Combine luxury rail travel with stunning resorts and breathtaking mountain scenery
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Welcome to an incredible journey aptly titled Trains, Planes, Automobiles … and Grizzly Bears.
Combine luxury rail travel with stunning resorts and breathtaking mountain scenery and you have a monumental Rocky Mountaineer adventure.
The concept for Rocky Mountaineer began in 1988 when it started operation as a seasonal VIA Rail venture. It became a private enterprise in 1990 and since then has captured seven awards as the World’s Leading Travel Experience By Train at the World Travel Awards.
A Journey Through The Clouds package takes passengers from Vancouver to Kamloops, B.C. and Jasper, Alta. The experience can be extended with a scenic road trip along the Icefields Parkway to Banff, Alta.
DAYS ONE & TWO
Flying into Vancouver and settling at the stunning Fairmont Waterfront, there’s ample time in the next couple of days to explore the coastal metropolis.
Just steps from the bustling downtown area is Stanley Park, a 400-hectare wonder of natural rainforest with scenic views of water, mountains, the sky and towering trees tracing the park’s seawall.
Talaysay Tours guide Seraphine Lewis, who has Squamish and Haida Indigenous heritage, is guiding travellers this day on the Talking Trees expedition through the park. Lewis’ vast knowledge of the land and Indigenous history is rooted in generational teachings passed down from her Squamish mother.
“My mom used to tell me, ‘Land is our first teacher,’” she says. “The land is us.”
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Traipsing through heavily forested and uneven terrain, she marvels at plants and trees that have played a vital role in Indigenous culture. She plucks a few sour berries from a huckleberry bush for hikers to sample.
“Nature’s practice of putting berries on the bush is not just for us, but animals as well,” says Lewis. “We will only pick what berries we need, making sure to leave some for the animals.”
Similarly, she notes that a young cedar tree must be left to mature over five generations before family can harvest it for wood.
Need a remedy for bites or cuts? Lewis says frog leaf is a common Indigenous antidote that her mom calls “nature’s Polysporin.”
Nature plays a transformative role in the food and beverage program at Fairmont Waterfront.
A 2,100-square-foot outdoor garden produces an array of vegetables, fruits and herbs. Lucky guests can get up close and personal when chief beekeeper Julia Common tends to slatted racks ripe with honeycomb.
Offerings from the garden make their way into delectable chocolate truffles tinged with rooftop honey, lemon rosemary and English lavender.
ARC Restaurant crafts spectacular dishes from the garden’s bounty, like a honey and shallot tartelette with caviar and creme fraiche, halibut cheek with spring pea risotto and creme caramel with honey roasted peaches, blackberries and honeycomb.
DAY THREE
Anticipation builds as guests mingle over coffee and snacks at the train station before an 8 a.m. departure. After the Rocky Mountaineer emerges from the misty fog and settles at the platform, bagpipers lead passengers from the terminal to the waiting train. The train is a mix of single and bi-level glass dome coaches.
As the train backs out of the station and wyes to enter the mainline, it’s tradition for Mountaineer staff to stand trackside and wave to passengers while the bagpiper continues playing.
As the train snakes along the Fraser River, attendants Jacques Van Niekirk from South Africa and Mauro Cavada from Chile in South America are preparing welcome mimosas for passengers in the premier Gold Leaf class.
Breakfast calls on the lower level, where linen-draped tables are replete with fine china, silverware and fresh flowers. Fresh-baked croissants are delivered before a perfectly crispy breakfast hash packed with pork belly nuggets, peppers and potatoes.
Throughout the day, Gold Leaf guests are pampered with beverages, snacks and alerts from the crew to wildlife trackside and points of interest to photograph.
Journey Through The Clouds traverses British Columbia’s gorgeous interior, Columbia Mountain range and Rocky Mountains. It skirts past Mt. Robson (the highest peak in the Rockies) and rolls alongside Pyramid Falls.
