Hello all,

I’m just trying to suss out my options on a trip to Alberta and BC – could you take a look at the alternatives here – and comment on which you think is best – thanks

a) Fly to Calgary – 8/9 nights in Rockies – back to Calgary, and return flight with 4 nights in Vancouver – a night or two in Calgary and back to UK

b) Fly to Calgary – 5 nights in Rockies – 2 nights drive to Vancouver, 3 nights there, 2 nights driving back east – then leaving 2/3 nights, for Rockies, Calgary or other sites.

The first concentrates our times in the two key locations, but misses out the interior of BC, and maybe giving a touch of ‘landscape fatigue’? I know the interior is beautiful, but I would use almost a third of the trip driving to/from Vancouver. The second gives a more varied route, but does it leave the visits to the Rockies and Vancouver rather rushed? However, if the first spell in the Rockies is rained off, then we would get a chance of a day or so on the way back. Is two days a reasonable amount of time to drive from Jasper to Vancouver??

Could I afford to miss out Jasper, and focus on Banff, Yoho and others. I know I would miss Maligne Lake etc – but looking at the guide book, there seems an assumption that you MUST do Banff-Jasper, but it also seems that the other parks have just as much to offer, and are conveniently clustered around Banff.

There’s lots here I know, but I’d really appreciate comments please – thanks again

Gavin