“Only after the last tree has been cut down. Only after the last river has been poisoned. Only after the last fish has been caught. Only then will you find that money cannot be eaten. ”

— Native American Proverb

Powerful stuff right there. I came across that proverb while doing some research on what to pack for our upcoming Banff National Park trip and it gave me the chills…..nature is a beautiful thing and I could not be more excited to get back up into the Canadian Rockies with a tight-knit crew of VRX clients! You know who you are! And damn! What a trip we have in store for you. I hope you’re ready for an epic week up north in our very own backyard!

For some quick context, Banff National Park was created in 1887 and was originally named, ‘Rocky Mountains National Park’ and was developed with tourism being front of mind for both mountaineers, skiers and travelers alike. There is really no bad time to go to Banff, and it was actually Canada’s first designated National Park and third overall National Park in the world!

Awesome stuff.

Anyway, the above quote resonated with me deeply, and I hope you’ll head out into the rest of your way with the above words in mind. Nature cannot be re-created over night, but only with the passing of time.

So, Banff. What to pack…..I always like to head into these blogs with a few warning before we get to the actual packing list, and also like to detail the weather in each of the locations we’ll be in, so let’s dive into that first!

The Weather & Destinations

On our Banff National Park tour, we’ll be going to Calgary, Banff Town, Mount Sulphur, Mount Norquay, Lake Louise, Lake Moraine, Jasper National Park, Columbia Ice Fields, Saddleback Pass & Golden B.C.

Keep in mind, Banff Town is in the middle of the Canadian Rockies at an elevation of 4,537 feet, so you will need to adjust to some altitude change, but also be ready for variable weather even in the summer, with highs and lows alternating between 30 to 40 degrees daily! That means layers, people!

The average August weather temps for each place:

Calgary = 71 F / 48 F
Banff Town = 72 F / 44 F
Mount Sulphur = 60 F / 32 F
Mount Norquay = 68 F / 40 F
Lake Louise = 69 F / 39 F
Lake Moraine = 66 F / 36 F
Jasper National Park = 60 F / 34 F
Columbia Ice Fields = 61 F / 32 F
Saddleback Pass = 71 F / 45 F
Golden, B.C. = 73 F / 50 F

Overall, these are great temperatures for the amount of time we’ll be spending outside. Not to mention the sun rises at 6:07 AM currently in Banff and doesn’t set until 9:38 PM, as of August 1st, so that is pretty awesome. Get ready for a whole lot of fresh air, nice temps, and variable temperature fluctuations throughout the day. Yes, we will be doing a bit of driving, checking-in and out of places, but the views and picture-perfect areas we’ll be going to will be well worth it.

Trust me.

So…..what to pack

Alright, now to the meat and bones of the blog post. Before we get into the specifics, please note that we are only renting two vans for this 2019 Banff Tour. That means limited space for us all. Everyone will need to commit to really only bringing what is absolutely necessary on a trip like this. Kind of like what we did for the 2018 National Parks tour, we ask that you only bring one duffel bag or small suitcase. Preferably, something that is a little bit more malleable, but we will be dealing with limited space and with as much moving as we are going to be doing on this trip, you will not want to have to lug more than what is totally necessary.

Now, as a male writing this, I really try to do both packing lists to the best of my ability, but really, try to adapt to whatever you see fit, and understand that you do not need a converter plug for Canada. Read here for more info. Again, this is all recommended! Try and take what you can, while also understanding that Canada is a country where you can also purchase anything else you may want or need right in town.

The List For Gals

Sturdy shoes or hiking boots w/ ankle support
Sunscreen
Sunglasses
Lip balm & moisturizer
Cosmetics as needed
Feminine supplies as needed
Bathing suit
Water bottle
Day Pack for excursions etc.
Bug spray (can be bought in Banff)
Baseball cap or visor
1-2 Wool socks
Fleece
Rain jacket / windbreaker (something that fits over the sweatshirt)
1-2 long sleeves
1-2 sweatshirt
1 thermal layer top and or bottom
2-3 WOD shorts
4-5 cotton socks
under garments as needed
3-4 shirts short sleeve
Umbrella
1 -2 blouses if need be
1+ flannel
2-3 jeans or pants
WOD shoes
Camera
Chargers as needed
Snacks for the flight
Copies of your passport
Pocket knife if you have it
Passport
Vest

The List For Guys

Sturdy shoes or hiking boots
Sunscreen
Sunglasses
Lip balm & moisturizer
Bathing suit (can be WOD shorts)
Water bottle
Day Pack
Bug spray (can be bought in Banff)
Baseball cap
Wool socks
Fleece
Rain jacket / windbreaker
1-2 long sleeves
1+ sweatshirt
1 Khaki shorts
2-3 WOD shorts
4-5 cotton socks
underwear as needed
3-4 t-shirts
Umbrella
1 nice dinner shirt
1+ flannel
2-3 jeans or pants
WOD shoes
Camera
Chargers as needed
Snacks for the flight
Copies of your passport
Swiss Army Knife if you have it
Passport
Vest

So, mostly the same for guys and girls here. Feel free to adapt what is necessary and understand you can and will want to purchase various other items while on the trip, so make sure to leave some space in your bag.

I always take less than what is necessary on a trip, especially knowing that I’m going to a place that will have whatever I would need. Less is more in my opinion.

I think the key takeaway for this blog post should be that we have limited space in the vans and that no matter what time of the year you’ll be visiting the Canadian Rockies you should be prepared for ever-changing weather conditions. From torrential downpours, to having spare wool socks handy, you’re going to want to take off and put on layers pretty frequently on the trip. The mornings will be cool, and the late afternoons will be pretty warm.

If you need more pro tips on what to pack, read this.

Here are also some other helpful links to check out:

Also, you can watch the most Canadian video ever of Banff. It’s worth a few good minutes.

Overall, do what you can with this list. Have fun on the trip! Get outside and UNPLUGGED! Take a gander around at the nature and understand people have been coming to Banff for over 125 years for the pristine nature reserves and incredible landscapes. It will be packed and busy in Banff, but have fun!

We’ll be off and doing a lot of things you’ll hopefully be reminiscing about for a very long time. Get to know your guides, co-travelers, tour operators and understand there is more nature in our backyards than we ever thought was possible. Banff is a very special place and I can’t wait to share these experiences with you.

Give me a shout if you think I missed anything, and comment below if there’s anything you would add to the packing list, of course!

Can’t wait! See the full itinerary here

~ Cam OUT // cam@voyedgerx.com