The Best of the Rockies by Rail: Western Canada's Splendor

Whether traveling solo, with a spouse or friend or sibling, Road Scholar takes the stress out of traveling! They plan all the little details and allow us to just enjoy the trip and take in the sights. They hire only the very best local experts to lead talks and activities, and it is always fun to learn about the history. Food and restaurants have been absolutely yummy! Accommodations super comfy and convenient. I highly recommend Road Scholar and look forward to our next adventure together!

The Best of the Rockies by Rail was SPECTACULAR!! It was our first Road Scholar trip and we were pleasantly surprised by the tour guides, the gorgeous accommodations and delicious meals. We also made lifetime friends!

The Best of the Rockies tour was outstanding. It was our first trip with Road Scholars. When I signed up, I knew I would hav great train journey on the Rocky Mountaineer, but didn't really know what to expect from the rest of the trip. Initially I was concerned because of changes forced by wildfires, rail strikes and a potential airline strike. But, changes were made in such a way as to result in a very enjoyable trip. My wife said, before the trip, she wasn't really a "mountain type" person. This trip changed her mind. We both loved the entire excursion.

This trip to Canada and especially the 2-day ride on the Rocky Mountaineer was fabulous!!! The scenery was awesome-splendid mountains, beautiful trees and foliage, and clear blue lakes and rivers!!!! Our tour leader was Wesley Wenhardt. Wesley was kind, considerate, and helpful. He made this trip a trip of a lifetime for me. He told everyone every detail that was necessary for us to experience each part of our Canadian trip to the fullest. Wesley shared so much good information. He is a wealth of knowledge and information! He was so kind and respectful to all 31 travelers in this group, all guides, experts, and presenters. I was so proud to be a part of his group because he was such a professional group leader who was personable and easy to talk to and to have fun with. I appreciated that he expressed gratitude to all of the people who helped us along during our trip from Calgary to Vancouver. His open authentic gracious demeanor was refreshing, and it contributed to everyone feeling comfortable and at ease. All presenters and experts were so kind and personable while they shared with us their knowledge and expertise. Each one was welcoming and gracious. As I said this trip was a trip of a lifetime for me. Our group leader, Wesley Wenhardt, and all of the presenters and experts were excellent ambassadors for our lovely neighbor, Canada. Thank you for making us feel at home and helping us to enjoy and experience your beautiful, majestic country.

This trip was one of the best I've taken. Our tour leader, Wes, was extremely knowledgeable, personable and participant oriented, i.e., wanted us to have a terrific experience. He set a very positive tone for our group, was always available and willing to help with any issues that arose during the trip. Local experts also provided a wealth of information and we were provided with in depth information on the geology, history and natural beauty of the area. Our two days on the Rocky Mountaineer were wonderful - stellar service, meals and commentary along the route. Kudos to Road Scholar, whose planners must have had to pivot very quickly in light of the Jasper area wildfires. Very enjoyable trip >> highly recommend!

Wow! What a great trip! I have to say that our trip was even more special because of our leader, Wes Wenhardt. Wes truly is an exceptional leader and representative for Road Scholar. Each day he made sure we knew what was going on for the day, handled any issues that arose, and insured we had the maximum experience. I can only hope that our next trip will have a Wes Wenhardt! Very impressive!!!

The excursions by coach and luxury train from Calgary to Kamloops to Vancouver were comfortable and memorable. All the subject experts along the way were interesting, and group leader Wes was wonderful. Can't forget coach driver Alex who safely navigated some pretty hairy mountain roads with ease

This was an excellent trip! From the moment we arrived in Calgary, our group of over 30 road scholars was well looked after by our guide Wes Weinhardt. The scenery on the two day train journey was spectacular. I highly recommend visiting this area and learning more about our Canadian neighbors.

