DESTINATIONS CANADA | ROCKY MOUNTAINEER WILD SIDE
After a night at the Sandman Signature Kamloops Hotel, we were back on board at 7am, cameras at the ready, to enjoy the impressive stretch through the Rockies. I darted back and forth between the open-sided observation car – which felt more connected to the landscape and made for better photos – and the comfort of the glass-domed carriages with their huge, panoramic windows. The latter was better for wildlife sightings, sitting higher up, with the advantage of a running commentary from our excellent hosts, Holly and Jocelyn. They pointed out the bighorn sheep high on a ridge to our right, the eagles and ospreys overhead, and the black bear sitting motionless among the grass, which I might otherwise have mistaken for a particularly fuzzy boulder. But it was the shout of “grizzly
on the right” that evoked the most excitement, as the huge, hulking shape of a bear emerged from between the trees.
Like all wildlife sightings, nothing
is guaranteed, but it might reassure clients to know that spotting these animals was more like the icing on a very scenic cake. Even if they don’t see any wildlife, the landscapes alone would make the trip worthwhile. Our journey had taken us from the bright blue glacial waters of Kicking Horse River to the dark, brooding mass of Castle Mountain, over yawning valleys with steep-sided banks and past craggy rockfaces smoothed over with snow. As we pulled into Banff, a few snowflakes floated in through the open sides of the viewing car. Our rail adventure through the Rockies had taken these grand landscapes and brought them within touching distance – and that never fails to amaze.
TW
TRIED
& TESTED
GOLDLEAF SERVICE
The impeccable service on Rocky Mountaineer and top- quality dining are as key to the experience as the scenery. In two-level GoldLeaf carriages, snacks and drinks are served to the seat, but breakfast and lunch are in the downstairs dining car. In SilverLeaf, everything is served at the spacious seat. Meals are outstanding, with Canadian ingredients such as Pacific prawns and Alberta beef, a great choice of dishes and a finish so professional, it’s hard to believe it has come from a galley kitchen. A higher- spec kitchen is just one of the features of Swiss-built new GoldLeaf carriages, with seven added this season and three joining the fleet next year. They include dimmable domed windows, smoother suspension and an even more spacious seat that reclines, has lumbar support and spins
180 degrees so travellers can chat to their neighbours. Book it: The Eight-day First Passage to the West at Leisure starts at £2,419 in SilverLeaf and £3,258 in GoldLeaf, including two days on Rocky Mountaineer, seven nights’ accommodation, some meals and activities including an Icefields Parkway Tour and helicopter flight.
rockymountaineer.com
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22 AUGUST 2019
travelweekly.co.uk
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