Traveling in Gold Leaf class on the Rocky Mountaineer train truly is a bucket-list trip, both as a two-day indulgence of luxury, and as the ultimate way of appreciating Western Canada’s beautiful and remarkably diverse natural landscapes across almost 1,000 miles.
The adventure began with an early hotel pick-up in Banff, followed by a short drive to the station. The first sighting of the train was a seemingly never-ending number of blue-and-white carriages, as well as several crew members braving the cold to greet passengers outside every single carriage. My immediate thought was just how impressive the scale of the operation is, especially as I recalled being told that our luggage would be traveling separately and would be waiting for me in my room in Kamloops 13 hours later. Given that there were over 700 people on board, it is extraordinary how seamless the whole process was.
First sight of Rocky Mountaineer
Glass-domed GoldLeaf carriage on Rocky Mountaineer
After being taken to my seat for the next two days, it became quickly apparent that one of the highlights of the experience is the outstanding service and entertaining commentary of the host. Each carriage in either class (SilverLeaf or GoldLeaf) has one leading host and an assistant, but I cannot speak more highly enough of how much insight, humour and positivity they both added throughout the journey. The welcome speech ended in a celebratory toast, along with a mimosa.
It does not take long after departing to begin to be wowed by the Rockies. Traveling in late September brought the bonus of the aspen trees turning a golden yellow, which, combined with the blue sky and snow-capped mountains, provided a mesmerising contrast of different colors. This latter part of the season also brings a heavy early morning fog which certainly added to the atmosphere and the scenery even further.
Matthew Grubb at Emerald Lake, British Columbia
View from Rocky Mountaineer
However, seeing this from Gold Leaf’s more elevated seating and through its panoramic glass-domed bus. It is impossible to overstate how much this improves one’s enjoyment and viewpoints of the aforementioned scenery, colors, and light, providing a perspective that is both superior and entirely different to a regular window. This is something that instantly feels very unique, slightly comparable only with the world-renowned glacier express day trip in Switzerland, so it is a key factor behind the overwhelmingly special nature of the train that is felt throughout the two days.
Once settled in, and in between several offers of tea and coffee brought to my leather reclining seat, I was eventually called downstairs to the dedicated dining area for breakfast. The five items of choice on the breakfast menu remained the same both days, which was a relief when struggling to decide between two different dishes. The delicious breakfasts, accompanied by a choice of hot and cold drinks, were a perfect serving size to be fully appreciated while still leaving room for the bombardment of snack offerings throughout the day, as well as the three course lunch still to come.
Indeed, the fantastic service from the staff extended to regular trips pushing the drinks trolley up and down the carriages. Another benefit of Gold Leaf was access to the full premium drinks list, featuring a wider range of alcoholic and soft drinks. Savouring their signature cocktails while enjoying the dramatic landscapes through the panoramic windows was an experience I won’t forget. Fortunately, being in Gold Leaf allows access to an outdoor observation deck downstairs. This is useful not only for taking the best photos without light reflection from the glass windows, but as an important means of getting exercise and fresh air across two full days aboard the train, with short forays there breaking up the time nicely.
Breakfast with a view
Early morning fog in the Rockies
The call for lunch was another chance to change seat and return to the dining carriage. The three-course meal was exquisite, with a set starter and a choice between two desserts served with a choice of red or white wine or soft drinks. The decision of which of the six mains to opt for was much more difficult, with a range of meat, seafood and vegetarian options. This allowed me to opt for two rather different choices on consecutive days. Impressively, the fresh produce was almost entirely locally sourced.
It was noticeable as the afternoon went on that the scenery and landscapes were becoming very different to the ones earlier in the day. Tree-filled alpine scenery on all sides made way for lakes and rivers across flatter landscapes, as we eventually entered Kamloops for a nights’ hotel stay. A fleet of minibuses were ready to swiftly take everyone to their hotels to be reunited with the luggage.
After arriving back in my comfortable seat the following morning, I wondered whether today could come close to the previous day now that we had left the Rockies. The reality is that the overall experience on the second day was just as good, if not more fascinating, due to sheer variety of the views and the constant changing of the ecosystems and landscapes in front of my eyes. As I went downstairs for an earlier breakfast than the day before, we were passing through arid, barren terrains which was intriguing due to feeling such a world away from the Rockies that we had meandered through on the same train.
One of many beautiful, forest-ringed lakes in the Rockies
Winding through a dramatic river canyon
By the time lunch was approaching, we were winding our way across rivers and canyons that were increasingly greener as we headed further west. Perhaps the highlight of all of the scenery was getting to move alongside the confluence of two rivers, with contrasting turquoise and dark blue colors running side by side.
After a fantastic lunch, the remainder of the journey was filled with more anecdotes and entertainment from the hosts, as well as consistent drink offerings and further changes in scenery until we approached the temperate rainforests surrounding Vancouver. After being so immersed in these unspoilt natural areas, it was a shock to the system when Vancouver’s skyscrapers became visible on the horizon.
Despite two full days sat largely in the same seat, and despite the fact I am normally very active and like to keep moving around, I was filled with sadness when we had to depart the train, such was the magic on board and through its panoramic domed windows.