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Canada Coast to Coast

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You are viewing the 2024 itinerary. Select your departure year
20242025
17 days From £5,395 per person

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Enjoy the best of Canada by rail

Operated by our sister company Great Rail Journeys

Mobility Rating 2

2024 Tour code: CCG24

About the tour

Discover the best of Canada on this epic journey from Vancouver to Halifax. Travelling by coach through the Rockies then by rail on the Canadian across some of the most scenic stretches of North America, the view from our window changes from mountains to central plains, then the great lakes and rugged coastline of Nova Scotia.

Highlights

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - London and Vancouver

We depart the UK on our flight from London Heathrow to Vancouver, where we transfer to our hotel for three nights on arrival.

Day 2 - Exploring Vancouver

The city of Vancouver is one of the world's most desirable places to live, thanks to its fantastic atmosphere and incredible setting between coastal mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Today we take a guided tour of its attractions. We begin at the old Gastown quarter - an area of trendy coffee shops, galleries, native art stores and the Gastown Steam Clock - before experiencing the scents and sights of Chinatown and driving to leafy Stanley Park. Here, we see the colourful totem poles which celebrate the region's Native American history. We finish our tour at Granville Island, which boasts a mouth-watering food market and many craft studios. Your after-noon and evening is free with plenty to explore at your own pace.

Day 3 - Vancouver Island and Butchart Gardens

Our explorations begin early in the morning as we make our way by coach to Tsawwassen for the ferry to Schwartz Bay, on Vancouver Island. On arrival, we transfer to the wonderful Butchart Gardens, designed in the early 20th century. The gardens feature a Japanese style garden, a rose garden and beautiful sunken garden. We return to the capital city of British Columbia, Victoria by coach. A picturesque city on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, you have some free time to explore Victoria independently - you may like to visit the Inner Harbour or the Royal BC Museum, or wander through Chinatown, before we board the return ferry to Vancouver.

Day 4 - Kamloops

We leave Vancouver by coach, beginning the first leg of our trans-Canadian adventure. We stop for lunch in a town called Hope, before climbing the scenic high mountain pass, the Coquihalla, to its summit. Our route continues to Kamloops for the night.

Day 5 – Jasper

We journey from Kamloops stopping in Clearwater, a stunning river valley in British Columbia, where's there's free time for lunch. We continue to scenic Mount Robson where you have a little time to look around and maybe take some photos. Dense forests, glittering lakes, snaking rivers and soaring, snow-capped peaks pass by our window as we travel towards our hotel in Jasper, where we spend the next two nights.

Day 6 - Jasper National Park

After a morning at leisure we set out on a scenic excursion to the World Heritage Site of Jasper National Park. Among the attractions here are the glaciers of the Columbia Icefield, stunning lakes, mountains, waterfalls and hot springs. The most impressive natural features of the park though, have to be Maligne Canyon, a deep gorge of sheer limestone walls, and Maligne Lake - the largest glacier-fed body of water in the region. This part of the world is also the habitat of rare wildlife, including grey wolves, hoary marmot, caribou and moose.

Day 7 - The Canadian

After a free morning in the lovely town of Jasper, we begin our epic journey aboard The Canadian, travelling to Toronto over the next three days and nights. We settle into our berths for the journey through the foothills of the Rockies, passing pine forests, glaciers, plunging canyons and soaring peaks.

Day 8 - The Canadian

Today is our first full day on the train. From the comfort of the glass-roofed panoramic observation car, sit back and watch the world go by as we travel eastwards, crossing the prairies into the province of Saskatchewan. You may glimpse local wildlife, including bear, moose, eagles and elk. We arrive in Winnipeg tonight, a fascinating city, home to over 50 different ethnic communities.

Day 9 - Across the Canadian Shield

Today is spent crossing the Canadian Shield - a wild land of glacial lakes, ancient trees and isolated communities. Our journey continues through the scenic lakelands of northern Ontario as we travel overnight towards Toronto.

Day 10 - Toronto

Arriving in Toronto, our base for two nights, enjoy a free evening to settle in to your surroundings. Our hotel is in the heart of downtown Toronto, close to a number of restaurants and within easy walking distance from Old Town, one of the city's most vibrant districts.

Day 11 - Niagara Falls

We take a guided coach excursion to Niagara Falls, one of the most impressive natural wonders in the world. We enjoy a boat tour to the base of the falls, feeling the full effect of the three separate falls - American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and the Canadian or Horseshoe Falls - as they converge into one. We continue to Table Rock, a national park on the edge of Canada's Blue Ridge Mountains. We also see the Niagara Whirlpool, caused by the powerful force of the rapids. We continue to visit the small town of Niagara-on-the-Lake where there's free time to look around.

Day 12 - Québec City

This morning we transfer to Toronto's station for the rail service to Montreal, then change trains to continue our journey to Québec City, the only walled city in North America. We arrive in the beautiful, historical city this evening and spend the night in a central hotel.

Day 13 - Discovering Québec

Today we explore the city on a guided, seeing the Citadel and the 'Plains of Abraham' - the site of the historic battle between British and French forces which led to the French surrender of Quebec. Later, we transfer by coach to a sugar shack where maple syrup is produced. We have a short tour, learning about the history of maple syrup in Canada, and a tasting, followed by a three course lunch inspired by the syrup. The rest of your afternoon is free. Québec has a fascinating history and some wonderful architecture, including the Basilica Cathedral Notre-Dame de Québec and the beautiful Château Frontenac. The Old City is a joy to explore, with pedestrianised streets, galleries, bistros and shops. Also worth a visit is Dufferin Terrace, a popular viewing site. This evening we board The Ocean for our overnight rail journey to Nova Scotia.

Day 14 - Halifax

During the night, The Ocean travels alongside the St Lawrence River to Chaleur Bay. The train then heads across New Brunswick and into Nova Scotia itself, arriving at Halifax, where we stay for two nights.

Day 15 - Nova Scotia

We explore Nova Scotia's maritime treasures and coast on a sightseeing tour today, visiting Peggy's Cove - a charming fishing village with a lighthouse and a number of traditional inukshuks - age-old rock structures used to navigate the frozen north. Legend says the community got its name from the sole survivor of a schooner shipwreck. We continue to Lunenburg, whose quaint waterfront houses with colourful wooden façades, have earned the town World Heritage status.

Day 16 – Halifax

With a free morning at leisure, you could head to Point Pleasant Park, in Halifax's south end peninsula. This wooded 75-hectare park is popular with locals and offers several walking trails. Alternatively, maybe visit the historic Keith brewery, sample the local lobster at a waterside diner, or spend some time in the maritime museum. Later, we transfer to the airport for our flight back to London Heathrow.

Day 17 - London

We arrive in London, and you're free to continue your journey home.

Additional information

Please note

Please note that while every departure of this tour will feature the same excursions, the order may differ from that shown above.

Hotels may vary depending on departure dates.

Departure times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. 

We will write to you around 10 weeks before your departure date with the precise meeting times for your tour group.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotels

The Westin Nova Scotian, Halifax

The Westin Nova Scotian, Halifax

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Chateau Jasper, Jasper

Chateau Jasper, Jasper

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Best Western Plus Hotel, Kamloops

Best Western Plus Hotel, Kamloops

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Hotel Manoir Victoria, Quebec City

Hotel Manoir Victoria, Quebec City

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Chelsea Hotel

Chelsea Hotel, Toronto

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Delta Hotels by Marriott Vancouver Downtown Suites, Vancouver

Delta Hotels by Marriott Vancouver Downtown Suites, Vancouver

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Train

The Canadian

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Upgrades

Flight upgrades
UK rail connections
London hotels