Great
By Vintage Train! 12-Days From $2,995 pp
National Parks Of The West A
Twice Only In 2014 July 29-August 9 and August 26-September 6, 2014
visual feast to The Great National Parks of the West by vistadome Streamliner train, our very own Great Western Limited. The only holiday to feature Glacier National Park, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Yosemite, all in one glorious holiday, Plus two nights in 'Everybody's Favorite City', San Francisco with a fine hotel at Fisherman’s Wharf. Never before to our knowledge has there been an elegantly crafted tour to the Great National Parks of the West that offered up, in one glorious vacation Glacier National Park, Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Yosemite, with a scenic crossing of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and time in San Francisco as added benefits. Nicer still, our guests enjoy something that no other western holiday offers, travel aboard our own classic 1940's era vintage streamliner train with 'vista-dome' cars for your viewing pleasure. With a sensible pace (most of our hotel stays are two-nights long), comprehensive sightseeing throughout, a professional tour manager to handle all of the details and much more, there is simply no nicer nor better way to travel from the Crown of the Continent at Glacier National Park to Yosemite than this holiday. We invite you to join us. All Aboard!
All aboard the vintage
Streamliner
GREAT WESTERN LIMITED Highlights:
Grand Tetons
Glacier National Park
Yosemite National Park
Upper Yellowstone Falls at Yellowstone National Park
Free or low-cost travel aboard Amtrak's 'Empire Builder' train from Seattle/Portland or Chicago/Midwest points to our starting point in Glacier National Park, Montana, an overnight journey. Guests with less time may fly into Kalispell, Montana with a free shuttle to our hotel in Whitefish. Two night stay in quaint Whitefish, Montana with complete touring of stunning Glacier National Park, Montana including the famed 'red Jammer' buses over the extraordinary Going to the Sun Highway. Two night visit to Yellowstone National Park with comprehensive sightseeing including Old Faithful and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Two night visit to Jackson, Wyoming with touring of Grand Teton National Park and a float trip on the Snake River. Train travel from Provo, Utah to Sacramento aboard the ‘Great Western Limited’, an overnight journey in Pullman sleeping car comfort over the Union Pacific Railroad. All meals, wines & spirits are included aboard the special train. Full day visit to Yosemite with complete touring and overnight at the Yosemite View Lodge along the rushing Merced River. Two night stay in San Francisco at Fisherman's Wharf with Bay Cruise and Farewell Dinner. A leisurely relaxed pace with more time in Grand Teton, Yellowstone and Glacier National than most tours offer. Many meals including breakfast daily. Complete sightseeing from start to finish including all admission fees, excursions and transfers. Fully hosted by a professional tour manager.
Condensed Itinerary: Day 1:
Whitefish, MT
Guests arrive by train from western or Midwestern points in quaint Whitefish, Montana to begin a two-night stay, just a short drive from Glacier National Park. Guests may also fly into nearby Kalispell, just 15 minutes away by complimentary shuttle. Overnight at the Best Western Rocky Mountain Lodge. Day 2:
Whitefish, MT
We depart this morning aboard one of the red open-air ‘jammer’ buses for the stunning trip over the famed Going to the Sun Highway across the Continental Divide. Later, a visit to 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 at the Rocky Mountain Lodge. Tonight is our casual welcome dinner, a nice way to meet your fellow travelers. (CB, D) Day 3:
Bozeman, UT
Today is a scenic drive along Flathead Lake, the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi and through rustic Montana to Bozeman where superb accommodations await us at the Homewood Suites. (CB, R) Day 4:
Yellowstone National Park
A short drive this morning brings us to the North Entrance of the Yellowstone National Park, America's first National Park and we arrive at lovely Lake Yellowstone this afternoon where we will stay the evening in the Lake Yellowstone cabins. (B) Day 5:
Yellowstone National Park
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. We exit the park this afternoon and drive south into 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-day visit with plenty of free time. Overnight at the 49er Inn. Be sure to check out the legendary Million Dollar Cowboy Bar! (B) Day 6:
Jackson Hole, WY
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 evening at leisure to enjoy
Fares By Accommodation: this quaint and historic setting. Overnight at the 49er Inn. (B) Day 7:
All Aboard!
