[TRAVEL] It’s Time To Visit Banff

Banff is a bucket-list “must ski” for snow-sports fans from Britain and around the world, and once tried, many people just keep going back.

The historic resort is one of the world’s classic ski towns, but not everyone realises that skiers staying in the area have a choice of not one but three separate ski areas, each with a unique character of its own but all included on a single lift ticket, accessing almost 8000 acres of skiable terrain.

Banff’s ski areas – Mt Norquay (which will celebrate 90 years of operations this winter), Sunshine Village (opening a new chairlift with heated seats this autumn and gearing up to host the Pond Skimming World Championships next spring), and magnificent Lake Louise – are all famous for their feather-light, dry powder snow, uncrowded slopes and varied, extensive terrain. Thanks to very reliable snow cover, they also boast some of the longest ski seasons in the world – running for 7 months from early November to late May each winter.

But whilst the skiing is “awesome” in the modern sense of the word, the scenery of the surrounding 1.6 million acres of unspoiled wilderness that is Banff National Park is truly awesome in the original sense of the word. This unique, protected winter playground in Canada’s original national park and one of the world’s three oldest, is one of the most spectacular ski destinations on the planet.

It’s that sense of indelible awe that the Canadian Rockies inspire, and the chance to stay in an authentic mountain town, where nature rules and wildlife roams free, that really make Banff truly special.

The town of Banff itself and its surrounding area is one of the best ski towns anywhere. Banff offers a huge range of high-quality lodging options from simple B&Bs for the budget conscious to some of the world’s most iconic grand hotels such as The Fairmont Banff Springs. There are hundreds of dining options for all pockets and tastes too, and a long list of winter activities to enjoy off the slopes if you can face taking a day off, or perhaps have non-skiers in your party. Options include dog sledding, skating on frozen lakes, hot springs and spas, ice walking and snowshoeing to name but a few. Banff is also home to a much bigger selection of shops than the ski resort norm, with a large and eclectic range of establishments to browse to your heart’s content.

The extra good news for winter 2015–16 is that the pound is riding high against the Canadian dollar, meaning the best value for more than five years, and there’s a convenient daily non-stop BA flight from Heathrow to Calgary meaning getting to Banff’s slopes has never been easier or more affordable. Last year’s double-digit growth in travel from the UK to Banff looks set to continue this winter.

Info

BA : ba.com
Banff : Banff.ca
Big 3 : skibig3.com
Ski areas : Mt Norquay, Sunshine Village (skibanff.com), The Lake Louise Ski Resort (skilouise.com).
Tour operators include : British Airways, Canadian Affair, Crystal, Frontier Ski, Inghams, Ski Independence, Ski Safari, Ski World, Virgin.