The Best of the West

Travel:: By Train
Duration:: 14 Days
Priced From:: $3,595 per person

The Best of the West

Overview
Itinerary
Fares
Request Form
e-Brochure

Send This Trip to a Friend

Save This Trip

Print This Trip

The Great National Parks of the West by Train

A Place Touched by Magic wrote the Great Northern Railroad about Glacier National Park in 1937. Truer words were never written. Consistently Glacier National Park is among the highlights of the entire holiday with our guests, year after year. With towering peaks, rushing rivers, emerald forests and the epic Going to the Sun Highway, Glacier Park ranks among the most stunning of all National Parks. Our guests enjoy a traditional visit, arriving by train at the great Glacier Park Lodge on the Eastern end of the Park for an overnight stay at the Izaak Walton Inn before a glorious day of travel, across the Continental Divide by red open-air 'jammer' bus. We make a loop through the park traveling down the west slope to alpine Lake McDonald. There is no finer start to 'The Best of the West' than a full day in Glacier National Park.

The evening of July 19,1805, was a hot one in the wilderness that would later become Montana. On the Missouri River, not far from present day Helena, the hardy members of the Lewis and Clark expedition toiled to move upstream. Rock embankments made towing from shore impossible, and the deep channel forced the men to row rather than pole their boats forward.

Suddenly, there loomed before them towering rock formations unlike any they had ever seen. From both sides of the river, limestone cliffs rose to a spectacular height of 1200 feet. "In many places," wrote Meriwether Lewis, "the rocks seem ready to tumble on us." At each bend in the waterway, great stone walls seemed to block passage, only to open like gentle giant gates as the expedition drew near. In his journal, Meriwether wrote: "I shall call this place: "GATES OF THE MOUNTAINS".

The name stuck, and for nearly two centuries travelers have ventured down this stretch of the Missouri to marvel at its natural wonders. Today, most visitors enjoy the beauty of the Gates of the Mountains from aboard tour boats.

Highlights

Train travel from Chicago, Seattle, or Portland to Glacier National Park, Montana aboard the famous train, a speedy scenic overnight trip. 'Empire Builder'
Fully hosted by professional tour manager to handle all of the details.
Two-night stay and full day in stunning Glacier National Park including the famed 'Going to the Sun' Highway across the Continental Divide by red open-air ‘jammer’ bus..
A blissful overnight stay in Fairmont Hot Springs with plenty of time to enjoy the healing waters (admission is included).
Gates of the Mountain cruise on the Missouri River so vividly described by Lewis & Clark, a visual feast.
Two-night hotel stays in Yellowstone, Jackson Hole and Arches National Park.
Complete sightseeing throughout including all admission fees and special treats such as the scenic float trip on the Snake River in Jackson Hole, all at no extra charge.
Luxury hotel stay in Salt Lake City, a nice 'urban indulgence' during our tour.
Many meals including breakfast daily.
Train travel from Utah to California through the Sierra Nevadas or to Chicago aboard the ‘California Zephyr’ train with a spectacular daylight trip through the Colorado Rockies over the storied Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad 'Mainline through the Rockies'.

Day 1: Sunday

Our travelers depart Chicago, Seattle, or Portland for Glacier National Park aboard the famed ‘Empire Builder’ train, a scenic overnight journey via the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Company.

Day 2: Monday

Guests arrive in East Glacier today aboard the ‘Empire Builder’ train and the hotel is a two-minute walk from the station. Overnight at Glacier Park Lodge, one of the great historic lodges built by the Great Northern Railroad and the largest log structure in the world.

