Share
The Canadian Rockies are a chain of mountains that stretch for more than 1,400 kilometres through the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta, with craggy limestone peaks, tumbling ice fields and jewel-like lakes competing for your attention. One of the best ways to soak up this incredible scenery is by taking a rail journey onboard Rocky Mountaineer. These three separate journeys take in three national parks, with many sights only able to be seen by train.
Throughout this two-day journey from Banff to Vancouver, you’ll be amazed by the dramatic changes in scenery along the way. From the lush green of Banff, through forests and winding canyons to the desert-like rocky shores of Lake Kamloops, Day One is just a taste of the amazing scenery you’ll experience.
As you journey further east, you’ll witness more mind-blowing landscapes, from emerald- and sapphire-hued lakes to the bizarre rock formations known as the Hoodoos. Names like Lake Louise, the Columbia Icefield and Banff will cease to be abstract ideas and instead become incredible memories. The journey ends in the energetic city of Vancouver, where you can look back at the mountain ranges through which you’ve travelled.
Your journey diverges from the previous one at Kamloops: heading northeast, the train snakes along the banks of the beautiful North Thompson River, before climbing up over Yellowhead Pass to stunning Jasper National Park. This relatively small town was originally established as a fur trading post, but today its position as the gateway to the Rockies’ largest National Park means there are plenty of activities to keep you entertained and enthralled at any time of year – from a canyon ice walk or sleigh ride in winter to canoeing or horse-riding in the summer, or riding the incredible Skytram at any time of year.
This three-day rail journey, which runs between Vancouver and Jasper, offers you a different perspective of Western Canada’s incredible landscapes. Heading first to the resort town of Whistler along an incredible stretch of track known as the Sea to Sky Corridor. From the tranquil waters of Howe Sound to the dramatic Brandywine Falls and heart-stopping sheer canyon walls of Cheakamus Canyon, your first day aboard is just a taste of what awaits – there’s still more canyons, lakes and the thrill of crossing one of the highest railway bridges in the world (the modestly-named Deep Creek Bridge), before you reach Jasper.
These rail journeys will take you through some of the most spectacular scenery you’ll ever come across, made even more enjoyable by the fantastic hospitality you’ll experience along the way: comfy seats, vast picture windows, glass-domed observation cars, captivating commentaries and gourmet meals – but be warned: you may develop a definite taste for travelling in this manner. With so many variations and combinations available, your personal travel manager can help you choose the itinerary that’s best for you.
We at Travel Managers Australia recognise the traditional owners of the country where we live and work. We recognise and celebrate the diversity of Indigenous people and their enduring cultures and connections to the land and waters of New South Wales.
