Adventures in the Canadian Rockies
• A WorldWeb.com Travel Guide for Canadian Rockies, Canada.
Stretching between two provinces, Alberta and British Columbia, the Canadian Rockies are filled with impressive mountain scenery and plenty of tours and exhilarating activities to try. Skiing, gondola rides, horseback rides, hikes and sightseeing tours are just a few of the activities with which to fully experience the excitement and charm of the world-famous Canadian Rockies.
EXCITING VIEWS
Looking up at the snow-capped mountains in the Rockies is breathtaking, but imagine how spectacular the view is from above. On gondola rides visitors can venture farther and farther up into the sky to behold the view from the mountaintops. Canada's longest and highest guided aerial tramway, the Jasper Tramway, is located in Jasper National Park and takes visitors to the Upper Station located 2,277 m (7,472 ft) above sea level on Whistlers Mountain. At the end of the seven-minute ride an amazing bird's-eye view of six mountain ranges, deep blue glacial lakes and the town of Jasper await. Other scenic gondola rides in the Canadian Rockies include the Banff Gondola and the Golden Eagle Express Gondola.
DOWNHILL SKIING
Every year thousands of downhill skiers flock to the Canadian Rockies to hit the slopes. In Alberta, skiers can visit major ski hills in Kananaskis Country, Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper. On the BC side, Fernie Alpine Resort and the Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden are popular ski destinations. Visitors don't have to be pros at downhill skiing to enjoy the sport. Many of the resorts offer private and group ski lessons for adults and children.
HOT SPRINGS
On the list of top ways to relax, taking a soak in a geothermal spring ranks high. Luckily for visitors, both provinces in the Canadian Rockies boast outdoor hot springs that not only have soothing waters, but are also surrounded by magnificent scenery. In Banff National Park visitors can go for dips in toasty warm water at Banff Upper Hot Springs, while in Jasper National Park tourists can rejuvenate in the 40°C (104°F) water at Miette Hot Springs. Vacationers in BC's Rockies can kick back in the thermal outdoor pools at Radium Hot Springs and Fairmont Hot Springs.
ANIMAL RIDES
There are many informative tour guides in the Canadian Rockies, but the animals aren't that bad at leading the way either. Dog sled and horseback tours are exciting ways to see the gorgeous natural scenery of the Rockies. Dog sled tours can run anywhere from an hour to a full day with husky dogs mushing across the dramatic landscape. Canmore, Kananaskis Country, Panorama and Valemount are a few of the communities where visitors can try a dog sled tour. Horseback tours are also offered all over the Canadian Rockies, operating near such places as Hinton, Kimberley and Invermere - Windermere. Amateur horseback riders will feel comfortable with one-hour trail rides offered by many companies, while veteran riders can opt for longer and more strenuous trips.
RAFTING & FROZEN ADVENTURES
Adrenaline junkies can satisfy their need for excitement in the summer with white-water rafting adventures in the Canadian Rockies. Kananaskis Country, Grande Cache, Revelstoke and Field are just a few of the centres that offer white-water rafting tours. When looking into a white-water rafting tour visitors should make note of the minimum age requirement. Rapids are often too rough for young kids, so the minimum age is usually set at 16. Nonetheless, a selection of companies offer gentle rafting and float trips geared towards the whole family like the Kootenay River Runners, which has tours suitable for families with young kids.
Visitors can also rev up their adrenaline levels during the Rockies' cold winters with moderate to challenging ice climbs. Various ice-climbing companies operate out of Banff and Canmore.
HIKING & WILDLIFE WATCHING
Home to several national parks, it's no surprise that there are tons of hiking tours available in Canada's Rocky Mountains. A wide selection of companies offer guided hikes near Banff, Waterton, Golden, Cranbrook and other communities that vary in length and difficulty. Although a hike is one way to get out and admire the scenery, a wildlife tour is a great alternative. Due to the parks' multitude of interesting inhabitants such as elk, big horn sheep and even bears, wildlife tours are a way to view the scenery and the locals. Bear-watching, bird-watching and other animal-focused trips are included in the selection of wildlife tours available in the Rockies. In Jasper National Park tourists can see various native animals in their natural environment year round with SunDog Tours' three-hour wildlife guided bus tours.
GOLF
For many vacationers it's important to be in close proximity to a golf course. Fortunately, the Canadian Rockies is dotted with top-notch golf facilities. Courses in the Rockies invariably feature lush, green fairways and dazzling mountain views. The scenic Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club, the historical Waterton Lakes Golf Course and the tree-lined Radium Resort - The Course are among the selection of stunning courses to take a swing at.
