If you really want to treat yourself to something special, board the Rocky Mountaineer for a two-days' ride
The train is a
masterpiece of engineering. The double-decker carriages have comfortable seats
and a glass doom to enable you to see the maximum of the majestic Rocky
Mountains. There is also an outdoor viewing platform which gives a chance of
taking a closer and perfect picture. The Gold leaf service will spoil you
beyond belief.
Every Gold Leaf carriage has its own kitchen. It will spoil
you with omelettes, eggs Benedict, pancakes, yoghurts and granola for
breakfast. For lunch you will taste Alberta beef, pacific salmon and British
Columbian wine. The dinner will be an even bigger surprise.
The Rocky Mountaineer trains only runs between April and
October because of the Canadian winters. A journey in the spring will give you
a chance to see a great wildlife. In the autumn the rivers will be teeming with
salmon and bears wading in the rivers to catch the fish. You will be able to
watch coyotes, deer, elks, eagles and ospreys.
For British Columbia to become part of Canada, instead of
the USA, the conditions were a coast-to-coast railway to be built. The harsh
Canadian winter and the landscape of huge mountains was a great challenge. It
entailed a 594-mile journey. It was built with a figure-of-eight tunnel system
to prevent runaway trains. The train makes a 226 degree turn and it is a most
fascinating sight. It enables you to see the track you travelled but is now
50ft below you.
If you travel from west to east you will experience an even
more awe inspiring scenery. There is the Fraser River, you will travel along
magnificent woodlands and then the high mountain tops to be admired.
The many names of unforgettable scenes are Hell’s Gate with
fast water gushing down. Avalanche Alley
and Jaws of Death Gorge will point out the danger and powerful nature.
After an overnight stop at Kamloops the sceneries are
getting more magic but it must have been even harder for the engineers to put
the railway through this beautiful countryside.
The Stoney Greek Bridge, at 325ft above the canon, leaves
you spellbound. However, the Spiral Tunnels built as far back as 1907 going
through Mont Odgen, rising another 54ft and then circled 288 degrees in
Cathedral Mountain leaves you speechless. There is no word to describe such an
achievement mot only of engineers but even harder for the workers who had to
built them almost by hand.
At Banff you will see scenery which is indescribable. A hot
spring on Sulphur Maintain will be beneficial for your health. A gondola ride
on Sulphur Mountain will give you an overall view of the majestic mountains.
These described experiences can’t be missed. Canada is
definitely worth a holiday and the train journey in the Rocky Mountaineer will
be unforgettable. The costs is £599pp and worth the price for such a service.
The flight from Gatwick to Vancouver is about £358pp. Prices will vary but it
might be cheaper to book them separately than package.
