7 Day Itinerary for Touring the Majestic Canadian Rockies

The first time I heard about the Canadian Rockies, we were young international students in Toronto. A fellow Pakistani student, who had visited the Rockies, said very emphatically that there is just one word to describe Banff and Jasper’s beauty. The one word he said in Urdu is “Jannat”, which translates to “Heaven” in English. He was absolutely right. The Canadian Rockies are enormous and their magnificence is beyond words. We had to experience it!

In August of 2019, we went touring the Canadian Rockies again, after 23 years. We were once again spellbound by the brilliance of the blue, turquoise and green lakes; the soaring mountains, massive waterfalls feeding glacial blue rivers; and dense Alpine green and red forest covers.

This is a long article with a detailed account of three entirely different 5, 6 and 7 Canadian Rockies itineraries, so be sure to bookmark or pin for future reference.

Overview and Map of our Detailed 7-Day Canadian Rockies Itinerary

We toured the Canadian Rockies for 7 days, from Sunday through Saturday. It gave us sufficient time for highlights, activities, and some experiences. If we had more time, we would do more hikes in Banff and Jasper.

Here’s an interactive Canadian Rockies map with most of the spots we visited and have described below.

Disclaimer: Pursuit and Brewster Sightseeing provided our tours but all opinions and the idea to write this blog are mine.

Day 1: Travel from San Francisco to Calgary, Banff, and Jasper

On Sunday morning we took an early flight from San Francisco to Calgary.

At the airport, we rented a car and drove from Calgary to Banff; had lunch in Banff; then drove from Banff to Jasper. The drive is 5 or more hours depending on the number of stops you make along the way. Our idea was to do much of the driving upfront with some quick stops on the route and later trace back in leisure. That way, on our last day, we would have a shorter drive from Banff to Calgary airport.

Drive from Calgary to Banff with Lunch at Wild Flour Bakery

Calgary is now a sprawling city that goes on for about half the drive to Banff. The most dramatic effect for me is on the drive from Calgary to Banff when suddenly the enormous mountains appear out of nowhere. The towering mountains look absolutely majestic. They seemingly standing still in peace, with no indication of the extreme action up close.

After driving for 1.5hours we reached Banff in time for a late lunch, at the famous Wild Flour Bakery. As luck would have it, we met our friend Lakshmi who stopped by at the same café, at the same time.

Drive from Banff to Jasper

The 3.5-hour drive from Banff to Jasper is absolutely stunning. There were many vista pullovers along the way. Each built with the visitor in mind. The massive mountains are covered in alpine forests as thick as can be. As we approached Jasper, the forests were redder than in Banff. Later we learned about the pine beetle infestation and how entire forests were filled with dry and dead pine trees.

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Read why trees in Jasper National Park turned red.

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We took a walk and spent some time by the Bow Lake and a lodge at the end of the side road.

Jasper and Alpine Village

We arrived in Jasper in the evening to a light drizzle and gorgeous views of clouds suspended alongside the mountains. As we pulled in to the Alpine village we instantly fell in love with our home for the next two days. Our home was a large, brand new wooden cabin tucked in all the way at the back of the property, surrounded by the Alpine forest.

After settling in, we went for an evening walk along the Athabaska river, across from the Alpine village. It felt refreshing to walk along the meandering riverfront, tall pines, and wildflower meadows. That night we decided to stay in the cottage and make a quick dinner in the full kitchen with brand new appliances. We eat a simple meal in the dining area in the cabin.

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Read about Accommodations in Jasper, Banff and the Canadian Rockies

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Read about the world-famous drive from Calgary to Banff to Jasper.

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Day 2: Jasper Raft Tour, Edith Cavell and Lakes of Jasper

On Monday, August 12th, we woke up to dark clouds and drizzles. We debated between resting in the cabin or hiking up the on Trail #1 for sweeping views of Jasper town and Jasper National Park. We ultimately stayed in and I took a walk exploring the Alpine village property. After a relaxing morning, we had a hearty breakfast in the cabin and then we drove up to check out a few lakes to the north of Jasper.

