Highlights
Small group experience of a lifetime
Banff sightseeing including Sulphur Mountain and Bow Valley and Falls
Gondola ride in Banff
Scenic sightseeing from Banff to Lake Louise
Afternoon tea at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
World Heritage UNESCO Jasper National Park
Athabasca Glacier Adventure and Skywalk
Sightseeing in Jasper
Lovely cruise on Lake Maligne
Silver Leaf Rocky Mountaineer – journey throughout the Clouds Rail Journey from Jasper to Vancouver
Scenic and historical Vancouver city tour
Gastronomic Gastown tour, Vancouver's famous Foodie District
7-night cruise of Alaska's Inside Passage onboard Holland America "ms Koningsdam - Outside Cabin - category C
Port calls including Tracy Arm Inlet, Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan
Full-day sightseeing tour from Vancouver to Whistler including Peak to Peak Gondola Ride
Gastronomic Gastown tour, Vancouver's famous Foodie District
Full-day excursion to Victoria including a visit to the Beautiful Butchart Gardens
Full-day sightseeing of Vancouver's North Shore including Capilano Suspension Bridge Park and a visit to Grouse Mountain
Friends for company
Inclusions
Personally escorted from Australia, your SWT tour hostess is on hand to assist with making your holiday a memorable one
Return economy airfares ex Melbourne with Air Canada to Calgary / Vancouver (departures from Sydney available)
Private touring coach with professional driver & guides at each destination
2-day rail journey onboard Rocky Mountaineer in Silver Leaf including lunch daily
7-night cruise onboard Holland America "Ms Koningsdam" - Outside Cabin - category C
Private airport, rail and hotel transfers throughout
All meals whilst cruising
All accommodation as detailed in the itinerary
Amazing sightseeing as per our itinerary
Willing to share option (subject to availability)
Meet and greet before departure via Zoom
Sisterhood documentation and ticket wallet
Assistance with booking onshore cruise excursions
# Taxes subject to change
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Optional upgrade (Subject to price increases and availability - please enquire at the time of booking)
Upgrade to Gold Leaf on the Rocky Mountaineer - cost TBA
Upgrade to Verandah Cabin (category V) on Ms Koningsdam - cost TBA
TIPPING:
Local tipping is appreciated in Canada & Alaska. Sisterhood Womens Travel tipping system involves passengers contributing to a kitty which is paid to the tour hostess at the beginning of the tour who then distributes it to service providers on your behalf. The estimated amount for your tour is CAD145 and this will be confirmed in your final documentation.
Tipping for Rocky Mountaineer is included in your tour cost
Tipping on Holland America Cruise USD16.00 per person per day gratuities will be charged to your onboard account
Independent Tipping (not included in the above)
Notice
Moderate Fitness Rating - A moderate level of fitness will be required for these tours due to the length and/or overall physicality of our tour itinerary. You can expect to walk more than 10,000 steps daily on more challenging terrain and longer periods. You must be capable of boarding and disembarking coaches, trains and boats unaided and at times handle your luggage. For more information on our physical ratings please click here
Visa Requirements:
You will need to obtain a VISA Waiver for entry into the USA (Alaska) - approx USD21.00 - https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/
You will need to obtain a VISA Waiver for entry into Canada - approx CAD7.00 - Canada ESTA Application
** IF, WHEN APPLYING, YOU ARE ASKED TO PAY MORE - DO NOT PROCEED ** It will be a scamming website. The above 2 links ARE the legitimate websites to apply.
This tour is only available departing from Melbourne or Sydney. We can assist with departures from other cities and/or add-on arrangements. Please talk to Sisterhood Central for options.
CLICK HERE to view the itinerary map
Itinerary
Day 1 - Saturday 23 August 2025
Melbourne - Sydney - Vancouver - Calgary - Banff (D)
Welcome to Sisterhood Womens Travel. Join your tour hostess and fellow travellers at Melbourne Airport for your flight to Canada. Sit back, relax and enjoy the inflight entertainment as we head towards our fantastic adventure.
Upon arrival into Calgary, we'll be met and transferred to Banff.
Dinner tonight at our hotel or a nearby restaurant.
Overnight - Mount Royal Hotel, Banff (or similar)
Day 2 - Sunday 24 August 2025
Banff Sightseeing (B)
This morning we'll enjoy all that Banff has to offer with a tour including Bow River Falls, Tunnel Mountain Drive with the wind-eroded hoodoos and the historic Banff Springs Hotel. We'll ride up Sulphur Mountain with the Banff Gondola (weather permitting) for panoramic views over the Rocky Mountains.
Dinner tonight at leisure.
