Compare Discover the Canadian Rockies - Eastbound by G Adventures vs Independent City Discoveries: A Taste of Montréal by Road Scholar

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 Check-in, Registration, Welcome Dinner, Orientation Montreal, QC

Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m.

Program Registration: 5:15 p.m. After you have your room assignment, come over to the Road Scholar table on the Mezzanine Level to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing the up-to-date schedule that reflects any changes, other important information, and to confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in.

Orientation: 8:15 p.m. The program is staffed with a Study Leader who will also serve as Group Leader. As Study Leader, she will be our primary resource in making the most of independent study time, offering local knowledge and insider tips for getting to know the city beyond tourist highlights. As Group Leader, she will attend to logistical details. She will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. This is a Road Scholar INDEPENDENT PROGRAM. It is designed for participants who want high-level Road Scholar instruction, a few group activities, and who are capable and comfortable setting out on their own independently for a significant part of the day/night. We will also have an introduction to Montréal's Museums Pass that is included in the program cost and provides access to public transportation and the city's most important museums. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the full day ahead.

We will walk from the hotel to a nearby French restaurant for a 3-course plated meal with appetizer (soup or salad), choices of entrée, dessert of the day, and beverage choices including coffee (regular/decaf), hot tea, water; other beverages available for purchase from the bar.

Day 2 Vieux Montreal, Notre-Dame Basilica Montreal, QC

Walking up to 4 miles throughout the day.

We will set out with a local expert on a walking field trip in Vieux-Montréal — the old city — focusing on history and architecture. We’ll end our field trip at the Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal — Notre-Dame Basilica — for a memorable visit featuring an exclusive presentation of the fabulous organ by the Basilica's titular organist.

Free time. This time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Study Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. In Old Montréal, you might like to see the port, the Pointe-à-Callière Museum of Archaeology (built on the very foundations of the city), the Bonsecours Market (Québec Arts & Crafts, featuring top-quality “made in Québec” creations), or a popular street known for its art galleries. 5:30 - 6:30 Cocktail Hour. We are invited to join the Study Leader for drinks (Dutch Treat), to share the highlights of the day and plan the evening.

At leisure. Our Study Leader will have suggestions for where you can go and what you can do independently, from performances, festivals, and other events to favorite Montréalais hangouts.

At the hotel, the breakfast buffet offers a variety of choices such as an egg dish, breakfast meats, hot and cold cereals, breakfast breads, fruit, milk, juice, coffee, tea, water.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

On your own to explore the multitude of Montréal eateries. The Study Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Day 3 Underground City, Golden Square Mile, Theater District Montreal, QC

Use of public transportation, Métro, bus. Walking up to 4 miles throughout the day.

Today’s exploration will focus on three of the city's star attractions: the surprising Underground City, the Theater District, and the so-called Golden Square Mile including renowned McGill University and the magnificent Museum of Fine Arts. The Underground City — La ville soutteraine — is actually a collection of passageways and interconnected complexes above and below ground covering more than 20 miles (33 km), the largest such pedestrian network in the world. Befitting a city that is multicultural and bilingual, Montréal’s vibrant Theater District is also bilingual and multicultural. The Golden Square Mile was once Canada’s wealthiest neighborhood. Some of its outstanding residents were of Scottish origin, hence names such as McGill. What were once elegant single family homes — in architectural styles from Greek and Roman to medieval, Renaissance, Victorian Gothic, and more — now exist as embassies, hotels, museums, and university buildings.

Free time. Take this opportunity to further acquaint yourself with the Golden Square Mile, exploring its impressive art galleries, imposing 19th century houses, and grand museums, including the stately McCord Museum.

At leisure. More time for independent exploration.

Hotel buffet.

On your own to enjoy what you like.

On your own. The hotel is ideally located to explore the city’s restaurant scene.

Day 4 Food Lovers' Guide to Neighborhoods, Immigration History Montreal, QC

Use of public transportation. Walking up to 4 miles throughout the day.

This is a day for food lovers. A local expert will lead us on a culinary adventure through the many flavors of Montréal by strolling along beloved Saint-Laurent Boulevard. Here we'll discover many colorful restaurants, brought to the city by the different ethnic communities that have settled along the length of the street over time. We will finish our food lovers' exploration at the Jean-Talon public market in Little Italy, a favorite meeting place of Montréalers. We’ll be able to savor Schwartz’s famous Montréal smoked meat, Jewish bagels, Portugal's renowned egg tarts (Pasteis de nata), true Italian coffee, and an array of Québec products at the public market.

Free time. As you continue exploring Montréal independently, you might like to visit the impressive Botanical Garden. A popular oasis in the heart of the city, the Montréal Botanical Garden is recognized as one of the world’s largest. You can explore the beauty of the garden through its 10 greenhouses and some 30 thematic gardens.

At leisure. You might like to explore more on your own, attend a performance or other event, or revisit a favorite Montréal café with new friends. The Group Leader will have suggestions. Prepare for check-out and departure after our closing session in the morning.

Hotel buffet.

At a landmark French restaurant in Old Montréal, we’ll have a 3-course plated meal including appetizer, choices of entrée, dessert of the day, coffee, hot tea, water; other beverages available for purchase from the bar. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

Day 5 Wrap Up Discussion, Program Concludes Montreal, QC

Hotel check-out 12:00 Noon.

We’ll gather with Montréalers at a favorite local café for coffee and a farewell discussion of city life and local issues. We expect to end by 10:00 a.m. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!

Hotel buffet.