Month: April 2017

How long has it been since you have taken time to explore the majestic beauty of the Rocky Mountains and Canada’s West Coast? 

With Anderson Vacations’ “Best of Canadian Rockies” travel through some of the most spectacular scenery in Canada on a fully escorted journey from the Rockies to the stunning Pacific Coast.

Your adventure begins in Calgary, then on to Banff for a visit to Canada’s first National Park.

The leisurely pace of Anderson Vacations Tours allows you time to explore Cascade Gardens and beautiful Bow Falls, visit the Cave and Basin National Historic Site and ride the gondola up Sulphur Mountain to enjoy the unparallel view of the valley bellow.

Your days will be filled stunning views of the Bow Valley Parkway, Johnston Canyon, crossing the Continental Devide into Yoho National park, visiting Takakkaw Falls and the unbelievable blue-green hues of Emerald Lake, and catching unforgettable glimpses of wildlife. A highlight of your tour will be a visit to Lake Louise, surrounded by glistening glaciers and towering mountain peaks.

After the quiet beauty of Lake Louise you will have the opportunity to enjoy the fierce wildness of the Icefields Parkway which is voted as one of the most spectacular drives in the world. This winding road, that boasts a unique and irreplaceable landscape rich in history and natural beauty second to none, will take you to Peyto Lake and it’s baby blue water, and on to the Columbia Icefields and enjoy the experience of a lifetime with a ride on the Ice Explorer for a close up and personal look at the Athabasca Glacier.

Your stay in Jasper will give you time to ride up to Whistler Mountain on the Jasper Tram, enjoy a gentle walk down Maligne Canyon to see how the water has carved spectacular crevices out of the mountain. A short drive will take you to Maigne Lake, the largest natural lake in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Anderson Tours also includes an evening float trip down the Athabasca River

As this tour meanders toward Vancouver you will have time for a stop at Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. Enjoy the unique and unforgettable River Safari through Grizzly Bear Valley, right in the heart of the world’s only inland temperate rainforest. Here you can observe bears and other wildlife in their natural environment, without the constraints of gates and cages, from the safely of a boat mid river, giving you ample opportunity for that perfect photograph.

Your tour will end with a drive through the fertile Fraser Valley to Vancouver. This vibrant metropolitan, multicultural city is nestled between mountains, sparkling ocean and rainforests.

A city tour includes Stanley Park, Chinatown, English Bay, Capilano Park and the experience of the suspension bridge and the tree top adventure and the cliff walk.

Join Columbus World Travel as we host Anderson Vacations for an informative evening. Be prepared to get bitten by the travel bug and rediscover Canada, this great country that we all call home.

Thursday, April 27^th, from 6:30 to 8:00pm
1503 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
Please RSVP as space is limited.
P: 604-255-7781

This week we are continuing to highlight some of the wonderful tours offered by Anderson Vacations.

7 Day Haida Gwaii
Visit Haida Gwaii and experience a world of intrigue, adventure and undeniable breathtaking beauty!

The Haida have called these islands home for over 10,000 years. The voyage takes you through the Coast Islands, across the Hecate Strait to Skidegate and Queen Charlotte City. It is not unheard of for the Captain of the BC Ferry to spot whales when coming into the inlet and announce to the passengers that they can be seen. Be sure to have your binoculars and cameras ready! A local guide will accompany the group during your stay on the Haida Gwaii. We travel to Masset visiting Naikoon Provincial Park at the Northern end of Graham Island. At Tow Hill, a 20-minute walk can be taken to the Blow Hole along with a beach walk on Agate Hole along with a beach walk on Agate Beach and North Beach.

During your stay, visits will be made to The Balanced Rock, St. Mary’s Spring, and the new Haida Heritage Centre. The 26 million dollar centre is a series of long houses fronted by six traditional totem poles representing each of the 14 clans and is a celebration of the living culture of the Haida people. You’ll visit the Old Massett (Haida Indian Reserve) with time for shopping at the local stores featuring silver, gold and argillite carvings, prints and paintings. You will also travel to Port Clements an active forestry area. Here you will have time to visit the Forestry Museum and learn about the history and present conditions of the industry. In Skidegate you are treated to a traditional Haida feast in the company of local Haida residents.

8 Day Flavours of Quebec
Experience the many flavours of Québec – the history, culture and traditions are unique. View the majestic Laurentian Mountains, the mighty St. Lawrence River, Montmorency Falls and the pastoral Charlevoix Valley. Visit Québec City, the oldest walled city in North America and explore the cobblestone streets of Old Montreal and the famed Notre-Dame Basilica. Immerse yourself in the rich, diverse history of Montreal with a tour of the city. This afternoon board the deluxe motorcoach for a journey into the Laurentian Mountains and the stunning alpine resort of Mont-Tremblant. Take a short tour through this beautiful resort before checking in to your deluxe accommodation. After dinner take an evening stroll through the pedestrian village. Start one morning with a gondola ride to the top of Mont-Tremblant before departing for a scenic day of travel through the Laurentian Mountains. Take a leisurely journey to beautiful Québec City. Visit the magnificent Montmorency Falls, the world-famous shrine of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré and view the pastoral farmlands on the romantic Île d’Orléans. Arrive in the walled community of Québec City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and enjoy a short familiarization tour of the city before dinner.  A leisurely morning guided tour of Québec City including Chateau Frontenac, Parliament Buildings, Plains of Abraham, Lower Village and Fortifications du Québec, will leave an afternoon  free for shopping and exploring galleries along the cobblestone streets of Old Québec City. This tour also allows a day for exploring the famous Charlevoix – Flavour Trail, a gourmet and shoppers delight. Visit farms, wineries, boutique cheese shops and sample freshly made bakery items and rich chocolate. In the village visit the galleries and cafes of the artisans of Charlevoix.