Overnight - Mount Royal Hotel, Banff (or similar)
Day 3 - Monday 25 August 2025
Banff - Lake Louise (B)
In the morning we'll depart Banff in a chartered mini coach along the Bow Valley parkway and continue across the Continental Divide into Yoho Park to view the spiral train tunnels, the natural bridge of stone across the Kicking Horse River as well as the beautiful Emerald Lake.
We arrive at beautiful Lake Louise to enjoy the spectacular view across the lake to the Victoria Glacier.
Later, we'll enjoy afternoon Tea at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise and then continue to the hotel.
Overnight – Lake Louise Inn, Lake Louise (or similar)
Day 4 - Tuesday 26 August 2025
Lake Louise - Jasper (B)
Early morning our departure is in a chartered mini-coach travelling on the most scenic road of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, the Icefield Parkway.
Stops will be made at Bow Lake and Crowfoot Glacier and pass by Peyto Lake before reaching Columbia Icefield (Glacier Adventure and Skywalk included).
Later, we continue to Sunwapta and Athabasca Falls before Jasper is reached late afternoon.
Overnight – Marmot Lodge, Jasper (or similar)
Day 5 - Wednesday 27 August 2025
Jasper (B)
This morning we will be picked up by a chartered coach and travel to Maligne Canyon for a walk alongside the gorge and across the bridges.
We'll continue to Medicine Lake and finally Maligne Lake where we'll enjoy a 90-minute cruise with a stop at Spirit Island. Before returning to the hotel, we'll board the Jasper Sky Tram (included) to be elevated high up Whistlers Mountain. There will be time at leisure to use the hiking trails on top of the mountain (good hiking shoes needed) or just relax and take in the view.
Overnight – Marmot Lodge, Jasper (or similar)
Day 6 - Thursday 28 August 2025
Jasper - Kamloops (B, L)
Today we take a direct transfer in a chartered mini coach to the rail station for the first day of the 2 day rail journey on Rocky Mountaineer between Jasper and Vancouver in Silverleaf Service.
Travel onboard the Rocky Mountaineer from Jasper in the Canadian Rockies to Kamloops in the heart of British Columbia’s interior. Journey west and south surrounded by the dramatic scenery of the Continental Divide and by the river valleys of the Monashee and Cariboo Mountains. Today’s highlights include Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies at 3,954 metres, Pyramid Falls, the climb over Yellowhead Pass and the journey along the North Thompson River on approach to the overnight destination of Kamloops. Breakfast and Lunch will be served on board the train.
Upon arrival in Kamloops you will be transferred to the hotel.
Overnight - Kamloops (hotel will be advised on the train and supplied by Rocky Mountaineer)
Day 7 - Friday 29 August 2025
Kamloops - Vancouver (B, L)
This morning we will be collected from the hotel and transferred to the Rocky Mountaineer Rail Station for the rail journey to Vancouver in Silverleaf Service.
The journey continues west towards the Pacific Ocean and the coastal city of Vancouver. On today’s journey, we'll see dramatic changes in scenery, from the desert-like environment of the interior, through the winding river canyons and pristine forests, to the Coast and Cascade Mountains and the lush green fields of the Fraser River Valley. Highlights include the steep slopes and rock sheds along the Thompson River and the rushing waters of Hell’s Gate in the Fraser Canyon. Breakfast and lunch will be served on board the train.
Upon arrival late afternoon, we have a direct transfer by chartered coach from the Rocky Mountaineer station to the hotel.
Overnight - Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre, Vancouver (or similar)
Day 8 - Saturday 30 August 2025
Vancouver - Holland America Ms Koningsdam (B, D)
This morning, we depart by chartered mini coach for the Vancouver Sightseeing Tour.
Urban sophistication mixed with multicultural flair makes Vancouver one of the most liveable cities in the world. This metropolitan city is always a bustle of activity with spectacular scenery, world-class dining, and fabulous shopping. Visit Granville Island with its famous public market, art and craft shops and many cafes and restaurants.
Later this afternoon, we will be transferred to Vancouver Cruise Terminal for the 7-night cruise of Alaska’s Inside Passage.
Cruising through the Inside Passage is really what has made Alaska cruising so popular. This trip captures so much of what people love about Alaska. There are glaciers the size of Rhode Island, misty rain forests, ghostly blue fjords and spirited communities that celebrate their varied heritage. Be sure to take in every view sailing through one of the most beautiful parts of Alaska
All meals are included whilst cruising.
