Compare Discover the Canadian Rockies - Eastbound by G Adventures vs Montreal, Quebec City & Canadian Maritimes by Holiday Vacations

Day 1 Vancouver

Arrive at any time.

Please make your own way to the joining hotel.

If you are interested in exploring the city and its nearby attractions, it is recommended you book additional pre-trip accommodation nights.

Day 2 Vancouver/Victoria

Head downtown to explore the lush gardens, beaches, woodlands, and miles of trails around Stanley Park, considered one of the world’s greatest city parks. Venture to historic Gastown, and stroll cobblestone streets past Victorian buildings that now house lively restaurants, galleries, and boutiques. Then board the scenic ferry to Victoria.

Take a stroll around the city with your CEO to get familiar with your surroundings before you can enjoy the evening on your own.

Day 3 Victoria

Today is free to explore the charming city of Victoria. Wander along the waterfront and choose among an array of optional activities. Discover the stunning floral displays at the famous Butchart Gardens, peruse the Royal British Columbia Museum, or enjoy high tea at a historic hotel. Or opt to cruise the sea in a Zodiac boat in search of gray whales, sea lions, seals, orcas, and other marine creatures.

Day 4 Victoria/Whistler

Catch the ferry back to the mainland and drive the scenic Sea-to-Sky Highway to the village of Whistler, host of some of the events of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Enjoy a G for Good experience at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, a showcase for First Nations customs, art, and music. Join an indigenous guide on an interpretive walk through the forest, hear how First Nations people lived off this land, and learn about local flora used for food and medicine. Then take part in a traditional tea ceremony to sample teas and bannock while listening to ancestral stories and legends. Continue to the mountain resort of Whistler, co-host to the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Day 5 Whistler

Spend today exploring Whistler and the surrounding parks on your own. Stroll through the village, and opt to ride the gondola up the mountain for 360-degree views. Or choose to hike one of the many beautiful trails in the area, go ziplining through the rain forest, or set out on an exhilarating whitewater rafting trip.

Whistler and its surrounding provincial parks are places you must discover. It is also a great place to try one of the many optional mountain activities.

Day 6 Whistler/Blue River

Pass through the Coastal Mountains into the Caribou Mountains on a route once marked by gold prospectors. Sit back and enjoy dramatic changes in your surroundings, the mountains to sweeping grasslands. Enjoy stops at Kamloops Lake, an oasis amid an arid landscape, and the turquoise Seton Lake, a freshwater fjord ringed by towering peaks. Arrive in the small community of Blue River.

Following this extraordinary route, once marked by the gold prospectors, we leave the Coastal Mountain Range and set foot into the arid and dry land of the Thompson Okanagan region. Aboriginal peoples led a semi-nomadic life moving between hunting and fishing grounds in the summer and settling into pit houses for the winter. Europeans came at first for fur trading and later on to establish cattle ranches, farms, and mining operations. The scenery changes dramatically and could even make you feel as if you were in a western movie.

Day 7 Blue River/Jasper National Park

Cross the Rockies into Jasper National Park and follow in the historic path of fur traders on a scenic float trip down the tranquil Athabasca River, encountering a few gentle rapids along the way. Look out for wildlife, which can include bears, moose, eagles, ospreys, and mountain sheep. Later, gaze up at the highest peak, Mount Robson, during a stop at the visitor centre.

Day 8 Jasper National Park

Spend the day at leisure enjoying Jasper’s friendly mountain hospitality. Choose your own adventure among an array of optional activities: Hike to Maligne Canyon, cruise glacially fed Maligne Lake, or rent a bike or canoe to explore on your own. This evening, rejoin your fellow travelers for an unforgettable soak in Miette Hot Springs, where spacious pools of hot mineral springs offer panoramic views of the spectacular Fiddle River Valley.

Jasper's friendly mountain hospitality, peaceful atmosphere, and the promise of real adventure make any visit unforgettable.

Day 9 Jasper National Park/Lake Louise

Pass lush coniferous forests, soaring mountains, turquoise lakes, and epic glaciers as we travel the winding Icefields Parkway—considered one of the world’s most scenic drives—to Bow Lake, stopping along the way to enjoy photo opportunities and wildlife encounters. At the Columbia Icefield, step foot on the lower Athabasca Glacier with an expert guide for a firsthand experience of this active glacial landscape. Continue to magnificent Lake Louise, an alpine lake legendary for its emerald-blue waters.

Along the 300km (186.4 mi) ride, a spectacle unfolds before our eyes: lush coniferous forests, immense mountains, turquoise lakes, high-falling cascades, and humbling glaciers. Numerous stops will be planned along the way for photos, observation, and wildlife encounters.

Day 10 Lake Louise/Banff

Enjoy the morning at Lake Louise, taking in the scenery of the Victoria Glacier. Opt to join a hike to the historic Lake Agnes Tea House, following a forested trail past Mirror Lake and cascading waterfalls to the shores of Lake Agnes, where a remote tea house built in 1901 serves loose-leaf teas and other refreshments. Continue to Banff. Go on a walk back in time through this historic resort town alongside an expert from the Whyte Museum, dedicated to the history and culture of the Canadian Rockies. As you explore local landmarks on foot, discover how the construction of the Canadian Pacific railroad served as a stepping stone towards opening up western Canada.