Departing Jackson Hole this morning we travel south, stopping at the Oregon Trail Historical Center and then traveling along the Great Salt Lake with an evening arrival in Provo Utah where we enjoy dinner before boarding our private train, the Great Western Limited for our trip west to Sacramento via the famed Overland Route of the Union Pacific Railroad. There are after-dinner drinks and dessert in the club car tonight as we travel over the original Transcontinental Railroad. Overnight is spent in Pullman sleeping car comfort with crisp sheets, warm blankets and wonderful pillows. (B, D) Day 8:
Roseville, CA
Morning finds us arriving in Reno at breakfast time and beginning our spectacular trip over the Sierra Nevada Mountains past names that read like an American history course: Stanford Curve, Donner Lake, Blue Canyon and the American River overlook to name just a few. Most of today is spent traversing this engineering marvel with its snow sheds and steep grades before our afternoon arrival and overnight stay in the Sacramento area where suites await us at the superb Homewood Suites in Roseville, (B, L, R) Day 9:
Double Berth (Pullman Section) $3,295 pp Traditional Pullman upper/lower berths. Seating by day, comfortable beds by night.
Standard Double Bedroom
$3,495 pp
One large room with upper and lower berths and private enclosed bathroom with toilet and washbasin. Perfect for couples traveling together.
Superior Double Bedroom $3,595 pp Same as Standard Double Bedroom except instead of two armchairs, features large sofa by day. These rooms are also slightly larger in length.
Suite Accommodations
$4,595 pp
Two Double Bedrooms combined to guarantee two lower beds or a large queen bed. Includes two picture windows, and two separate bathrooms with washbasins and toilets!
Yosemite National Park
This morning we have a short scenic drive south to Yosemite with our first glimpse of awe inspiring El Capitan and Half Dome. Yosemite always inspires reverence and amazement and happily, our guests have plenty of time to savor all of this glorious 'cathedral of Nature', to use John Muir's phrase, this afternoon with a complete tour of the Valley floor. Our hotel tonight is at El Portal alongside the rushing Merced River. (B) Day 10: San Francisco Today we travel north to San Francisco up the great Central Valley, and begin our two-night stay in San Francisco at Fisherman's Wharf to begin our visit to 'Everybody's Favorite City'. This evening is at leisure with plenty of nearby activities to explore. (B) Day 11: San Francisco
Two Roomettes $3,295 pp Two individual single rooms offering individual lower beds, Individual washbasin and toilets in each room. Perfect for friends traveling together.
Single Occupancy
$4,495 pp
(Including one roomette aboard the train and exclusive single occupancy Hotel accommodations throughout.) Lower bed with washbasin and toilet.
A magical day that begins with a complete city tour followed by a Bay Cruise that circles Alcatraz and sails under the Golden Gate Bridge. All afternoon is at leisure to explore the city on your own: Chinatown, colorful North Beach, chic Union Square with its fine shopping or a cable car ride are all fun options for this afternoon. Tonight is our special farewell dinner at Fisherman's Wharf, a great treat. (B,D) Day 12: Journey Home Guests travel home today by air or train or may opt to extend their stay in Northern California.
333 South Indian Canyon Dr., Suite H Palm Springs CA 92262 www.PS-Uncommonjourneys.com Ph,
760.424.2205 Tf, 888.508.3401 CST 2082870-40
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Please read carefully as cancellation penalties do apply. 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.
Cancellation and trip interruption insurance is available through our company by Travelex. To speak to a representative about protecting your travel investment, please call 1.800.323.5893 and ask to speak with insurance services. 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.
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