The Ultimate Western Canada Road Trip With North Campervans: Alberta and British Columbia
True North, Strong, and Free. Canada is the place we call home and although we may be a little biased, it's quite unlike any other country we’ve seen. Of all the places we’ve been fortunate enough to travel to, exploring our backyard has always been high on our list but for some reason we just never managed to make it out there. That all changed when the world locked down due to the Coronavirus Pandemic and we were forced to get creative with our travels. After giving it much thought, we began to look into the possibility of living in a van for a little while as we explored the beauty of the place we called home, this would give us the flexibility to sleep and stay wherever we felt like, as well as ensure that we complied with all the rules and regulations surrounding COVID-19. That’s when we stumbled across North Campervans.
About North Campervans
North Campervans is a small, family run campervan rental company based out of Calgary, Alberta. Their fleet consists of custom converted Dodge Caravans that offer the ultimate comfort and flexibility for life on the road for all types of adventurists, and not to mention, they’re amazing on gas! At the time of this writing, North Campervans offer two rental options.
“The Campervan”
This custom converted Dodge Caravan Campervan is compact, fuel efficient, and is perfect for solo travellers/couples. Of course, if you have more in your group like we did, there is an option to add a rooftop tent which is SO comfortable. In general, the van seats 5 and sleeps 2 inside and 2 on the roof if you decide to add the tent. The Campervan comes with storage space for bedding and camp gear in the mid vehicle storage box, and it’s interior bed sets up in seconds with a comfortable 6’ x 4’ foam mattress. We were a group of 3 with tons of camera equipment and outfit changes and we found it to be quite spacious. Kaan is also 6’2 and was able to lay down completely straight on the mattress inside as well as in the tent above.
At the back, or in the trunk, is a fully equipped kitchen for cooking up a gourmet meal wherever you might be. There’s a fridge to keep all your meats, poultry and dairy cool - it runs off its own battery and lasts 24 hours without turning the engine on. There’s also a 2 burner camp stove, countertop and believe it or not, a sink!
2. The "Whatever You Want It to Be" Van
The main difference between this van and “The Campervan” is that the interior has not been outfitted with a convertible mattress - providing a number of seating and storage options for those who love camping and are just needing camping gear and a comfortable spot to sleep. The van has all 7 of it’s legal seats intact and can sleep 3 Adults (or 2 Adults and 2 Kids) in the iKamper Rooftop tent above. This model is the perfect option for anyone wanting the rooftop tent experience, extra storage space or space to chill if the weather isn’t so great. It’s important to note that this van does not have a fully-equipped kitchen built into the back like “The Campervan” does, but fret not, the guys at North Campervans have all the equipment you could possibly need to cook up and enjoy a feast wherever your adventures take you.
We opted to go with The Campervan as we were a group of 3 (one couple and one solo traveller) so it gave us the privacy we all needed for two weeks on the road. The two of us slept inside and we had one in the rooftop tent - both were super comfortable sleeps and still, we can’t stop raving about how comfortable the mattresses were! As we mentioned earlier, the team at North Campervans had everything you could possibly need to make your trip as smooth and convenient as possible. All the cooking equipment, utensils and even the sleeping bags/pillows were provided - all we had to do was bring ourselves and our personal belongings!
How to get there
We flew straight into Calgary, took a taxi over to the North Campervans rental location which cost us about $60.
Our trip took place in mid-June, which typically is right before true peak season, although this year was a one-off due to COVID and there weren't many tourists around at all. However, because there was a late winter this year, a lot of the bigger hikes were still snowed in, and the ones that weren’t were still closed due to COVID regulations. So when you go should really depend on what your travel priorities are and of course, the global situation.
Travelling with a campervan was a natural fit for us. We did a similar trip through Southern Africa (Namibia, Botswana and South Africa) and it’s our absolute favourite way to travel. Vans give you the flexibility to go wherever you want, whenever, letting you go wherever the road takes you. For instance, we would be driving along the highway, see a beautiful lake with a mountain backdrop, pull over and set up camp there for the night. If you haven’t tried a van trip before, we know it can be intimidating at first, but we highly recommend it!
Where to Go in Alberta and British Columbia?
Once we figured out how we were going to get around and where we were going to sleep and eat, the hardest part was planning where we would go.
The thing about Canada is that it is so big. It’s the second largest country in the world, and once you start Googling, there are millions of things to see and do. And it can get so overwhelming. There were so many times we sat in front of our laptops and stressed about not having enough time to squeeze in everything we wanted to see. Who knew Canada has sand dunes, rainforests, dry and cold deserts, and everything else in between?
So in order to plan this trip, we decided to stick to exploring the main sights, and combine it with a mixture of hiking, canoeing, beaches, wineries (definitely couldn’t miss this part), camping, and hotels. We also knew that because of the pandemic, we would face certain restrictions (like no showers being open- more on that later). We didn’t want to miss anything major, but also didn’t want a way too jam packed itinerary that would leave us more stressed and tired.
