Banff National Park is Canada’s first national park, which was established in 1885. Located in the province of Alberta, about 110 kilometers from Calgary, it is also considered the largest national park in Canada and one of the largest in the world.
How to get
The nearest international airport to the park is in Calgary. A little closer there is Springbank Airport — 80 kilometers from the park — but only domestic flights arrive there. There is also an airport in the park itself, in the city of Banff, but passenger planes do not land there.
By car
It takes about an hour and a half to get to the park from Calgary via Highway 1. Highway 11 provides access to the park from Rocky Mountain House and Red Deer, and Highway 93 provides access from Radium Hot Springs and Cranbrook.
By bus
Greyhound and Brewster buses depart regularly from Calgary, as well as from many cities in British Columbia. In addition, you can book an excursion to Banff Park and take a tour bus to it. Most of these excursions are in Calgary and Vancouver.
Transport
In order to get around the park, you will need a car, which you can rent in Calgary, Banff or Lake Louise. In addition, you can rent a bike, but keep in mind that it is quite difficult to ride it in mountainous terrain, and it is better not to do this if you have never ridden a mountain bike before. You can also rent a bike in Banff or on Lake Louise. And finally, you can rent a moped in Bactrax/Snowtips.
Banff entertainment and attractions
There are two companies in the park that can offer you gondola rides — Banff Gondola and Lake Louise Sightseeing Gondola. If you are interested in golf, do not miss the opportunity to play in such a picturesque place. You can do this at The Fairmont Banff Springs, created by Stanley Thompson, a famous Canadian architect specializing in golf courses.
Cave and Basin National Historic site is the place where the first Canadian national Park was born. There you can find several hot sulfur springs and a real Canadian bathhouse built in 1887.
And at the Banff Park Museum, you can see a lot of animals living in this region that are too well hidden among the trees for you to notice them just walking around the park. Canada Place will introduce you to the history of Canada, local customs and culture. In addition, it is worth visiting Lake Peita, which is hardly inferior to Lake Louise in its picturesqueness.
Banff Park is also a real find for lovers of downhill skiing and snowboarding. At Sunshine, located eight kilometers west of Banff, you will be lifted to a height of 2,730 meters, and before descending you will be able to see the whole of British Columbia (64 CAD for adults and 49 CAD for students). You can also ski and snowboard in Lake Louise and the slightly more budget Mount Norquay.