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DESTINATIONS ROCKY MOUNTAINEER | CANADA


w travelweekly.co.uk


hile lucky visitors might catch sight of a bear any


time between April and November in the Canadian Rockies, I’m told that September is peak time – when they’re filling up on snacks before going into hibernation. So, as the Rocky Mountaineer train wends its path through majestic peaks on a fresh September morning, I’m harbouring a not-so-secret hope that I’ll spot one from the window. I keep my eyes focused on the quintessentially Canadian scenery, looking between the firs, pines and centuries- old mountain hemlock trees for a telltale glimpse of black or cinnamon-coloured fur. The only thing that could possibly divert


my attention from the bear hunt – and the awe-inspiring landscape rolling past from Banff to Vancouver – is the food. Barely an hour after boarding the train,


I’m tucking into a stack of fluffy lemon and honey buttermilk pancakes with Okanagan stone fruit compote, doused with generous helpings of maple syrup from Quebec. There’s been a focus on the region’s food since the release of Vancouver’s first Michelin Guide in 2022, and last year, Rocky Mountaineer updated its culinary programme with a focus on local ingredients and suppliers that champion some of Western Canada’s best flavours. I was lucky enough to bag myself a seat at the end of the 2023 season (to try the GoldLeaf Service menus) and could see why this journey tops many a bucket list. As the season starts up again, the new culinary offering makes Rocky Mountaineer a particularly strong sell for food lovers. Executive chef Kaelhub Cudmore


hails from Vancouver Island and grew up fishing and foraging before later going


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