Lunch begins with the arrival of warm garlic and herb focaccia with a zesty pepper spread. On the menu is a dazzling B.C. Albacore tuna with roasted beets and green beans, Lois Lake Steelhead salad, Fraser Valley chicken Paillard, and a AAA Alberta striploin steak.
Around 2 p.m., the train passes the town of Lytton, which was destroyed by wildfires in 2022. Fraser and Thompson Rivers meet here and Rocky Mountaineer veers off here to follow the Thompson into Kamloops.
Some popular sites to photograph include Rainbow Canyon, where minerals in the rocks reflect a rainbow of colours; the Jaws of Death Gorge; and an Osprey nest on top of Walhachin Bridge that’s thought to be more than 100 years old.
DAY FOUR
Heavy fog pervades as Rocky Mountaineer begins its ascent into the most thrilling part of its trek. An early tea service from Van Niekirk and Cavada is highlighted by a super-moist and tart lemon cranberry loaf drizzled with lemon sauce.
Executive chef Kaelhub Cudmore says Rocky Mountaineer menus are born of a similar vision as the train’s surroundings.
“The inspiration comes from the regions we travel through,” says Cudmore, whose role is to facilitate procurement of the freshest proteins, produce and ingredients along Rocky Mountaineer’s various train routes.
“We need to write the menus around certain culinary techniques because our space in the train’s kitchen is very finite, there’s just enough room for three people to work,” he adds. “Even baking fresh bread daily is a challenge.”
Suddenly, the train slows to a crawl, allowing passengers to marvel at Pyramid Falls, which drains from a lake on Mount Cheadle, 300 feet above the tracks.
Train manager Sean Richard says Rocky Mountaineer is a welcome sight to people along its route.
“We’re so used to seeing people out in their yards or on their boats in places like Salmon Arm, giving a wave,” says Richard. “The one thing that really gets passengers excited are the bears, especially when salmon are running and they’re out on the river fishing for them.”
At Milepost 52 on the Albreda-Robson Subdivision, the train is in view of the majestic peak of Mt. Robson — at 12,972 feet, it’s the highest point of the Rockies.
Thirty miles east, the train approaches Yellowhead Pass, where we cross the Continental Divide separating the Pacific and Atlantic watersheds.
Arriving in Jasper, it’s a short shuttle bus ride to Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, where guests this evening are amazed to find a Grizzly mom and her cub foraging at the resort entrance. It’s a sign the area is teeming with wildlife roaming its 700 acres adjacent to Lake Beauvert.
In this idyllic setting, guests can choose from rooms, suites or signature cabins.
DAY FIVE
Stepping outside for a morning stroll, I’m greeted by a deer busily nibbling on berries from a bush outside my cabin. Early risers sip coffee on the edge of Lac Beauvert, admiring the reflection of Pyramid Mountain on the glass-like surface — a perfect sunrise for kayakers enjoying a paddle.
There’s a world of wonders outside the resort gate — from soaring mountains to deep canyons and wildlife thriving across Jasper National Park’s 4,335 square miles.
SunDog Tours offers several sightseeing tours giving visitors a closer look at the park’s unbridled beauty. The captivating wildlife tour immerses guests in stunning landscapes while expert hosts unveil hidden gems.
Numerous elk, deer, black bears and mountain goats plied their trade roadside as our bus travelled to photographic spots like Maligne Canyon and “disappearing” Medicine Lake.
DAY SIX
One of the world’s most splendid road treks takes us along Icefields Parkway to our final stop in Banff.
Also known as Hwy. 93, it slaloms through rugged mountain peaks and sweeping valleys. There’s a requisite stop at the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre, where interactive displays educate guests about the icefield’s formation, glaciology and environmental significance. Tours are available on special “Ice Explorer” buses that ferry guests onto the Athabasca Glacier.
Tucked into Sulphur Mountain on the outskirts of Banff’s downtown core, Rimrock Resort is the perfect retreat from a day of exploration and travel. Built in 1884, this impressive 330-room hotel offers panoramic views of surrounding mountains, just minutes from Banff Upper Hot Springs and the Banff Gondola.
