Banff
Mountains, forests and nature.... oh my! Take a trip to Banff and the National Park that shares its name in the heart of the Canadian Rocky Mountains.
What you need to know about Banff
Banff is a picturesque town in the middle of the Rocky Mountains that is just a quick drive from Calgary where the nearest airport is found.
Language: In Banff, as you will find all across Canada, there are two official languages; English and French. Day to day the locals all speak English but the products you will see in any shop or retail outlet have both English and French written on them in accordance with Canadian law.
Currency: The currency is the Canadian dollar (or CAD).
Banking: ATMs are to be found all around Banff and the shops, bars and restaurants accept all major bank cards. Just be aware that when you try to use a card in any machine t will probably ask you if you want to carry out the transaction (or withdrawal) on your checking or savings account. Your normal option is to select ‘checking’ as this will correspond with your day to day bank account if using a non-Canadian bank card.
Weather: Banff and the surrounding mountain area is pretty high compared to sea level so in the summer months it can be pretty hot and days with temperatures of over 30 degrees are not uncommon. In the winter is is cold. Like really cold and temperatures of -10 or -20 degrees are to be expected but as the climate is dry still it does not feel as cold as that temperature would feel in a low-lying European country. The wind is pretty fierce at times so you need a decent winter coat, a hat that covers your ears and some gloves. Just be sensible with your clothing and you will be fine. The winter is obviously amazing for ski slopes that are found in the area.
A frontier town in the heart of the Rocky Mountains
Banff is a seriously cute town in the middle of the mountains of Alberta.
It isn't often that you come across a high street with a mountain at the end of the road and the view as you walk or drive down the main street is super striking. In Banff you will inevitably travel down Banff Avenue and see Cascade Mountain right in front of you which is impressive at any time of year but especially amazing in winter when things become snow covered.
You're basically just waiting for a Coca-Cola Christmas truck to roll on past to complete the festive scene.
The amazing view of Cascade Mountain from Banff Avenue.
Skiing around Banff has amazing slopes
The snow you'll find on the slopes around Banff is brilliant quality. You can ski on some of the driest powder anywhere in the world.
The ski season runs from around November until the middle of May and there are plenty of slopes of different levels of difficulty to get stuck into.
You have your pick of three ski resorts in the area (Mt. Norquay, The Lake Louise Ski Resort and Sunshine Village) all of which provide excellent slopes, great access and many hotels in the town of Banff will offer transfers to the slopes. Most hotels will offer an opportunity to store your skis overnight as well, but best to check on storage and/or transfers if either are needed before finalising plans.
Climb aboard the Banff Gondola for one hell of a view
Step into a gondola pod and then sit back and enjoy the ride as you are whizzed up to the top of Sulphur Mountain in just 8 minutes. Your gondola will travel across a 1 mile cable track before dropping you off at the top where you can see the unreal views of the surrounding Rocky Mountains and take a stroll along the famous boardwalk to get ever more impressive views.
The Gondola is best ridden before 10:00 or after 18:00 each day to avoid bigger crowds at both the bottom and the top. Gondola pods can sit four people in them generally and are accessible with wheelchairs also.
There is an alternative route to the top which is a 5.5km trail that you can hike gradually over a couple of hours. You'll need to be able bodied and not unfit but it is not the most strenuous of hikes.
Just 2.5km from Banff is Sulphur Mountain where you can ride the Banff Gondola to the top.
How far is Banff from places of interest?
Lake Louise is 55 km or an approximate 30 minute drive.
The Columbia Icefield is 180 km or an approximate 2.5 hour drive.
Jasper is 227 km or an approximate 3.5 hour drive.
Calgary is 110 km or an approximate 1 hour drive.
Vancouver is 856 km or an approximate 12 hour drive.