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GRAND
TRANS-CANADA JOURNEY
10 days, 9 nights
Overnight
at the Sutton Place Hotel – Welcome cocktail
reception and private dinner – 9 dinners
with complimentary wine – 9 lunches – 9
full American breakfasts and optional continental
breakfasts – Non-alcoholic beverages – Professionally
guided tours of Vancouver, Jasper National Park,
Athabasca Glacier, Wanuskewin Heritage Park, Winnepeg,
Fort William, Ottawa and the Canadian Museum of
Civilization – Comprehensive lecture series – Live
piano music nightly – Deluxe rail accommodations
for 8 nights – Personal service by rail car
attendant – Farewell cocktail reception
OPTIONAL
TOURS – Canadian
Rockies Heli-tour; World Famous Lake Louise Tour; Maligne
Valley and Spirit Island Boat Cruise; Oak Hammock Marsh
Wildlife Viewing Hike
DAY
1 – Arrive
In Vancouver, British Columbia
After independent arrivals at the hotel, we meet for our private welcome
reception and dinner. We take this opportunity to introduce the train
staff and other guests who will be joining us on our journey. This
evening we overnight at the Sutton Place Hotel. (D)
DAY
2 – Vancouver/Board
The American Orient Express
After breakfast in the hotel, we board motorcoaches and enjoy a city
tour and lunch before continuing on to the train. This evening,
dinner is served in the dining cars before we settle in for our first
overnight on the train en route to our next destination. (B,L,D)
return to top
DAY
3 – Kamloops
to Jasper, Alberta
The sun climbs into the sky as we continue across trestle bridges and
through tunnels, passing th 300 foot Pyramid Falls. The day is
spent enjoying the amenities of the train. Neat the Alberta border,
we skirt snow-capped Mount Robson – which at 12,972 feet is the
highest peak in the Canadian Rockies – and cut through Yellowstone
Pass to Jasper. (B,L,D)
DAY
4 – Jasper
National Park, Alberta
After breakfast on the train, we board motorcoaches for the largest
of Canada’s national parks – Jasper, a rugged and magnificent
place. We embark on an expedition across the Athabasca Glacier,
part of the 130-square mile Colunbi Icefield, traveling by Snowcoach. In
the afternoon, we continue touring Jasper by coach before transferring
back to the train for an evening of fine dining, relaxation and overnight
on board. Optional tours to Lake Louise and Maligne Valley can
be arranged. (B,L,D)
DAY
5 – Jasper
Through Alberta & Saskatchewan
This morning, after breakfast on board, we enjoy free-time to explore
the city of Jasper or choose an optional helicopter tour or Maligne
Valley tour. Continuing through the Rockies, as we follow routes
traveled by the region’s earliest explorers and settlers, the
day is spent enjoying the amenities of the train. In central
Alberta, sprawling sage-covered cattle ranches pass by our windows
and transform, as we continue east, into a vast agricultural patchwork
of amber fields of wheat, pink fronds of barley and pale yellow crops
of rapeseed. (B,L,D)
return to top
DAY
6 – Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan
Upon arriving in Saskatoon, we enjoy breakfast on the train before
setting out to explore this spectacular region. At the Wanuskewin
Heritasge Park, we walk trails that lead to long-abandoned villages
and steep cliffs used as buffalo jumps by the Northern Plains tribes. This
park is an archeological treasure with 19 historic sites where such
items as a medicine wheel and stone cairns have been found. Back
on board this evening, we enjoy dinner and overnight en route to Winnepeg. (B,L,D)
DAY
7 – Winnepeg,
Manitoba
Breakfast is served on the train before departing for Winnipeg, which
began as a frontier trading post built at the confluence of the Red
and Assiniboine rivers. Today, we tour the city and enjoy lunch
at the historic Hotel Fort Garry. This evening, the train dips
into the U.S. territory to skirt the Lake of the Woods, which is abundantly
populated with birds, including bald eagles and loons. The evening
is spent on board with dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)
DAY
8 – Thunder
Bay, Ontario
Situated on the northern shoes of Lake Superior, Thunder Bay has a
long history as a frontier town. In the 1800s, the town was a
mecca for the booming fur trade, with convenient access to commercial
routes of the Great Lakes. Today, we visit Fort William – a
period frontier settlement that accurately depicts the scenery and
lifestyle of Canada’s 19th century frontier period. After
a day of exploring, we transfer back to the train for dinner and overnight
en route to our next destination. (B,L,D)
DAY
9 – Across
Ontario
Today, we enjoy the amenities of the train as we cross the Canadian
Shield into Ontario and continue traveling toward the eastern edge
of this 1,000-mile stretch of water-pocked bedrock. It took 20,000
men to lay these tracks. Tonight, there is a special farewell
cocktail reception and dinner on board before overnighting en route
to Ottawa. (B,L,D)
DAY
10 – Ottawa,
Ontario and Montreal, Quebec
After breakfast on board, we tour Canada’s
capital city of Ottawa and the Canadian Museum of Civilization. This
national museum of human history houses more than 3.75-million
artifacts. After lunch on board, the train continues
to our final destination of Montreal. Famous
for its French flavor and Quebecois flair, this city
is great for touring and nightlife. American
Orient Express offers optional extra night stays
at featured hotels. (B,L)
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