After a ton of research, we decided that the best route for 3 weeks in Western Canada would be:
CALGARY - BANFF - JASPER - VANCOUVER - WHISTLER - OKANAGAN VALLEY - CALGARY
While we barely even scratched the surface of all the things to do out West, we had such an amazing experience on this road trip and felt like we got to at least see all the places we have seen on Canadian postcards. Since we were in the mountains, the weather changed constantly, and we had included many buffer days to ensure we had enough chances to capture the perfect photo.
If you are looking for the Ultimate 10 Day Canadian Rockies Itinerary, click here.
Here is our journey of 26 days in Western Canada:
Day 1-4: Banff and the Lake Louise Area
After landing in Calgary, we picked up our North Campervan, and hit the road to Banff! We did our grocery shopping at IGA in Banff Town, and went to Lake Minnewanka for sunset. The sun sets behind the mountains but the colours in the sky were incredible.
We spent our first 4 evenings sleeping at the Lake Louise Overflow parking lot. The lot itself is pretty basic, but it is surrounded by trees, has a patch of grass, and an outhouse. The fees for sleeping here overnight have been temporarily waived. Our first night was FREEZING! We didn’t properly bundle up or use sleeping bags- we completely forgot how quickly the weather changed in the mountains. One moment it is hot, and the other cold, so be sure to always dress in layers.
Over the next few days, we would wake up daily at 5 am to catch the sunrises at Lake Moraine or Lake Louise. Both were located about 20 minutes from the overflow parking lot we would sleep in. We couldn’t believe how few people were around in comparison to the videos we have seen of the crowds at Lake Louise and Lake Moraine the year before.
After our sunrise shoots, we would cook breakfast at the Lake Louise Village Mall parking lot (which has bathrooms AND FREE WIFI). Some days we would drive into Banff town for lunch, and spend the afternoons exploring the area. We spent one of these nights at the Banff International Hostel in order to shower and do our laundry.
Our favourite places in the Banff area are:
Surprise Corner- not so much of a surprise, but this is a fantastic lookout point at Sulphur Mountain and Fairmont banff Springs.
Morat’s Curve- epic bend in the road where the Canadian National Railway frequently passes. 2km down from the curve is where we took our road photos waving the Canadian flag.
Bow Lake- beautiful lake that turns to glass at sunrise and sunset with incredible reflections of the mountains and evergreens. If you park in the car lot, you will be able to walk around the edge of the lake by crossing the wooden bridge.
Bow Lake
Two Jack Lake
Two Jack Lake- incredible place to watch the sunrise or sunset, go paddle boarding, and camp overnight.
Vermillion Lake- another great sunrise and sunset spot just outside of Banff.
Banff Gondola- take the gondola up Sulphur Mountain to see beautiful views of Banff Town.
Some of the best places to eat in Banff are:
Tooloulous- An incredible breakfast spot where you will find a cajun twist on Canadian breakfasts.
Earls- One of our favourite chain restaurants in Canada. The food is homey, the quality is consistent, and the prices are super reasonable. They have a Happy Hour Menu between 3-6, with a great selection of food and drink deals. Our favourite’s are the Buffalo Cauliflower , Cajun Chicken Sandwich, Dynamite Roll, Santa Fe Chicken Salad, and the Spinach Dip.
Block Kitchen- A fusion Asian-Canadian restaurant.
Seoul Restaurant- One of the best Bibimbaps we have ever had was here! Great lunch spot in the centre of downtown.
The Bison Restaurant- Get your fix of everything bison meat here!
Beaver Tails- A delicious Canadian pastry made up of deep-fried dough with various toppings. Claudia loves the killaloe sunrise while Kaan loves the Reece’s Pieces flavour!
Day 5-6: Yoho National Park, BC
We spent the next few days in Yoho National Park, which is just over the provincial border in British Columbia. Here we hiked to Lake O’hara, which is 14 km one way. It is an incredible trail but be sure to pack plenty of snacks!
At sunset, we headed over to Emerald Lake, where Emerald Lodge lights up in the middle of the lake and is seriously dreamy.
Day 7-10: Icefield Parkway to Jasper and Lake Maligne
On day 6, we embarked on one of the most epic road trips in the world- the Icefields Parkway to Jasper. This scenic drive will have you gawking at every turn- from the snow-capped peaks of the mountains to the wildlife you will see along the way.
We stopped in a few places along the way to take photos- at Athabasca Falls, Goats and Glaciers, Tangle Creek Falls and the Columbia Icefield.
