Running along the spine of the Canadian Rocky
Mountains, just 2 roads, spanning 300km, guided us through 12 days of the most awe inspiring nature,
we’ve ever see. Situated in Western Canada, in the province of Alberta, our accommodation,
spread our trip into 3 easy chapters. Banff, the commercial centre of Canadas
first National Park. Lake Louise, a stunning glacial lake that despite its fame,
still meets the hype. And finally, Jasper, a relatively quiet mountain
town that stole our heart.
To pull the curtain back slightly, I’ve
delayed editing this travel vlog for 9 months and the reason is simple. I found this
trip to Canada to be such a beautiful and at times magical experience, I was and still am
so overwhelmed by the seemingly impossible task of creating a vlog for you that would
do THIS, justice. But we are going to try. With gondolas, lakes, bridges, canyons,
tea houses, over sized chips, wildlife, log cabins, roads, hikes, icebergs,
walkways, dining out, canoes, raf
ting, rainbows, waterfalls, mountains,
hotels and of course, maple syrup. So please, sit back and relax, as this,
is my ultimate love letter to Canada. Much of our trip would be in Banff National
Park and a popular entry point is the town of Banff itself. 90 minutes from
Calgary, it’s undoubtedly the most populated spot on this trip and a great
way to ease yourself into mountain life. Its main road, Banff Avenue is a perfect
crystallisation of everything you can expect here: a plethora of
food, shops, a museum, a bit of
cannabis, reflections and of course mountains. Just 3 blocks away from Banff Avenue, this
bed and breakfast would be ours over 4 nights. The charming neighbourhood it found itself in
made it quickly feel like home and even with our initial steps outside, we immediately bumped into
our first Canadian wildlife. Living in London, a rat is about as exciting as wildlife
gets so this was a fun, unexpected opener. On our personal list of Canadas MUST SEE animals,
m
oose and bear are at the tippy top, and adding this deer encounter so easily, really did give us
hope. But, we were still cautiously realistic that we might not hit the big three. And you’ll just
have to wait and see, as to how wrong we were. With an added spring in our step then,
we explored the local area on foot, always keeping an eye out to add to our list… By the late morning, we made our way to our
first tourist attraction: The Banff Gondola… Soaring 2000 feet over 8 minutes, this cabl
e
car takes you to the summit of Sulphur Mountain, named after the hot springs on its lower slopes… Once at the top, this boardwalk straddles the
ridge for a good kilometre, and really opens up the space… It’s easy to see why the Banff
Gondola is so popular as it allows stunning views of 6 different peaks from one spot, and
with relative ease. But it was also great to have a clear view of the river walk we’d
just taken and Banff town from up above. The visitor centre up here is an
attracti
on in itself though. You can either treat yourself to
some incredibly scenic dining, or as we did, head to the rooftop, admire
the views and relax with a nice hot coffee. Walking around Banff, you’re frequently
reminded of the sometimes delicate relationship between animals and people. When
hiking around any kind of wilderness here, it’s recommended you purchase a can of bear
spray. Although attacks are incredibly rare, bear spray is a non lethal deterrent, but
should act as a last resort,
as there are better preventative ways to avoid harm to both
you and the bear. The most likely reason a bear attack might take place is that you unknowingly
startled the bear, turning a blind corner. So, the good news from Parks Canada,
is that singing might just save your life. And that was all this ex theatre
student, needed to hear… Hello Mr Bear will be available on both Apple Music
and Spotify by the end of the year… So with the end of our first
full day coming to a close, we took a 3
0 minute walk via the Fenland
Trail, over to Vermilion Lakes, somewhere I would really recommend. Although we were there
a little early, it is a sunset hotspot for many, but despite this, I hope we can all
agree that our shots still turned out ok. With our body clocks still clinging to UK time,
