Dog sledding is truly unique winter activity and there’s honestly no better way to see the Banff National Park than with a musher and a team of dogs. I love an adventure and I’ll never pass up the opportunity to explore somewhere in an unconventional way, so that’s how I found myself tucked into a sled, being driven through the snow by a pack of Huskies.
Rockies Winter Wonderland
Banff National Park in Alberta, west of Calgary is nestled amongst the Canadian Rockies and covers a whopping 6,64km2 of mountainous region. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Banff is absolutely beautiful and the vast, unspoiled wilderness, massive lakes and colossal mountains took my breath away- and so did the cold. Fortunately the sled is big enough for two and it’s quite cosy once you’re in, I even joked that it was snug enough to make me want to relax and catch up on emails or play some games at MobileCasino.mobi but the dogs had other ideas.
A 10 mile adventure
We chose the 10 mile trip which is the longest of all sledding tours and we travelled from Banff National Park to Yoho National Park through the Kicking Horse Pass at the Continental Divide. The Parks are nothing short of spectacular and the crisp, white snowy landscape backed by the jagged Rocky Mountains is awe inspiring. The untouched beauty of the region is undeniable and it’s hard to believe that the nearby town of Banff is home to almost 10,000 inhabitants. Travelling over Kicking Horse Pass in a sled was definitely one of my highlights and I have never felt more exhilarated and more alive as we came careening down the side of Divide Creek.
Stunning snow-capped scenery
Our tour took us on a 3 hour ride through the wilderness and our guide even allowed us to mush the last mile home. That last mile made it feel even more rugged and reminded me that sledding is Canada’s oldest form of transport and it’s not only a unique way to sightsee, it also an activity with a very rich history.
If you fancy yourself an adventurer then a sledding tour in Banff will deliver. Being pulled through the snow by a powerful team of Huskies is a simply astounding experience and the pristine beauty of this raw landscape is definitely best enjoyed from a sled.