creek Ranch
Also known as "Waterfall Park", Wells Gray Park is one of British Columbia's most spectacular wilderness parks. You will marvel at Helkmen Falls, cascading in a straight fall of 141 metres  into an immense canyon. In July and August, hiking trails lead to incredible sub alpine meadows of wildflowers on the slopes of Trophy Mountain. And swimming enthusiasts are sure to want to cool off in the limpid waters of Clearwater Lake.
 At the end of the day, you will make your way to Wells Gray Ranch***, in the heart of Wells Gray Park. For the next two days, you will experience real Western Style hospitality in a spectacular mountain setting! In the evening, relax and enjoy the feel of the Old West around a good campfire.
Optional activities in Wells Gray Park
Canoeing on Clearwater Lake
DAY 10 - WELLS GRAY PARK / JASPER (322 Km)
Today you head for the amazing Jasper National Park. Drink in your fill of the incredible scenery as you follow the dizzying slopes and torrents of the Thompson River. And, weather permitting, eat your lunch at the foot of the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, Mount Robson. After lunch, pay a quick visit to the Visitors Centre before setting out on a hike to the lovely Kinney Lake along the popular Berg Lake Trail (3 hours, round trip).
 You have a good chance of observing wildlife along the panoramic Yellowhead Highway between Mount Robson and Jasper, especially during the two hours before sunset.
At the end of the day, like a scene from a dream, you find yourself in the heart of the majestic Rocky Mountains! You will be spending the next three nights at Becker's Chalets, in the heart of Jasper National Park.
DAY 11-12 - JASPER NATIONAL PARK
Two whole days to enjoy Jasper National Park! Jasper National Park is the largest and the most northerly of Canada's four Rocky Mountain Parks, which comprise a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fragile and carefully protected ecosystems make up a rugged and mountainous landscape.
Enjoy the most beautiful attractions, including the picturesque Maligne Lake, the spectacular trails of Maligne Canyon and glacier-covered Mount Edith Cavell, the charming village of Jasper where wapiti wander the streets, sunset from the top of Whistler's Mountain, etc... Nights in your Log Cabin.
Optional activities in Jasper National Park
Cruise on Maligne Lake
Jasper Tramway
Rafting on the Athabasca River
DAY 13 - JASPER / LAKE LOUISE (229 Km)
After a hearty breakfast, get an early start for the Icefields Parkway, considered to be one of the most beautiful roads in the world. This will be a day filled with rare natural splendours that will remain engraved in your memory for a long time to come.
Plan to stop at Athabasca Glacier and at the Columbia Icefield Interpretive Centre, the focal point of the Icefields Parkway.
Optional activity along the way
Excursion on Columbia Glacier
 Don't miss the serene Peyto and Bow Lakes. And for dessert, visit the famous Lake Louise and Moraine Lake - visions that will mark this day which is sure to be one of the highlights of your trip. The sheer magnitude and beauty of your surroundings will instill a sense of awe and wonder at the power and majesty of nature.
After checking into Deer Lodge***, in the village of Lake Louise, try out one of the local restaurants for supper. The evening is yours to enjoy.
DAY 14 - LAKE LOUISE / CALGARY (179 km)
Start your day with a hike along the magnificent Johnston Canyon Trail, which branches off the Bow Valley Parkway. The Bow Valley Parkway traverses some of the best wildlife habitats to be found in Banff National Park. It lies in what is called the montane ecoregion: a vital part of the park which supports the majority of wildlife and provides critical habitat for large carnivores, including wolves, cougars and grizzly bears.
After this lovely morning, you will head for Calgary, booming metropolis of the Canadian west. Well known for its typically "western" but modern ambiance, Calgary is a dynamic and friendly city. Check into your comfortable downtown hotel, the Calgary International ***, for the next two nights.
