Train travel is one of the greatest and most sustainable ways to see the world and there's one experience in particular that every rail enthusiast will have high on their list: Canada's Rocky Mountaineer train.
If your train rides have always been about getting you from A to B, this is the game-changing bucket list adventure that will change everything you know about railways.
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Offering a holiday experience where the journey is the attraction, the Rocky Mountaineer train is the ultimate ride for nature and wildlife fans.
You won't find standard carriages on the Rocky Mountaineer either and, unlike the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express or Belmond British Pullman, it's not about transporting you back to the glamour of the Golden Age of travel with opulent interiors. The Rocky Mountaineer train highlights Canada's captivating scenery - and its impressive glass-domed rail carriages are why it's one of the greatest railway journeys in the world.
While you'll find many luxuries on board this train, including the dining (think local wines and fresh salmon plucked from the Pacific Northwest), the five-star feature every nature lover wants to find on a train is access to the surroundings - and the Rocky Mountaineer doesn't disappoint.
Each glass-roofed carriage is a room with a view, where you'll want to stretch your legs and take in the spectacular scenery from all angles. The upper levels have spacious seats for you to sink into, while the lower levels are for dining.
When it comes to taking in the sights from a Rocky Mountaineer train ride, you'll see dramatic canyons, majestic waterfalls, turquoise lakes and towering peaks. As the train travels at a relaxed 35mph, you'll be able to spot the native wildlife too. Black bears, grizzlies, ospreys, bald eagles, bighorn sheep, elk and even cougars have been spotted from the train.
The on-board hosts will point out when wildlife is visible and the driver will slow the train so that you can fully appreciate these magnificent creatures in their natural habitats.
The train's Silver Leaf carriages are equipped with over-sized windows, perfect for taking in the scenery, plus a small outdoor area. Gold Leaf carriages boast full-dome windows on the upper level and a spacious outdoor viewing platform on the lower level, so that you can really appreciate the apassing nature and take in the fresh mountain air. Country Living's Rocky Mountaineer exprience includes the chance to upgrade from Silver Leaf to a Gold Leaf carriage.
Want to see the magic for yourself? Browse the photos below to see inside the Rocky Mountaineer train's amazing carriages before planning the trip of a lifetime.
Experience the Rocky Mountaineer train with Country Living on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Canada and Alaska. You'll spend two days traversing the Canadian wilderness on the Rocky Mountaineer before pulling into Vancouver, where you will board a luxury cruise ship and sail Alaska's Inside Passage.
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The Rocky Mountaineer train travelling along the Seton Lake
A canyon in Jasper National Park
An onboard Host speaking about the scenery from a Rocky Mountaineer carriage
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Hell's Gate seen from the Rocky Mountaineer train
Travellers taking photos of the scenery in a SilverLeaf carriage
A couple enjoying the view from a an outdoor viewing platform on Rocky Mountaineer
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A couple taking photos through the train's panoramic windows
A black bear in the bushes
A couple taking photos from the Rocky Mountaineer´s windows
View from a GoldLeaf carriage
Rocky Mountaineer train travelling past Moose Lake
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Couples enjoying breakfast together in a GoldLeaf dining room
A traveller taking a photo from a GoldLeaf outdoor viewing platform
An onboard Host storytelling in a SilverLeaf carriage
Friends taking photos from a GoldLeaf outdoor viewing platform
A man taking a photo of the scenery from a GoldLeaf outdoor viewing platform
A chef serving breakfast seatside in a SilverLeaf carriage
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The Rocky Mountaineer train travelling through forests
A elk seen in the forest
Two guests socialising over a glass of wine in a SilverLeaf carriage
Travellers taking in the scenery in a SilverLeaf dome
A heron flying over a lake
A traveller looking outside from a GoldLeaf dome