Travelling through the Canadian Rockies has always been on my list, so when I found out I had won a prize through First Class Holiday for a trip to the Rockies, I was ecstatic! The trip was hosted by 1st Class Holidays, Air Canada and Rocky Mountaineer- how lucky was I! I flew from Heathrow with Air Canada and I must say flying in economy was very comfortable and the staff accommodating.
It was a quick 25 minute transfer to the Fairmont Palliser – a lovely central hotel within Calgary with the Calgary Tower on the same street just a few steps away. We had a walking tour and visited Alberta Boot – home to the Calgary Stampede custom made boots! Some ranging in cost to over $2000 a pair! We had dinner a couple of blocks away in a lovely Italian restaurant before heading to bed as by this point, we had been up over 24 hours.
The following morning, we headed to Heritage Park which is a beautiful historical village in 127 acres of parkland. It was a lovely crisp morning. Now the fun really begins – we caught the Brewster transfer to Banff!
The drive from Calgary to Banff got more and more scenic the close to the Rockies you become. This journey took us just over 1hr30. As soon as get of the coach you are surrounded by the most beautiful scenery with snowcapped mountains.
I now feel like I am in Canada.
We stayed for 2 nights at the Caribou Lodge – this is a little out of town. About a 25-minute walk to Banff Avenue where all the shops bars and restaurants are located.
We headed to the Banff Gondola to reach the summit of Sulphur Mountain – wow! The views from the top are just spectacular. It was a lovely clear day – we explored the walkways to really make the most of our time there. We then warmed up in front of the fire pits with a little snack and hot chocolate taking it all in. The Banff Gondola is a must do.
That evening we were totally spoilt and had dinner and a site inspection at the Fairmont Banff Springs. We were treated to the most wonderful hospitality and delicious food here. They call the Fairmont Banff Springs ‘The Castle’ and it’s such a true resemblance. It is stunning. It’s slightly out of town but when you see the grounds that the hotel stands in you will know why. The golf course is famous for Bear and Elks!
The next day is a day I will never forget.
We travelled to Lake Louise and were given free time to explore. It was the most beautiful morning, clear and crisp with the sun shining.
I remember walking down to the lake side and I just stood for a moment taking it all in. It was one of the most beautiful places I have been lucky enough to visit. Lake Louise is truly breath taking. The colours in the lake are so vivid and the water so clear. A small group of us headed off on an hours hike down to the bottom of the lake and back. Every few steps stopping to take more photos. We just couldn’t get over how stunning our surroundings were. The views never tire.
The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise has the best back drop – however they are undergoing huge renovations work at the moment which are set to be completed in 2025 (2025 on sale soon!!)
My biggest tip for Lake Louise is do not drive yourself there. The traffic was queued right back into the town and you will never find a car parking space. Get in touch and I can advise the best ways to get there.
On our trip back to Banff we went the scenic way on a wildlife trip back via the Bow Valley – lucky enough to see White Horned Sheep, Deer and Elk.
That evening we a had a little wonder round the town and dined locally. I absolutely loved Banff. It was bigger than I was expecting but it just felt like a movie scene! A beautifully located village with a backdrop to die for.
The next day was time to board the Iconic Rocky Mountaineer.
We met in the lobby at 7am and our bags were collected. It was a really smooth operation with the bags – you next see them in your room in Kamloops!
Another ‘wow’ moment when boarding the train as we were in Gold Leaf which I would highly recommend. You even get your own heated seat!
All the food and drink you could possibly wish for, and the food was outstanding. We did see Silver Leaf and I can confidently say Gold Leaf is well worth the upgrade. Get in touch and I can explain why.
Again, the scenery just never tired, always another ‘wow’ moment around the next corner and I never knew which way to look.
Our hosts onboard who looked after us both days were fantastic. Then…the moment we had all been waiting for… ‘Bear on the right, bear on the right’, we couldn’t believe it. The train slowed right down and sure enough there was a massive black bear just stood watching us pass by! So incredibly lucky and another bucket list moment ticked for me!
It was quite a long day as we had a few delays on the journey. The freight trains have priority on the tracks so it all depends how busy it is to how long the journey will take.
We arrived in Kamloops just before 8pm. It was a very smooth transition as Rocky Mountaineer check you into the hotel and give you your room keys onboard so you can head straight to your rooms on arrival where your luggage will be waiting for you.
The follow day was more of the same on the Rocky Mountaineer – how spoilt were we! We arrived in Vancouver just before 6. It was the last journey of the season, so we all had a little sing along whilst we waited to disembark from the train. A memory I will not forget.
The next 2 days saw us in Vancouver – taking in sights at the Capilano Suspension Bridge, Granville Island and Stanley Park. A city I would like to return to and explore more. The shopping looked great!
Our final destination of the trip was Whistler. One of my favourite places.
Again, we stayed at the iconic Fairmont and it was a very special end to our special trip. Whilst in Whistler we saw the Canadian Olympic team practicing the Skelton (would love to give that ago!)
We also experienced off road 4x4 buggy’s down Blackcomb mountain and the Superfly zip line through Cougar Mountains which actually started in the clouds we were that high up!!! That then brought our amazing once in a lifetime trip to an end.
Canada is a place that should be on everyone’s list – I feel so passionate about the places I have visited, and I cannot wait to help arrange bucket list trips like this for my clients.
