Western Canada: highlights of Alberta

Banff is a world renowned mountain town located within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. Surrounded by towering peaks, crystal clear lakes, and dense forests, it offers some of the most spectacular scenery in North America. Visitors can explore iconic sights such as Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, and the Banff Gondola. The area is popular throughout the year, with hiking and wildlife viewing in summer and skiing during winter. Charming streets filled with shops, restaurants, and galleries add to the town’s welcoming atmosphere. Banff combines natural beauty with a vibrant visitor experience, making it a favorite destination for travelers from around the world.

Jasper National Park is a destination not to be missed when visiting Western Canada. With a landscape boasting crystal-clear lakes, majestic mountain peaks, glaciers and luscious forests, Jasper is a great alternative to the often more crowded Banff, with its breathtaking scenery in the Canadian Rockies even earning it a place as a UNESCO site. Enjoy hikes in the wilderness and soak up its natural beauty. Jasper House was a North West Company fur trade outpost established in 1813 on the York Factory Express trade route to what was then called "New Caledonia" (now British Columbia), and Fort Vancouver in Columbia District on the lower Columbia River. It was later taken over by the Hudson's Bay Company.

A young and exciting city and the capital of the province of Alberta, Edmonton is home to many cultural and natural attractions. The city is set on the north Saskatchewan River Valley, which offers a vast expanse of nature trails filled with native wildlife and stunning views. The Royal Alberta Museum and the Art Gallery of Alberta are perfect for learning about the country’s indigenous culture and natural history, and Edmonton also has a vibrant theatre community, hosting the annual Fringe Theatre Festival every August.

Historically a coal-mining town but nowadays best known for the impressive dinosaur fossils regularly found in the area, Drumheller is a centre for paleontology and research. Situated in the badlands area of the ‘Red Deer Valley’, the town welcomes visitors to follow the ‘Dinosaur Trail’, an incredible prehistoric landscape characterised by its unique rock formations and canyons. The Royal Tyrrell Museum is also an interesting stop, and boasts a huge collection of dinosaur fossils.

Waterton Park is a beautiful national park in Alberta, Canada, known for its mountains, lakes, and diverse nature. It is part of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, the world’s first transboundary park. The park offers many recreational activities such as hiking, canoeing, and wildlife spotting. With its stunning landscapes, Waterton is an ideal destination for nature lovers.

The proud and cosmopolitan city of Calgary is situated at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers, and its proximity to stunning foothills and prairies as well as the Canadian Rocky Mountains alone make this city a must visit. Yet Calgary has more to offer than just nature, as the city has a growing craft bar and cafe scene, excellent restaurants and entertainment options as well as green parks and a pretty riverside perfect for exploring. Make sure to visit in July for the city’s famous cowboy festival, the Calgary Stampede.