Day 3: Tuesday

We depart this morning aboard one of the famed red open-air ‘jammer’ buses for the stunning trip over the famed Going to the Sun Highway across the Continental Divide. Later today, shimmering Lake McDonald where a boat cruise is enjoyed. Many of our passengers rate this the prettiest day of the entire tour and you will soon see why. A second night to enjoy the Izaak Walton Inn. (B, D)

Day 4: Wednesday

After breakfast we depart for the Gates of the Mountain Cruise, a lovely two-hour excursion in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains between Helena and Great Falls, Montana. Aboard an open-air boat (covered in case of rain), you’ll glide through magnificent country Meriwether Lewis would still recognize with great towering walls of limestone, Bighorn sheep, Mountain Goats and eagles.Today is a special treat and a relaxing coda after a few days of travel as we arrive at enchanting Fairmont Hot Springs, the perfect ‘Travelers Rest’ to borrow a line from Lewis & Clark on their epic journey through the same area. Nestled between Glacier National Park and Yellowstone this idyllic setting features a variety of soothing mineral pools (admission is included) and there is also golf and a fine spa with massage. The perfect refresher and a highlight for our guests that no other tour company offers. (B, L)

Day 5: Thursday

After breakfast, another beautiful day as we head off to Virginia City, Montana, a historic mining town of great charm and later today, arrive at Lake Yellowstone to begin our two-night stay.(B, L)

Day 6: Friday

Established in 1872, Yellowstone National Park is America's first national park and after breakfast, we begin a day that is a visual feast. You will see Upper and Lower Falls, Hayden Valley, Old Faithful, Fountain Paint Pot and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Most tours offer one-night at Yellowstone, our lucky guests enjoy two nights, one of many elements that makes this holiday better than most offered by our competitors. Overnight at Lake Yellowstone cabins. (B)

Day 7: Saturday

We drive south today to spectacular Grand Teton National Park, a spectacular landscape rich with jagged mountains, glaciers, pristine lakes and amazing wildlife including bison, moose and antelope. Here too, like in Yellowstone, our guests enjoy a two-night stay with plenty of free time. Overnight at the 49er Inn. (B)

Day 8: Sunday

Today we tour Jackson Hole with the highlight being an afternoon float trip on the Snake River. Grand Teton National Park protects stunning mountain scenery and a diverse array of wildlife. The Teton Range is the focal point of the park, the youngest range in the Rocky Mountains. An active normal fault, the Teton Fault, lies on the 40 mile long mountain front. Rock is jetted into the sky some 7,000 feet from the flat plains, with the highest peak at 13,770 feet, the Grand Teton. Happily, we have all afternoon and evening at leisure to enjoy this quaint and historic setting. Overnight at the 49er Inn. (B)

Day 9: Monday

Departing Jackson Hole this morning we travel south, stopping at the Oregon Trail Historical Center and then traveling along the Great Salt Lake before an afternoon arrival in Salt Lake City. After our time in the National Parks, luxury awaits tonight in the Four-Diamond rated Little America Hotel in the heart of downtown. There is even time to visit Temple Square with all evening at leisure. (B, L)

Day 10: Tuesday

Depart Salt Lake City for Moab and the Red Cliffs Lodge, possibly the best of all of our hotels and certainly the most stunning setting possible, overlooking the Colorado River. Our guests uniformly praise this as the highlight of a trip filled with many highlights and we enjoy a three-night stay in this extraordinary setting. All afternoon is free to enjoy the facilities, spa or nearby winery of this remarkable resort. (B)

Day 11: Wednesday

We tour Arches National Park this morning, with the afternoon free to enjoy the resort. The forces of nature have acted in concert to create the landscape of Arches, which contains the greatest density of natural arches in the world, over 2100 amazing formations of varying colors. Throughout the park, rock layers reveal millions of years of deposition, erosion and other geologic events. (B)

Day 12: Thursday

Today’s highlight is a visit to Canyonlands National Park. Canyonlands preserves a colorful landscape eroded into countless canyons, mesas and buttes by the Colorado River and its tributaries. The rivers divide the park into four districts: the Island in the Sky, the Needles, the Maze and the rivers themselves, another spectacular day of scenery. Tonight is our Farewell Dinner, hosted by Train Holidays. (B, D)

