24 Day Unforgettable Canadian Rockies with Alaska Cruise & Denali Discovery

Welcome to Victoria, the charming capital of British Columbia. Known for its colonial heritage and gentle pace of life, this city offers a warm introduction to Western Canada. After making your way to your hotel, the evening is at your leisure to begin exploring the scenic Inner Harbor or perhaps enjoy a walk along the waterfront. Special Information Airport transfers are not included. Our transfer portal offers the option to book your airport transfers for an easier arrival experience (additional charges apply). Access to this portal will be available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed. Hotel check-in time is at 3pm. If arriving prior to this, you will be able to leave your luggage with hotel reception and explore your surroundings until check-in becomes available. The hotel may grant early check-in, however this is strictly subject to availability and at the hotel's discretion.

After breakfast, begin your morning with a visit to the world-renowned Butchart Gardens. Once a rock quarry, this vast amphitheater of flora is now a wonderland of color featuring thousands of species of trees and plants. Following this, enjoy a sightseeing tour of Victoria's highlights, including the lush Beacon Hill Park, the historic totem poles of Thunderbird Park, the iconic Empress Hotel, and the scenic residential district of Oak Bay. The city's British origin is beautifully reflected in its shops and architecture. Your afternoon and evening is at leisure to explore further; you might choose to visit a local gallery or enjoy a stroll through the town center. Inspiring Highlights Butchart Gardens visit Victoria city sightseeing tour Beacon Hill Park and Thunderbird Park

After breakfast, your journey continues along the Malahat Highway toward Nanaimo. Here, you will board a ferry to cross the strait to Horseshoe Bay before joining the spectacular Sea-to-Sky Highway. En route, stop at Shannon Falls, the third-highest waterfall in British Columbia. As you drive into the heart of the Coastal Mountain Range, you will reach Whistler. This world-famous pedestrian village and former host of the 2010 Winter Olympics is a summer paradise nestled at the edge of Garibaldi Provincial Park. Enjoy an orientation tour of the village with your guide upon arrival. Tonight is at your leisure. Inspiring Highlights Scenic ferry crossing to Horseshoe Bay Shannon Falls photo stop Whistler orientation tour Special Information Your travel time today will be approximately 6 hours

Today features dramatic changes in scenery as you travel into the interior of British Columbia. Follow a breathtaking route through the wilderness of the Coast Mountains, descending into the rolling ranch lands of the Cariboo region. This path was originally charted by adventurers during the 1860s Gold Rush. Your destination is Clearwater, a quiet town serving as the gateway to the magnificent Wells Gray Provincial Park. Tonight is at your leisure. Inspiring Highlights Scenic drive through the Coast Mountains Cariboo region ranch lands Special Information Your travel time today will be approximately 6.5 hours

After breakfast, explore the natural beauty of Wells Gray Provincial Park before departing for Mount Robson Provincial Park. Here, enjoy a photo stop to view the snowy peaks of the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies. Continue along the Yellowhead Parkway to reach the picturesque town of Jasper, located within Jasper National Park. Surrounded by awesome mountain peaks and flower-carpeted meadows, Jasper is a year-round hub for nature lovers. Tonight is at your leisure. Inspiring Highlights Wells Gray Provincial Park visit Mount Robson photo stop Entrance to Jasper National Park Special Information Your travel time today will be approximately 4.5 hours

Prepare for a day of spectacular scenery as you travel south along the Icefields Parkway. After a photo stop at the powerful Athabasca Falls, you will reach the Columbia Icefield. Here, you will board a massive, specially designed Ice Explorer vehicle to drive onto the surface of the Athabasca Glacier. You will have the opportunity to step out onto the ancient ice and perhaps even fill your water bottle with fresh glacier water. Continue your journey past the turquoise Peyto Lake before arriving in the iconic town of Banff this evening. Tonight is at your leisure. Inspiring Highlights Icefields Parkway scenic drive Athabasca Falls photo stop Athabasca Glacier Ice Explorer ride Peyto Lake view Special Information Your travel time today will be approximately 4.5 hours

Today is entirely at your leisure to enjoy the wonders of Banff. You might enjoy a quiet walk through the town's charming streets, visit the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies to learn about local history, relax in a cozy mountain lodge or perhaps join an optional day tour. The surrounding peaks offer endless opportunities for photography and peaceful reflection. Tonight is at your leisure.

