"Adventure Tourism Information About Places Ya'Gotta Go To!"
Our Ya'Gotta Western Canadian Adventure Travel Guide will help trekkers plan adventure travel trips to Western Canada, learn about Canadians, our peoples, history, culture, entertainment and traveling in and around Western Canada and the north. We also have information about accommodations, climate, weather, time zones and shopping as well.
To help you find the great adventure travel destinations, of western Canada, we publish our ongoing collection of feature articles, about places Ya'Gotta visit! You can also find out which were the most popular destinations, each month, by going to our YaGotta Travel Blog.
Canada is more than just mountains, moose and Mounties!
When you visit Canada, you'll be trekking in boreal forests, prairies, badlands and arctic tundra. Where you can find deer, elk (wapati), cariboo, buffalo, mountain goats, big horn sheep, musk ox, bears (grizzly, black and polar), birds of all kinds and our national animal...the beaver!
You'll also be fascinated by our Aboriginal First Nations people, French and English Canadians and all the many other cultures that you'll discover in the mozaic of Canada.
If you're seeking history, our Aboriginal First Nations people were well established in western Canada, when the fur traders arrived, then followed by ranchers, farmers, coal and gold miners, oilfield workers. And yes! We do have Mounties!
Unless travelers have a great deal of time, they should limit their trips to specific provinces, territories or regions. The following are links to our information pages for each western provinces and territories covered by our site. They each have links to their respective official travel information providers, as well as links to to adventure tourism locations, activities, parks, clubs and events:
To start off, and not trying to cop a line from the "Hitchhiker's Guide To The Universe", but Canada is a "real big place!" Western Canada alone is comprised of three time zones.
The three zones, with their approximate Provinces are: Pacific Standard Time:GMT -8 (British Columbia), Mountain Standard Time:GMT -7 (Alberta/Saskatchewan/British Columbia)and Central Standard Time: GMT -6 (Saskatchewan/Manitoba).
All the western provinces and territories, except in Saskatchewan, switch to daylight savings time from the first Sunday in April to last Sunday in October.
The one big plus to traveling in between late spring and early fall is the number of daylight hours, with the peak being at the summer solstice of June 21. At that time in Edmonton, where we publish the Western Canadian Online Outdoors News, sunrise will be at 5:04 am and sunset 10:07 p.m. That's 17 hours of sunlight and as you go north, especially to the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, you will get what's called the midnight sun! Unfortunately, the opposite occurs in winter, with daytime being in very short supply and none the further north you go.
What's really important about travel in western Canada, is its size! To drive, pretty well non-stop (and with sanity) between the west coast of Vancouver Island, to the eastern boarder of Manitoba would take 4 - 5 days. Driving to the north and traveling the MacKenzie and very remote Dempster Highway, is an even tougher and time consuming task.
The next big plus is that if planned properly and done in stages, a trip to western Canada and Canada's north is some of the best eco-tourism on the planet!
The one condition that must be considered, when traveling in Western Canada, is weather and temperature. We're a shake and bake country...Cold in the winter and hot in the summer. Weather can also change quickly, both summer and winter, so bring a wide range of layers of clothing appropriate to the extremes and of the areas you plan to travel to.
The only place where temperature are closest to constant is in the lower mainland of British Columbia (i.e. Vancouver) and the southern parts of Vancouver Island. For these locations it can get a tad wet and overcast during winter, though. So you should check temperatures and forecasts. The best place to do so is with Environment Canada.
Generally the camping, hiking, backpacking and cycling season, except for the hardy, runs between the Victoria Day (third weekend of May) and Labour Day (following the first week of September) long weekends. This season is much shorter for high country mountain access and depending on conditions, may not begin until our nation's birthday, Canada Day (July 1).
Well, we've already mentioned road time, so lets start there. First of all considering the combination of distance, fuel prices and (if required) car rentals, this can be expensive!
There are some fees associated with driving in Western Canada. One of the additional costs is that of getting between the mainland, in British Columbia, to Vancouver Island and across the fijords on the coast. This transportation is conducted by BC Ferries. The other cost is the associated entry fee for the National Parks.
Western Canada has two Trans-Canada highways. The original, goes across the southern parts of the provinces, traveling through Winnipeg (MB), Regina (SK), Calgary (AB) and Vancouver (BC). For mountain access this is the best route to access Banff National Park. Much of this route is twinned, except in parts of British Columbia, because it's hard to build four lane highways in mountains. A great side trip going west from Banff is to go via Kootenay National Park and then either north, from Radium Hot Springs, to the Trans-Canada Highway and YoHo, Glacier & Mount Revelstoke National Parks or south via Fairmont Hot Springs and travel through the West Kootenays.