Day 13: Friday

All Aboard! We board the ‘California Zephyr’ this morning for the epic daylight passage through the Colorado Rockies over the storied Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad traveling through Glenwood Canyon for a journey described by the BBC as one of the top ten train rides in the World. The train has a full dining car and Sightseer Lounge car and later tonight, we pass through Denver en route to Chicago. Guests traveling home to the West will be transferred to Salt Lake City to board the train for the overnight journey to California. Overnight on-board. (B)

Day 14: Saturday

We cross the Mississippi River after breakfast and are soon speeding through the rich farmland of Illinois bound for Chicago with an afternoon arrival in the Windy City. West coast guests will cross the Sierra Nevada mountain range this morning for an afternoon arrival in Sacramento and the Bay Area.

Fares

COMPLETE FARES & ACCOMMODATIONS
Category	June	July - Sept
Double Occupancy	$3,595	$3,795
Single Occupancy	$4,395	$4,595
Including exclusive occupancy of hotel rooms throughout.
3rd/4th persons sharing a room pay $1,995 per person. No additional taxes or fees.

Request Form

Please take a moment to complete the following information so that we may process your request for enrollment in our advertised travel program. Once we have received and processed your information, we will provide a written confirmation of your reservation. All space on our tours are based on availability at the time your reservation request is received and processed.

Please insure accuracy when completing this form to assist us in handling your reservation with dispatch and efficiency. While some of this information is optional, certain information is required in order to confirm your place in our tour. If you do not feel comfortable completing this online application, please feel free to contact us at 1.800.323.5893 during our regular office hours to speak with us directly.

We look forward to welcoming you on one of our travel and tour programs and very much appreciate your patronage.

Uncommon Journeys

Train Holidays

* Required Fields

Tour/Cruise Selection

Tour	The Best of the West
Tour Date
What type of cabin would you prefer?
What type of occupency would you prefer?
What type of bed configuration would you like?
Do you prefer smoking or non-smoking?
Is anyone in your party over 65?
Do you require a wheelchair assistance?

Primary Passenger

Full Legal Name *
Passport Number
Issued
Address1 *
Address2
City *
State *
Zip *
Day Phone *
Evening Phone
Mobile Phone
Email Address *
Email Address Verify *
Emergency Contact *
Emergency Contact Phone *

Secondary Passenger

Full Legal Name
Passport Number
Issued
Address1
Address2
City
State
Zip
Day Phone
Evening Phone
Mobile Phone
Email Address
Email Address Verify
Emergency Contact
Emergency Contact Phone

Terms & Conditions

RESERVATION INFORMATION: Fares and Itineraries listed in this brochure are those in effect at time of printing. All prices listed are in US Dollars. Upon receipt of your deposit, either by phone or by mail, your reservation in confirmed. A 35% deposit of the Total Fare is required to confirm reservations aboard any tour or program. After 5 days, confirmed reservations without deposit will be automatically cancelled by our reservations system. Final Payment is due 90 days prior to the departure date and no later than 75 days prior to tour departure. Payment by American Express, VISA, MasterCard, Discover Card, or check is accepted. Your verbal authorization of the use of your credit card indicates your compliance with our booking terms and conditions and confirms your reservation whether or not you have actually signed the appropriate draft. Uncommon Journeys is not responsible for payment made to Travel Agents but not received by Uncommon Journeys. Bookings are subject to cancellation if deposit or final payment is not received by the due dates.

			LATE BOOKINGS: Depending upon available space, bookings can be made up until three days prior to departure. Reservations which are made within 75 days of departure require payment in full at the time of booking.

