Some journeys find their way onto your list early in life and simply wait — patiently — for the right moment to arrive.
For me, that journey is the Canadian Rockies.
As a little girl I fell in love with the idea of Banff, Lake Louise, and the surrounding mountains through the most wonderful source imaginable: my great-grandmother’s old-fashioned viewfinder, filled with images from her own trip through the Canadian Rockies taken a very long time ago. I can still picture those tiny circular views of snow-capped peaks and impossibly blue lakes. More than sixty years later, Bob and I are finally making that journey ourselves.
On May 19th we fly to Vancouver to begin nine days traveling through the heart of the Canadian Rockies by luxury train, with dear friends Gary and May joining us for the entire trip — the four of us having already adventured together on our Alaskan cruise.
🚂 The Route: Journey Through the Clouds
We’re traveling Rocky Mountaineer’s Journey Through the Clouds route in Gold Leaf service — highly recommended to us for the premium onboard experience featuring a bi-level glass dome coach, gourmet meals, and open-air viewing platforms that put you completely inside the landscape.
The route travels from Vancouver through the dramatic Fraser Canyon and Thompson River Valley, with an overnight stop in Kamloops before continuing through the Continental Divide and into Jasper National Park. Rocky Mountaineer operates exclusively in daylight hours — every mile of scenery is intentional, and nothing passes in the dark.
📅 Our Complete Itinerary
Days 1-2 — Vancouver We arrive May 19th at the Pinnacle Harbour Front to reunite with Gary and May, then move to the iconic Fairmont Waterfront Hotel — Signature Harbour View — for two nights. Two full days to explore Vancouver before the train departs. Since Gary, May, Bob and I already explored Granville Island on our Alaska trip, we’re planning to discover new corners of the city this time — including the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Coal Harbour seawall. We’re leaning toward dinner at Ancora Waterfront Dining, a stunning Peruvian-Japanese fusion restaurant overlooking the water. Vancouver in late May can be cool and unpredictable — plans are flexible, but layers are essential!
Day 3 — Vancouver to Kamloops by Train At 7am a Rocky Mountaineer motorcoach collects us from the Fairmont for the short transfer to the station. The train departs at 8am and we settle into our Gold Leaf dome coach for the first full day of scenery — arriving in Kamloops between 6:15 and 7:45pm.
Day 4 — Kamloops to Jasper by Train Back on the train at 8:30am for the most dramatic day of scenery — the approach to Jasper National Park through the Rockies. We arrive at the Forest Park Hotel in Jasper — Alpine Kitchen Suite — by early evening. This is where the mountains really begin to reveal themselves.
Day 5 — Jasper: SkyTram & Sightseeing A half-day motorcoach tour of Jasper’s iconic landmarks — Patricia Lake, Pyramid Lake — culminating in the Jasper SkyTram, whisking us to 2,263 metres (7,425 feet) for panoramic views of the Rockies. May temperatures at this elevation will be brisk — warm layers are a must!
Day 6 — The Icefields Parkway: One of the World’s Great Drives This is the day I’ve been dreaming about since I was a little girl peering through that viewfinder. We board a motorcoach at 8:35am for the legendary Icefields Parkway journey from Jasper to Banff — widely considered one of the most spectacular drives on earth. Highlights include:
- Ice Explorer ride on the Athabasca Glacier — stepping out onto actual glacial ice
- Alpine Lunch at the Columbia Icefield Glacier Discovery Centre
- Glacier Skywalk — a glass-floored observation platform extending 30 metres out over the Sunwapta Valley
- Bow Lake stop before arriving at the Moose Hotel & Suites in Banff — Superior One Bedroom Suite with rooftop hot pools
Day 7 — Free Day in Banff A full free day — and this is the day I finally see Lake Louise with my own eyes after sixty years of dreaming. More to come on this one. I have traveled to Calgary and Banff before on business in the winter. I hope this trip is a lot more comfortable than the 40 degrees below zero it was when I was last there in the late 90’s.
