Anderson Vacations · Independent rail circle tour

7 Day Canadian Rockies Circle Rail Enthusiast on Luxury Rail and Via Rail

7-day Rockies rail circle on Via Rail sleeper and Rocky Mountaineer

7 Day Canadian Rockies Circle Rail Enthusiast on Luxury Rail and Via Rail, a rail journey with Anderson Vacations

Anderson Vacations runs this 7-day, 6-night independent rail circle tour through the Canadian Rockies, combining an overnight Via Rail journey in sleeper class with the Rocky Mountaineer in SilverLeaf service. The trip begins with a night aboard Via Rail from Vancouver to Jasper, with gourmet meals in the dining room and views through the Dome Car's panoramic windows. Two days in Jasper include an interpretive tour of the Maligne Valley, with a choice between a boat cruise to Spirit Island or a guided hike along the Mary Schaffer Loop. The Icefields Parkway then connects Jasper to the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, by way of the Columbia Icefield's Ice-Explorer ride and Glacier Skywalk, before a transfer to Banff for gondola rides and an evening wildlife safari. The final two days ride the Rocky Mountaineer from Banff to Kamloops and on to Vancouver, crossing the Continental Divide and the Fraser Canyon's Hell's Gate. This suits rail enthusiasts who want two distinct named train experiences in one week-long circuit.

What to know before you look closer

  • Day 3's Maligne Lake activity is a choice between a boat cruise to Spirit Island or a guided hike along the Mary Schaffer Loop, not both.
  • Only the Lake Louise hotel, the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, is named in the evidence; hotels in Jasper, Banff, Kamloops, and Vancouver are not specified.
  • Three of the four hotel stops, Lake Louise, Banff, and Kamloops, are a single night each, so the pace is brisk despite the trip covering a full circle through the Rockies.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Onboard Via Rail

    Vancouver to Jasper overnight onboard the classic Via Rail (day 1 of 2)

    Travelling in sleeper class, with access to the Park Car lounge and the Dome Car's 180-degree panoramic windows; gourmet meals included in the dining room.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Jasper

    Vancouver to Jasper overnight onboard the classic Via Rail (day 2 of 2)

    Via Rail continues through the Rockies during daylight, with magnificent views of peaks, glaciers and wildlife, arriving into Jasper.

  3. Day 3overnight: Jasper

    Jasper Sightseeing

    An interpretive tour of the Maligne Valley including Maligne Canyon, Medicine Lake and Maligne Lake with a boat cruise to Spirit Island or a guided hike along the Mary Schaffer Loop.

  4. Day 4overnight: 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.

  5. Day 5overnight: Banff

    Lake Louise to Banff and Banff Sightseeing

    Transfer to Banff with passes to the Banff Gondola, and an evening wildlife safari to seek out elk, big horn sheep and bear.

  6. Day 6overnight: Kamloops

    Banff to Kamloops onboard the Rocky Mountaineer

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

  7. Day 7

    Kamloops to Vancouver onboard the 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.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 1Travel overnight from Vancouver to Jasper in Via Rail sleeper class, with access to the Park Car lounge and the Dome Car's 180-degree panoramic windows, and gourmet meals in the dining room.
  • Day 3An interpretive tour of the Maligne Valley includes a boat cruise to Spirit Island on Maligne Lake, or a guided hike along the Mary Schaffer Loop.
  • Day 4The Icefields Parkway stops at Athabasca Falls and the Columbia Icefield for an Ice-Explorer ride and Glacier Skywalk on the way to the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.
  • Day 6Board the Rocky Mountaineer from Banff to Kamloops, crossing the Continental Divide and passing the Spiral Tunnels, Kicking Horse Canyon, Rogers Pass, and Craigellachie.
  • Day 7Continue on the Rocky Mountaineer from Kamloops to Vancouver, through the desert-like Interior, river canyons, and the Fraser Valley's Hell's Gate.

Included

  • 5 nights hotel accommodation
  • Rocky Mountaineer from Banff to Vancouver in SilverLeaf (2 day journey)
  • Via Rail service from Vancouver to Jasper (night on board the train)
  • Meals included on the train
  • Sightseeing and attractions as indicated

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?
Yes. An overnight Via Rail journey in sleeper class from Vancouver to Jasper, and the Rocky Mountaineer in SilverLeaf service from Banff to Vancouver via Kamloops.
Is it escorted or independent?
Independent; Anderson Vacations lists this as an 'Independent rail circle tour.'
Which trains are used?
Via Rail (sleeper class) and the Rocky Mountaineer (SilverLeaf Experience).
What hotels are included?
5 nights of hotel accommodation, including the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise; other hotels are not named in the evidence.
How much walking is involved?
The operator rates the tour's physical demand as low. Day 3 offers an optional guided hike along the Mary Schaffer Loop as an alternative to a boat cruise, and day 4 includes the Columbia Icefield's Ice-Explorer ride and Glacier Skywalk.
What is not included?
Meals not specifically mentioned in the itinerary, gratuities, travel insurance, taxes, and airfare.

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