Anderson Vacations · Independent rail circle tour

11 Day Western Canada Luxury Rail and Resorts Circle Tour

Vancouver circle tour with two Rocky Mountaineer Gold Leaf rail journeys

11 Day Western Canada Luxury Rail and Resorts Circle Tour, a rail journey with Anderson Vacations

Anderson Vacations operates this 11-day, 10-night independent rail circle tour through Western Canada, starting and ending in Vancouver. After two days of Vancouver sightseeing, including the Capilano Suspension Bridge and a Grouse Mountain gondola ride, travelers board the Rocky Mountaineer in Gold Leaf Service for a glass-domed, gourmet-dining journey to Kamloops and on to two nights at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. From Jasper, the route follows the Maligne Valley and the Icefields Parkway, with an Ice-Explorer ride on the Columbia Icefield and the Glacier Skywalk, to the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise and then Banff. A second Rocky Mountaineer journey returns from Banff to Vancouver via Kamloops, crossing the Continental Divide and the Fraser Canyon, before a day trip by ferry to Victoria and the Butchart Gardens. With deluxe hotels throughout and all meals included on the train, this trip suits travelers who want a scenic Rockies circuit without giving up comfort.

What to know before you look closer

  • All meals are included aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, but meals elsewhere are only included where specifically listed; most restaurant meals are on your own.
  • The evidence names hotels for Vancouver (Fairmont Waterfront Hotel), Jasper (Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge), and Lake Louise (Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise); the Banff and Kamloops hotels are not specified.
  • The evidence pack does not list current departure dates; confirm scheduling directly with Anderson Vacations.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Vancouver

    Arrive in Vancouver

    Met on arrival and transferred by private car to the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel. In the afternoon, join a gourmet food walking tour sampling Vancouver's celebrated dishes and meeting local culinary talents.

  2. Day 2overnight: Vancouver

    Vancouver North Shore Sightseeing

    A fully narrated half-day sightseeing tour to Vancouver's North Shore, including the Capilano Suspension Bridge, Treetops Adventure canopy walkway, Capilano Salmon Hatchery, and a gondola ride to the top of Grouse Mountain with its Refuge for Endangered Wildlife.

  3. Day 3overnight: Kamloops

    Vancouver to Kamloops on Rocky Mountaineer

    Board the Rocky Mountaineer in Gold Leaf Service for the day journey to Kamloops through the Coast Mountains and BC's interior, with glass-domed windows and gourmet regional dining.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Jasper

    Kamloops to Jasper on Rocky Mountaineer

    Continue eastward into the Canadian Rockies and Alberta, crossing ranch lands, rocky lakeshores, high mountain passes and historic rail tunnels, to two nights at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.

  5. Day 5overnight: Jasper

    Jasper Sightseeing

    An interpretive tour up the Maligne Valley including Maligne Canyon, Medicine Lake and Maligne Lake with a boat cruise to Spirit Island or a guided hike; evening option to visit the Jasper Planetarium in the Dark Sky Preserve.

  6. Day 6overnight: Lake Louise

    Jasper to Lake Louise

    Travel the Icefields Parkway linking Jasper and Banff National Parks, stopping at Athabasca Falls and the Columbia Icefield for an Ice-Explorer ride and Glacier Skywalk, to the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.

  7. Day 7overnight: Banff

    Lake Louise to Banff with Banff Sightseeing

    Transfer to the resort town of Banff, flanked by Mount Rundle, Sulphur Mountain, Mount Norquay and Cascade Mountain, with a Banff Gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain and evening Banff Wildlife Safari.

  8. Day 8overnight: Kamloops

    Banff to Kamloops on Rocky Mountaineer

    Travel onboard the Rocky Mountaineer from Banff to Kamloops, crossing the Continental Divide and passing the Spiral Tunnels, Kicking Horse Canyon, Rogers Pass and Craigellachie.

  9. Day 9overnight: Vancouver

    Kamloops to Vancouver on Rocky Mountaineer

    Continue toward the Pacific Ocean and Vancouver, through the desert-like Interior, river canyons and the Fraser Valley, including Hell's Gate in the Fraser Canyon.

  10. Day 10overnight: Vancouver

    Small group tour to Victoria on Vancouver Island

    A full-day narrated small-group tour cruising to Vancouver Island and Victoria, visiting the world-renowned Butchart Gardens, with a return ferry sailing to Vancouver.

  11. Day 11

    Departure from Vancouver

    Transfer to Vancouver airport for onward travels.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 5An interpretive tour up the Maligne Valley visits Maligne Canyon, Medicine Lake, and Maligne Lake, with a boat cruise to Spirit Island.
  • Day 6The Icefields Parkway stops at Athabasca Falls and the Columbia Icefield for an Ice-Explorer ride and the Glacier Skywalk.
  • Day 8The Rocky Mountaineer from Banff to Kamloops crosses the Continental Divide, passing the Spiral Tunnels, Kicking Horse Canyon, and Rogers Pass.
  • Day 9The final Rocky Mountaineer leg from Kamloops to Vancouver passes the desert-like BC Interior, river canyons, and Hell's Gate in the Fraser Canyon.
  • Day 10A full-day small-group tour cruises to Vancouver Island to visit the Butchart Gardens in Victoria.

Included

  • 8 nights of accommodation in selected deluxe hotels
  • Two Rocky Mountaineer rail journeys in Gold Leaf Service, Vancouver to Jasper / Banff to Vancouver
  • All meals included on board the train
  • Return airport transfers from Vancouver airport to hotel and back
  • Sightseeing and attractions as included

Not included

  • Meals not specifically mentioned as included in the itinerary
  • Gratuities for Local Guides, Tour Managers, and/or Bus Drivers
  • Travel Insurance and Cancellation Protection (strongly recommended, ask us for a quote!)
  • Taxes as applicable
  • Airfare unless specified as included within the itinerary
  • Items (attractions and sightseeing & entrance fees) not listed as included in the itinerary

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included in the price of this trip?
Yes. Two Rocky Mountaineer journeys in Gold Leaf Service are included, Vancouver to Jasper via Kamloops and Banff to Vancouver via Kamloops, with all meals included onboard the train.
Is this trip escorted or independent?
It is sold as an independent rail circle tour, with private transfers and included sightseeing tours arranged at each stop.
Which train is used on this trip?
The Rocky Mountaineer in Gold Leaf Service.
What hotels does the trip use?
8 nights in deluxe hotels are included. Named hotels are the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel in Vancouver, the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, and the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise; the Banff and Kamloops hotels are not specified in the evidence.
How much walking is involved?
The operator rates this a low level of physical demand tour, though some activities or sightseeing may require walking short distances.
How much does this trip cost?
Anderson Vacations prices this trip from CAD $13,967 per person.

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