Our consummate overview of Rocky Mountaineer’s First Passage to the West educate journeying from Vancouver to Banff.
If y'all conduct maintain ever seen a postcard from Canada, there’s a high gamble that the painting present volition live of the stunning in addition to inspiring Canadian Rockies, the jagged mount make that sits betwixt British Columbia in addition to Alberta.
For years travellers conduct maintain been flocking to this house inwards search of epic views in addition to fun adventures inwards the pump of the planet’s most picturesque peaks.
There are numerous ways to move through this business office of Canada, but for many who are ticking off things from their move bucket list, taking a educate journeying onboard Rocky Mountaineer is the ultimate dream.
Rocky Mountaineer’s First Passage to the West Review
As Canada’s premier luxury educate operator, Rocky Mountaineer takes guests on a issue of various routes through the Great White North’s magnificent mountains, with the most pop 1 existence the First Passage to the West.
Connecting Vancouver inwards BC with Banff inwards Alberta, this two-day tour travels correct through some of the country’s most various scenery.
From the bustling metropolis of Vancouver through to the farmlands of the Fraser Valley, into the Selkirk Mountains in addition to finally high into Canada’s Rockies, this may live the most spectacular educate journeying inwards the world.
We travelled on Rocky Mountaineer’s First Passage to the West inwards 2018 in addition to were blown away past times non exclusively the views but also the flat of service onboard.
Here’s our experience of what it is similar to move on the First Passage to the West.
Day 1 – Departing Vancouver
After 3 days inwards Vancouver exploring the incredible city, nosotros were picked upwards from our hotel, the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, at 6:30am in addition to transferred past times luxury coach to the educate station but exterior of the metropolis centre.
Despite the early on start nosotros were already making friends with the other guests earlier nosotros had fifty-fifty left the hotel. Everybody was of course of written report extremely excited to live travelling on the legendary Rocky Mountaineer, in addition to the conversations flowed easily.
Upon arrival at the station nosotros were met with fresh juice in addition to coffee, in addition to a phenomenal pianist was setting the mood with classic versions of pop songs such every bit Bohemian Rhapsody.
We mingled with the other guests in addition to snacked on pastries earlier 1 of the hosts stood upwards on phase to welcome us to the upcoming adventure.
The host gave a great introduction, in addition to informed everybody how the boarding procedures would unfold. She in addition to then brought out a bell, which would live rung to denote the get-go of boarding.
Rather than her ringing it though, she called out someone’s yell in addition to asked if they would come upwards to the stage. It was their 60th birthday that day, in addition to the host gave them their accolade of starting the trip with vigour in addition to enthusiasm.
The doors to the platform opened, in addition to nosotros all spilled out to conduct maintain our maiden of all up-close glimpse of the shining bluish in addition to gilt of the Rocky Mountaineer coaches.
Armed with our boarding passes nosotros headed to our corresponding coach in addition to were greeted past times the squad who would live looking after us for the side past times side few days.
Being inwards GoldLeaf Service nosotros were lucky plenty to live travelling inwards 1 of Rocky Mountaineer’s iconic double-decker coaches.
We wandered upwards the stairs in addition to were straightaway amazed past times the drinking glass dome ceiling that has been made famous inwards educate aficionado circles for years.
Two rows of large, leather seats flocked either side of the coach, in addition to the panoramic windows would offering uninterrupted views of the epic landscapes to come.
As nosotros took our seats 1 of the hosts came past times with a hot towel, in addition to showed us the controls for the chair. It was fully automated, could recline a substantial agency with the leg rests rising at the force of a button, in addition to surprisingly had heaters built into it.
We kicked dorsum in addition to got create for what would live an epic journeying along Rocky Mountaineer’s First Passage to the West.
Breakfast Time
The educate lurched out of Vancouver station, in addition to nosotros like shooting fish in a barrel made our agency through the outskirts of the metropolis in addition to into the countryside.
Despite the early on start everybody was eagerly chatting away, getting to know those around them in addition to pointing out various highlights from the huge drinking glass dome ceilings.
Aleisha, 1 of the hosts on our coach, jumped on the PA in addition to explained how the repast timings would work. Our coach would live carve upwards into ii so every bit non to crowd the dining room, with the groups alternating betwixt maiden of all in addition to 2d sittings each day.
We were inwards the maiden of all grouping today, in addition to headed downstairs to taste breakfast.
