Rockies Rail & Coastal Alaska Expedition with Adventure World

Arrive in Calgary and transfer to Banff, watching the landscape change from open prairie to the peaks and alpine forests of the Canadian Rockies.

Spend the rest of the day exploring Banff at your own pace. Stroll along Banff Avenue and discover its shops, restaurants and bars, all set against a mountain backdrop.

Stay for three nights at Fairmont Banff Springs, known as the “Castle in the Rockies” for its chateau-style architecture and mountain setting.

Explore Banff National Park, part of the UNESCO-listed Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks, on a locally guided small-group tour. Visit Bow Falls, Surprise Corner, the Hoodoos Viewpoint and Lake Minnewanka, watching for elk, bears and mountain goats along the way.

After the tour, take the eight-minute Banff Gondola ride to the upper terminal, 2,281 metres above sea level on Sulphur Mountain. At the summit, explore the interpretive centre and rooftop observation deck, or follow the boardwalk towards Sanson’s Peak for panoramic views over Banff, the Bow Valley and the surrounding Canadian Rockies.

Join a guided tour to Lake Louise and, when seasonal access allows, Moraine Lake*, both within Banff National Park and the UNESCO-listed Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks.

Walk to the Rockpile viewpoint for a different perspective over Moraine Lake and the Valley of the Ten Peaks. Along the Bow Valley Parkway, see Castle Mountain and Fairmont Château Lake Louise while your guide brings the region’s landscapes and mountaineering history to life.

*Moraine Lake is seasonal and access is weather dependent. An alternative may be provided at the beginning or end of the season.

Settle into Rocky Mountaineer’s GoldLeaf Service for the journey from Banff to Kamloops. Watch the Canadian Rockies unfold through panoramic glass-dome windows, then head downstairs to the dining room for freshly prepared meals showcasing local ingredients.

Travel past glacier-carved peaks, mountain passes, tunnels, lakeshores and ranchlands. Route highlights include the Continental Divide, Spiral Tunnels, Kicking Horse Canyon, Rogers Pass and Craigellachie, where the last spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway was driven.

On arrival in Kamloops, transfer to your hotel. The city’s rugged landscapes and rolling hills offer a contrast to the alpine scenery of the Rockies.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Continue west towards Vancouver, watching the scenery change from British Columbia’s arid interior to river canyons, forests, the Coast and Cascade Mountains, and the Fraser River Valley.

Pass the steep slopes and rock sheds along the Thompson River and the rushing waters of Hell’s Gate in the Fraser Canyon. Your two-day Rocky Mountaineer journey concludes in Vancouver, where you will transfer to your hotel.

Stay overnight at Pan Pacific Vancouver in a waterfront setting above Canada Place, with sweeping views across Coal Harbour to Stanley Park and the North Shore Mountains. The hotel’s direct lift access to the cruise terminal means you can move seamlessly from your room to the ship the following day.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Discover Granville Island, a former industrial area now known for its public market, artisan producers, galleries and waterfront setting.

Explore Granville Island Public Market on a guided food tour, sampling more than 20 local and Canadian specialities. Tastings may include artisan bread, local charcuterie, British Columbia cheeses and freshly made doughnuts.

This evening, board Greg Mortimer for your National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions voyage, Epic Alaska and British Columbia. Settle in with a welcome drink and meet the expedition team and crew.

Meals: Brunch, Dinner.

Trace British Columbia’s coastline, exploring secluded inlets and forested islands while watching for whales, dolphins, bears and deer. As the ship sails north towards Alaska, join a talk with the expedition team or relax in the lounge or on the observation deck.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Cruise through Misty Fjords National Monument, where granite cliffs rise more than 600 metres above deep-blue fjords and waterfalls descend through the forest.

Explore with the expedition team, whose knowledge of the region’s geology, wildlife and natural history adds context to the journey. Head out by Zodiac or kayak for a closer view of the forested shoreline, watching for bald eagles, mountain goats and marine wildlife.

Throughout the voyage, photography guidance helps you make the most of each landscape and wildlife encounter. The expedition team remains flexible, adapting each day’s activities to the conditions, wildlife and unexpected opportunities along the way.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Navigate the Wrangell Narrows, a spectacularly scenic waterway inaccessible to larger ships. Explore the coastline by kayak or Zodiac, and venture ashore to follow bear trails through the lush temperate rainforest. Along the way, naturalists share insights into this vibrant ecosystem.