we had an early night and rested for tomorrow, readying ourselves for boats, canyons and fondue. Staying in Banff, the question
isn’t so much as for what to see, but what not to see. Although our des
tination,
Lake Minnewanka, was a quick 20 minute drive, along the way, it’s very easy to get distracted
and that’s what happened with Cascade Ponds. This was also the first time we
came across these. Parks Canada, the body that manages all National Parks here,
has scattered more than 200 red chairs across the country, all of which make for a nice
surprise when you later bump into them. But then, you remember your actual destination,
y’know, that 20 minute drive you had, only now you’re dis
tracted by just a brief stop
at Johnson Lake, followed by another brief stop at Two Jack Lake. So, just be aware that you’re 14km
drive can take 2 hours, but, with zero regrets. Finally then, our 20 minute journey was
compete. Whilst an unfortunate spelling for anyone who’s British, Lake Minnewanka
is Banffs largest lake, measuring 21km. The name actually comes from the indigenous Stoney
people, and translates to “lake of the spirits”. Our excellent tour guide, carried
us through the lakes
history, which starts with the discovery of human
tools dating back over 10,000 years. Along with the top notch guide and getting
a different perspective from the water, we really enjoyed this cruise. What was really
nice was that once in the centre of the lake, they turn off all engines, so you can take
in one of Banffs’ most peaceful stops… (BABY CRYING) Although the baby next to us didn’t seem to agree. Nevertheless, we rounded out our time here
with an easy hike towards Stewart Canyon,
which offers stunning views of the Lake. On the way back to Banff Town, we finally moved
on from deer, with this brief Elk sighting, albeit from a distance. So, now on Day 3, our
list was very much moving into 2nd gear. But, since we were in Canada, driving an automatic,
I should say we were staying in Drive and then lightly pressing the accelerator, which
doesn’t sound as good, but is more accurate. For food in Banff, there’s an overwhelming
amount of choice, covering pretty much every ty
pe of cuisine you can think of. We
of course had already sampled Poutine, a Canadian favourite that originated
in Quebec; made up with French fries, topped with cheese curds and drenched
in gravy, it literally begs to be eaten. One thing to note though, and this is coming from
a Londoner, is that meals can get pretty pricey, especially if you aren’t looking at
the menu in advance. For example, this sticky Bison short rib came in at $55
Canadian dollars, with all appetisers in the 20s. Admi
ttedly this was a really nice restaurant
and personally speaking, we’re pretty happy with spoiling ourselves with food on holiday, but
it’s just something to be aware of when visiting. For lunch today, we visited The Grizzly House, a super popular steak and fondue
restaurant on Banff avenue. Although I’ve read some mixed reviews online, we
really loved this place, myself especially, being such a sucker for any kind of cheese I can get my
hands on. With garlic cloves buried deep within the f
ondue, and a pepper sprinkling giving
it a gentle kick, this was excellent. Especially when we next ordered this
hot rock for some sizzling beef. Spreading the cuts over a dollop of garlic
butter, and then mixed with a side salad, potato and these tasty dips, it
all made for a delicate pairing. And obviously, long time viewers of the
channel will know that of course we had sushi, yes it was surprisingly good value and yes it was
all delivered on a Canadian Pacific Train, genius. As we reac
hed the summit of Tunnel Mountain,
our time in Banff Town was almost over. This town was a perfect introduction to
Alberta, but we were eager for chapter 2. Less than an hours drive, is Lake Louise, the
historical crown jewel of Banff National Park and for me, the reason this entire area
was put on my radar in the first place. Although a trip to Lake Louise is often
included as part of a stay in Banff Town, I wanted to separate the two, for
reasons that hopefully will become clear. So, for
the next 3 nights, our accommodation
