Banff Travel and Tourism Guide

Banff National Park was Canada's first national park, and most likely the most famous today. Visited by millions of tourists, the spectacular beauty of this Rocky Mountain park is easily accessible and full of amenities. Whether or not you want to travel in complete first-class luxury or if you want to rough it and sleep with the animals, it's all here for you.

Despite its popularity, the park of Banff has managed to remain pristine, compared to its American counterparts. There are many places with loads of tourists to be sure, but there remains many parts of this park that are still extremely remote and untouched.

Thus far, Parks Canada has done a decent job in managing the park. But there are concerns about continual development in the more ecologically sensitive areas, and the influx of visitors pose a constant problem. Tourists are asked to respect the park and the rules. This means, for exmple, that you MUST NOT feed the animals! With some common sense, we can all ensure that this place can be enjoyed for generations.

The park's main town, the town of Banff has been growing dramatically. With lots of traffic and shops, it has become a bustling town nestled among mountains. Lots to see, lots to do, lots of charm. Some would argue, though, that there are way too many tourists. If you came for the wilderness, get out of the town as quickly as you can. Luckily, unspoilt parts of the Park can be found not too far away from the townsite.