Canada Rail (canadarail.ca)

Rockies Circle Essentials

Nine-day Rocky Mountaineer circle tour through the Canadian Rockies

Rockies Circle Essentials, a rail journey with Canada Rail (canadarail.ca)

Canada Rail runs Rockies Circle Essentials, a 9-day, 8-night circle tour starting and ending in Vancouver. Four full days are spent aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, traveling from Vancouver through the Fraser Valley and Hell's Gate to Kamloops, then along the North Thompson River past Mount Robson to Jasper. From Jasper, a guided motorcoach tour follows the Icefields Parkway, stopping at the Columbia Icefield for a ride aboard the Ice Explorer vehicle, before an overnight at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. Further motorcoach touring crosses the Continental Divide through Yoho National Park to Banff, where a guided tour includes the Sulphur Mountain Gondola, before the Rocky Mountaineer carries travelers back through Rogers Pass to Vancouver. Three hotel tiers and a GoldLeaf rail service upgrade are available. This suits travelers who want the scenery of the Canadian Rockies covered by both train and guided coach touring, without needing to plan the route themselves.

What to know before you look closer

  • Beyond the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, the specific hotels used in Vancouver, Kamloops, Jasper, and Banff are not named in the evidence; the Base package uses 'Popular Hotels, 3-star' with Superior and Deluxe upgrades available.
  • The Icefields Parkway and Yoho Park tours become a 'scenic transfer' rather than the full excursion from late October to early May, per the inclusions list.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Vancouver

    Vancouver Arrival

    Arrive in Vancouver, Canada's third largest city, known for cultural diversity and a bustling arts scene including Stanley Park, Granville Island and Gastown. Adding a second night in Vancouver earns a complimentary Vancouver city tour.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Kamloops

    Rocky Mountaineer Train from Vancouver to Kamloops

    Board the Rocky Mountaineer through the Fraser Valley alongside the Fraser River, through river canyons including Hell's Gate, reaching the interior plateau.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Jasper

    Rocky Mountaineer Train from Kamloops to Jasper

    Travel along the North Thompson River through the Rocky Mountain Trench, with views of Mount Robson, the tallest peak in the Canadian Rockies, before arriving in Jasper.

  4. Day 4overnight: Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Lake Louise

    Sightseeing Tour from Jasper to Lake Louise, including Columbia Icefield Excursion

    Ride the Icefields Parkway with stops at Athabasca Falls, the Columbia Icefield, Peyto Lake, Bow Lake and Crowfoot Glacier. Board the Ice Explorer at the Athabasca Glacier. Overnight at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.

  5. Day 5overnight: Banff

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

    A guided motorcoach tour crossing the Continental Divide through Yoho National Park, with Takakkaw Falls, Kicking Horse Pass, Emerald Lake and the Natural Rock Bridge.

  6. Day 6overnight: Banff

    Banff Sightseeing Tour including Gondola

    A 5-hour guided tour through the Rundle, Tunnel, Cascade and Norquay Mountains, including a gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain. Afternoon free to explore Banff.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Kamloops

    Rocky Mountaineer Train from Banff to Kamloops

    Back aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, passing the Spiral Tunnels, Kicking Horse Canyon and Rogers Pass toward the interior plateau.

  8. Day 8railovernight: Vancouver

    Rocky Mountaineer Train from Kamloops to Vancouver

    The final day aboard the Rocky Mountaineer back to the coast. Adding a second night in Vancouver earns a complimentary Vancouver city tour.

  9. Day 9

    Vancouver Departure

    Vacation complete upon checking out of your hotel room.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2The Rocky Mountaineer travels through the Fraser Valley alongside the Fraser River, passing river canyons including Hell's Gate.
  • Day 3The train follows the North Thompson River through the Rocky Mountain Trench, with views of Mount Robson, the tallest peak in the Canadian Rockies.
  • Day 4The Icefields Parkway tour stops at Athabasca Falls, the Columbia Icefield, Peyto Lake, Bow Lake, and Crowfoot Glacier, boarding the Ice Explorer vehicle onto the Athabasca Glacier.
  • Day 6A five-hour guided tour of Banff includes a gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain.
  • Day 7Back aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, the route passes the Spiral Tunnels, Kicking Horse Canyon, and Rogers Pass.

Included

  • 4-day Rocky Mountaineer SilverLeaf or GoldLeaf Service
  • 4 breakfasts, 4 lunches onboard the train
  • 8 nights hotel accommodation
  • Icefields Parkway Tour, including Ice Explorer (Scenic transfer from late-October to early-May)
  • Yoho Park Tour from Lake Louise to Banff (Scenic transfer from late-October to early-May)
  • Explore Banff tour including Gondola
  • Rail station transfers in Vancouver, Jasper, Kamloops, and Banff
  • Gratuities/tip for onboard train staff

Not included

  • Transportation to/from 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?
Yes, four days aboard the Rocky Mountaineer are included: Vancouver to Kamloops to Jasper, and Banff to Kamloops to Vancouver.
Which train is used?
The Rocky Mountaineer, in SilverLeaf or GoldLeaf Service.
What hotels are included?
8 nights of accommodation, including one night at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise; other hotels are offered in Base (3-star), Superior, or Deluxe grades, not individually named.
How much walking is involved?
Sightseeing is covered by guided motorcoach tours and the Ice Explorer vehicle at the Columbia Icefield, plus a guided Banff tour including the Sulphur Mountain Gondola; no hiking is described in the evidence.
What is not included?
Transportation to and from the Vancouver airport, meals other than onboard the Rocky Mountaineer, gratuities for hotel and transfer staff, and Canadian 5% sales tax.
How much does it cost?
From CAD $7,497 per person in April, rising to CAD $10,420 in September (about USD $5,279 to start).

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