The Canadian in Winter

We depart from London Heathrow for Toronto, arriving late afternoon for a 2-night stay. The city looks out across mesmerising Lake Ontario from its position on the northern shore, and is overlooked by the CN Tower, one of the tallest structures in the world.

A visit to Niagara Falls is one of the highlights of any holiday to Canada, and we embark upon a fullday excursion to this magnifi cent natural wonder on Day 2. We enjoy lunch in the Falls View Restaurant of the Sheraton Hotel whilst admiring the views over the falls. Niagara Falls are all the more dramatic in winter, when thick snow covers the ground and the water freezes into giant icicles.

After a relaxed morning at leisure in Toronto, we transfer to Union Station and board the The Canadian, beginning our unforgettable journey through the majestic Rockies to Vancouver.

Day 4 is our first full day on board, and is spent crossing the Canadian Shield - a wild land of frozen lakes, snow covered trees and isolated communities. Sit back and relax as the incredible panoramas of Canada pass by your window, keeping a watchful eye on the passing scenery for a possible glimpse at the captivating local wildlife, including bear, moose, eagles and elk.

We arrive in Winnipeg today, where the train stops for the morning, giving us the opportunity to explore this railway city, known as the 'Gateway to the West'. Union Station was built in 1911 by the same architects who designed New York's famous Grand Central Station. The walls are faced with local limestone and studded with prehistoric fossils from the ancient seabeds that once covered the prairies. We continue westwards from Winnipeg, crossing the prairies and arrive in the province of Saskatchewan this evening.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning we stop in Jasper, a quaint mountain town at the edge of the wilderness in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. As you wander through the streets, past pretty houses and small shops, it isn't unusual to see a family of elk crossing the road.

Later, we continue our journey on board The Canadian and climb into the foothills of the Rockies, passing glaciers, lakes, plunging canyons, frozen waterfalls and snow-covered peaks. The Rockies are not just a line of mountains, but the edge of the Western Cordillera, a complex array of plateaus and folded rock layers that stretch all the way to the Pacific Coast.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

On the morning of Day 7, we enjoy breakfast on our final leg on board The Canadian before reaching the city of Vancouver for 3 nights. On arrival, we board our coach for a sightseeing tour that includes Gastown, named after 'Gassy' Jack Deighton, a Yorkshire seaman who settled here in 1867. Today, Gastown is a popular downtown area, full of cafés, contemporary fashion shops, galleries and more. We then move on to Chinatown which is one of the largest Chinatowns in North America. Finally we visit Stanley Park, Vancouver's first and largest park at 400 hectares, which is famous for its totem poles.

On Day 8, you are free in Vancouver to visit its excellent museums, art galleries and shops, as well as some beautiful parks, the famous Grouse Mountain where you can enjoy a number of seasonal activities including sleigh rides or a snow limo (payable locally). Tonight we enjoy a farewell dinner together at the 'Top of Vancouver', a revolving restaurant in a fabulous rooftop location offering superb views of the city.

• Breakfast

We are at leisure today to explore further. You can escape the city and take the bus to Grouse Mountain for a ride up the mountain on the Skyride cable car, with jaw-dropping views over the city, the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf Islands.

You are free until the early evening when we transfer to Vancouver airport for our overnight flight to London Heathrow, arriving early in the morning of Day 11.

• Day 8 - Breakfast, Day 9 - Dinner