The newer Trans-Canada route, and only in Western Canada, is the Yellowhead Highway. It goes from west of Winnipeg (MB) through Saskatoon (SK), Edmonton and joins the original highway in the interior of British Columbia. For mountain access this is the best route to access Jasper National Park and Edmonton, the gateway city to the north of Canada. Access to the Yukon Territory can also be made from the interior of British Columbia and from northern Alberta via British Columbia.
In Canada traffic flows on the right and we use a metric speed limit (Kilometres per hour), gasoline is sold by the litre and seat belts must be word at all times. Radar is used extensively on highways and photo radar in cities for both speed and red light infractions. Motor cycle and bicycle riders must wear a helmet. If you plan to drive in Canada, foreigners should inquire as to the validity of their operators license and most major car rental providers are available.
Driving to the north is an extremely long distance. For example Edmonton, where the MacKenzie Highway begins, is about 1½ hours south of the geographical centre of Alberta. Fuel stops are few and far between, the further north you go. Road conditions become more difficult after entering the north and vehicles must be in good operating condition. There are no roads into Nunavut, so air is the method of travel.
The one main route that many travelers to western Canada want to take is the trip through the Canadian Rocky Mountains, on the world famous Icefields Parkway, that goes between Lake Louise and and the two Trans-Canada Highways.
If you're a member of an auto club (eg. CAA, AAA), they can provide you with maps and trip planners.
The most cost effective way to travel in western Canada is by bus and, considering distances, buses will definitely cost less than driving. Major centres have public transportation buses, as well Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver have light rail trains systems.
There are also bus tour companies that offer excellent opportunities to see Western Canada. These can be booked through travel agents and possibly online.
The major provider of train service is VIA Rail Canada. Their "Canadian" service travels between Toronto and Vancouver on the west coast, with major stops at Edmonton and Jasper in the Canadian Rockies. Other prairie stops include Kamloops, Saskatoon and Winnipeg.
Major cities, in Western Canada, all have scheduled air service. International flights are scheduled to Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and Winnipeg. Due to the travel distances within a country the size of Canada, choose airport of arrival that is closest to the area that you plan to visit.
For example, if you wanted to go to:
Airport of arrival also depends on your in-bound airline, and the point of departure, when you begin your trip. As with all countries, certain airlines may deplane passengers at specific airports. Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver often are used for international flights. Also economy excursion airlines may give you no choice on airports of arrival and departure.
If you are planning to take the time to see a large portion of western Canada, then you may want to consider different airports of arrival and departure.
With many kilometers of paved roads, many with shoulders, Western Canada is excellent for cycling! Just remember that weather can be a factor and it can be a long distance between locations where you can stock up on food, or buy parts. Therefore:
Use the same points for traveling by mortorcycle, another great way to see western Canada, and helmets must be worn.
Book Canadian Hotels With Ya'Gotta Travel
Western Canada has a wide variety of hotels and motels. Reservations are suggested during the peak periods of the summer months (ie. July and August) and holiday long weekends (Victoria Day, Canada Day and Labour Day). Alberta also has a long weekend (Heritage Day) at the beginning of August.
For winter skiing destinations accomodation should always be reserved well in advance!
There are hostels in most major tourism destinations as well a bed and breakfast accommodations.
Camping is readily available and for travelers with self-supporting, insulated units RV Parks are often open year round. During peak vacation periods (July & August) and on long weekends, campgrounds fill up fast. It's best to try to reserve ahead, stop early in the afternoons.
During the summer months sites in National Park campgrounds are at a premium and it is suggested that campers should use Parks Canada's online Campground Reservation Service.
For those persons planning to use back country campgrounds in the National Parks, overnight permits are required. For very popular routes, (e.g. Skyline Trail in Jasper and Westcoast Trail on Vancouver Island's Pacific Rim) these permits are taken very quickly. Contact the respective park offices for information.
Hikers and backpackers into the back country should be trained in maps and compass use, proper gear, clothing, food storage/disposal and experience in bear avoidance skills and protection are mandatory! When in the back country, in regards to bears and any of the wildlife, trekkers must be aware that they are the intruders and must have respect for all wildlife.
Canada's national broadcast network, for both television and radio is the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Here is a sample of Canadian news from the CBC:
There are many corporately owned radio and television stations and some privately owned, or student broadcasters on university and college campuses. Persons living in Alberta, or with audio access to the Internet, can listen to a totally listener supported radio station with:
International Travel Map: Western Canada
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