Annette Lake, Lake Edith, Fairmont

These lakes are famous for picture-perfect reflections of the surrounding mountains, swimming, boating, and fun family activities. The rain gave us a whole different perspective. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to return after the clouds cleared up because there are so many gorgeous lakes and not enough time.

Lunch in the Cabin

We came back to the cabin for a quick lunch. Earlier we had made a stop to the grocery store in Jasper for fresh sushi, half-prepared meals, fruit, and more breakfast supplies. I loved the kombucha noodles with mushrooms, sauces, and other vegetables. The nourishing and healthy meal in the National Park was very satisfying.

Jasper Raft Tour

At noon we went for a Jasper raft tour on the Athabasca River. It was an awesome way to experience the alpine beauty from the glacial rivers.

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Read our story of River Rafting in the Canadian Rockies

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Valley of Five Lakes

By mid-afternoon, the sun was mostly up and it was the perfect weather to head out for a hike to the Valley of Five Lakes. The 5 lakes have different colors because of the depth and minerals. As we hiked each lake brought a beautiful surprise.

Mount Edith Cavell

The drive to Edith Cavell was absolutely gorgeous. The hikes and views were stunning. But the stories there were out of this world – stories of avalanches, glaciers, the origin of water, new life and Edith Cavell herself.

A short hike from the parking lot leads up to a view of a fresh blue lake thats collecting water from absolutely massive waterfalls. The many waterfalls are fed by giant glaciers all around.

Dinner at Earls Kitchen in Jasper

Dinner at Earls Kitchen was deliciously satisfying. They served earthy and healthy food with plenty of vegan and vegetarian choices.

Day 3: Exploring Jasper – Maligne Canyon, Medicine Lake, Maligne Lake, Spirit Island, Horseback ride, Secret Hike, etc.

After an amazing day of rafting, hiking, dining, and many photo-stops, we woke up on Tuesday, August 13 to see what the bright and sunny morning would bring. This was our day of exploring Jasper National Park, the largest park in the Canadian Rockies, full of treasures. It is an absolute must for any Canadian Rockies Itinerary.

We joined the Explore Jasper tour with Brewster Sightseeing. They took us touring the highlights of Jasper town and the National Park. As they rightfully said – “From the heart of town to the wonders of the Maligne Valley, Jasper is both laid-back and majestic.”

Touring Canadian Rockies with Explore Jasper Tour

We took Pursuit-Brewster Sightseeing’s Explore Jasper bus tour, which is a rare phenomenon for our family. As it turns out, it was an efficient way to cover a lot of highlights, hear stories, see wildlife and enjoy the views from the higher vantage point and large windows of the luxury coach. Not for every time, but it was great for touring the Canadian Rockies.

During Summer of 2019, following were the logistics of the Explore Jasper Tour we took –

• Meeting Time: 9:15 am
• Meeting Location: Jasper Train Station parking lot on the right side of the station.
• Duration: 4.5 hrs without Maligne Lake and 6 hrs with Maligne Lake. In reality, we took almost 7 hours.
• Cost
  • Without Maligne Lake Cruise: $118 ‬adult / $59 child.
  • With Maligne Lake Cruise: $189 adult / $95 child.

Jasper’s Charming Townsite

A quintessential mountain town nestled on the Athabasca River, Jasper’s history dates back to 1813. It is significantly older than the town of Banff. Today, it’s bustling with shops, galleries, cafes and spectacular views in every direction. Jasper is a laid-back haven for active adventures.

Maligne Canyon

The Maligne Canyon was our first stop, not too far from Jasper town. Part of the Karst topography, Maligne Canyon is geologically fascinating with its underground cave and canyon system. The hike was beautiful in August, but it’s absolutely breathtaking in June when the water is part solid ice and part liquid. It is best viewed from the comfort of boardwalks and bridges that form several hikes in the area.

