Rocking the Canadian Rockies with Kanugas & Mongas

I was particularly grateful to be able to get in another 5.5 km run on the morning of our check-out from Jasper and generally happy that fitness has managed to take a high priority on vacations just as much as it does in routine for the last few trips. The scenic untiring drive back on the Icefield Parkway gave me an opportunity to multitask between enjoying the views while catching up on the a large chunk of this blog and listen in on Parishi’s conversations with us and then her fairytale talks with Kairav all while Chinmay hummed to the desi music. The 2 stops at the Athabasca falls and the Peyto lake on the way were truly worth it in the gorgeous sights we got to enjoy. A close-up bear 🐻 encounter on the side of the road was the first ever in its natural habitat, little did he/she care about the several cars that were stopping and continued chomping on the vegetation to make it to its 40K calories/day quota! With breakfast almost skipped and most of the snacks exhausted on the 9th...

Lake day at Jasper An important take-away from this day was that 9.57am Jasper Sky tram departs exactly at 9.57am and doesn’t wait the extra minute it takes you to get there at 9.58am. We learnt it the hard way, which meant a slight change of plans. We rebooked our tickets for 7.24pm and went to Pyramid lake as the kids wanted to swim in a lake with a beach. While the lake set at the foot of the Pyramid mountain was beautiful it didn’t make the cut for a beach or clear water to swim in for the kids and so Kahan suggested we go to lake Anette where we had stopped on our biking expedition the previous day and boy was he right! The next few hours were spent soaking in the endless scenery of Lake Anette and it’s neighboring lake Edith. The kids got their fair share of swimming in the frigid waters, played 🏈 football, Reeva mostly made sand mountains, I got my 5K run in and Anu got her daily meditation in. The colorful piece of football 🏈 earned at Dave and Busters in Phoenix deserves...

A 5K run in Jasper kick-started my day. After an egg and bread toast, fruits breakfast in our kitchenette it was a later start to our day. We rented mountain bikes 🚴 from the bike shop in town and set off on what seemed like an introductory session to mountain biking with the bumpy, rocky and often steep but stunning bike trails meandering through the meadows, along the Athabasca river surrounded by the towering peaks above. A well-deserved refreshing lunch at Freshii with burritos, Mediterranean bowls and smoothie was squeezed in between the biking and the river rafting adventure that followed. The 1 km walk through town to get to the Jasper Rafting Adventures gave us a nice sneak peak into this town that seemed to be growing on us. The half hour bus 🚌 ride to the rafting place was the perfect napping opportunity. After safety instructions and changing into the wet suit, boots, life jackets we were all geared up to get on our raft with our guide from the small town of PEI, Joe. ...

The run 🏃‍♀️ didn’t happen after all despite all the solid intentions as it started raining as soon as I got out of the center. The body needed some work out so it was a 30 minute HIIT in the room with YouTube to my rescue. Anushree made good use of the Yoga mats that were provided in each of our spacious loft rooms with her Surya Namaskar by the lake. And Chinmay went on his walk-run at the 7000ft elevation. The breakfast at the hotel was a let-down just like most of the food there. After soaking in some more of the glacier views from the lobby, it was time to check out and get on to the Columbia Icefield Adventure from the main floor downstairs. The bus took us close to the glacier from where the heavy duty $1.2M Ice Explorer drove us on the Athabasca glacier where we disembarked and treaded on the glacier with utmost caution to avoid falling on the slippery ice. Our clothing layers helped us enjoy the chilly temperatures on the glacier and admire the thick slab Columbia Icefield ...

After a hearty breakfast of oatmeal for Anu and I and the buffet spread for the rest of us at the Lake Louise Inn, we started our 100 km drive on the Icefield Pkway. With scenic overlooks and photo stops on the way we made it to the Glacier View Lodge around noon. A day at this hotel on the 3rd floor of the Columbia Icefield center overlooking the Athabasca glacier and the lake was one of the most relaxing and joyful days we’ve had in a while. We enjoyed the hike to the red chairs and beyond on the Wilcox mountain as suggested by Terry, the hotel manager. The rest of the day was pretty much spent in the hotel lobby which was like a casual cozy gathering place with floor to ceiling windows facing the glacier. Sipping on coffees, fancy teas and hot chocolates, lounging around reading a book, playing Scrabble and board games, enjoying the blue refreshing cocktail and cheese and crackers at the evening reception and soaking in the bright sunny glacier kind of day were on repeat, truly in...

