Loaded with hiking trails, mountain bike routes, world class alpine ski resorts, wildlife-viewing tours and back-country lodges, Banff – Canada’s first national park – embodies the spirit of adventure. Even in the streets of its charming alpine village, you might encounter a member of its healthy populations of wildlife which include big horn sheep, mountain goats, elk, bears, wolves and even woodland caribou.
For a break from the adventure, the village of Banff, 135 km west of Calgary, also boasts unique shops and superb restaurants. You will also find top-notch spas, some of which have been built around the historic waters of the site dubbed Cave and Basin, discovered in 1883 by three railway workers – Frank McCabe and the McCardell brothers when they noticed steam rising from the hot pool. You will also find golf resorts, art galleries, and the world-class Banff Centre, which hosts a summer-long international arts festival.
What you will probably find most memorable about Banff National Park is its natural beauty and vast size. With about 25 mountains, each reaching over 3,000m (9,840 ft), canyons and the most photographed lakes on the globe, Louise and Moraine, the sights are hard to forget.
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