Day 1

Arrive in Seattle. Travelers booking air through YMT will be greeted by a YMT representative and transferred to the hotel. Guests who have booked their air individually will have to make their own way to the hotel. Enjoy the afternoon and evening at leisure, perhaps visit Pike Place Market with its legendary fish mongers or take a trip up the Space Needle, Seattle’s famous observation tower once built for the 1962 World Expo. Overnight: Holiday Inn Renton (or similar accommodations)

Day 2

Start your tour with a scenic drive through the lush forestlands of the Pacific Northwest to the Columbia River Plateau. En route, visit the impressive Grand Coulee Dam, the largest concrete dam in the US and the third largest electric power producing facility in the world. Nearby view Dry Falls which is thought to have once been the largest waterfall in the world; hard to believe when viewing it in this day and age! The day ends upon arrival in Spokane where we spend the night.Hotel: Red Lion River Inn or similar.

Day 3

Pass by the beautiful Lakeside communities of Coeur d’Alene and Flathead Lake as your tour takes you further east to “Big Sky Country” of Montana. You will overnight nearby Glacier National Park in Kalispell, a perfect location to explore Glacier and Waterton National Parks the next day. Overnight: Red Lion Kalispell (or similar accommodations)

Day 4

Today you will drive through scenic routes of Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks. In the morning enjoy the beautiful scenery along the “Going to the Sun” road in small vehicles accompanied by local guides (subject to availability and road accessibility) before stopping for lunch in the park. See Glacier’s pristine forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains, and spectacular lakes. Relive the days of old through seeing the historic chalets and lodges, accompanied by stories of the Native American Blackfeet tribe. Continue further north and cross into Waterton Lakes, the Canadian sister park of Glacier. It is part of the Crown of the Continent ecosystem; a place with unusually diverse physical, biological and cultural resources. You will overnight in the Lethbridge/Fort Mc Leod area.Hotel: Sandman Inn Lethbridge. 

*For 9/14 Going to the Sun road will be closed. An alternative route through Glacier/Waterton National Park will be presented.

Day 5 & 6

Today’s route will take you to beautiful and quaint Banff in the heart of Banff National Park for a two night stay. En route visit “Head-smashed-in Buffalo Jump” where you can learn about the famous hunting technique that the Native Americans used. It has been said that the buffalo jump was used for over 5000 years by the indigenous peoples of the plains to kill buffalo by driving them off the 36 feet high cliff. The Blackfeet drove the buffalo from a grazing ground by dressing up as coyotes and wolves and chased them down plains on foot. Then, at full gallop, the buffalo would fall to their death close by the Blackfeet encampment. Today the jump is a UNESCO World heritage site and home to an interesting interpretive center showcasing Native American tribal arts and its history. On day 6, enjoy a day of leisure in this beautiful mountain setting. Perhaps take the Banff Gondola up the mountain or enjoy some shopping time in this picturesque town. Hotel: Rundlestone Lodge or similar.

Day 7

Travel north on the Icefields Parkway, the sensational scenic route through the Canadian Rockies! You will be able to embrace the beauty of these rugged mountains as you travel the entire length of the parkway (140 miles). See Glacier fed Peyto Lake and Lake Louise. Then a highlight awaits: The Columbia Icefield Glacier Adventure is included in your tour experience! You will board massive Ice Explorer vehicles, specially designed for glacial travel, and you will be taken on a remarkable excursion onto the the surface of the Athabasca Glacier. Your 80 minute journey is lead by an experienced local driver-guide who shares a wealth of fascinating information about glaciers, icefields and their impact on our environment. At one point of the tour you will be able ot safely step out onto the glacier and stand on this powerful ancient ice - truly an astonishing experience! Your day ends in picturesque Jasper, a small resort in Jasper National Park.Hotel: Lobstick Lodge or similar.

