Best of British Columbia

Day 2 : Vancouver

Today take some time to independently explore this vibrant city, offering many attractions such as Canada Place, the dynamic Robson Street, Chinatown and historic Gastown and Stanley Park.
 

Day 3 : Vancouver to Whistler with Sea to Sky Gondola | 122 km/76 mi

Collect your rental car and depart Vancouver this morning along the scenic Sea-to-Sky Highway to Whistler, home of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Highlights along the way include the cascading Shannon Falls, the Stawamus Chief Rock where climbers from all over the globe migrate to climb the granite cliffs and the Sea to sky Gondola where incredible bird’s-eye views of Howe Sound sprawl before you. At the top, enjoy access to several interpretive walking trails, viewing platforms and the on-site restaurant and tea house. Continue onto Whistler to arrive mid-afternoon.
 

Day 4 : Whistler | Freedom of Choice - Choose 1 of 4 Excursions

You can personalize your day by choosing one of four excursions:

Option 1. Whistler Guided Lunch Tour
There’s no better way to spend an afternoon in Whistler than exploring the eclectic culinary scene. Guests will enjoy a delicious multi-course lunch while visiting some of the best local lunch spots and indulge a sweet tooth at a couple of chocolate shops.

Option 2. River of Golden Dreams Canoe Tour
This summertime paddle takes you on an enchanting canoe journey from Alta Lake to Green Lake. Wildflower-lined banks, old-growth forests and local wildlife are all part of your passing tableaux

Option 3. Guided Whistler Valley Bike Tour
Explore some of Whistler’s best scenery by bike on one of the Valley Trail Bike Tours. Learn about Whistler’s history, geography and view key nature spots along the way with naturalist adventure bike guides.

Option 4. Whistler Peak 2 Peak Gondola
Experience the beauty via the Peak Adventure on Whistler Mountain as you soak in the unbelievable views of glaciers, extinct volcanoes and snow-capped peaks.
 

Day 5 : Whistler to Kelowna | 419 km/260 mi

Begin your spectacular drive on the Duffey Lake Road where you will see breathtaking views of Joffre Glacier. Continue on through Lillooet, known as the land of the Gold Rush Trail, and onto Cache Creek where we recommend a stop to visit the Historic Hat Creek. From here travel towards the sun & vineyards of Kelowna. Over 2,000 hours of sunshine and only 13” of precipitation annually allows for a wide range of outdoor activities and grape growing for various wines.
 

Day 6 : Kelowna | Wine Tour

Tour into the countryside combining the best of the Lake, the Valley and the Vines. Experience the wineries we call hidden treasures and sample the Okanagan’s finest wines.
 

Day 7 : Kelowna to Field - Emerald Lake Lodge | 348 Km/216 mi

Your destination today is Yoho National Park. The word Yoho is the Cree word expressing awe. This 1313 sq. km national park is filled with gem coloured glacial lakes and waterfalls, snow-covered peaks and dense forests of western red cedar and western hemlock. Historic railroads, spiral tunnels within mountain sides and steep rock faces where mountain goats roam are just some of the sights to be seen. Other Yoho marvels include a natural rock bridge over the Kicking Horse River, Hoodoos, some of Canada’s highest waterfalls and the Burgess Shale fossil find where over 120 marine animal species dating back as far as 530 million years were discovered.
 

Day 8 : Emerald Lake Lodge

Located on the shores of the famous pristine lake, surrounded by some of the Rockies most impressive peaks. The lodge built of hand-hewn timber and featuring massive stone fireplaces and includes a formal dining room and quiet reading and sitting rooms. From the upper or lower large verandas enjoy the serene views of this wilderness landscape.
 

Day 9 : Emerald Lake Lodge to Radium Hot Springs (169 km)

Highway 95 will lead you to Cranbrook, the ‘Key City to the Rockies’. Along the way visit Fort Steele Heritage Town, a local settlement whose name was changed in 1888 to honour Superintendent Samuel Benfield (Sam) Steele of the North-West Mounted Police, who peacefully reduced tensions between the Ktunaxa and the white and Chinese settlers who were relatively new to the area. In Cranbrook, the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel is famous for the restored complete set of the TransCanada Limited, a million dollar train set built in 1929. Continuing on the way into Nelson, take a short detour over to Harrop and back to experience the Harrop Proctor Cable Ferry. Surrounded by the Selkirk Mountains, set on the shores of Kootenay Lake and clustered with some 350 heritage buildings, Nelson’s storybook charm and stunning scenery create the quintessential small town setting. Perhaps enjoy an evening cruise on the S.S. Moyie paddle wheeler.

Day 10 : Radium Hot Springs to Nelson (375 km)

Highway 95 will lead you to Cranbrook, the ‘Key City to the Rockies’. Along the way visit Fort Steele Heritage Town, a local settlement whose name was changed in 1888 to honour Superintendent Samuel Benfield (Sam) Steele of the North-West Mounted Police, who peacefully reduced tensions between the Ktunaxa and the white and Chinese settlers who were relatively new to the area. In Cranbrook, the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel is famous for the restored complete set of the TransCanada Limited, a million dollar train set built in 1929. Continuing on the way into Nelson, take a short detour over to Harrop and back to experience the Harrop Proctor Cable Ferry. Surrounded by the Selkirk Mountains, set on the shores of Kootenay Lake and clustered with some 350 heritage buildings, Nelson’s storybook charm and stunning scenery create the quintessential small town setting. Perhaps enjoy an evening cruise on the S.S. Moyie paddle wheeler.
 

Day 11 : Nelson to Osoyoos

Today continue traveling westward to Osoyoos, Canada’s only desert town. Visit the unique Osoyoos Desert Centre to experience this phenomenon, and check out the Osoyoos Museum, winner of the “best small town museum” in BC. With expanses of orchards and vineyards, lake swimming and boating, this area has all the amenities a visitor could ever want.
 

Day 12 : Osoyoos Day at leisure

Did you know that Canada has a desert? The grasslands and bald hills outside the town of Osoyoos are an extension of the Sonoran Desert that runs as far south as Mexico and creeps north to form Canada’s only arid desert. We suggest taking a guided or unguided 1.5km boardwalk through Canada’s desert landscape at the Osoyoos Desert Centre. Learn about the sensitive ecosystem which is home to 100 rare plants and 300 animals found nowhere else in Canada. The Centre also features an interpretive facility with hands-on exhibits and a native plant demonstration garden. Another option is to head out for the day to visit the many wineries of the Osoyoos and Oliver region along the Black Sage bench and the Golden Mile.
 

Day 13 : Osoyoos to Harrison Hot Springs (288 km)

Today join the Coquihalla Highway and climb to an elevation of 1244 metres where over 10 metres of snow can fall in an average winter. You will witness incredible feats of engineering as you travel through the Great Bear snow shed, crossing the Dry Gulch Bridge (over 280 metres long and 175 metres high). Begin descending from the summit pass through some of the most beautiful landscapes in the province. This dramatic change of environment is always exhilarating, as you go from bright sunlight on the high rock faces to misty coastal cedars and tall firs in the space of half an hour. Approaching the Pacific coast, the canyon opens into the broad fertile Fraser Valley.

Day 14-15 : Harrison Hot Springs – Vancouver (144 km) - UK

Make the short drive to Vancouver airport in time to drop off your car before your flight home.