Bespoke holidays to Canada

Tailor Made Travel, the leader in luxury holidays to Canada, has unveiled its new programme of holidays to Canada for 2011. The dedicated brochure features a wide range of holiday options, from flexible multi-centre and self-drive itineraries to wildlife-watching, journeys by rail and ocean cruising through Alaska’s incredible Inside Passage.

Particular highlights include the chance to share in the excitement of the Calgary Stampede (widely considered to be the 'greatest outdoor show on Earth') and the opportunity to get up close and personal with such spectacular wild creatures as killer whales, grizzlies and those great icons of the frozen north – polar bears.

The Canada brochure contains several brand new multi-centre tour suggestions that allow customers to combine a variety of the region’s signature sights and experiences into one fantastic holiday. These itineraries incorporate all ground arrangements including accommodation, transfers and recommended excursions, with each offering complete flexibility so that customers can create their perfect holiday from the extensive menu of components.

The selection of new tour suggestions leads in with the 11-day Mountains and Lakes itinerary, which takes in many of Alberta's highlights including Calgary, Banff and two National Parks. The holiday also benefits from a true home-on-the-range experience with a three-night stay at a working ranch and costs from £1,225 per person. The brochure's other new self-drive is the 10-day Ultimate Pacific Coast, which blends the bright lights of Vancouver with the natural beauty of British Columbia's mountains and islands. Of particular note is the two-night stay in the famous mountain resort of Whistler (with a ride on the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola for spectacular views of glaciers and snow-capped heights) and a whale-watching cruise in the peaceful waters of Clayoquot Sound. This holiday costs from £1,505 per person, with both prices including accommodation on twin-share basis, car rental, excursions as detailed in the itinerary and full driving directions. Customers can also opt to include sister company, Titan Travels’ exclusive VIP Home Departure Service, which picks clients up – and returns them to – their own front door (subject to a minimum spend). International flights are not included.

Also new is the Grand Rail Circle itinerary, a 12-day round-trip through the Rocky Mountains that starts and ends in Vancouver (which is often cited as one of the world's most liveable cities). After touring this vibrant metropolis, the odyssey begins on the famous Rocky Mountaineer, which traverses British Columbia's pristine interior on its journey via Whistler, Kamloops, Banff and Jasper. As well as providing impeccable service and exceptional cuisine, the Rocky Mountaineer takes in amazing scenery, gold-rush history and wonderful wildlife along the way. Among the many high points on this holiday are a helicopter flight through the mountains and a ride in an Ice Explorer vehicle on the Athabasca Glacier. Costing from £4,088 per person, the holiday includes accommodation, rail travel, some meals, station transfers and excursions as detailed in the itinerary.

The Rocky Mountaineer also features in another brand new itinerary, the 12-day Wildlife Discovery tour. Starting in Banff (with an included visit to stunning Lake Louise), the journey continues by rail to cosmopolitan Vancouver, then on by seaplane from Port Hardy to the wilds of the Great Bear Rainforest. Here, accommodation is provided in a wilderness lodge from where guests can enjoy a series of expeditions in search of black and grizzly bears in their natural environment (with a supporting cast of wolves, moose, otters and bald eagles). Other highlights include a whale-watching trip and a visit to the Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum, which tells the story of the indigenous First Nations peoples. This holiday costs from £4,595 per person, to include accommodation, travel on the Rocky Mountaineer, domestic flights and sightseeing as detailed in the itinerary.

For those preferring to travel as a group, the 2011 brochure also contains two brand-new, 8-day tours to Canada's remote Yukon Territory. The first of these, Western Arctic Explorer, is a small-group tour through some of the region's most dramatic natural landscapes. Costing from £2,079 per person, the tour enables travellers to appreciate gold-rush history, native cultures and the untouched beauty of the Yukon. Highlights include a visit to a traditional Inuit (Eskimo) community way up in the Arctic Circle; and the opportunity to pan for gold in a genuine gold-rush town. The Discover Yukon itinerary (from £2,024 per person), meanwhile, sets a slightly more active pace by including such adventurous activities as canoeing, hiking, mountain biking, a 4WD off-road experience and even heli-hiking, along with accommodation in luxurious, Mongolian-style yurts pitched in a wilderness base-camp. Both prices include accommodation, transfers and excursions as detailed in the itinerary, while the Discover Yukon itinerary also includes meals.

There's more indigenous culture to be experienced in Western Canada, where the tribally-owned Tsa-Kwa-Luten Lodge has been introduced to Tailor Made Travel's programme for the first time. Sold as a three-night add-on, this First Nations accommodation package costs from £475 per person and includes accommodation, meals, activities and return transfers from nearby Campbell River. Tsa-Kwa-Luten Lodge (the name means 'gathering place' in the native Kwak'wala language) was conceived and built by the Laichwiltach people and is a modern, full-service retreat on the shores of Discovery Passage. Its interesting architectural features reflect native values, while the main foyer and lounge (styled on a traditional Kwagiulth 'Big House') are decorated with traditional and contemporary native artworks. Activities on offer here include sea kayaking, hiking, sports fishing and grizzly bear tours (autumn only). Moreover, the local community is rich in arts and culture, with artefacts and craftworks available to buy from a number of galleries in the vicinity.

Commenting on the launch of the new brochure, Rachel Cooper, MD of Tailor Made Travel said, “The 2011 Canada brochure allows our discerning and adventurous customers to discover the very best of this vast and varied country - all at their individually preferred pace and style. And as with all Tailor Made Travel products, customers can rest assured that our holidays always offer the very best value for money on the market, guaranteed.”

For details or to book: tailor-made.co.uk