Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

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PERFECT FOR:

 Scenic view seekers

WHY: 

Hop aboard the Banff-Lake Louise sightseeing chairlifts and gondolas for sky-high views of the Canadian Rockies, including Banff National Park, the Bow Valley, the town of Banff, and the village of Lake Louise. Options include the Banff Norquay North American Chairlift (open June 10 to October 10); an open-air or closed-cab ride on the Lake Louise Gondola (open May 13); and a first look at the retooled Banff Gondola, set to unveil the $26 million face-lift of its upper terminal on August 1 (gondola rides resume May 1). In addition to giving you a better view of the panoramic vistas, gliding over the mountains makes it easier to spot wildlife.


“Lake Louise Ski Resort’s sightseeing lift is otherwise known as the grizzly gondola, and for good reason,” says Banff resident Jonny Bierman, media coordinator for Banff and Lake Louise Tourism. “More days than not, wild grizzly and black bears can be seen grazing in the grass below as the chair or gondola cart passes through the fresh mountain air above.”

WHERE: 

Banff National Park is located in southwestern Alberta, 80 miles west of Calgary. Trans-Canada Highway 1 connects Calgary to Banff National Park, including the town of Banff and the hamlet of Lake Louise (35 miles northwest of Banff). The closest major airport is Calgary International.

HOW: 

At the airport, rent a car or take the Brewster Banff Airport Express to Banff or Lake Louise (reservations required). Online, pre-purchase gondola and chairlift tickets and select dates and times to ensure that you can ride during your trip and go directly to the boarding lanes when you arrive. In Banff, ride Roam Public Transit around town and to the Banff Gondola on Sulphur Mountain. Free shuttle buses transport summer chairlift riders from major hotels and campgrounds in Banff to Banff Norquay, and from designated locations in Lake Louise to the Lake Louise Gondola.

STAY: 

The 343-room Rimrock Resort Hotel on Sulphur Mountain is about 500 yards (1,500 feet) from the Banff Gondola. Book a GrandView or premium room for unobstructed views of Bow or Spray Valley. In downtown Banff, the new 174-room Moose Hotel and Suites offers convenience (walk to restaurants, shops, and bus stops) and the chance to soak in the surrounding summit views from the comfort of a rooftop hot tub. (The hotel opened May 2016, but it may be difficult to make reservations for dates before August 2.)

EAT:

 Reserve a table outdoors on the patio or indoors next to the wall of windows at the Juniper Hotel Bistro, located at the foot of Mount Norquay. The Banff National Park views are the star attraction. Equally impressive, however, are the locally inspired dishes, such as the Juniper Benny breakfast: bannock (Native American fry bread), buffalo mozzarella, braised rabbit, poached eggs, hollandaise, and juniper berry glaze served with brown-butter hash.

DON’T MISS: 

The Via Ferrata (Italian for “iron way”) at Banff Norquay is an assisted, no-experience-necessary mountaineering adventure open to ages 12 and older (reservations required). Climbers choose one of three routes and use a fixed anchoring system of steel cables, ladders, and a suspension bridge to safely scale cliffs, navigate narrow ridges, and cross chasms. All Banff Via Ferrata routes begin at the top of the Banff Norquay North American Chairlift and are led by certified mountain guides.

INSIDE TIP: 

The Banff Gondola offers a one-way ticket ($19.95, summer only) for people who want to hike up to the summit ridge and ride back down. It takes anywhere from 90 minutes to three hours to make the nearly three-and-a-half-mile hike up the Sulphur Mountain Trail. Look for the trailhead at the base of the Banff Upper Hot Springs parking lot. If you’d rather ride the gondola up the mountain and hike down, you’ll pay full price ($42.00).

FUN FACT: 

Of the three Banff-Lake Louise sightseeing gondolas and chairlifts, the Banff Gondola is the quickest, clocking in at only eight minutes for the one-way glide up to an elevation of 7,486 feet. The Norquay North American Chairlift reaches the highest elevation: 8,040 feet in 10 minutes. The Lake Louise Gondola offers the most leisurely ride (14 minutes one way) and the lowest elevation (6,850 feet at its highest point).

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/best-trips/best-summer-trips-2016/banff-national-park-alberta-canada.html