Onboard - Holland America 'Ms Koningsdam'
Day 9 - Sunday 31 August 2025
Inside Passage Cruising (B, L, D)
This is one of the most famously beautiful passages in the world. stretching through stunning landscapes, from Misty Fjords National Monument to the famed Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve.
Onboard - Holland America 'Ms Koningsdam'
Day 10 - Monday 1 September 2025
Tracy Arm Inlet & Juneau (B, L, D)
Steep cliffs and glacier-covered mountains flank this fjord, fringed by the largest intact coastal temperate rain forest in the United States. Old-growth trees colonized Tracy Arm's mouth long ago as the Ice Age retreated. The twin Sawyer Glaciers flow from the peaks down to the sea, sloughing off stories-high chunks of water frozen decades or even centuries before. Even more glorious than nearby Glacier Bay, Tracy Arm is part of the 5.7 million acres (or around 23,000 square kilometers) of pure wilderness sheltered by the Tongass National Forest (America's biggest). Visitors often see bears, whales and mountain goats roaming across various corners of this pristine area, not to mention chubby baby seals resting on the ice floes.
Arrive into Juneau at 1330hrs and depart at 2230hrs.
Juneau, the capital of Alaska, was founded during a gold rush in 1880. Today, the former gold-mining town counts among its riches some of Alaska's most spectacular scenery. With its snow-capped mountains, misty rainforests, massive glaciers and bounty of wildlife, Alaska’s remote state capital is the perfect place to dive into nature. Framed by Mount Juneau and Mount Roberts, the city’s picturesque downtown area offers centuries-old bars, boutique shops and historic landmarks. For a taste of the local culture, visit the historic district and the Alaska State Museum. For outdoor thrills, take your pick of activities ranging from whale watching in Auke Bay Harbor to tundra trekking over Mendenhall Glacier, and even try gold panning in Last Chance Basin.
Juneau is known for its outdoor recreation, fresh seafood and fine dining. The city itself is pleasant, but the real highlight of a visit to Juneau is tracking down some wildlife. Hike up Mount Roberts to chance upon wild deer and bald eagles. Most sightseeing and whale-watching tours head north to Auke Bay, bring a good pair of binoculars to get the best view of these majestic and surprisingly graceful creatures. If you prefer land mammals, catch a floatplane to a nearby wildlife reserve such as Chichagof or Admiralty Island to spy some bears lolling around on an Alaska cruise excursion.
Onboard - Holland America 'Ms Koningsdam'
Day 11 - Tuesday 2 September 2025
Skagway (B, L, D)
This morning we arrive into Skagway and can enjoy a whole day's sightseeing.
Arrive into Skagway at 0700hrs and depart at 2000hrs.
The tiny town of Skagway still looks like it did during the Klondike Gold Rush over 100 years ago and today it remains an outpost for thrilling Alaskan adventure. An old-time street car ride along bustling Broadway Street reveals well-preserved buildings, including the state’s oldest hotel. See engraved walrus tusks at the Corrington Museum or get lost in riveting historical re-enactments around town.
Onboard - Holland America 'Ms Koningsdam'
Day 12 - Wednesday 3 September 2025
Glacier Bay Cruising (B, L, D)
We arrive in spectacular Glacier Bay in the morning.
Arrive into Glacier Bay at 0700hrs and depart at 1600hrs.
Close your eyes and take in the sounds, the creaks and groans of “living” ice, the shrill cries of gulls and soaring eagles and the splash of a breaching humpback whale. Frosted peaks towering over mossy forests, wide tidewater glaciers (there are seven in the park) and marine wildlife are given on Glacier Bay cruises, every experience in this changing biosphere is unique.
Onboard - Holland America 'Ms Koningsdam'
Day 13 - Thursday 4 September 2025
Ketchikan (B, L, D)
Arrive into Ketchikan at 1100hrs and depart at 1900hrs
Alaska's 'First City' of Ketchikan is so named because it’s the first major landfall for most cruisers as they enter the picturesque fjords of the Inside Passage, where the town clings to the banks of the Tongass Narrows, flanked by green forests nurtured by abundant rain.
Ketchikan has long been an important hub of the salmon-fishing and -packing industries. Ketchikan is one of the best spots along the Inside Passage to explore the rich cultural sights of Native Alaskan nations like the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian. See intricately carved totem poles at the Totem Heritage Centre and Totem Bight State Park, while the attractions of Saxman Village just outside of Ketchikan offer the chance to see Tlingit culture in action, with working carvers and a dance show in the clan house. Leave time to explore the sights in the town itself, including historic Creek Street, a boardwalk built over the Ketchikan Creek, and shop for souvenirs, smoked salmon and local art while exploring gold rush–era tourist attractions like Dolly’s House Museum.
