31 Day Grand Western Journey & Alaska Cruise

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1 31 Day Grand Western Journey & Alaska Cruise International & Domestic airfares All airport transfers Breakfast Daily, plus all meals on-board your cruise 7 night 5 star Alaska cruise 9 Day Canadian Rockies tour 14 Day West Coast USA tour Professional Guides Sightseeing as per itinerary #1 Online Travel Company in Australia Webjet Approved Guides Webjet Crafted Itineraries Always Includes Flights No Fuss, Easy Booking Process 6 May 2016* 3 June 2016* 5 August 2016* 18 August 2016 * Dates operate in reverse (B) - Breakfast / (L) - Lunch / (D) - Dinner Flight Cruise Day 1: Australia - - Seattle Welcome to the beautiful Pacific Northwest! Upon arrival at Seattle airport, you will clear customs & immigrations before heading down to meet your transfer to Vancouver, British Columbia. British Columbia boasts ten mountain ranges that push west from The Rockies in a crowded cluster until they fall into the Pacific. Thousand year old trees deftly divide the light, falling on an impossibly green forest floor. Glacier-fed streams pour through steep valleys to join swollen rivers. Higher up, mountain passes link whole ecosystems, and watersheds. British Columbia is a wild place. A place where Mother Nature creates the boundaries. Not man. And while she demands respect, her handiwork offers massive rewards for those wild at heart. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure. Day 2: Vancouver Whistler Kamloops (B) After breakfast, we check-out of our hotel bright and early today, as an exciting journey deeper into British Columbia awaits us. Our journey will take us through Vancouver via breathtaking Howe Sound & Shannon Falls, as further traverse the Columbia Mountains towards Whistler, BC and eventually Kamloops where we rest for the night. After our quick drive-through introduction to Vancouver, we continue along the North Shore towards Whistler, BC. Highway 99, between Horseshoe Bay & Squamish, has to be one of the most beautiful roads in the area. With the ocean glimmering on the left and the mountains rising on the right, t is truly enchanting. Along the way, we pass Howe Sound: a roughly triangular sound, which is actually a network of fjords, situated immediately northwest of Vancouver. There are several islands in the sound, three of which are large and mountainous in their own right. Another sight to behold and only about 30-min drive further North from Howe Sound, is Shannon Falls. Shannon Falls is composed of a series of cliffs, rising 335 meters above Highways 99, making it the third highest falls in the province. Train

2 After arriving in Whistler, you will enjoy some time off to eat or stroll around this picturesque mountain town. Whistler is only about 2 hours North of Vancouver, and roughly about 4 hours West of Kamloops. Over two million people visit Whistler annually, primarily for alpine skiing and snowboarding and, in Summer, mostly mountain biking. Its pedestrian village center has won numerous design awards and Whistler has been voted among the top destinations in North America by major ski magazines since the mid-1990s. Whistler s urban landscape was specifically designed to accommodate the natural environment. Many of Whistler's bears have learned to do things like open car doors or hold spring-closed gates open so they can reach food. Some have even learnt to open the newspaper bins! After lunch, we leave Whistler behind and continue straight onwards towards Kamloops, over the Trans-Canadian Highway. Upon arrival, the rest of the afternoon is at leisure. Day 3: Kamloops - Revelstoke, Glacier, Yoho National Park - Banff - Canmore (B) After breakfast, we embark on another day of sightseeing through the Trans-Canadian Highway taking us through no less than 3 of Canada s awe-inspiring National Parks. Home to Canada's only inland cedar-hemlock rainforest, Mount Revelstoke is the only national park in Canada where you can summit a mountain five minutes from your vehicle. The Giant Cedars & Skunk Cabbage boardwalks invite us for a relaxing stroll, or we can enjoy a panoramic view & the meadows of subalpine wildflowers from the summit of Mount Revelstoke. Glacier National Park, not be confused with its twin in Montana, USA, offers us exceptional alpine scenery and deep valleys filled with ancient forests. It s a year-round paradise for nature lovers. Visitors can scale its heights following trails pioneered by legendary Swiss mountain guides, or take a gentle stroll amid moss-draped old-growth cedars, or even hike through alpine meadows strewn with lichen-covered boulders.