here was a vastly different experience. Whether manufactured or not, we now
felt one step closer to wilderness, and only a 20 minute walk to the famous
Lake itself. Our room was part hotel, part lodge with a kitchenette that allowed
us to mostly cook for ourselves. But mainly, waking up with this balcony view, never
got old. As with everything in this video, I’ve linked all the places we stayed and visited
in the description below as well as this pop u
p, which support the channel at no cost
to you, so thank you in advance. Perfectly framed by its surroundings,
the scale and grandeur of Lake Louise is hard to capture on screen. With it being early
June, we arrived just as the lake was thawing, which largely removes the notable turquoise colour
it’s famous for. So it was especially rewarding, that as we climbed in height, its
true colour gradually revealed itself. This striking hue comes from erosion, and the
rock silt that’s carried from
its glacial source. The silt is so fine, it remains suspended at
the surface, reflecting blue and green light. Lake Louise was named after the fourth daughter
of Queen Victoria; Princess Louise Caroline Alberta. So, yes, not only was this lake named
after her, but the province of Alberta itself. Walking to Lake Louise, the first thing you’ll
see is the iconic Fairmont Hotel, originally built in the late 1800s. For a hotel this size
to have such an exclusive front row to nature, is almost u
nheard of and for some, staying
here is a once in a lifetime experience. And with once in a lifetime prices too. Interestingly, this chateaux was built by a train
company, that being Canadian Pacific Railway, shortly after they’d achieved Canadas goal of
connecting the Atlantic to the Pacific. So not only did CPR lay the tracks for the journey,
they would also become the destination. We would actually return here in
a few days for lunch. The original plan was to enjoy an afternoon
tea, but
the queues were crazy, so I’d recommend booking online if that’s
of interest. But the Lakeview Lounge was still a welcome change of pace, offering
stunning views of its unique surrounding. After taking in all of Lake Louise,
we embarked on our next destination, that being the Lake Agnes Tea
House. Whilst still a moderate hike, the combination of ice and an altitude of
7000 feet, made it our toughest hike yet and might’ve made us a little delirious.
But it was all in the good name of tea.
This is going to be the greatest cup of tea I've ever had in my entire life! (SINGING) Tea house! Is just around the corner! The Tea House! The Lake Agnes Tea House, has been serving
tired and sometimes very cold customers, since 1905. Being in such a remote location,
it’s quite the daily achievement, just to keep it running as smoothly as they do. With once a
year helicopter drops for dry goods and propane, and staff hiking up fresh ingredients the
night before their shift. This was one of
my favourite hikes, not only with the hot
tea, but combination of lake and panoramas, all feeling like a suitable prize. And
as we discovered over the following days, this sense of reward would be something
we’d continue to be spoilt with… This is an incredibly rare sighting of a white
grizzly bear. So unique, that it makes headlines when spotted. We of course, didn’t realise this
at the time, but we knew this was still something special. There are approximately 200 Grizzly
bears that roam
Banff and its neighbouring National Parks and the most famous even have their
own nickname. This might be Nakoda and seeing her was an incredible moment. The road we were on
was fortunately quiet but you shouldn’t ever be causing tailbacks with animal sightings,
so we didn’t have long to soak it all in. What was even more amazing, was
that literally 2 hours later, we had another sighting, this time on foot.
We’d made a brief stop at Field, a small, but notable town in Yoho National Park. W
anting to
stretch our legs and explore this friendly place, we stumbled upon this. We hadn’t actually noticed
ourselves, but a couple of local residents pointed him out to us. This black bear had actually
stopped them from being able to get back home so they were waiting for him to leave.