This morning, enjoy a tour of the region around Banff, which became Canada's first national park in 1885. Visit the landmark Banff Springs Hotel, Tunnel Mountain, the cascading Bow Falls, and the dramatic Johnston Canyon. Later, we travel to Lake Louise, often called the most photographed scene in Canada. En route, you will stop at the stunning Moraine Lake (seasonal). Upon arrival at Lake Louise, enjoy a tour of the area with your guide followed by an afternoon at leisure to enjoy the lakeside views. Tonight is at your leisure. Inspiring Highlights Banff Springs Hotel and Bow Falls Johnston Canyon walk Moraine Lake photo stop Lake Louise guided tour Special Information Your travel time today will be approximately 1.5 hours Moraine Lake typically opens early June. Access is dependent on snow and avalanche conditions.If access is not available, you will enjoy more time at Lake Louise.

After breakfast, board the coach to follow a historic route used by fur traders and railroad engineers. Visit the serene Emerald Lake, Natural Bridge, and the impressive Spiral Railway Tunnels. Cross the Kicking Horse Pass into the Columbia River Valley and climb through Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park, home to the snowy Selkirk Mountains. Your journey takes you past the Monashee Mountains and south into the fertile Okanagan Valley, famous for its orchards and vineyards. Tonight is at your leisure. Inspiring Highlights Emerald Lake and Natural Bridge Spiral Railway Tunnels Glacier National Park and Rogers Pass Okanagan Valley scenery Special Information Your travel time today will be approximately 6 hours

Today you leave the Okanagan Valley behind and travel through the diverse landscapes of the lower mainland. The drive along Highway 3 showcases a remarkable variety of vegetation, ranging from desert-like conditions with cacti in the east to dense rain forests in the west. You will drive the Coquihalla Highway before entering the bustling coastal city of Vancouver. After checking into your hotel, the evening is yours to start exploring the "Jewel of the West Coast." Inspiring Highlights Journey through the diverse landscapes of the lower mainland Scenic drive along the Coquihalla Highway Special Information Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours

This morning, enjoy a comprehensive sightseeing tour of Vancouver. Highlights include the world-famous Stanley Park with its impressive collection of First Nations totem poles, English Bay, the trendy shops of Robson Street, Canada Place, and the historic districts of Gastown. Later, travel to North Vancouver to visit the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, where you can walk high above the forest floor. Return to your hotel in the early afternoon for some final leisure time to explore the waterfront or do some last-minute shopping. Inspiring Highlights Stanley Park and totem poles Historic Gastown and Chinatown Capilano Suspension Bridge Park visit

Today is yours to enjoy a full day exploring Vancouver at your own pace. This vibrant city offers a wealth of activities perfect for a relaxing day of discovery. You might choose to take a gentle stroll along the False Creek seawall, or visit the Granville Island Public Market to browse local artisan crafts and fresh produce. For those interested in history and art, the Vancouver Art Gallery or the Museum of Vancouver provide fascinating insights into the region's cultural heritage.

You have some time this morning for some last minute shopping before making your own way to the Vancouver Cruise Terminal to board your Alaskan Inside Passage cruise. Once you have checked in to the cruise, begin exploring all that your ship has to offer. Special InformationPorts of call may vary cruise to cruise based on ship schedules.

Relax and enjoy a full day of scenic Inside Passage cruising and immerse yourself in Holland America Line elegance.