Anderson Vacations takes you, our client, to every province and territory in Canada. We invite you to travel with us as you journey from coast to coast, through the rugged Rocky Mountains, the golden prairies, along the mighty St. Lawrence and into the Arctic Circle.  Canada’s 150^th birthday will be celebrated this year and there’s no better way to join in on the celebration.  Choose from a range of popular Classic Escorted Tours, their exclusive Tours of Distinction or select your own journey with many Independent Travel options. With guaranteed departures and limited availability, make sure you book early. 

One of Anderson Vacations tour provides a combination of the Alaska and Yukon Full Circle tour with a cruise down the inside Passage with Holland America Line. Enjoy the stunning views as you travel by land from Calgary to Whitehorse and then relax as you cruise to Vancouver.

Or combine the colour, vibrancy and tranquility of an Arctic summer combined with a break in Ottawa, Canada’s capital city.

During the summer months, the Arctic awakens from its winter slumber and explodes with fireworks of colour, showing off its raw and pristine beauty. Led by the Inuit guide, the days will be spent looking out for whales and polar bears on a boat trip on legendary Frobisher Bay, kayaking in tranquil waters, and visiting museums and art galleries to learn more about the culture and history of the Inuit people of Iqaluit. This experience-filled tour to the Arctic will definitely leave you wanting more.

If meeting a polar bear is on your list of must do’s then Churchill, Manitoba, is where you need to go. Known as the polar bear capital of the world, a tour with Anderson Vacations will take you on an adventure right into the heart of polar bear country while exploring and traveling on world-famous Tundra Buggies.

These are just a sampling of the tours that we offer in conjunction with Anderson Vacations. In the next few weeks more tours will be highlighted.

Please join Columbus World Travel as we host Anderson Vacation’s for an informative evening. Be prepared to get bitten by the travel bug and rediscover Canada, this great country that we all call home.

Thursday, April 27^th, from 6:30 to 8:00pm
1503 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
Please RSVP as space is limited.
P: 604-255-7781

info@columbusworldtravel.com

The blog series continue with part 3. 

11. Montenegro
Less damaged by the Yugoslav Wars than some other parts of the Balkans, but a close ally of Serbia throughout, Montenegro has long been one of the most photogenic parts of the Adriatic world. That said, you could not have visited Montenegro the country in 2002 it did not exist. It emerged from its union with Serbia via independence referendum on May 21 2006. It has since become a sun-dappled seaside destination with a reputation for luxury hotels. 

12. Myanmar
A sterling example of a country coming in from the cold, at least in terms of tourism, Burma, to use its more popular name, endured a terrible second half to the 20th century, escaping British colonial rule in 1948, only to succumb to a coup d’etat and a military dictatorship in 1962. The men with guns stayed in control for almost 50 years, until a general election in 2010, and the dissolution of the junta in 2011, saw it tiptoe back towards democracy. Still scarred by its five decades under military rules, it has nonetheless leapt into tourist focus since the changing of the guard. Holidaymakers are keen to discover the Buddhist temples of Bagan (11th-13th century wonders, regarded as the “Angkor Wat of Burma”) and the near-mythical former royal capital Mandalay.

13. Sri Lanka
No bout of internal, civil conflict is ever exactly pleasant, but the Sri Lankan Civil War (1983-2009) was thoroughly vicious, turning this fabled Indian Ocean island into a mass of despair and death. It pitted Tamil rebels in the north, seeking their own independent state, against the government, and dragged on for 26 years, eventually concluding with government victory in May 2009 amid accusations of genocide. You could certainly have gone to parts of Sri Lanka in 2002, not least the lovely south-coast city of Galle, with its Dutch and Portuguese colonial heritage. The north is only now beginning to open up to visitors.

14. Sudan
Would you have gone to Sudan in 2002? Good lord no. This North African country was listed by Canada (with good reason) as a state sponsor of terrorism; the USA even bombed a pharmaceutical factory in the capital Khartoum in 1998. Would you have gone to South Sudan in 2002? Definitely not! Not only did what is now the newest state on the planet not come into being until July 2012, 15 years ago, it was still in the midst of the Second Sudanese Civil War (1983-2005). You wouldn’t go there now either; South Sudan is still a conflict-torn firestorm. You can, though, go to the decidedly calmer Sudan. And you certainly should if you want to view ancient history at close quarters. Sudan has more pyramids than its neighbour Egypt and yet very few tourists to get in the way of your camera lens.

15. East Timor
This frazzled fragment of the Far East is only for the most intrepid of explorers, but it stands as the prime example of a country which has changed since 2002. It was in 2002 that it became the first new country of the 21st century, shrugging off Indonesia’s claim to its soil and its soul. The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, to use its full title, is the eastern half of the island of Timor. It spent the best part of half a millennium as a Portuguese colonial outpost, but was invaded by Indonesia (which owns the western half of Timor) as soon as it gained independence in 1975. Violence and suppression ensued, but Indonesia relinquished its grip in 1999, and May 20 2002 brought a rebirth. Ghosts of Portugal linger in the churches and architecture of what, unusually for the region, is a Christian state.