This article was originally published on the Rocky Mountaineer blog.
Whether you prefer to be in the moment or to simply capture it, seeing one of Canada’s most historic rail routes through the lens of award-winning photographer Paul Zizka, will give you a deep appreciation of what it’s like to travel through the Canadian Rockies by train.
As the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words”, but this award-winning photographer’s work speaks volumes about what there is to see on a Rocky Mountaineer luxury train journey. Zizka has explored the world – from Antarctica to the Caribbean, Namibia to Iceland and New Zealand to Nepal – but some of the most remarkable sights are in his own backyard of Banff. After spending considerable time photographing and capturing the wonders of nature in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, Zizka can now scratch "travel from the Rockies onboard a luxury train" from his list.
The avid adventurer travelled onboard Rocky Mountaineer last spring and took advantage of the endless photo opportunities along its exclusive First Passage to the West rail route, the only passenger rail route between Vancouver and Banff. These are some of his favourite photos and captions from the experience, starting with the mountain town of Banff, Alberta.
1. Overlooking the beautiful town of Banff by night. The starting point of our journey.
2. An exciting start to the trip in Banff, with fresh snow and mind-blowing backdrops as the train arrived.
3. So special to be able to view some of the Rockies icons, like Castle Mountain, right from the comfort of the train.
4. Mount Stephen rose above us as we travelled through the famous Spiral Tunnels.
5. Snow-capped Rockies tower overhead as Rocky Mountaineer’s awesome onboard Host tells us some facts and history about the area we are passing through.
6. A spectacular view of snow-covered Chancellor Peak in Yoho National Park from the train.
7. We travelled through such a vast contrast of landscapes - from snowy peaks to dense, green forests.
8. We had no shortage of spectacular views on the journey and even experienced four seasons in a day!
9. There are not many places you can pair world-class meals and service with this scenery from your seat!
10. Endless photo opportunities and stunning weather gave us the perfect excuse to get outside and enjoy the fresh air.
Watch the video to learn about the trip Paul Zizka took on Rocky Mountaineer’s First Passage to the West rail route.
