Rocky Mountaineer

2467 Reviews

Star Travel Rating

5/5

Review type

Things to do

Location

Date of travel

2013

Product name

Product country

Product city

Travelled with

Husband

Reasons for trip

After our time in Banff and Jasper, we had our trip on the Rocky Mountaineer railway.

Thursday 16th May and Friday 17th May was our Rocky Mountaineer experience. A journey from Jasper, through the Rockies, with an overnight stop at Kamloops before ending in Vancouver.

We were not sure about paying extra for the observation coach, and decided on the basic coach, which was fine. It wasn’t crowded, so we could swap seats to be by a window, and stand on the viewing platform. The scenery was indeed spectacular, but it was difficult to concentrate on it all the time, so we were happy with basic.

We had an excellent steward to look after our coach, serving us breakfast, lunch, drinks and snacks at regular intervals. He kept us amused with details of places of interest we passed, stories and anecdotes. He gave an in depth talk on the life of salmon, and challenged us to write a poem about a salmons life, which were read next day and the best one got a badge – The Order of the Salmon! He also had on display his own collection of train memorabilia. He gave us warning of any photo opportunities coming up – the train slowed down for most!

We had an overnight stop at Kamloops. Coaches picked us up and took us to our hotel. Our driver did a detour to show us the town, and pointed out it was a grand place, worthy of a visit, not just an overnight stop! Check in was on the coach, so it was all very smooth. We had an excellent meal in an adjacent restaurant, overlooking a river. The stop was well orchestrated, with the coach returning to pick us up next morning, and straight to the train to resume our journey.

There was a variety of scenery – mountains, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, rapids, semi dessert, canyons and arable land. Conifer trees gradually changed to deciduous trees with increasing green leaves as we travelled west and reached lower altitudes.

As well as the scenery, I saw some mountain sheep, bald eagles, ospreys, lewis? Woodpecker and red winged blackbird. The drawback of train travel is that you catch glimpses of interesting places, birds and animals, but only for a few seconds – then they are gone! The scale and variety of scenery made it a memorable journey, taking an overview rather than detail.

I don’t know how long this attraction has been in existence, but it was run in an extremely slick and professional manner, with nice personal touches, like the enthusiasm of the guide and the line-up of staff to wave as the train departed.

Silver Travel Advisor

Join the club

Become a member to receive exclusive benefits

Our community is the heart of Silver Travel Advisor, we love nothing more than sharing ideas, inspiration, hints and tips between us.

Come feel the love on a Princess cruise. You’ll enjoy the MedallionClass experience others simply can’t, and it’s exclusively for everyone. Visit incredible destinations and be involved in the best experiences around each one of them.

Experience more with Princess and connect effortlessly with the world around you, spend time away with loved ones, take a moment for yourself, and fall in love with your holiday of a lifetime, every time.

With over 20 years of experience, Wendy Wu Tours has mastered the art of creating exceptional, fully inclusive tours which showcase the very best of each destination.

Each tour is led by a world-class guide, who will highlight the very best of their homeland, and includes authentic cultural experiences so you are not just seeing the sights, but truly immersing yourself in local life.

Say hello to ease at sea. Ambassador’s purpose is simple: they want to inspire every guest to experience authentic cruising, effortlessly and sustainably. Passionate about protecting our oceans and destinations, their ships comply with the highest industry emission standards and there is no single-use plastic on board.

On your voyage, you will receive the warmest of welcomes from the Ambassador community as you sail upon the friendliest ships afloat.

This is a global co-operative co-owned by local partners using real local experts and guides, which supports local communities, environments and wildlife. It offers travellers quirky places to stay, activity holidays and learning experiences. Not In The Guidebooks gets travellers off the beaten track into local culture with day experiences and longer, immersive adventures.

From wild wellness breaks in Wales to painting in Portugal, sustainable adventures in Mauritius to food safaris in Brazil, this is immersive, exciting travel.

Seabourn’s five intimate ships carry guests to the heart of great cities, exclusive yacht harbours and secluded coves around the world, while two new purpose-built expedition ships will combine exhilarating adventures in remote destinations with the sophisticated amenities of the world’s finest resorts at sea.

From the luxury of all suite accommodations to complimentary fine wines and spirits, and a no tipping policy, Seabourn exemplifies the definition of travelling well.