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Rocky Mountaineer · Rail vacation package

Canadian Rockies Circle Journey

Ten-day Canadian Rockies circle from Vancouver on Rocky Mountaineer trains

Illustration of Canadian Rockies Circle Journey

Rocky Mountaineer's Canadian Rockies Circle Journey is a 10-day tour that departs and returns to Vancouver, combining four days aboard the operator's signature trains with guided national park touring and free exploration time. The itinerary travels eastbound on the First Passage to the West route to Banff, then branches to Lake Louise and the Icefields Parkway for a full-day glacier tour before reaching Jasper. The return leg follows the Journey through the Clouds route westbound via Kamloops back to Vancouver. Along the way, you spend nights in the resort towns of Banff, Lake Louise, and Jasper, each offering free time for optional activities like the Banff Gondola, hot springs, or wildlife viewing. Guided sightseeing excursions cover the Icefields Parkway with Ice Explorer glacier access and Glacier Skywalk, Jasper National Park, and Yoho National Park. This tour suits first-time rail travellers seeking an all-in introduction to the Canadian Rockies, couples who value both structured experiences and free time, and repeat rail travellers wanting a mix of scenic train travel and guided exploration.

What to know before you look closer

  • The package is priced per person based on double occupancy in a single room; final per-guest and total cost is confirmed upon selection of specific travel dates.
  • Two of the nine nights are spent in Vancouver, visited at the start and end of the tour; the main mountain destinations are Banff, Lake Louise, and Jasper.
  • Days 1, 4, 5, and 7 include substantial free or partly unguided time to arrange your own activities.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Vancouver

    Vancouver

    Arrive in Vancouver and spend time exploring this scenic coastal city on your own - historic Gastown, lively Yaletown, or the Stanley Park Seawall.

  2. Day 2overnight: Kamloops

    Vancouver to Kamloops

    Depart early morning aboard Rocky Mountaineer from Vancouver to Kamloops. Highlights include Hell's Gate in the Fraser Canyon and the Thompson River.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Banff

    Kamloops to Banff

    Continue eastward to the Canadian Rockies. Highlights include Craigellachie, Rogers Pass, Kicking Horse Canyon and the Spiral Tunnels. The rail journey ends this evening in Banff.

  4. Day 4overnight: Banff

    Banff (free day)

    Free time to relax or book activities at leisure - the Banff Gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain, the Banff hot springs, or outdoor wildlife adventures.

  5. Day 5overnight: Lake Louise

    Banff to Lake Louise

    A guided half-day motorcoach transfer into Yoho National Park, taking in the Spiral Tunnels, Emerald Lake and a natural rock bridge spanning the Kicking Horse River, ending in Lake Louise.

  6. Day 6overnight: Jasper

    Lake Louise to Jasper

    A guided full-day sightseeing tour via the Icefields Parkway, taking in Bow Lake, the Columbia Icefield (Ice Explorer glacier tour), Glacier Skywalk and Athabasca Falls, with lunch at the Columbia Icefield Glacier Discovery Centre. Arrive in Jasper in the late afternoon.

  7. Day 7overnight: Jasper

    Jasper

    Free morning to explore Jasper on your own; in the afternoon, a half-day guided sightseeing tour of Jasper National Park, with highlights including Patricia Lake, the Jasper SkyTram, and Pyramid Lake.

  8. Day 8overnight: Kamloops

    Jasper to Kamloops

    Depart early morning aboard Rocky Mountaineer from Jasper to Kamloops. Highlights include the climb over the Yellowhead Pass, Pyramid Falls, Mount Robson and the North Thompson River.

  9. Day 9railovernight: Vancouver

    Kamloops to Vancouver

    Continue west towards the Pacific Ocean. Highlights include the Thompson River and Hell's Gate in the Fraser Canyon. The rail journey ends on arrival in Vancouver this evening.

  10. Day 10

    Depart Vancouver

    Journey ends upon checkout from your Vancouver hotel.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2The eastbound train departs Vancouver early morning and traverses Hell's Gate in the Fraser Canyon and the Thompson River on the way to Kamloops.
  • Day 3The journey continues into the Canadian Rockies, passing Craigellachie (where the last spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway was driven), Rogers Pass, Kicking Horse Canyon, and the Spiral Tunnels, arriving in Banff by evening.
  • Day 6A full-day guided tour follows the Icefields Parkway from Lake Louise, including Bow Lake, the Columbia Icefield with Ice Explorer glacier tour, Glacier Skywalk, and Athabasca Falls, concluding in Jasper in the late afternoon.
  • Day 8The return journey departs Jasper aboard Rocky Mountaineer, climbing the Yellowhead Pass and passing Pyramid Falls, Mount Robson, and the North Thompson River en route to Kamloops.

Included

  • 9 hotel nights: Vancouver, Kamloops, Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper (Kamloops and Vancouver each visited twice)
  • 4 days onboard Rocky Mountaineer, SilverLeaf or GoldLeaf Service
  • Guided full-day Icefields Parkway sightseeing tour from Lake Louise to Jasper, with Ice Explorer glacier tour and Glacier Skywalk admission and lunch at the Columbia Icefield Glacier Discovery Centre included
  • Guided half-day Jasper National Park sightseeing tour (Patricia Lake, Jasper SkyTram, Pyramid Lake)
  • Guided half-day motorcoach tour into Yoho National Park (Spiral Tunnels, Emerald Lake, natural rock bridge)
  • Onboard breakfasts and lunches on rail days
  • Luggage handling and rail station transfers in Vancouver, Kamloops, Banff and Jasper

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes. The package includes four days aboard Rocky Mountaineer in SilverLeaf or GoldLeaf Service, with onboard breakfasts and lunches provided on all rail days.
Which trains are used?
The First Passage to the West route runs eastbound from Vancouver through Kamloops to Banff. The Journey through the Clouds route runs westbound from Jasper through Kamloops back to Vancouver.
Is this an escorted or independent trip?
It is a mix. Rocky Mountaineer provides guided full-day and half-day sightseeing tours of the Icefields Parkway and Jasper and Yoho National Parks. Days 1, 4, 5, and 7 are free for independent exploration.
What hotels are included?
The package includes nine nights across five hotels: two in Vancouver, two in Kamloops, two in Banff, one in Lake Louise, and two in Jasper.
What is the physical demand?
The trip includes guided full-day and half-day sightseeing tours with walking in national parks. Free days allow you to choose optional activities such as the Banff Gondola, hot springs, or wildlife excursions.
What is not included?
Meals outside of onboard train breakfasts and lunches, except for lunch at the Columbia Icefield Glacier Discovery Centre on Day 6, are not included. Airfare and personal activities during free days are not included.

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