3 There is truly not a bad view to be had over this scenic stretch of the Trans-Canadian Highway, and following further West from Glacier National Park, we pass through Yoho National Park. Cree exclamation of awe, Yoho applies perfectly to this park s big peaks, expansive glaciers, and impressive waterfalls. Add Yoho s famous fossils and it s easy to see why this park in the Canadian Rockies is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. Although many of its highlights are accessible by road, Yoho is also a hiker s dream and a railway buff s delight. Lastly, set in the heart of Banff National Park and snugly embraced by Alberta's Rocky Mountains, the little town of Banff boasts a big, worldwide reputation. Its charming streets are abuzz year round due to an annual influx of millions of visitors, and this famous mountain resort town caters accordingly with world-class shopping & dining. At first sight it's apparent why the world is in love with Banff. From the everwatchful Cascade Mountain to the picturesque Bow River, the community is blessed with a spectacular natural setting, woven with parks, woods and trails. Our hotel is located just a short drive South of Banff, in the small mountain town of Canmore. The rest of the evening is at leisure. Day 4: Canmore - Banff - Canmore (B) Today is a free day to relax and explore this incredible alpine region. There will be an opportunity to head into Banff to get acquainted with this picturesque town, or why not journey out on one of Canmore s famed walking trails ranging from short strolls to longer hikes through the Alpine scenery. Day 5: Canmore - Columbia Icefields - Lake Louise - Golden (B) After breakfast, we start by heading north on the Icefields Parkway, an exciting excursion atop the Athabasca Glacier. To travel the Icefields Parkway is to experience one of Canada's national treasures. Stretching 232km (144mi.) through the heart of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site, this world-class journey offers access to a vast wilderness of pristine mountain lakes, ancient glaciers and broad sweeping

4 valleys. Our destination on this parkway, is the Columbia Icefield, the largest icefield in the Rocky Mountains of North America. The ice field lies partly in the northwestern tip of Banff National Park and partly in the southern end of Jasper National Park. It is precisely here, atop the glacier itself, that we offer you the opportunity to explore the icefield by snow coach as an optional tour excursion (on own account). Optional Tour: This tour takes visitors onto the surface of the Athabasca Glacier by Ice Explorer; a massive vehicle specially designed for glacial travel. An experienced driver-guide shares a wealth of fascinating information about glaciers, icefields and their impact on our environment during this one hour and 20 minute journey. We leave the Columbia Icefield Discovery Center shortly after lunch, and head back South over the parkway towards Lake Louise, about a 2-hour drive. Lake Louise is often referred to as the Diamond in the Wilderness, and it is easy to see why. The region abounds with luxury ski resorts, shopping, fine dining and spectacular scenery, from glaciers to waterfalls. The emerald color of the water comes from rock flour carried into the lake by melt-water from the glaciers that overlook the lake. Lake Louise is named after the Princess Louise Caroline Alberta ( ), the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and the wife of the Marquis of Lorne, who was the Governor General of Canada from 1878 to In the afternoon, we leave Lake Louise behind us and head for our final destination, Golden. The rest of the evening is at leisure. Day 6: Golden Kelowna (B) After breakfast, our journey gives us an opportunity to explore Glacier and/or Revelstoke national parks in more depth if we missed them earlier or if we d simply like to take a final peek at these natural wonders. We then head back East over the Trans-Canadian Highway, before crossing into the Okanagan Valley and Kelowna.

5 The Okanagan, also known as the Okanagan Valley and sometimes as the Okanagan Country, is a region located in British Columbia, defined by the basin of Okanagan Lake and the Canadian portion of the Okanagan River. It is part of the Okanagan Country, extending into the United States as Okanogan Country. The region s main hub is Kelowna, our resting place for tonight. The Okanagan Country is known for its dry & sunny climate, dry landscapes and lakeshore communities, and particular lifestyle. The economy is retirement- and commercial-recreation based, with outdoor activities such as boating and water sports, snow skiing and hiking. Agriculture has been focused primarily on fruit orchards, with a recent shift in focus to vineyards and wine. As the largest city located on stunning Okanagan Lake, Kelowna is a recreational lakeside paradise with miles of beautiful parkland and several sandy beaches that provide wonderful opportunities for swimming, boating, waterskiing, windsurfing and fishing. Even Kelowna's main street ends at a beach. Soak it all in on one of many outdoor patios, or stroll along the lakefront boardwalk and explore the local treasures being sold by the artisans. Day 7: Kelowna Vancouver (B) Coming to the end of our breathtaking journey through the Canadian Rocky Mountains, our sights are firmly set on Vancouver today. After breakfast, we leave Kelowna first thing in the morning, and continue East, arriving in to Vancouver around lunch time. Nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Coast Mountain Range, Vancouver is a cosmopolitan city perched on nature's edge. A city of unparalleled beauty, from the 1000-acre lush jewel known as Stanley Park, the largest city park in North America, to the hustle and bustle of fashionable Robson Street, Vancouver has it all. A vibrant city, the pedestrianfriendly streets are filled with individuals from varied ethnic backgrounds and walks of life - professional people-watchers and shoppers, business people, university students and, of course, visitors alike. The afternoon is free to explore this vibrant city. After an afternoon of exploring Vancouver, we drive a short distance to the hotel, where the evening is at leisure.

