Majestic Rockies & Alaskan Cruise: 16 days Banff to Vancouver

Upon arrival in Calgary, you will be transferred directly to the mountain town of Banff, where a three-night Scenic Special Stay at the iconic Fairmont Banff Springs awaits. Set against a dramatic backdrop of soaring peaks and the rushing Bow River, this castle-like hotel is one of Canada’s most celebrated landmarks. Take time to settle in and absorb the surroundings before meeting your Tour Director and fellow guests this evening for a welcome briefing and dinner.

Please book your flight to arrive into Banff prior to 05:00 PM.

After breakfast, discover Banff’s natural beauty and historical significance on a guided tour, taking in the Bow Falls, Surprise Corner Lookout, Hoodoos Viewpoint and Lake Minnewanka. A visit to Cave and Basin offers a deeper perspective on the journey ahead. A gathering place of profound significance to Indigenous Peoples for over ten thousand years, it was the discovery of thermal springs here in 1883 that sparked the creation of Canada’s first national park. Rich in both history and natural beauty, it remains one of the most thought-provoking stops on the journey. The remainder of the day is yours to explore the vibrant streets of downtown Banff at leisure.

Today, World Heritage-listed Banff National Park is yours to explore, with your choice of Scenic Freechoice experiences shaping the day entirely as you wish.

Scenic Freechoice:
Heli Flightseeing Banff: Lift off and venture into one of earth’s most dramatic mountain landscapes via helicopter. Weave between the iconic Three Sisters Peaks as sheer rock faces rise around you and the true scale of the Canadian Rockies sinks in. Rugged peaks, glittering lakes and untouched wilderness surround you on every side, with the winding Bow River far below, a breathtaking experience that cannot be replicated from the ground.

Bow River Float Trip: Just minutes from downtown Banff, step onto your raft on the Bow River and let it carry you through one of earth’s most spectacular mountain landscapes. No experience needed, just a sense of wonder. Drift peacefully downstream as towering peaks rise on every side, wildflowers line the banks and water birds glide alongside. Wildlife has a habit of appearing when you least expect it.

E-Bike & Hike Johnston Canyon: A guided e-bike tour through mountain forest and along shimmering lakeshores, followed by a hike into Banff’s most beloved canyon, walking deeper into towering rock walls until the spectacular Lower Falls thunders into view. Two iconic Banff experiences, beautifully combined into one extraordinary day.

Banff Gondola: Ride to the summit of Sulphur Mountain for a stunning bird’s-eye view of Banff township and six mountain ranges stretching to every horizon.

Willow Stream Spa at Fairmont Banff Springs: Rejuvenate in the mineral pools of the Willow Stream Spa, drawing energy from the mountains around you in this serene and beautifully appointed sanctuary (available on select early season departures only).

Leaving Banff behind, your journey follows the storied Bow Valley Parkway toward Lake Louise. The south-facing slopes along this historic route are home to lush foliage and a resident cast of elk, mule deer, bears and even the occasional wolf. Arrive at Lake Louise, known as the Diamond in the Wilderness, and settle into your Lakeview Room at the breathtaking Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise for an overnight Scenic Special Stay. This evening, the choice of where to dine is yours.

Scenic Enrich
Meet a retired member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for a fascinating and personal insight into the enduring importance of the Mounties, past and present.

Scenic Freechoice Dining:
Choose between a French-Canadian Brasserie-style dining experience overlooking the spectacular lake or the refined elegance of contemporary Canadian cuisine, both within the elegant surrounds of the Chateau where attentive service and thoughtful flavours make every meal an occasion.

Consistently ranked among the world’s great scenic drives, the Icefields Parkway winds through a procession of towering peaks, ancient glaciers, turquoise lakes and cascading waterfalls that few roads on earth can match. Journey through this magnificent highway to the Columbia Icefield, where you board an Ice Explorer and glide onto the vast icy expanse of the Athabasca Glacier, a humbling encounter with ice that has been forming for centuries. Later, arrive in Jasper and settle in for two nights at the renowned Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.

Scenic Enrich
Embark on a guided walk led by an Indigenous storyteller, learning about the medicinal and culinary uses of native plants gathered from the surrounding wilderness. Inspired by the walk, dinner this evening features ingredients drawn directly from Jasper’s landscape, a beautifully considered connection between place and plate.

Spanning approximately 11,000 square kilometres, World Heritage-listed Jasper National Park is the largest park in the Canadian Rockies. Whether drawn to the skies, the river or the deep wilderness, today is entirely yours to shape with your choice of Scenic Freechoice experiences.

Scenic Enrich
Join a guided wildlife tour into Jasper’s natural wonderland, where elk, deer, black bears, moose and mountain goats thrive in their pristine habitats, an intimate encounter with the wild heart of the Canadian Rockies.

Scenic Freechoice:
Harley-Davidson Sidecar Tour: Gear up, climb in and feel the rumble of a Harley-Davidson beneath you as you roll out into the heart of the Canadian Rockies. Wind up dramatic mountain roads where sweeping views of the Athabasca Valley stretch before you, or venture off the beaten track into the wilder, quieter side of Jasper that most visitors never encounter. Open air, open road and the Rockies all around, the kind of experience that stays with you.