We arrive into our first port of Ketchikan at 7am this morning. Alaska's "First City" of Ketchikan is so named because it's the first major landfall for most cruisers as they enter the picturesque fjords of the Inside Passage, where the town clings to the banks of the Tongass Narrows, flanked by green forests nurtured by abundant rain. Ketchikan has long been an important hub of the salmon-fishing and -packing industries. Visitors can try their luck on a sportfishing or simply savor the fresh seafood at one of the local restaurants on a cruise to Ketchikan excursion. Ketchikan is also one of the best spots along the Inside Passage to explore the rich cultural sights of Native Alaskan nations like the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian. You can see intricately carved totem poles at the Totem Heritage Center and Totem Bight State Park, while the attractions of Saxman Village just outside of Ketchikan offers the chance to see Tlingit culture in action, with working carvers and a dance show in the clan house. On an Alaska cruise to Ketchikan don't forget to leave time to explore the sights in the town itself, including historic Creek Street, a boardwalk built over the Ketchikan Creek, where you can shop for souvenirs, smoked salmon and local art, while exploring gold rush­–era tourist attractions like Dolly's House Museum. Inspiring Highlights Totem Heritage Center Totem Bight State Park Saxman Village Creek Street Dolly's House Museum

Arriving in Juneau at 10am, enjoy a full day of exploring Alaska's capital. Juneau is known for its outdoor recreation, fresh seafood and fine dining. The city itself is pleasant, but the real highlight of a visit to Juneau is tracking down some wildlife. You can hike up Mount Roberts to chance upon wild deer and bald eagles. Most sightseeing and whale-watching tours head north to Auke Bay—bring a good pair of binoculars to get the best view of these majestic and surprisingly graceful creatures. If you prefer land mammals, catch a floatplane to a nearby wildlife reserve such as Chichagof or Admiralty Island to spy some bears lolling around on Alaska cruise excursion. The sleepy, misty city of around 32,000—mostly fishermen and small-business owners—has a frontier town vibe, but welcomes more than a million visitors each summer to its natural attractions, cementing Juneau as Alaska's number-one tourist destination. Inspiring Highlights Mount Roberts Auke Bay Chichagof Island Admiralty Island

Step back to the days of the last great gold rush as we arrive into Skagway at 7am this morning. At the height of the Klondike Gold Rush, the port town of Skagway served as the primary gateway to the legendary gold fields, and quickly grew into Alaska's largest settlement. It was then a raucous frontier hub packed with trading posts, saloons and guesthouses. As the gold rush faded into the 1900s, so did Skagway—but today it has been reinvigorated as a gateway for a new kind of visitor: those looking to explore Alaska's colorful history, pristine wildlife and unrivaled natural beauty. At every turn, you'll find yourself immersed in gold rush lore, from the infamous Red Onion Saloon that still keeps a pistol that Wyatt Earp left behind en route to the Klondike, to the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad, a classic narrow-gauge railway that traverses rugged mountains and passes cascading waterfalls and towering glaciers as it connects Skagway to Whitehorse deep in the Yukon. Known as the "Garden City of Alaska," Skagway is filled with beauty and nature. Inspiring Highlights Red Onion Saloon White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad Skagway town

Cruise the ice-studded fjords of this national treasure for a full eight hours as a Park Service Ranger narrates. On your cruise to Glacier Bay, close your eyes and take in the sounds—the creaks and groans of “living” ice, the shrill cries of gulls and soaring eagles, the splash of a breaching humpback whale. Frosted peaks towering over mossy forests, wide tidewater glaciers (there are seven in the park), and marine wildlife are givens on Glacier Bay cruises, but every experience in this changing biosphere is unique. Inspiring Highlights Glacier Bay National Park Tidewater Glaciers

