I am that kind of person who loves to organize. When I finally decided to fulfill my dream and travel to Canada, the planning was on point. I kept checking the prices of flight tickets since early June last year and booked them one sunny Sunday in October. They were half as cheep as usual and I was sure this lucrative offer won’t repeat. In couple minutes, I was printing the successful booking status and looking forward to my ultimate Canadian Rockies experience.

Once our flight tickets to Canada were booked, I started to look forward to all the planning. I was as happy as if I was already there 🙂 It was still half a year before the trip when I started the planning, giving me enough time to think the trip through into every detail. Follow my steps on how to plan your ultimate Rockies experience to get inspired and save time.

The most important thing is to know the destination you are heading to. You can either google all the necessary information or you can buy a book guide. I prefer the latter one (as I am little old school at this) or the combination of both. Book guide is well structured and contains planning advice, detailed itineraries, maps and useful information for travelers. I relied on Lonely Planet editions on Discover Canada – Experience the best of Canada, British Columbia & the Canadian Rockies and Banff, Jasper & Glacier National Parks. You can also check other guidebooks like Rough Guides, National Geography or Eyewitness travel, there is so much to pick from. They helped me understand the country perfectly. Google served me best for checking tips & tricks and specific things into more detail.

Deep research should help you decide which places you would like to visit; however, it won’t be easy. The Canadian Rockies are relatively vast area and there is so much to explore. Pay attention to special conditions at individual national parks, all the sights in the area, distances between places, weather and notices regarding wildlife and trail closures.

As there is so much to see, you should set your priorities and trip objectives. Answer for yourself what the reason behind your trip is. Is it hiking, watching wildlife, photo shooting or just relaxing vacation? Identify your goals, create priority list of what you want to see. Decide which time of the year would suit your visit the best. To enjoy the Rockies without crowds, read my blog on how to enjoy Canadian Rockies without crowds.

At this point of planning, you should already know which places you want to visit and be able to allocate time for your visit. If it is so, you are ready to book your flight tickets. To find the best deals, I would recommend start checking their prices over half a year in advance. Search websites comparing prices of flight tickets rather than websites of individual airlines.

Once you’ve booked your flights and have the exact days, you can start planning your trip into detail. By ‘into detail’ I mean your trip itinerary with program for every day of your stay. You should decide where to stay overnight and where to go “sightseeing”, considering distances and transfers, dining options and coffee breaks and your extra needs 😉

I recommend you book your accommodation well in advance, mainly if you plan to travel during peak season. You will be able to choose from more options for more affordable prices. My trip was due June and I was booking my accommodation in February, and it was already difficult to find something, especially in Banff Town.

To find the best deal, I was checking popular Booking.com, but also accommodation on Google maps, as many cabin resorts and private accommodations have their own websites. To avoid any surprises, it is good to read reviews at TripAdvisor.

Depending on your country of residence, make sure you check out if any visa is applicable for you at the official website of the Government of Canada. In case you need eTA to enter the country by air, you will only fill in a short form and receive approval to your email within couple minutes. When traveling to Canada, you will need to bring the passport you used to apply for your eTA, as it is electronically linked to it. Should you obtain a new passport, you will need to apply for a new eTA.

You don’t need to necessarily rent a car much ahead, however, I found it comfortable to have it arranged before you arrive to Canada. Once there, you don’t have to waste your time and energy on searching the best rental opportunities. Especially when you plan to rent a car in one city and return it to another. It is more expensive and requires comparing more rentals for the best deal. If you are starting your trip in Calgary, I can recommend Alamo Rent A Car Downtown. They had great customer service, car was in excellent condition, and the price was the best I found.

During my planning, I was keeping track of my finances and made note of every transaction. As you book accommodation in advance, you will pay only deposit and the rest upon your arrival. If you book your car, you will probably do the same. It is good to know how much you’ve paid already and how much you have left. Don’t forget to make a little research on local prices – they differ slightly from place to place, Banff is the most expensive. When deciding on your budget, consider travel costs (airport transfer, transport within the cities, gas for your car), prices of attractions you plan to visit (mostly they range from CAN35 to CAN100), national parks entrance fees (check annual pass), food & beverages and souvenirs  To save some money, we booked Attraction Combo Package covering four main attractions in Banff and Jasper with 20% discount. You can check the best attractions and deals  at Brewster website.

As it is getting closer and closer to your trip, make sure to prepare a list of things you may need to buy in advance. Among those important would be your hiking gear (trekking shoes, wind proof and water-resistant jacket, cap, bottle), sunglasses and sunscreen lotion, camera gear with more memory cards, sockets and bear spray (you don’t need to carry it with you but instead buy once in national parks).

Do not forget to pack all the important thing into your cabin luggage – including all the necessities in case your baggage won’t arrive with you. One more advice – leave enough spare space in your suitcase to be able to fit there all the things you will want to take home with you 😉

Love & happy travels,
RLT

P.S.: If you have any questions that popped up in your head during reading, different experience or suggestion, please share it in a comment below 😉