This was one of the best trips we've ever taken, and we've traveled all over the world doing nature-focused vacations. We loved our Group Leader, the additional speakers who joined our adventure along the way and especially the actual location with its amazing vistas and lovely towns. We chose the gold leaf package and were especially pleased at how great our lodging in Banff at the Rimrock and our lodging in Vancouver at Sutton Place ended up being. The best part of the trip was the Rocky Mountaineer experience (which we almost missed out on due to the train strike in Canada). The staff in our train car performed way above expectations. The food was amazing. The drinks (the choices of wine especially) were better than expected for being inclusive in the price. And...the best...was the view from our seats. We saw spectacular wildlife; a grizzly, a mama and baby moose, a young black bear, mountain goats, salmon running and lots of Osprey and Bald Eagles. We would recommend this trip to many of our friends and family who also love the outdoors. Very pleased!

This is a great, interesting program.

This was my first RS trip and overall, I was quite impressed, especially with Greg Allamang. Greg is grace under fire as he navigated through several glitches. Zero critique of Greg's abilities. The geologist talk was absolutely delightful and dovetailed nicely with our trip to come. The Canadian Rockies did not fail to delight us. All of the other guides and specialists were top notch and appreciated. The cancellation of Jasper, of course, was due to the fire, so it is understandable that we had to punt. It seems this resulted in increased tour bus time and extended time in Banff. For my travel partner and I, we would have preferred fewer stops but more time to hike and explore. The extra days in Banff were appreciated, especially at the Royal Canadian. The Banff Centre was a bit rustic. The central disappointment was the cancellation of the train from Calgary to Kamloops. Again with the extended time on a tour bus; only this time with nearly full busses as other train passengers needed transport as well. The Canadian Rocky Train between Kamloops and Vancouver met every expectation of comfort and class. Every where we looked, there was natural beauty. This was the highlight far and away of this trip. Overall, the meals provided and the accommodations were satisfactory to excellent. We appreciated lots of time to walk around Vancouver. It was a memorable trip. Canada is calling us back! We know it takes a team to provide such service, so thanks to all who helped.

Wonderful "bucket list" experience, especially enhanced by an outstanding tour director and meeting new friends.

Wonderful program overall and Gregg is an outstanding and very resourceful guide when the unexpected happens. The daily programs were lead by very well informed and interesting leaders. If you like to be educated and are put off by being dropped off a souvenir shops on a tour you’ve paid for, this is the program for you.

The Rockies By Rail is a comprehensive and well organized program with knowledgeable Group Leader and instructors. The field trips were great with multiple views of the lakes and mountains. The Rocky Mountaineer experience including the gold leaf service and scenery are excellent.

As usual, Road Scholar didn't disappoint. Our guide, Jake Johnson, was wonderful -- had probably climbed every mountain we saw so had an in-depth knowledge of the land and culture we were seeing. The special guides were fabulous too -- we learned about the geology, nature/animals, city planning in Vancouver and so much about Indigenous cultures and the development of Canada. We did run into smoke and heat - were two days ahead of the fire in Jasper -- so I would suggest going in spring or mid-fall -- but they did a great job of taking care of us -- it was still a fabulous time. The Icefields Parkway was stunning and Lake Louise and Moraine were incredible -- so blue! It was a fabulous trip with great fellow travelers!

The Canadian Rockies trip/rail was absolutely fantastic. A must for most bucket lists.

Road Scholar offers an unbeatable travel experience. Our Group Leader, Wesley Wenhardt, was organized, communicated effectively and efficiently, despite the changing Jasper situation. He and his support team coordinated and navigated expertly through a very difficult situation, plus they did it amazingly quickly. This is especially impressive because so many people in the area were scrambling to pin down an alternate plan to route around Jasper. For this and for many other reasons, I will always have loyalty to Road Scholar for my travel plans.

Road Scholar is excellent at structuring a tour and making adjustments when needed. The leader of the tour, the speakers on the tour, the accommodations and meals were all fantastic. The best, tho, were the people in our group -- all exceptional and fun.

This was an incredible program and those participating made the tour even more enjoyable. Road Scholar does a great job of putting together the activities and has a great staff to coordinate making it a worthwhile experience. You cannot go wrong by joining them.

The program was outstanding and memorable, especially memorable because of the presence of wild fires along the route, and the closing of the town of Jasper a short time after we departed on the train.

