Why we chose to book this trip.
This was a big birthday trip. And since Amanda has been arranging incredible holidays for us since 2013 it made sense to ask her to create the perfect journey.
This year is our 8th with her and due to her unwavering commitment to creating the best trips possible we experienced yet another wonderful trip to Canada for 11 days. We started by telling her that I wanted to celebrate my big birthday whilst I was there. We also had a few ideas where we would like to visit in this massive country. But along with these, we asked Amanda to suggest a selection of areas, towns/cities and options to design a once in a one time trip. She succeeded with honours!
Excellent Hotels
We adored all the hotels Amanda chose for us. They were all of excellent quality, clean and well appointed, each in the best locations. If we had to use one sentence for each, we would say….
- Caribou Lodge – warm and welcoming and centrally located in downtown Banff
- Emerald Lake Lodge – a showstopper in the middle of the lake with stunning scenery and exceptional food
- Crimson Jasper – bright and fresh with everything you need in downtown Jasper
- Hilton Vancouver (Downtown) – top class with luxurious rooms and near to local restaurants and the cafe scene
Amanda offered us seven small group activities to include and, although at first glance, the trip appeared to be full on, everything worked perfectly like clockwork. We wouldn’t have missed any of them.
Impeccable Service Throughout our Trip
Our self booked flight was with Air Canada which, unfortunately, was delayed. Prior to the journey, Amanda had asked us to let her know if there were any hold ups. She wanted everything to be trouble free so she advised Avis Car Hire and the hotel on our behalf. She was on the ball throughout, keeping us constantly informed. We felt totally reassured, relaxed and looked after as we ‘pinged’ messages back and forth in the departures lounge.
Banff was so much more than we had imagined
Our first stop was Banff – a traditional alpine resort in an amazing setting, surrounded by rugged snowcapped mountains. The Caribou Lodge was excellent, and the staff were extremely helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. On the first morning we had a pre-booked trip on Lake Minnewanka which was stunning as well as relaxing after our long journey the previous day.
We caught the local bus as the hotel had given us free bus tickets. We took breakfast opposite the bus stop to travel early to make time for a look around the area before our trip. The boat cruise was a beautiful experience. Hayden the guide was very knowledgeable and great fun. He was so entertaining, keeping us in stitches with amusing jokes. Meanwhile Captain Will, who was also very funny, steered us around the beautiful lake. We learnt a lot about nature and the mountains, as well as the fabulous Canadian dry sense of humour!
We returned to Banff, and purchased a scrumptious picnic lunch from the local supermarket (Canadian food is superb quality and value). We took this with us on a leisurely drive to the Shuttle Park at Lake Louise for our late afternoon pre-booked trip.
Top Tip! Amanda had warned that our vehicle most likely wouldn’t be allowed up the road to Lake Louise in peak season. So she organised for us to take the shuttle bus which worked very well.
We gently travelled to Lake Louise along the slower Bow Valley Parkway, taking in as many wonderful sights as we could. Then we caught the Shuttle for our trip to Lake Louise. At the lake we walked around in awe of the draw dropping scenery. The famous Canadian Tourism selfie-site lived up to its reputation. Later we climbed up to the most beautiful viewpoint overlooking the lake. In the backdrop we could appreciate the luxurious Fairmount Hotel surrounded by fabulous snow covered mountain peaks.
We Loved Secret Emerald Lake Lodge
The following day we enjoyed a gorgeous gentle drive to Field to stay for one night the Emerald Lake Lodge. En route there were so many beautiful places to stop off and enjoy, that we took the opportunity to visit most of them! The Lodge itself is in a stunning setting right next to the aptly named deep green lake. Later that afternoon, when the tourists had finished enjoying the beauty and left, we walked around and take in the breathtaking area. There is a gentle circular trail around the lake. We followed this off with a delicious meal of incredible Canadian flavours in the midst of the lake!
Unmissable Ice-fields Parkway and Athabasca Glacier Experience
Our next destination was Jasper, on the way, taking our trip to the Columbia Icefield for the Ice Explorer & Skywalk. What an amazing adventure that was! The Athabasca Glacier which, although for now is still spectacular, is tragically being reduced by Global Warming. The Skywalk is amazing! People who are nervous of heights may be hesitant but don’t be. It is well worth doing and not as scary as you may think.
Bear and Wildlife Sightings!
