Canada, Niagara Falls and the Rocky Mountains

We meet our fellow travellers and Tour Manager at London Heathrow this afternoon, ready to board a flight to the west coast of Canada, arriving in characterful Vancouver early evening local time.

This city on the Pacific coast is regularly regarded as one of the world's most desirable places to live, thanks to its charming atmosphere and its remarkable surroundings of mountains, sheltered bays and harbours. Cosmopolitan Vancouver continues to effortlessly impress its many visitors with a blend of culture and the spectacular scenic views.

Our hotel is a short distance from both Downtown and this picturesque city's gorgeous harbour. After we check in, there is a free evening to unwind or venture out to try some of western Canada's finest cuisine on your own. Top class seafood, such as salmon, oysters and Dungeness crab can be found in many of the city's popular restaurants and, with a multicultural population, you can also find delicious local versions of Asian and Mexican dishes.

An enjoyable early morning tour of Vancouver's most characterful and historic districts with a local guide awaits on our first full day in Canada.

As Vancouver's original Downtown, rejuvenated Gastown is the city's most historic area. Redbrick Victorian buildings dot the tree-lined streets surrounding pretty Maple Tree Square. Many upmarket fashion boutiques, trendy coffee shops, art galleries and the famous Gastown Steam Clock can be found in this area named after talkative Hull-born sailor and barman 'Gassy' Jack Deighton.

Crossing East Hastings Street, we arrive in Chinatown - the largest in Canada - where we relish the sights and sounds of the lively streets and tranquil squares. From leafy Stanley Park, where we view colourful totem poles celebrating local Native American history, we travel to Granville Island. This buzzing district boasts independent stores and mouthwatering food markets and is where our tour concludes.

The rest of the day is free to explore independently. You could stay on Granville Island to enjoy the craft stalls or visit North Vancouver to find the Capilano Suspension Bridge hanging 450 feet above the forest floor.

Our great trans-Canadian adventure gets under way today as we leave Vancouver by coach for a scenic journey along stunning valleys, with Canada's grand landscapes laid out before us.

Following the course of the Fraser Valley, we arrive in the historic trading post of Hope surrounded by huge mountains. Here, there is time to grab a bite for lunch before joining the Coquihalla Highway. Swathes of undulating land blanketed in deep forests pass our windows as we climb through the Cascade Mountains, their ridged peaks guiding us through this incredible landscape to Kamloops.

On arrival in Kamloops in the early evening, there is free time to find dinner independently. From our centrally located hotel, you could also explore this charming town that started out as a fur trading centre in the early 1800s and became an important railway town with the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railroad in 1886.

Canada's iconic scenery becomes even more incredible today as we enter the Rocky Mountains. On board our coach, we can sit back at admire the beautiful sights enroute. Look out for the mythical Shuswaggi - an eight-foot monster similar to Nessie said to reside in the sprawling Shuswap Lake.

Arriving in Revelstoke, there is free time to explore this historic mountain town and enjoy lunch on our own before continuing eastwards. It was from Revelstoke that surveyor AB Rogers set out in 1881 to locate an accessible route through the mountains. He is honoured in the naming of the impressive Rogers Pass that we cross.

Climbing the dramatic Kicking Horse Pass, we marvel at the striking scenery of gorgeous lakes and monumental mountains before arriving in the charming mountain town of Banff. At our hotel this evening, we meet a retired member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in their recognisable uniform and red serge jacket. Affectionately known as a 'Mountie', they talk about their time in service, before we dine independently in one of Canada's burgeoning foodie destinations.

We explore this sensational part of the world on an amazing coach tour today. Our first destination is the spectacular Spiral Tunnels, which we view from the lookout point, hopefully witnessing a train twisting through these remarkable feats of engineering that are vital to the Canadian Pacific Railway traversing this mountainous terrain.

From here, we travel to the glacial Emerald Lake, so-called due to its dazzling colour. The first non-indigenous person to record seeing the lake was backcountry expert Tom Wilson in 1882, who encountered it while trying to stop some bolting horses.

This turquoise Lake Louise is our next destination, and we marvel at the enchanting glacial lake framed by towering snow-capped mountains that has become intrinsically linked with the region. There is free time to lunch independently in a nearby café or at the lakeside hotel.

Returning to Banff, we view this popular town from above as we travel on the Banff Gondola to the summit of Sulphur Mountain for panoramic views. This evening, you are free to dine on your own.

Leaving Banff by coach this morning, we travel along the famous Icefields Parkway, a 144-mile road that links Banff and Jasper and passes through some incredible scenery.

We pass many of the highest and most rugged peaks in the Canadian Rockies, pausing to admire the views across the turquoise waters of Peyto Lake, surrounding rugged mountains and the blanket of pine forests, before arriving at the Icefields Centre. Here, we stop to marvel at the otherworldly Athabasca Glacier squeezing between the peaks. There is the option to enjoy a ride over the ice field by giant, all-terrain Snocoach (payable locally).

Afterwards, we make a short stop at the Athabasca Falls, where thundering waters cascade their way through the idyllic mountain scenery. We spend the night in the friendly Rocky Mountain town of Jasper. There is free time this evening to explore this charming town with streets peppered with interesting shops and quaint buildings. Tonight, we dine alone, and there is no shortage of enticing restaurants in this popular destination that retains a small-town feel.

There is time to enjoy a wander around lovely Jasper this morning. One of the most important towns for miles around and a popular destination for visitors to the Rockies, its charming streets still manage to exude an appealing cosiness.