BS Canyon

As the story goes, young Fred Brewster (founder for Brewster Sightseeing) once boasted that he jumped this wide canyon on his horse. His friends thought he was BSing, hence the Canyon got its name as “the BS Canyon”, and the name lives on to this day.

When touring the Canadian Rockies the guide shared crazy stories of the Brewster brothers.

Medicine Lake

This beautiful large lake got its name as “Disappearing Lake” because sometimes it’s there and at other times it’s replaced by open mudflats. There are no rivers feeding the lake and none draining the lake.

The mysterious force that dries the lake is now known as the Karst system, an extensive system of underground rivers and canyons that are actively draining the lake.

The Excelsior fire raged in Jasper National Park between July 9 and July 20th, 2015. Started by lightning, it burnt 100 hectares of forest and 1,000 people were evacuated. Today, life is returning in full bloom.

Maligne Lake

Having explored so many beautiful sights, our tour culminated in an unforgettable cruise on Maligne Lake to Spirit Island.

Some visitors stay in Maligne Lodge by the Maligne lake to enjoy the activities, hikes and the cafe. But I would say no Canadian Rockies itinerary can be complete without a cruise on Maligne Lake and a visit to the Spirit Island.

Maligne Lake Cruise to Spirit Island

Maligne Lake is an oblong-shaped lake. The cruise only goes about two-thirds of the way, ending at the Spirit Island. The remaining one-third is pristine nature only reachable by canoe. Spirit Island is said to be the most photographed place in Canada and its obvious why.

One of the awesome aspects of touring Canadian Rockies with Pursuit was its knowledgable guides. Surprisingly, almost all the staff we met were women, including the boat captain, guides, bus drivers, reception staff, ticketing agents, etc.

Pyramid Mountain Viewpoint

Our last stop on the Explore Jasper tour was a viewpoint with stunning views of the entire valley with Pyramid mountain and lake. We enjoyed the views with a special local treat from the guide – Scones from Bear Paw Bakery in Jasper.

Horseback Ride at Pyramid Lake

As our Explore Jasper tour was running late, we rushed up to Pyramid mountain for our 4 pm horseback trail ride with Jasper Riding Stables. The group had already left so we got a wonderful private trail ride through amazing sceneries around Pyramid lake and the mountains.

Check-In to Jasper House Bungalows

Jasper and Banff were extremely busy in the summer of 2019 and finding a good place to stay was the biggest challenge even when one was ready to pay 2-3 times the regular price. We were only able to get Alpine Village for 2 nights and luckily we found Jasper House Bungalows for our third night in Jasper. It was a comfortable bungalow with Athabasca river in our bungalow’s backward, a large lawn, a couple of bedrooms and a full kitchen. it was comfortable but nothing fancy.

We noticed that there are two kinds of accommodations in Jasper (a) cabins or bungalows outside of town in the woods and (b) hotel or motel type rooms in downtown or in big hotels. We picked the spacious cabins in Jasper and it seemed more authentic to the national park’s vibe.

Drive to Marmot Basin Ski Area and Secret Hike

The staff at Jasper House Bungalows had told us about a secret hike on Marmot Rd that only locals know about. As he described, the entrance to the hike was completely concealed. We drove to the end of Marmot Road and started driving back. On the way back it was on the third hairpin bend. As we turned the 2nd blind right turn, it was on our left. We would have never guessed but a local motorcycle group that happened to be passing by showed us the path.

Dinner at Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria

As our tour guide had recommended, we decided to check out Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria for dinner and were glad we did.

One of the things we learned on this trip was that a big part of touring Canadian Rockies is the amazing food. Even as a family of vegetarians and vegan, there are tons of great options.

Stargazing in Jasper

You don’t need to drive too far from Jasper downtown to see the milky way and the stars popping from the sky. But we were there on a full moon night. Anyhow, we parked on the side of a road to see the patterns dancing on the moon and then an elk appeared as we stood there.