We proceeded on the road for our 3 nights in Jasper, seeing a Grizzly Bear crossing to munch on the vegetation on our nearside. We stopped the car so as not to disturb it but it concentrated on its nourishment. Further on, there were two black bears walking through the vegetation also scouring the ground for nutriment. As Amanda had warned that during high summer we may not see as many animals as in spring and fall / autumn, the plentiful wildlife sightings was a wonderful ‘extra’ treat.
Jasper -Paradise for Nature Lovers.
If you love nature then you should definitely allocate as much time to Jasper as you can.We could have stayed in Jasper for a week! The whole area is spectacular – with waterfalls, lakes and wildlife. We drove around each day, visiting so many stunning viewpoints, walking around waterfalls and lakes, through wooded areas (take bear spray) and travelling up and down roads where a bear may cross or we would see one on the side of the road just eating the dandelion heads…
Pre-book extra trips to avoid disappointment in peak season
We also took 2 organised trips here which we’d definitely recommend. Firstly, an Evening Wildlife Tour which was in a mini bus with very clear windows. Jeff was our driver and we was knowledgeable, informative and amusing. Incredibly, we saw a mating pair of black bears, a family of Marmots, a Mule Deer, a nest with a Bald Eagle with 2 chicks and an Osprey. He also showed us herds of Elk and some young Coyotes.
Maligne Lake Cruise was very special
The following day, we had pre-booked a Maligne Lake Cruise. Amanda advised us to leave early for the trip which was great advice, we were able to take our time on the journey for wildlife spotting. The bald eagle and its chicks were easily visible, the family of Marmots were active on the same rocks as the previous night and, the icing on the cake, a Moose was swimming in Medicine Lake. This was a very special and thrilling experience. Especially since the locals told us that seeing a Moose was at all likely.
Surrounded by Granite Peaks, Glaciers and ancient forests, the boat trip on the lake was calm & peaceful. Our Guide gave us a detailed history and geology of the area, the boat mooring to get off to visit the beautiful Spirit Island which was quite emotional. There was something very atmospheric about it.
After the trip we travelled slowly back to Jasper. We were able to stop off for more sightseeing. And with six pairs of eyes keeping watch we were even treated to several more sightings of black bears weaving in and out off the bushes. At this time of year the bears are otherwise engaged with food! Greedily eating the prolific dandelion flowers and greenery as they put on weight during the short mountain summer. We had 7 sightings of 8 bears altogether during our 3 night stay – brilliant!
Take the Train! Sit back and enjoy the scenery in style…
The following day, it was sadly time to leave Jasper and travel on the Via Rail to Vancouver.
But we weren’t sad for long as the journey through the mountains was both luxurious, relaxing and jaw-droppingly beautiful. The welcoming berths were well appointed, had seats for the daytime, as well as sinks and ensuite toilets. Our Personal Attendant “converted” the room to a sleeping room with substantial and comfortable bunk beds whilst we had dinner.
The restaurant car was 5 star quality, in presentation, food and service. A special mention and thank you to Sean who was an excellent Maitre d’hote. The scenery was, again, a sight to behold which we could view through one of the massive carriage windows or one of the Dome Cars. We were all so happy that we’d chosen to leave the hire car in Jasper and take the train, as it meant we could all relax and enjoy the scenery and avoid what would have been a fairly long 2 day drive.
Vancouver – city of parks and beaches – just so much to do!
During our Vancouver stay, our included trip was to Vancouver Island, by coach and ferry, taking in Butchart Gardens, for which there is no superlative that does justice to it.
Our Guide/Driver, Anthony was absolutely brilliant! He was great, so knowledgeable and informative, helpful and immensely amusing, he kept us entertained whilst imparting a wealth of wisdom. Although we could have been tired after our long day, instead we were invigorated!
Over our stay in Vancouver, there were quite a few areas to visit around and about on foot, we enjoyed several Harbour areas, Gastown with its steam clock and the beautiful Stanley Park where we walked for several hours taking in its wild areas as well as its many historical sites. We could have booked more trips but we felt satisfied with everything we had already done…..maybe next time?!
Conclusion
In summary, the recommendations and advice and timings from Amanda were invaluable. All the hotels were perfect and she proposed trips which were everything we could have hoped for to get a real flavour of Canada, its scenery, wildlife and beauty. She helped me celebrate my birthday in style and made my birthday very special.
We can honestly say that we have never encountered any other Travel Specialist or Agent who has such dedication and commitment to creating a perfect Holiday Experience. That is why, we will continue to book our holidays with Mandala World Travel.