EXCITING VIEWS
Looking up at the snow-capped mountains in the Rockies is breathtaking, but imagine how spectacular the view is from above. On gondola rides visitors can venture farther and farther up into the sky to behold the view from the mountaintops. Canada's longest and highest guided aerial tramway, the Jasper Tramway, is located in Jasper National Park and takes visitors to the Upper Station located 2,277 m (7,472 ft) above sea level on Whistlers Mountain. At the end of the seven-minute ride an amazing bird's-eye view of six mountain ranges, deep blue glacial lakes and the town of Jasper await. Other scenic gondola rides in the Canadian Rockies include the Banff Gondola and the Golden Eagle Express Gondola.
DOWNHILL SKIING
Every year thousands of downhill skiers flock to the Canadian Rockies to hit the slopes. In Alberta, skiers can visit major ski hills in Kananaskis Country, Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper. On the BC side, Fernie Alpine Resort and the Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden are popular ski destinations. Visitors don't have to be pros at downhill skiing to enjoy the sport. Many of the resorts offer private and group ski lessons for adults and children.
HOT SPRINGS
On the list of top ways to relax, taking a soak in a geothermal spring ranks high. Luckily for visitors, both provinces in the Canadian Rockies boast outdoor hot springs that not only have soothing waters, but are also surrounded by magnificent scenery. In Banff National Park visitors can go for dips in toasty warm water at Banff Upper Hot Springs, while in Jasper National Park tourists can rejuvenate in the 40°C (104°F) water at Miette Hot Springs. Vacationers in BC's Rockies can kick back in the thermal outdoor pools at Radium Hot Springs and Fairmont Hot Springs.
ANIMAL RIDES
There are many informative tour guides in the Canadian Rockies, but the animals aren't that bad at leading the way either. Dog sled and horseback tours are exciting ways to see the gorgeous natural scenery of the Rockies. Dog sled tours can run anywhere from an hour to a full day with husky dogs mushing across the dramatic landscape. Canmore, Kananaskis Country, Panorama and Valemount are a few of the communities where visitors can try a dog sled tour. Horseback tours are also offered all over the Canadian Rockies, operating near such places as Hinton, Kimberley and Invermere - Windermere. Amateur horseback riders will feel comfortable with one-hour trail rides offered by many companies, while veteran riders can opt for longer and more strenuous trips.
RAFTING & FROZEN ADVENTURES
Adrenaline junkies can satisfy their need for excitement in the summer with white-water rafting adventures in the Canadian Rockies. Kananaskis Country, Grande Cache, Revelstoke and Field are just a few of the centres that offer white-water rafting tours. When looking into a white-water rafting tour visitors should make note of the minimum age requirement. Rapids are often too rough for young kids, so the minimum age is usually set at 16. Nonetheless, a selection of companies offer gentle rafting and float trips geared towards the whole family like the Kootenay River Runners, which has tours suitable for families with young kids.
Visitors can also rev up their adrenaline levels during the Rockies' cold winters with moderate to challenging ice climbs. Various ice-climbing companies operate out of Banff and Canmore.
HIKING & WILDLIFE WATCHING
Home to several national parks, it's no surprise that there are tons of hiking tours available in Canada's Rocky Mountains. A wide selection of companies offer guided hikes near Banff, Waterton, Golden, Cranbrook and other communities that vary in length and difficulty. Although a hike is one way to get out and admire the scenery, a wildlife tour is a great alternative. Due to the parks' multitude of interesting inhabitants such as elk, big horn sheep and even bears, wildlife tours are a way to view the scenery and the locals. Bear-watching, bird-watching and other animal-focused trips are included in the selection of wildlife tours available in the Rockies. In Jasper National Park tourists can see various native animals in their natural environment year round with SunDog Tours' three-hour wildlife guided bus tours.
GOLF
For many vacationers it's important to be in close proximity to a golf course. Fortunately, the Canadian Rockies is dotted with top-notch golf facilities. Courses in the Rockies invariably feature lush, green fairways and dazzling mountain views. The scenic Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club, the historical Waterton Lakes Golf Course and the tree-lined Radium Resort - The Course are among the selection of stunning courses to take a swing at.
AB, BC Rockies Tours
Jasper Rafting
Whitewater Rafting
Vacation Packages
