CANADA & ALASKA
Alaska General
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Like Canada, driving in Canada is very easy. There is a terrific network of roads and rental car companies that make it a breeze.
Canada General
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Canada has an excellent rail network that is led by Via Rail, who operate intercity passenger rial services across the country. The service spans across 8 Canadian provinces linking major cities including Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto and Montréal. Via Rail operate a number of overnight or multi-day departures that offers a unique way to see the country.
World renowned Rocky Mountaineer is another major rail operator. Their luxurious trains operate almost exclusively in British Columbia, exploring the stunning Rocky Mountains. Their rail service runs from Vancouver to numerous towns including Jasper, Lake Louise and Banff.
Train Journeys
Rocky Mountaineer operate tours seasonally between April and early-October. This is because tours are run during the day to take full advantage of daylight hours, so you don’t miss any of the breathtaking scenery. This means you can appreciate the benefits of luxury Canadian rail travel but still enjoy the comforts of hotel accommodation overnight.
Rocky Mountaineer operate tours seasonally between April and early-October. This is because tours are run during the day to take full advantage of daylight hours, so you don’t miss any of the breathtaking scenery. This means you can appreciate the benefits of luxury Canadian rail travel but still enjoy the comforts of hotel accommodation overnight.
Both Silver Leaf and Gold Leaf offer excellent service, food, beverages and of course scenery. The major difference between the two is space and exclusivity. Gold Leaf offers seating in glass-domed cars that give unparalleled views of the Rocky Mountains. The car is also bi-level and features a lower level dining room and an outdoor viewing platform.
Via Rail is an independent Crown corporation of Canada. In 1977, the federal government created VIA Rail Canada with an exclusive mission to organise and provide all intercity passenger train services in Canada to reduce costs and improve service.
Rocky Mountaineer is a British Columbia based, family owned business established in 1990. The company has grown substantially over the last 30 years to become the largest privately owned luxury tourist train company in the world. Their goals still remains the same as it did when they first started out: to provide the most spectacular and unforgettable travel experiences in the world.
October is known as the ‘great last fall feast’ for grizzly bears. With spawned-out salmon pushed down to the river mouth, grizzly bears are lured out by easier fishing. With expansive viewing of the great outdoors, from the warmth and comfort of Rocky Mountaineer, those who travel to the Canadian Rockies in October may be able to see a grizzly bear before they go down for their winter sleep.
Yes, Via Rail operates a year-round service connecting Canada’s cities.
Both options are excellent and offer different benefits. Canada’s excellent rail system allows you to move easily between cities or towns within the Rockies and gives you the freedom to relax. If you enjoy overnight rail travel there are also a number of options available, such as Via Rail’s The Canadian, which connects Vancouver and Toronto.
Self-driving in Canada is also a viable option, with many car rental stores located across the country. Self-driving gives you the freedom to leave when you want, travel where you want and stop and look at fascinating scenery or historic sites as you go. Canada’s road system is also excellent, and a self-drive through the Canadian Rockies is easily combined with a rail tour with Rocky Mountaineer.
Northern Lights
Two of the best places to see the otherworldly Northern Lights are the pristine wildernesses surrounding Yukon’s capital Whitehorse and the remote Northwest Territories settlement of Yellowknife. Within these areas, remote backcountry lodges away from town lights provide some of the best places on earth to see the Aurora Borealis.
Remote Blachford Lake Lodge, a 25 minute flight from Yellowknife and located under the Aurora Oval is one of the best locations in the world to see the lights. Aside from its location, there are only 10 rooms at this property making it a truly exclusive experience.
The winter months is the best time to see the lights, but it does vary between locations:
Yellowknife – The best time to see the lights in Yellowknife is from mid-August to the end of September, and again from late-November to mid-April. October and the first few weeks of November are not the best times to see the lights due to weather, during this time of year it can be notoriously cloudy.
Whitehorse – Between August and early April is the best time to see the northern lights in the Yukon.
We strongly suggest a minimum of 3 nights at any of our lodges. This is for a number of reasons. Firstly because some are very remote and it takes time and effort to reach them; secondly because weather plays a part when seeing the lights and staying an extra night or two gives yourself more opportunities to see them; and thirdly because there is more to see and do than just the magic of aurora!