Optional activities in Calgary
Calgary Tower
Olympic Park
Heritage Park Village
DAY 15 - CALGARY / THE PRAIRIES / CALGARY
Today you are invited to discover the natural wealth and culture of the famous ''Canadian Prairies''. The vast stretches of arid undulating hills form a striking contrast to the snow-capped Rocky Mountain peaks seen in the distance.
You have two fascinating sites to visit. The first is located where a vast inland sea used to cover what is now the Red Deer River Valley; its climate provided an ideal habitat for dinosaurs. Today this area has the largest concentration of dinosaur fossils in the world. Some 80,000 of these treasures are on exhibit at the gigantic Royal Tyrrell Museum, one of Alberta's major attractions.
Optional activity (276 km return trip)
The Royal Tyrrell Museum
Your second destination is Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, situated where the foothills of the Rocky Mountains meet the great western plains. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is an open-air museum of culture of the Blackfoot Indian Nation.
Optional activity (310 km return trip)
Visit the Blackfoot and Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
Return to Calgary at the end of the day for another night at the Calgary International Hotel ***.
DAY 16 - CALGARY / BANFF (128 Km)
 After breakfast, spend some time exploring Calgary before returning to Banff National Park and the famous alpine village of Banff.
Optional activities along the way
Horseback riding in the Rockies
Scenic helicopter ride
Among the natural beauties still waiting to be discovered, visit Lake Minnewanka and the Hoodoos near the Town of Banff. You will spend the night at Banff Caribou Lodge***.
Optional activity in Banff
Luxton Museum
DAY 17 - BANFF / REVELSTOKE (270 Km)
 Today you will be driving 219 km along the most sinuous stretch of the 7821 km Transcanada Highway. The first kilometres will take you into the heart of Yoho National Park where many attractions await you, including the Emerald Lake trails and the Takakkaw Falls. The word "Yoho!" is a Cree exclamation of awe and wonder - awe inspired by the towering rock walls, spectacular falls and the peaks over 3,000 metres in height.
In the afternoon, you will begin your climb towards Rogers Pass at the heart of Glacier National Park . This park, offering the most rugged landscapes in western Canada, contains more than 400 glaciers. Finding a route for the railway through the mountains was no easy task; we invite you to discover the fascinating and incredible stories at the Rogers Pass Visitors Centre. At the end of the day, make your way to Glacier House*** for supper and a good night's sleep.
DAY 18-19 - REVELSTOKE / OKANAGAN VALLEY (182 Km)
 Your first thought when you wake up this morning is to look out of the window and admire the spectacular scenery... and this morning's route offers you the opportunity to do just that. Since you are only minutes away from Mount Revelstoke National Park, take the road that winds up to the summit of Mount Revelstoke. The view is simply breathtaking!
After one last lingering look at the Canadian Rockies, you head for the Okanagan Valley, the warmest region in Canada, a valley lined with fruit trees, vineyards and a large lake. The semi- arid landscape and vineyard areas are unusual; these hills and valleys do not have the shape or colour that we are used to in Europe.
To make the most of your surroundings, you will be spending the next two nights in a comfortable log cabin at Manteo Resort***, near the charming village of Kelowna, on the shores of the large Okanagan Lake.
DAY 20 - OKANAGAN / VANCOUVER (395 Km)
Last moments to enjoy the resort's unspoiled surroundings before leaving for Vancouver. Be sure to stop at some of the many scenic lookout points along the way. And don't miss this opportunity to experience a superb sunset from the Cascade Lookout in Manning Park. To get there, nothing could be easier: a paved road leads visitors directly to this spectacular viewpoint.
You will reach Vancouver at the end of the day, and spend the night at Coast Plaza Vancouver***.
DAY 21 - VANCOUVER / VANCOUVER AIRPORT (10 Km)
After breakfast, you have time for one last visit or activity, or to do some last-minute shopping in the many specialty shops along Robson Street in downtown Vancouver.
At the airport, drop off your car and board the plane for your return flight, full of lasting memories of the land of mountains, rivers and glaciers!
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