Arrive in Banff on Day 1 – meet at the rendezvous point by 5:30 PM
Connect to Banff via Calgary International Airport (YYC)
Take the Banff Tours airport shuttle or read about other options here.
If you drive to Banff, you can park your vehicle at the Elk and Avenue Hotel for the first night nights of your trip.
On Day 2, you will head out on the backcountry portion of the trip. You’ll take a pre-arranged private shuttle to the Warner Stables. If you drive to Banff, you will drive to the stables. The address for Warner Stables is 100 Sundance Road, Banff. You’ll need to be there for 9:00 AM.
Please note that the parking lot at Warner Stables is not secure or monitored, so we recommend not leaving anything valuable in the vehicle. That said, we haven’t had any incidents.

Group Rendezvous Point:

Date: Day 1
Time: 5:30 PM
Location: Front Lobby of Elk and Avenue Hotel

RECOMMENDED PRE-TRIP ACCOMMODATIONS

If you plan on arriving early, Wild Women Expeditions recommends booking these accommodations well in advance:

DEPARTURES FROM BANFF

You’ll return to the stables late afternoon on Day 7, the final day of your adventure. Transportation will be provided from the stables back to Banff town centre.

You need to make your own arrangements to stay in Banff or head back to Calgary, after you are dropped off in Banff late afternoon.

Drop Off Point:

Date: Day 7
Time: Late afternoon, approximately 5:30 PM
Location: Banff Town Centre (Downtown)

RECOMMENDED POST-TRIP ACCOMMODATIONS

If you plan on departing later, Wild Women Expeditions recommends booking these accommodations well in advance:

TRANSPORTATION ARRANGEMENTS

You are responsible for booking your own flights or other transport arrangements to the trip start location. These arrangements and any other independent arrangements that you may make are not a part of the trip booked with Wild Women Expeditions and are entirely at your own risk. Wild Women Expeditions accepts no responsibility, directly or indirectly, for any loss, damage or injury to property or person in connection with such arrangements. Should you require assistance with your travel arrangements, please contact:

Megan and Zale | Now Boarding Travel, Travel Specialists

Email: wildwomen@nowboarding.travel

Note: Now Boarding Travel only provides services of 3-star quality or greater. For budget alternatives, please refer to the Lonely Planet guide for your destination.

Important: For international and remote destinations, there is always the risk of flight delays, baggage delays and flight schedule changes which may cause late arrivals, which may, in return, result in you missing the group tour departure. We encourage you to consider arriving one or two days early, which will help you overcome any jet lag from traveling!

PASSPORTS & VISAS

You are fully responsible for your own visa requirements, permits, and certificates for your trip. It is the sole prerogative of each country or region to determine who is allowed to enter. It is your responsibility to check with the country's Consulate and your country's travel website such as Canada’s for up-to-date information about traveling internationally.

Passport:

Most countries and airlines recommend passports be valid for at least six months beyond the date of your expected return to your home country. Before you leave, ask your transportation company about its requirements related to passport validity, which may be more stringent than the country's entry rules.

US citizens at land and sea borders have other options, such as an enhanced driver’s license, permanent resident card or NEXUS card. See Canada Border Services for approved identification documents.

Visa:

Visitors from certain countries require a visa to enter Canada. Those who are exempt require an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA; $7 USD), with the exception of Americans. This must be applied for prior to traveling and can be completed online. It usually takes minutes but can take days. See how to apply Electronic Travel Authorization.

If you would like additional assistance in securing your visa, we recommend you consider using the services of CIBTVisas.

Note: As fees and policies can change, we highly recommend that you contact your local embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date visa requirements, or see your travel agent.

TIPPING

There is no obligation to tip your guides and other staff, but many participants do when they feel they were provided great service. On this trip, all tips are pooled and shared amongst the staff who work together to make your trip fantastic. This includes your guides, the packers who bring your food, bedding, towels, and personal belongings to each lodge by mule, and the staff who host you in the lodges, cleaning, cooking, and making sure you have everything you need.

