Canada
Canada, in a few days
From Vancouver to the lakes of Banff and Jasper, a road trip through the Canadian Rockies: the map, what is worth booking, everything that costs nothing, and where to sleep at three budgets.
- Day by day
- 1 Vancouver Days 1-3
- 2 Banff Days 4-6
- 3 Lake Louise Day 7
- 4 Jasper Days 8-10
- Worth sorting before you go
- Words that help
- The practical page
- Packing checklist
Day by day
Vancouver
A port city between the Pacific and the Coast Mountains, with real forest inside the city limits. Stanley Park alone is larger than Central Park in New York.
- Capilano Suspension BridgeHalf day · from €45A footbridge of about 140 metres swinging 70 metres above the Capilano River, with walkways through the treetops beside it.
- Whale-watching tripFull day · from €110A day on the Salish Sea looking for orcas and humpbacks, with the best chances between May and October.
- Stanley Park and its seawall
- Granville Island and its public market
- Gastown and its steam clock
- The city beaches, facing the mountains
Banff
Canada's first national park, created in 1885 around a hot spring. A small town in the Bow Valley, with lakes coloured by glacial rock flour all around it.
- Banff Gondola up Sulphur MountainHalf day · from €40A few minutes up to the summit ridge, then a boardwalk with views across the Bow Valley and the ranges around it.
- Hot springs and Lake MinnewankaFull day · from €35A soak in the Banff Upper Hot Springs, then the largest lake in the park, by boat or on foot along the shore.
- Moraine Lake (by shuttle only)
- The Valley of the Ten Peaks
- Banff Avenue
- Wildlife: elk and bears
Lake Louise
A glacial lake at the foot of the Victoria Glacier, its colour made by fine silt held in the water. Moraine Lake is a short ride up the next valley.
- Canoeing on Lake Louise2h · from €60An hour on the water beneath the Victoria Glacier, in a canoe hired from the boathouse by the Chateau.
- Guided hike to the Plain of Six GlaciersHalf day · from €45Up the valley behind the lake to a teahouse built in the 1920s, with the glaciers closing off the view.
- Lake Louise from the shore
- Moraine Lake (by shuttle only)
- Mountain trails to the lookouts
- The hanging glaciers above the lake
Jasper
The largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, and a dark sky preserve since 2011. A wildfire in 2024 burned part of the town and the forest around it; most of the park has reopened, but check trail status before you go.
- Icefields Parkway and the Columbia IcefieldFull day · from €90The 230 km road from Lake Louise to Jasper, with a stop to walk on the Athabasca Glacier after a ride in a giant-wheeled snow coach.
- Maligne Lake cruise to Spirit IslandHalf day · from €40A boat across Maligne Lake to Spirit Island, the most photographed view in the park. Maligne Canyon, on the road up, stays closed through 2026 after the wildfire.
- Maligne Lake
- Maligne Canyon (closed through 2026)
- Night skies in the dark sky preserve
- Wildlife: elk, bears and bighorn sheep
Worth sorting before you go
A hire car · The Rockies are a driving trip, and the Icefields Parkway between Lake Louise and Jasper is the road that ties them together. Vancouver to Banff is around 850 km, so many fly to Calgary and pick up the car there. Moraine Lake is the exception: its road is closed to private cars, and you go up by shuttle.
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
Compare the agencies before you land.
Compare · Booking
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
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Flavours & local habits
🍽️ Worth tasting
- Poutine: chips, cheese curds and brown gravy, from Quebec but sold everywhere.
- Maple syrup: on pancakes, on bacon, on just about anything.
- Tourtière: the spiced meat pie of Quebec, eaten at Christmas and all winter.
- Pacific salmon: smoked, grilled or cooked on a cedar plank, the pride of British Columbia.
- BeaverTails: fried dough stretched flat and sugared, with a shop on Banff Avenue.
⚠️ Best avoided
- Underestimating the distances: Vancouver to Banff alone is around 850 km, so plan the driving days.
- Forgetting that sales tax is added at the till, and that restaurants expect a tip of 15 to 20%.
- Getting close to wildlife: Parks Canada asks for 100 metres from bears and 30 metres from elk.
- Leaving bookings late: Moraine Lake shuttles and park campsites fill months ahead for summer.
- Packing for summer only: mountain weather turns fast, even in July, so bring a warm layer and rain gear.
Words that help
English ↔ French
| English | French |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjour |
| Thank you | Merci |
| Please | S'il vous plaît |
| Yes | Oui |
| No | Non |
| Excuse me | Excusez-moi |
| Goodbye | Au revoir |
| Do you speak English? | Parlez-vous anglais ? |
| I don't understand | Je ne comprends pas |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ? |
| Where are the toilets? | Où sont les toilettes ? |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaît |
| Help! | Au secours ! |
| Cheers! | Santé ! |
The practical page
Scan to open this guide online, always up to date.
https://offwegooo.com/en/guides/canada
Packing checklist
Have a good trip.
Guide made on offwegooo.com · Photos via Pexels · Details are indicative, check before you leave.