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False Creek, Vancouver Contents Introduction Walking or Cycling around Stanley Park Historic Gas Town Yaletown Cycling Route around Vancouver Granville Island Market Coal Harbour, Vancouver Best Beaches in Vancouver A Walk along the Main Shopping Streets of Downtown Vancouver Museum of Anthropology Grouse Mountain Capilano Suspension Bridge Queen Elizabeth Park Deep Cove Golden Ears Provincial Park Buntzen Lake Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler Squamish Loggers Sports Festival Hotels in Vancouver Transportation in Vancouver Best Time to Visit Vancouver Links to my other blogs on Canada 1. Introduction We lived in Vancouver for 9 years and in September 2025 went back and spent 11 days there. It had been over 20 years since our last visit. Friends had warned us that Vancouver had changed a lot and about the drug problems in the downtown area. I was pleased to find that many of the changes in Vancouver were for the better. Much of False Creek and Coal Harbour used to be an industrial wasteland but these areas have now been developed well. As a result you can now walk or cycle for hours along Vancouver's seafront on dedicated cycle lanes and walkways. There is certainly a big drug and homelessness problem in Vancouver. It isn't very evident in the main area of interest for visitors which is north of Granville Street. However, it is noticeable south of Granville Street and the areas around Gastown and China Town can be impacted. Safety in downtown Vancouver isn't really an issue but I would be very careful walking south of Granville Street at night. We were really impressed with Vancouver although it helped that we had excellent weather. Vancouver does tend to have good summer weather but the wet winters are another matter! There is enough to do and see in Vancouver to justify spending at least 2 whole days there. The main places of interest for visitors are Stanley Park, Granville Island market, Grouse Mountain and the downtown area. You can easily spend more days in Vancouver, particularly if you explore some of the outlying areas. There are several very scenic lakes with good beaches within driving distance. There is also the Sea to Sky highway to Whistler with several sights along the way. Information on Vancouver's main sights and activities is provided below. 2. Walking or Cycling around Stanley Park Map of Stanley Park, Vancouver Stanley Park's main attraction is the 9 kilometre long sea wall that runs from Coal Harbour to English Bay. From the sea wall there are great views of the North Shore mountains, downtown Vancouver's skyline, English Bay and Coal Harbour. From the sea wall sea planes can be seen taking off and landing. Cruise ships and freight vessels often sail by. There are several points of interest along the sea wall which include the Totem Poles, Brockton Point, Prospect Point, Siwash rock, Second Beach and Third Beach. Third Beach is an excellent spacious and sandy beach. Second Beach isn't quite as nice but there is a popular outdoor swimming pool there. Vancouver's aquarium is in Stanley Park but I didn't visit it. See the aquarium's website for details. If you want to walk around Stanley Park, but feel that 9 kilometres is too long, there is a way of shortening it by a couple of kilometres. On the east side of Stanley Park you can cut across the peninsular by Brockton Point. There is a paved path between the starting area for the horse drawn carriages and Lumberman's Arch. This path passes to the west of the aquarium. Cycling is a popular and fun way to see Stanley Park and there is a designated bike path around Stanley Park. It's a one way bike path and everyone must cycle anti clockwise. Mobi operates a bike sharing scheme but it is expensive at $1 for unlocking the bike and then 29 cents a minute. In comparison the bike share in Toronto only costs 12 cents a minute. It is better to rent a bike from one of the many bike rental stores on Denman Street near the intersection with West Georgia Street. I used Spokes which is probably the largest bike rental store in Vancouver. It was very easy to rent a bike and they provided a helmet and bike chain. I cycled around Stanley Park twice and walked once. It's also possible to drive around and I also did that. It was the only time that I visited Prospect Point viewpoint which is high up above the sea wall. Prospect Point viewpoint is near Lions Gate Bridge and there are excellent views of ships passing under the bridge. The interior of Stanley Park is massive but most of it is dense forest. The exceptions are the Lost Lagoon and the area around the aquarium. View of Coal Harbour from Stanley Park, Vancouver The Totem Poles in Stanley Park, Vancouver View of the North Shore from Stanley Park, Vancouver SS Empress of Japan Figurehead at Stanley Park, Vancouver Brockton Point Lighthouse at Stanley Park, Vancouver Cruise Ship passing under Lions Gate Bridge, Vancouver Siwash Rock at Stanley Park, Vancouver Third Beach in Stanley Park, Vancouver 3. Historic Gas Town Gastown is the oldest part of Vancouver and one building dates back to 1887. The buildings aren't very special when compared to historic buildings in European towns. However, it's good that the area has been preserved and it's pleasant to stroll down Water Street, which is Gastown's main street. Gastown's main attraction is the steam clock which looks old but was actually only made in 1977. It's meant to whistle and shoot steam every quarter of an hour. When I was there the time on the clock was wrong and some visitors had been waiting a long time for it to whistle. It