Canadian Train Odyssey (8960)

15 days from Toronto to Vancouver

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This adventure across Canada begins in Toronto, ends in Vancouver, and is filled with stunning scenery, spectacular national parks, and some of Canada’s most popular cities. A highlight of this tour is the 3-day, 3-night journey on VIA Rail’s® the Canadian—a premier continental train—from Toronto to Jasper. Enjoy views of the ever-changing landscapes through Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta aboard VIA Rail®’s refurbished art deco rail cars and domed observation cars. Marvel at thunderous Niagara Falls on your included boat cruise past the falls. In the Canadian Rockies, ride the Ice Explorer—an all-terrain vehicle—on Columbia Icefield, an expanse of ice that is 750-feet thick! Stop in Lake Louise, where its gorgeous turquoise waters mirror the surrounding glacial peaks. Visit Jasper National Park—with its rugged mountains, glaciers, alpine meadows, rivers, and abundant wildlife—and Banff National Park, Canada’s first national park. Also travel through stunning Yoho National Park and Glacier National Park. From the Pacific Coast, sail across the Strait of Georgia to Victoria through the scenic Gulf Islands. Spend two nights in this charming city then ferry to vibrant Vancouver. Majestic mountain scenery, pristine glacier-fed lakes, picturesque towns, gentle prairie fields, and exciting cities – experience it all on this unforgettable rail adventure across Canada!

The world is within reach with everything you need for perfectly affordable touring. Cosmos includes hand-selected accommodations, guided sightseeing, and seamless transportation between destinations—with value-minded travel lovers in mind. Explore with expert Cosmos Tour Directors and Local Guides, and private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi (where available). Enhance your free time to explore like a local with your CosmosGO mobile app!

Your Tour Includes:
• Orientation tours of Toronto, Jasper, Banff, and Victoria
• Niagara Falls sightseeing cruise
• Travel on VIA Rail’s the Canadian® train from Toronto to Jasper in Sleeper Plus class.
• Entrance fee to Jasper National Park and Banff National Park
• Tickets for the Icefields Explorer experience at Columbia Icefields
• Scenic drive through Yoho National Park and Glacier National Park
• Ferry crossing to/from Vancouver Island
• Guided city sightseeing in Vancouver

Dates & Prices Book Online

800.646.5374

Photo Highlights

Meals

Meals & Itinerary

3 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 3 Dinners

Notes:

• Early departures may not be able to visit Columbia Icefield which opens in early May or take the Maligne Lake & Spirit Island optional excursion which opens in late May to early June. Visiting and participating in other activities in this region may be subject to favorable weather conditions and vendor dates of operation.

• Furnishings in your VIA Rail train cabin are arranged in armchair style by day. By night, beds are configured to upper and lower bunkbed-style arrangement requiring one guest be able to climb a ladder to the upper bed.

• Maximum elevation on tour: 7,500 ft.

Itinerary

Day 1 TORONTO

Welcome to Toronto! Your Tour Director is on hand from 3-6:00 p.m. to answer any questions.

Toronto is considered the most culturally diverse city in the world with its population representing a wide range of ethnicities and languages. Once checked into your hotel, perhaps do some shopping at nearby Eaton Centre or venture a little further and check out the Hockey Hall of Fame or try some local culinary treats at St. Lawrence Market, a city landmark over two centuries old.

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Day 2 TORONTO. EXCURSION TO NIAGARA FALLS

Begin the day with an orientation tour of Toronto that includes seeing City Hall, the downtown banking district, Rogers Centre, and the stunning CN Tower. Leave the city and travel along the shores of Lake Ontario to Niagara Falls where you’ll take an exhilarating cruise to see the thundering Falls up close. Fall even more in love with the Falls on an optional excursion to Skylon Tower for spectacular views and a buffet lunch. Return to Toronto and have time this evening to explore this vibrant city on your own.

NOTE:
Operation of the Niagara Falls sightseeing cruise is subject to favorable weather and/or river conditions. Favorable conditions usually exist from May to October. When conditions are unfavorable, a visit to Journey Behind the Falls will be substituted.

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Day 3 TORONTO–VIA RAIL THE CANADIAN

This morning, transfer to Union Station for a departure on The Canadian, VIA Rail’s premier transcontinental train. Spend the next three days and nights on this classic trip across Canada’s heartland. Your Sleeper-Plus class rail cars are refurbished art-deco cars from the 1950s. Domed observation cars let you enjoy views of the Canadian countryside as you roll past Ontario’s landscapes. Chef-prepared meals offer a tempting array of soups, salads, main courses, and desserts.

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Lunch

Dinner

Day 4 VIA RAIL THE CANADIAN

Today, watch the scenery as you whisk by the ever-changing Canadian landscape and travel the full length of the Canadian National Railway’s breathtaking mainline.

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Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 5 VIA RAIL THE CANADIAN

The Canadian glides through Winnipeg, before continuing the journey through Manitoba’s prairies and into Saskatchewan.

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Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 6 VIA RAIL THE CANADIAN–JASPER NATIONAL PARK

Arrive in Jasper this morning and enjoy an orientation tour of the townsite. The remainder of your day is free to explore the ambiance of this wonderous mountain setting. Perhaps go with the flow on an optional scenic float trip on the Athabasca River to take in the natural beauty and look for wildlife along the shoreline.

