Banff National Park

Ever felt the drift of being flown away from the rustic dry countryside to a beautiful posh upscale uptown with emerging mountain range on the border. That's the feel I had when we drove all the way to Canmore from Calgary, AB International Airport. Canmore, a town in Alberta Rockies, west of Calgary has a total population of 16K as of 2021. Besides the scant population the air quality is at its best with a rejuvenating breath of air. The place has a lot to offer and is ranked as one of the best towns to live in Canada. With the name originating in Scotland this town has the french culture that's predominant in lodging industry. We stayed at the Lady Macdonald Country Inn, a place that provides a homely environment absorbed in their culture. The lodging experience gave us an integral feel of the landscapes. To name a few, 'Mount Temple', 'The Three Sisters' & 'Mystic'. This bnb offered breakfast starters that were mostly sweet and healthy like vanilla strawberry chia pudding. How romantic! The highlights were kids having a separate floor in the same room and we had to keep our travel shoes outside at the entrance. We were asked to use their designed guest slippers for interiors. Pretty daunting huh!

Lady Macdonald Country Inn, Canmore

Breakfast Nook

Poached Egg French Bagel with Arugula, tomaaato & French aioli dressing...

Guests Entertainment Area

Heading out on the first day, was like a complete package of Banff National Park and YOHO National Park. The wilderness in this region and the sensitivity to the environment amazed me. Never have I ever seen such majestic and compelling views of the Rockies. Pictures don't do justice to the immaculate beauty and the nature's galore here. Yes, these are Canadian Rockies! The phenomenal is the animal overpass bridge yet to be described in the next line. On route to Banff, the two tunnels on either side of the Trans- Canada highway arc in semi-circles that end bluntly on the road, they are the wildlife overpass bridge. On the top, away from passing motorists, lies the grassy oasis saving countless animals from vehicle collisions, avoiding conflicts between the two. Welcome to the wilderness...The Banff National Park! As these wild passes turn 20 this year in 2022, the world looks upon Canada for wildlife conservation inspiration.

Wildlife Overpass Bridge

Banff Park Recreation Center runs buses every day that take you to Lake Moraine and Lake Louise addressing the clutter of vehicles on the beautiful route to the lake. We had reservation for the bus shuttle and were glad that did not have to worry about the parking. Trust me when you are travelling with family, it's not just about you who can eat and sleep shit for travel. Lake Moraine left me spellbound! Lost words in my mouth to see this gorgeous greenish blue glacier fed lake in the valley of ten peaks. It's surrounded by continuous stretched peaks of mountains so magnificent that it takes only eye to behold, one to absorb the natural formation. To be an alibi for this excursion and the breathtaking view, we hiked about a kilometer on the Rockpile trail to Lake Moraine. Reaching the point, you could see people around you enact the Yash Chopra's reel in chiffon sarees with one digit degree Celsius temperature. Well, it's worth it babe! Not that I was not tempted, I just had not packed enough...lol. I was mostly clad in jeans and top, mostly in light winter jackets there.

Lake Moraine

Lake Louise is another gem of the lakes in Banff National Park with the Fairmont Chateau adding glamour to its resplendent view. We hiked to the Fairview lookout trail (2.3 Km) a short yet steady climb that leads to the overlook of an east end of the Lake Louise. The trail is slightly rough with steep drop offs. Can be slippery if wet and moisty. Worthwhile for the view indeed! The lake is a hamlet in Banff known for its turquoise glacier fed lake ringed by high peaks and overlooked by the Fairmont Chateau. The fun is when it rains and you are stuck momentarily in the lurch, figuring out the wild noises around. Spooky!

Lake Louise

Fairview Lookout View

Hiking in the Canadian Rockies can be pretty daunting in nature. Often known as Grizzly Canadian Wilderness, there are bear stories that you may want to tell your kids accompanying you on the trip. One such bear story was that of Bear Skokie, he got so adapted to the human feeds that led him to be dangerous for any human activity around. He was held by the park rangers who even years later could not release him in the wild again. Poor Skokie! It's truly imperative for us to follow "Don't feed animals" during our travel in the national parks. Must remember you are encroaching wildlife land, so be gentle and abide by the park rules. PLEASEEEEE...

It was now time to ride back to the recreational center to our parked car and then head our way to the YOHO National Park. With loads of driving, hiking and enjoying the beautiful landscapes, we wanted to let out our habitual selves. And Banff downtown was just perfect for that. A little bit of shopping, run down of the sugar with ice-cream rush on the taste buds just made it a perfect vacation day. I will always regret not buying another scoop of Walnut Maple ice-cream, still relish the flavor on my taste buds. Banff downtown is full of youth and hussle-bustle. A quaint little town not more than 8K of population is set in the heart of the Rockies, bursting with a sense of adventure, excitement and Canadian spirit. The ever-vibrant streets are filled with life, unique restaurants, cafés, bars and stores that encapsulate the friendly, local vibe. This is what makes it so hard to leave. Banff Ave is the main street in the city of Banff Alberta. Enjoy its youth! Talking about youth, I have a secret coming up for that in the next post...

Town of Banff

Hudson Bay - The legendary store since the trade kicked in Canadian Rockies

Banff Chateau Lookout

Fairmont Banff Springs

Cave and Basin Center, Banff Town

Hot Pools at Cave & Basin

Cave and Basin Center, Banff Town

Wolf Street, Banff Town

On the way to YOHO we came across multiple vistas, it seemed as if I was reeling myself in the 'The Good Place' series on Netflix. With a few sins and lies in my frame, I was living in heaven!

A view from the car

Castle Mountain

Johnston Canyon and Lower Falls

Johnston Creek is a tributary of the Bow River in Canada's Rocky Mountains. The creek is located in Banff National Park

Mount Rundle & The Vermilion Lakes

Let's drive towards YOHO national Park in the next post... do not go anywhere!