Canada & Alaska September 2026

"IT’S 5 O’CLOCK SOMEWHERE!!" 🍹
Today marked the beginning of our epic two-day westbound journey from Banff to Vancouver aboard the legendary Rocky Mountaineer, a world-class luxury rail experience that only runs from April to October.
Our morning started bright and early as we joined a massive convoy of 22 motor coaches, each perfectly synchronized to pull up alongside its allotted rail carriage. It was an incredible sight: 22 carriages, 2 powerful locomotives, and a total of 876 guests ready to roll. We were treated to a proper red-carpet boarding ceremony, flanked beautifully by the National Flag of Canada on one side and the Provincial Flag of Alberta on the other.
Once inside, we were introduced to our fantastic carriage hosts—chef Nick and our stewards Kayla and Taylor. They took incredible care of us in SilverLeaf service, keeping us constantly supplied with delicious food, drinks, and snacks all day long as we tracked and crossed seven distinct rivers en route to Kamloops.
Our geographical river-crawl across the changing landscape was fascinating:
1. The Bow River: The only river on our entire journey that flows east (eventually emptying into Hudson Bay); all the others head west toward the Pacific. Along the way, we made a brief stop at the historic Lake Louise Station to pick up more passengers.
2. The Kicking Horse River: We descended through the mind-boggling historic Spiral Tunnels, emerging into the rugged canyons surrounding this roaring river. The first spiral tunnel inside Mount Cathedral features a 228-degree turn to drop the train 50 feet, while the second inside Mount Ogden features a 226-degree turn to descend another 56 feet. Amazingly, these tunnels were completed on time and on budget back in 1909! The Rocky Mountaineer is the only regular passenger train permitted to use this historic route today.
3. The Columbia River: We crossed high above this spectacular, wide river valley before turning to climb deep into the Selkirk Mountains.
4. The Beaver River: The tracks hugged this river tightly as we pushed upward to tackle Rogers Pass, plunging directly through the massive Connaught Tunnel.
5. The Eagle River: Descending out of the mountain peaks, the scenery shifted into the lush, dense forests of the Shuswap area as we crossed this river.
6. The South Thompson River: As the afternoon rolled on, the landscape completely transformed into a dramatic, arid desert canyon running right alongside this river.
7. The North Thompson River: Finally, we arrived in Kamloops, right where the waters of the South and North Thompson rivers meet.
Our tour leader, Glen, joined us in our carriage and organized a trivia quiz for us every afternoon. It sparked plenty of giggles and brilliant banter as the drinks and food kicked in! We all took turns hanging out in the open vestibule area at the back of the carriage, snapping photos of the jaw-dropping wilderness and soaking in the camaraderie of our group.
The wildlife even made an appearance! Gra spotted a bear right near the tracks—though the train rumbled past just a bit too quickly for the rest of us to catch it. We also saw several majestic bald eagles soaring overhead. Of course, it wouldn't be a proper travel day without some comedy: Jo had a bit of an "incident" with the carriage toilet, which prompted a hilarious "beaver" comment from Gra and sent us into absolute stitches!
We also loved hearing the story of Doris and Brian, a local couple who have stood outside their house waving at the train every single day for over a decade. As a thank-you, the railway actually gifted them a free luxury trip onboard! It was genuinely heartwarming to see just how many locals stop what they are doing to wave at the train as it passes by.
Because the extraordinarily long freight trains get priority on these tracks, we had a few waiting delays along the way. The trip ran a fair bit longer than scheduled, meaning we ended up enjoying a bonus dinner service at our seats as the sun went down and the clocks rolled back an hour into a new time zone.
By the time we pulled into Kamloops after dark, the slick organization of the Rocky Mountaineer crew didn't skip a beat. We were seamlessly collected by another fleet of 22 motor coaches and whisked off to our hotels, where our luggage was already waiting safely inside our rooms!
It is truly amazing how utterly exhausting a full day of eating, drinking, and taking in world-class scenery can beRead more