ALASKA & ROCKY MOUNTAINEER

Explore the resort town of Banff, the true epitome of the Canadian Rockies, surrounded by flowing rivers, at your own pace. Take a stroll through the centre of the town visiting the boutiques, shops and restaurants along the way. The peaks of Mount Rundle and Mount Cascade dominate the skyline, and the surrounding countryside is home to all sorts of iconic wildlife such as elk and grizzly bears.

Transfer from your hotel to the railway station and travel on board the Rocky Mountaineer train from the resort town of Banff to Kamloops, in the heart of British Columbia’s interior. Your journey takes you through a spectacular array of scenery as you travel between the glacier and snow-capped peaks of the Canadian Rockies, over mountain passes and through remarkable tunnels, along rocky lakeshores and across the ranchlands of the interior. Highlights include the Continental Divide, the Spiral Tunnels, the Kicking Horse Canyon, Rogers Pass and Craigellachie where the last spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway was driven. (BL)

Your journey continues west towards the Pacific Ocean and the coastal city of Vancouver. Today you will again see dramatic changes in scenery, from the desertlike environment of the interior, through winding river canyons and pristine forests, to the Coast and Cascade mountains and the lush green fields of the Fraser River Valley. Highlights include the steep slopes and rock sheds along the Thompson River and the rushing waters of Hells Gate in the Fraser Canyon. Your rail journey ends on arrival in Vancouver this evening when you will transfer to your hotel for an overnight stay. (BL)

Transfer from your hotel to the cruise port in Vancouver and embark the Koningsdam for your seven night cruise of Alaska. (LD)

Experience all that Holland America Line has to offer on your Alaska cruise. Sail the Inside Passage; a protected network of waterways winding through glacier-cut fjords and lush temperate rain forests along the rugged Southeastern coast. Arguably one of the greatest cruising routes in the world, the Inside Passage offers opportunities to spot some of Alaska’s most iconic wildlife, from umpback whales and orca to bald eagles and brown bears. Along the way you will stop at the town of Juneau, famous not only for gold, but also for its glistening glaciers and stunning mountain views, Alaska’s ‘First City’ of Ketchikan and Skagway, the gateway to the gold fields. (BLD)

Disembark the ship in Vancouver and transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK. (B)