The dining cart was brilliant in addition to spacious, in addition to nosotros were directed to a booth ready for 4 guests. Part of what Rocky Mountaineer does for mealtimes is partner upwards dissimilar people so y'all tin larn to know the other guests onboard.
We sat down, in addition to presently ii ladies from New York City joined us. They were incredibly bubbly, in addition to nosotros instantly got along good with the ii friends.
The breakfast bill of fare had a diverseness of options, from large spreads of eggs, baked beans, tomatoes, mushrooms in addition to bacons to healthier options such every bit granola in addition to fresh fruit.
An unlimited amount of tea in addition to java was flowing too, which was good received considering the early on start nosotros had.
As nosotros dined, nosotros watched the landscape like shooting fish in a barrel alter from urban to rural, in addition to industrial factories were replaced with barns in addition to rolling farmland.
The marvellous vistas had already begun.
Into the Fraser Valley
After a satisfying breakfast nosotros headed upstairs to our seats in addition to settled inwards for the journeying through the Fraser Valley.
The Fraser Valley is a huge basin around the Fraser River exterior of Vancouver that is famous for its lush hills in addition to deep canyons.
For those travelling on the First Passage to the West it is also the maiden of all glimpse of British Columbia’s stunning interior mountains.
The atmosphere was lively within the coach, in addition to the hosts kept things bubbling along with rounds of champagne, Caesars (Canada’s superior version of a Bloody Mary), in addition to Baileys mixed with coffee.
We eventually dragged ourselves away from the comfort of our seats in addition to headed downstairs to the outdoor viewing platform.
One of the highlights was crossing past times Hell’s Gate, the narrowest betoken of the Fraser River at exclusively 34m wide. Here the outdoor viewing platform filled with the guests, all eager to laid their sights on the natural formation.
The hours started to transcend past times casually, in addition to the guests continued to chat alongside each other on the top deck of the coach.
The exterior landscape continuously changed, with the rolling pastures existence broken upwards with long runs of pino forest.
There was never a slow moment, with the hosts walking around bang-up jokes, topping upwards spectacles of vino in addition to taking the fourth dimension to larn to know each invitee onboard.
When it came fourth dimension for dejeuner nosotros headed downstairs in addition to joined some other lovely duet from Canada, who were finally ticking off the Rocky Mountaineer from their on personal move bucket list.
The bill of fare was something to behold. We had heard amazing things most the nutrient onboard Rocky Mountaineer, but to run across gourmet delicacies similar merlot-braised beef curt ribs in addition to mustard seed steelhead salmon existence served on a educate was pretty sensational.
While nosotros dined in addition to chatted with our novel friends the vino seemed to never halt pouring, in addition to 1 time dessert was finished nosotros headed dorsum upstairs to relax inwards our seats feeling quite content.
A Night In Kamloops
The terrain exterior of Kamloops is quite unique, in addition to after the lush pastures of the Fraser Valley the landscape around Kamloops almost has a desert experience to it.
The sandstone formations are peculiar with interesting shapes twisting upwards from the rails, in addition to the Black Canyon is lovely to run across every bit the educate passes beneath its shale.
Our timing into Kamloops was perfect, in addition to every bit nosotros crossed the river to larn inwards this interior BC town the Sun started to laid over the horizon.
Soon plenty our magnificent maiden of all twenty-four hr menstruum onboard Rocky Mountaineer had come upwards to an end, in addition to it was hither that nosotros would live spending the night.
Kamloops has been growing inwards popularity over the lastly few years, in addition to today it is a buzzing in addition to vibrant house with street art, fantabulous restaurants in addition to funky bars.
Once nosotros disembarked from the educate nosotros jumped on the waiting buses to conduct maintain us to our hotel. We were staying at the Four Points past times Sheraton, which was a superb accommodation with a key location.
The heaven started to plough to fire, so nosotros dropped our backpacks off into the room in addition to bolted downward to the river, where nosotros works life ourselves downward at the pier with a few other people from the train.
Afterwards nosotros swung past times the Noble Pig for a arts and crafts beer in addition to deep-fried pickles – something that all of the hosts had been raving about. And man child did it alive upwards the expectations.
Kamloops is a great halt during the educate journey, in addition to gives a brilliant view into what a picturesque working Canadian town is like, away from the tourist hotspots of Vancouver in addition to Banff.