If you can align your Canadian Rockies itinerary to the moon phases, I would suggest picking a no moon or a full moon day in Jasper as each has its charm. Day 3 of our Canadian Rockies summer trip was packed with exploration and wonder. The following day we planned to start our trip back towards Banff.

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Check our list of Top things to do in Jasper National Park

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Day 4: Columbia Icefields Glacier Adventure and Skywalk

Wednesday, August 14 was a day of adventure from the start. As we packed to leave Jasper and drive to Banff, we discovered that Nirmal’s shoes were nowhere to be found. After much thought, he remembered that we had left it in Alpine village. But the cabin now had new guests and the Alpine village cleaning crew did not find it after we had checked out. By then Nirmal remembered leaving them well concealed under the chair by the entrance. The staff, understandably, refused to interrupt the current guests. So sadly we drove towards Banff without Nirmal’s proper walking shoes.

An hour or so into the drive, the Alpine village staff found the shoes and back we returned, adding 2+ hours to our drive. That meant that we would miss our time at Glacier Adventure center, a key destination for anyone touring the Canadian Rockies. After some thought, we called the Pursuit staff and they very graciously changed our ticket time.

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Check out our photo diary of Jasper to Banff drive

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Athabasca Glacier in Columbia Icefields

Walking on the what’s remaining of the mighty glaciers of the Canadian Rockies is a special treat! The best part is that the Glacier Adventure operation is very safe and ecologically thoughtful.

Athabasca Glacier is one of the 6 main toes of the Columbia Icefields in the Canadian Rockies. The tour starts at the visitor center built in 1996, perched up across the highway from the Athabasca glacier. A bus takes visitors to the base, where the special glacier trucks take visitors up the glacier for a memorable experience. Our guide, Abby, a scientist herself shared a ton of fascinating facts about the Canadian Rockies and glaciers. She was an encyclopedia of information.

The water on the glacier is as pure as it can get. Be sure to take a water bottle to fill up and drink.

Since we had a combination ticket, the Adventure center coach took us directly to the Columbia Icefields Skywalk, a few kilometers north of the glacier walk.

Columbia Icefields Skywalk

The Skywalk in Columbia Icefields is a magical glass platform, sticking out from a cliff high above the valley. On the Skywalk it feels like one is walking in the sky. If we had low clouds, it would feel like we were walking on clouds, looking down at the bountiful earth.

We took a self-guided audio tour to hear about the ecology, geology, biodiversity, flora, and fauna of the mountains. It was fascinating and definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Built in 2014, the skywalk experience is an absolute must for any Canadian Rockies itinerary, whether you’re self-driving, touring the Canadian Rockies, or doing a combination like us.

After a late lunch/early dinner at the visitor center, we enjoyed the remainder of our Jasper to Banff drive.

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Check Drive from Jasper to Banff and Top Things to do on Icefields Parkway

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Banff – Overnight at Charltons

Compared to our last visit in 1996, Banff has grown immensely. It is now a thriving tourist town with a large number of hotels, tons of restaurants, and tour operators. But, finding accommodation in Banff was just as challenging as in Jasper. We stayed at Charltons Banff on Banff Avenue, which we were a bit worried because of a few lower reviews. But, our stay worked out really well. Our room was clearly new and modern. The staff was friendly and helpful. The breakfast was good. The location and parking were very convenient.

Day 5: Banff Mountains, Lakes, and Waterfalls

On Thursday, August 15, we took the all-day Mountain Lakes and Waterfalls Tour with Brewster Sightseeing visiting the spectacular lakes, mountains, and rivers. We started the tour bright and early. Our tour guide was exceptionally knowledgable about the national parks. He told us stories of mountains, rivers, geology, ancient tribes, avalanches, wildlife crossings, mountaineerings in the Rockies, trains, trade, and so much more. He spoke almost the entire time, with not a dull moment.

