Unscripted Travels

We woke to the crisp, wintery, Banff mountain air and stunning mountain views. We had our quick breakfast, compulsory cup of coffee and headed out. Our goal for the day was to take in the beautiful mountains and to hopefully find some wildlife. We loaded up our car, grabbed a David’s Tea, cranked the heat to stave off the chill from the mountain air and settled in for what we hoped was a spectacular drive.

We began our journey on the Bow Valley Parkway. This drive is typically packed with wildlife and has many stunning panoramic views of the mountains. We spent the morning and early afternoon driving and taking pictures, soaking up the sunshine and watching in awe as we stumbled on a giant herd of elk!

We had a quiet lunch at a bistro in Lake Louise and watched the locals saunter in and out in their winter gear, telling tales of their skiing and snowshoeing adventures. It truly is a winter lover’s paradise here. Once our stomachs were full, we decided to turn the car around and travel back to Banff on the same road. It is something to be able to see the same scenery but from the opposite direction - you can hardly tell that it was the same road with the beautiful vistas changing in the light of the afternoon. It was stunning and what made it even lovelier was the gentle, soft snow hanging in the air.

At around 3 PM we ventured to our last stop of the day, to Banff Trail Riders. We got there, signed our waiver and quickly left the barns with Bart, our horse, leading us through a snowy mountain trail. It was a wonderful, delightful hour that we spent chatting with our guide, Megan. She was knowledgeable about the area and she even recommended some hikes for us to do in the summer. We spent the hour snuggled up under a giant buffalo skin with smiles a mile wide and the cool breeze kissing our cheeks.

Once back at the stables, we were escorted to a warm fire. Megan threw on a couple new logs, gave us champagne and chocolates and left us to enjoy the crackle of the fire, the mountain air, and our romantic treats. We even got to roast a couple marshmallows and grab hot apple ciders for the road!

This was such a wonderful, relaxing way to spend a day! If you're looking for something non-strenuous but enjoyable to do in the mountains in winter, I strongly recommend going on a sleigh ride. Banff Trail Riders will take great care of you and they will do it with a smile on their face