Canada Rail (canadarail.ca) · Independent Tour

Rockies Adventurer: Westbound

Rocky Mountaineer and guided Rockies sightseeing tour, Banff to Vancouver

Rockies Adventurer: Westbound, a rail journey with Canada Rail (canadarail.ca)

Canada Rail runs this 8-day, 7-night independent rail and coach trip through the Canadian Rockies, from Banff to Vancouver. After a scenic transfer from Calgary to Banff, a guided sightseeing day includes a gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain and views of the Rundle, Tunnel, Cascade and Norquay Mountains. A day tour crosses the Continental Divide into Yoho National Park, and a tour along the Icefields Parkway to Jasper stops at Crowfoot Glacier, Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, the Columbia Icefield and Athabasca Falls, with an Ice Explorer ride onto the Athabasca Glacier. In Jasper, a guided walk covers Maligne Canyon, the deepest canyon in the Rockies, plus Medicine Lake and Maligne Lake, with the rest of the day free. Two days aboard the Rocky Mountaineer follow, with Mount Robson in view leaving Jasper and Hell's Gate on the Fraser River on the approach to Vancouver. With guided touring on most days and free afternoons in Banff and Jasper, this trip suits travelers who want both organized sightseeing and time to explore on their own.

What to know before you look closer

  • The trip highlights mention an overnight stay at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, but the day-by-day itinerary shows day 3 as a Banff-based day tour to Lake Louise and back, with no overnight stay there; confirm with Canada Rail which is correct.
  • The complimentary Vancouver city tour is only included if you add a second night in Vancouver to the package; the base itinerary has just one Vancouver night.
  • The from-price excludes transportation to the Vancouver airport, meals other than onboard the Rocky Mountaineer, gratuities for hotel and transfer staff, and Canada's 5% sales tax.
  • The evidence does not name the hotels used on this trip, only that 7 nights of accommodation are included.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Banff

    Calgary to Banff Scenic Transfer

    Once you arrive in Calgary you will be transferred to Banff. We have transfers running every few hours and the transfer time is about two hours. For those of you who wish to arrive a day before to explore Calgary, our transfers pick up at most major downtown hotel locations. Please speak to our Vacation Planners about booking an extra night in Calgary. On this scenic transfer, you’ll enjoy views of the mountains as you leave the Canadian Prairies behind. . The rest of the day is yours to explore Banff at your leisure. This charming little mountain town is home to lots of different dining options, walking trails and the Banff Upper Hot Springs, an outdoor hot pool with a great view of Mount Rundle. Spend the next three nights in your Banff hotel room.

  2. Day 2overnight: Banff

    Banff Sightseeing Tour including Gondola

    Today you’ll be on a 5-hour guided tour through the towering Rundle, Tunnel, Cascade and Norquay Mountains. Learn about the wind-shaped hoodoos and experience Surprise Corner along Tunnel Mountain Drive. Take a gentle gondola ride up to the top of Sulphur Mountain for fantastic views, interpretive boardwalks and photo opportunities. The rest of the afternoon in Banff is yours to spend walking some local trails, playing golf or relaxing as you choose.

  3. Day 3overnight: Banff

    Banff to Lake Louise Tour with return: Mountains, Lakes and Waterfalls Tour

    Your bus leaves in the morning and offers you a guided tour of the area between Banff and Lake Louise. Cross the Continental Divide, and pass through Yoho National Park offering scenic sights such as Takakkaw Falls, Kicking Horse Pass, Emerald Lake and the Natural Rock Bridge that spans across the Kicking Horse River.

  4. Day 4overnight: Jasper

    Sightseeing Tour from Banff to Jasper including Columbia Icefields Excursion

    Today you’re riding along the most beautiful highway in Canada, the Icefields Parkway. Highlights include stops at Crowfoot Glacier, Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, The Columbia Icefield and the powerful Athabasca Falls. While at the Athabasca Glacier, climb aboard the Ice Explorer, a specialized bus that travels directly on to the glacier. Listen as your guide explains all about its natural wonders. This is the day to pose for your new profile picture. Spend the next two nights in your Jasper hotel room.

