All over the enormous country, there are sublime encounters with wildlife to enjoy, not the least in Alberta, which accommodates the phenomenal Banff National Park.
Many are we who ponder on what our next travel destination will be as soon as the situation allows. One option that many may not consider is the beautiful Canadian province, Alberta. Here dwells a breathtaking experience that'll make your jaw drop.
What is Canada known for except ice hockey, maple syrup and being the butt of a significant amount of American jokes? Well, it's incredible nature. All over the enormous country, there are sublime encounters with wildlife to enjoy, not the least in Alberta, which accommodates the phenomenal Banff National Park.
A brief take on Alberta
Although Alberta is just one of Canada's provinces, the vast area measures 255,541 square miles. In other words, it's about the size of Texas. This does, of course, sound huge, but then again, Alberta is just about 6,6 percent of Canada. If we go back to the comparison to Texas, there's one big difference, though. Alberta is the home of 3,6 million people, while it lives 29 million in the southern state. That means that there's plenty of room for wildlife.
Starting off in Calgary
Edmonton is the capital of Alberta, but the traveller with limited time should go directly to Calgary – Alberta's most populated city. One reason for this is that Calgary is exceptionally pleasant; another is that the city has a close connection to the National Park of Banff.
Calgary is, in many ways, a big city. Here you'll find skyscrapers, a pulsating rhythm and plenty of fun activities – the biggest surprise being the extraordinary rodeo The Calgary Stampede. Who said that the only great rodeos can be found in Texas? Of course, there are also cosy streets with dim-lit cafées to experience if you're in the mode for that.
You'll find plenty of good restaurants, fabulous pubs, jazz bars, and even casinos for the evening activities. But before you decide to go all-in, it may be worth visiting Canada Real Money Casinos to get a sense of the different games. Because there are plenty of them, and you should not enter a casino without having a clue how to play.
From Calgary, it's also possible to make pleasant day trips, like going on a horseback ride in the nearby nature or maybe visiting Bow River for a fishing trip.
Wonderful Banff National Park
How great Calgary might sound; the biggest treasure in Alberta, if not all of Canada, lies just around the corner. We are, of course, talking about Banff National Park – one of the most incredible places on earth. From Calgary, you can reach the village of Baff, and the national park, in 90 minutes by car or train. If possible, we recommend renting a car; the national park is huge (2,564 square miles), and having a car makes it so much easier to visit its highlights.
An absolute must-see is beautiful Lake Moraine, which seems lifted right out of a dream. You'll also need to visit the area around Lake Louise and, of course, the magical caves west of Banff… not to speak about the park's warm springs.
There's plenty to see in Alberta, and we strongly recommend you going there if you get the chance.
Photo by Chris Henry on Unsplash