And I thought we had it bad back in London, for being delayed with leaves on the line,
but it was nice chatting to the locals. Before we left our second home, we
still had one more lake to visit. And it j
ust so happened to become my favourite… Along with Lake Louise, Moraine Lake
is an icon of the Rocky Mountains, even making its way onto the 20 dollar bill… It was this very moment, sitting by Moraine
Lake, that Canada truly won me over. Quite simply, it is one of the most
peaceful, serene and majestic places we’ve ever been and we both just breathed
in the atmosphere, for a good hour. Tomorrow, we’d be headed to Jasper, an
even larger, and less busy National Park. Since we’d already done s
o much and
seen so many breathtaking sites, we were seeking more relaxation, even though,
we were still missing our top animal sighting. In hind site though, it is funny that we had no
idea that we were about to triple our numbers. The drive from Lake Louise to Jasper is seen by
many as a destination in itself. Upon leaving Lake Louise, you turn into Highway 93 or The
Icefields Parkway. What follows is 230km of some of the best road trip scenery you could ask
for, complete with beautiful v
iews, sing alongs with Alanis Morissette and of course, numerous
stops to park up your car and stretch your legs. The most notable stop along the way is
the Columbia Icefields Discovery Center, where you can explore both the
Athabasca Glacier and Icefield Walkway. This suspended platform lifts you
900 feet above Sunwapta Valley, offering a unique insight into
the life of Wile E Coyote. If enough of you give this video a like below and
people want more, I’ll make a helpful travel guide feat
uring tips for this whole trip, so I’ll keep
my full review of this excursion for then. But the highlight of the Athabasca glacier, are these
impressive Ice Explorers, that are capable of travelling at an incredible angle, whilst
keeping a solid grip on the ground below. Unfortunately, this 10,000 year old glacier
is melting and in the last 125 years, losing half of its volume. So, yes whilst this
might symbolise an inescapable death for us all, the upside, it is drinkable and very fresh. S
o, with the glacier in our rear
view mirror, and 200km complete, we made our last push towards Jasper… Touching more than 11,000 square kms of land,
Jasper is Canadas largest Rocky Mountain National Park. Although just as beautiful as Banff,
it’s visited by almost half as many people, which adds to its peaceful setting. Whilst still
clearly geared for tourism, the main high street feels much more local and calm, which at
this point, was exactly what we wanted. To spoil ourselves, we saved o
ur best
accommodation for last. Jaspers history is synonymous with cabin life, dating back
to the Métis families who lived here in the late 1800s. There are now numerous
cabin resorts spread across the area, all offering varying degrees of mountain living… We knew our accommodation was comparatively
remote, when a wandering bear passed our window. They were now coming to us… The end of our trip was a mixture of relaxation,
food and wildlife. Our accommodation was the gift that kept on givin
g, not only with its
public jacuzzi but the wildlife it presented. A highlight was this enjoyable rafting trip
down the Athabasca River. There are 6 different grades when defining how intensive any white
water rafting is going to be. Grade 6 being the worst rapids you can think of and Grade 1
being an excitable bath time. This was grade 2, meaning suitable for me, but even that was
enough to occasionally raise the adrenaline. To celebrate, we finally found somewhere that
served any combina
tion of maple syrup, pancakes and bacon, something that was surprisingly
hard to come by but well worth the wait. Whilst driving around, we really ramped things
up, with our largest single group of animals yet. And then on our way back, we came across yet
another bear, with this one probably being our best, longest sighting, as it was on a
quiet side road. So it looked like we were on a hot streak, and with only one day
left, we crossed our fingers for more… We’d purposefully left Maligne L
ake to the end. Not only is it one of
Jaspers top designations but so too is its boat trip to Spirit Island. Unfortunately,
due to the lake still being iced over, its opening kept being delayed and
so, we kept delaying our visit. And that is how, on our very last
day, the following events unfolded… First, we saw this black
bear, followed by a second, then we just about saw a mother
and her 2 cubs and then… This… I mentioned at the start of this video how
overwhelmed I was at putting this
trip together, since our time here still really holds
a special place in our hearts. Hopefully if you’ve gotten this far, I’ve done both Canada
and Alberta justice, or you’re just a masochist. These videos take an extremely long time to
make, with a lot of energy put into them, so if you did enjoy, please share, subscribe,
like and let me know your thoughts down below, as I’m always interested to hear and
it helps promote the video to others. Until the next one, thanks
for watching, Suitca
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