Canadian Experts???

[Cochise]

Is there anyone who is pretty hot on Canada and travelling in the western areas of the country. I am in the first stages at looking to go with my Dad for a week or two in Summer 2008.

Anyone done tours? made their own way round? any advice welcome.

(Not put on Trip planning as not orlando orientated)

 

[Hilary]

I don't think I necessarily fall into the category of 'pretty hot on Canada', but I'd be happy to help if I can.

We spent two weeks in British Columbia in the summer of 2003 and arranged everything ourselves, having received some excellent advice from others. We visited Vancouver, Whistler, Lake Cowichan, Victoria and Tsawassen.
I posted a trip report that might give some ideas if you have time to wade through it!

This August we spent 10 days in Ontario and had a good trip but, if we were going again, we'd love to go back to BC

 

[WDWfan uk]

We went to Canada in Summer 2002 for 3 weeks and covered a lot of ground!

We flew into Toronto where we stayed for several nights then flew over to the West, landing in Calgary. We had a car rental booked and from the airport drove to Banff where we stayed for several nights. We then went to Jasper on the Icefields Parkway - full of beautiful scenery - and visited the Colombia IceFields on the way - this where you ride in the Snowcoach onto the glacier, and get out. A really unique experience!

We visited Lake Louise, Maligne Lake and another place the name of which escapes me right now.

I found Jasper town itself "hokey" but Jasper is the only place you could get to visit some incredible places such as the lakes I mentioned - the very best place to stay in Jasper is the fabulous and very expensive Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. With wonderful grounds, and plenty of great amenities, you would not need ot bother with the town-centre!!

From Jasper we went to Vancouver, staying en route in a ski-resort simply because of the mileage we had to cover to get to Vancouver - there was something about Vancouver I just did not take to but many people like it.

We then went Vancouver Island staying in Victoria.

Overall, I would definitely recommend you do lots of homework so that you know what there is, and what you particularly want to see and tailor your trip accordingly. We covered huge distances - I think we did too much, but we saw some awesome sights, did some white-water rafting (the rapids are graded according to their "roughness" so you can even take a sedate pace on the water if you wish), and saw some great wildlife!

The weather was particularly hot when we went which was a bonus when we went up the mountains (via a ski-lift!) In fact, the MUST DO in Banff is to take the Banff Gondola up to the mountain tops and walk along the decks they have up there - stunning!

 

[Cochise]

Thanks Hilary and WdWfan.

I am thinking along the lines of Banff, Lake Loiuse etc with some simply stunning scenery it would seem.

 

[Richard Bruvofetc]

There's a Canadian section on DIS. Have you tried there?

 

[carolfoy]

Have been to Canada twice and am also a 'Canada Counsellor' (their tourism official) and am in the throes of planning another trip for next august, any questions please pm me, next august we're flying into Calgary, spending two nights there then picking up a car and travelling over to Banff for 4 nights, then taking 2 days to meander up the icefields pathway before spending a couple of nights in Jasper, catching the rocky mountaineer to vancouver then have about a week to do vancouver, whistlet etc, have donw vancouver island before so may not visit again (don't really know - haven't got that far in!)

 

[Richard Bruvofetc]

Have been to Canada twice and am also a 'Canada Counsellor' (their tourism official) and am in the throes of planning another trip for next august, any questions please pm me, next august we're flying into Calgary, spending two nights there then picking up a car and travelling over to Banff for 4 nights, then taking 2 days to meander up the icefields pathway before spending a couple of nights in Jasper, catching the rocky mountaineer to vancouver then have about a week to do vancouver, whistlet etc, have donw vancouver island before so may not visit again (don't really know - haven't got that far in!)

Do you need anybody to carry your suitcase?

 

[Cochise]

Carol,

From what i am looking at that is exactly what i would like right up to the point you head over to Vancouver. Not sure we will have enough time to include this or whether to cut back on the nights in Banff, travel to Vancouver then pick up the return flight from Vancouver rather than Calgary.

Something along these lines:

Manchester to Calgary
1 night in Calgary
Travel to Banff
2 nights in Banff
1 night at the Fairmont Lake Louise (have to do that)
travel to Jasper
2 nights in Jasper

Then either travel back down the Icefield and have a night or two along the way or catch the train to Vancouver and finish off there for 3 nights or so..

Choices choices!

 

[carolfoy]

Do you need anybody to carry your suitcase?

No but I need someone to pay!!!

 

[carolfoy]

Carol,

From what i am looking at that is exactly what i would like right up to the point you head over to Vancouver. Not sure we will have enough time to include this or whether to cut back on the nights in Banff, travel to Vancouver then pick up the return flight from Vancouver rather than Calgary.

Something along these lines:

Manchester to Calgary
1 night in Calgary
Travel to Banff
2 nights in Banff
1 night at the Fairmont Lake Louise (have to do that)
travel to Jasper
2 nights in Jasper

Then either travel back down the Icefield and have a night or two along the way or catch the train to Vancouver and finish off there for 3 nights or so..

Choices choices!

sorry Rob, replied to your pm before I saw this!!
great itinerary to start, You need more than 2 nights in Banff though, I know every brochure has 1 or 2 nights max but it is the most spectacular place and there is TONS to do
The fairmont chateau LL is fantastic and its only worth staying at LL IF you stay in the chateau, the rest of the properties are down in the village so might as well be in Canmore! the trip from LL to Jasper is around a 3 hour drive but Brewsters do a coach transfer that stops along the way at the athabasca glacier, the trip is around 9 hours in total, if you then go from Jasper to Vancouver you'll need an overnight in between, the Rocky mountain railroad stops at Kamloops but if you drive then stop at Lac Le Jeune - its beautiful, you'll need probably 3 nights in Vancouver to get enough chance to do the major attractions, if you get the chance to go to vancouver island its more than worth it, Victoria is a really beautiful city and there are soem really pretty out of the way places to discover. If you don't want to cross the rockies into vancouver then have at least one other night in calgary (plenty to do, try the badlands or head-smashed-in-buffalo jump!) and 1 night each way up and down the icefields pathway. (try Sunwapta falls for a relaxing overnight stop)

 

[WDWfan uk]

I would recommend stopping at the Columbia Icefields on the way from Banff to Jasper - we did this and it worked out really well...that is if you are planning to go to Vancouver from Jasper, with a stay en route which you'll need because of the distance. (We stayed at Sun Peaks - a ski resort in the Winter) as we were advised it was a better option than Kamloops, but I have seen other alternatives for an overnighter).

 

[Cochise]

Thanks Shirley, the icefields coach is definitely a must to me. On the budget and prices i have been offered we can afford the red leaf service (and who wouldnt) on the mountaineer, so that is Jasper to Vancouver sorted

 

[carolfoy]

Well done Rob, shame we're not there at the same time! imagine - a dis meet on the rocky mountaineer

 

[Booknut]

I was born and raised in Edmonton and have travelled a lot in Alberta and BC (which, in my humble opinion are the best places in Canada) so if you have any specific questions please feel free to send me a PM.

Personally I wouldn't want to do a tour because you might like one place more than another and it would be nice to have the freedom to do and see various places. I would definitely not miss Drumheller in Alberta, it has one of the best paleontology museums in the world and the badlands are breathtaking. I prefer Jasper to Banff because its less touristy. And the Columbia Icefields are very cool as well.

Edmonton has the largest shopping mall in the world and to my knowledge is the only place where you can eat, shop, ice skate, swim, go on rollercoasters, gamble, shoot an oozie and ride a submarine all in the same day

Anyway, just some suggestions Hope you love it there