Just a note about the way tours can be structured: when I took the train across Canada, there was a group of 60 or 80 for whom Toronto to Jasper on the train was the one common part of a series of tours arranged through an Australian travel company. Because so many people were from Australia and were taking at least a month in North America, the company put together a series of options on either end, and the travelers could pick an choose from a travel menu. There were some people from Europe and North America who were "only" traveling for two weeks, but it was interesting to hear how the people would be together for one week, split apart for the next week or so, then converge for another segment. It was interesting to hear them compare notes on the train.
For example, when we got to Jasper, some people stayed on the train to Vancouver, others went on the Rocky Mountaineer, and other took a coach tour to Banff, Lake Louise, Kelowna, and another BC stop on their way to Vancouver, with overnights at small hotels and B&B's in each city. Then some from each leg were heading to Whistler from Vancouver, while others went south to Seattle or San Francisco, etc.
I've so enjoyed your posts from the Middle East,
@alilou!
and 
articles!