Wonderful presentations as we walked around. Wish I could have recorded since excellent and would love to relive. Impressed with the degree of experience and scholarship of presenters. Some amazing backgrounds.

A lovely way to learn about Western Canada and its history, present, and future. Beautiful scenery, excellent instructors, interesting field trips. Train ride was a bucket list item.

Sight seeing at its best!

Spectacular scenery, and the Rocky Mountaineer is a wonderful experience! Great trip.

This trip was a perfect mix of walking, bus riding and free time to see and learn so much wonderful information about the Western Rockies of Canada. The Rocky Mountaineer experience was superb!

Our "Journey Through the Clouds" in the Canadian Rockies was truly an eye-opener. We had been to Banff and Calgary before, but the addition of Jasper, Kamloops, and Vancouver made the learning content far superior

I chose this program because I wanted to see the Canadian Rockies and I wanted a train ride through at least part of them. This program provided those experiences and so much more. The instructors were knowledgeable and entertaining, we had lovely accommodations and were surrounded by beautiful scenery. It was even better than I expected.

Patricia was most organized. Dan, the bus driver, was quite safe and professional. Lodging was more upscale than I'm used to, maybe we were off season. Sweet folks took care of us older folks. Bill

The Rocky Mountaineer experience is superb: wonderful views of scenery, excellent meals, and very comfortable. The staff was efficient and friendly. Presenters were well informed and interesting, delightful people. I highly recommend this trip!.

On my bucket list, this was the seventh - and very nearly the best - Road Scholar program I've experienced since 2016. Everything was stellar. Kudos to our Program Guide, Andrea Sawchuk, whose expertise and demonstrated TLC of the entire group were just extraordinary.

One of my top trips in all my travels. Excellent guide made a big impact on my experience on this trip. Great way to see this part of Canada.

The Best of the Rockies by Rail - If you really want to experience the wonder of the Rockies, this is the way to do it. The guides are local and know their territory intimately and the visual experience is breathtaking. You'll come away appreciating our neighbor to the north in a whole new way.

OUTSTANDING EXPERIENCE

This is a beautiful part of the world with a rich history. First class accommodations, transportation, knowledgeable staff and interesting participants to share it with make this a special trip. We were fortunate to dodge the smoke that has been present this summer so the views were stunning and we learned much from our guides and presenters. Our group had a brush with Covid and I was impressed with how Road Scholar adjusted for that. I would definitely recommend this as a "must do" experience.

The trip to the Canadian Rockies was very good. Having the top train option was good. I'm not sure the trip was worth the very high cost, but it may have been.

Excellent trip. The Rocky Mountaineer does the best it can, even if it may be kind of slow. Spectacular scenery.

This program was all that I expected. Jacob, our group leader, was great. All the experts were great. The scenery was great. I highly recommend this program if you're interested in the topic.

This is a great trip! We had a fabulous guide (Andrea) who gave us a great mix of wild scenery, history, and urban fun, with a relaxing trip on the Rocky Mountaineer in between. Highly recommended.

Wonderful experience on the Best of the Rockies by Rail! Andrea was outstanding tour director! Beautiful scenery and great educational experience!

Taking a train through the Canadian Rockies is the way to go. I saw things I would not have been able to see any other way.

This trip was on my bucket list and it was everything I had hoped it would be! Scenic beauty every day! Train trip was awesome! Andrea was an EXCELLENT tour guide!! Was not ready for it to be over!!

It was great to have an educational, interesting, and entertaining travel experience with all the meals, travel, hotels and agenda taken care of!

The Best of the Rockies by Rail: Western Canada's Splendor really lived up to its name. The mountains, lakes, glaciers, vistas, etc. were truly spectacular. And we saw elk, bears, big horn sheep, mountain goats and more. I highly recommend this trip.

Andrea , our leader, was amazing!

The Canadian Rocky Rail trip was an excellent experience. The Group Leader-Andrea was one of the best I have ever had-she made the experience a once in a lifetime trip. The beauty of this region is breathtaking-most days we walked away with a sense of the Canadian Rocky Mountain majesty

This is THE trip to experience the Canadian Rockies. Our guide, Andrea was truly outstanding. The Mountaineer Train journey was exceptional - as with the majestic views, along with the service from the mountaineer staff to include the delicious food along with the fine wines.

