This article is brought to you by Adventure World/Destination Canada.
It is almost impossible to tear my eyes away from the view out the huge windows in the glass-dome car, a seamless segway from flatland to gorges, lush valleys and to majestic mountains. This is life onboard Rocky Mountaineer, and even when enjoying the delicious meals prepared by a chef and heroing local produce, it is impossible not to sneak glances outside as you don’t want to miss anything. Travelling through the Canadian Rockies is one of the most scenic rail journeys in the world, and Adventure World has three incredible itineraries that incorporate the unmatched journey that is Rocky Mountaineer.
Since its first journey in 1990, Rocky Mountaineer has expanded its product from one route to four, with three of them in Canada. The original Canadian route, the ‘First Passage to the West’, runs between Vancouver and Banff with an overnight stop in Kamloops. ‘Journey through the Clouds’ journeys between Vancouver and Jasper with the overnight stop in Kamloops, and ‘Rainforest to Gold Rush’ travels between Vancouver and Jasper, with overnight stops in scenic Whistler, and Quesnel.
All aboard
Rocky Mountaineer is recognised for its exceptional service, as well as for its awe-inspiring views. There are two different styles of train coaches – GoldLeaf Service or SilverLeaf Service. GoldLeaf Service is top of the line and continues to impress guests as it has since it launched in 1995. GoldLeaf Service features the famous bi-level, glass-dome carriages with the striking curved-glass windows, that include an impressive 70 per cent UVA and UVB protection as well as 64 per cent solar heat rejection to ensure you don’t overheat on the journey through the mountains.
Guests can appreciate the views from their seats on the top level and be wowed by the culinary delights experienced in the lower-level dining area with a three-course gourmet meal, elegantly plated and prepared onboard utilizing locally sourced ingredients. Breakfast, lunch, gourmet snacks, and drinks are all included in your journey. Lunch might include Pacific salmon served with garlic herb rice, or short ribs braised in Canadian pale ale with locally grown potatoes. The dining area also features panoramic glass windows, so you don’t miss the vistas outside. Guests in GoldLeaf Service can also access an outdoor viewing platform downstairs, to breathe in the fresh mountain air. This platform is excellent for photographers, as it allows you to snap views without the window reflections. There is plenty of wildlife sightings along the way, some called out by the impressive and knowledgeable onboard Hosts. They’ll tell you the history and folklore of the areas you are passing through, top up your glass with bubbles, and look after you in grand style.
Guests in SilverLeaf Service enjoy the vistas through the panoramic windows, and have divine meals and beverages brought directly to your comfortable reclining chairs. These single-level cars also feature the onboard Hosts, who add to the journey with their information, friendly smiles and great service.
With Rocky Mountaineer travelling throughout the day, and stopping overnight in hotels, you won’t miss any of the achingly beautiful views of the Rockies.
When to ride Rocky Mountaineer
Rocky Mountaineer runs between April and October each year, with each season in that time frame shining in different ways. In spring, landscapes come to life after the cold of winter with blossoming flowers and lush greenery visible out your window. You may even see some bears who have come out of hibernation feeling hungry. In autumn, the time for transformation, the cooler air signals the changing of the leaves, with the flashes of orange and red, gold and green a beautiful sight out the panoramic windows. Keep your eyes open to see if you can spot dustings of snow on the mountain tops, and you might even see a bear fishing for salmon in a river that runs by the tracks as this is the time for the salmon to run.
Choose the tour for you
Adventure World has a trio of itineraries that feature Rocky Mountaineer. The 11-night ‘Sip and Savour Canadian Flavours’ tour runs from Vancouver to Edmonton and includes two days on the legendary train from Vancouver to Lake Louise in SilverLeaf Service. The tour will see you taking to the skies in a float plane, on a ferry to Victoria, and riding to a western cookout on horseback or in a covered wagon. This itinerary also appeals to foodies, with plenty of local produce and products as well as food tours in Vancouver, a culinary tour in Victoria, and a hands-on back-country cooking lesson on a mountain peak in Jasper.
The 10-day ‘Authentic Canadian Rockies’ itinerary travels from Vancouver to Calgary and a highlight will be travelling on Rocky Mountaineer from Vancouver to Jasper. After three days exploring the wonders of Vancouver, board the multi-award-winning Rocky Mountaineer to Kamloops, with scenic highlights including the rushing waters of Hell’s Gate in the Fraser Canyon and the steep slopes and rock sheds along the Thompson River. You’ll stay the night in Kamloops before boarding the train again the next morning for the journey to Jasper.
Travel down one of the most scenic highways in North America, the Icefields Parkway, and enjoy an Ice Explorer tour and Glacier Skywalk at the Columbia Icefield. Continue along the Icefields Parkway, with stops at Bow and Peyto Lakes, Crowfoot Glacier and Athabasca Falls before arriving in idyllic Lake Louise. More scenic highlights follow in Banff, with a tour taking you to Bow Falls, Surprise Corner Lookout, Hoodoos Viewpoint and Lake Minnewanka, followed by the ride up Sulphur Mountain on the Banff Gondola. Another bonus is that accommodation on this tour is in luxurious Fairmont hotels, which is the perfect marriage of luxury and wilderness.
Image credits: Rocky Mountaineer
For the ultimate Canadian adventure, consider Adventure World’s ‘Authentic Canada’ itinerary. This 22-day journey traverses from Vancouver to Quebec City and includes two days onboard Rocky Mountaineer in GoldLeaf Service from Vancouver to Banff. This tour is full of wonderful experiences, with multiple nights in Banff and Jasper to allow you to experience the jaw-dropping beauty of Banff National Park. Head from Jasper to Toronto by rail, a four-day journey with VIA Rail which showcases the changing landscapes of Canada, before sightseeing in Toronto – including Niagara Falls – Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City. There will be copious highlights, with just some of them being a tour of Victoria & Butchart Gardens, Whistler & Sea to Sky Gondola tour, a tour of Banff and its wildlife, a helicopter tour to Mount Assiniboine, a tour along Jasper and Banff’s Icefields Parkway, a foodie tour of Jasper’s downtown, a tour at Niagara Falls from Toronto, a cruise on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa, and a tour of Old Quebec, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Also in Quebec City, experience an enchanted night walk that celebrates the Huron-Wendat Nation and their way of life. Stroll along a 1.2-kilometre pathway on an immersive multimedia experience through light, sound and video projections. Stepping into the Great Circle here is a wonderful way to end what will have been an exceptional journey across Canada.
This article is brought to you by Adventure World/Destination Canada.