  5. Day 5overnight: Jasper

    Jasper Sightseeing Tour

    Spend the first half of the day getting to know Jasper! First stop, Maligne Canyon, where 10,000 years of erosion have created the deepest canyon in the Rockies. Start off with a short and easy walk, admiring the Maligne River and its many waterfalls. After that, it’s over to the disappearing Medicine Lake, followed by the fairy tale-like Maligne Lake. The afternoon and evening in Jasper will be free time to enjoy the town at your leisure.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Kamloops

    Rocky Mountaineer Train from Jasper to Kamloops

    Raise your glass to your first day aboard the Rocky Mountaineer! Mount Robson, the highest mountain in the region, will greet you as you begin your train journey. Dine on locally-sourced meals and enjoy complimentary drinks as you head west through the Canadian Rockies with snow-covered peaks and mountain streams keeping you company along the way. You’ll eventually begin your descent out of the mountains to spend the night in your Kamloops hotel room.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Vancouver

    Rocky Mountaineer Train from Kamloops to Vancouver

    The mountains return and combine with thick fir forests and the Fraser River to create a spectacular setting for your last day aboard the Rocky Mountaineer. Today, one of the highlights will be passing by Hell’s Gate, a narrow canyon that transforms the Fraser River into a powerful surge of water rapids. Arrive in Vancouver in the late afternoon and check into your hotel. When you add a second night in Vancouver to your vacation package, you will receive a complimentary Vancouver city tour through Canada Rail Vacations! Overnight in your downtown Vancouver hotel room.

  8. Day 8

    Vancouver Departure

    Your tour ends once you’ve checked out of your hotel. Thank you for traveling with us!

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2A gondola ride climbs Sulphur Mountain above Banff after a guided tour past the Rundle, Tunnel, Cascade and Norquay Mountains.
  • Day 4The Icefields Parkway tour stops at Crowfoot Glacier, Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, the Columbia Icefield and Athabasca Falls, with an Ice Explorer ride onto the Athabasca Glacier.
  • Day 5A guided walk at Maligne Canyon, the deepest canyon in the Rockies, is followed by stops at Medicine Lake and Maligne Lake.
  • Day 6The Rocky Mountaineer departs Jasper with Mount Robson in view, heading west through snow-covered peaks and mountain streams.
  • Day 7The Rocky Mountaineer passes Hell's Gate, where the Fraser River narrows into a powerful surge of rapids, before arriving in Vancouver.

Included

  • 2-day Rocky Mountaineer SilverLeaf or GoldLeaf Service
  • 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches onboard the train
  • 7 nights hotel accommodation
  • Complimentary Vancouver tour provided when an additional night in Vancouver is added to your vacation package
  • Jasper Maligne Canyon and Maligne Lake tour with a gentle guided walk
  • Icefields Parkway Tour, including Ice Explorer (Scenic transfer from late-October to early-May)
  • Lake Louise and Yoho Park Tour from Banff (Scenic transfer from late-October to early-May)
  • Banff Tour including Banff Gondola
  • Scenic transfer from Calgary airport or downtown to Banff
  • Rail station transfers in Vancouver, Kamloops, and Jasper
  • Gratuities/tip for onboard train staff

Not included

  • Transportation to Vancouver airport (available, please ask for details)
  • Meals, other than onboard the Rocky Mountaineer
  • Gratuities/tip for hotel and transfer staff
  • Canadian 5% sales tax

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included in the price of this trip?
Yes. Canada Rail includes two days aboard the Rocky Mountaineer in SilverLeaf or GoldLeaf Service, from Jasper to Kamloops to Vancouver, with 2 breakfasts and 2 lunches served onboard.
Is this trip escorted or independent?
It is sold as an independent tour, but most days include a guided sightseeing tour: Banff, Yoho National Park, the Icefields Parkway, and Jasper's Maligne Canyon, with free time in the Banff and Jasper afternoons.
Which train is used on this trip?
The Rocky Mountaineer, traveling from Jasper to Kamloops to Vancouver in SilverLeaf or GoldLeaf Service.
What is included in the price?
2 days aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, 2 breakfasts and 2 lunches onboard, 7 nights of hotel accommodation, a Banff tour with gondola, a Lake Louise and Yoho Park tour, the Icefields Parkway tour with Ice Explorer, and a guided tour of Maligne Canyon and Maligne Lake in Jasper.
How much walking is involved?
The Jasper tour includes a 'short and easy walk' at Maligne Canyon, and the Banff tour includes a 'gentle gondola ride' up Sulphur Mountain; free afternoons in Banff leave time for optional local trail walking.
When does this trip run?
Canada Rail lists 94 departures, running from April through October in both 2026 and 2027.

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