What is Rocky Mountaineer?
Rocky Mountaineer is a train journey that goes from Vancouver to Banff, Jasper, and Lake Louise. The train stops in Kamloops for one night. The guests usually arrive from 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm and usually explore the city for a few hours into the evening. Guests on the train come from all over the world to experience Western Canada’s unique landscape. Kamloops is no exception. From the downtown core to the many parks within city limits, Kamloops has a lot to offer guests even just for the short few hours spent in Kamloops. The guests have shuttles to take them to the main attractions in the town, making it easier to explore without having to plan ahead. Here are some of the activities guests experience while in Kamloops:
- Music in the Park
- Shopping in Downtown Kamloops
- Walking through Riverside Park and Pioneer Park
- Eat in Kamloops various restaurants
Where Do Guests Stay?
The train arrives in downtown Kamloops at the platform on Station Plaza Road, and from there the visitors take a bus to their hotel. Some of the hotels they stay in include the Coast, Hilton, Delta, and Sandman. Rocky Mountaineer prefers to keep guests downtown, so they can enjoy activities like Music in the Park, or shop among the many local businesses. However, since not all the guests can stay in the downtown neighbourhood, Rocky provides shuttles to take visitors downtown from their hotel.
The photos below show some of the highlights Rocky Mountaineer guests see while in Kamloops. The picture on the left shows how guests are welcomed in the hotels. There are refreshments and snacks for the guests to enjoy after a long day on the train. The middle picture shows the North Thompson River, where the guests either leave or enter Kamloops from. The Right picture is a sunset by Pioneer Park; a popular park in downtown Kamloops.
Photo By Haylea Hill 
Photo By Shae-Lynn Forseille 
Photo By Shae-Lynn Forseille
The Employees Perspective:
Reasat has worked for Rocky Mountaineer for one season. Since it is his first summer in Canada, he is able to provide a unique, diverse, perspective. Here are his thoughts:
Haylea has worked for Rocky Mountaineer for multiple seasons. She knows the ins and outs of the train and how the operations work. Here is her extensive knowledge of the company:
What Makes the Kamloops Destination Unique?
Kamloops means the meeting of rivers. Rocky Mountain guests get to see Kamloops’ unique landscape. The climate is a semi-arid desert, unlike any of the other stops along the train route. Kamloops is hotter than the other destinations Rocky guests visit. Kamloops also has more sunlight in the summer than where the guests come from because of the Northern destination. While staying in Kamloops, the Rocky Mountaineer staff work hard to make the guests experience as seamless as possible. They have pre-planned shuttles, destination hosts to greet them at the train station and hotel, and have the bags ready when they arrive. Unlike other destinations, the bags are collected after the guests leave. The visitors enjoy having that extra hour or two to have a morning walk, or grab breakfast from one of Kamloops’ many local restaurants.