When we got to Jasper, we picked up our canoe equipment and keys from Wild Outfitters and headed straight to Lake Maligne. There we made a quick dinner in the parking lot, and went to bed early. At 1am, we woke up, unlocked our canoe, and headed out on an unforgettable 28km round trip paddle to Spirit Island. We were guided through the night by the full moon and arrived at Spirit Island at 5am, just in time for sunrise. We spent a few hours taking in the view and enjoying having the place all to ourselves. After paddling back 14km to mainland, we reached shore at 1pm. We decided to take it easy for the rest of the day, explore the town, and had some great dinner.
Some of the best places to eat in Jasper are:
Jasper Brewhouse: Serves hearty Canadiana cuisine and brew their beers on site.
Agni Bistro: Yummy restaurant that serves Indian and Thai cuisine.
Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria: You’ll get your Italian wood-oven pizza here!
Kimchi House: Korean restaurant with delicious Bibimbap.
Earls Restaurant: Chain restaurant where you will find something for everyone.
The Other Paw Bakery Cafe: A local favorite cafe which serves up a delicious breakfast. It is so good it’s worth the wait!
On days 10-12, we checked in the Fairmont Jasper Lodge, where we had an incredible luxury resort experience. We liked being able to diversify the accommodation options on our trip, mixing up camping with hotel stays. While we did camp the majority of our trip, due to showers being closed on campgrounds because of Covid-19 restrictions, we decided that spending a few nights in hotels would allow us to freshen up.
Day 11: Columbia Icefield and the Athabasca Glacier
We decided to spend one night on the Icefield Parkway and have the opportunity to explore the Columbia Icefield area. We stayed at the Glacier Lodge, which has stunning views of the Athabasca Glacier and is very close to the Glacier Skywalk.
Glacier Lodge
Glacier Skywalk
DAY 12-13: Lake Louise, Calgary to Vancouver
After exploring the Icefield Parkway, we headed back for our last night with Elliott in the Lake Louise area, getting our final shots in. We were fortunate enough to work with the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise for one of these nights, and canoed on Lake Louise, which was definitely a major bucket list experience for us. On day 14, we drove to Calgary to drop Elliott off and started off on our journey to Vancouver.
Day 14-17: Vancouver
The drive from Calgary to Vancouver is about 10 hours, and leaving at 6 am allowed us to get into the city right before the afternoon rush hour. We stayed with a friend in Vancouver, and did all of the typical touristy Vancouver things. Kaan had never properly been to Vancouver before (we did a short layover a few years ago but only had enough time to see the harbour) so this time we decided to see everything.
We had a terrific BBQ lunch at Sunset Beach Park (which is obviously also an epic sunset!), walked around Gastown and Coal Harbour, and took bikes along the Vancouver Seawall at Stanley Park.
We also went to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park one morning to get a photo of us crossing the infamous bridge. The admission price is a bit expensive, but keep in mind that this park has many tree-top trails and takes around 1 ½ hours to walk around.
Day 18-20: Whistler
Since we haven’t had much down time during this trip, we decided to do a romantic getaway to Whistler. We stayed at the Fairmont Whistler in one of their newly upgraded suites and man, was it a bliss! We spent time walking around the village during the day, enjoying the spa baths at the Scandinave Spa (seriously, this is a must!), and indulge in the amazing cuisine at all 3 of the restaurants at the Fairmont property. We spent our sunrises exploring the different lakes around Whistler: Atla Lake, Green Lake, Nita Lake, Alpha Lake, and Lost Lake. Ironically, we loved the tranquility of Lost Lake at sunrise the most, and spent a lot of time enjoying the view of the mountains from their massive dock.
Scandinave Spa, Whistler
Fairmont Whistler
Lost Lake, Whistler
Day 21-23: Okanagan Valley
The Okanagan Valley was one of the highlights of our trip- we couldn’t believe that this magical place in Canada exists! This region is known for it’s winery, lakes, and desert climate, and it is simply stunning! We spent 2 nights in the Pentincton area, and just drove around visiting wineries, cheese and fruit stalls. Our favourite winery was Origin, which is perched on a hill overlooking the Okanagan Lake and the wineries surrounding it. We were originally going to stay here for 1 night, and extended for another, but we could have easily spent a week here.
Day 24-26: Banff and Calgary
We spent our last 2 nights in the Canadian Rockies staying at the Fairmont Banff Springs, a castle among the mountains. Here we indulged in incredible food, explored the property, and did something that has been on Claudia’s bucket list for ages- horseback riding! We did a 1 hour trail ride with Banff Trail Riders, and chose the Spray River Ride, a trail which crosses two rivers and is set against stunning mountain scenery.
Day 26: Flying out of Calgary
Unfortunately our trip had to come to an end. As we flew home to Toronto, we reminisced on how incredible this journey was and how beautiful Canada is. We definitely can’t wait to get out and explore more of our own country!
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