Best of the Rockies 17 DaY CaMPING TOuR - Adventure holidays

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Itinerary & Details Day 1 - Seattle > Olympic National Park – We begin the journey with a short drive west to rugged Olympic National Park. From the crashing waves of the Pacific coast through coastal rainforests to glacier capped peaks, this is a primeval sanctuary for humans and wild creatures alike; over 95% of this park is a designated wilderness area. Options: Various hikes from easy to strenuous and wildlife viewing Accommodation: Camping with dinner included Day 2 - Olympic National Park – With two nights camping here, we’ll have the chance to enjoy a stroll through the Hoh Rainforest, relax in Sol Duc Hot Springs, or enjoy a magnificent sunset over the spectacular Lake Crescent. There are many optional walks on offer and the choice is yours - you can do as much or as little as you please. Options: Various hikes from easy to strenuous and Sol Duc Hot Springs Accommodation: Camping with all meals included Day 3 - Mount Rainier National Park – On to the stunning snow covered peak of Mount Rainier in Washington State. At over 14,000 feet this active volcano looms large over the horizon of the Pacific Northwest. Draped in snow, Mount Rainier has the greatest single peak glacial system in the United States, covering 36 square miles of the mountain with sheer ice! With over 260 miles of well maintained trails winding through varied terrain; from old growth forest to subalpine meadows, there are plenty of different hiking options available. Options: Various hikes from easy to strenuous Accommodation: Camping with all meals included Day 4 - Baker City, Oregon – Travelling over the Cascade Mountains, we make our way to Baker City nestled deep in Oregon’s ancient national forest land. The town was founded out of the gold rush boom and is littered with examples of ornate architecture from its gold rush heyday. Why not visit the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Centre to learn more about the history of those who travelled on the Oregon Trail. Tonight we’ll stay in the historic, charming and elegant Geiser Grand Hotel. Options: Various hikes from easy to strenuous Accommodation: Hotel with meals paid locally Day 5 - Craters of the Moon National Monument – This “weird and scenic” landscape contains three major lava fields covering half a million acres! This harsh and arid environment, used by NASA for Apollo mission training, has clearly visible black lava flows and tubes, volcanic craters and spatter cones, all laying in the cradle of Idaho’s Snake River Plain. We’ll take the 7 mile loop road to explore some of the more interesting phenomena of the park. Options: Various hikes from easy to strenuous Accommodation: Camping with all meals included Day 6 - Grand Teton National Park & Jackson – Continuing our journey in Wyoming, we pay a visit to Grand Teton National Park where a walk to Inspiration Point with views over Jenny Lake and the stunning Teton Range will be high on your ‘to do’ list. We stay in Jackson to enjoy a truly friendly and authentic western town experience. Once home to trappers and a hideout for outlaws and rustlers, Jackson is now renowned for its cafes and western style saloons! Why not whet your whistle at the world-famous Million Dollar Cowboy Saloon tonight Options: Various hikes from easy to strenuous, western saloon evening and rodeo (in season) Accommodation: Hotel with meals paid locally Day 7/8 - Yellowstone National Park – Nature at its best! This National Park is so large its boundaries cross into three states. Yellowstone has one of the highest concentrations of geothermal activity on the planet. Buffalo roam amongst the erupting geysers and steam rises from hot spring-fed rivers running through the park. A fire in the 1980s ravaged much of Yellowstone, which is now a living testament to nature’s power of regeneration. Keep an eye out for elk, grizzly bears and wolves as we witness the many geothermal wonders and pristine wilderness of this park. Options: Various hikes from easy to strenuous, geothermal geysers and mud pools, and wildlife viewing Accommodation: Camping with all meals included Day 9 - Montana Lodge – Our next stop is a hidden secret, nestled deep in the wilderness of the Tobacco Root Mountains. This is an authentic working guest ranch, complete with on-site taxidermy! Enjoy the wide expanses where we get a chance to absorb the tranquillity of the great outdoors on an optional horseback ride. Later, we fill our bellies with an old-fashioned home-cooked cowboy meal and enjoy a camp fire under Montana’s ‘big sky country’! Options: Horseback riding, enjoy the stunning mountain scenery and ranch hospitality Accommodation: Lodging | Dinner & breakfast at ranch included Day 10/11 - Glacier National Park – We continue north into Montana and Glacier National Park - the ‘Crown of the Continent.’ A rugged landscape of glacier-carved valleys underneath towering peaks, this park crosses two mountain ranges and an international border. It encompasses over one million acres, contains 25 glaciers and is prime habitat for hundreds of animal species including mountain goats, bald eagles and grizzly bears. With exposed peaks rising abruptly from alpine lakes, this park is sure to leave most visitors speechless! In our time here we get to jump on board the free shuttle bus and enjoy the spectacular glacial scenery or partake in some wildlife viewing. Options: Various hikes from easy to strenuous, wildlife viewing and stunning glacial scenery Accommodation: Camping with all meals included Day 12/13 - Calgary & Banff National Park – From Montana we cross the border into the province of Alberta, in Canada and stop by Calgary en route to Banff National Park along the Trans-Canada Highway. Located in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, Banff National Park was established in 1885 and is Canada’s oldest national park. Its mountainous terrain encompasses coniferous forests, alpine meadows, icefields and glaciers. Banff is a veritable outdoor enthusiast’s paradise with opportunities to raft the white waters of the Kicking Horse River or ride up the gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain. Another exciting optional activity is to view all this scenic grandeur from a helicopter ( ). Outstanding hikes are available and, with an abundance of wildlife around, there is always a chance of seeing something. There is nothing better after a hard day of fun than a soak in the Sulphur Mountain Hot Springs. Banff’s nightlife offers great live music and a fine selection of restaurants. Options: Various hikes from easy to strenuous, whitewater rafting, cycling and scenic helicopter flight Accommodation: Camping with all meals included Day 14 - Icefields Parkway to Jasper National Park – We travel on the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93), one of the world’s most spectacular scenic drives along the continental divide to Jasper National Park. We’ll stop to gaze at Peyto Lake’s brilliant turquoise hues and then have the option to traverse a portion of the imposing Athabasca Glacier on a guided glacier walk. We carry on to Jasper and finish up this active day by setting up camp for a two-night stay. GRAND AMERICAN ADVENTURES 16-17 Grange Mills, Weir Road, London SW12 ONE UK & Worldwide Sales and Reservations TEL: +44 (0)20 8682 8921 FAX +44 (0)20 8675 0551 USA Sales TEL: 1 (800) 873 5872 Email: info@grandamericanadventures.co.uk www.grandamericanadventures.com ABTA No.Y0696 Accredited Agent 91-2-74330 6576
Options: Various hikes from easy to strenuous and stunning scenery Accommodation: Camping with all meals included Day 15 - Jasper National Park – Jasper National Park is the largest national park in Canada, covering an area of 18,878 square kilometres (4200 square miles). Far less developed than the other parks of western Canada, it offers a truly remote wilderness feel. While here, we can take advantage of Jasper’s many optional activities. We can take the cable car to Whistler Mountain for a bird’s eye view of this splendid park, mountain bike or hike amidst glorious lakeside scenery, or visit Mount Edith Cavell for tremendous views of Angel Glacier. Options: Various hikes from easy to strenuous, mountain biking and visit to Mount Edith Cavell Accommodation: Camping with all meals included Day 16 - Hope, British Columbia – Travel west through the arid Central Valley before entering the awesome Fraser River Canyon, gateway to the lush coastal region. The town of Hope is ideally located within a network of parks, rivers and pathways and the Othello Tunnels in Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park make for a great stop. Walk through the hand carved tunnels and enjoy views of the surrounding gorge and admire the perseverance of British Columbia’s early settlers to build this stretch of railway. Options: Enjoy spectacular views of this lush region Accommodation: Hotel with meals paid locally Day 17 - Vancouver – On the edge of the western Canadian wilderness lies the vibrant city of Vancouver. With a metropolitan population of over 2.3 million, this is one of the most attractive