The tour logistics in 2019 summer were

• Time: 8:30 am to 6 pm
• Duration: 9 1/2 hours
• Cost: Can$140‬

Mountains Around Banff

Our guide pointed out all the mountains by name and told their stories. As the names suggest Castle Mountain looks like a castle in the sky. Mt Temple is the tallest in the Banff area. Storm Mountain is a mighty 10,400 feet high. We drove between Mt Temple (highest in the Banff area) and Quadra to get to our first lake on this tour of the Canadian Rockies southern section.

Lake Louise

Lake Louise is probably the most famous of all the lakes and the omnipresent destination in all Canadian Rockies itineraries. It is also home to the castle-like Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. In 1893, the railroad built one of the first chalets, now the famous Fairmont hotel with ~550 rooms. But in the 1920s, it got burned down. As the hotel burnt, such was the hospitality, that the waiter continued serving guests on the lawns. In 1926 it was rebuilt.

The lake has been named 3 times

• Originally, it was called Ho-Run-Num-Nay (meaning lake of little fishes) by Stoney Dakota natives that lived in the area.
• In 1882 Tom Wilson, the first white man to see the lake, named it Emerald Lake. He was a Canadian railway worker, led by a Stoney Dakota native.
• A couple of years later, the lake got its current name Lake Louise after Queen Victoria’s daughter, Princess Louise Caroline Alberta. She was married to Marquis of Lorne, the Governor-General of Canada. It was a fitting way to honor the great Queen Victoria.

As we drove out of Lake Louise toward Moraine Lake, we saw a beautiful black bear in the middle of the road.

Moraine Lake

Moraine Lake is incorrectly named because you see, ‘Moraine’ is the French word for rock pile left behind by a glacier. But that is completely unrelated to why we see the piles of rock at the lake. Moraine Lake was formed because of landslides and avalanches in the area, not glacial grind.

Either way, it’s absolutely gorgeous. Moraine Lake is best viewed from the top of the pile of rock. It’s a short hike up from the parking lot. Moraine lake changes color with the season and time of day based on the rock flour suspended in the water, like miniature prisms.

Good thing we took the tour there because, on a bright sunny day like that, the parking lot was packed. We would have to park outside the town and come with a shuttle.

Yoho National Park, British Columbia

Yoho means ‘wonder’ in the native language. While Yoho National Park may be lesser known than its neighboring Banff and Jasper National Parks, it no less gorgeous. We visited 3 main attractions and saw several others from the highway as our guide narrated their stories.

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Read all about Wildlife Crossings in Banff.

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If Yoho National Park is not part of your touring Canadian Rockies itinerary, you might want to add it after reading this section.

Spiral Tunnels of Yoho Valley

Spiral tunnels in Yoho Valley are an ingenious solution for the Canadian Pacific Railway that carries heavy cargo like grains, coal, and minerals across the country. To go over the steep mountains, brilliant engineers built spiral tunnels through the mountains. The tunnels are visible from the highway but it would be more fun to see them up close.

Avalanches and erosion in the Canadian Rockies bring about another challenge for the CP Railway. Heaps of gravel running down the tunnel mountain cover up the tracks and tunnels. So, every few years the railway company has to fix the tracks.

Takakkaw Falls

Takakkaw means “Magnificent”. As the name suggests, the falls are tall, with heaps of water gushing down at you. The Takakkaw falls are fed by the Yoho Glacier. The surrounding areas are carved by the many avalanches all around.

The quantity of water in the falls changes based on the time of year and time of day, depending on the temperature and ice melt. When we visited on a summer afternoon, it was very full and powerful. The quantity becomes smaller when it cools down at night. By the end of November, Takakkaw falls is giant icicle and a bucket list experience for ice climbers.

Some people hike and do overnight tent camping by the falls in summer. I can only imagine how special that would be.

Takakkaw falls were the only waterfall on our Canadian Rockies itinerary, every trip deserves to have one!