Day 8

Today drive south along the Icefields Parkway and stop in Yoho National Park before your tour crosses the Continental Divide and takes you further west to the resort town of Revelstoke. Located within an astonishing scenery of wildflower meadows and crowned by mountain ranges it offers great views and a lovely relaxing setting en route to the Pacific region of Western Canada. Overnight: Sandman Revelstoke (or similar accommodations)

Day 9

As you travel further west you will enter the beautiful scenery of the Lake Okanagan region. This is the western Canadian’s favorite vacation region! The lake spreads over an impressive area of 91 miles in length and between 3 and 4 miles in width. Surrounded by beautiful mountain ranges , the crystal clear waters and lake views will not disappoint! Hotel: Sandman Hotel Kelowna or similar.

Day 10

Today you travel on Canada’s scenic Highway 99 as you climb into the Mountains of Pacific Canada and enjoy the resort town of Whistler. Whistler was in 2010 the main alpine venue of the Olympic Winter Games and has received quite some attention since. Consistently ranked the number one mountain resort in North America, Whistler features two majestic mountains, epic skiing and snowboarding, four championship golf courses, more than 200 shops, 90 restaurants and bars. Enjoy your night in this beautiful resort at leisure. Hotel: Aava Hotel or similar.

Day 11

Enjoy a leisurely morning in Whistler, perhaps take the Peak to Peak Gondola for breathtaking views. In the afternoon it will be time to experience one of the major highlights on tour: Board the “Sea to Sky Climb” Rocky Mountaineer train which takes you through breathtaking scenery as you descend to the Pacific coast from the mountains. The natural beauty of the Coast Mountain Range is a captivating landscape that will have you reach for your camera often. See Brandywine Falls, a spectacular 230 foot cascade framed by Douglas Fir and Lodgepole Pine, see Mount Garibaldi towering at 8,786 feet above the region, then Cheakamus Canyon, home to spectacular lava columns and granite faces. As you approach Vancouver, the train will take you along the scenic Howe Sound and you will enjoy the serene views onto inlets and bays to the west of the train. Enjoy the legendary Rocky Mountaineer Hospitality from your assigned seat or while spending some time in the open-air Heritage Observation car all the while you will be able to listen to interesting commentary of the On Board Attendant. Further on-train amenities include beverage service with complimentary non-alcoholic beverages and a light meal. Once you arrive in Vancouver, you will be greeted by your coach and driver once more at the train station. You will be able to enjoy a panoramic city tour through Stanley Park at dusk before you arrive at your Vancouver hotel for the night.
Hotel: Sandman Inn Vancouver Airport or similar

Day 12

After the train journey it is time to add another mode of transportation to your Canadian Rockies Adventure: A ferry trip to beautiful Vancouver Island! You will board the ferry after a short drive in the morning and land in Swartz Bay, Victoria after a 2 hr. journey. Enjoy the day on this beautiful island that bursts with classic colonial architecture and plentiful flowers. Perhaps join your fellow travelers on an optional tour to famed Butchard Gardens in the afternoon. Stay overnight in Victoria. Hotel: Executive House Hotel or similar.

Day 13

In the morning your tour will travel back into the United States by yet another ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles, where you will tour beautiful Olympic National Park, home to three distinctly different eco systems. Here you will find Pacific Ocean beaches, rain forest valleys, glacier-capped peaks and a stunning variety of plants and animals. Returning to the starting point of your tour, Seattle, for your final evening. Hotel: Holiday Inn Renton or similar.

Day 14

After 14 days of breathtaking mountain views and nature abound, it is time to return home with beautiful memories and plenty of photos.

Please note that this is a proposed itinerary; the actual itinerary may vary due to season, special events, or weather. Because our tour arrangements are often made a year or more in advance, YMT Vacations reserves the right to alter the itinerary. Itinerary changes are made to improve your vacation experience, as well as respond to any unforeseen circumstances that mandate alterations.

Note: By their nature, all tours vacations involve a certain level of physical activity. While YMT tours have been designed with our guests in mind and are not physically demanding, this tour does include walking and periods of standing during the sightseeing visits. You will also encounter steps and some uneven ground along the way, particularly at older, historical sights.

The Motor Coach Experience