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Rocky Mountaineer · Rail vacation package

Discovery Circle Journey Lake Louise

Nine-day Rocky Mountaineer circle from Vancouver through Canadian Rockies

Illustration of Discovery Circle Journey Lake Louise

Rocky Mountaineer operates this 9-day circle journey departing and returning to Vancouver. You spend four days aboard two of the company's signature trains: Journey through the Clouds traveling north and east toward Jasper, and First Passage to the West returning south and west through the Canadian Rockies toward Lake Louise. Between rail days, guided touring and free time in mountain towns break up the itinerary. On Day 5, a full-day guided coach journey along the Icefields Parkway features an Ice Explorer tour onto the Columbia Icefield and admission to the Glacier Skywalk, with lunch included. A half-day guided tour of Jasper National Park on Day 4 visits Patricia Lake, the Jasper SkyTram, and Pyramid Lake. Day 6 is free in Lake Louise; Day 1 is free in Vancouver. Eight hotel nights and onboard breakfasts and lunches on rail days are included, along with luggage handling and rail station transfers. This trip suits repeat rail travellers, couples planning flexible days together, and photographers seeking mountain scenery and glacial landscapes.

What to know before you look closer

  • Day 5 coach travel on the Icefields Parkway replaces rail; it is a long day with multiple stops (Bow Lake, Columbia Icefield, Glacier Skywalk, Athabasca Falls).
  • Day 1 and day 6 are unguided; you must arrange your own activities in Vancouver and Lake Louise.
  • Pricing is per guest based on double occupancy in a single room; final price depends on the date and service level (SilverLeaf through GoldLeaf Premier) selected.

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: Jasper

    Kamloops to Jasper

    Continue north and east, following the North Thompson River. Highlights include Mount Robson, Pyramid Falls and the climb over the Yellowhead Pass into Jasper National Park. The rail journey ends this evening in Jasper.

  4. Day 4overnight: 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.

  5. Day 5overnight: Lake Louise

    Jasper to Lake Louise

    Travel 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 Lake Louise in the late afternoon.

  6. Day 6overnight: Lake Louise

    Lake Louise (free day)

    Free time to relax or book activities at leisure - learn about local wildlife, paddle the lake by canoe, or simply relax amongst the scenery.

  7. Day 7overnight: Kamloops

    Lake Louise to Kamloops

    Depart aboard Rocky Mountaineer from Lake Louise to Kamloops. Highlights include the Continental Divide, the Spiral Tunnels, Kicking Horse Canyon, Rogers Pass and Craigellachie.

  8. Day 8railovernight: 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.

  9. Day 9

    Depart Vancouver

    Journey ends upon checkout from your Vancouver hotel.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Depart Vancouver aboard Rocky Mountaineer, traveling through Hell's Gate in the Fraser Canyon and alongside the Thompson River.
  • Day 3Cross the Yellowhead Pass into Jasper National Park while viewing Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, and Pyramid Falls.
  • Day 5Travel the Icefields Parkway from Jasper to Lake Louise, riding an Ice Explorer onto the Columbia Icefield and walking the Glacier Skywalk.
  • Day 7Return aboard Rocky Mountaineer from Lake Louise to Kamloops, passing through the Spiral Tunnels, Kicking Horse Canyon, and Rogers Pass.

Included

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

Questions travellers ask

Is all rail travel included in the price?
Yes. Four days onboard Rocky Mountaineer (Journey through the Clouds outbound and First Passage to the West return) are included. Breakfasts and lunches are served onboard on rail days.
Which trains are used?
Rocky Mountaineer operates both legs: Journey through the Clouds from Vancouver to Jasper (Days 2 and 3), and First Passage to the West from Lake Louise to Vancouver (Days 7 and 8). You travel in either SilverLeaf or GoldLeaf Service.
What guided activities are included?
A half-day guided sightseeing tour of Jasper National Park (Patricia Lake, Jasper SkyTram, Pyramid Lake) on Day 4, and a full-day guided Icefields Parkway tour on Day 5 with Ice Explorer glacier tour, Glacier Skywalk admission, and lunch at the Columbia Icefield Glacier Discovery Centre.
Is this an escorted tour or independent?
Mostly independent with guided components. Days 1, 4 afternoon to evening, 6, and 9 are free for your own exploration. Days 2-3, 5, 7-8 involve guided rail or coach travel.
What hotels are included?
Eight nights: two in Vancouver (Day 1 and Day 8), two in Kamloops (Day 2 and Day 7), two in Jasper (Days 3 and 4), and one in Lake Louise (Day 5). The moderate Kamloops hotel is 3-star; other properties are not specified.
How much walking or physical activity is required?
The guided tours involve walking of moderate length (Jasper sightseeing, Glacier Skywalk, Athabasca Falls). Days 4 and 6 are free, allowing you to rest or pursue optional activities at your own pace.

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