Day 11 Banff/Calgary

Spend the morning in Banff, then drive to Calgary for a day at leisure. Experience the city’s Western spirit at lively honky-tonk bars, go museum-hopping, or opt to visit the Olympic Park, site of the 1988 Winter Olympics, where you can luge down the bobsledding track in a wheeled cart or soar through the sky on a zipline.

Famed for its entrepreneurial spirit and youthful population, Calgary prides itself on being the heart of the new west while honouring its cowboy heritage.

Day 12 Calgary

Depart at any time.

If you are interested in exploring the city and its nearby attractions, it is recommended you book additional pre-trip accommodation nights.

Day 1: Fly to Montreal

We begin our tour of Canada with a relaxing flight to Montreal.

Day 2: Montreal

Meals: Dinner

We kick off our Canadian getaway with a Montreal city tour led by a professional local guide. A major highlight of our tour will be visiting the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal, whose vibrantly-colored interior is widely recognized as a masterpiece of architecture. Enjoy lunch and free time in historic Old Montreal.We travel by motorcoach to Quebec City for a two-night stay. At Érablière le Chemin du Roy, an authentic maple syrup “sugar shack” from the 1920s, learn about maple syrup production and enjoy an all-you-can-eat Holiday Vacations Welcome Dinner with a sweet maple treat for dessert.

Day 3: Quebec City

Meals: Lunch

A guided stroll through the UNESCO World Heritage site of Old Quebec's Historic District feels like being transported to Europe complete with fortified walls, cobblestone paths, and French culture.Lunch is served at the prominent Fairmont Le Château Frontenac overlooking the St. Lawrence River.We have the afternoon and evening at leisure to explore this delightful city.

Day 4: Montmorency Waterfall

Meals: Dinner

The morning is free to relax in Quebec City.We gather in the afternoon for a visit to Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Shrine, a popular pilgrimage site dedicated to the grandmother of Jesus.Learn about copper art and browse Albert Gilles’ copper masterpieces at the Copper Art Studio & Museum, then get creative at the studio workshop as we make our own copper artwork to take home.Next, visit the impressive Montmorency Waterfall. At 272 feet it is almost 100 feet taller than Niagara Falls. An aerial tram transports us to the top where we may cross a suspension bridge over the falls before enjoying a delicious dinner at Manoir Montmorency.Later, we board VIA Rail’s The Ocean passenger train and experience the thrill of rail travel as we continue our journey east. Enjoy top-notch service and private accommodations as first class passengers in Sleeper Plus cars.

Day 5: VIA Rail

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Enjoy breakfast and lunch in the dining car as we roll by beautiful landscapes of New Brunswick. We disembark in Moncton, then travel by motorcoach to Prince Edward Island. Cross Confederation Bridge, which spans eight miles over the Northumberland Strait and is part of the Trans-Canada Highway.We arrive in Charlottetown tonight and settle into our comfortable accommodations for two nights.

Day 6: Prince Edward Island

Meals: Lunch

Begin the day exploring scenic Prince Edward Island.Visit Green Gables Heritage Place, the 19th century farm that was the setting to Anne of Green Gables.Take in stunning views of red sandstone cliffs and picturesque beaches in Prince Edward Island National Park before returning to Charlottetown for time at leisure.Tonight we enjoy a performance of Anne of Green Gables – The Musical™ at the Confederation Center of the Arts. Based on L.M. Montgomery’s famous novel, this Canadian classic has the Guinness World Record for longest running annual musical theater production, performing continuously since 1965.

Day 7: Cape Breton Island

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

We depart Prince Edward Island by ferry to Nova Scotia.After lunch, we’ll visit The Gaelic College to experience the island’s Gaelic history.We check-in to our Baddeck accommodations for two nights.

Day 8: The Cabot Trail

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Today we travel along one of North America’s most scenic roadways, The Cabot Trail. On the way we pass through Cape Breton Highlands National Park, whose unspoiled natural beauty sets the stage for dramatic landscapes and incredible coastal vistas.As we cruise the trail, we'll make a rest stop at the Les trois Pignons Cultural Centre, Museum & Gallery to learn about the area's Acadian history and rug hooking traditions.Take a tour through the life of Baddeck's most famous resident at the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site. The exhibits showcase Bell’s many accomplishments and inventions including the telephone.We return to our hotel in Baddeck for our second night.

Day 9: Halifax

Meals: Breakfast

Enjoy an included breakfast at our hotel before we depart Cape Breton Island and return to mainland Nova Scotia.On our way to Halifax we tour the Millbrook Cultural & Heritage Centre to learn about the First Nations people indigenous to Canada’s maritime provinces.Arrive in Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia, and check-in to our hotel for two relaxing nights.

Day 10: Peggy’s Cove

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

After a tasty breakfast at our hotel we embark on a tour of Halifax with a local guide. Major highlights include the Halifax Citadel, a former military fortification with a distinctive star shape.After leisure time along Halifax's waterfront we travel to Peggy’s Cove, a quaint fishing community famous for its iconic lighthouse and views of the Atlantic Coast.We visit Peggy’s Point Lighthouse and celebrate our vacation in Eastern Canada with a scrumptious Farewell Lobster Dinner at nearby Sou’Wester restaurant.

Day 11: Fly Home

We return home with treasured memories of our fantastic tour.