A suggested amount for each individual to tip the whole gang is in the range of $300-$500 for the trip per person. You can do this by cash given to your lead guide, or you can charge it to your credit card, back at the main stables where you begin and end your trip. CAD or USD are both fine currencies for tipping.

ACCOMMODATION DETAILS

Rooming Arrangements:

Our trip price is based on shared accommodations. Hotels and mountain lodges are two women per room.

Potable Water:

Potable water is provided throughout the trip. Extra bottled water is carried with our lunch by mule for the daytime, and available at the lodges when we’re not riding.

If you would like to join Wild Women Expeditions in its commitment to reducing single-use plastic, you can travel prepared with your own water treatment system!

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Overnight Arrangements During Your Stay

Elk & Avenue Hotel

Just a few steps from the quaint streets and ample restaurants, shopping and nightlife of downtown Banff, Elk + Avenue Hotel brings an upscale twist to the classic mountain escape. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing après-ski sanctuary or a big night on the town, the contemporary designed rooms pair clean, minimalist design with cozy Rocky Mountain-inspired elements to create the ideal accommodation for exploring the best of Banff.

Sundance Lodge

Sundance Lodge is a rustic 10-room log cabin that was built in 1991. Set against the looming Sundance Mountain Range and surrounded by thick woods, Sundance Lodge feels remote and secluded despite being just 16 kilometres (10 miles) from town. The lodge is powered by solar and heated by burning wood and there are indoor washrooms and heated showers onsite.

Halfway Lodge

Set at the base of Allenby Pass, weary riders have been resting their heads at Halfway Lodge since the 1920s. Things are kept simple: propane lanterns and candles provide the lighting while a woodstove provides the heat and keeps the coffee warm. Meals are produced in a small, but fully functional kitchen, and the shower facilities are in the great outdoors (yes, there is hot water!).

Note: Other People At Our Accommodations

Yes, there will be other guests on-site at the Hotel and Lodge, and there may be others riding through on horseback or mountain bike.

QUICK FACTS ABOUT BANFF

Banff National Park

Banff National Park is Canada’s first national park. It is a visually spectacular area with mid elevation grasslands, subalpine and alpine meadows, alpine lakes and mountain peaks. There are broad valleys and ridges with interconnecting trail systems. Over 200 km of trails through broad valleys, alpine meadows and ridges offer an excellent variety of loop trips of varying difficulty and distances for hikers, horse riders and mountain bikers. Visitors to this park will have an outstanding wilderness experience.

Banff, Alberta is about 1.5 hours from Calgary, Alberta

Climate & Weather:

Temperatures during summer can reach 86°F (30°C) or higher, but it is not uncommon for overnight temperatures to be around 39°F (4°C), dip below freezing or to have a quick snowfall at any time. Thunderstorms and wind can be fierce here, especially along the ridge tops – so come prepared. While you may not need all your warm layers if you have favourable weather on your trip, you’ll be glad you brought them if you do!

Although March, April, and May are, more or less, the official months of spring, snow often falls in May, many lakes may remain frozen until June, and snow cover on higher mountain hiking trails remains until early July. During this period of the year, the mountains are often affected by low-pressure weather patterns from the southeast, creating continuous days of rain, especially in the south.

Things warm up in summer. July is the hottest month, with Banff, Jasper, and Canmore’s average daytime temperature topping out above 73°F (23°C) and Radium Hot Springs and Golden enjoying average daytime highs of 84°F (29°C) and 81°F (27°C), respectively. On hot days, the temperature can hit 86°F (30°C) or higher along lower elevation valleys. Because of the dryness of the air, these temperatures are more bearable here than in coastal regions experiencing the same temperatures.

By late September the fall mountain air begins to have a distinct chill. October brings the highest temperature variations of the year; the thermometer can hit 86°F (30°C) but also dip as low as to 28°F (-2°C). Mild weather can continue until early December, but generally the first snow falls in October, and by mid-November winter has set in.

Environment Canada Weather for Banff

Keep in mind that the city of Banff is at an elevation of 1383 metres (4540 feet), and you will be climbing to 2470 metres (8100 feet) on this trip, where it is generally a few degrees cooler.

