Today we meet up with Raph, who will accompany us for a hike in Johnston Canyon, a walk in Banff, a canoe trip and a visit to a local gin distillery. A varied program perfect for today's overcast weather.
Johnston Canyon
We left early, as we'd read that Johnston Canyon can fill up very quickly with tourists, to the point where it becomes difficult to park your car. I don't know if it was luck or misinformation, but we were literally alone when we arrived at the parking lot. So alone that we weren't sure where we were allowed to park and where we weren't.
We start the hike at around 7:30 in the morning. I quickly understand why this is a place that attracts tourists; the hike is actually a walk on a very well laid-out trail, with barriers and footbridges that allow you to follow the river as it takes you into the heart of the Canyon. It's very beautiful and impressive in places.
It's finally nice to be all alone in the heart of this beautiful place. We take time to admire the various waterfalls. At around 8:30 we start to see other people, but it's far from being crowded.
Unfortunately, the path is blocked by a landslide and we can't continue. So we turn back towards the parking lot. The place is much fuller than when we arrived, giving us an idea of what it might be like in normal times.
You don't have to get up at the crack of dawn (as for Moraine Lake), but I'd still recommend not visiting Johnston Canyon too late if you want to get the most out of it.
We take the car back to the town of Banff for a short canoe trip.
Canoeing on the Bow River and Vermilion Lakes
Banff has a special place in our hearts, thanks to the Banff Film Festival, which has made us dream for many years. So it's with a certain excitement that we're going to discover the town for the first time.
But before playing tourist in town, we take a canoe trip on the Bow River and Vermillion Lakes.
We rented our canoe from the Banff Canoe Club (https://banffcanoeclub.com/), they also offer kayaks and paddles.
It's my first time in a canoe, but fortunately Marie and Raphel have already done so, as it's not easy to manoeuvre. Despite the wind and current, we managed to get quite far up the Bow River. We're looking for animals, but unfortunately we don't see any.
So we decided to try our luck on the small streams leading off towards the Vermillion Lakes. It's beautiful, but there are still no animals in sight.
As time goes by and hunger sets in, we decide to head back to the quay in search of a restaurant where we can get our fill.
Banff
Three Indian food lovers looking for something to eat in Banff... we end up at an all-you-can-eat Indian buffet. It's a bit of a coincidence that we end up there, and we discover probably the best value-for-money meal of our entire trip. The buffet is delicious, and we eat to our hearts' content. Once it's time for the bill, we place bets on how much it will cost (it wasn't indicated beforehand), 25 $, 35 $... In the end we're all wrong, 17 $ per person! We'll be back!
It's hard to get around after such a feast. Nevertheless, we set off to explore the town. We visit the many outdoor boutiques, souvenir stores... The town is very different from Canmore; Banff is much more like a tourist town. We'll have a better idea the next day, as our next accommodation will be in Banff.
Wildlife distillery
Fatigue (probably helped by digestion) sets in and we decide to head back to Canmore, stopping off at the Wildlife Distillery gin distillery.
None of us is a gin enthusiast, but this was an opportunity for a new experience. We went for 4 small tasting glasses to vary the pleasures.
and... I really didn't like it. I'm more of a rum person and gin is far too bitter for me. Despite this, I have to admit that the variety of gins offered by the distillery is very interesting. My favorite is a barrel-aged gin, which is very similar to a whisky.
If you like gin, you'll probably have a better experience than we did!
Back to the hotel for a well-deserved rest.
Tomorrow will also be a quiet day, as the weather forecast is not great and we have to be in Banff in the afternoon to pick up Laurianne, who will be joining us for the rest of the trip.
To be continued.
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