6 Day 8: Vancouver (B) Today is a free day to rest after your alpine adventure. If you want a day chock-full of shopping, strolling, dining and people watching, head to Robson Street. Or meander through historic Gastown, Vancouver's oldest area, with its cobblestone streets, Europeanstyle street lamps and local boutiques. Day 9: Vancouver - Seattle (B,D) It s time to leave beautiful Western Canada behind us today, and head back South into the USA. Your private motor coach will transport you from the hotel to the Seattle cruise port, to join your luxury 5 star Celebrity Cruise of the inside passage. Ranked in the Top 20 large cruise ships in the world, the Celebrity Solstice has it all! Upon arrival at the cruise port in Seattle, you will check-in with your cruise ship and enjoy a wonderful cruise through the natural wonders of Alaska. Day 10: Inside Passage (B,L,D) Enjoy the day at sea on your luxury ship as it makes its way through the beautiful inside passage. Day 11: Ketchikan (B,L,D) You've never tasted salmon so fresh. Known as the 'Salmon Capital of the World', Ketchikan is also the ancestral home of the Tlingit people, who have carved the world's largest collection of totem poles. If you're up for an adventure, take a canoe and nature trail excursion through the rain forest or a wilderness exploration followed by a sumptuous crab feast you can't resist.

7 Day 12: Tracy Arm Fjord Juneau (B,L,D) Tracy Arm Fjord is book-ended by two of Alaska's most dramatic glaciers, the North and South Sawyer Glacier, and surrounded by granite walls that rise 3,000 feet from the emerald colored seas, this area has everything you've come to Alaska to experience. In Juneau, Here's your chance to take a glacial dogsled adventure via helicopter in Alaska's capital (on own account). A city that gracefully balances frontier ruggedness with cosmopolitan flair. Mendenhall Glacier, a river of ice measuring 1.5 miles in width and over 6 miles in length, is part of Juneau's Icefield, 1500 square miles of ice that feeds 38 glaciers and ready for you to take a float trip on it. Day 13: Skagway Inside Passage (B,L,D) In 1897, gold stampeders from all over the world arrived in Skagway by steamship, bound for the Dawson Gold Fields in Canada's Yukon Territory. It wasn't long before the roughand-tumble tent town was festooned with boardwalks, dance halls, inns and saloons. More than 100 years later, Skagway still retains the feel of those Gold Rush days, though most travelers now arrive by cruise. Enjoy the day at sea on your luxury ship as it makes its way through the beautiful inside passage. Day 14: Inside Passage (B,L,D) Enjoy the day at sea on your luxury ship as it makes its way through the beautiful inside passage. Day 15: Victoria (B,L,D) The capital of British Columbia is also its largest island. This one-time British colony has retained much of its colonial splendor. Victoria is a seaside enclave that enjoys a temperate climate. Which is great, because you'll want to explore all the museums, parks and golf courses Victoria has to offer.

8 Day 16: Seattle - - Los Angeles (B) Today, you will leave your luxury cruise ship and be transferred to the airport to depart Seattle for Los Angeles. Upon arrival you will be transferred to the hotel where you ll meet your Tour director. The rest of the day is at leisure. Day 17: Los Angeles (B) Morning sightseeing tour of exclusive Santa Monica and Beverly Hills. Continue to Hollywood for a walk down Hollywood Boulevard with the legendary Grauman s Chinese Theatre where you will find the handprints of famous stars in the cement. Then downtown, you will see the business district and the Mexican quarter. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure. Optional Extra: transfer for the visit of Universal Studios in Hollywood, the largest movie studios in the world. First, board a tram on the studio tour to discover different movie sets like War of the Worlds, Jurassic Park and the TV series Desperate Housewives. Then you will see a presentation on the great moments of Hollywood moviemaking or learn some secrets about special effects. Free time to explore the park on your own. Day 18: Los Angeles - Joshua - Laughlin (B) Departure towards Palm Springs. Then continue to beautiful Joshua Tree National Park. 3,000 feet below, the Colorado Desert encompasses the eastern part of the park and features natural gardens of bushes and cacti. The Little San Bernardino Mountains run through the southwest edge of the park; and the higher, moister, and slightly cooler Mojave Desert is the special habitat of the Joshua Tree, from which the park gets its name. At least 240 species of birds have been observed in the park and it s a great place to observe wildlife. After we continue our drive to Laughlin.

