Please see the bottom of the post for a day-by-day itinerary.
Simply put, the trip to the west (Banff and Jasper National Parks) was the most inspirational, self-fulfilling and riveting trip I have done. Imagine being surrounded by the towering mountains and angelic glaciers, the wildlife and lakes of colours so blue people will ask if you had used photoshop. Here, I found peace. Canada has some of the most beautiful places in the world and they are right in our backyard. I cannot find the words to describe what I saw. Words won’t do it justice, so I will let pictures do the talking. After all, pictures have a thousand words, don’t they?
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Day 1
- Arrive, get settled and drive or walk (depending on where you are staying) to Banff village
- Tip: Canmore is less than 30 minute drive from Banff, which is also a great option to rent a cottage or flats.
- Have dinner and any one of Banff’s gorgeous restaurants and bars and enjoy the view.
- There are line dancing classes as well on certain days of the week.
Day 2
- Johnston Canyon Hike.
- This hike has beautiful waterfalls (lower and upper) and trails taking you along the canyon.
- If you have time, take the hike further to the Ink Pots, pools that consist of mineral springs that bubble to the surface.
- Bring a lunch and enjoy the view at the end of the trail of towering mountains before heading back.
- If you are short on time, I would skip this hike or only hike until the upper waterfalls.
Day 3
- Explore Lake Louise area and the Fairmont Chateau.
- There are shorter hikes available around the lake. You can even canoe or kayak.
- Stop by Laggan’s Mountain Bakery and Deli in the Samson Mall in Lake Louise for incredible pastries.
- On your easier hiking day, visit Moraine Lake. You can spend hours here watching the view and the colours of the water change. Make sure to get to the top of the hill to get a good view. There are also several hiking trails available in this area.
- Tip: take it easy in between long hikes.
Day 4
- Small and Big Beehive Hikes.
- This hike, one of my favourites, takes you through some of the most breathtaking scenery I have seen.
- You will pass Mirror Lake and Lake Agnes Teahouse, where you can take a break and have some tea with a view.
- After the teahouse, continue to the big beehive, which consists of fairly difficult switchbacks. However, the view at the top will not disappoint.
Day 5
- Yoho National Park
- Takakkaw Falls
- Natural Bridge
- Emerald Lake - do the hike around the lake
Tip: plan only one major hike per day and be prepared for weather. Some of the hikes take you close to the glaciers where it is noticeably colder.
Day 6
- Drive to Jasper National Park.
- The drive takes majority of the day because there are many lookout areas and smaller hikes along the way.
- Make sure that you have plenty of gas in the car and snacks as there are very few (one or two) on-routes along the way.
- Places to stop at:
- Peyto Lake
- Mistaya Canyon
- Columbia Icefields Tour
- Tip: make sure to have a guide-book with you to not miss any other scenic spots
- Have Dinner in the small town of Jasper and explore.
Day 7
- Maligne Canyon Hike
- Medicine Lake
- Maligne Lake - can take a tour to the famous Spirit Island
- Hot springs in the evening
Day 9
- Edith Cavell, Angel Glacier Hike. You must see this for yourself.
- On the way back to Banff, you can stop at Athabasca Falls. Despite many tourists in this spot, it was not as impressive as some of the other falls you will have seen by this point.