Day 8 — Banff Sightseeing & Calgary A final tour of Banff’s highlights — Bow Falls, Surprise Corner, the Hoodoos — and a ride on the Banff Gondola to the summit of Sulphur Mountain for 360-degree mountain views. Then a transfer to Calgary and our final night at the historic Fairmont Palliser Hotel, Bob’s choice for a classic grand finale to the journey.
Day 9 — Calgary & Home We say farewell to Gary and May, fly back to Vancouver, and continue south to visit our son and grandson just across the border — a perfect, warm ending to an epic adventure.
Rocky Mountaineer offers two onboard experiences — SilverLeaf and GoldLeaf. We chose Gold Leaf without hesitation for two reason: 1) it was highly recommended by friends who have previously done this trip, and 2) the bi-level glass dome. Floor-to-ceiling windows, an open-air viewing platform, and a dedicated dining room below with regional Canadian cuisine. For a journey this scenic, nothing should come between you and those mountain views. See our complete review of the train and learn the difference between GoldLeaf and SilverLeaf service.
What’s included in Gold Leaf:
- Breakfast and lunch daily — served at your seat or in the dedicated dining room
- Snacks and beverages throughout — alcoholic and non-alcoholic
- Gratuities already included
- Luggage transported separately between destinations
🧥 What to Pack
The Canadian Rockies in May are breathtakingly beautiful — and genuinely cold. Even as temperatures warm in Vancouver, Jasper and Banff will feel like a different season entirely. Here’s what we’re bringing:
- Warm layers — fleece, down jacket, thermal base layers
- Waterproof outer shell — rain is common in May
- Comfortable walking shoes with good grip — especially for the glacier
- Sunglasses and sunscreen — high elevation sun is intense even in cool weather
- A light day bag for the train — checked luggage travels separately
Vancouver and all the towns you will visit are laid back and perfect for casual dress and jeans. There is no need to bring a lot of nicer clothes to wear out for dinners at night. I brought way too much clothes on this trip. I wore a nice pair of light colored jeans and one other pair of slacks with sweaters for the three more upscale restaurants we visited. Bring jeans or casual slacks and sweaters. Think layers – nothing too fancy. Nice sneakers or walking shoes are all that is needed for your feet.
Don’t forget the sun galsses though.
🏨 The Hotels: Note- all hotels are included in the tour price.
- Fairmont Waterfront Vancouver — Bob’s choice Signature Harbour View overlooking the North Shore Mountains
- Forest Park Hotel Jasper — Alpine Kitchen Suite, included in Rocky Mountaineer package
- Moose Hotel & Suites Banff — Superior One Bedroom Suite with rooftop hot pools, included in package
- Fairmont Palliser Calgary — Bob’s choice, a historic landmark hotel in the heart of the city
📸 Follow Along
We’ll be documenting every moment — from Vancouver’s harbor to the first glimpse of those snow-capped Rockies through the Gold Leaf dome. Upcoming posts will cover:
- Planning for the Trip – A complete practical planning guide for your own Rocky Mountaineer journey
- Two days in Vancouver — what to do, where to eat
- The Gold Leaf experience in detail — is the upgrade worth it?
- Jasper and the SkyTram
- The Icefields Parkway — walking on a glacier
- Banff, Lake Louise and the free day I’ve waited sixty years for
Some trips are just trips. This one is personal. 🏔️
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Hi, thank you for the details of your trip. We’re going in August and we are excited. This may be a random question, but how large a carry-on bag did you need to hold your things on the train? We plan to have our sweaters, Kindle e-readers, phones, sunglasses, etc. Thank you.
We have not taken the train yet, that is a week away, but our research tells us we can take both a large suitcase, a normal roller bag and a backpack or brief case.
After taking the train, I can tell you there are luggage storage areas in each car in 1st class plus overhead shelves. We had two large suitcases and two carry on rollerbags which we were able to find spots to store. Tip:Get on the train early for the luggage racks. They do fill up early.