9 Day 19: Laughlin - Grand Canyon (B) Morning drive to Grand Canyon, a superb geological phenomenon. This is most certainly one of the highlights of your trip. No trip to the Grand Canyon is complete without a walk along the South Rim to see one of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring wonders in the world. The Grand Canyon is the result of millions of years of wind and water erosion. it s an endless expanse of shapes, colors and impenetrable shadows. The Colorado River flows over a mile below the canyon rim. Afterwards we head to our hotel where the evening is at leisure. Optional extra: Enjoy a unforgettable 30 minute scenic helicopter flight of the Grand Canyon. Day 20: Grand Canyon - Monument Valley - Moab (B) Leave for Monument Valley, where you will find yourself surrounded by dark red hills. Visit of this imposing area where numerous westerns have been filmed. This 25 mile-long and 16-mile wide desert plain overflows with gigantic sandstone monolithic structures rising high above the valley. Lunch on your own. Optional extra: jeep tour with Navajo Indians including Navajo specialties lunch. Afternoon stop at Dead Horse Point, a promontory dominating the Colorado River that can be reached by a trail. The view of Canyonlands and the Colorado is spectacular. We then continue on for our overnight in Moab. Day 21: Moab - Arches - Bryce (B) Morning visit of Arches National Park in the state of Utah, with its arid and austere landscape, where you can find over 2,000 natural arches of various shapes and sizes resulting from the erosion of red and gold sandstone. Lunch on your own. Afternoon drive to Bryce. The scenery is beautiful, in particular throughout the Dixie National Forest. Overnight in Bryce.

10 Day 22: Bryce - St George - Las Vegas (B) Visit of Bryce Canyon, one of the most fascinating natural parks of Utah. The Mormons discovered this site in the 19th century. The dazzling shapes and shades of the memorable Pink Cliffs constantly vary from dawn to dusk. Continue to St George, a town founded by the Mormons. Photo stop at the Mormon visitor center and temple. Lunch on your own on the way. Make a stop at Valley of Fire, which was Nevada s first state park. The Valley of Fire offers a superb desert landscape of multi-coloured, strangely eroded rocks that are the remains of sand dunes laid down 150 million years ago. Many westerns have been filmed there. Then it is on to Sin City for our overnight in Las Vegas. Day 23: June - October: Las Vegas - Death Valley - Mammoth Lakes* (B) April - May: Las Vegas -Death Valley - Bakersfield (B) (*Mammoth is not accessible during winter months) This morning, cross the Nevada desert on the way to Pahrump and Shoshone. On entering the state of California, you descend to impressive Death Valley approximately 320 feet below sea level. This area is so desolate that the first cowboys who ventured here described it as no stream to drink from, no tree to hang from. You will discover Badwater Point, the lowest spot in the valley, Furnace Creek, and the Stovepipe sand dunes. Lunch on your own followed by a visit of the Borax Museum with mining displays of the history of borax mining in Death Valley. Continue to Mammoth or Bakersfield for an overnight. Day 24: June - October: Mammoth Lakes - Yosemite - Modesto (B) April - May: Bakersfield - Yosemite - Modesto (B) Drive to majestic Yosemite National Park, one of the most beautiful parks in the state of California. Yosemite surprises by its fresh Alpine landscapes with pine forests and magnificent waterfalls. Sheer white monolithic cliffs tower over the valley. You will discover Half Dome, Yosemite Valley, Bridalveil Falls and Yosemite Falls, in the spring in particular, as well as a pioneer village in the southern part of the park. Lunch on your own

11 in the park. Drive down from the mountains and across the fertile agricultural lands of Central Valley followed by overnight in the Modesto area. Day 25: San Francisco (B) Morning sightseeing tour of San Francisco, one of the most photographed, filmed, and documented cities in the world, a tantalizing mixture of history and modern sophistication. Built on several hills, the city is the gem of the magnificent bay at the foot of these hills. You will see the business district, Union Square, Chinatown, then cross world famous Golden Gate Bridge to the picturesque town of Sausalito across the bay. Day 26: San Francisco - Monterey - Santa Maria (B) Leave for Monterey Peninsula with its beaches, cypress trees and cliffs. It has been a favourite spot for many American and European painters and poets. Tour the city of Monterey, particularly the fishing port and Cannery Row, made immortal by writer John Steinbeck. Continue to Carmel, driving along the panoramic 17 Miles Drive. Visit of Carmel, a charming coastal town with untouched beaches and attractive shops. Day 27: Santa Maria - Santa Barbara - Los Angeles (B) Morning drive to Santa Barbara with beaches, palm-lined bays, red-tiled roofs and Spanish architecture. After lunch we leave for Los Angeles, the City of Angels. Free time in Santa Monica to take advantage of the beach before our overnight in Los Angeles. Day 28: Los Angeles (B) Today is a free day to enjoy Los Angeles at your own pace. Day 29: Los Angeles - - Australia (B) Morning at leisure to do some last minute shopping, or sightseeing before being transferred to the airport for your onward flight.

12 Day 30: In-flight Day 31: Australia Arrive home today.