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Discovery Coast Passage - Grand Western Circle | |
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| Itinerary | |
| Day1. | Calgary to Golden |
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From Calgary, travel west on Highway 1, the Trans Canada Highway, through rolling foothills and into the Canadian Rockies. Spend the day sightseeing in Banff and Lake Louise before continuing west to Golden, British Columbia. Overnight: Golden | |
| Day2. | Golden to Penticton |
| Continue west along Highway 1. At Craigellachie, pause at the historical site where the famous "Last Spike" was driven into place on Canada's first transcontinental railway. Stop in the Alpine City of Revelstoke and tour the Railway Museum.
At Sicamous, turn south on Highway 97 into orchard country through Vernon, Kelowna and Penticton. BC's famous Okanagan Valley allows you the options of visiting a winery or two, savour fresh fruit, and to practise your golf swing on a number of championship courses. | |
| Day3. | Penticton to Hope |
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Take Highway 3A just south of Penticton to Keremeos (Fruit Stand Capital of the World) and join Highway 3 west to Hope, passing through Manning Provincial Park. Visit the Hope Landslide where, in 1965, one entire half of a mountain came tumbling down into the valley below. Overnight: Hope | |
| Day4. | Hope to Vancouver |
| Hope to Vancouver. Travel this day beside the mighty Fraser River, which carved out much of the valley, now home to dairy farms, and fertile vegetable and berry fields. Arrive in Vancouver in plenty of time to explore the city's attractions. Overnight: Vancouver | |
| Day5. | Vancouver to Victoria |
| Vancouver to Victoria. In the morning, take BC Ferries across Georgia Strait through the spectacular Gulf Islands to Victoria, capital of the province. (To save a day and/or to bypass Victoria, there are two alternate routes: West Vancouver by BC Ferries to Nanaimo and north, or BC Ferries to the Sunshine Coast and then to Courtenay.) Spend the afternoon visiting Victoria's attractions (amongst them, the Royal BC Museum, Empress Hotel, Butchart Gardens). Overnight: Victoria | |
| Day6. | Victoria to Campbell River |
| Victoria to Campbell River. This morning, travel north on the Island Highway over the spectacular Malahat Drive, with its commanding view of the surrounding countryside. Further along, you'll pass through Vancouver Island beach communities to overnight in Campbell River, the Salmon Capital of the World. Overnight: Campbell River | |
| Day7. | Campbell River to Port Hardy |
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Campbell River to Port Hardy: Continue north through pine forests to Port Hardy at the northern tip of Vancouver Island. Overnight: Port Hardy | |
| Day8. | Port Hardy to Bella Coola |
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Port Hardy to Bella Coola. This morning, board BC Ferries' Queen of Chilliwack en route to Bella Coola. On your voyage, you'll observe the solitude of sheltered inlets, surrounded by tranquil islands and fjords, where eagles soar, dolphins play, and whales surface and plunge. Overnight: Bella Coola | |
| Day9. | Bella Coola to Tweedsmuir Provicial Park |
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From Bella Coola, drive the "Freedom Highway" (Highway 20) to Tweedsmuir Provincial Park. Enjoy camping, hiking, and outstanding fly fishing for trout in this premier wilderness park. | |
| Day10. | On to Williams Lake |
| Proceed east on Highway 20 to Williams Lake, the centre of Cariboo Country. En route perhaps take the opportunity to raft the exciting Chilko River or detour along Farwell Canyon Road to view bighorn sheep. Overnight: Williams Lake | |
| Day11. | Willams Lake to Prince George |
| This morning, head north on Highway 97, the old Cariboo Wagon Road, to Prince George. On the way, take a side-trip to the historic town of Barkerville with restored buildings echoing the days of the gold rush in the 1860s. In Prince George, you can take a free forest industry tour. Overnight: Prince George | |
| Day12. | Prince George to Jasper National Park |
| Turning east on Highway 16, the "Yellowhead Highway," follow the Fraser River, which flows from its headwaters high in the Rocky Mountains in Mount Robson Provincial Park. Stop just east of Tete Jaune Cache to view Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Rockies. Continue east to the quaint town of Jasper, in Jasper National Park. Overnight: Jasper | |
| Day13. | Jasper to Banff |
| South from Jasper on the Icefields Parkway, Highway 93A, you'll travel on one of the most spectacular highways in the world. Be sure to stop at the Athabasca Glacier for a tour on the icefield. Further south is world-renowned Lake Louise with its stunning vistas over the lake. Overnight: Banff | |
| Day14. | Back to Calgary |
| East again on Highway 1. If time permits, take a side trip south to Kannanaskis Country before the tour ends in Calgary. | |