The resort is home to Eden, undeniably Banff’s hottest dining spot, recently nominated by the World Culinary Awards as one of North America’s best fine-dining hotel restaurants. Its playfully imaginative menus are complemented by a wine collection boasting more than 17,000 bottles.
Sister restaurant Primrose is no slouch. Grilled octopus is slightly charred and plated with salsa verde, confit tomato and polenta. A glistening seared halibut filet is nestled in creamy pommes puree with sauteed parsnips and savoury brown butter.
It was a perfect way to end this once-in-a-lifetime journey.
For more information, visit rockymountaineer.com.
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Traipsing through heavily forested and uneven terrain, she marvels at plants and trees that have played a vital role in Indigenous culture. She plucks a few sour berries from a huckleberry bush for hikers to sample.
“Nature’s practice of putting berries on the bush is not just for us, but animals as well,” says Lewis. “We will only pick what berries we need, making sure to leave some for the animals.”
Similarly, she notes that a young cedar tree must be left to mature over five generations before family can harvest it for wood.
Need a remedy for bites or cuts? Lewis says frog leaf is a common Indigenous antidote that her mom calls “nature’s Polysporin.”
Nature plays a transformative role in the food and beverage program at Fairmont Waterfront.
A 2,100-square-foot outdoor garden produces an array of vegetables, fruits and herbs. Lucky guests can get up close and personal when chief beekeeper Julia Common tends to slatted racks ripe with honeycomb.
Offerings from the garden make their way into delectable chocolate truffles tinged with rooftop honey, lemon rosemary and English lavender.
ARC Restaurant crafts spectacular dishes from the garden’s bounty, like a honey and shallot tartelette with caviar and creme fraiche, halibut cheek with spring pea risotto and creme caramel with honey roasted peaches, blackberries and honeycomb.
DAY THREE
Anticipation builds as guests mingle over coffee and snacks at the train station before an 8 a.m. departure. After the Rocky Mountaineer emerges from the misty fog and settles at the platform, bagpipers lead passengers from the terminal to the waiting train. The train is a mix of single and bi-level glass dome coaches.
As the train backs out of the station and wyes to enter the mainline, it’s tradition for Mountaineer staff to stand trackside and wave to passengers while the bagpiper continues playing.
As the train snakes along the Fraser River, attendants Jacques Van Niekirk from South Africa and Mauro Cavada from Chile in South America are preparing welcome mimosas for passengers in the premier Gold Leaf class.
Breakfast calls on the lower level, where linen-draped tables are replete with fine china, silverware and fresh flowers. Fresh-baked croissants are delivered before a perfectly crispy breakfast hash packed with pork belly nuggets, peppers and potatoes.
Throughout the day, Gold Leaf guests are pampered with beverages, snacks and alerts from the crew to wildlife trackside and points of interest to photograph.
Journey Through The Clouds traverses British Columbia’s gorgeous interior, Columbia Mountain range and Rocky Mountains. It skirts past Mt. Robson (the highest peak in the Rockies) and rolls alongside Pyramid Falls.
Lunch begins with the arrival of warm garlic and herb focaccia with a zesty pepper spread. On the menu is a dazzling B.C. Albacore tuna with roasted beets and green beans, Lois Lake Steelhead salad, Fraser Valley chicken Paillard, and a AAA Alberta striploin steak.
Around 2 p.m., the train passes the town of Lytton, which was destroyed by wildfires in 2022. Fraser and Thompson Rivers meet here and Rocky Mountaineer veers off here to follow the Thompson into Kamloops.
Some popular sites to photograph include Rainbow Canyon, where minerals in the rocks reflect a rainbow of colours; the Jaws of Death Gorge; and an Osprey nest on top of Walhachin Bridge that’s thought to be more than 100 years old.
