A few years back I flew into Calgary and drove the amazing highway up to Banff. The sparkling blue sky stretched across the horizon without a cloud to be seen. There was no traffic on this broad stretch of road that I followed up towards the snow capped mountains. All of a sudden there were flashing lights and sirens and I was pulled over by a dashing young Mountie – oh dear out on the open road had brought out the lead foot in my driving! After quite a chat explaining that I had just hopped off a long flight and that I was only the doing the speed we would be doing at home (well…) handle bar moustachioed Mountie explained that he had put a cross on the top of my ticket and that meant that if I didn’t pay the fine they wouldn’t be pursuing me this time! Have a nice day!
What an introduction to Western Canada. The rest of the trip was spectacular. The Canadian Rockies are breathtakingly beautiful with soaring craggy mountains the snow glittering even in summer, emerald green forests, milky blue glacier melt lakes, and wildlife to watch out for. Walking trails lead to waterfalls and even the Athabasca Glacier.
The locals are warm and welcoming and the townships are a delight to explore. Banff has a hint of the wildwest feel and it grew up around the train line built in the late 19th century. The famous Banff Springs hotel still stands today and if you have a chance to indulge in their afternoon tea you will sit in a delightful room with spectacular views.
Chateau Lake Louise is another iconic hotel nestled on the edge of the lake with fabulous views. Take a while to walk around the lake – the walking track is well maintained and all you can hear are the birds and the waterfalls. The short circuit is about an hour however there are longer trails for the more adventurous.
Depending upon when you visit the wildlife will be more active and easier to spot. On your travels you may need to stop as bears and moose often cross the road. You may also spot beaver and elkhorn sheep, wolves or Coyote. Look up into the sky to see the majestic birds of prey soaring over head. This wilderness area is spectacular.
The famous Rocky Mountaineer railway is a wonderful way to travel between Vancouver and the Rockies. Whether you travel in silver leaf or gold leaf the experience will no doubt form life time memories. The two day journey is broken with an overnight stop in Kamloops meaning that all of your travel is in daylight hours and you also get a good nights sleep in an hotel!
Sailing out of beautiful Vancouver north along the inside passage to the remote towns of Alaska is an amazing experience. Make sure to take your binoculars to spot the wildlife. Visit the small outpost townships of Juneau and Skagway. Watch out for glaciers calving into the ocean and whales beaching.
It is understandable why the classic combination of the Rockies and an Alaskan cruise is on everyone’s wish list. There are several ways to take this trip and Collette, a North American travel partner offer wonderful journeys exploring spectacular North West America.
