Exploring the Canadian Rockies. What You Need to Know.

THE CANADIAN ROCKIES EH?!

So you want to explore the Canadian Rockies. Jaw dropping mountain backdrops, turquoise glacier lakes, a rich wildlife, endless amount of trails and adventures waiting to happen, if you're an outdoor enthusiast, the Canadian Rockies is the place to be. If you're not, it's still something you can't miss out on. I know this may sound biased but this is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. It's up there with Nepal as one of my favourite places ever.

The mountain range spans across the province of B.C. and Alberta. You will find mountains here that stands anywhere between 2,500 m to over 3,500 m. These mountains are not just here to look tall, they also each have their own unique characteristic that makes them beautiful and super photogenic!

I've had the pleasure to check out the Rockies this past summer not just once, but twice! (Finally, I know). This is something I've been planning for quite some time so for this to actually happen was like a dream come true. The two times I've gone I've driven from B.C. which was roughly about a 9-10 hour drive excluding breaks. If you haven't seen my road-trip vlogs in the Rockies, click HERE to see them!

If you're looking to explore the Canadian Rockies this fall/winter, next summer, or at some point in the future, continue reading as I share with you my experience and give you insights when exploring the area. My most recent trip to the Rockies was made possible by the amazing people from Sandman Hotels.

PARK PASS

First and foremost, you need to get your National Park Pass. You can get them at the gates when you're in the park but I highly suggest getting them online as it's more convenient. You can get them by clicking HERE, the official site of the Canadian Government. If you're road-tripping in the area or travelling through the different National Parks by car, make sure that the passes are always visible on the dash or taped up at the front of the windshield. You can and will get fined if you don't have one. On my very first trip, I met a couple of guys who didn't have one. We woke up really early to see Lake Louise, parked our cars then when we got back later to the parking lot, they got a ticket for not having a pass! They also have checkpoints in the park where you need to show your pass so make sure you get one.

BEAT THE CROWD

If you're a photographer, a videographer, or any sort of content creator, you know the importance of beating everyone else to the spot so you could get that shot without having hundreds of people in it. It's also so much nicer to have the views to yourself. The popular sites such as Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, Peyto Lake just to name a few gets overcrowded. It's actually pretty insane. Once 9-10 am hits, thats when the crowd starts rolling in as well as the massive tour buses. It's going to be a bit harder to enjoy the site in peace or to get that shot you want. If you want that calm, reflection lake looking shot, it's going to be hard when there's a bunch of people canoeing disturbing the calm water. So wake up bright and early, it's worth it and it's also more satisfying anyway!

PLAN YOUR DRIVE

From Jasper to Banff it's 288 km, from Banff to Yoho National Park, it's 66 km, the point I'm trying to make is that you will be driving a lot as you explore the Rockies. You will end up driving more if you don't familiarize yourself with the area and efficiently plan what sites you'd like to check out. You want to avoid driving back and forth from one park to another. Hash out what you'd like to see so that you have a plan that makes sense. It'll save you a lot of time in the end and it will also save you money since you won't be burning as much gas.

Driving from B.C. to Alberta in one day is just an overkill, I wanted to make a pit stop in between or at least somewhere closer to Alberta. On my way there I wanted to stop in Kelowna just because it's really beautiful there as I've been several times. So I did just that, I stayed in the Sandman Hotel Kelowna. It was the perfect stop as I get to relax with an epic view from the room and also take a dip in the pool. A perfect way to charge up my batteries after a long drive. On top of that, the on-site restaurants were so convenient, Bar One, Denny's and also a nearby Moxies is just minutes away. A great location as there are many places around it giving you plenty of options to choose from. What I really love about this location is the customer service, everything about the service was just so on point. The staff here is very friendly, helpful, and informative. From the moment I checked-in to the time I checked out, they have exceeded my expectations. On the way back from Alberta I did the same, I decided to stop in Revelstoke. I stayed in the Sandman Hotel Revelstoke. This particular location had a classic feel to it which I loved and it had a very "feel at home" vibe. Since I was already here, I planned a hike in the area and Revelstoke did not disappoint once again. I'm usually not a planner when I'm exploring places but by planning this Rockies trip, I was able to make the most out of my time.

WHERE TO SLEEP

This doesn't have to be a big debate but to some it may be. I've done both camping out and sleeping in a hotel - both have its pros and cons. I'd say if you're an adventurous one, go camp out! Even if you're not the adventurous type, try it out for a night. It just gives you that full outdoor experience. Of course this is something you'd want to do around the summer time. This is typically a high season so you need to book camp sites ahead of time as they can be fully booked. That's the downside to camping out as it was time consuming having to research other campsites and seeing if it made sense because it would also affect where I would be/what I'd be doing for that particular day. It wouldn't make sense if I had booked a campsite in Jasper but I had intended on exploring the Canmore area the next day because of the distance. It was just doing those admin things that I didn't like though booking it ahead of time (months ahead) would've been easier and I would've had more options which would've probably made the entire process easier.

Staying in hotels/lodges won't be as complicated as the campsites as you will have more options, at least during the summer season. I can't say the same for fall/winter as I've never been but as for the summer, everyone seems to want to camp out which makes sense why a lot of the campsites gets booked. The great thing about staying in hotels/lodges is that you don't need to bring any outdoor equipment (sleeping bags, mats etc.) and it is much more comfortable than sleeping outside but it doesn't feel as adventurous. The second time around, I stayed at the Sandman Hotel Calgary, just hours away from the Rockies. I've also never been to Calgary so I thought it'd be a perfect opportunity to check out a bit of Calgary. The location for this hotel is right at the city centre and it also had an on-site Moxie's restaurant which serves up delicious food! Perfect before or after a day of adventuring. These on-site restaurants are very convenient and I would just pop in to order before I adventure out for the day and just go right in right after my day is done, then head up to the room to relax. It's super convenient. That being said, it really is up to you. Accommodation is more of a personal preference but I suggest you do both!

WILDLIFE

Canada is bear country, I don't want to alarm you but bear encounters are normal around here. If you're not properly educated on what to do, you don't want to be in a position where you have no idea what to do when you bump into one. Let's just say it won't be pretty so "bear" that in mind.. (pun so intended). Take the time to do your research, walk tightly in groups, pay attention to your surroundings, make a lot of noise, and carry a bear spray as well as know how to use it! Taking 10-15 minutes to properly educate yourself on this could save you a lot of hassle in the end. Aside from that, the animals in the park are wild and free, let them do their business, admire them from a far or nearby, take photos and that's it.

WHAT TO DO

I know there's a ton of things to do and places to see in the Rockies. If you check out other blogs, you'll end up creating a long list. Endless amount of day hikes, backcountry trails, lakes to see, restaurants to try, photogenic sites that can't be missed, and hot spots to catch that wicked, fiery sunset.

It's a lot to take in I know but I'll give you the low down of what you should include in your list to get you going. I also think that what you decide to do depends on the amount of time you have, the type of things you prefer to do and so forth. So here are just a couple of things to get you started or add to your list if you already have one.

For a scenic drive and that road photo you've been wanting to take, check out Icefields Parkway. For cute little picturesque towns where you can take a nice little stroll as well as shop for souvenirs , you need to go to Canmore and Banff. For the mesmerizing turquoise lakes, check out Moraine Lake, Peyto Lake, and Lake Louise. For day hikes, there's Lake Agnes, Beehive, Grassy Lakes, or Boom Lake. For places where you can just relax to soak in the views or have a picnic as you wait for that sunset, Two Jack Lake, Vermilion Lakes, Mount Norquay viewpoint and Lake Minnewanka would be ideal spots to do these things.