Western Canada Escorted Tour Experience

Whistler and the Sea to Sky Highway

After flying from London Heathrow into Vancouver, our Canadian adventure got off to a spectacular start. As soon as we landed, we headed north along the famous Sea to Sky Highway towards Whistler. The drive alone was an incredible introduction to British Columbia, with huge mountains, forests and amazing views all the way along the route.
When we arrived in Whistler, I checked into the Delta Hotels by Marriott Whistler Village and absolutely loved it. I was staying in a suite, which was lovely and spacious, and the balcony had an amazing view over the mountains. It was the perfect place to settle in and start the trip.

Whistler itself was also right up my street. There was so much going on, with loads of restaurants, bars, shops and activities, but it still had that lovely mountain village feel. There is so much you can do there, whether you're looking for something adventurous or just want to relax and enjoy the scenery.

The following morning, we were up early for one of the biggest highlights of the trip, a helicopter ride over the mountains. We flew around the incredible landscape and got to see some of the glaciers up close before landing on top of a mountain.

Honestly, it was one of the best things I have ever done.

Once the helicopter had left us on the mountain, it was so peaceful. We were surrounded by mountains with nobody else around, and it was one of those moments where you just stop and take everything in. Having that little bit of time in such an incredible setting was special and something I won't forget.

After flying back to Whistler, we got changed and headed out again, this time to kayak the River of Golden Dreams. This was such a fun experience and the scenery was unreal. We were surrounded by beautiful mountains and nature, and we also got to see loads of wildlife along the way, including bears!

That evening I headed into Whistler for some Mexican food at a lovely restaurant. The food was great and the atmosphere was exactly what I was looking for after such a busy day. It was a really nice way to finish off our time in Whistler.

The next morning, we headed back down the Sea to Sky Highway towards Vancouver, stopping at the Sea to Sky Gondola along the way. This was another stop that I would recommend. The gondola takes you high above Squamish and the views from the top are incredible, with huge mountain ranges and spectacular views across Howe Sound. There are also some great viewpoints and walking trails at the top, so you can easily spend a few hours taking it all in.

Once we reached Vancouver, I checked into the Sutton Place Hotel. The location was fantastic and central, making it a great base for exploring the city. The rooms were big and comfortable, but the thing that really stood out to me was the bed. It was genuinely one of the best hotel beds I've slept in in Canada!

British Columbia’s Winelands 

The next morning, we headed down to Canada Place to join our five-day Rocky Summer Premium Escorted Tour.
The coach was super comfortable and spacious, and every seat had its own charger, which was very handy because my camera was basically switched on for the entire trip. There was so much to see that I was constantly taking photos.
Our first day took us towards Salmon Arm, with a few stops along the way. We stopped in Hope, which was particularly interesting as it was where Rambo: First Blood was filmed. There is even a statue of Rambo in the town, so of course I had to get a photo.

From Hope we continued towards Kelowna, which I really enjoyed. The city sits right beside the huge Okanagan Lake and, because it was such a hot day, the lake was absolutely buzzing. There were jet skis out on the water and loads of people enjoying themselves around the lake.

Kelowna also has some fantastic restaurants and bars. I had one of the best BBQ burgers I've ever had while I was there, so the food definitely gets my approval!

We also visited Grey Monk Estate Winery for a wine tasting. I'm a big fan of wine, so this was always going to be a highlight for me. The wines were really tasty, and the setting was beautiful too. If you enjoy wine, I'd recommend spending some time in the Okanagan Valley.

We then continued to Salmon Arm and checked into the Prestige Harbourfront Resort. The hotel was in a fantastic location right beside the lake and the room was spacious and comfortable. We also had a great view over the water, which made it a lovely place to relax after a busy day.

Exploring the Canadian Rockies 

The following day was another big one as we started making our way towards the Rockies. We visited Emerald Lake, and I was completely blown away by the colour of the water. It was this incredible deep greeny-blue colour that almost didn't look real. I'd seen photos before but seeing it in person was something else. There is also a lovely café there where you can grab a coffee and sit back and enjoy the views, which is exactly what I would recommend doing.

