A weeklong voyage that includes two days aboard the legendary Rocky Mountaineer plus unforgettable adventures in Vancouver, Jasper and Lake Louise tops many travellers’ bucket lists. From waterfalls and wildlife to Indigenous traditions and jaw-dropping scenery, here’s what your clients can expect on Canada’s most renowned rail adventure through the heart of the Rockies.
Memories begin in Vancouver
The Fairmont Waterfront hotel is the perfect start to your client’s trip. From the scrumptious Bottomless Brunch at ARC with cocktails crafted from the hotel’s own ‘Waterfront Gin’ to a relaxing sound bath before the grand adventure, this luxurious coastal property sets the tone for what’s ahead.
Skyline of Downtown Vancouver, Canada with BC Place. (Photo Credit: Adobe/edb3_16)
Guests arriving early can explore the VanDusen Botanical Garden or join Vancouver Water Adventures’ City and Seals tour from Granville Island to observe adorable marine life. They can visit the local market, stopping at Bon Macaron, which makes a Rocky Mountaineer Earl Gray and buttercream treat – it’s navy and gold to match the train’s colour palette. Hotel guests can also take a free immersive bee tour offered daily at 3 pm.
Two days on the right track
A short early-morning transfer brings guests to the Rocky Mountaineer station, where we’re greeted by bagpipers in blue kilts serenading us onto the train and into our plush seats. The spacious glass-dome train coaches allow for unparalleled views as we cruise at 50 km/hour throughout the day. Guests can choose between two all-inclusive services: SilverLeaf, a single-level car with large glass-dome windows and meals served in your seat, or GoldLeaf, featuring a bi-level dome car and a dining room below. I loved descending the spiral staircase to the outdoor viewing platform to enjoy the pine- and sagebrush-scented air.
A Rocky Mountaineer train journey in Canada. (photo by Codie Liermann)
As the train speeds towards Kamloops, we’re served lemon cranberry loaf and coffee before heading to the dining room for breakfast, where I devour smoked salmon avocado toast.
Our onboard hosts, Kelly and Tony, share stories about the railway and the dramatic landscapes as we move through the emerald-hued Fraser Valley, river canyons below the Coast and Cascade Mountains, and the desert-like B.C. Interior. They suggest photo-worthy opportunities like the rushing waters of Hell's Gate in Fraser Canyon, the sloped rocks along the Thompson River, and Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Rockies.
“It’s so tall it has its own micro-climate,” Tony tells us as we approach Jasper National Park, noting the mountain’s upper half is made of quartzite while the lower half is dolomite.
Kelly points out an eagle’s nest and suggests we watch for grizzlies, elk, and moose, and we see plenty of wildlife, including a baby bear. Guests can consult bird, wildlife, and plant guides onboard and read the Mile Post, a newspaper listing sights along the tracks.
Foodies will love dishes inspired by our surroundings and paired with wines from the Okanagan Valley. Options for our three-course lunch included seared B.C. albacore tuna, Alberta strip-loin steak and Fraser Valley chicken paillard. In Kamloops, clients can dine at The Noble Pig Brewhouse, the city’s only microbrewery.
The train slows down at certain points such as when we reach the 300-foot-tall Pyramid Falls, whose tiers can only be seen from the train. Clients can also look backwards to watch the 24-car train snaking around corners.
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge View (Photo Credit: Jim Byers/TravelPulse Canada)
Jasper and Lake Louise: A wealth of activities
Tucked within 700 acres of rugged wilderness in Jasper National Park, the 397-room Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge recently completed a $100-million renovation that includes three new dining venues. Book activities like kayaking, guided hikes, a wildlife tour, and a Night Sky stargazing experience through the property’s new adventure concierge.
At Point Cabin – one of Marilyn Monroe’s favourite getaways – we’re treated to Indigenous fireside storytelling and music led by local Cree Knowledge Keeper Matricia Bauer of Warrior Women.
“People are dying to slow down but they don’t know how,” she says. “Here, we’re surrounded by mountains, like a big hug. When people fall in love with the land, they want to protect it.”
Guests travel from Jasper to Lake Louise on the Icefields Parkway – one of the most scenic highways in the world – before arriving at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. Known as “The Jewel of the Rockies” because it faces a turquoise lake fed by the Victoria Glacier, the hotel is in Alberta's Banff National Park. Be sure to tell clients to book time at the recently opened BASIN Glacial Waters, which includes multiple indoor/outdoor thermal stations and the Aufguss communal sauna experience. Guests can also hike to Fairview Lookout, go canoeing or kayaking or stroll along the lakeshore.
How Rocky Mountaineer works with travel advisors
“We try to set advisors up for success with practical tools and meaningful incentives, so they feel supported, informed, and inspired to sell with confidence,” says Jonathan Hope, managing director of sales and core markets at Armstrong Collective, which owns Rocky Mountaineer.
Through the TRACKS specialist program, advisors can access dedicated training, ready-to-use marketing assets, seasonal promotions and exclusive offers agents can extend to clients to create added value at the point of sale.
Aboard the Rocky Mountaineer in British Columbia. (photo via Jim Byers/TravelPulse Canada)
“And to bring the experience to life, we host FAM trips and learning journeys throughout the operating season, giving advisors and trade partners the opportunity to experience it firsthand and deepen their product knowledge,” adds Hope.
Rocky Mountaineer itineraries provide many opportunities for customization at every stage of the journey including end-to-end logistics, elevated accommodations, extended stays in Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise, or Vancouver and bespoke tours.
“Our role is to make that easy for travel advisors by providing strong product knowledge and clear positioning,” explains Hope.
“We’re also seeing growing interest in add-on destinations and longer, more comprehensive Western Canada journeys. Viewing these enhancements as personalization opportunities helps advisors create higher-value bookings while delivering a more compelling and memorable guest experience.”
What to Know: The Details
Estimated price per guest:
(nine days, eight nights, including two days onboard Rocky Mountaineer)
$7,532 - $8,103 for SilverLeaf
$9,203 for GoldLeaf
Other rail routes offered:
- First Passage to the West (Vancouver to Lake Louise or Banff)
- Rainforest to Gold Rush (Vancouver to Jasper via Whistler and Quesnel)
- Passage to the Peaks (Banff to Jasper via Kamloops)
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