Best of Canadian Rockies, Alaska Cruise & USA National Parks 21 Days

Fly to Calgary via connecting cities and take a shuttle transfer to your hotel for rest.

Transfer to Banff in the morning and embark on a scenic road trip of breathtaking Banff National Park along the Bow Valley Parkway, between the iconic mountain resort towns Banff and Lake Louise. Marvel at glorious Moraine Lake with a panoramic view of the Valley of the Ten Peaks, followed by a leisurely hike to the Lower Falls of Johnston Canyon. Then stroll along the picturesque shores of Lake Louise, crowned as the ‘Jewel of the Rockies’. Conclude the day with a quick stop at world famous Bow Falls before riding the Banff Gondola▲ (optional at your own expense) to the top of Sulphur Mountain, with breathtaking panoramic views of the Rockies.

Today’s highlight is a jaw-dropping road trip to Jasper National Park. Be prepared to take in the world’s most scenic glaciers, lakes and mountain peaks as we traverse the Icefields Parkway, passing by subalpine forests on the way to the immense Columbia Icefield. Here, embark on a glacier adventure ride aboard the massive Ice Explorer▲ (optional admission at your own expense) snow coach onto the surface of Athabasca Glacier, and experience an exhilarating cliff-edge Glacier Skywalk▲ (optional admission at your own expense). Next is a quick stop at the powerful waterfall of Athabasca Falls before heading into the beautiful alpine town of Jasper.

Step into UNESCO World Heritage Site Mount Robson Provincial Park, home to the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies and recognised for its vast natural beauty and mountain landscapes containing rare species, peaks, glaciers, lakes, waterfalls, canyons, limestone caves, and fossils. Then take off to Blue River for an exciting River Safari▲ (optional admission at your own expense) to stunning Grizzly Bear Valley where you are likely to witness active wildlife on the riverbank.

Set out on a fun hike at Othello Tunnels, a series of old train tunnels and bridges that cut through the solid granite walls and pass over the wild Coquihalla River near the town of Hope, location of the film ‘Rambo – First Blood’. After lunch, enjoy a mini tour of cosmopolitan Vancouver city, stopping by bustling Granville Island Public Market, a food lover’s paradise.

Cross the border into the United States of America through to the Port of Seattle to embark on your luxury week-long Alaska Glacier Cruise for your chance to witness the undisturbed wildlife and jaw-dropping natural wonders of the Alaskan wilderness.

Enjoy the day at sea as we sail through the natural wonders of Alaska.

Celebrity Solstice®: Cruise to Ketchikan, The ‘Salmon Capital of the World’ is a popular port of call for Alaska cruises. If you’re up for an adventure, take a canoe and nature trail excursion, or a wilderness exploration followed by a scrumptious crab feast.

Ovation of the Seas®: Have your camera ready to capture the rugged beauty of the islands and mainland coast of southern Alaska. The views on the Inside Passage include glaciers, fjords, soaring cliffs and misty northern rainforest. Watch for the exotic wildlife, including moose and whales. Witness enormous glaciers, misty temperate rainforests, and blue fjords. Surrounded by fjords, forest and snow-capped mountains, Juneau (pictured at right) is a gorgeous state capital. Its historic city centre harks back to its gold-rush origins and you can still pan for gold. But nature is the priceless treasure. You can’t miss the amazing glacial landscape.

Celebrity Solstice® (2019 itinerary): Cruise to the Tracy Arm Fjord (pictured right), and gaze in awe at a landscape carved by glaciers, with hundreds of waterfalls cascading down 3000-foot granite walls. Then, cruise to Juneau, the capital of Alaska, where you’ll spend the afternoon, departing late evening. Surrounded by fjord, forest and snow-capped mountains, Juneau (pictured at right) is a gorgeous state capital. Its historic city centre harks back to its gold-rush origins and you can still pan for gold. But nature is the priceless treasure. You can’t miss the amazing glacial landscape.

Celebrity Solstice® (2020 itinerary): Endicott Arm Fjord marks the southern edge of Ford’s Terror Wilderness area. Drifting icebergs, deep blue waters and a spectacular tidewater glacier only add to this natural spectacle’s appeal. Glacier Harbour Seals: Endicott Arm is one of the largest breeding grounds for harbour seals on the planet. Along the shore, you might also glimpse brown bears, bald eagles, sea ducks, deer, moose and wolves. End with a front-row view of Dawes Glacier. This very active ice cap is known for its spectacular calving displays which produce the huge, chunky icebergs that float in the area. Then, cruise to Juneau, where you’ll spend the afternoon.

Ovation of the Seas®: The great Klondike Rush lives on in Skagway’s charming city centre of restored 19th-century buildings and its historic railway. From the vintage train, admire the mountains and see the 1898 trail that fortune seekers travelled on foot. You’ll arrive early in the morning and depart in the evening.

Celebrity Solstice®: Cruise to Skagway (pictured right), arriving early in the morning. Relive the gold rush by riding the Yukon Railroad. Discover Dyea, or go horseback riding through the majestic forests. Depart late afternoon to sail through the Alaska Inside Passage. Have your camera ready to capture the rugged beauty of the islands and mainland coast of southern Alaska. The views include glaciers, fjords, soaring cliffs and misty northern rainforest. Watch for the exotic wildlife, including moose and whales.

