Search

Cox & Kings · Tailor-Made Journey

Sonora Resort & Canadian Rockies by Rail

Luxury Rockies rail and coastal-resort tailor-made journey from Vancouver to Banff

Illustration of Sonora Resort & Canadian Rockies by Rail

Cox & Kings operates this 12-day, 11-night tailor-made journey between Vancouver and Banff in the Canadian Rockies, built around a stay at the coastal Sonora Resort and a two-day ride on the Rocky Mountaineer in GoldLeaf Service. After two days of Vancouver sightseeing, including a Capilano Suspension Bridge visit, a helicopter or floatplane carries travellers to Sonora Resort for two nights of included meals, wine, and a Zodiac boat tour through the Discovery Islands. The trip then returns to Vancouver to join the train through the Fraser and Thompson Rivers to Jasper, where included excursions cover the Maligne Lake cruise to Spirit Island, the Columbia Icefield's Ice Explorer, and the Glacier Skywalk. A small-group tour of Yoho and Kootenay national parks closes the Rockies portion before the return to Calgary. The operator rates the trip's activity level as Leisurely overall, suiting travellers who want a fixed, fully planned itinerary combining a remote luxury resort with Rockies rail and sightseeing rather than independent free time.

What to know before you look closer

  • Only 2 of the 12 days, the Rocky Mountaineer legs from Vancouver to Kamloops and Kamloops to Jasper, are actually spent on the train; the rest of the trip uses helicopter or floatplane transfers, scheduled coach transfers, and hotel stays.
  • Access to Sonora Resort is by helicopter or floatplane transfer only, in both directions, rather than by road or rail.
  • The evidence lists seasonal price tiers for May, June through August, and September, but no specific departure dates or availability; confirm current dates with Cox & Kings.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Vancouver (L'Hermitage Hotel)

    Arrive Vancouver

    Arrive in Vancouver and travel to your downtown hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure to discover the city at your own pace.

  2. Day 2overnight: Vancouver (L'Hermitage Hotel)

    Vancouver

    Today join an included Vancouver City Highlights and Capilano Suspension Bridge tour that reveals both the cosmopolitan polish and natural drama of Vancouver.

  3. Day 3overnight: Sonora Island (Sonora Resort)

    Arrive Sonora Resort

    This afternoon, take to the air with a helicopter or floatplane transfer to Sonora Resort, a secluded retreat set amid British Columbia's coastal islands. After arrival, settle into your surroundings and sit down to a refined Pacific Northwest–inspired gourmet dinner.

  4. Day 4overnight: Sonora Island (Sonora Resort)

    Sonora Resort

    Set out on an exhilarating Eco-Adventure Tour (included), a one-hour journey by Zodiac boat through the Discovery Islands. Later, gather for a gourmet dinner paired with fine wines.

  5. Day 5overnight: Vancouver (Fairmont Hotel Vancouver)

    Arrive Vancouver

    After a final morning immersed in the tranquillity of Sonora, enjoy lunch before boarding your helicopter or floatplane for the return journey to Vancouver.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Kamloops

    Arrive Kamloops

    Board the included Rocky Mountaineer train this morning – complete with Gold Leaf Service upgrade – and glide out of Vancouver into the fertile farmlands of the Fraser River Valley before arriving in the rail town of Kamloops.

  7. Day 7overnight: Jasper (Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge)

    Arrive Jasper

    Rejoin the Rocky Mountaineer for a journey that traces the Thompson River through sweeping plateaus and onward to the white-draped summits of the Monashee Mountains, curving toward Mount Robson.

  8. Day 8overnight: Jasper (Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge)

    Jasper

    Travel deep into Jasper National Park on the included Morning Maligne Valley with Medicine Lake tour. Continue to the dazzling expanse of Maligne Lake for a scenic boat cruise, gliding past glacial peaks and toward Spirit Island.

