Founded in 1990, Rocky Mountaineer operates four rail routes, three of which connect Vancouver with the Canadian Rockies: the flagship First Passage to the West (ending in Banff/Lake Louise), Journey Through The Clouds (to Jasper via Kamloops) – which I boarded earlier this year, and Rainforest to Gold Rush (to Jasper via Whistler and Quesnel). Depending on your preference, these can each be worked into a package holiday, teamed with a self-drive or a coach tour through the Rockies, a city stay in Vancouver and even an Alaska cruise, to experience the region’s highlights in one memorable trip that’ll have you constantly reaching for your camera to snap away jaw-dropping view after view.

The ultimate window on Canada 

Each rail journey provides enchanting vistas of evergreen forest, soaring peaks, rugged ravines, cobalt blue lakes and ancient glaciers. And there’s no need to crane your neck to take it all in: one of the company’s USPs is its glass-domed coaches – introduced in 1995 but more recently tinted to reduce the glare of the sun – which permit panoramic views for everyone. Or else you can get even closer to the action in the outdoor viewing area.  

Or the best of the Midwest 

For something a little different, Rocky Mountaineer’s fourth route, and its first outside Canada, launched this summer. Rockies to the Red Rocks begins in Utah’s adventure capital, Moab, and terminates in the hipster magnet of Denver, Colorado. Gawp at the canyons and rock formations of Arches National Park, relax in Glenwood Springs, where thermal hot pools sit at the confluence of the Colorado and Roaring Fork rivers, and then discover craft breweries and street art in Denver, which enjoys a backdrop of snow-capped peaks.  

You don’t need to worry about cramped sleeping quarters 

Does the prospect of narrow bunks and tiny showers turn you off the prospect of a holiday on rails? Fear not. Rocky Mountaineer is distinct from other luxury trains, travelling during daylight hours and dispensing with sleeper carriages entirely. Instead, guests are transported to a high-end hotel at the end of each leg. There’s no lugging of suitcases, either, as your bags are transferred directly to your room.