			CANCELLATION INFORMATION: Cancellation penalties do apply and for this reason trip cancellation insurance is recommended. Trip insurance is available at a modest cost and additional information may be obtained from your travel professional or the insurance carrier of your choice. We strongly suggest that you purchase travel insurance to cover 100% of your tour cost as there are no exceptions to the cancellation penalties. The following cancellation penalties apply should you have to cancel for any reason, including medical, once deposit has been made: Cancellations after deposit has been made but prior to final payment are subject to a $750.00 per person penalty: cancellations 60-75 days prior to departure are subject to a 40% penalty of the Total Fare: cancellations 30-59 days prior to sailing are subject to a 80% penalty of the Total Fare: cancellations 15-29 days prior to sailing are subject to 90% penalty of the Total Fare: cancellations 14 days or less are subject to a 100% penalty of the Total Fare. Given that the resale of canceled space will likely result in a lost opportunity to sell other space, these fees are due regardless of resale. Name changes and departure date changes are considered cancellations and are subject to cancellation fees. Cancellations must be submitted in writing either by letter or by fax and the cancellation will be processed only when this notification is received. Charges for cancellation will be based on the date which cancellation notice is received. Cancellation refunds are payable to passengers in the same manner in which deposit/final payment were made to Uncommon Journeys. Please allow from 2 - 4 weeks for Cancellation refunds to be processed. Refunds cannot be issued until cancellation requests, in writing, have been received.

			ITINERARY CHANGES: Changing your itinerary after reservations have been made can result in loss of advantages gained by early planning. In addition, the results of last minute changes may be disappointing. All changes to travel itinerary once deposit has been made are subject to a $75.00 per person, per change administrative and handling fee. This includes, but is not limited to, date and itinerary changes on airline and rail tickets, name changes on documents, reissue and refund of rail or air tickets, et. al. Changes are not assessed for stateroom upgrades or for the addition of services, unless air reservations are altered and/or travel documents must be reissued.

			ROOM SHARES: Uncommon Journeys/Train Holidays does not arrange for, nor accept room share requests.

			UPGRADE POLICY: Uncommon Journeys and Train Holidays reserves the right to upgrade a guest or guests to more expensive category accommodations at no additional cost.

			FARE/PORT CHARGES AND TAXES: Fares quoted in brochures are those in effect at the time of printing. If cost factors including airline costs, dictate the need for fare increases, Uncommon Journeys and Train Holidays may do so at any time prior to departure. Port taxes are neither discountable nor commissionable.

			NOTE ABOUT TRAIN TRAVEL: Some Amtrak or VIA Rail schedules may require an overnight stay in various cities before and/or after tours. Any overnight hotel stays required due to train schedules are the responsibility and expense of the client, not Uncommon Journeys or Train Holidays. Please be advised that all train schedules are subject to availability and unless all sleeping car accommodation charges are paid at the time of deposit, availability cannot be guaranteed. We reserve the right to pass on to tour members any expenditure occasioned by delays or events beyond our control. In the event of a marked increase in tariff rates, costs are subject to revision.

			TRIP INSURANCE INFORMATION: Cancellation insurance is available at modest cost from various insurance providers and is strongly & urgently recommended. Policies can be obtained that provide protection in the event of trip cancellation, pre-existing medical conditions, trip interruption, personal injury or damage to property. Uncommon Journeys/Train Holidays does not endorse any particular type of policy or company but does encourage all guests to consider the purchase of some type of travel insurance. We strongly suggest that you purchase travel insurance to cover 100% of your tour cost as there are no exceptions to the cancellation penalties.

			TICKETS & DOCUMENTS: Tickets and documents will be sent via UPS promptly upon receipt from the railway, airline, or cruise company but only after final payment. This is customarily 14 days prior to departure. Documents include: ship tickets, a complete itinerary, baggage tags, helpful hints, train or air tickets (when applicable) and shore excursion tickets (when applicable). 

			PARTICIPATION ON TOUR: We reserve the right to refuse, to accept, or retain as a member of any tour any person whose deportment or condition impedes the progress, enjoyment, or operations of at any program or tour. In the event we exercise this action, Uncommon Journeys responsibility is limited only to refunding the unused tour services if a person is required to leave the tour. 

