Wonders of Canada and The Rocky Mountaineer

After our flight from London Heathrow, we land in Vancouver for two nights, checking into our hotel on arrival.

We join a morning sightseeing tour of one of the country's largest and most cosmopolitan cities, visiting historic Gastown, an area of coffee shops, galleries and native art stores that make up one of Vancouver's best-loved neighbourhoods. We also experience Stanley Park. Larger than Central Park and home to over half a million trees, Stanley Park first opened in 1888, quickly becoming a widely recognised symbol of the city known for its beauty. Its most famous feature though, has to be its large collection of totem poles, displaying the impressive designs of the indigenous peoples of North America. We continue to Chinatown, soaking in the area's enticing scents and sights.

We embark on a daylight journey towards the Rockies on the world-renowned Rocky Mountaineer, travelling to Kamloops along one of the most dramatic stretches of the line. Leaving the Pacific Coast, we pass through lush green forests and dramatic valleys, home to an abundance of Canadian wildlife, and make our way along the dramatic Thompson and Fraser Canyons before entering the desert-like environment of Canada's interior. Keep your eyes peeled for Rainbow Canyon, which gets its name from the huge number of colours that can be seen reflected in the rocks. You'll also want to watch for 'hoodoos' - tall skinny spires of rock that protrude from the dry arid surroundings of the Thompson Plateau. Local mythology describes these as giants that were turned to stone by the Great Spirit. The train arrives in Kamloops and we disembark for an overnight stay.

Re-boarding the Rocky Mountaineer, we enter the towering landscapes of the Rocky Mountains, following the 'First Passage to the West' route and crossing Stoney Creek Bridge. Along the way, we experience the legendary spiral tunnels, a feat of engineering which allows trains to easily overcome the steep gradients of the Rockies by gradually increasing the incline of the line, and traverse the Continental Divide. The highest section of the line, we enjoy spectacular views before arriving in the town of Banff, our base for two nights.

Immersing ourselves in the natural beauty of Banff National Park, we visit the Spiral Tunnels, seeing them from a different vantage point, as well as Emerald Lake, renowned for its vivid colours. We continue to the idyllic waters of Lake Louise, admiring a picture-book landscape of soaring peaks covered in verdant pine trees which slope away from the lakeshore. Afterwards, we meet a retired member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, known locally as a 'Mountie', who gives a talk and answers our questions about their time in service.

We depart by coach along the world-famous Icefields Parkway, a 144-mile road that links Banff with Jasper. Travelling along a lake-lined valley, past many of the highest and most rugged peaks in the Rockies, we stop at the Icefields Centre, set at the foot of the vast Columbia Icefields. Here, we marvel at the breathtaking Athabasca Glacier, an offshoot of the vast Columbia Icefield. Arriving in Jasper for two nights, we admire the majestic mountain scenery that helped make this area a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984.

Today you are free to explore independently. You could head into Jasper National Park. Full of sublime natural attractions, including canyons, lakes and hot springs, you could visit Maligne Canyon, a 164-feet deep gorge of sheer limestone walls featuring a number of interesting rock formations, and Maligne Lake - the largest glacier-fed body of water in the region. There's plenty of wildlife to watch out for too, such as grey wolves, hoary marmot, caribou and moose. Elk can also be found in the town of Jasper, the forests and out on the mountains, while a variety of birdlife can be seen circling the cloudy mountains. This evening is an included optional excursion to Jasper Planetarium for a telescope tour. Here in the Canadian Rockies stargazing is a delight, as the dark night sky is unpolluted by city lights.

We begin our epic journey aboard The Canadian, travelling to Toronto over the next two days and nights. We settle into our berths for the journey through the foothills of the Rockies, passing pine forests, glaciers, plunging canyons and soaring peaks.

Today is our first full day on board, and we travel through the province of Saskatchewan, crossing the prairie lands on our way to Winnipeg, a fascinating city home to over 50 different ethnic communities.

Today is spent crossing the Canadian Shield from the comfort of the glass-roofed panoramic observation car. Sit back and watch the world go by as we skirt the scenic lake-lands of northern Ontario ahead of our arrival into Toronto.

Stepping off the train, we make our way to our hotel for two nights. Arriving in the evening you may like to start exploring Toronto, a multi-cultural melting-pot with an inviting, laid-back atmosphere. You may like to walk past the finest collection of Victorian-era industrial architecture in North America, and spend time in Toronto's unique Distillery District. Home to art galleries, restaurants, bars and live music venues, the brick-paved streets of this neighbourhood have been designated a National Heritage Site.

Our day takes us to the incredible Niagara Falls, which straddles the US-Canadian border. Our tour includes a Hornblower boat ride into the mist at the base of the powerful falls. Split into three separate sections, we see American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls as well the Canadian Horseshoe Falls, which date back about 12,000 years, when melting glaciers created a passage of water from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. The Horseshoe Falls are the second largest in the world, after Victoria Falls in southern Africa, and are also the easiest to access and view.

Enjoy a free morning to do some last-minute sightseeing before we transfer to the airport for our overnight flight to London Heathrow.

We arrive back in London today.