Emerald Lake

As the story goes Tom Wilson didn’t give up on exploring and naming lakes even after the Lake Louise rename.

He once camped near the town of the Field. Overnight his pack of horses went missing. Tracking his horses, he arrived at the emerald river valley. Once again he named the lake “Emerald Lake”. This time the name stuck.

The beautiful Emerald lake lodge was built in 1904. We had lunch at the lovely cafe by the lake while our group had a buffet lunch at the lodge as part of the tour in the Canadian Rockies.

Natural Bridge on Kicking Horse River

Kicking Horse Pass and River system are key elements of the Yoho National Park. The Kicking Horse river cuts through limestone and carries off the sediments between the layers of hard rock. Because of tectonic forces, the layers of rock are nearly vertical in some sections, exposing them to the onslaughter of the gushing river. With the unique formation, the river skilfully carves through the rocks, forming natural bridges and arches unlike any I had seen.

We ended the tour of Banff and Yoho National Parks and their magnificent mountains, rivers, lakes, and waterfalls with a tasty treat from Bear Bistro in Banff.

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Check out our top things to do Yoho National Park.

Dinner at Nourish Bistro

My dear friend, Vijaya and her husband Atul, drove over from Edmonton to spend a couple of days together. We met at Nourish Bistro, the most popular vegan spot in Banff. It did not disappoint! The food was as flavorful as it was colorful. Although the fries were barely warm, I really just wanted the colorful nachos and salads.

After dinner, we walked all around town, got dessert and coffee. When all the cafes closed, we went up to our hotel and sat in the breakfast area and chatted. When that closed, we walked over to Elk+Avenue hotel and chatted in the lobby. It must have been late when we finally called it a night and headed to our hotels.

Day 6: Banff, Sulphur Mountain, Gondola, Scenic Drives and Lakes

On Friday, August 16 we started the morning late. After breakfast, we headed up for Banff Sky Experience, to the top of Sulphur Mountain.

Sulphur Mountain and Banff Gondola Experience

We drove up to the base of Sulphur Mountain and took the gondola ride up the mountain. The visitor centers are well-appointed with a cafe, restaurants, observation decks, gift shop, paintings and state of the art exhibitions. At the top are the most amazing 360-degree views of the mountains and valleys all around as far as the earth’s curvature would allow. Even though we visited on a pretty cloudy and rainy day we could see clearly for miles.

A beautify boardwalk leads to the old meteorological observatory building on Sanson Peak. The signs and the remaining rustic room share the importance of the observation center.

We had to pick between Jasper and Banff gondola for our Canadian Rockies itinerary and we picked Banff this time. I hope to ride Jasper’s gondola next time.

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Check out top things to do in Banff National Park

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Lunch at Block Kitchen+Bar

If I had to pick one, lunch at Block in Banff was probably our most favorite meal of the trip. Wonderful friends, delicious & beautiful food, and hunger from the hike… all added up to for an amazing lunch.

Wildlife Viewing and Scenic Drives

The drizzle got stronger but we had our last afternoon fully open because we had canceled our Lake Minnewanka Cruise. So we decided to drive on Highway 1A for its views and ‘supposedly’ tons of wildlife. Sadly, we didn’t see any wildlife on that drive but we loved the views of Castle Mountain, canyons, Bow River with the bright train passing through, and the many little walks in the drizzle.

Lake Louise, again

The earlier quick stops at Lake Louise and Moraine Lake were too short for us. Also, we had been itching to go canoeing on one of the lakes. So we found ourselves at Lake Louise once again. We decided to go canoeing on Lake Louise as soon as the clouds cleared up enough for canoes to be rented. The water was calm, serene and unbelievably beautiful. We had the canoe for an hour, which would have been plenty but we lost sight of time and almost overstayed.

Our Brewster guide had suggested we go canoeing on Lake Vermilion because it costs only Can$45 and its close to Banff, whereas canoeing on Lake Louise or Moraine lake is Can$100 – $125. The benefit of Lake Louise is that its open until 9 pm.