  9. Day 9overnight: Lake Louise (Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise)

    Arrive Lake Louise

    Today's included excursion is along the legendary Icefields Parkway, offering the chance to step onto ancient ice aboard an Ice Explorer all-terrain vehicle and gaze out from the glass-floored Glacier Skywalk. A picnic lunch is also included.

  10. Day 10overnight: Banff (Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel)

    Arrive Banff

    The morning invites unhurried time beside the turquoise waters of Lake Louise. By midday, a scenic coach drive through the Bow Valley carries you toward the lively mountain town of Banff.

  11. Day 11overnight: Banff (Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel)

    Banff

    Venture beyond the well-trodden paths on today's included Rockies Hidden Gems Yoho & Kootenay National Parks small-group tour. Begin with a walk through Marble Canyon, continue to Emerald Lake, and the day crescendos at Takakkaw Falls.

  12. Day 12

    Fly home

    Bid farewell to the Rockies today as a scheduled transfer carries you across rolling foothills toward Calgary. Get dropped off downtown or continue onward to the airport to prepare for your overnight flight home.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 3A helicopter or floatplane transfer reaches Sonora Resort, a secluded retreat amid British Columbia's coastal islands, for a Pacific Northwest-inspired gourmet dinner.
  • Day 7The Rocky Mountaineer, in GoldLeaf Service, continues from Kamloops toward Jasper past the Monashee Mountains and curving toward Mount Robson.
  • Day 8A Maligne Lake cruise glides past glacial peaks toward the Spirit Island viewpoint.
  • Day 9An Ice Explorer all-terrain vehicle rides onto ancient ice on the Icefields Parkway, followed by the glass-floored Glacier Skywalk, with a picnic lunch included.
  • Day 11A small-group Yoho and Kootenay national parks tour walks through Marble Canyon, continues to Emerald Lake, and ends at Takakkaw Falls.

Included

  • Scheduled international flights
  • Luxury accommodation
  • Vancouver City Highlights Tour
  • Capilano Suspension Bridge & Lookout Admission from Vancouver
  • Return helicopter or floatplane transfer Vancouver to Sonora Resort
  • Wildlife Viewing activities at Sonora Resort
  • All meals and snacks while at Sonora Resort
  • Complimentary house wine with dinner at Sonora Resort
  • Private transfer from Vancouver Sonora Flight Terminal to Hotel
  • Private transfer from Hotel to Rocky Mountaineer Train Station
  • Rail travel on the Rocky Mountaineer in GoldLeaf Service
  • Return transfers between rail depot and hotel in Kamloops
  • Transfer between rail depot and hotel in Jasper
  • Morning Maligne Valley & Medicine Lake Tour from Jasper
  • Full day tour between Jasper & Lake Louise with a picnic lunch
  • Scheduled transfer between Lake Louise and Banff
  • Yoho & Kootenay National Park Tour from Banff
  • Scheduled coach transfer between Banff and Calgary
  • National Park fees

Questions travellers ask

Is the train travel included?
Yes. Cox & Kings includes a Rocky Mountaineer journey in GoldLeaf Service from Vancouver to Jasper via Kamloops, covering 2 of the 12 days.
Is this trip escorted or independent?
Cox & Kings classes it as a Tailor-Made Journey, with named included tours, private transfers, and a small-group excursion in Banff; the evidence does not describe a single tour manager accompanying the whole trip.
Which train is used?
The Rocky Mountaineer, in GoldLeaf Service, running from Vancouver to Jasper via Kamloops.
What hotels are used?
L'Hermitage Hotel and the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver in Vancouver, Sonora Resort on Sonora Island, a Kamloops hotel, Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, the 5-star Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, and the 5-star Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel.
When does it run?
The evidence lists priced departures for May, June through August, and September.
How much walking is involved?
The operator rates the overall activity level as Leisurely, though the trip includes the Capilano Suspension Bridge crossing in Vancouver and a walk through Marble Canyon to Emerald Lake near Banff.

Similar journeys