How to Travel Like a Local - Canadian Rockies Part 1

O Canada!

The true north, last frontier, vast and majestic! A melting pot of cultures and faiths, its people famously friendly and welcoming.

All of this and more can be experienced in Calgary. You can go up the Calgary Tower to view downtown office towers thanks to the Energy industry or focus on the sprawl of the city and how the Bow river cuts through with its vigour. But when you are up there, look West to experience true beauty if there ever is one. You will see the magnificent Rocky Mountains.

Now, get out of that tower and the city, take Trans-Canada Highway and drive west. What happens next is a truly life changing experience and you will fall in love!

The Canadian Rocky Mountains, best explored from Banff as the base camp. But when you do get to the town of Banff, don’t just settle for tourist attractions. Pick a mountain and go for a hike. You will experience splendour and resilience of the mountains, standing tall for millions of years, ecosystems that evolved and adapted to the environment of boreal forest, and if you are lucky, maybe even see some wildlife.

You will then realize that we are not doing enough to protect our environment and how small changes in our lifestyle can help make a difference. I wish everyone could visit the Canadian Rockies, and learn to respect our environment. Together, we can realize a sustainable path to future with healthy ecosystems!

This is just an introductory post. If I get enough interest, I am planning a series of posts about Trip planning, Travel itineraries, Best time to Visit, Must do Hikes, Hidden gems and Photo opportunities that you won't find on any travel website.

Some info about me:

I moved to Calgary in December 2010. On my first drive to the Rockies, I did what a typical tourist would do, drive to all the hotspots, take pictures and leave. I drove through Canmore, Banff and Jasper in one weekend. While this was a great introduction, I realised it was nothing compared to what I experienced in the next 7 years with some hiking. Some of the best spots I have been to involve less than 1 hour of hiking. I would like to share my accumulated knowledge and give back to the community!

Harsha Kotthapalli!

This picture was taken at the Larch Valley Hike - Sep 2017