Tour Details - Canada's Rockies and Rocky Mountaineer Redleaf with Stampede 2012

Welcome to Calgary! Take your complimentary transfer to the tour hotel. This afternoon, meet your Tour Director who can answer any questions you may have about the exciting days ahead. Join your Tour Director and fellow travelling companions at 6 p.m. for a Welcome Reception at the hotel.(Full Breakfast)

Don your boots and Stetson for the world-famous Calgary Stampede, an exciting spectacle of classic rodeo events and grandstand shows. Spend the entire day at "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth." Your all-day pass includes reserved seating for the world’s largest rodeo and admission to the Stampede Park, home to agricultural and livestock exhibits, live bands and an amusement park. This evening, get your adrenaline pumping at the Stampede's thrilling chuckwagon races, in which teams of horses pull traditional chuckwagons around a racetrack. Cap off the day with a bang at the Grandstand Show, a singing and dancing musical extravaganza and fireworks display.(Full Breakfast)

Head north along the stunning Icefields Parkway, driving beneath snowcapped peaks, and alongside thundering waterfalls and glistening glaciers. Keep an eye out for wildlife including grizzly and black bears, moose, elk and mountain goats. Upon arrival at the Columbia Icefield, board an Ice Explorer for a unique journey onto the massive Athabasca Glacier. Stay tonight in the heart of Jasper National Park where you’ll learn about Rocky Mountain wildlife at an interactive, after-dinner presentation by a local expert.(Full Breakfast / Dinner)

Start the day with an optional cruise on Maligne Lake before embarking on an interpretive walk at Maligne Canyon, one of the most beautiful gorges in the Rockies. Learn about one of Canada’s longest underground river systems while strolling along the canyon's trail, past beautiful waterfalls and spectacular rock formations. The rest of the day is yours to spend as you like: relish the superb vistas, stroll the quaint streets, or join one of the optional activities which include a gentle float trip down the Athabasca River or a guided alpine excursion to Mount Edith Cavell.(Full Breakfast)

Snow-capped peaks, ice-blue glaciers, pounding waterfalls and surging rivers dominate the landscape on the way to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Banff National Park. Soon the stunning emerald and aquamarine lakes of the Rockies are revealed. Visit post-card perfect Lake Louise and take a narrated stroll along the lakeshore to learn about the geology and history of the area. Continue on to stunning Moraine Lake, nestled in the dramatic Valley of the Ten Peaks. Immerse yourself in the natural glories of Banff, including the classic viewpoint of Surprise Corner along Tunnel Mountain Drive, spectacular Bow Falls and the wind-shaped rock formations known as hoodoos. End the day in the quintessential alpine village of Banff for a relaxing three-night stay.(Full Breakfast / Dinner)

Cross the Continental Divide and set out for Yoho National Park with its towering waterfalls, spectacular scenery and natural bridge that spans the Kicking Horse River. You’ll see Emerald Lake, sparkling with the blue-green hue of a precious jewel. Spend the rest of the day as you like - perhaps ride on the Banff Gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain to experience a bird's eye view of six mountain ranges or a river float trip down the Bow River. Tonight, if the landscape makes you feel like singing, choose a fun outing at Banff’s entertaining musical dinner theatre.(Full Breakfast)

Today is yours to explore as you please. Browse the shops along Banff Avenue, take a hike and enjoy your spectacular setting or be wowed by birds-eye views of the Rockies with an optional scenic helicopter flight over Mount Assiniboine. Your Tour Director will be happy to assist you in planning your day. This evening, join your newfound friends at a festive Farewell Dinner.(Full Breakfast / Farewell Dinner)

After bidding farewell to your Tour Director, it’s "All aboard!" the Rocky Mountaineer train in RedLeaf Service (GoldLeaf Service upgrade available) for a two-day independent daytime rail journey back to Vancouver. Travel through the incredible engineering feat of the Spiral Tunnels, past the glaciers of Kicking Horse Pass, under Mount McDonald and along the South Thompson River to historic Kamloops — "the meeting of the waters" — where you are transferred to your hotel.(Continental Breakfast / Lunch)

Continue your rail journey through the Thompson and Fraser Canyons. Approaching Vancouver, travel through the fertile fields of the Fraser River Valley and alongside the towering peaks of the Coast Mountains before arriving at approximately 5:30 p.m. Take a complimentary transfer to Vancouver International Airport or to the tour hotel downtown if you want to extend your stay. The train’s arrival into Vancouver can be subject to delays so please allow plenty of time for your onward travel arrangements.(Continental Breakfast / Lunch)