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We would like to visit Banff national park next summer . I have following questions
How early I have to start planning and booking?
Can I take my (NON hiker) mother in law with us who has knee problem ?
What are the attractions I can cover with mother in law and kids(below 8)?
can I stay inside the National park or need to stay in the city ?
How many days minimum I need to stay there ?
Are there any restaurants/ food available inside the park ?
Any other tips or advice ?
I visited once, spending several days between Jasper and Banff (and all the stuff in between). So I certainly didnt see everything and hardly know a lot to answer you comprehensively. That said, just some thoughts:
Considering the number of options and possibilities, it's probably best to start planning asap. Booking may need to be done fairly early too...like 6 months ahead or so. We booked our stuff maybe 1-2 months out and most housing options were sold out. Luckily we were pretty flexible so it worked out.
There seems to be a lot of people who enjoy the area without having to "hike" but their options are probably more limited and it's less convenient. Also it depends on how much mobility she has...perhaps not "hiking" but if she can walk around alright then she can see some of the attractions and all of the resort areas.
The way I understood it, the entire stretch from Jasper to Banff is the park, so of course you can stay in the park. The "cities" are within the national park. That said, you must be asking if you can stay on the sites of some of the natural areas. I believe a number of the lakes had resorts next to them so the answer should be yes for some but not all. There were also a number of campgrounds to choose from.
For someone like me, I think the ideal time is 4 or 5 days for the entire region. If just focused in on Banff specifically and adjacent areas then 3 days should suffice. I'm sure some people could enjoy an even longer stay but for me that would be plenty.
If you are travelling THAT far and perhaps it's a once in a life time trip then shedding off a few grands is OK - obviously it has to be within your budget.
We stayed in Canmore when we went up there. The roads are good and there is much to see. We are not hikers, but did wander around various places. We did not go up to Jasper, but we did go up to the Columbia Icefields where specially built buses take you onto a glacier. Beautiful country.
There's plenty to see from the car for a non-hiker. Like engineman, I stayed in and around Canmore and prefer it to Banff, though it's an easy enough drive to head over to Banff for dinner if you want. Outside of the NPs, I recommend the Smith Dorien Trail, a 1.5 hour drive with jaw-dropping scenery on gravel road south of Canmore.
I've visited the parks several times. Keep in mind that there are 4 national parks nestled together, Kootenay, Yoho, Jasper and Banff and several provincial parks, including beautiful Mt. Robson provincial park. Rough Guides publishes an e-book for the Canadian Rockies. I'd start there. Regarding destinations, I'd put Lake O'Hara in Yoho at the top of the list, even above Lake Louise or Moraine Lake. Now would be the time to book a room in Lake O'Hara Lodge - expensive but worth it if you can afford it.
Yes, there are many places to stay in the parks, from cabins (which I really like) to hotels. You can learn more from each park's website and a good guide like I suggested. How long you go depends on how much you want to see. You could do Lake Louise and Icefields in 2-3 days, if it's a bucket list trip, or you can spend weeks to get a real flavor. Many sites can be "seen" with little walking, but to get a better flavor, you'd need to get out and walk a bit (or a lot...).
One note of caution regarding trails: if horses are allowed on a trail, I would not go. Made a mistake of doing so once, and the combination of urine smell, large piles (guess they don't have/use doggie bags for horses?) made for a very unpleasant walk. Horses tend to tear up trails, too, so you'd find lots of mud (maybe mixed with....oh, never mind).
I've visited the parks several times. Keep in mind that there are 4 national parks nestled together, Kootenay, Yoho, Jasper and Banff and several provincial parks, including beautiful Mt. Robson provincial park. Rough Guides publishes an e-book for the Canadian Rockies. I'd start there. Regarding destinations, I'd put Lake O'Hara in Yoho at the top of the list, even above Lake Louise or Moraine Lake. Now would be the time to book a room in Lake O'Hara Lodge - expensive but worth it if you can afford it.
Yes, there are many places to stay in the parks, from cabins (which I really like) to hotels. You can learn more from each park's website and a good guide like I suggested. How long you go depends on how much you want to see. You could do Lake Louise and Icefields in 2-3 days, if it's a bucket list trip, or you can spend weeks to get a real flavor. Many sites can be "seen" with little walking, but to get a better flavor, you'd need to get out and walk a bit (or a lot...).
One note of caution regarding trails: if horses are allowed on a trail, I would not go. Made a mistake of doing so once, and the combination of urine smell, large piles (guess they don't have/use doggie bags for horses?) made for a very unpleasant walk. Horses tend to tear up trails, too, so you'd find lots of mud (maybe mixed with....oh, never mind).
Just some thoughts.
Thanks.
Lake O'Hara, I will keep that in mind.
I also saw some online pics of Princess of Whales Hotel near Waterton that also looked very pretty. I think it's quite far from Banff?
Waterton is about 4 hours by car from Banff. Why go all that distance and time, when there's so much in the cluster of parks by Banff? For example, Takakkaw Falls in Yoho is spectacular, easy to access, and perfect for someone with limited mobility.
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