In the afternoon, we transfer to the train station for one of the world's most epic train journeys. Boarding the evocative steel carriages of the Canadian, we settle into our berths for a three-night ride across Canada to Toronto. As we follow the Athabasca River, we wind down the Rocky Mountains into the verdant foothills. With lunch and dinner served on board, we can enjoy views of glaciers, plunging canyons, soaring mountains and endless pine forests.

As we cross further into Alberta, the scenery changes as remote settlements and serene lakes dot the landscape. Leaving Edmonton this evening, we can relax and look forward to a laid-back day as the Canadian continues its remarkable journey.

Waking up on the Canadian, we are welcomed to Saskatchewan's vast prairies which we can view while enjoying our breakfast. The seemingly endless grasslands of the Great Plains stretch as far as the eye can see, with boundless farming communities passing by our windows as the VIA Rail Canadian rolls on.

With a population similar to that of Glasgow's and an area greater than France, Saskatchewan is ideal for sitting back and watching the world go by and the glass-roofed panoramic observation car is the perfect place to do this, either side of lunch. We travel through the southern plains of Saskatchewan, home to deer, eagles and, in select areas, antelope, moose and bison. Dinner is also served on board.

We later cross into Manitoba, a province with more than 100,000 lakes stretching all the way up to the shores of Hudson Bay. Its capital is Winnipeg, considered the geographical centre of Canada. Late this evening, the train pulls into this fascinating city, home to more than 50 ethnic communities, before continuing eastwards overnight.

Over breakfast on the VIA Rail Canadian this morning, we cross the rocky ground of northwestern Ontario, a landscape pocked with primordial lakes and thick, verdant forests of ancient trees.

For the isolated communities we pass through, the Canadian Pacific Railway has been a lifeline for decades. While Ontario might be the most populous of Canada's provinces, the remote areas we travel through today are raw Canadian wilderness, with moose, lynx and black bears prowling its dense woodlands.

After lunch on board, the Canadian changes direction, pointing southeast towards the Great Lakes. You may like to spend some time in the observation car or lounge as we travel through this evocative scenery before dinner is served. The Canadian continues its epic journey overnight towards its destination.

Our final morning onboard the Canadian begins with a continental breakfast as we travel south towards Toronto. The views change from the mountains and prairies of the past few days to more familiar suburban scenes as we make our way round Lake Simcoe into the Greater Toronto area.

Brunch is served before our arrival in mid-afternoon at Toronto's Union Station, Canada's largest and most elegant train station. Its Great Hall looks every bit a temple to the railroad, while its resplendent limestone exterior is dominated by 22 Romanesque columns. Built in 1927, this glorious Beaux-Arts structure is actually the third incarnation of the station - a testament to the importance of railways in connecting Canada. Nearby is the iconic CN Tower built by the Canadian National Railway Company and the world's tallest free-standing structure from 1975 until 2007.

We transfer to our Downtown hotel where there is time to unwind or explore Canada's most populous city at leisure. There is no shortage of restaurants nearby for you to find somewhere to eat - from steak and seafood to European and Asian cuisine.

An incredible highlight of our grand Canadian journey awaits today as we are joined on a coach by an expert local guide for a full day trip to the incredible Niagara Falls.

Connecting the Great Lakes of Erie and Ontario, the Niagara River plunges down three astonishing waterfalls. When we arrive, we set sail on a cruise to get closer to one of the world's most impressive natural sights - with protective ponchos supplied. Marvelling at the American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and the iconic Horseshoe Falls is an unforgettable experience as the clouds of spray and thunderous roar emphasise the awesome majesty of nature.

Back on shore, there is time for lunch independently in one of Niagara's restaurants before viewing the falls from above at Table Rock. Continuing our exploration, we reach the whirlpool where the river bursts out of the Niagara Gorge.

We conclude our excursion at the pretty town of Niagara on the Lake, where there is time to stroll its quaint streets. Returning to Toronto, you can relive the day's dramatic sights as you dine independently.

There is free time today to enjoy this fantastic city and what better way to get to know a place than through its food? Canadian breakfasts range from light cereals and pancakes to the hearty peameal bacon sandwich, invented in Toronto.

Not only will you find appetising coffee shops and inventive bakeries in the Distillery Historic District, but you will also get a glimpse of Toronto in the 19th century as you wander its car-free cobbled streets lined with independent boutiques and stylish eateries.

Those with a head for heights might like to observe Toronto from the observation decks of the piercing CN Tower, where there is the option to experience the glass floor. However, perhaps you'd rather see this friendly city from ground level. One of the best ways to do so is by catching a ferry over to verdant Ward's Island or Toronto Island Park.

In mid-afternoon, we reconvene at our central hotel and transfer by coach to the airport for our overnight flight to London.

Our exceptional Canadian adventure concludes as we land at London Heathrow early this morning.

This spectacular expedition has seen us journey overland from the Pacific coast to the Great Lakes, witnessing many highlights of the world's second largest country with new friends.

From the thriving cultural scene of Vancouver to the awe-inspiring views of the Rocky Mountains, we explored the national parks around Banff and Jasper on visits to Lake Louise and the Icefields Parkway. Boarding the incredible Canadian train for three nights provided a front-row seat to the varied landscapes before we arrived in vibrant Toronto. The unforgettable experiences continued as we visited the majestic Niagara Falls on a fantastic cruise.

We say farewell to our fellow travellers and Tour Manager with whom we will share these wonderful memories for a long time to come.