If you are looking to get away from the city and get back to Nature then Canada has a lot to offer. The Canadian Rockies are breath-taking, the lakes are unbelievable in their colours, and the forests go on as far as the eye can see.
Flying into Calgary International Airport, it’s less than 2 hours drive to get to the Rockies, and the drive is not your standard journey. You will be amongst the mountains before you know it and at every turn that is something stunning to see. For our trip we decided that we would visit Banff and see the famous lakes and sites in this part of the Rockies.
Tip: Pre-book the park and ride for Banff. You can park your car for free and for a small fee you can get buses between Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, and the Ski Lift Gondola.
We started our tour in Banff town where there are plenty of tourist shops and places to eat if you need fuelling before taking in all the natural sights. There is a great walk along Bow river where you can see the calm river turn to a powerful waterfall in no time.
Walking is not the only way to see the sights along Bow river, there is also canoeing and there are great tours offered by the Banff Canoe Club where you can hire individual canoe’s or go on one of their guided canoeing tours where one of their local experts can show you the sights. We chose their wildlife tour and the whole experience was excellent.
Another way to see this beautiful landscape, is from the Sulphur Mountain summit. You can hike or take the gondola to get to the top, and there are walkways to see Bow valley and Banff town as well as the mountaintop discovery centre where they have coffee, restaurants and a gift shop. Watch the sunset on the rooftop patio before heading inside for nightly live music.
Lake Louise is the most famous of the local lakes, and it is easy to see why. The colour of the water on the lake is stunning. When you arrive, the first thing you see is the hotel looking over the lake, but as soon as you are past the hotel, you see the lake and it’s glazier in all it’s stunning beauty. There is an easy walk around the lake or if you don’t mind spending on a canoe, then at tourist prices, you can have some time on the lake.
Moraine Lake, might not be as famous as Lake Louise, but don’t let that stop you from visiting! It is just a beautiful and in my opinion the better lake for canoeing on. There is a path that leads up to a viewing area to take in the whole lake, and a path around the lake that leads to the falls that feed the lake. You will find a few brave people wading in the water, but be warned, it is extremely cold. There is a small café and gift shop at the lake, but it’s best to bring your own food.
If you want to get away from the more tourist lakes, then just go for a drive and there are plenty of lakes and camping areas to be found. During our trip we went to Bow Lake and found it to be a very peaceful place for a picnic.
Along all these areas there is wildlife in abundance. As well as seeing chipmunks, beavers, elk, woodpeckers and many others, we were lucky enough to see a black bear and her cubs.
Tip: Keep your distance from all wildlife and just enjoy them from a safe distance. You can also buy bear spray to keep on you, just in case you have a close encounter.
The Canadian Rockies has so much to offer and so many ways to see it. If you like hiking then this will be the trip of a lifetime that you will always remember fondly. So get some walking boots, a backpack and get outside in the best possible way, seeing Banff and the surrounding areas.
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