Athabasca River Rafting: Board your raft and float the very same waters that fur traders navigated over two centuries ago, deep in the heart of one of the world’s most celebrated national parks. No experience needed. Gentle rapids add just the right touch of excitement, and the riverbanks reward those who pay attention, with elk, moose, wolves, eagles and bears making regular appearances.

Maligne Valley & Lakes: Journey deep into the spectacular Maligne Valley on an interpretive drive through the heart of Jasper National Park. Witness Medicine Lake, a remarkable natural phenomenon that disappears entirely each year, before arriving at Maligne Lake where impossibly vivid water, soaring peaks on every horizon and three glaciers in plain view frame the iconic Spirit Island, one of the most photographed scenes in all of Canada.

Wildfire Peak-Nic: In July 2024, a wildfire of historic proportions swept through Jasper National Park, the largest in over a century. On this 4km hike through one of Canada’s most dramatically transformed landscapes, witness new growth, wildflowers pushing through ash and wildlife quietly returning. At the peak, share a hot lunch and hear why wildfire is not destruction, but nature’s most powerful tool for renewal.

Board the legendary Rocky Mountaineer for one of the world’s great rail journeys. Settled into your GoldLeaf Service glass-dome carriage, traverse dramatic mountain passes and sweeping canyons as the landscapes of the Canadian Rockies unfold in every direction. There is a quiet rhythm to train travel — the landscape unfolds at its own pace, the scenery draws you in, and every curve reveals a new perspective. Tonight, unwind in a Kamloops hotel selected by Rocky Mountaineer.

The second day on board the Rocky Mountaineer brings its own rewards. Watch the remarkable confluence of the Fraser and Thompson rivers come into view from your glass-dome carriage, then settle in for another day of celebrated Rocky Mountaineer cuisine paired with local wines and craft beers as breathtaking scenery continues to unfold. Arrive in cosmopolitan Vancouver, where a one-night stay at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver awaits. Mountains rise behind you, the Pacific stretches ahead, and the energy of the city is immediate and inviting.

The day begins at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, opening early exclusively for Scenic guests. Breakfast is served at the Cliff House Restaurant, which pays homage to the original clifftop structure built on the canyon’s edge in 1889, is followed by a wander across the suspension bridge high above the lush forest canopy. Continue to Stanley Park, where ancient West Coast rainforest, the waterfront Seawall and iconic First Nations totem poles offer a morning that captures the full breadth of Vancouver’s extraordinary natural setting.

From Canada Place Pier, board Holland America Line’s ms Koningsdam for your seven-night Alaskan cruise and settle into your Verandah Stateroom, a private outdoor space from which humpback whales and bald eagles may well make their first appearance. A dedicated Scenic Cruise Liaison accompanies the journey throughout, providing personalised assistance, hosting activities and ensuring every moment on board is as seamless as the days that came before.

Settle into the pleasures of life on board as the ship cruises northward along the breathtaking Inside Passage. The scenery shifts with every passing hour, forested islands, mountain peaks and sheltered waterways replacing one another in a slow and spectacular procession. Whether you choose to relax on your private verandah, visit the spa or explore the on-board restaurants and lounges.

Explore Alaska’s state capital, a city accessible only by air or sea and shaped entirely by the extraordinary landscape that surrounds it. Hemmed in by mountains and ocean, Juneau carries a character unlike anywhere else in the United States. Delve into its rich history, from the drama of the Klondike Gold Rush to the enduring culture of the indigenous Tlingit people, marvel at glacier vistas and explore a vibrant arts scene that reflects a community deeply connected to the wilderness it calls home.

Step back in time as you wander through the streets of Skagway, a living testament to the Klondike Gold Rush era. Meticulously preserved shop facades and wooden boardwalks whisper tales of adventure and fortune, and with the mountains pressing in close on all sides, it is easy to imagine the thousands who once flooded these streets in search of gold and glory. It is one of those places that wears its history openly and with great pride.

A World Heritage Site and one of the world’s great wilderness experiences, Glacier Bay is a place of humbling scale and rare quiet beauty. Cruise past dramatic ice walls that tower above the waterline, a steaming hot chocolate in hand, and listen for the deep resonant crack of calving glaciers echoing across the water. Let the serenity of this frozen wilderness settle into the memory, a day unlike any other on the journey.

Ketchikan earns its reputation as the salmon capital of the world with well-justified pride. Totem poles rise from the creek banks, fishing boats jostle in the harbour and the rhythm of this working coastal community is impossible to resist. The vibrant atmosphere weaves together the echoes of native heritage with the energy of a fishing culture that remains very much alive. Delight in local delicacies and immerse yourself in a place that feels genuinely and authentically itself.

Savour the final day of the cruise as the ship sails southward through the Inside Passage. It is a day for reflection, for lingering over the scenery, for conversation with fellow guests and for the quiet pleasure of knowing that a journey of this quality leaves its mark long after it ends.

Your journey draws to a close in Vancouver, returning to the city where the final chapter began.

After disembarking, take your time exploring Vancouver’s vibrant neighbourhoods, scenic parks, waterfront paths and local eats, with the freedom to discover the city by coach. As you explore, we’ll securely store your luggage on the coach before your transfer to the airport. Available for flights departing after 6:00 PM.

Please book your flight to depart out of Vancouver after 01:00 PM.

This itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons. Please refer to Scenic’s terms and conditions for further information. Hotels are indicative and subject to change.