We then continued onto Lake Louise, and this was another place that really took my breath away. Lake Louise is famous for a reason. The turquoise water, huge surrounding mountains and Victoria Glacier make it one of the most incredible places I've ever seen. It really is a treat to see it in person.

We then headed to Banff, where I checked into the Mount Royal Hotel. The location was fantastic, right in the heart of Banff Avenue, so everything was pretty much on the doorstep. The hotel itself was also lovely, with modern and comfortable rooms that still had a traditional mountain feel to them. It fitted Banff perfectly and was a great base for exploring the town.

The next morning, we got up early and headed up the Banff Gondola for breakfast and to take in the panoramic views from the top. The views over Banff National Park were unbelievable. You can see mountains stretching in every direction and it really shows you just how incredible the Rockies are. I'd recommend going up the gondola if you are visiting Banff. The views from the top are some of the best you'll get anywhere in the world.

We also visited Lake Minnewanka, which I really enjoyed. If you have the time while you're in Banff, I recommend visiting. It's a huge and beautiful lake and, for me, it felt a little quieter than some of the other famous lakes around Banff National Park.

We then had some free time to explore Banff, so I enjoyed having a look around the shops before heading up to the hot springs. After such a busy few days, it was great to just relax in the warm water for a while. I came out feeling incredibly relaxed and my skin genuinely felt so soft afterwards!

The next day we left Banff and visited Moraine Lake, which I think might now be my favourite lake in Canada. It was breathtaking. The colour of the water was an incredible turquoise blue and the mountains surrounding it made the whole place look almost unreal. I took loads of photos while I was there and honestly could have stayed for hours. It's one of those places that looks amazing in photographs but seeing it in person is completely different.

From Moraine Lake we headed onto the Icefields Parkway, and this was another huge highlight of the trip.
I honestly spent most of the journey with my head against the window in amazement. Every corner seemed to bring something new. One minute you would be looking at a huge mountain, then you'd turn another corner and there would be a waterfall, a glacier or another incredible view. It was just one amazing scene after another.

We then stopped at the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre and got to travel onto the Athabasca Glacier on a special Ice Explorer vehicle. Standing on an actual glacier was an incredible experience, although I decided to take it one step further and put my face in the freezing glacier water. It was absolutely freezing! It was also one of those random moments that I'll definitely remember from the trip.

We then continued towards Jasper, which I thought was a lovely little town. It has a really relaxed feel and is surrounded by incredible scenery. Compared with some of the bigger and busier destinations we'd visited, Jasper felt like a real gem.
From there we continued towards Mount Robson, and luckily, we had a beautiful clear day, so we got to see the mountain in all its glory. It was an incredible sight and another great opportunity to get some photos.

That evening we checked into the Blue River Resort. I really liked this place. The chalet accommodation had a lovely authentic feel and fitted perfectly with the surrounding wilderness. They also had firepits set up with wood ready to go, which I thought was a nice touch. I could easily imagine spending an evening sitting around the fire after a day exploring the area.
 

The following day we started making our way back towards Vancouver, stopping at Dawson Falls and Helmcken Falls along the way. Both were beautiful and well worth stopping for, especially if you're travelling through the area.
Eventually we arrived back in Vancouver and checked into the Sheraton Wall Centre. I've always liked the Wall Centre as it's  got a central location and makes a great base for exploring Vancouver. The rooms were spacious, the beds were comfortable and it was a great place to finish what had been a very busy trip.

Final Thoughts 

The following day it was time to head to the airport and fly home.

I was genuinely sad to leave. Looking back over the trip, it's difficult to pick a single favourite part because every destination offered something completely different.

Standing on top of a mountain after a helicopter flight, kayaking through Whistler and seeing bears, enjoying the lake in Kelowna, tasting wine in the Okanagan Valley, seeing Emerald Lake, Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, exploring Banff and travelling along the Icefields Parkway were all completely different experiences.

That's what I love about Canada. You can experience incredible cities, mountains, lakes, wildlife, food and wine all within the same trip, and there always seems to be another incredible place waiting around the next corner.

I came home with hundreds of photographs, loads of amazing memories and, as usual, already thinking about where in Canada I want to go next.