A Rail adventure through the Rockies

Allow us a pause in our usual series of blog posts, focussing on cruises, to dive into our time onboard Rocky Mountaineer. As part of our tenth wedding anniversary celebrations, this luxury rail journey formed part of our itinerary travelling through Canada, to arrive into the city of Vancouver in style via Jasper.

The start of an experience of a lifetime

Embarking after a couple of days in the mountain town of Jasper, the adventure began with the Rocky Mountaineer team picking us up from our hotel for the very short transfer down to the station to board the train. No need to check in early, the team brought our boarding passes and issued them upon collection from our hotel which was the Jasper Inn and Suites. Once our bags were tagged, we boarded the coach and we were on our way.

Tip: Pack an overnight bag so your main luggage can go all the way through to your final destination so you don’t have to worry about managing your bigger baggage.

Upon arrival at the station, we headed straight for the platform to get the first glimpse of our transport for the next two days. We could feel the excitement in the air as the train came into view and the crew were ready to welcome us on board. Once the obligatory pictures outside had been taken it was time to jump on to get comfortable and begin our adventure. With large reclining, heated seats, we couldn’t have had many more options to personalise our comfort.

We opted for the Gold Leaf package which meant our assigned carriage was a double decker with a domed glass roof to make the most of the stunning views, a separate dining area and an exclusive viewing platform.

Delectable dining

Dining is spilt into two sittings which is alternated. On the first day we were in the first sitting and on the second day we were in the second sitting. Whilst onboard you get both a breakfast and a lunch service.

A special touch on the first day lunch was the train slowing down to take in Pyramid Falls but also the waiter pausing to take our order so that we didn’t miss the view.

Breakfast was served with pastries then a menu to pick from including: pancakes, eggs Benedict, scrambled eggs, smoked salmon with avocado.

Lunch service comes around quickly and three courses are on offer; there is plenty of choice. Here’s what was on offer:

Kuterra Steelhead Salad

Fraser Valley Chicken Paillard

Red Pesto & Parmesan Polenta

Rare Seared BC Albacore Tuna

Alberta Striploin Steak

Sweet Corn & Kale Gnocchi

Followed by a desert selection of chocolate torte or a lavender lemon posset.

Service throughout was excellent. Both the quality and taste of the food was simply divine!

When you’re not in the restaurant, the crew upstairs are working hard offering occasional commentary on points of interest and constantly patrolling with a drinks service. There is a wide selection of alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks available and a nice touch is most of the drinks are locally sourced including beers that just had to be sampled!

A stop in charming Kamloops

As part of the tour, Kamloops is the mid point of the journey and after a day onboard we disembarked and were transferred by coach to our hotel. Before this we were handed our room key to the hotel so no long queues at check in as a few hundred people descended into the lobby.

Remember the tip earlier on in the blog about baggage? As your main baggage continued its journey, your overnight baggage will already be waiting for you in your room. A special touch and something we’d never experienced before.

We were staying at the Sandman Signature with a room overlooking Riverside Park which was also hosting Music in the Park. it was time to stretch the legs and have a wander through the park down to the river to get a feel for the town and take in the sunset as it descended behind the mountains.

If you’re somehow feeling peckish then we can recommend the Shark Club Sports Bar & Grill or if you fancy an ice cream there is a great parlours near the Sandman hotel.

Check out was also a new experience as we were instructed to leave our bags in the room along with the keycards… you have to put your trust in the team here but like every part of this experience, it ran like clockwork!

Changing vistas

It really is hard to put into words what you’ll see on your ‘Journey through the clouds’ adventure. Departing Jasper, think ‘big skies’, mountains and forests. Departing Kamloops, think Wild West style of baron landscapes, rushing rivers and huge bridges as you wind your way to Vancouver.

It really does feel like you’re inside a giant train set as you see freighters on the opposite side of the valley creeping their way to their destination.

Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife that may decide to show itself; we were lucky to see bears, eagles and ospreys.

Arrival into Vancouver

Like all good things, the journey had to come to an end and arriving into a city was a bit of a shock to the system after living in the Rocky Mountaineer bubble for two days.

However, as the railroad widens and more sidings come into view along with graffitied bridges, you know you’re reaching your destination. The ‘closing party’ starts long before the arrival with the crew handing out a final round of drinks to toast all the special occasions guests are onboard for. There’s also time to show appreciation to the chefs as they deliver a final cookie treat.

Before disembarkation you’re told which coach to get on and your luggage is already loaded, After a long goodbye it was time to hop on our coach to head to downtown Vancouver bringing to a close a train journey of a lifetime.