DAY FOUR
Heavy fog pervades as Rocky Mountaineer begins its ascent into the most thrilling part of its trek. An early tea service from Van Niekirk and Cavada is highlighted by a super-moist and tart lemon cranberry loaf drizzled with lemon sauce.
Executive chef Kaelhub Cudmore says Rocky Mountaineer menus are born of a similar vision as the train’s surroundings.
“The inspiration comes from the regions we travel through,” says Cudmore, whose role is to facilitate procurement of the freshest proteins, produce and ingredients along Rocky Mountaineer’s various train routes.
“We need to write the menus around certain culinary techniques because our space in the train’s kitchen is very finite, there’s just enough room for three people to work,” he adds. “Even baking fresh bread daily is a challenge.”
Suddenly, the train slows to a crawl, allowing passengers to marvel at Pyramid Falls, which drains from a lake on Mount Cheadle, 300 feet above the tracks.
Train manager Sean Richard says Rocky Mountaineer is a welcome sight to people along its route.
“We’re so used to seeing people out in their yards or on their boats in places like Salmon Arm, giving a wave,” says Richard. “The one thing that really gets passengers excited are the bears, especially when salmon are running and they’re out on the river fishing for them.”
At Milepost 52 on the Albreda-Robson Subdivision, the train is in view of the majestic peak of Mt. Robson — at 12,972 feet, it’s the highest point of the Rockies.
Thirty miles east, the train approaches Yellowhead Pass, where we cross the Continental Divide separating the Pacific and Atlantic watersheds.
Arriving in Jasper, it’s a short shuttle bus ride to Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, where guests this evening are amazed to find a Grizzly mom and her cub foraging at the resort entrance. It’s a sign the area is teeming with wildlife roaming its 700 acres adjacent to Lake Beauvert.
In this idyllic setting, guests can choose from rooms, suites or signature cabins.
DAY FIVE
Stepping outside for a morning stroll, I’m greeted by a deer busily nibbling on berries from a bush outside my cabin. Early risers sip coffee on the edge of Lac Beauvert, admiring the reflection of Pyramid Mountain on the glass-like surface — a perfect sunrise for kayakers enjoying a paddle.
There’s a world of wonders outside the resort gate — from soaring mountains to deep canyons and wildlife thriving across Jasper National Park’s 4,335 square miles.
SunDog Tours offers several sightseeing tours giving visitors a closer look at the park’s unbridled beauty. The captivating wildlife tour immerses guests in stunning landscapes while expert hosts unveil hidden gems.
Numerous elk, deer, black bears and mountain goats plied their trade roadside as our bus travelled to photographic spots like Maligne Canyon and “disappearing” Medicine Lake.
DAY SIX
One of the world’s most splendid road treks takes us along Icefields Parkway to our final stop in Banff.
Also known as Hwy. 93, it slaloms through rugged mountain peaks and sweeping valleys. There’s a requisite stop at the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre, where interactive displays educate guests about the icefield’s formation, glaciology and environmental significance. Tours are available on special “Ice Explorer” buses that ferry guests onto the Athabasca Glacier.
Tucked into Sulphur Mountain on the outskirts of Banff’s downtown core, Rimrock Resort is the perfect retreat from a day of exploration and travel. Built in 1884, this impressive 330-room hotel offers panoramic views of surrounding mountains, just minutes from Banff Upper Hot Springs and the Banff Gondola.
The resort is home to Eden, undeniably Banff’s hottest dining spot, recently nominated by the World Culinary Awards as one of North America’s best fine-dining hotel restaurants. Its playfully imaginative menus are complemented by a wine collection boasting more than 17,000 bottles.
Sister restaurant Primrose is no slouch. Grilled octopus is slightly charred and plated with salsa verde, confit tomato and polenta. A glistening seared halibut filet is nestled in creamy pommes puree with sauteed parsnips and savoury brown butter.
It was a perfect way to end this once-in-a-lifetime journey.
For more information, visit rockymountaineer.com.
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