Day 2 – Into the Mountains on the First Passage to the West
It was an early on start today, in addition to nosotros loaded upwards the buses to conduct maintain us dorsum to the station patch the heaven was soundless dark.
The invention was to larn onboard the educate in addition to depart Kamloops earlier sunrise. The boarding went smoothly in addition to nosotros were presently relaxing inwards our seats with a java inwards hand, chugging westward towards the mountains.
Our hosts came through the coach in addition to checked how everyone was doing after our lovely stopover inwards Kamloops. Despite the early on morning time nosotros were all doing great, in addition to excited to larn inwards the Canadian Rockies subsequently inwards the day.
As nosotros travelled farther from town the Sun started to rise, in addition to nosotros were treated to a kaleidoscope of pastel colours painted across the sky.
The huge drinking glass dome ceilings allowed the vivid sunrise to completely environment us, in addition to everybody had their cameras out snapping pictures.
The maiden of all grouping was called downward to breakfast, which meant Alesha in addition to I had to a greater extent than fourth dimension to relax inwards our chairs sipping on java in addition to watching the Earth transcend us by.
Occasionally nosotros would caput out to the opened upwards air viewing platform at the dorsum of the carriage, but the chilly temperatures kept driving us dorsum inwards to our heated seats.
It wasn’t long earlier it was our fourth dimension to taste breakfast though, in addition to nosotros were joined past times some other lovely duet from Australia. We absolutely loved the chance to larn to know the other passengers onboard during these mealtimes.
The scenery speedily changes exterior of Kamloops, in addition to nosotros began to larn inwards the interior mountains British Columbia is famous for.
Here the farmland made agency for dense forests, in addition to high to a higher house the educate nosotros started to grab glimpses of jagged peaks.
The views from the top flooring of GoldLeaf Service actually are on some other flat inwards figuratively in addition to literally. Being this high allowed us to run across over the trees that lined the side of the railway, in addition to the drinking glass dome ceiling gave unobstructed views skyward.
The hours started to transcend by, in addition to nosotros were all mesmerised past times the views rising to a higher house us every bit the educate twisted into the Monashee ranges.
Revelstoke in addition to the Last Spike
The hosts presently made an proclamation that we’d live passing Craigellachie in addition to the Last Spike, the most of import business office of Canada’s entire railways.
It was hither inwards 1885 that Canada’s due east in addition to W were finally fully connected past times rail, in addition to a ceremonial spike was driven into the Earth to score this historical position.
Today it is abode to a small-scale outdoor museum, in addition to nosotros were piled around the outdoor viewing platform to lookout adult man every bit nosotros crossed the Last Spike.
The mountains got higher every bit nosotros neared Revelstoke, notwithstanding low-lying clouds in addition to mist started to occupy the heaven which gave the entire house a mysterious atmosphere.
Revelstoke is a town that was built past times the logging in addition to rail industries, in addition to a huge rail yard occupies the border of town where Rocky Mountaineer passes.
It is also the house where nosotros personally spent an incredible eighteen months living, in addition to having been away from hither for vii years nosotros were absolutely ecstatic to live passing past times on the educate that nosotros had seen come upwards through town so many times before.
Outside of Revelstoke the rails bring together upwards with the turbulent Illecillewaet River, in addition to nosotros followed its snaking path correct through the Selkirk Mountains.
This surface area is known for the massive amounts of snowfall it receives every year, sometimes over 18m, in addition to on either side of the tracks are huge avalanche paths that conduct maintain cutting downward the mountains.
Because of this, exceptional tunnels conduct maintain been constructed inwards the most at-risk points, allowing the snowfall to slide correct over the top of the rail line.
The clouds sunk lower the higher nosotros got, but 1 time nosotros went over Roger’s Pass, 1 of the highest points inwards the entire educate journey, nosotros started to larn to a greater extent than views of the mountains around us.
Coming through Golden, some other 1 of British Columbia’s picturesque towns, nosotros joined upwards with the legendary Kicking Horse River.
This snaking waterway got its yell inwards 1858 when a doc called James Hector was attempting cross the wild river during an expedition, in addition to his Equus caballus kicked him inwards the chest.
It was dubbed Kicking Horse River, in addition to today it is 1 of the best rivers for white-water rafting inwards the entire country.