cities in the world, surrounded by water and home to one of the best urban parks in the world. We enjoy a short orientation tour of the city that takes us through the thriving downtown neighbourhoods of Chinatown and Gastown while stopping at the pristine Stanley Park. Why not book additional nights accommodation in Vancouver to explore this vivacious city. This tour ends at our gateway hotel at approximately 17:00 hrs. We can book your post-tour accommodation at our gateway hotel if required. If you are planning to fly tonight, please do not book a flight that departs before 21:00 hrs. Inclusions • Services of professional tour leader • Transportation in customised vehicle • 12 nights camping fees & equipment (except sleeping bag), 3 hotel nights & 1 night mountain lodge • All meals whilst camping • Exclusive mountain lodge stay • Sulphur Mountain hot springs • Scenic ferry with views of Olympic Range and Mount Rainier • Stay in the historic Geiser Grand Hotel, Baker City • Sightseeing in Vancouver • Set foot on the Athabasca Glacier • Entrance to Olympic, Mount Rainier, Glacier, Craters of the Moon, Yellowstone, Banff & Jasper National Parks Optional Activities There are many opportunities for optional activities during your tour. Your tour guide will organise these on your behalf and you will pay locally in cash. Featured activities and approximate prices are listed below: • Horseback riding US$/CAD$45-$115 • Mountain biking US$/CAD$45-$95 • Western saloon evening US$/CAD$10 • Seattle Space Needle US$/CAD$18 • Guided glacier walk US$35-$175 • Western Rodeo (in season) US$/CAD$10-$25 • Whitewater rafting (in season) US$/CAD$100-$200 • Scenic helicopter flight over the Rockies ( ) CAD$195 • Scenic glacier flight US$/CAD$195 • Scenic walks and hikes US$/CAD$FREE High / Low Temperatures in Celsius (ºC) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Seattle HIGH 7 9 11 14 18 21 24 24 20 15 10 7 LOW 2 3 3 5 8 10 12 13 10 7 4 2 Mt. Rainier HIGH 2 4 7 12 17 19 28 23 20 14 7 4 NP LOW -4 -3 -2 0 3 6 8 8 6 3 -1 -2 Olympic HIGH 8 9 11 13 16 18 20 20 19 15 10 8 NP LOW 1 2 2 3 6 8 10 10 8 5 3 2 Yellowstone HIGH -4 -2 2 6 11 17 22 22 17 9 1 -4 NP LOW -17 -17 -13 -8 -2 2 6 4 1 -4 -10 -15 Banff HIGH 6 0 3 9 14 18 21 21 16 10 0 -6 NP LOW -15 -12 -8 -3 1 5 7 7 2 -1 -8 -14 Jasper HIGH 6 0 3 10 15 19 22 21 16 10 0 -6 NP LOW -15 -12 -8 -3 2 6 8 7 3 -1 -8 -14 Vancouver HIGH 6 8 11 12 16 19 21 21 18 13 9 6 LOW 0 1 3 4 8 10 12 13 10 6 3 1 C / F Conversions: -10ºC = 14ºF 0ºC = 32ºF 10ºC = 50ºF 20ºC = 68ºF 30ºC = 86ºF 40ºC = 104ºF Physical Rating/Preparation Our active tours are suitable for people of all levels of experience and fitness. Active tours embrace the nature of the explorer and usually include a range of adventurous activities, such as walking and hiking as well as city sightseeing. Walks, hikes and activities cater to everyone from beginner to expert, ranging in difficulty from easy to strenuous. There will often be a wide variety of options available depending on your interest, budget and ability. Tour Itineraries Although each tour follows an itinerary, there is a certain amount of flexibility and from time to time your tour leader may suggest changes. This may be due to road conditions, weather or a visit to a special attraction or event that happens to be in progress. Flexibility is key and often a side diversion will be a highlight of the tour. Hikes and optional activities cannot be guaranteed and may vary depending on ability, group interest, local weather conditions and time of year. All details are provided in good faith. Due to the nature of travel, this information can change and should therefore be taken as an indication only and not as a contractual obligation on the part of Grand American Adventures. If you have any questions, please contact us. Please also ensure that you download an up-to-date copy of this dossier before you depart to join your tour to ensure you have the most up to date information as occasionally our itineraries may be amended either in response to feedback from customers or for operational reasons. This dossier was last updated on 22/10/2013. GRAND AMERICAN ADVENTURES 16-17 Grange Mills, Weir Road, London SW12 ONE UK & Worldwide Sales and Reservations TEL: +44 (0)20 8682 8921 FAX +44 (0)20 8675 0551 USA Sales TEL: 1 (800) 873 5872 Email: info@grandamericanadventures.co.uk www.grandamericanadventures.com ABTA No.Y0696 Accredited Agent 91-2-74330 6576
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Best of the Rockies 17 DaY CaMPING TOuR - Adventure holidays

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