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Rocky Mountaineer · Rail vacation package

Grand Adventure Circle Journey - 11-nights

Rocky Mountaineer circle from Vancouver through Canadian Rockies and back

Illustration of Grand Adventure Circle Journey - 11-nights

Rocky Mountaineer operates this 12-day, 11-night circle journey through western Canada, departing and returning to Vancouver with five days aboard the company's GoldLeaf Service trains. The outbound Rainforest to Gold Rush route carries you from the coastal Sea to Sky Corridor through the gold-rush country of British Columbia and into the Canadian Rockies via Jasper. The return follows the First Passage to the West from Banff through the Kicking Horse Canyon back to Vancouver. Between rail segments, the itinerary includes three guided sightseeing tours: a half-day exploration of Jasper National Park with the Jasper SkyTram and Patricia Lake, a full-day journey along the Icefields Parkway featuring the Columbia Icefield, Ice Explorer glacier tour, and Glacier Skywalk, and a half-day motorcoach tour into Yoho National Park showcasing the Spiral Tunnels and Emerald Lake. You stay in mountain towns including Whistler, Lake Louise, and Banff, with two free days to pursue your own activities. This package suits repeat rail travellers seeking premium comfort, couples looking for a mix of guided experiences and independent time, and photographers drawn to dramatic mountain scenery.

What to know before you look closer

  • The itinerary includes three coach segments (Whistler to Pemberton, Jasper to Lake Louise, Lake Louise to Banff) alongside the five days of rail travel.
  • Two hotels are listed as moderate 3-star properties (Quesnel and Kamloops); others are unrated or 4-star.
  • Pricing is per guest based on single room with double occupancy; actual price confirmed once a date is 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 2railovernight: Whistler

    Vancouver to Whistler

    Depart early morning by rail through the Sea to Sky Corridor. Highlights include Howe Sound, the Coast Mountains, Brandywine Falls, Mount Garibaldi and Cheakamus Canyon. Arrive early afternoon; remainder of the day at leisure. Includes admission to the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Quesnel

    Whistler to Quesnel

    A motorcoach collects you for the approx. 35-minute drive to Pemberton train station, where you board Rocky Mountaineer to Quesnel. Highlights include the shorelines of Anderson and Seton Lakes, the Fraser Canyon, and Deep Creek Bridge, one of the highest railway bridges in the world.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Jasper

    Quesnel to Jasper

    Continue eastward via Prince George and the forests of northern British Columbia, climbing past Mount Robson through Yellowhead Pass into Alberta. The rail journey ends this evening in Jasper.

  5. Day 5overnight: 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.

  6. Day 6overnight: 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.

  7. Day 7overnight: 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.

  8. Day 8overnight: Banff

    Lake Louise to Banff

    Free morning in Lake Louise; after lunch, a half-day guided 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 Banff.

  9. Day 9overnight: 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.

  10. Day 10overnight: Kamloops

    Banff to Kamloops

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

  11. Day 11railovernight: 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.

  12. Day 12

    Depart Vancouver

    Journey ends upon checkout from your Vancouver hotel.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Rocky Mountaineer departs early morning from Vancouver and travels the Sea to Sky Corridor, passing Howe Sound, Mount Garibaldi, Brandywine Falls, and Cheakamus Canyon before arriving in Whistler early afternoon.
  • Day 3A motorcoach drive to Pemberton is followed by the Rainforest to Gold Rush train journey, which crosses Deep Creek Bridge, one of the highest railway bridges in the world, and passes the shorelines of Anderson and Seton Lakes.
  • Day 4The train climbs past Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, and through Yellowhead Pass before reaching Jasper.
  • Day 6A full-day guided tour travels the Icefields Parkway from Jasper to Lake Louise, including an Ice Explorer glacier tour on the Columbia Icefield, the Glacier Skywalk, and lunch at the Columbia Icefield Glacier Discovery Centre.
  • Day 10Rocky Mountaineer departs Banff early morning on the First Passage to the West route, passing the Continental Divide, the Spiral Tunnels, Kicking Horse Canyon, and Rogers Pass en route to Kamloops.

Included

  • 11 hotel nights: Vancouver, Whistler, Quesnel, Jasper, Lake Louise, Banff, Kamloops (Vancouver visited twice)
  • 5 days onboard Rocky Mountaineer, GoldLeaf Service
  • Admission to the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre (Whistler)
  • 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
  • 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, Whistler, Quesnel, Jasper, Banff and Kamloops

Questions travellers ask

Is rail travel included in the price?
Yes. The package includes five days aboard Rocky Mountaineer in GoldLeaf Service, with onboard breakfasts and lunches on rail days.
Which Rocky Mountaineer routes are included?
The Rainforest to Gold Rush route from Vancouver to Jasper (via Whistler and Quesnel), and the First Passage to the West from Banff back to Vancouver (via Kamloops).
Is this trip escorted or independent?
It combines both. You have five days aboard Rocky Mountaineer, three guided sightseeing tours (in Jasper National Park, along the Icefields Parkway, and through Yoho National Park), and free days in Whistler, Lake Louise, and Banff.
What is included in the accommodations?
Eleven hotel nights in Vancouver (2 nights), Whistler (1 night, 4-star), Quesnel (1 night, 3-star), Jasper (2 nights), Lake Louise (2 nights), Banff (2 nights), and Kamloops (1 night, 3-star), plus luggage handling and rail station transfers.
How much walking is involved?
Guided tours include moderate walking at national park sites. The Ice Explorer glacier tour and Glacier Skywalk require moderate activity. Free days allow you to choose your own pace.

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