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Day 7 JASPER NATIONAL PARK

Today is at leisure. Make your day magical with an optional narrated cruise on Maligne Lake to the much-photographed Spirit Island*. On the return journey, stop to view mighty Maligne Canyon. This afternoon, perhaps hike on the trails and watch for wildlife, or stroll the streets of downtown Jasper.

*This optional excursion begins operating in late May/early June.

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Day 8 JASPER NATIONAL PARK–COLUMBIA ICEFIELD–LAKE LOUISE–BANFF NATIONAL PARK

Board your motorcoach this morning and journey through Jasper National Park, stopping along the way at the Columbia Icefield to experience the Ice Explorer, an all-terrain vehicle that travels on ice measuring 750 feet (250 meters) thick! Continue down Icefields Parkway to Lake Louise, known for its stunning turquoise waters that mirror the surrounding mountains and glaciers. Arrive in Banff National Park for a leisurely 2-night stay. An orientation tour highlights Banff’s unspoiled beauty.

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Day 9 BANFF NATIONAL PARK

The day is free for independent exploration. Perhaps start your day with an awe-inspiring optional helicopter ride over the Canadian Rockies! Or hike in some of the surrounding 2,564 square miles of parkland which are home to wildlife, including elk, deer, and grizzly bear. Your Tour Director can offer many suggestions for activities and dining.

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Day 10 BANFF NATIONAL PARK–YOHO NATIONAL PARK–GLACIER NATIONAL PARK–KAMLOOPS

This morning, leave Banff National Park and travel over Kicking Horse Pass on the Continental Divide. Travel through Yoho National Park, where pre-Cambrian fossils were discovered, and Glacier National Park, where recreational mountain climbing was introduced to North America a century ago. Late this afternoon, arrive at the cattle-ranching center of Kamloops.

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Day 11 KAMLOOPS–FERRY CROSSING–VICTORIA

As you travel through the Coast Mountain Range to its majestic Pacific coastline, the vegetation changes from desert landscape to lush alpine forest. Board your afternoon ferry for the spectacular crossing to Vancouver Island. Upon arrival, take time to smell the roses on an optional excursion to see the 55 acres of incredible floral displays at world famous Butchart Gardens. Later, enjoy sightseeing in Victoria including the Inner Harbour, Bastion Square, and Thunderbird Park. This evening, consider taking a relaxing stroll along the lovely Waterfront Promenade.

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Breakfast

Day 12 VICTORIA

Enjoy a day at leisure with time to discover some of the attractions this splendid city has to offer. Visit the Royal British Columbia Museum, tour the Parliament Building, have Afternoon Tea at the Empress Hotel, or shop along Government Street. Perhaps have an adventure at sea on an optional whale and wildlife watching cruise.

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Day 13 VICTORIA–FERRY CROSSING–VANCOUVER

This morning, set sail across the Strait of Georgia and through the spectacular Gulf Islands, an archipelago known for its Mediterranean-like climate. In Vancouver, city sightseeing includes Stanley Park, Gastown, Chinatown, and other famous landmarks. The remainder of the day is free to explore. Perhaps visit Robson Street and experience British Columbia’s premier shopping and entertainment location or take a water taxi to Granville Island to visit its bustling Public Market and waterfront cafés.

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Day 14 VANCOUVER

Today is at leisure for independent sightseeing or choose one of our unforgettable optional excursions, featuring a trip to Whistler on one of the world’s most scenic drives along the Sea to Sky Highway or an adventure on an optional aerial tram ride up the mountain for exquisite views and a walk through a rainforest canopy at Grouse Mountain & Capilano Suspension Bridge.

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Day 15 VANCOUVER

Your vacation ends this morning. You may choose to extend your vacation with extra nights and explore Vancouver further.

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Tour Director

With COSMOS, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of a Tour Director. We’d like you to meet one of our Tour Directors, who average over a decade of experience and are representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

PETER CHOBANOV

Escorting tours for more than 20 years

“I am a geographer, so what better job can one have than to show off my country! Born and raised in Ontario, I make Quebec my home today. I met my wife on the job and our kids were born into my world as a tour director. I wouldn't have it any other way! Travel is a passion and I love to share the beauty of my country from the Atlantic to the Pacific and all parts in between. Whether it¿s a personal tale, a yarn about fishing, government intrigue, or a close-up bear encounter, I love to tell a Canadian story (or 10), which makes for a more personal and compelling journey. After all, isn't that what travel is all about?”

Accommodations

Optional Excursions

No matter what you’re into: food, wine, history, art, music or anything else, we give you the freedom to personalize your vacation with optional excursions that speak to your interests.

When you book your excursions with us, you can be assured that every optional excursion that we offer coordinates with the free time that you'll have in your destination, so you'll never have conflicts between included and optional activities. Our team of travel experts carefully selects each optional excursion that we offer to ensure that you receive the highest quality at a great value. Our tried-and-true partners have a finger on the pulse of the city in which they operate so they deliver the very best experiences. We offer experiences you cannot create on your own and because you’re booking with us, we coordinate all your transportation and timing needs.

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Optional excursions are available for purchase on our MyCosmos site 90 days prior to the tour start date.

Price Ranges

$ ($50 USD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 USD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 USD)
$$$$ (Over $150)

No Excursions are available at this time.

The "Starting at" or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per passenger based on double occupancy and does not include International airfare; additional fees/charges are not included. If a price is crossed out, the new price includes a limited time promotional offer(s) – please review current promotions or deals for additional information. Some tours require intra-vacation flights (and in some cases intra-vacation segments must be purchased from Cosmos).