Canada : The Authentic West Self-Drive Tour

Arrive in Vancouver on your scheduled flight from London Heathrow. Pick up your hertz rental car and drive to accommodation. Overnight in Vancouver.

This morning depart Vancouver along the scenic Sea to Ski Highway to Whistler. Highlights along the way include the cascading Shannon Falls and the Stawamus Chief Rock where climbers from all over the globe migrate to climb the granite cliffs. Continue on to Whistler where a stop is a must for a short stroll through this charming alpine resort before continuing on the Duffey Lake Road where you will see breathtaking views of Joffee Glacier. Continue on through Lillooet for 2 hours along highway 97 to Echo Valley Ranch near Clinton.

Echo Valley Ranch and Spa, surrounded by wide open spaces and tranquil wilderness, welcomes you to a spectacular western adventure, a superb sanctuary of first class accommodations, healthy gourmet food, complete spa services, and an enriching diversity of outdoor recreational activities. All this is made possible by the unique geographic location of the ranch. To the east of Echo Valley Ranch & Spa is the Marble Range and Edge Hill mountains, to the south is the Fraser Canyon with near desert conditions, to the west are grasslands and to the north a Cariboo plateau with countless lakes and marsh lands. Echo Valley Ranch and Spa is an unparalleled destination for adventures in horseback riding, hiking, river rafting and fly-in fishing. All of which can be uniquely combined with world class spa treatments

Another free day to enjoy the many activities at this spectacular working ranch.

Your scenic drive today takes you through the spine of the Canadian Rockies. View a never-ending procession of mammoth mountains, jagged peaks, over 100 glaciers and pristine emerald colour lakes. Along the way see such sights as the Columbia Icefield and take an Ice Explorer ride out onto the glacier (included). Also watch for the Sarbach Glacier, Peyto Lake, Bow Lake, with the Bow Glacier providing the backdrop, and Crowfoot Glacier before your arrival into Lake Louise. From Lake Louise choose the Bow Valley Parkway, beside the Bow River with an option for you to take a stop at Johnston Canyon and walk along the paved footway to either the lower or upper waterfalls before continuing to Banff.

Please note: Mountain lakes in this region will be frozen through to mid June

Included in your FlexiDrive package is the Parks Canada Discovery Pass allowing admission to:

• Cave & Basin National Historic Site
  The birthplace of Canada's National Parks System. Visitors can walk into the Cave and learn the fascinating story of the springs' discovery. Historical exhibits, geological displays, and videos tell the park's history. Explore the effect of heated spring water on the surrounding marshes and the flora and the fauna. Interpretive displays, self-guided trails accessible year-round.
  
• Banff Park Museum
  One of Canada's oldest and grandest Natural History Museums. This turn of the century museum displays an extensive collection of birds, mammals, insects, and curiosities of Banff National Park. The site is well known for its fine wood architecture. It also offers a reading room plus a hands-on discovery room.

A short drive today through majestic mountain passes into Yoho National Park. The word Yoho is the Cree word expressing awe. This 1313 sq. km (507 sq. miles) national park is filled with gem coloured glacial lakes and waterfalls, snow-covered peaks and dense forests of western red cedar and western hemlock. Historic railroads, spiral tunnels within mountain sides and steep rock faces where mountain goats roam are just some of the sights to be seen. Other Yoho marvels include a natural rock bridge over the Kicking Horse River, Hoodoos, some of Canada's highest waterfalls and the Burgess Shale fossil find where over 120 marine animal species dating back as far as 530 million years were discovered.