Western Canada: Mountains, Lakes & a Journey Through the Rockies

There are some destinations that are beautiful in photographs. And then there are those that make you realise photographs simply don't do them justice.

For me, Western Canada is one of those places.

Travelling with a friend through Alberta and British Columbia, I found myself surrounded by landscapes that seemed to become more spectacular with every turn — soaring mountains, turquoise lakes, glaciers, alpine villages and some truly beautiful places to stay.

And somewhere along the way, Canada completely stole my heart.

Our adventure began with a flight into Vancouver before continuing to Edmonton, where we collected a hire car and set off on the scenic drive towards Jasper. This was our introduction to Alberta and the magnificent Canadian Rockies.

Our home for the next two nights was Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, a peaceful mountain resort on the shores of Lac Beauvert. There are plenty of activities to fill your days here, but sometimes the greatest luxury is having nowhere you need to be.

We spent much of our time simply walking around the lake, relaxing on our terrace with a drink and breathing in that wonderfully fresh mountain air.

The town of Jasper was only a short drive away, with its cafés, restaurants and relaxed mountain-town atmosphere, but I was equally happy sitting beside the lake doing very little at all.

Leaving Jasper, we travelled towards Lake Louise along one of the most spectacular routes of our journey. This isn't a drive you want to rush.

With mountains towering around you and magnificent scenery appearing around almost every corner, the journey itself becomes one of the highlights. We stopped at beautiful Peyto Lake and Athabasca Falls before continuing towards the Columbia Icefield.

Here we ventured onto the glacier aboard an Ice Explorer and had some time to actually stand and play in the snow, particularly memorable as it was my friend's first experience of snow.

Travel has a wonderful way of giving you moments like that.

We also ventured onto the Glacier Skywalk, a glass-floored walkway suspended high above the Sunwapta Valley.

I'll admit, taking that first step onto the glass required a little courage.

There was plenty of hesitation amongst us initially, but once we'd completed the first circuit, we decided we were brave enough to go around again. And again.

We arrived at the magnificent Fairmont Château Lake Louise and, before doing very much at all, found ourselves sitting with cocktails overlooking the glacial lake and snow-capped Victoria Glacier.

There are worse ways to begin a stay.

We were fortunate to be upgraded to a lake-view room, and I can still remember looking through the window and thinking it was one of the most beautiful views I had ever seen. The colour of the water, the mountains and the glacier beyond almost didn't seem real. We walked around the lake, taking our time to appreciate the scenery from different perspectives, and simply enjoyed being somewhere I had dreamed about visiting for so long. This was one of those occasions when reality absolutely lived up to the expectation.

After two nights at Lake Louise, it was time to continue to Banff and another Canadian icon — Fairmont Banff Springs. Often described as Canada's \1, the hotel has an extraordinary setting amongst the mountains of Banff National Park. The town of Banff itself is charming and easy to explore, with restaurants, shops and galleries surrounded by that ever-present Rocky Mountain scenery.

One of our favourite experiences was heading up Sulphur Mountain. We were incredibly lucky to have a cloudless day, and from the top the views seemed to stretch forever.

Mountains in every direction. It is difficult to comprehend the sheer scale of the Canadian Rockies until you're standing somewhere like this.

The Rocky Mountaineer — A Journey, Not Just a Train Ride

Another highlight was our two-day journey aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, travelling from Banff towards Vancouver on the \1 route. This was so much more than simply getting from A to B. Travelling by rail gives you access to landscapes you simply don't see from the road, and it allows you to sit back and properly absorb the wilderness rather than concentrating on the drive ahead.

We travelled in GoldLeaf Service, with elevated seating beneath panoramic domed windows. The views were extraordinary. There was also an outdoor viewing platform, where you could step outside into the fresh mountain air and photograph the scenery without glass between you and the landscape.

Then, of course, there was the hospitality.

Meals were served in the dining room below, while drinks and snacks seemed to appear with impressive regularity throughout the journey. It was relaxed, beautifully organised and a wonderful way to experience this part of Canada.

Our overnight stop was in Kamloops, with Rocky Mountaineer taking care of the luggage and hotel arrangements before we reboarded the following morning.

It's these little details that make a journey feel seamless.

After days surrounded by mountains and wilderness, Vancouver brought us back to city life. And what a fabulous city it is. We spent two nights at Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, perfectly positioned for exploring.

Vancouver has an appealing combination of city and nature. You can shop and dine in the heart of downtown, wander through Stanley Park, explore Granville Island, venture across Capilano Suspension Bridge or head towards Grouse Mountain. And, depending on the season, experiencing a live ice hockey game is another very Canadian addition to the itinerary.

We collected another hire car and set off towards Whistler along the spectacular Sea to Sky Highway. The name really does say it all. Mountains, water and enormous skies accompanied us as we made our way north towards another destination we quickly fell in love with. Our home was Fairmont Château Whistler, just a short stroll from Whistler Village.

We happened to be travelling during a quieter period, which made wandering through the pedestrian village particularly enjoyable. There was time to browse the shops, stop for something to eat, enjoy a drink and simply people-watch against the magnificent backdrop of the mountains.

One of our Whistler highlights was a private 4WD adventure up Blackcomb Mountain. Climbing high above Whistler, we eventually reached a point where we were looking across the mountains and clouds from what genuinely felt like the top of the world. It was extraordinarily peaceful. You could almost hear a pin drop.

The journey back down was rather less peaceful, with some serious four-wheel driving putting our vehicle — and perhaps our nerves — to the test. It was so much fun!

And at the end of the day, we'd retreat to the Fairmont, sit beside the fire and enjoy tapas accompanied by some of our newly discovered Canadian ales. My kind of après-adventure.

Eventually it was time to return to Vancouver. Before flying home, we squeezed in one final experience at Canada Place — FlyOver Canada. This immersive flight experience took us virtually across the country, complete with wind, mist and other effects that made it feel surprisingly real.

After exploring only a small part of this enormous country, it was a wonderful finale — and a tantalising glimpse of just how much more of Canada I still had to discover.

What can I say about Western Canada? Sometimes there simply aren't enough words.

The colour of Lake Louise.

The scale of the Rockies.

The silence high above Whistler.

The view through the glass dome of the Rocky Mountaineer.

A drink beside Lac Beauvert.

Cocktails overlooking a glacier.

These are the moments I remember. Western Canada remains one of the most naturally beautiful places I have ever travelled. And considering I still have so much of the country left to explore, I think it's safe to say...

Canada, I'll be back.