Banff

Beautiful Banff National Park encompasses over 2,500 square miles and showcases Mother Nature at her finest, with valleys, mountains, glaciers, forest, meadows and rivers all providing ample outdoor activity options in both summer and winter.

The town of Banff is the gateway to the National Park, situated at the foot of Sulphur Mountain, and a bubbling hotspot of natural springs.  Visitors enjoy soaking in the healing waters after a day’s activities exploring the nearby walking trails, horse riding, white water rafting, and mountain biking trails.

The main service centre for the park is the resort town of Banff, bustling all year round: in winter it is a base for some excellent winter sports, and in summer a fantastic spot for walking and many other outdoor activities. The high street is busy with accommodation and restaurants but you don’t have to step too far off the beaten track to enjoy some fantastic walking trails and interesting natural wonders such as hot springs, hoodoos (a unique rock formation) and spectacular views.  Some visitors prefer to stay in quieter Canmore, about twenty minutes south of Banff, with access to outdoor activities and quirky cafes and art galleries to browse.

Take the Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain, hike the Fenland Loop Trail, looking out for beavers, bald eagles and osprey as you walk, rent a bike and cycle the Banff Legacy Trail, or hire a canoe to paddle along the calm Bow River or follow Forty Mile Creek to the Vermillion Lakes. There are also gentle float trips which lend themselves to spotting wildlife, including beavers, elk and birds of prey.  White water rafting trips depart from Horseshoe Canyon, on the Lower Bow River.

Jasper and the Icefields Parkway

The biggest attraction of Banff National Park has to be Lake Louise. It's known as the ‘Jewel of the Rockies' for its clear waters, surrounding peaks and stunning views. It's accessible via the Icefield Parkway, a spectacular driving route that links Lake Louise to Jasper National Park. Take a drive around Banff's largest lake and take advantage of the picnic spots and hiking trails at gorgeous Lake Minnewanka.

Also on the Icefields Parkway are the impressive Athabasca Falls, Sunwapta Falls, Columbia Icefields, Peyto Lake, and Bow Lake, all with walking trails, viewpoints and canoeing / kayaking activity opportunities.

Jasper offers breath taking sites and memorable experiences. Adventurers can take advantage of incredible backcountry locations, alpine day hikes, adrenaline-pumping mountain biking and great paddling. For a more relaxed pace, clients can choose from many scenic drives, picnics among majestic peaks, and unique wildlife viewing – a skytram to the top of Whistler Mountain, and bathing in the Miette Hot Springs.

Jasper National Park has been designated a Dark Sky Preserve: it is almost a guarantee that on a clear night, the stargazing is stellar in just about any spot in the park.  Take the short drive out to the clear blue glacier-fed Medicine Lake and ponder the universe as you take in billions of twinkling stars like never before. If you’re lucky, you may even see the aurora borealis, more frequent in the winter season but seen year round.

Photo credits: Attraction Pursuit/Chris Amat, Paul Zizka