Touring the Canadian Rockies

Huddled in a corner of an RV up a mountain, wearing two jumpers, three pairs of socks and a pair of shorts may seem far removed from the idyllic picture of a long-awaited summer holiday. In fact it could have been mistaken for the UK as the rain streamed down the window. Yet, as I peered into my misty rear-view mirror, it was the stunning expanse of the Canadian Rockies that reminded me that I was far from England.

This year, I was lucky enough to set out cross-country and embark on a 660 mile trip from the dry oil fields of Calgary to the vast Canadian Rockies, through the dry ranch counties of Kamloops and to the cosmopolitan city of Vancouver and Vancouver Island. We did all of this in just under 3 weeks and most importantly in the ultimate American vehicle: the beloved RV. It was our car, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and bear hideout. While I’m not naturally of the ‘caravan’ disposition, I would really recommend this mode of transport – it gives you such flexibility and ease throughout your trip.

Furthermore, our rather cosy RV may at first have seemed rather intimate to say the least, but we soon bonded with its wood panels and relished the opportunity to have ego jokes with fellow campers. It became quite a competition to see who had the biggest van, the most comfortable kitchen sets, and the highest amount of Harley Davidsons strapped to the transom.

Calgary, unfortunately, lived up to Lonely Planet’s apologetic description: soulless. A city that blossomed with the huge Western oil boom, it has become the economic powerhouse of Canada but sadly with little history. Though Calgary seems a bit lacklustre in terms of culture, the food experience here is one of the best in Canada. However, whether dining out for brunch or dinner, beware of the portion sizes, or you may come home with slightly more baggage than you expected. But then, what’s wrong with a little indulgence? It’s a summer holiday! Once over our horrific jetlag, we picked up our RV and began our whistle-stop tour of the famous Rockies.

Our first stop was the popular resort of Banff National Park where we bathed in hot springs, explored the local scenery and town, and ascended 698m on the Banff gondola. Whilst all these activities were certainly at the higher end of our budget, our attitude to the trip was to try and do as much as possible whilst we were there.

The Canadian Rockies holiday is all about capturing that photo of the magnificent scenery and wildlife whatever the weather, which was why our next stop had to be Lake Louise and Moraine Lake within Banff National Park. With a subarctic climate and snow expected in every month of the year, you certainly shouldn’t expect balmy conditions. However, standing over the beautiful icy waters of the lake and being able to watch the sunrise transform the darkness into a bright blue was truly magical – well worth the early morning hike for the photos. As well as beauty, Lake Louise offers canoeing hilarity. While sections of the trip were extortionate, beautiful spots like this were entirely free, making a trip like this much more affordable.

From here, we began the 100 mile journey to Jasper National Park, renowned for its thriving wildlife including caribou, elk, wolves, coyotes and black and grizzly bears. It was our photo opportunity for a bear hunt. Jasper offers a laid-back hiking experience, proving to a rather nervous jeans-wearing Brit that the climbs weren’t too precarious. If an eight-year-old in flip-flops can do it, then so can most! The Colombia Icefields here are too beautiful to miss, alongside Mount Edith Cavell, and Athabasca Falls.

A mecca for bikers, snowboarders and students, Whistler is certainly worth a visit in summer as well as winter

Another favourite stop is Whistler. The ski resort has recently become the favourite playground of sports fanatics all year round. Once again pursuing the glorious Canadian scenery all the way to the west coast, we experienced magnificent views on the Peak to Peak gondola ride. Aside from the views and great weather, Whistler offers a huge array of activities from zip wires and extreme white water rafting to horseback riding in the countryside. A mecca for bikers, snowboarders and students, Whistler is certainly worth a visit in summer as well as winter. During your visit, Portobello’s is a must-see for foodies – their handmade sandwiches are amazing!

From here, we went on to explore the cosmopolitan city of Vancouver: young, bohemian, sport obsessed and with a lax agenda on marijuana, this metropolis is certainly a young person’s habitat. Bike rides around Stanley Park and Capilano Suspension Bridge are among some of the top sights to see if you are lucky enough to visit. The beautiful capital of British Colombia, Victoria was our final destination, a four hour drive up the coastline in Ucluelet. A visit to Canada is not complete without a rib ride to go whale watching. A misty, wet morning on the millpond of the freezing Pacific was one of the rare spectacles for which we travelled thousands of miles. In four hours, we were lucky enough to see a dozen grey whales, killer whales, sea lions, bald eagles, a wolf pack, deer and bear cubs.

The trip was completely phenomenal, if expensive, but I must insist: when you’re compiling your long list of places to explore, make sure that the Canadian Rockies are on there – you will not be disappointed.  I was lucky enough to combine the amazing trip with some incredible activities and sights along the way, but it’s certainly possible to see lots of the Rockies on a tighter budget. Whether couch surfing or hitch hiking, the Canadian Rockies are simply unmissable.