Join Fellow MLC Alumni and WELS Members for a 16-day, 15-night guided tour
4/7/22 Update: We are sincerely sad and sorry to announce the cancelation of the long awaited O Canada tour. It is our hope to offer the same or similar options down the road. If interested in being on a mailing list for future tours, please call Steve Balza at 507-217-1731.
Highlights to Include
- Revelstoke, Yoho, Jasper, Banff, and Glacier national parks
- Guided tours of Vancouver, Victoria, Spokane, and Glacier NP
- BC Ferry to Victoria, Sea-to-Sky Highway, Capilano Suspension Bridge
- Cruises on Maligne Lake in Jasper, Waterton Lake in Alberta, and Lake Coeur d’Alene in Idaho
- Fully escorted with geographic, geological, and historical insights from Professor Greg Diersen
- Daily devotions with Professor Dave Scharf, along with WELS worship in Vancouver and Calgary
- Fellowship and friendships with like-minded believers
Overview
July 7-23, 2022
$4195 Double Occupancy
$5595 Single Occupancy
Includes round-trip flights from MSP (with one checked bag + personal item), deluxe motor coach service, attraction admissions, guide fees, 17 hotel nights, most gratuities, approximately 30 meals, and much more. There will be a couple of optional excursions that would require additional payment.
W/ELS members are invited to join the MLC Alumni Association for an affordable, enjoyable, and educational tour of Western Canada. We’ll spend time in four regions: Vancouver/Whistler, Revelstoke/Jasper/Banff, Glacier NP, and the Inland Northwest. Tour Director Steve Balza will do his best to keep us comfortable, safe, and on schedule. MLC Professors Greg Diersen and Dave Scharf will be along to feed our minds with insights into the sights we’ll see and our souls via daily devotions. Quietvox headsets will add to our ability to hear our guides and enjoy their presentations. We believe we’ve put together an itinerary that hits the highlights, includes some lesser-known gems, and allows some free time for you to relax and refresh.
COST/PAYMENTS
Single occupancy (one person/room) cost is $5545 and double occupancy (two persons/room) is $4195 per person. If you are traveling solo but would prefer having a same-gender roommate to split costs, please note that on your registration form, and we will do our best to accommodate.
Discounts: Deduct $350 if you are making your own flight arrangements. $20 discounts are available to previous travelers, seniors 62+, MLC students, anyone making full payment, and those who start on the waitlist.
Gratuities: Tips for our bus drivers, step-on guides, attraction guides, and group meal servers are included in your cost. Tips for hotel housekeepers, non-included meal servers, etc., are your responsibility.
Payments: Confirmed passengers must submit a $2000 payment within 2 weeks of being notified of their status. The remaining balance is due April 15, 2022. Once confirmed, cancellations will receive refunds according to the schedule below:
Before April 14, 2022: $500 fee
April 15, 2022 – May 14, 2022: $1,000 fee
May 15, 2022 – June 14, 2022: $2,000 fee
June 15, 2022 or later: $3,000 fee
In each case, the penalty will be cut in half if a replacement traveler is found.
INCLUDED MEALS
The tour includes about 30 meals: 16 hotel breakfasts, seven lunches, and seven dinners. Remaining meals (about 20) will be on your own. Complimentary water and occasional bus snacks will be provided throughout the tour.
CONFIRMED PASSENGERS AND WAITLISTS
As of 3.28.22, the tour is open for new registrants with confirmed spaces likely available. We are asking interested passengers to call tour director Steve Balza at 507-217-1731 to discuss the tour and register over the phone if interested.
PASSPORT/MOBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Our entry into and exit out of Canada will be via land. Currently, U.S. citizens are required to document their citizenship (typically via a valid passport, passport card, or NEXUS card) to enter Canada and return to the United States.
On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being a high level of mobility required, we rate this tour a five. All passengers will need to get in and out of the bus (about 4 steps) on a regular basis. You will also be required to transport your bag between the bus and hotel rooms. Several stops will require a fair amount of walking. Those with mobility challenges may have to opt-out of some activities. As always, we encourage travelers to know their own limitations.
TRIP INSURANCE
Your U.S. health insurance policy may not cover you while traveling in Canada. Basic Travel Insurance (providing $50,000 in emergency medical coverage and $100,000 in Emergency Medical Transportation) will be purchased from RoamRight and provided for all attendees. If desired, individuals may upgrade their policy to include additional coverage (Trip Cancellation, Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR), etc.). Click on the link above for details.