We weren’t going to live diving into its glacial-fed waters though, in addition to instead nosotros could admire the beautiful, twisting rapids from the comfort of the coach.
The Spiral Tunnels
Our grouping was called for dejeuner in addition to nosotros enjoyed our terminal delicious repast onboard patch the Kicking Horse River passed past times beneath us in addition to the acute peaks of the Canadian Rockies started to drift into sight.
We felt every bit though every few minutes nosotros would measuring agency from our meals in addition to caput onto the viewing platform to conduct maintain to a greater extent than pictures or video – it was that stunning, in addition to nosotros couldn’t assist ourselves.
Past Golden lies the tiny town of Field, in addition to the start of 1 of Canada’s most spectacular feats of rail engineering, the Spiral Tunnels.
When British Columbia agreed to bring together the residue of Canada dorsum inwards 1871 it was on the status that they live connected via rail to the east.
The formidable Canadian Rockies were of course of written report the biggest obstruction inwards this challenge, in addition to after months of surveying the best passage through, they settled on the Kicking Horse Pass close Field.
Unfortunately the ‘Big Hill’ proved to live a unsafe choice, in addition to after a fatal derailment in addition to years of complications some other solution was eventually developed.
Rather than larn over the mountains, the railways would larn through them inwards ii long, winding tunnels. This had worked elsewhere inwards Europe, but never attempted inwards Canada.
1000 workers constructed ii tunnels that turned 270 degrees at a security slope within ii hills on either side of the Kicking Horse River in addition to spanned betwixt past times a bridge.
With the trains at nowadays able to climb the mount transcend at a steady pace, larger freight were able to live sent across the province in addition to the rail historic menstruum entered a novel era.
These tunnels are soundless inwards purpose today, in addition to Rocky Mountaineer’s First Passage to the West passes correct through them.
As the Spiral Tunnels are exclusively broad plenty for 1 educate at a time, in addition to rider trains are given the lowest priority on the rails inwards Canada, nosotros had to pass some fourth dimension waiting inwards Field for a clearing earlier nosotros could start the climb.
We had finished our dejeuner earlier nosotros started moving, in addition to for those onboard who are fascinated with structure in addition to engineering, or but conduct maintain a dear of educate travel, going through the Spiral Tunnels was a tremendous moment.
Into The Rockies
The educate exited the 2d tunnel at a much higher elevation in addition to nosotros began our terminal cruise through the Rockies towards Banff.
At this betoken the conditions had turned, with pelting pattering the exterior of our drinking glass dome ceilings, but despite the solemn clouds around us nosotros could soundless run across many of the Rockies’ legendary mountains in addition to lakes.
The hosts made an proclamation maxim that around this business office of the journeying would live a skilful gamble to spot wildlife, in addition to fifty-fifty though the Sun was starting to set, many of the passengers headed out to the viewing platforms to run across what the could find.
We passed many rivers in addition to lakes, in addition to certain plenty every bit if on cue nosotros managed to spot a woman individual moose standing inwards 1 of the rivers off inwards the distance.
Soon nosotros came into Lake Louise, in addition to some of the guests disembarked hither to cease their journey. We had chosen to larn correct through to Banff, in addition to after exclusively a few minutes nosotros were on our agency again.
The hosts came around with a manifest to confirm the hotels nosotros were heading to inwards Banff. Rocky Mountaineer had already taken attention of the check-ins again, in addition to our bags would live waiting for us inwards our hotel rooms.
It was black past times the fourth dimension nosotros rolled our agency into Banff, 1 of the most spectacular mount towns on the planet, in addition to nosotros sadly gathered our things to disembark.
The crew helped everybody off the educate in addition to led us to the waiting buses that would conduct maintain us the curt drive to the hotels Rocky Mountaineer had organised for us when nosotros booked the trip.
We loaded the buses in addition to drove off, glancing dorsum at the lastly views of the Rocky Mountaineer coaches in addition to glistening educate carriage.
The First Passage to the West road was 1 of the most visually stunning carry journeys nosotros had ever undertaken, in addition to the character of service, food, comfort in addition to luxury was on some other level.
Even after 3 years living inwards Canada, having travelled all over the country, this trip became 1 of the best experiences nosotros conduct maintain ever had inwards the country.
If you’re looking for the ultimate journeying to add together to your Canadian move bucket list, Rocky Mountaineer’s First Passage to the West volition live difficult to beat.
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