Discover Banff, Canada via the Rocky Mountaineer

Australia may have the Ghan but Canada can claim one of the most spectacular train journeys in the world, the Rocky Mountaineer.

Here's why discovering little resort towns like Banff is best done by train.

Rocky Mountaineer, Canada's famed luxury train that travels from Vancouver through the Rockies to the resort towns of Banff, Jasper and beyond. However you don't sleep on the train, unlike other long train journeys, the train stops at a destination for nightfall where passengers can get a taste of the local residents and nightlife. The level service over the whole experience cannot be faulted as your belongings follow you everywhere you go, waiting for you when you arrive to your local hotel room, which adds to the almost magical journey where you simply forget about life's challenges and soak in a quality of life unparalleled.

One of the top stops on the trip, is Banff, Alberta:

Banff is a resort town with the population of just 7,847 in the province of Alberta, located within Banff National Park. On Banff Avenue, the main thoroughfare, boutiques and restaurants mix with château-style hotels and souvenir shops. If this sounds nice picture it with a backdrop of the peaks of Mt. Rundle and Mt. Cascade and 6,500 square kilometers of parkland where wildlife including elk and grizzly bears reside.

Back on the train, passengers usually consist of Americans, British a few Canadians and of course, Australians. To get an idea what it's like onboard and the scenery you may see, take a look below and move around to get a full 360 view.

You can read and research the Rocky Mountaineer all you like but there's something special about the journey and the experiences you get on this trip, find out why National Geographic called this one of the 'World's Best Journeys".

The NRMA provides travel packages which include the Rocky Mountaineer.