Do be sure to include canoeing in your Canadian Rockies itinerary. Irrespective of the park or lake, its an authentically Canadian experience to savor.

Lake Moraine, again

One can never have enough of Moraine Lake. No wonder its almost impossible to find parking between 5 am and 9 pm in summer, except on rainy days. We got so lucky that people chose to stay away because of the drizzle. We got a spot to park and enjoy the lake from 6 pm until it started raining around 7 pm.

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Check out our top things to do around Lake Louise.

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Dinner at Seoul Korean

After hiking, canoeing, and driving all afternoon, we were ready for a warm dinner. That evening, we were cranky enough that we had trouble agreeing on a restaurant, so we just went to the Korean place in town for a delicious hotpot. Sadly they had little choice for vegetarians and it cost the same as an elaborate non-vegetarian hotpot. Anyway, there’s nothing like a bowl of hot soup to warm up.

Day 7: Calgary and Return home

Saturday, August 17 came too quickly. It was the end of touring Canadian Rockies and we had to pack to get back home to San Francisco.

Originally we had planned to stop in Canmore for a hike and shop at Lulu Lemon. However, we were running late enough that we skipped Canmore. We did make a quick stop at a Lulu Lemon in Calgary. They had tons of choices, sales, and prices are in Canadian dollars!

What to Pack for 7-Day Trip to the Canadian Rockies in Summer

You’re in the mountains at a fairly high altitude when touring the Canadian Rockies. Even in summer, it can get chilly with rain. It gets warm in the afternoon and quite cold in the evening. While we visited, it rained a few times so it’s best to be prepared for any weather when heading to the Canadian Rockies. In addition to the regular personal items remember to pack the following –

• Clothing
  • Jeans, tights, pants, shirts, and t-shirts. I didn’t wear dresses as the weather didn’t allow for it.
  • Rain gear for the much-appreciated rain.
  • Warm jacket for the cold evening or walk on glaciers.
  • Light jacket or sweatshirt for day time.
  • Scarfs for when it gets windy.
  • Hat and sunglass for if it gets sunny.
  • Swimwear – hotels like the Alpine village have pools and hot tubs to soak in. Also, some lakes allow swimming.
• Food
  • Snacks for drives, hikes or when you’re not near a town. The food options are really good at Banff and Jasper so you don’t have to plan to cook.
  • Food for cooking. Many cabins and bungalows have fully equipped kitchens so you can cook if you like.
• Electronics
  • Camera(s) on iPhones can take great pictures but if you have an SLR, now is the time to use it.
  • Devices – iPhone, watch, iPad, laptop, headphones that you would use on the trip.
  • Chargers for all the devices.

Best Sites to Watch Wildlife in the Canadian Rockies

Wildlife is by definition wild. These animals are free to go when and where they wish. So one cant possibly predict what animals to see where. However, all creatures have routines and preferences for things and places. Following are the sites where there is a higher probability of spotting and photographing wildlife in the Canadian Rockies.

Banff National Park

Following are some area where people seems to photograph wildlife in Banff National Park –

• In Banff downtown, some animals show up around in the evening around sunset. During our visit, people saw a grizzly bear, black bear, elk, and moose.
• Mt Norquay Drive
• Near Lake Louise
• Gold course loop
• Lake Miniwanka loop
• Highway 1A, particularly around Radium by Castle Rock Mountain and Sunshine drive.

Jasper National Park

• Jasper downtown is often visited by elk and moose in the evening for protection from predators and food.
• Around Medicine Lake
• Marmot Road
• Drive to Edith Cavell

What an amazing trip this was! While the beauty of Banff, Jasper, Colombia Icefields, and Yoho National Parks is captivating, there is so much more to do. Last time we had an infant and now we had a savvy teenage as a traveling companion, who is excited to do everything and enjoy the great outdoors.

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