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Banff National Park: the oldest national park of Canada

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Banff National Park, which covers an area of 6.641 km², is the oldest (it was founded in 1885) and most famous park in Canada. Today it is visited by about five million people every year. Together with the neighboring parks of Jasper, Kootenay and Yoho, and the provincial parks of Mount Robson, Mount Assiniboine and Hamber it was inscribed, in 1984, on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The landscape of Banff National Park is characterized by mountain peaks, glaciers, lakes, waterfalls, canyons and caves. The park’s highest mountain is 3,612 meters high Mount Forbes. The park is located just 128km west of the city of Calgary. The beautiful town of Banff can be used as a base for visiting the park. Here is also one of the park’s Visitor Centers (the other is in Lake Louise).

The Luxton Museum is also located near the park’s administrative offices, across the Bow River from Banff town center. This museum displays the history of the Indians of the plains of North America and the Canadian Rockies.

Banff Park is crossed by the Icefields Parkway, a beautiful scenic road that connects Lake Louise with Jasper National Park. The road passes through mountainous landscapes, lakes and glaciers. The park’s attractions include Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, Mistaya Canyon, Peyto Lake. The Banff area is also famous for its ski slopes and for the abundance of wild life present. There are bears, deer, elk, ibex, Bighorn sheep, caribou, etc. Some animals are easily seen in the early morning along the Bow Valley Parkway.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Banff National Park is open all year round. The months of maximum turnout are those of July and August. In these months (but also in the others) it is advisable to book hotels well in advance.

Tickets: Adult day ticket (17 to 64 years old) $ 9.80; Senior (over 64 years old) $ 8.30; Youth (ages 7 to 16) $ 4.90 Family / Group (up to seven people traveling in a single vehicle) $ 19.60

  • Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
  • Surface: 6,641 km²

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