RV roving in Canada’s Rocky Mountains

I’ve always wanted to travel to Canada but was unsure how to do the incredible vistas and exciting expanse it offers real justice. So my colleague, Emma and I did some investigation and made a compelling case for why we should try traversing its varied landscapes by hire car as the best way for our customers to enjoy a visit. But we went one better for our research trip. What could be more picturesque and travel bucket list-worthy than a road trip through Canada via RV?

Firstly, let’s go on a tour of your trusty home on wheels for the next two weeks (or more)! Whether you’re a couple, a family of four, or a party of more, there are a variety of sizes and layouts to suit any mix of travellers.

The standard camper van features one permanent double bed (a small double!), one table and seating area that changes into a second double bed, and a single-size bunk-style bed above the driver’s seat. Your van comes complete with clothes cupboards, toilet and shower, fridge, sink, cleaning utensils, ample storage, table and seating. Feeling nervous about your first time on the road in your new mobile home? The friendly staff at our local camping company are on hand to give you an in-depth overview of your vehicle so that you feel confident before heading out into the gorgeous Canadian vistas of the wild and wonderful West Coast.

Buckle up anywhere but the armchair (yes, there is an armchair!) and you are good to go.

Crossing to Vancouver Island, we headed straight to relaxed and elegant Victoria. This is a must-stopover with beautiful Victorian architecture, fresh farm-to-table dining and lush parklands to explore, before an incredible whale-spotting tour the following day. The coast off Victoria is a top spot for Orcas, but we also saw Grey Whales and, although we didn’t see them, you also have chance to see Minke and Humpbacks.

From here, our wildlife fix continued in Ucluelet, the tranquil neighbour to bear town Tofino. We joined a bear-spotting tour here via zodiac boat. This was amazing as being in the zodiac allowed us to get respectfully close to the bears that come down to the beach to feed on crabs without encroaching on their space or safety. We even saw some cubs playing close to their mother, absolutely gorgeous!

Firstly we took to the Sea to Sky Highway (Highway 99) for a weekend in the picturesque ski town of Whistler, bordering epic views of the North pacific, making a pit stop in Squamish and the viewpoint at impressive Shannon falls on the way. Hard to believe that the mountains we were gazing on started off 25km below the Earth’s surface! The granite dome adjacent to Squamish also has a pretty cool legend around it. Indigenous roots are strong here and the locals believe the ‘Stawamus Chief’ to hold great spiritual power.

In Whistler, we scaled the chasm between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains on the Peak2Peak Gondola, the largest gondola of its kind in the world. This is super-high and there are even a couple of gondolas which have glass bottoms if you have the stomach for heights! Afterwards we happily parked up at a campsite with incredible mountain views in the iconic town and set about cooking up a storm: vegetarian burgers, fresh locally sourced salmon, pancakes and, of course, a litre of quintessentially Canadian maple syrup. All washed down with cold beers.

From Whistler, we headed North to Wells Grey and Clearwater. Set halfway between Kamloops and Jasper in the Caribou Mountains, these provided more incredible views. We set up camp in Wells Grey’s wilderness park (British Columbia’s fourth largest) and were literally surrounded by nature. There are over 700 species of vascular plants here, 219 types of birds and more than 200 types of mushrooms (we didn’t risk trying any!), plus black bears, grizzlies, white-tailed deer, beaver, moose, mule deer and timber wolf. This is where I was most happy not to be in a tent! If this wasn’t enough excitement we also hired canoes and gently paddled past meadows and waterfalls, between pines and across glassy lakes, just magnificent.

For the ultimate drive with the most dramatic views, it’s time to head up high in Alberta’s Canadian Rockies, visiting the famous towns of Banff and Jasper. A visit to Banff has to include Lake Louise. This is one of the most photographed places in the world, the turquoise colours are breathtaking, surrounded by the towering peaks of the Rocky Mountains…A-MAZING. Next, Moraine Lake which is only accessible by tour, is arguably even more impressive and was featured on Canadian bank notes and in the film ‘The Revenant’. Despite the presence of other tour groups, the stunning natural beauty and endless hiking trails make this one one of our favourites. After we visited the lakes, it was time to get away from it all in lesser-visited Kananaskis, where you have the opportunity to unplug from modern life and be at one with nature. We laid back and enjoyed the incredibly clear starry skies above us for our final night, before heading to Calgary the following day to drop-off our home for the last few days and catch our international flight home…what an adventure!

Feeling inspired to hit the road on your very own RV journey through Canada? Speak to one of our Canada travel specialists to tailor your route and choose where your adventure will lead…