In the evening, cruise Frederick Sound and watch for orcas, humpback whales and Steller sea lions. Scan the shoreline for moose, Sitka black-tailed deer, black bears, wolves and bald eagles.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s route is shaped by wildlife sightings and conditions. Explore secluded bays, follow bear trails and salmon-rich streams, or walk through forests of towering spruce and hemlock while listening for bald eagles overhead.

Head ashore for a walk among towering spruce and hemlock, watching for bald eagles, or take to the water by kayak to discover the marine life along the tidal shoreline.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Cross the Gulf of Alaska towards Yakutat Bay, where, on a clear day, the snow-covered summit of Mount Fairweather rises more than 4,500 metres above the coastline.
Deeper within the bay, the vast face of Hubbard Glacier comes into view—a wall of ancient ice stretching approximately 10 kilometres across Wrangell–St. Elias National Park. Watch for icebergs drifting through the surrounding waters and, when conditions allow, head out by Zodiac for a closer perspective. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Explore the sheltered bays and forested shoreline of Chichagof Island, part of the vast Tongass National Forest and home to one of the world’s highest concentrations of brown bears. Depending on the day, paddle by kayak or stand-up paddleboard, or step ashore for a guided hike beneath the canopy of the temperate rainforest.

After lunch, join the naturalists on deck as the ship follows the remote outer coasts of Chichagof and Baranof Islands. Scan the surrounding waters and forested shoreline for whales, sea otters, bears and other wildlife.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Spend the day exploring Sitka at your own pace. Set between forested mountains and the Pacific Ocean on Baranof Island, the town brings together living Tlingit culture and layers of Russian heritage.
While you are ashore, the ship will farewell some guests and welcome others for the next stage of the voyage. There may also be a few changes within the expedition team as the journey continues.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The Inian Islands are a small group of forested islands at the western entrance to Icy Strait, where the waters of the Inside Passage meet the open Pacific. Strong tidal currents bring nutrients to the surface, creating a rich feeding ground for marine wildlife.
Explore the islands’ narrow channels by Zodiac, watching for Steller sea lions gathered on rocky outcrops and sea otters resting among the kelp. Bald eagles and seabirds may be seen overhead as you continue into the productive waters of Icy Strait in search of humpback whales, orcas and other marine mammals.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Discover Haines through a choice of active experiences set among mountains, forests and glacial waterways. Cycle beside a fjord, cast for salmon and Dolly Varden trout on a guided fly-fishing excursion, or take to the trails for a closer look at the surrounding landscape.
The day’s programme may also include a visit to the Tlingit community of Klukwan, where local interpretation shares the community’s living culture and traditions, followed by a rafting journey along the Chilkat River.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Journey into Endicott Arm, a glacier-carved fjord within the Tongass National Forest, where waterfalls tumble down steep mountain walls and icebergs drift through the water. Head out by Zodiac towards Dawes Glacier and watch for the dramatic sight and sound of ice calving from its face.
Depending on the day, there may also be time to kayak beneath the towering walls of the fjord. Later, cruise into Frederick Sound, keeping watch for orcas and humpback whales in its nutrient-rich waters.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today offers the freedom to explore more of Southeast Alaska’s remote coastline. With no fixed port of call, the expedition team can follow the best wildlife and exploration opportunities as they unfold. Cruise by Zodiac into sheltered coves and around forested islands, or paddle close to the tidal shoreline by kayak.
Keep watch for bald eagles in the treetops, marine mammals in the surrounding waters and bears or deer moving along the shore.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Arrive in Prince Rupert, a harbour town on British Columbia’s rugged northwest coast. Step inside the longhouse-style Museum of Northern British Columbia to discover the art, stories and living traditions of the Northwest Coast, with a particular focus on Tsimshian culture. Carvings, weavings and ceremonial objects help trace thousands of years of history in the region.
Continue to the North Pacific Cannery National Historic Site at the mouth of the Skeena River. Walk among the timber buildings and boardwalks of British Columbia’s oldest surviving salmon cannery, learning about the people, communities and industries that shaped life along this remote coast.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Begin the journey south through British Columbia’s Inside Passage as the ship weaves between forested islands, sheltered inlets and waterways often draped in mist. Scan the water for whales and look to the treetops for bald eagles, while bears and deer may appear along the shoreline.
Spend time with the expedition team as they share their knowledge of the region’s wildlife, landscapes and natural history, or settle into the observation lounge and watch the coastal wilderness unfold around you.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Arrive in Vancouver this morning and disembark Greg Mortimer, bringing your journey through the Canadian Rockies, British Columbia and Alaska to a close. Transfer to the airport for your onward flight.

Meals: Breakfast