Riding Pace and Terrain

The pace for the majority of this pack trip is a walk. This is due to the nature of the trails and the rough terrain experienced in the mountains, for the safety of both riders and horses. There will be a pack horse or mule, ponied by one or your guides, carrying your lunch, drinks and snacks, and they cannot go faster due to their heavy load.

Mountain terrain is radical and you have to be able to adapt your riding from going through 2 feet of snow to 2 feet of mud, to crossing fast moving water to traversing across steep hillsides and going up and down rugged mountainsides. The scenery is spectacular though (to reward your efforts) and your mountain horses are sure-footed and familiar with the trails.

While most of the trails and paths you will be riding on are wide and gentle, there is one steep, challenging section of trail, leading to Allenby Pass, the highest elevation you’ll reach on this trip. Don’t fret! Your horse is an expert and has done this many times. Your guide will direct you to lean forward (going uphill) and lean back (going downhill), and it’s always great to take ahold of the saddle horn, or grab a handful of mane (it doesn’t hurt the horse!) to add to your feeling of security on this short section of trail.

The Horses and Mules

Our partner boasts a mighty herd of 320+ mountain horses and mules that vary in breed but predominantly Appaloosas, Quarter Horses and Draft Crosses. Most of these horses have been rescued and been given a second chance at living an enjoyable life. These horses have spent their lives in the mountains, they are surefooted and have incredible endurance.

The mules on our trip will carry our gear. One mule will be with us as we ride, ponied along by one of the guides, carrying our lunch, water and snacks. Another “string” of mules will go ahead of us each day, led by two “packers” on horseback. This string of mules (exact number depending on group size), will take our food, luggage, bedding and other supplies out to the lodges where we stay each night.

Common Animals & Bugs

Common animals include: grizzly and black bears, mountain goats, mule deer, moose, California bighorn sheep, bison, golden and bald eagles, and loons. Consider familiarizing yourself with the Parks Visitor Info here. Your guides will instruct you on how to safely view wildlife to protect both humans and animals.

Banff National Park provides rich and diverse habitats for a variety of wildlife associated with high-elevation mountain and plateau habitats. Lush alpine and subalpine meadows, broad upland valleys and extensive shrubby wetlands are only a few of the habitats available. Cold, long winters restrict the variety of species, but the quality of habitats attracts large numbers of some species, especially during the short summer and fall seasons. This provides visitors with some outstanding wildlife viewing opportunities.

Riding Skills

Our Banff Backcountry Riding Adventure is beginner friendly for those who are fit and up for the adventure.

A beginner is one step up from a non-rider! A beginner has begun the journey of riding horses, and has been on and around horses at least a few times. Maybe you’ve done a handful of trail rides, or taken a few lessons. Maybe you’ve been taking lessons for a few months and you’re still mastering posture and balance at a walk and trot. If you’ve begun your horseback riding journey, even if it was a few years ago (a refresher never hurts!), then you are a beginner!

If you are a non-rider, it’s essential that you spend some time on and around horses prior to embarking on any multi-day horseback riding trip.

Western Style Riding & Tack

The saddles used are western style saddles. Therefore, you should be familiar with riding on a western saddle and neck reining. On western saddles, riders keep their legs straight, and sit deep in the saddle, for a more relaxed posture. Western trail riding on mountain horses is like riding in a Sport Utility Vehicle, and you should expect an ‘off-road’ experience!

MONEY MATTERS

Wild Women Expeditions recommends that each participant should bring enough cash in local currency or available credit/debit funds to cover their meals during travel to and from their destination. Please consider your own spending habits when it comes to allowing for drinks, meals not included in the trip package, shopping, etc., and we also suggest you have access to emergency funds.

Currency Exchange Offices & Banks:

Please check online for current exchange rates. Wild Women Expeditions likes XE Currency Converter

We highly suggest you read this article: Where to Exchange Currency Without Paying Huge Fees for more information about this for your trip.

Automated Teller Machine (ATM)

One of the most convenient ways to get cash in Canadian dollars is by using an ATM. You will often receive better exchange rates, even though you have to pay a service fee, as with most ATMs outside your bank network.

Credit Cards

If you have a credit card, you can use the ATM to purchase Canadian currency directly. Your monthly balance usually shows the exchange rate you received on purchases made with the credit card.

Cash

The best way to offer your tips to guides and ranch staff (tips can also be charged to your credit card for this trip).

Taxes

Alberta uses GST and the current rate is 5%.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Useful Websites:

GETTING FIT

Please be sure to provide complete, accurate, and up-to-date information about your health & fitness level and keep us updated if there are changes. Wild Women Expeditions trips travel to remote areas where limited or no sophisticated medical facilities exist.

A medical emergency situation is extremely unlikely; however, should it arise we need to be prepared with the necessary information to help you.

Important Note: If you choose not to disclose a condition, infirmity, injury, or ailment herein and are subsequently deemed to be unfit for expedition travel due in whole or in part to such condition, infirmity, injury or ailment, Wild Women Expeditions guides, and partners shall have the right to remove you from the trip with no refund or compensation payable. Any evacuation expenses incurred are payable by the evacuee via their medical travel insurance or personal expense. Generally, our expeditions are intended for travelers in reasonably good health for their safety, along with that of their fellow travelers.

Tips:

You don't have to be a professional athlete to enjoy your Wild Women expedition. Not by a long shot! You'll be surprised at what you can achieve with our experienced guides at your side and a little camaraderie.

That said, you’ll definitely enjoy yourself far more if you do some preparation so your body is conditioned and ready to enjoy and make the most of the outdoors.

Here are a few ideas to help you get ready:

Ride!

You will be spending many hours each day with your bum in a saddle, so please ensure you get some riding in before this trip. While this trip is rated “beginner,” we do recommend that you have some familiarity with horses, being around them and riding, at least a little bit, to make it a more comfortable and enjoyable adventure.

Work your Core

Keeping good posture and balance on a horse requires a strong core, especially when going up and down steep trails. Doing pilates, or a balanced (focused on strength as well as flexibility) yoga program, can be a great way to prepare for this trip.

Take every opportunity you can to be active.

You can improve your fitness a lot just by adopting some new habits; take the stairs at work, go for a walk at lunchtime, park your car away from work and walk. Aim for 30 minutes a day and keep a diary so you can look back on it and feel proud. These may sound trivial but they’re all building blocks!

Join a local walking or running group.

This is a great way to get fit and you’ll also see new places, meet great people… and make them all jealous when they find out what you’re about to go on your travels.

Work on your upper body and core strength.

Weight lifting, yoga and pilates can help with this.

Warm up, cool down and stretch.

If you’re doing a workout then make sure you start and finish gently and stretch any tight muscles – this will help you avoid any aches, pains and pulled muscles. If you’re a member of a gym try some yoga, tai chi or pilates classes to build up your flexibility, stability and balance.

Hydration.

When you suddenly ask your body to walk or be active, it needs a bit more fuel than it needs when, say, sitting at a desk all day! The main thing your body needs is water, so stay hydrated and practice sipping water often. Getting a water bottle or hydration bladder is a great way to make sure you have it on hand at all times. Make a habit out of taking a bottle of water with you wherever you go.

Nutrition.

Eating little and often will keep your body well fuelled for outdoor exercise, especially food like nuts, dried fruit and bread. The odd bit of chocolate and a few boiled lollies are good for keeping your blood sugar levels up while you’re hiking as well!

Have fun!

The most important point of all! You are about to embark on the trip of a lifetime. You’re going to meet some amazing people, see some wonderful places and create memories that will stay with you for life. The more prepared you are to tackle the various challenges, the more fun you will have. Also, with all the endorphins you create from all this training, you’ll be smiling from ear to ear! It’s a great way to boost your happy vibes.

For more information on getting fit!

Check out our blog, Getting Fit: For a Horseback Riding Trip, which includes a 20 minute workout video specifically aimed at preparing the muscles you’ll need for riding.

GENERAL FAQ'S

For general Wild Women Expeditions FAQs please click [HERE].