Scenic cruising College Fjord will bring you close to many glaciers—there's even a spot where you can see eight at once. Your chances of watching ice thunder into the water is high, as the Prince William Sound is one of the most active areas for calving. Out of all Alaska fjords, College Fjord is the most storied. The Harriman Expedition of 1899 with John Muir and other notable scientists traversed the College Fjord aboard the George W. Elder, funded by Ivy League colleges. All of the glaciers were named for various schools. As you travel into College Fjord, the glaciers on the left are named for women's colleges and those on the right are named for men's colleges. The names are Amherst, Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Harvard, Smith, Vassar, and Yale. Harvard Glacier is the biggest – its face is a mile and a half across. In case you're wondering, it is rumored that the scientists snubbed Princeton. Inspiring Highlights College Fjord Harvard Glacier

Disembark and embark on a picturesque rail journey along Turnagain Arm aboard the cruise train, en route to Anchorage, where your Journey Host will be waiting to greet you. On arrival in Anchorage, enjoy the day at leisure to explore this fascinating city. Explore on your own or take an optional excursions. Don't miss the chance to ride the Anchorage Trolley or immerse yourself in Alaskan tribal culture at the Native Heritage Center. While the abundant wildlife alone is reason enough to cruise to Anchorage, Alaska, the city's rich culture is equally worth exploring. Nearly half of the state's population resides in Anchorage, including military personnel, Alaska Natives, adventurous transplants from the "lower 48," and oil industry workers. The city is dotted with coffee and espresso huts on every corner, and local culinary delights include fresh halibut, smoked salmon, and reindeer dogs. Inspiring Highlights Anchorage cruise train Special InformationYour travel time today will be approximately 2.5 hours.

This morning, board the luxurious domed rail cars of the McKinley Explorer to Denali for a two night stay at this magnificent national treasure. These unique, single level domed rail cars with great panoramic windows are just the perfect way to see this magnificent part of Alaska. Canyons, cascading waterfalls, glaciers and spectacular scenery await at every turn. On a clear day, you can see the stunning Denali (North America's tallest mountain) shortly after our departure from Anchorage. On arrival at your remote lodge on the edge of Denali National Park, enjoy the evening at leisure. There are a number of activities on offer. Speak with the hotel concierge or your Journey Host for more information. Inspiring Highlights McKinley Explorer Domed Rail Journey Denali National Park Denali (North America's tallest mountain) Special InformationYour travel time today will be approximately 8 hours.

Today we embark on the unforgettable Tundra Wilderness Tour, a 5-6 hour fully narrated sightseeing excursion that takes you into the heart of Denali National Park. Standing at an impressive 20,310 feet above sea level, Denali is more than just a mountain; it's the crown jewel of Alaska's interior, majestically rising above the pristine wilderness. If you're hoping for more than just a fleeting glimpse of “the Great One,” you're in luck. On this expertly guided adventure, you'll likely encounter some of Alaska's "big five": grizzly bears, caribou, moose, Dall sheep, and wolves. Back at the lodge, enjoy a cocktail reception with your fellow travellers. Inspiring Highlights Tundra Wilderness Tour

After a morning at leisure in Denali, today you'll head to Fairbanks - Alaska's Golden Heart City. On arrival, climb aboard an authentic Alaskan sternwheeler, the Riverboat Discovery, and embark on a journey back in time along the Chena and Tanana Rivers. Since 1950, the Binkley family has been operating riverboat tours in Fairbanks. Now, you can explore the natural beauty and history of the area with third- and fourth-generation captains. Enjoy a tour with native Alaskans in a traditional village and meet some of the pioneers who call this land home. Spend the evening at leisure in Fairbanks. Inspiring Highlights Riverboat Discovery Chena and Tanana Rivers Native Alaskan village tour Special InformationYour travel time today will be approximately 3 hours.

Your tour concludes this morning in Fairbanks. At the appropriate time, make your own way to Fairbanks Airport for your onward flight. Thank you for travelling with Inspiring Vacations. We hope you had a memorable experience. Special InformationAirport transfers are not included. Our transfer portal offers the option to book your airport transfers for an easier arrival experience (additional charges apply). Access to this portal will be available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed.