Canadian Rockies Wilderness Walks Generally a nice holiday, in spectacular scenery. The food was varied and very plentiful (although having 10 females in the party of 12, plus 2 male guides might have had a bearing on this). Assorted dietary restrictions were catered for.
The sites were fine, with the exception of the "last" one near Waterton Park (Waterton Springs Campground) which, in all honesty, was unacceptable for a holiday costing in excess of £3,000 for 11 days camping. We had a 1km walk to get hot water for anything, the toilet facilities near our tents were basic and only just about acceptable (if you ignore the lack of hot water) and the sinks for washing up in were disgusting. They had a large number (40-50) of RVs on site, all situated next to the office and all facilities. We were put as far away from there as was possible on the site (presumably so that a "noisy" group wouldn't disturb their main source of income - the RVs). There may have been another 5-6 people in tents while we were there. We were unfortunate in that, due to fires, Waterton Park was closed the day after we arrived and then totally evacuated, so I cannot comment on the walks there. This was a shame as I had visited there for 2 days last year and really loved it - there is what looked to be a reasonable site in Waterton Park itself, beautifully situated next to the village, although I can't comment on its facilities as I was in a hotel. In fact, returning there was a major factor in me choosing to go on this holiday. On the plus side, we only stayed at the poor site for one night. The tour company arranged a new site, well away from the fires (a 500km drive in fact), in a much nicer site, at very short notice.
Memorable trip to the Canadian Rockies Really fantastic trip! I got to experience the totally breathtaking Canadian Rockies with a lovely group of people, and led by knowledgeable and passionate guides. The hiking is brilliant, and this trip allows you to walk on the less touristy trails and really get a taste for the wilderness. The itinerary is really well thought-out, meaning you get to walk in a few of the national parks to get a fuller and more varied sense of the landscape, and also the longer hikes are perfectly spread out with easier walking in-between. The guides worked really hard and were incredibly considerate of the group's preferences. The meals were varied and delicious, and nothing beats sitting by a campfire after a long day of hiking. Such a memorable way to see the Rockies, and definitely served to convince me that I'm going back!
This was my first holiday with this tour company and also my first small group holiday. I need not have worried on either account. From beginning to end the organisation was first class thanks to our amazing Group leader Heather and a more diverse and relaxed group of fellow travellers would have been hard to find. My concerns about my age, (there were several older than my 65 years) and the amount of walking involved were quickly dispelled and I was able to opt out of hkes to sketch and paint instead.