Lake Louise The transportation logistics entailed an earlier start to the day so we could find parking at the Lake Louise. The boys still managed to have breakfast and Parishi grabbed some for the road. However, we were 3 cars too late to park. Anu, me and the kids were dropped off while the guys drove back in town to park and walk/hike. The canoe 🛶 ride line was a pleasant 30 minutes wait admiring the calm blue lake set at the base of the mountains. Our 30 minute canoe ride was breathtaking and serene sprinkled with some comic entertainment from Kahan in our canoe with Reeva. Chinmay and Varun made it in time hiking from the village to Lake Louise and missing a grizzly bear by a few minutes on their trail as we were finishing our ride. We rushed to the Lake View Lounge at the Fairmont for our much awaited lunch which turned out to be just as basic and sub-par as the dinner the night prior. The saving grace was the company and the Lake views. A short shuttle ride brought us to...

Banff to Lake Louise A 5K morning run in any new town is one of the most rewarding experiences on multiple levels as it was in Banff. Anu, I and Varun got to enjoy the town in the early more quite hours on the run and enjoy the lovely nature blending sculpture lines Bow River trail. Chinmay enjoyed the same run a little later. The kids enjoyed their last breakfast in the hotel and we grabbed some oat meal and roasted breakfast bowls from the Good Earth Coffee place before heading out. We had time to visit the Cave and Basin National historic site where we learnt valuable lessons about nature conservation and how Canada has implemented plans to preserve these unspoiled natural wonders and the species including the snails 🐌 over the years. The highlight of this place for the kids was playing the giant Snakes and Snail game. Seeing Parishi immersed in it just as much as the other 3 made my heart full. After all, these trips are a blessing in disguise to bring out the kid in her an...

Banff adventures continue We enjoyed our morning boat cruise on Lake Minnewanka followed by the photo session on the lake as the enclosed boat was a missed opportunity for the perfect photos. The short but steep 4km hike to Tunnel Mountain offered the most pristine views from the top of Banff, the iconic Banff Springs Fairmont hotel along the lace like winding Bow river was unmissable. We took a little detour before heading to our next planned destination, the Fairmont Banff springs hotel. A quick lunch stop at the Good Earth coffee shop was alfresco again as most meals in this beautiful town ought to be. The vegetarian chili was wholesome and flavorful, the kids enjoyed their Mac and cheese and Chinmay got us some Mexican rice and beans samosas from the IGA market across the street. The restaurant on the terrace at the Banff Springs hotel was in a perfect setting where we enjoyed more views, a drink and some delicious gaucamole and hummus. Chinmay, Anu and I took a quick deto...

An unplanned brief morning Rendezvous with Adya, Jay and Vihaan in the hotel Lobby was a sweet surprise while they were leaving town. We started our day with the Gondola 🚡 ride to the top of the Sulphur mountain ⛰ offering stunning views of the snow capped mountains and the wilderness. Despite the cold weather, we soaked in the beauty of the surroundings on our leisurely walk on board walk to the Cosmic Rays capture station reading the tidbits of information along the way. It was a beautiful day to enjoy an outdoor lunch at the Peak Vietnamese cafe in this picturesque bustling town. The Tofu and Veggie Banh Mi as well as the Pho were flavorful. We were all energized for the 3 miles shaded easy yet beautiful hike to the Johnston Canyon to enjoy the Lower and the Upper falls. The Moose Hotel rooftop sauna and hot pools/spa offered the perfect relaxation soaking in the gorgeous views of the mountains and the rainbow 🌈 that seemed to appear for our enjoyment. We walked into town e...

Anu-Varun’s baggage delay at the Calgary airport allowed plenty of time for the kids to get their Tim Horton’s fix although that involved Chinmay driving around in downtown in the brief downpour and thunderstorm. A scenic hour and a half drive brought us into the mountain town of Banff sitting pretty at an elevation of about 4500ft in the Canadian Rockies. We were grateful to be accommodated on the outdoor patio of the Nourish restaurant, the air was crisp and the sun was still bright past 8.30pm. The mostly vegetarian menu had flavorful, healthy and unique dishes for the hungry bunch of us. The exotic Mac and cheese didn’t appease to Ms. Reeva, but that’s no surprise to her differently wired tastebuds! The Moose Hotel and Suites was our cozy home for the 3 nights in Banff. The suite rooms were laid out well, the lobby was beautifully appointed and the location couldn’t have been more central to town than this.

The Canadian Rockies have been on our bucket list for at least 5 years now, and tentative plans have been made and tabled multiple times as per email exchanges of itineraries with friends who have visited from 2017. Research and room reservations were done for the summer of 2020, and of course what unfolded that epic year is neither a joke nor a mystery! Canada decided to close its borders to its neighbor for an extended year and a half or more. And hence the Icelandic adventure panned out in 2021. Long story short, here we are- the sis-bro gang looking forward to over a week of pure mountainous fun following our parents' footsteps. They were here in 2019 with their friends and like everyone else who's visited, have been enthralled by the abundance of natural beauty in Banff and Jasper National Parks and their surroundings. The 4 kids are flying with us from LAX, we barely made it to our SFO flight this morning! Parishi, for whom travel has been the way of life since infanc...