			ALTERATION OF ITINERARIES: Because of the nature of the tour programs contained in this brochure, unplanned changes in allotted space may occur. In the unlikely event that this should happen, Uncommon Journeys reserves the right to make changes in routing, visits, and tour timings at any time. Whenever practical, we will advise guests of these changes before departure date. Uncommon Journeys shall not be liable to provide compensation of any type for such operational decisions.

			HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS: All hotel accommodations are for run of the house standard rooms. Some rooms will be larger or smaller and some rooms may be better than others. The Hotel Management makes all room assignments and Uncommon Journeys/Train Holidays has no control over which room you will receive. If the listed hotel on an itinerary is unavailable due to space availability or other considerations, then we reserve the right to substitute hotel accommodations of a type that we have determined to be of a similar grade. If you have a specific request, we will ensure that this request is passed on to the Hotel Management, however, it may not always be possible to accommodate the request. Please note that it is standard policy in the US and in CANADA that hotel rooms are not available for check-in before 4pm.

			TRAIN BAGGAGE: Luggage storage in the passenger cars is limited and as such, we recommend guests take only two pieces of carry-on luggage. Passengers will NOT have access to checked baggage while en route.

			GRATUITIES: All hotel baggage and gratuities on included meals are covered in the package price.  Driver/Guide, Host, Transfer driver, train station or pier Red Cap gratuities are not included.

			RESPONSIBILITY: All train travel included or purchased in conjunction with this program is operated by VIA Rail Canada and/or Amtrak. We cannot and will not accept any responsibility for delays and/or operational disruptions due to VIA RAIL and/or Amtrak operations and decisions. All of our itineraries have been carefully chosen to minimize any potential problem operationally, but occasionally events beyond the control of VIA Rail and/or Amtrak do occur. Uncommon Journeys and Train Holidays does not assume any liability for loss of or damage to or delay of perishable items, medicine, oxygen, liquor, cash, credit or debit cards, jewelry, gold, silver or similar valuables. Uncommon Journeys and Train Holidays will not assume any liability for and loss or damage of luggage or carry-on baggage, and will not assume any responsibility for loss, damage, or delay while baggage is in the custody contracted carriers. In addition, situations may arise which make it necessary for us to cancel, advance or postpone a scheduled departure, change itineraries or make substitutions involving hotels, restaurants, ports of call, other travel components, vessels or other modes of transportation. In that event, we do not assume responsibility or liability for any resulting losses, expenses, or inconvenience. We are not required to make refunds once travel commences regardless of the reason for passengers being unable to complete their travel. Please refer to the paragraph titled 'PARTICIPATION ON TOUR' for the only exception to this.  No person, other than a representative of Uncommon Journeys or Train Holidays authorized by a document in writing issued by the Chairman, may vary, add or waive any term or condition set forth in the preceding provisions.  Written notice of any claim against Uncommon Journeys or Train Holidays must be received no later than fourteen (14) days after the date that services were provided to a tour participant.   All terms and conditions and schedules and rates are subject to change without notice.

			PAYMENT OF YOUR DEPOSIT ON ANY TOUR OR PROGRAM INDICATES YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

I have provided this information to Uncommon Journeys & Train Holidays for enrollment in the above noted tour/cruise. I have read and agree to the Terms & Conditions set forth in this document.

800-323-5893

The Best of the West

The Best of the West

Highlights

Day 1: Sunday

Day 2: Monday

Day 3: Tuesday

Day 4: Wednesday

Day 5: Thursday

Day 6: Friday

Day 7: Saturday

Day 8: Sunday

Day 9: Monday

Day 10: Tuesday

Day 11: Wednesday

Day 12: Thursday

Day 13: Friday

Day 14: Saturday

Fares

Request Form

Your browser does not support automatic bookmarking

Dates

USA - West

Join Our Preferred Email List:

About Uncommon Journeys

Preferred Notification

Destinations

How to Find Your Journey

Already Booked