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Journey Through the Clouds Discovery Self-Drive - Calgary to Vancouver

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4.2 stars(4 reviews)
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Flower-dotted meadows, weeping waterfalls, and wildlife-packed mountains await discovery on this jaunt through Canada's National Parks, where casual walks morph uncannily into nature documentaries.

You are viewing the 2021 itinerary. Select your departure year
20212022
8 days From $2,688 per person

2021 Tour code: RV-JCDW-21

About the tour

Combine train travel aboard the acclaimed Rocky Mountaineer with leisurely scenic drives through the Canadian Rockies. Travel into the mountains and along lush river valleys on all daylight train journeys, taking the time to explore the quaint alpine towns and delightful national parks like Jasper and Banff by car.

Highlights

View Dates & Pricing

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - Calgary

Arrive in Calgary and collect your rental car. The rest of the day is at your leisure to explore Calgary on your own. Overnight in Calgary.

Day 2 - Calgary To Banff

Depart Calgary this morning with your rental car for a two-hour drive to Banff. Highlights include Lake Minnewanka, the Banff Gondola, Bow Falls, Surprise Corner, and the Hoodoos. The rest of the day is at your leisure to explore Banff on your own. Overnight in Banff.

Day 3 - Banff To Lake Louise

Enjoy the short drive to Lake Louise into Yoho National Park to view some of its natural wonders. Among the attractions are the Spiral Tunnels, Emerald Lake and a natural rock bridge that spans the Kicking Horse River. The remainder of the day is at your leisure to enjoy this magnificent location. Overnight in Lake Louise.

Day 4 - Lake Louise To Jasper

Travel north to Jasper via one of the most scenic highways in the world, the spectacular Icefields Parkway. Allow time to visit highlights along the way, including Athabasca Falls, Bow Summit, Peyto Lake and Crowfoot Glacier. With sightseeing stops, we recommend allowing at least eight hours for today's drive. Overnight in Jasper.

Day 5 - Jasper

Today is free to explore Jasper National Park with your rental car. Among the highlights are Pyramid and Patricia Lakes, Maligne Canyon, Miette Hot Springs, Maligne Lake, and Whistlers Mountain. This afternoon return your rental vehicle in Jasper. Overnight in Jasper.

Day 6 - Jasper To Kamloops

Travel onboard Rocky Mountaineer from Jasper in the Canadian Rockies to Kamloops, in the heart of the British Columbia Interior. As you journey west and south, you will be surrounded by the dramatic scenery of the Continental Divide and by the river valleys of the Monashee and Cariboo Mountains. Today's highlights include Mount Robson, Pyramid Falls, the climb over Yellowhead Pass, and the journey along the North Thompson River as you approach Kamloops. Overnight in Kamloops. 

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch
Day 7 - Kamloops To Vancouver

Your journey continues west towards the Pacific Ocean and the coastal city of Vancouver. On today's journey, you will again see dramatic changes in scenery, from the desert-like environment of the Interior, through winding river canyons and pristine forests, to the Coast and Cascade Mountains and the lush green fields of the Fraser Valley. Highlights include the steep slopes and rock sheds along the Thompson River and the rushing waters of Hell's Gate in the Fraser Canyon. Your rail journey ends on arrival in Vancouver this evening. Overnight in Vancouver.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch
Day 8 - Vancouver

Your vacation ends upon checkout from your Vancouver hotel.

Additional information

Pricing Plans

SilverLeaf Service & Hotel
Hotels include the Delta Calgary Downtown, Banff Caribou Lodge, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Lobstick Lodge, Georgian Court Hotel Downtown.  Bask in the breathtaking scenery of the Canadian Rockies through the panoramic windows of the custom-designed single-level dome coach in the SilverLeaf Service.

GoldLeaf Service & Hotel
Hotels include the Hyatt Regency Calgary, Fairmont Banff Springs, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, and Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. Travel first-class aboard Rocky Mountaineer's GoldLeaf Service. A custom-designed bi-level dome coach puts travelers right in the middle of the awe-inspiring scenery of the Canadian Rockies as they enjoy gourmet meals prepared by onboard chefs.

GoldLeaf Service & Hotel Upgrade
Hotels include the Junior Suite at the Fairmont Palliser, Deluxe Rooms at the Fairmont Banff Springs and the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, the Deluxe Lakeview Room at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, and the Deluxe Harbour Room at the Pan Pacific Hotel. 

Please note

Taxes are not included on rail portions and are subject to change. Taxes are not included on the Rocky Mountaineer portion of this vacation. Taxes can be up to 5% of the rail portion only. Prices are in USD. Prices for triples and children are available upon request.

Departure times

Departure times vary based on selected rail vacation. This information will be provided in your final documents. For more information please speak with your rail specialist.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular vacation with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

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Rocky Mountaineer's Journey Through the Clouds

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Reviews

4.2 stars4.2 / 5 · 4 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (3)
  2. 4 stars
    (0)
  3. 3 stars
    (0)
  4. 2 stars
    (1)
  5. 1 star
    (0)

Sally

5 stars

Submitted 11 Nov 2018

Excellent tour. Didn't get to tour the ice fields as came a whiteout snowstorm. Road to Jasper ended up closed with coaches slid off the road , luckily we found a detour-so glad we were driving at that point of we would have been stuck

Collected by Vacations By Rail

Susan O, Placerville, CA

5 stars

Submitted 01 Jan 2018

Loved the flexibility that we had during the drive portion of our tour

Collected by Vacations By Rail

Richard

2 stars

Submitted 19 Dec 2017

Kamloops hotel was definitely sub standard. There are many better options in the area than the one selected by Vacations by Rail. They were within walking distance of where they placed us. We paid extra for Gold Leaf service (their top tier), and this hotel sucked. We notified customer service, and their answer was sorry, that was the best hotel available...which as I stated earlier is not true. The scenery is beautiful, but the customer service is lacking

Collected by Vacations By Rail

Charles S, Pittsburgh, PA

5 stars

Submitted 03 Oct 2017

The entire trip was exceptional. The rail trip was particularly wonderful.

Collected by Vacations By Rail

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