Onboard - Holland America 'Ms Koningsdam'
Day 14 - Friday 5 September 2025
Inside Passage Cruising (B, L, D)
Sailing the Inside Passage offers opportunities to spot some of Alaska’s most iconic wildlife, with humpback whales and orcas plying the bountiful waters alongside the ships, bald eagles soaring overhead and brown bears lumbering on the shoreline.
Our last night on board Ms Koningsdam.
Day 15 - Saturday 6 September 2025
Vancouver - Whistler - Vancouver (B)
This morning the cruise arrives back into Vancouver early.
After breakfast disembark the ship and be met in the arrival area of Canada Place cruise ship terminal by our guide.
We'll then depart in a chartered coach with a driver providing commentary up the scenic Sea to Sky Highway. Enjoy views of Howe Sound on our way up to Whistler. Stop en route at Shannon Falls for a quick photo stop. Upon arrival in Whistler, we make our way to Whistler Blackcomb to ride up the Peak to Peak Gondola (included).
Enjoy some free time to explore the village before driving back down the Sea to Sky Highway to Vancouver.
Overnight - Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre, Vancouver (or similar)
Day 16 - Sunday 7 September 2025
Vancouver Gastronomic Gastown Tour (B)
Today, we have a morning free before our mid-afternoon Gastronomic Gastown Tour. Vancouver’s most historic neighbourhood, Gastown, is a charming maze of cobblestone streets, Victorian architecture, local boutiques, and legendary eating and drinking establishments. This three-hour Gastronomic Gastown Tour begins at the birthplace of Vancouver, marked by the statue of “Captain Gassy Jack,” from whom Gastown earned its name.
Weave expertly through the brick streets, just as the locals love to do. It’s here for craft beer and Canadian poutine and another stop for Vancouver’s best pizza. This door is for a mouthwatering cocktail, that nook for the show-stopping dessert. With every twist and turn, collect a curated list of additional recommendations to explore.
Overnight - Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre, Vancouver (or similar)
Day 17 - Monday 8 September 2025
Victoria & Butchart Gardens Day Tour (B, D)
Begin today's tour to Victoria in a chartered coach with a driver providing commentary. Enjoy a wonderful ferry ride to Vancouver Island on BC Ferries, and visit the Butchart Gardens, followed by a visit to British Columbia´s beautiful capital, Victoria. This tour offers a full day of fun and incredible sights!
Highlights include a 90-minute cruise through the spectacular Gulf Islands on board BC Ferries, the world-famous Butchart Gardens, Victoria's Inner Harbour, Empress Hotel and Legislative Buildings, Chinatown, Downtown, and Beacon Hill Park.
Return to Vancouver in the evening by ferry and coach.
Tonight we'll enjoy a farewell dinner.
Overnight - Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre, Vancouver (or similar)
Day 18 - Tuesday 9 September 2025
North Shore Sightseeing - Vancouver - Sydney (B)
Late this morning we'll board the chartered coach for a sightseeing tour to Vancouver's North Shore.
This tour is all about adventure, as we take in the natural wonders surrounding Vancouver. Cross over the Lions Gate Bridge to Capilano Suspension Bridge and then onto Grouse Mountain (admissions included). At Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, we can stand above an old-growth cedar forest and the Capilano River. Experience the awe of natural surroundings, view First Nations artwork, and feel the rush of adrenaline at the Cliffwalk attraction. The Treetops Adventure walk showcases the beauty and diversity of the Capilano coastal rainforest. Spectacular Grouse Mountain is next, offering up ever-changing views as the Skyride ascends to the peak. Experience the Theatre in the Sky presentations, visit the Bear Refuge, watch the Lumberjack Show and/or Birds of Prey Demonstration, take the quad chair to the Peak and take in the panoramic views over the city and the Georgia Strait.
We'll continue to the Capilano River Hatchery, a project dedicated to several species of BC salmon and trout. Learn about the life cycle of salmon, with the opportunity to view hatching and juvenile fish before they are released into a nearby river.
Early evening we'll transfer to the airport for our flights home.
After check-in make we'll make our way to the Plaza Premium Lounge, for 2 hours and including a wide array of hot and cold dishes and a bar with complimentary soft drinks, juices, house wine and draught beer. Free WiFi is available.
Board our flight for Sydney.
Day 19 - Wednesday 10 September 2025
In Transit (Meals Inflight)
Flight in transit
Day 20 - Thursday 11 September 2025
Welcome Home!
An early morning arrival into Sydney for our flight home to Melbourne.
Thank you for joining us for your latest adventure and we look forward to welcoming you back.