This program lived up to its description of magnificent beauty and superior leadership by our group leader.

Had a wonderful time in the Canadian Rockies. So beautiful! Made new friends. Andrea, our tour guide was the absolute best!

Great program! recommended.

Great trip, good lectures, food and accommodations. Excellent tour guide and a good way for a single to travel. I have done 3 trips with Roads Scholar since I am a widow and all have more than met my expectations.

The Canadian Rocky trip was awesome. It met our expectations and highly recommend the trip to others. We enjoyed the fresh clean air and activities in the No brains.

Beautiful scenery, well organized and friendly group leader, lots to see and do, great views from the train - overall, an outstanding trip!

Enjoyed trip and great group. Our leaders were excellent. Train ride was amazing Highly recommend it

The Best of the Rockies by Rail was a wonderful, fantastic, awesome program! If you are questioning if it is worth it, no doubt about it! Very well organized and the group leader was able to handle any problems that arose. Roneil Grant is terrific!

The Best of the Canadian Rockies by Rail is a fantastic experience that is awesome in its grandeur and special in the natural wonders you see. Add to that the Rocky Mountaineer Train ride which ties a bow on this travel adventure not to be missed.

This program will appeal to people who enjoy being outdoors and active, taking in the sights of the Canadian Rockies on foot, by coach, and by rail. Prepare to be wowed by the scenery and the accommodations.

Great Trip!

I would prefer to get my packet, itineraries and information by mail. Navigating your website is time consuming

Great website!

This was my first Rhode Scholar trip and I was very impressed with the on-site staff, the location and the program.

What a wonderful trip through the Canadian Rockies! We were in such awe of all the natural beauty of the area. We really enjoyed the Rocky Mountaineer portion of the trip. We had wonderful guides/ lecturers throughout and our group leader Mary was excellent. She stayed on top of everything and greatly added to our experience.

The trip itself was wonderful. Like most plane trips this summer it was delayed and took me over 25 hours to get from Boston to Calgary. When I got there at 2:30 am I was stranded at the airport, since the number for the hotel informed me they no longer had a shuttle. I received information on a voucher from Vancouver to the airport but did not get information about a voucher for a cab from the airport to the hotel. A driver from another hotel took pity on me on his 3rd trip around when I was still there and took me to the hotel. Our leader was great but got Covid a week in. Ron took over and was also very good. I have not received any pictures that he took of the group. I got showed symptoms of Covid on the way home and tested positive at home. The trip itself was spectacular with a great group of people.

Our visit to the the Canadian Rockies and Banff was spectacular considering the views, information about pioneers, settlement of this area, and group leader.

This was our third trip with Road Scholar. As usual, the itinerary was well-planned, and the small group we traveled with was a great deal of fun. Our guide, Ron was hilarious, helpful and well-organized. He kept us all moving along smoothly. The hotels were all very nice, although the hotel in Jasper was definitely not up to the standards of the others. The Rocky Mountaineer was fantastic - gorgeous scenery, an energetic, fun and well-informed staff, and more to eat and drink than we could ever need. Unfortunately, on the 4th day of the trip, I fell and fractured my clavicle, so my personal enjoyment of the trip and ability to partake in many of the activities were substantially diminished. But, Ron and my fellow travelers all were so helpful and understanding.

Gorgeous mountain peaks, massive glaciers, shimmering turquoise lakes, roaring rivers and great guides topped off by a luxury train trip down to the coast. What's not to love!

Great trip but better scenery in the coach part (first half) than the rail part (second half). Various members of the group got sick with COVID, including my husband and me; we had to miss the last day because of it. Wonderful tour guide.

You often see how stunning the Canadian Rockies are in photos, but seeing it in person is an "all-time high" to experience. At every turn the mountain views, waterfalls, rivers, and lakes beg you to photograph each one. God created a beautiful world for us to fully enjoy!

