Banff & The Rockies

The jewel of the Canadian Rockies, with turquoise glacial lakes, the Icefields Parkway, and two of the world's most photographed hotels in one extraordinary landscape.

The Maple Leaf

The finest dining in Banff, Canadian Rocky Mountain cuisine featuring bison, elk, Alberta beef, and BC salmon in a warm log-beamed room.

Visit website

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Fairmont Banff Springs

The 'Castle in the Rockies' since 1888, a magnificent château-style hotel surrounded by peaks, with 27 holes of golf, a world-class spa, and views that never lose their power.

Visit website

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

One of the most photographed hotels in the world, a château perched above the impossibly turquoise Lake Louise with Victoria Glacier as a backdrop.

Visit website

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Lake Louise

The jewel of the Canadian Rockies, turquoise glacial water, Victoria Glacier, and surrounding peaks create one of the most spectacular landscapes on earth.

Visit website

Hodophs insider tipArrive before 7am to see the lake before the crowds. Rent a canoe and paddle to the far end for the most extraordinary view back toward the château. The larch season (late September) turns the surrounding hills gold - one of the great annual natural spectacles.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Moraine Lake

Often considered even more beautiful than Lake Louise, the Valley of the Ten Peaks reflected in brilliant blue glacial water. Access is restricted in summer; book shuttles ahead.

Visit website

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Icefields Parkway

The 230km drive between Banff and Jasper is one of the world's great road trips, glaciers, turquoise lakes, wildlife, and waterfalls at every turn.

Visit website

★ ★ ★ ★ ★