QUESTIONS
Contact tour manager Steve Balza (alumni@mlc-wels.edu or 507-217-1731).
Accommodations
Attractions
Lord willing, the introduction to our northern neighbor will be provided by the coastal seaport city of Vancouver. Canada’s third-largest city is nestled between vast valleys, a temperate rain forest, and a majestic mountain range. Our home base for three nights will be the Sheraton in nearby Surrey. Our first full day will be spent ferrying across the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver Island and the British Columbia capitol, Victoria. There we’ll visit the renowned Butchart Gardens and experience the Inner Harbor before you are given free time to shop, bike, or visit some of the city’s additional treasures. Sunday will include WELS worship with Saviour of the Nations along with a guided 
highlights tour of Vancouver. We’ll take in beautiful Stanley Park with its totem poles and seawall, shop and grab a bite at Granville Island Public Market, and enjoy some free time in the Gastown/Waterfront neighborhood. Our final day in the area will be spent making our way up the scenic Sea-to-Sky Highway en route to Whistler. Along the way, we’ll explore North Vancouver treasures such as Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain. Our Whistler hotel is centrally located in the village for those seeking shops or restaurants. Those looking to explore the mountain or hike/bike around a lake can easily reach the gondolas or trailheads by foot.
From Whistler, we head east toward a less populated and more rugged country. Our longest travel day will take us across some exceptionally scenic spaces before arriving at our lakeside resort, the Three Valley Lake Chateau. The next day includes options to remain at the chateau (restaurant and free kayak usage on-site) or venture out for some adventure in nearby Revelstoke. Options include hiking, a mountain coaster, and whitewater rafting (not included in tour cost). Our stay also includes a tour of the onsite “Ghost Town” as well as dinner both evenings. Departing Three Valley Gap, we’ll make our way along the Trans-Canada Highway through and to a series of national parks (Mount Revelstoke, 
Canadian Glacier, Yoho, Banff, and Jasper). Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife. It’s not uncommon to view elk, bighorn sheep, moose, deer, coyotes, and bears in this region. While there, we’ll walk on glaciers, boat across pristine lakes, and hike through canyons. Our two homes for this stretch of the journey will be vastly different. The first two nights will be at the rustic Sunwapta Falls Rocky Mountain Lodge, neatly tucked into the wilderness alongside the Icefields Parkway. The next three nights will be at a 4-star Grey Eagle Casino Resort in Calgary (Canada’s fourth-largest city). St Paul Lutheran in Calgary provides us with our second opportunity for WELS worship.
As we return to the U.S., we’ll be greeted by glaciers and treated to some phenomenal vistas during our two-day stay near Glacier National Park. We’ll spend a free afternoon in the Many Glacier area, home to a spectacular lodge situated along the shores of Swiftcurrent Lake. Our intent is to arrive in the early afternoon to give you time to relax, hike, kayak, or explore along some of the area’s many trails. The next day’s plan includes a full-day Red Bus Tour along the famed Going-to-the-Sun Road. Please note that we will be there at the height of their peak season. Be prepared for crowds, traffic, and some significant road construction that may cause delays.
Our final two days will take us through Montana and Idaho before settling into eastern Washington. Our plan includes a sunset dinner buffet on Lake Coeur d’Alene before arriving at the lovely Historic Davenport Hotel in downtown Spokane. Our day in Spokane will involve a guided tour of the city (including magnificent Manito Park and Spokane Falls). After a delightful “Mystery Lunch”, you’ll have some free time to take a stroll or a bike ride along the Spokane River’s Centennial Trail. Depending on our return flight time, we plan to spend a few hours in Seattle Center with optional visits to the Space Needle or Chihuly Garden and Glass before we head to Sea-Tac International.Transportation
Tour members have the option to take our included group flight from Minneapolis (MSP) to Seattle (SEA) on Thursday, July 7, with the return from Seattle to Minneapolis on Saturday, July 23, or you can make your own flight arrangements.
Upon arrival in Seattle, we’ll travel on a deluxe motor coach with 
Registration
Web Resources
Past Tours
Click on the images below to view a gallery of pictures from past adventures.
