A black bear peers through the underbrush. Photo: Rocky Mountaineer
Bear!
THERE’S SUDDEN MOVEMENT in the forest. Everyone darts to the right side windows, desperate to get a rare glimpse of the majestic animal. If we were on a boat, it might have tipped with the weight of us.
But we’re not. We’re on The Rocky Mountaineer, one of Canada’s most luxurious – and closer to nature – ways to cross British Columbia and into Alberta. Ah, the beauty of train travel. A slow-it-down journey, a romantic throwback yet a nod to what lies ahead for sustainable travel. From the glamorous past (think The Orient Express) to the futuristic (Japan’s bullet trains), riding the rails has a permanent place in our collective hearts.
I’m travelling on the company’s Journey Through the Clouds itinerary from Vancouver with an overnight stop in Kamloops (the train only travels during daylight hours), then crossing into Alberta to Jasper National Park. It’s like we’re following a pathway lined with our nation’s history, from connecting the country from end to end, with the Grand Railroad Hotels as touchpoints. According to Armstrong Collective, the Canadian company that owns and operates The Rocky Mountaineer, it’s the only passenger train to travel along the historic Canadian Pacific rail-line and pass over the last spike that completed the line and connected British Columbia, by rail, with eastern Canada more than 130 years ago.
The Rocky Mountaineer on its Journey Through the Clouds route. Photo: Rocky Mountaineer
Before any bear sightings – there are plenty of other wildlife to see as well – we get ready for our trip with a stay at Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver. The Fairmont hotels are known for their Grand Rail properties, like castles in the wilderness and in cities such as Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto and Montreal. But those that prefer more contemporary design and being close to the Vancouver harbour, stay at the Waterfront (also great for access to the cruise port).
Fairmont Waterfront Vancouver rooftop pool.
There’s a vibe here. And this morning, the vibrations I’m feeling are coming from a low-key start to my morning: Sound bathing courtesy of local wellness expert Tianne Allan. To move the needle into relax mode, I’ve joined an early session offered by the Waterfront, where slow hums that build to harmonious sound waves are flowing through the air and over my body. It’s an immersive experience of a different kind: just me, my head and the sounds. The hotel is keen to build its reputation as a sanctuary for wellness-minded travellers. Twice weekly guided runs along Vancouver’s seawall, yoga and meditation by the pool, and coming soon, a polar plunge experience capitalizing on the cold plunge trend.
Fairmont Waterfront rooftop garden. Photo: Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
Fairmont Waterfront Vancouver – chief beekeeper Julia Common.
It’s the moment in the afternoon sun on the rooftop – where the resident Queen bee holds court – that is a mind-meets-nature hit I didn’t know I needed. For 30 years, Vancouver’s first “green” roof has played host to more than a quarter of a million bees, and their honey plays a part in both the food and the cocktail menus here. Led by chief beekeeper and downright cool dame, Julia Common, the team supports 400 native species of bees and maintains their homes, the “Bee & Bee” motels. Order the Apiary Rosemary Gin Smash for the perfect pre-dinner palette cleanser. The rosemary, too, is freshly plucked from the Waterfront’s rooftop garden, a bounty of herbs and veggies for its team of chefs and mixologists. As the breeze picks up, I detect the scent of basil, lavender and, yes, is that sea salt? And deeply inhale. We are within throwing distance of Vancouver Harbour, after all.
It’s up early for the Rocky Mountaineer journey. I’m booked in the Gold Leaf service: seats are upstairs on the train’s bi-level, glass-dome coach – the view is astonishing, as the sky’s the limit. Cushiony armchair seating with plenty of legroom can be swiveled to face each other, drinks and snacks are provided all day by our congenial hosts, Merrilea and Tina, the experts on everything from local and Indigenous lore to keen wildlife spotters, and chef-prepared breakfast and lunch is served in the dining room level below us. Silver Leaf coaches also feature a slightly modified glass-domed view, but seating is at track level, with meals served at your seat. It’s worth noting that our train manager and guest services manager are also women, adding a sense of nurturing and humour to the trip.
Rocky mountaineer GoldLeaf guests take in panoramic views.
Steelhead salmon, jasmine rice risotto and mustard vinaigrette – Rocky Mountaineer’s GoldLeaf dining service.
Not long after pulling out of Vancouver, we’ve left the temperate rainforest and have entered rugged country through the Fraser River Valley due east. We’re on the lookout for bears, and spot bald eagles, deer and more; there’s plenty of nature to be awestruck by. The Gold Leaf exclusive outdoor observation deck is a tad gusty when the train gets up to speed, but it’s a good photo-op spot to capture the passing wonders, from animals to waterfalls.
Elk-spotting near the Athabasca. River, Jasper National Park. Photo: Rocky Mountaineer
The next day, once departing Kamloops, we’re on the hunt to spot bears – and we do! – along with white-tailed deer and bighorn sheep. As we near Jasper, we’re in awe of the Rockies, with jaw-dropping Mount Robson showing its pretty peak, as a whiff of cloud settles at its tip. Not too long after, we enter Jasper National Park, and are greeted by herds of Elk, the uninterrupted blue skies over snow-capped mountains, the sparkle of glacier-fed Lac Beauvert, but also the sobering sight of the fallout from 2024’s tragic wildfires. Warm greetings from our hosts at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge (JPL) soften us up; as do our rustic-luxe cabin accommodations in view of the mountains.
Historic Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge is nestled on the shores of Lac Beauvert and amid the surrounding Rocky Mountains. Photo: Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
In keeping with my women-led travels, I meet with Matricia Brown, a Cree Knowledge Keeper, to guide me through the world of plant medicine on the grounds of JPL and Jasper National Park. As part of her Warrior Women enterprise, Brown offers this Wapakwanis Plant Walk via the hotel, but she also has a shop in town. She’s a wealth of information, teaches us the virtues of how plants can be used to stop infection, or nausea, or increase energy. From rose hips to willow, there’s a natural salve for just about everything. Brown even teaches her guests how to make mineral salt scrubs, soaps and lotions to take away. Her presence is instantly calming; the sense of an earthly connected being is her aura.
Cree Knowledge Keeper Matricia Brown at Jasper National Park.
On our last evening, the sky is clear. Brown joins us around the fire, arranging chairs in a circle, and begins to share her ancestral stories and Indigenous celestial legends that almost swirl and weave through the air as she speaks. She asks us all, one by one, to share what it is that makes us grateful in this moment. There are heartfelt thanks, and a few tears as well, when the realization strikes at how fortunate we are. Jasper National Park may be the world’s second largest dark sky preserve, but this intimate point in time feels larger. The sun slowly sinks, a glittering explosion of stars come out, as breath-taking a journey’s end as its beginning.
WHEN YOU GO
Part of the Canadian company Armstrong Collective, which also includes the Canyon Spirit that runs from Denver to Moab in the US, Rocky Mountaineer currently runs three itineraries: First Passage to the West, Journey Through the Clouds, and Rainforest to Gold Rush with Passage to the Peaks coming in 2026, and can also be combined. rockymountaineer.com
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