Rail & Sail: The Rocky Mountaineer & Alaska with Silversea

Day 1: Arrival in Banff

Your private transfer meets you at Calgary International Airport for the scenic drive into the Canadian Rockies, and what an arrival it is. As the mountains grow larger through the windscreen, the anticipation builds perfectly.

Your home for the next two nights is the legendary Fairmont Banff Springs, one of those rare properties that manages to exceed even the highest expectations. Modelled on a 19th-century Scottish Baronial castle and set against the full grandeur of the Rockies, it is as much a landmark as it is a place to stay. Eight restaurants, a world-class spa, a fitness centre and an acclaimed 18-hole golf course all await.

Day 2: A Tour of Banff National Park

This morning belongs entirely to the mountains. Your private guide collects you for an exploration of Banff National Park, not just the famous viewpoints, but the quieter, lesser-known corners that most visitors never find.

Explore mirror-calm waters of Two Jack Lake, the thundering cascade of Bow Falls, the otherworldly rock formations of the Hoodoos along Tunnel Mountain Drive, and the sweeping panorama from Mt. Norquay, where bighorn sheep have a habit of appearing at the most wonderfully unexpected moments. The Cave and Basin National Historic Site, the very birthplace of Banff National Park, adds a fascinating layer of history to what is otherwise a feast for the eyes. Your guide will ensure you leave with both a deeper understanding of this remarkable place and a camera full of images that will never quite do it justice.

Day 3: Banff to Vancouver aboard the Rocky Mountaineer

A shuttle transfer delivers you to Banff Railway Station, where two days of truly world-class rail travel await in the elevated comfort of GoldLeaf service.

The genius of this journey lies in one simple detail: the train travels exclusively by daylight, ensuring not a single moment of the extraordinary scenery passes you by. Day one traces raging mountain rivers westward through the legendary Spiral Tunnels, Kicking Horse Pass and Rogers Pass, a masterclass in natural drama, before arriving into Kamloops for the night. 

Day 4: Railway Through the Rockies

Today reveals an entirely different but equally breathtaking landscape: the fertile fields of the Fraser River Valley, the towering Coastal Mountains and the raw, churning power of Hell's Gate, before your arrival into Vancouver. Freshly prepared breakfasts and lunches are served daily, and an exclusive outdoor observation deck ensures you never have to choose between comfort and the view.

Day 7: Farewell to Vancouver

Your journey draws to a close this morning as your private transfers you from the Fairmont Pacific Rim to Canada Place Cruise Ship Terminal, and the next chapter of your adventure begins.

Day 8: Inside Passage

Settling into the rhythm of the Inside Passage feels like a privilege. Sheltered from the open Pacific by a scattering of islands, this remarkable 500 mile stretch of pristine British Columbian coastline unfolds like a living painting. Temperate rainforests cascade to the water's edge, bald eagles circle overhead and pods of orcas hunt salmon through the Johnstone Strait. Keep your camera close throughout, as dramatic encounters with wildlife are wonderfully commonplace. As you draw closer to Alaska, the totemic heritage of the First Nations people begins to reveal itself alongside the majestic profiles of Princess Royal and Pitt Islands.

Day 9: Ketchikan

A thrilling introduction to Alaska, Ketchikan earns its title as the Salmon Capital of the World with considerable pride. Cruise through the waters of the magnificent Misty Fjords National Monument or take to the skies in a sightseeing plane for a truly unforgettable perspective. Wildlife abounds here, with grizzly and black bears, cruising whales and basking seals all making regular appearances. The city's Heritage Center houses the world's largest collection of totem poles, preserving the extraordinary legacy of the indigenous Tlingit and Haida peoples. For something altogether more colourful, stroll along Creek Street, a row of crooked stilt buildings with a wonderfully roguish past.

Day 10: Icy Strait Point 

This is Alaska as you have always imagined it. Eagles soar above velvety green mountains whilst whales breach in crystalline waters below. Moody clouds gather over pebbly shores as kayaks and canoes await those eager to explore. Located on Chichagoff Island, Icy Strait Point is proudly home to more brown bears than people, making for genuinely immersive wilderness encounters. The destination is refreshingly authentic, with an Alaskan owned terminal that channels its profits back into the local community and employs the vast majority of residents from the nearby Tlingit village of Hoonah.

Day 11: Skagway 

The gold may be long gone, but Skagway retains every ounce of its pioneering spirit. The historic downtown, which sprang to life during the extraordinary 1890s gold rush, remains wonderfully evocative, particularly within the boundaries of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Board the legendary White Pass and Yukon Route railroad for a breathtaking journey through soaring mountain scenery, past tumbling waterfalls and over deeply carved gorges. Those who prefer to travel on foot can follow the storied Chilkoot Trail, walking in the footsteps of fortune seekers past. Brown bears, leaping salmon and circling bald eagles complete this magnificent tableau.

Day 12: Icy Bay 

There are few places on Earth that convey the sheer, unhurried power of nature quite like Icy Bay. Sapphire waters scattered with ancient ice, mountains of staggering scale and an atmosphere of profound, almost otherworldly silence await you here. Remarkably, the bay as we know it is barely a century old, carved from retreating glaciers within living memory. Harbour seals drape themselves across luminous blue ice whilst sea birds wheel overhead and the occasional grizzly picks its way along the water's edge. Wrap up warmly and prepare to be humbled.

Day 13: Valdez

Nestled within the deep waters of Prince William Sound, Valdez is a place of spectacular, unspoilt beauty. The Columbia Glacier, one of the fastest moving in the world, rewards those who venture close by boat or helicopter with an unforgettable display of dramatic calving. Sea kayaking through forgotten glaciers and ethereal ice caves offers a more intimate communion with the landscape, whilst the fishing here is quite simply outstanding. Brown bears, sea otters, eagles and whales all make frequent appearances, ensuring that every glance towards the water or treeline brings something remarkable.

Day 14: Seward

Your journey reaches its magnificent conclusion in Seward, gateway to the wonders of Kenai Fjords National Park. Glaciers spill down between mountain peaks from the vast Harding Icefield above, whilst fjords carve deep into the Kenai Peninsula below. A boat or kayak trip to Holgate Glacier brings you face to face with towering walls of blue and white ice, occasionally thundering into the waters with breathtaking force. Nearby Anchorage, home to nearly half of Alaska's population, offers a fascinating contrast to the s