The tour provides jaw dropping beauty at every turn. You get to experience the Canadian Rockies, semi-arid regions and Coastal Mountains by walking tours, motor coach and the Rocky Mountaineer train. We enjoyed discovering Calgary, Banff, Jasper, Kamloops and Vancouver. An experience of a lifetime!

The Rockies by Rail tour covered everything I had wanted to see in the Canadian Rockies - Banff, Lake Louise, the Rocky Mountaineer - plus places I had not thought about seeing - Calgary, Jasper and environs. The information presented on geology, history, and art was stimulating even though I won't remember it all.

If a trip through the Canadian Rockies is on your "bucket list", this is a tour to consider. I can't say enough positive things about our experience. Everything exceeded our expectations. Road Scholar and its team "knocked this one outta the park". Thank you.

Excellent well organized program with activities centered around the unique program offerings of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The Rocky Mountaineer Gold Leaf train ride and customer service is a special lifetime opportunity.

Website is great but the email response of one week was too long.

I went primarily for the train ride through the mountains. The train ride exceeded my expectations. In addition, the trip expanded my knowledge and understanding of the history/geography and culture of the area.

This was a wonderful trip. The scenery is spectacular. Andrea, our host, was exceptional. The Canadians we met were warm and engaging. By the end I was exhausted but in a very good way.

I really enjoyed this trip. We got to see so many beautiful sights and visit some beautiful places.

This website was very easy to use.

This was a terrific trip in every way. Stunning scenery and learning experiences. The Rock Mountaineer trip was the icing on the cake. Lovely accommodations, meals and a happy bunch of travelers. Thumbs up!

Amazing trip! The Rockies are so beautiful. We saw deer, big horned sheep, mountain goats, bears and eagles. The train exceeded my expectations (gold leaf service) with 5 star level attention and service. This was a great trip to see Alberta and BC. Highly recommend it!

This was a fantastic tour. The guide and local experts were exceptional. Overall a great experience of a lifetime!

Outstanding! Not to be missed

Beautiful trip through the Rockies! Enjoyed all the scenery, and the trip on the Rocky Mountaineer was something I had always wanted to try. I would highly recommend this trip!

This was an excellent experience with an exceptional guide and experts. After comparing this tour with others to the Canadian Rockies, it was certainly of greater value. It included more days, meals, two days on the Rocky Mountaineer, and visits to the important sites in the area.

Our program leader, Susan, was so outstanding that she enhanced every aspect of this program.

My wife and I took this trip Sept. 1-12, 2019 and loved it! The scenery was jaw-dropping, even exceeding what I had long imagined. The program’s instructors were informative and entertaining and the right balance was struck between education and travel. We spent sufficient time in Banff and Vancouver to give us a good experience in both and the train trip with Gold Leaf service was sublime. Our leader, Craig Oldfield, was great and our group of 32 one big family. This was a wonderful experience.

Great tour of the Canadian Rockies !! The Rock Mountaineer Silver Leaf service is excellent - don't bother with the Gold.

I loved this program. I would give it an "A" for organization and seeing the best sights of the parks. The educational aspect was a bit overdone and could be shortened. (skip the City of Vancouver Museum and stay on Granville Island) The Rocky Mountaineer Train ride was interesting--one of a kind experience. But, I felt it was about 40% of the cost of the trip and very expensive--not quite worth it. I would not do it again (train). The food on the train was good, but not outstanding. Scenery, of course, was fantastic. Our group leader Craig was outstanding.

Offering the Rocky Mountaineer Gold Leaf option was only ONE part of this exceptional program The talks, the walks, and the sites visited were outdistancing ... due in part to nature, of course!

Our trip to the Canadian Rockies with Road Scholar filled us with awe, excitement, knowledge and rich memories. The trip exceeded our expectations.

The Rockies by Rail is a travel highlight: stunning natural wonders that truly defy description, great accommodations, superb guides and the Rocky Mountaineer is an experience not to be missed. It's a full itinerary but not overwhelming, with time to explore on your own. Another highlight: High Tea at the Banff Springs Hotel!

What an outstanding adventure! If you want to learn about Western Canada, this is the trip for you.

Wonderful scenery and Rocky Mountaineer is excellent.