Kaleidoscope Travel & Cruise » Canada

The Rocky Mountaineer

Administrator — Sat, 19 Feb 2005 02:24:06 +0000

All aboard the Rocky Mountaineer for “the most spectacular train trip in the world”. Your journey begins as you depart the Calgary train station and travel the Kicking Horse Route to Kamloops. During the all-daylight rail tour you will ride through Banff and Yoho National Parks. The train will pass through the unique Spirals Tunnels, a remarkable engineering achievement. Crossing over the Continental Divide into British Columbia is Rogers Pass with its awe inspiring glistening glaciers, snow capped-mountains and tunnels. Next you will see Craigellachie, where the “last spike” was driven completing the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885. Finally winding through the vast ranchlands and along the Shuswap Lake you will reach the town of Kamloops, gateway to British Columbia’s interior. Upon your arrival in Kamloops you will be transferred to your overnight hotel. A great way to spend your evening is at the “Two River Junction Dinner and Revue”. Food, fun and music awaits you at the highly entertaining dinner and musical. The next morning you will reboard the Rocky Mountaineer and continue your journey westward to Vancouver. The train will meander along the nature path of the Thompson River and the impressive Fraser Canyon. One of the scenic highlights in the canyon is Hell’s Gate, where million of gallons of water per minute rush through the narrowest point of the canyon. Before you reach the coastal city of Vancouver, you will travel through the final range of mountains, the Pacific Coastal Mountain Range.

Explore the Yukon

Administrator — Fri, 18 Mar 2005 02:49:16 +0000

On August 17th 1896 George & Kate Carmack, Tagish Charlie and Skookum Jim made the discovery of gold on Bonanza Creek near Dawson City and the Klondike gold rush began. Join us this summer as we travel through the Yukon exploring this wonderful region full of rich Canadian history. Our journey begins in Whitehorse “Land of the Midnight Sun”. Whitehorse is named after the historic rapids on the Yukon River, which resembled the flowing manes of charging white horses. Our first morning will be spent touring this beautiful area with stops at Miles Canyon, Beringia Centre, the Transportation Museum and the SS Klondike. We will enjoy a guided tour of The SS Klondike, an old Sternwheeler that plied the Yukon River for many years taking Stampeders and supplies to Dawson City. This evening we will have a welcome reception at the Yukon Mining Company and then it is off to be entertained at the Frantic Follies, a vaudeville revue of actors, dancers, and musicians that recapture the spirit and enthusiasm of the Klondike gold rush. Next we head north to Dawson City. A full day is planned in this city, a National Historical Site, as we visit an actual Gold Mining Dredge and try our luck panning for gold. There are so many unique sites to see. Perhaps you can tour the historic Commissioners Residence or enjoy a recital of a Robert Service poem at his cabin. Tonight try and strike it rich at Diamond Tooth Gerties Casino, the oldest casino in Canada. Our Journey continues into Alaska over the Top of the World Highway.

Victoria

Administrator — Thu, 11 May 2006 05:28:31 +0000

Victoria, British Columbia �The Garden City�. Victoria has the mildest climate in Canada, spring begins as early as February � summer is warm and dry � fall begins in late September as trees change from green to gold � winters are moderate, ideal for a round of golf or a stroll around the inner harbor. But the real beauty of Victoria is that you can do a thousand interesting things there at any time of year. Afternoon tea is still taken in a traditional, unhurried manner in this romantic city where horse-drawn carriages travel along the streets and tall ships moor alongside the wharf. Victoria�s colorful Chinatown is the oldest in Canada. The mildness of the climate means there is always something blooming. From the fifty acres of glorious color and unparalleled design at the �Butchart Gardens� to the splendid baskets of cascading blossoms that grace the 19th century lamposts downtown. Victoria�s gardens bloom year-round and draws admiration from flower enthusiasts worldwide. One of the best ways to explore Victoria�s historic downtown is on foot. The inner harbor, old town Chinatown, James Bay, Fisherman�s wharf, and Beacon Hill Park are all within walking distance of each other. Downtown touring options include guided walking, double-decker bus tours, horse-drawn carriage tours, boat tours and coach tours. Victoria�s 140-year old history is carefully preserved in its many historic sites and heritage buildings. You will also find several wonderful museums and exhibits that bring history to life.

Halifax

Administrator — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 02:40:17 +0000

Halifax is a modern port city teeming with culture and heritage and the perfect place for your next holiday vacation. Nature has blessed this area with sandy beaches, rugged shorelines and colorful gardens. This fine location was the site of the first British town in Canada, founded in 1749. Since then, the area has evolved to be home for a diverse mix of people. Charming fishing villages, farming communities and Atlantic Canada’s largest city awaits you. In the heart of the downtown you’ll find art galleries, museums, historic sites and churches, shopping, sidewalk caf�s and friendly nightclubs. Lively pubs and entertainment, spectacular shows, first class sporting events, live theatre on both sides of the harbor, wonderful dining and non-stop fun are the ticket to a Halifax experience. If you seek peaceful nature scenes, head out of the downtown for nearby communities offering hiking, camping, and bird watching. Let yourself be romanced by the sea. Everyone is drawn to the ocean the crisp tang of salt air, fresh breezes, and an ever-changing panorama of color and light. Everyone should experience the pleasure of a broad sandy beach, the power of waves crashing against a rocky shore, or the simple pleasure of beachcombing for unexpected treasures from the sea. Stroll the boardwalks and see ships from around the world, watch fishermen at their timeless tasks or sail or kayak among the many islands of the beautiful bays Throughout the year you can enjoy music festivals, live theatre, outdoor concerts, symphony performances and good old fashioned Celtic music. Kaleidoscope Travel & Cruise will be including Halifax in our Maritimes Tour in October of 2007.

Newfoundland

Administrator — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 04:35:35 +0000

An excited and happy group left Calgary on September 19, 2007 bound for NEWFOUNDLAND, we were going to spend ten days travelling from east to west across �the rock�. We flew into St. John�s where we were met at the airport by a motor coach, and transported to our hotel overlooking the harbor. We rested on our first evening in preparation for the fabulous day that awaited us! Our explorations of St John�s, one of the oldest cities in North America, included Signal Hill, The Rooms (an amazing museum), a city tour and of course that evening we all got “Screeched”, a ceremony which includes a drink of the infamous Newfoundland Screech Rum and kissing the posterior of a puffin and repeating a semi-dialect, slightly risqu� recitation. Now we are all �Honorary Newfoundlanders�. The following morning we spent time at the oldest surviving lighthouse in Newfoundland and Labrador, which is located at the most easterly point of land in Canada, Cape Spear. We carried on to the town of Bay Bulls and after lunch we boarded a catamaran for a marine wildlife tour to the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve where we enjoyed watching the puffins as they dove for fish. That evening we were superbly entertained by a local �legend�, �Stompin� Darrin Steele� – a most enjoyable evening included a traditional meal of local �fare�. The next day we continued on Gander through Terra Nova National Park. We visited the site of the memorial to the crash on December 11, 1985, of Arrow Air flight MF128� with a loss of all 248 passengers – members of the 101st Airborne Division. We spent time at the North Atlantic Aviation Museum before checking in to our hotel. The following day we spent on Twillingate Island where we enjoyed the museum � climbed to the top of a lighthouse and laughed and learned of the fishing industry at the local fisheries museum. � everyone agreed it was such a fun stop.