Vancouver & British Columbia Travel - here to help!

withabix

stormbreaker wrote: »

Can someone please point me in the direction of where the daily updates of where bears have been seen?

Ahhh bears....

They are all over the place, however unfortunately you will either see some or you won't. There isn't really a pattern....

Sister-in-Law has been here 10 years and hasn't seen a bear ever.

We saw nine in half an hour at Whistler last summer.

A black bear wandered down our street last Friday.

stormbreaker

. Not really what I wanted to hear, although I thought as much.

Hey ho, you win some you lose some. On the plus side it's sunny today:D

maisie06

You are soo lucky to be in Canada - most beautiful country on earth... we saw loads of bears on the Icefields Parkway last june, hope you get to see some! When in Jasper you could try Sundog tours they do a wildlife tour and the guides know where the bears hang out, we saw a mum and cubs when we went out with them on an evening tour.

jackieblack

We saw black bears while out on a boat trip from Tofino, also along the roadside driving back to Vancouver from Whistler

stormbreaker

We are going to the Icefields Parkway today

We live in hope:D

stormbreaker

:T:T:T:T. I am pleased to say, I have now lost count of the bears I have seen. Black bears and cubs and one sighting of a grizzly and cub

We have also been fortunate to see elk, dear, mountain sheep, beaver, bald eagle and osprey :T:T:T

And trout jumping!

Peter_F

Hi Withabix, I am organising a trip with wife and two teenage daughters from UK to Canada in early July 2017 combined with 3 nights in New York and pride myself on doing a lot of planning for our holidays... After flying from New York to Calgary and picking up a hire car my idea is to do the following:
3nights in Banff/Lake Louise
3 nights in Jasper
1 night in Sun Peaks
2 nights in Whistler
2 nights in Vancouver/Victoria (fly back to UK from Vancouver)

We are very keen walkers and love mountains etc. Hoping to spend most of our time admiring scenery, seeing wildlife etc and doing a few special trips e.g. white water rafting. I am keen not to be constantly packing and unpacking and having to drive long distances every day and hence have tried to stay a few nights in the destinations that most appeal to us with bulk of time in Banff/Lake Louise/Jasper region which seems to be where there is most we would want to see and loads of activities etc. We are not interested in visiting the Stampede and generally are not into cities. We also have no desire to go anywhere by train. The main reason for going to New York first is because my girls want to go there!

The questions I have is firstly what do think of my itinerary generally. Secondly if I could persuade my daughters to tag on an extra couple of days to the trip where would you spend them? The Tofino region looks lovely but also a trip up the Inside Passage might appeal. Finally I appreciate that July is peak season but it is the only time we can visit, can you give me an idea of how busy it will be in Banff, Lake Louise. Will it detract from the experience.Any suggestions/advice will be welcomed.

Murphy_The_Cat

Hi withabix
I've got a distant memory that we met way, way back in Manchester one time.
The Cats are coming over to Canada this Summer and we have 3 nights booked in Surrey and 1 night in Whistler.
If you're still on MSE, can I pick your brains as well ?

John259

Peter_F wrote: »

3nights in Banff/Lake Louise
3 nights in Jasper

Banff or Lake Louise to Jasper can be driven in one long day, but IMHO it's better to take two days, giving you plenty of time to stop at the various points of interest along the Icefields Parkway. So I'd take a night away from Banff or Jasper so as to achieve that.

From Saskatchewan River Crossing (about half way along the Icefields Parkway) you can head east on the David Thompson Highway in the direction of Red Deer, and there are some motels in Rocky Mountain House: https://goo.gl/maps/hyAuQTiKYLo

If you prefer to stay somewhere less expensive and less touristy than Banff, try Golden (in British Columbia, on the western side of Kicking Horse Pass). For somewhere less expensive and touristy than Jasper, I'd recommend Hinton (east of Jasper on the Yellowhead Highway).

Lara

I'm not keen on cruising after a not so good Caribbean cruise. I was quite seasick at times as the sea was very rough and the ship rolled! P&O ship! I've always wanted to do an Alaskan cruise and have bitten the bullett and we're looking at going at the end of June 2018 with Princess cruises. Our plan is to fly to Vancouver and do the 7 day cruise first, followed by a 6 day land tour. All seems very expensive but we've decided it will be a once only trip.

We have queried Land tour v Rocky Mountaineer but sitting on a train for so many days doesnt really appeal to us, or should it? We need to book the cruise asap so we get the cabins we want, facing the right way! Then we can look into land tour and railway mountaineer and see which we would really prefer.

It's the animals I really want to go over there to see mainly. Although I do realise it can't be guaranteed we shall see them.

If we do the land tour we then fly back to Vancouver but the flights take us to Seattle first, change and then back to Vancouver. Personally I'd rather spend a couple of days in Seattle, another different place. Flight prices to fly in and then out of a different place are ludicrously expensive so it seems.

I've read back on here re where to go etc but it is mainly from 2010. Have the places changed much or are the recommendations the same from anyone who has travelled there in the past year please? Many thanks.

Sorry for the long questions!