Banff National Park is located on the border of Alberta and British Columbia. It is Canada’s oldest national park. Banff is located in the middle of the Rocky Mountains and is surrounded by glaciers, mountains, rivers and lakes. It’s a real outdoor dream to be here. And this is what you want to do in and around Banff!
Banff: small but nice
Banff is a small town with only about seven thousand people. However, a lot of travelers come to Banff because it is one of the most beautiful places in Canada. The Columbia Icefield, Lake Louise, Sulfur Mountain and the Icefields Parkway are all within easy reach (by Canadian standards) and are the reasons to come to Banff. For North America, Banff is a fairly old town that has been inhabited since the late 1800s. Do not expect fascinating art and history, because the main reason to come to this place is nature. There is so much fun to see and do here!
1. Canoeing on Lake Louise
It is perhaps the most beautiful mountain lake you will ever see: Lake Louise. This impressive lake is about a 40-minute drive from downtown Banff. The water from Victoria Glacier flows down to fill the lake and in the summer months something magical happens: Lake Louise turns emerald green and then turquoise, depending on how the sunlight shines on it. It is a beautiful place to see or to walk around. You can make beautiful hikes around Lake Louise (to two different tea houses), but it is much more fun to go out on the water yourself. You can rent a canoe on the edge of the lake for as long as you want. And that is highly recommended, because canoeing on one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, who wouldn’t want that?
2. Climb to the top of Sulfur Mountain
The town of Banff is located at the foot of Sulfur Mountain, a mountain with a height of 2,451 meters. At the top of Sulfur Mountain you have the most beautiful view of Banff and the surrounding area imaginable. A place where you want to stay because the view has you completely in its power. You don’t have to go all the way up on foot (it’s fun to do of course!), but you can also take the Banff Gondola. A fairly new and fast gondola that takes you to an altitude of 2,281 meters. You don’t have to stay there because you can climb a bit on foot via wooden decking and the view actually only gets more beautiful every meter. It is really enjoyable on the top of Sulfur Mountain.
If you are sporty, you can of course go up Sulfur Mountain on foot. A tough hike that will take you about five hours. Once at the top you can walk back or take the gondola.
3. Go rock climbing
You are here in one of the most beautiful natural parks in the world and then of course you have to do something active. Fortunately, there is plenty of choice to do in Banff National Park: hiking, biking, spotting wildlife. I went on to do something even more fun and that does require a bit of guts: rock climbing. Together with Darren Vonk, a Canadian with Dutch roots, I climbed a number of different rocks in Banff National Park. In the beginning it is a bit exciting, because you not only have to trust the one who secures you, but you also have to learn to trust your own hands and feet. After a morning of rock climbing, quite a bit of adrenaline has shot through your body (and you will certainly have muscle pain the next morning) but it is a great workout in a beautiful environment!
Another great thing to do in Banff is Via Ferrata, where you follow a course up the mountain via steel cables. Tours for rock climbing or via ferrata can be booked through the tourist office of Banff.
4. Buy maple syrup and stroll through Banff
The town of Banff is quite touristy in the high season (summer and winter), but in the spring it is not that bad. I was there in May and then it is wonderfully quiet in Banff. It is a beautiful town to see. Nice houses, cozy shops and everywhere you look you see the high peaks of the Rocky Mountains in the background. And that actually makes it a lot of fun to stroll through the streets of Banff. A must do in Banff: buy a bottle of maple syrup. It’s maple syrup and Canadians love it. Maple syrup tastes amazing with pancakes, for example. So be sure to take a bottle of maple syrup home in a typical glass leaf bottle!
5. Sleeping in a haunted hotel
The Fairmont Banff Springs hotel is haunted. At least, that’s what a lot of people think. The stories of spooky things that have happened here are endless and everyone in Fairmont can’t stop talking about them. And whether you believe in the ghost stories or not, sleeping at the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel is quite special. The hotel is gigantic and you will get lost on the way to your room anyway. There are more than 700 rooms, several indoor and outdoor pools, a huge spa, golf course, fitness room and several restaurants. Fairmont Banff Springs is in fact a small village in itself, where you have beautiful views of the Canadian Rockies and the Bow River from virtually every room. A nice place to stay overnight.
Fairmont Banff Springs opened in 1888 and is therefore a historic place to stay. But it is said to be haunted. The story goes that a long time ago a man killed his wife and daughter and then committed suicide. He did so in room 873 which would then show paranormal activity. That room has now been closed for good, but who will you come across the ghost in the hallway at night….
In the footsteps of Leonardo DiCaprio
Have you seen the movie The Revenant, for which Leonardo DiCaprio finally got his first Oscar? This film was shot here, Alberta, Canada. Not exactly in the above places, but in the area such as in Kananaskis Country. In my article This is why you want to travel to Alberta I take you in the footsteps of Leonardo.
