Canadian beauty that can drive you wild
The return trip to Vancouver was by floatplane. It was now time to head inland to the wonder of the wilderness in the neighbouring province of Alberta.
Booking an internal flight with Westjet, Canada’s version of RyanAir, we reached Calgary in an hour for around £50 each. From there, we hit the open road in an Avis hire car and made a simple journey on straight roads to The Canadian Rockies. Travellers will need to obtain a Parks Canada pass to drive through the national parks of Banff and Jasper, at about £6 a day.
The natural magnificence of mountains, lakes and waterfalls instantly grabbed us. Everything was on such a grand scale, the sky even seemed bigger. Small communities are the minority compared to the vast landscape packed with moose, bears, deer, mountain goats and other resident mammals.
Banff and Jasper, the two main towns, are a must to any trip but for very different reasons. Banff, the birthplace of Rocky Mountain tourism, has a more polished edge with an air of extravagance. A main street of half a mile is lined with stores that were once outfitters for brave explorers but now deal in mainly tourist souvenirs.
We stayed a couple of nights at the Brewster’s Mountain Lodge in a great central spot with a luxurious log cabin feel. Ideal to reach restaurants and bars or to head off for a short walk along the picturesque Bow River, Vermilion Lakes or the Hot Springs.
We headed high above the town for a late night dip in the Banff Upper Hot Springs for only £3 each. Gloriously refreshing in the cold night air. Back in Banff our most daring adventure yet was white water rafting.
Our chirpy British guide with Wild Water Adventures, Simon Jay gave us the area’s fascinating history en-route to the Kicking Horse River. Even though I knew I was in safe hands with our trusty crew leader Ted Bilton and full waterproof gear and lifejackets, I still saw my life flash before my eyes as we went over the bubbling, crystal clear Class Four rapids. If you aren’t as brave, Wild Water Adventures offer family raft days and gentler tours.
With our feet back on terra firma, we headed off to Jasper. The route up Icefields Parkway passes so many points of extreme beauty – Lake Louise, Athabasca Falls and Bow Lake to name a few.
Finally, we reached the more down-to-earth Jasper. The small historic town is a good base to explore the beautiful region abundant with wildlife and comfortable hotels like Whistler’s Inn, where we stayed. The Jasper Brewing Company was a few steps away, too, with the chance of sampling homemade beers.
We had seen “Bears Beware” signs around Banff, but it was not until we reached Jasper and were doing a walkwith guide Paula Beauchamp that we came across our own sighting.
Not one, but three black bears in a row, foraging for food. “They are the king of the forest, you don’t mess with them,” Paula tells us. “I have seen so many bears but every one is still special and something you don’t forget.”
For me, the whole trip was unforgettable.
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* Travel Facts
* Canadian Affair Flights to Vancouver from Manchester, London Gatwick or Heathrow start from as little as £149 for an adult. www.canadianaffair.com
* Hotel prices for the Rosedale on Robson, in Hamilton Street and Robson, Vancouver, start from £115 a night. Website: www.rosedaleonrobson.com
* Prince of Whales tour company offers whale-watching trips. Website: www.princeofwhales.com
* Brewster’s Mountain Lodge, Banff, start from around £60 a night and includes breakfast. www.brewstermountainlodge.com
* Whistler’s Inn, Jasper, rates start at around £75 a night. www.whistlersinn.com
* Wild Water Adventures range from £45 to £80. Visit website: www.wildwater.com
* Walks and Talks Jasper is £30 – www.walksntalks.com
