Banff

Banff (or“Ban-ph-ph” as the locals fondly call it) is the highest town in Canada, renowned for its spectacular mountain setting. Banff was always intended to be a tourist town, and was once “Siding 29” on the Canadian Pacific Railway, with streets oriented towards views of Cascade Mountain. Back in 1883 three railroad workers discovered a series of hot springs at Sulphur Mountain. Two years later, in 1885, the springs and surrounding area was set aside as Canada’s first national park, the Banff National Park. The towns of Banff and Lake Louise lie within this UNESCO World Heritage Site. For the outdoor adventure tour guide, Banff is activity heaven. During winter there is skiing and snowboarding, ice skating, sledding and tobogganing, snowshoeing, curling, ice hockey, ice climbing. Not to mention caving tours, dog sledding, and sleigh rides. Banff’s summer playground is just as fun. On a Lake Louise Gondola ride, you may be lucky enough to spot some grizzly bears, that is, if you can tear your eyes away from the spectacular scenery. And then there is rafting, canoeing, horseback riding, hiking, fishing, sightseeing flights, and heli-hiking tours. For those who prefer the more sedate and relaxing, there is a variety of entertainment to choose from, with interesting museums to wander through, an array of cinemas and cuisines, and of course spa treatments to indulge in.