Ovation of the Seas®: One of Alaska’s lesser-known gems, Endicott Arm Fjord marks the southern edge of Ford’s Terror Wilderness area. As you drift through its 30-mile-long stretch, you can’t help but be awed by the surrounding granite cliffs, mountain valleys and dozens of gushing waterfalls. Drifting icebergs, deep blue waters and a spectacular tidewater glacier only add to this natural spectacle’s appeal. Glacier Harbour Seals: Endicott Arm is one of the largest breeding grounds for harbour seals on the planet. Keep your eyes peeled for these creatures splashing in icy waters near the ship. Along the shore, you might also glimpse brown bears, bald eagles, sea ducks, deer, moose and wolves. Dawes Glacier: Your journey through scenic Endicott Arm Fjord ends with a front-row view of Dawes Glacier. Standing over 182 metres tall and 0.8 km wide, this very active ice cap is known for its spectacular calving displays which produce the huge, chunky icebergs that float in the area.

Celebrity Solstice®: Enjoy the day at sea as we sail along the Canadian coast. Explore the varied onboard activities, restaurants, and bars.

Ovation of the Seas®:Spend the day at sea. Whether you seek an adrenaline rush or total tranquility, our ships have it all. Try rock climbing, bumper cars and flying without having to leave the ship in our skydiving simulator. Melt away land-based stress with a spa massage, build a scrapbook of memories or simply relax by the side of the pool. On board, dining is about more than just food. Think ambience, variety and the flexibility to decide when and what you savour.

Cruise to Victoria, BC. The capital of British Columbia is filled with blooming gardens, heritage architecture and historic charm. The heart of Victoria is its scenic harbour and Old Town, compact areas that are made for strolling and easily explored on foot. Prepare to be romanced with blooming flowers, magnificent architecture, and gourmet treats – an unforgettable getaway. Note: Ovation of the Seas arrives in Victoria in the morning, and Celebrity Solstice arrives late afternoon.

Disembark from the cruise after breakfast. Begin your tour of ‘Emerald City’ Seattle as we head downtown for a familiarisation drive stopping at scenic views as we pass by distinct neighbourhoods sitting high on hilltops or afloat on the calm waters. Explore the colourful Pike Place Market overlooking Elliot Bay, Seattle’s most popular tourist destination and home to a large variety of shops and restaurants with waterfront views. Scale the iconic Space Needle▲(optional admission at your own expense), and view the dazzling skyline from 158 meters on the observation deck. Then we will view the amazing collection of blown glass art and sculptures at popular Chihuly Garden & Glass▲ (optional admission at your own expense).

Today, bid farewell to beautiful Seattle with a transfer to the airport for your flight to Salt Lake City (pictured), the high-elevation capital of Utah. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel in Idaho Falls, named after the colossal local man-made dams and beautiful waterfalls.

Continue your tour with a road trip to Grand Teton National Park for a picture-perfect scenic photo shoot at Colter Bay Village overlooking the beautiful shores of Jackson Lake with the majestic Grand Tetons as a backdrop. Before long, you will enter the world-renowned Yellowstone National Park, the world’s first national park and a vast wilderness recreation area atop a volcanic hot spot characterised by hydrothermal geysers, hot springs, mud pots and fumaroles. Begin your tour of Yellowstone at the Old Faithful cone geyser shooting water over 37 metres in the air. Then stop at the Midway Geyser Basin to see the Grand Prismatic Spring, the country’s largest hot spring and prepare to be mesmerised by the vivid colouration thanks to the heat-loving bacteria that produce colours ranging from green to red lining the edge of the deep blue spring water. Time permitting, take a look at the Fountain Paint Pot named after the reds, yellows and browns of the bubbling mud.

Continue your journey through Yellowstone National Park at Norris Geyser Basin, the hottest geyser basin in Yellowstone comprised of two distinct sections: The Back Basin in a forest setting and the Porcelain Basin characterised by a lack of vegetation. Then ascend the steep stairway of Uncle Tom’s Trail at the ‘Grand Canyon of Yellowstone’ for an observation deck view of the 400 foot tall Lower Yellowstone Falls. Continue by the picturesque Yellowstone Lake towards the resort town of Jackson in the Jackson Hole valley in Teton County, famous for cowboy bars and western souvenir shops among many Old West allures. Return to Salt Lake City to rest overnight.

Begin the day driving by the beautiful landscape and historic buildings of Temple Square in the heart of Salt Lake City before arriving at historic long-standing Cove Fort, constructed of volcanic rock. Then gain an everlasting impression of some of the world’s most beautiful scenery at the Sunset Point of Bryce Canyon National Park, characterised by its vast expanse of orange and red sandstone cliffs sculpted by nature into ‘hoodoo’ pillars. Cap off the day at one of United States’ most scenic canyons with a road trip through Zion Canyon Scenic Drive to Zion Lodge in Zion National Park whose steep canyons, stone towers and lush vegetation are carved over millions of years by rushing streams.

Stop at Hoover Dam for a perfect photo opportunity along the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge. Then proceed to one of the Seven Wonders of the Industrial World, the majestic Grand Canyon. As you gaze out from the West Rim at Eagle Point and Guano Point, you are viewing 2 billion years of geological history. Millions of people each year stand in awe at the canyon and leave with a sense of fulfilment and realisation that they have witnessed nature at her finest. Time permitting, take a Grand Canyon Skywalk# (optional admission at your own expense) for a 720 degree view of the Canyon on the tallest man-made structure in the world, a horseshoe-shaped cantilever bridge on the very edge of the Grand Canyon West Rim, with nothing but glass separating you and the Colorado River 4,000 feet below. A complete change of scenery awaits when you arrive in the heart of ‘Sin City’ Las Vegas, a neon desert oasis offering a collection of bright lights, shopping malls, iconic dancing fountains, famous hotels and innumerable casinos.

Enjoy the morning and early afternoon at your own pace and leisure to explore the entertainment capital of the world. Then in the mid-afternoon, bid farewell to beautiful Las Vegas with a transfer to the airport for your homebound or onward flight via connecting cities.

In flight. Your trip may be over but the memories will certainly last a lifetime.

Arrive back in Australia this morning.