finally whistled just as I was about to leave. I was surprised that there are now some upmarket businesses in Gastown. Unfortunately they aren't of interest to visitors. There are a couple of shops that sell the usual tourist junk that has been made in China. Many years ago they used to sell quality native handicrafts but not any more. I saw a couple of comments on Tripadvisor about problems of homelessness and drug use in Gastown. Although Gastown is south of Granville Street I didn't experience such issues. The Steam Clock in Gas Town 4. Yaletown Yaletown used to be the western terminus of the Canadian Pacific railway. The warehouses on Hamilton Street and Mainland Street were transformed after Expo 1986 into restaurants, shops, offices and apartments. The entire area has been gentrified with high rise apartment towers built on the nearby north shore of False Creek. The 2 main streets in Yaletown are usually very quiet during the daytime but liven up in the evenings. Some visitors have reported on Tripadvisor that there isn't much to do in the daytime. The nearby False Creek waterfront is a real pleasure with its pedestrian walkway and cycle path. From there it is easy to take one of the frequent water taxis along False Creek and to Granville Island market. Opposite the Yaletown Sky Train station is the old railway roundhouse. There is a small museum there which is free to enter. The museum's main exhibit is the first locomotive to haul a trans continental passenger train into Vancouver in 1888. There is also an interesting exhibit about the Chinese workers who helped construct the trans continental railway. Yaletown The Roundhouse in Yaletown The Steam Engine that pulled the 1st Passenger Train into Vancouver 5. Cycling Route around Vancouver Vancouver's Coastal Cycling Path As I had hurt my foot I hired an electric bike from Spokes Bicycle Rentals and spent the day cycling along Vancouver's fantastic cycle paths. It was one of the best days of my 38 day holiday in Canada. I started near Coal Harbour and cut across the southern edge of Stanley Park to reach English Bay. From there I cycled to Burrard bridge and crossed over to Vanier Park. After Vanier park I rode past Kitsilano beach, Jericho beach, Locarno beach and Spanish Banks. They are all excellent wide and sandy beaches. I turned round shortly after Spanish Banks and retraced my route. Instead of crossing the Burrard bridge back to downtown Vancouver I continued cycling along the south shore of False Creek. I stopped at Granville Island Market for lunch. When I reached the end of False Creek there were great views of the futuristic Science World dome, BC Place Stadium and the Rogers Centre. From there I cycled along False Creek's north shore back to English Bay and retraced my route through Stanley Park to Spokes Bicycle Rental. I changed bikes there as the battery was becoming a bit low and then cycled around Stanley Park. I paid $93 for the day's rental and it was worth every cent. A manual bike would have been about $40 less but I did enjoy the ease of riding an electric bike for the distance I covered. It was totally worth it and it's the best way of seeing the area. First Beach at English Bay A-Maze-Ing Laughter art work at English Bay False Creek's North Shore Near Vanier Park on South Side of False Creek View of English Bay and Sunset Beach Jericho Beach in Vancouver View of Downtown Vancouver from near Jericho Beach Locarno Beach in Vancouver View of North Shore Mountains from Spanish Banks View of Downtown Vancouver from Granville Island Science World at False Creek BC Place, Vancouver 6. Granville Island Market Granville Island is one of the most popular places in Vancouver for visitors. The main attraction is the large indoor market. Granville Island Market is a great place to buy produce and have lunch or a snack. You can either eat inside or at the picnic tables by False Creek. There is often a musician playing there. Granville Island Market is only a small part of Granville Island and there are lots of shops and restaurants on the island. It's very pleasant wandering around. The indoor market is open 7 days a week from 09.00 to 18.00. The best and nicest way to reach Granville Island from downtown is by one of the very frequent water taxis. Aquabus and False Creek Ferries both operate water taxis on False Creek. The water taxis serve the entire False Creek area from Vanier Park in the west to Science World in the east. The fares are reasonable and there are great views along the way. Route of the False Creek Ferries Granville Island Public Market Food Court at Granville Island Public Market Musician at Granville Island Market Outdoor eating area at Granville Island Market Aquabus serving Granville Island Market 7. Coal Harbour, Vancouver Coal Harbour runs from the Cruise Ship Terminal in downtown Vancouver to Stanley Park. Prior to 1995 the southern part of Coal Harbour's waterfront was occupied by Canadian Pacific Railways and it wasn't a very attractive area. Since then Coal Harbour has been developed well and the railway tracks no longer exist. There is a wide walkway all the way from Stanley Park to the Cruise Ship Terminal. There are are excellent views to Stanley Park and over to North Vancouver and the north shore's mountains. The sea plane terminal is located at Coal Harbour and it's fascinating watching, and hearing, them take off and land. Coal Harbour isn't used by freight vessels but is frequented by pleasure boats, cruise ships and ferries to places like Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. There are many interesting information plaques along the walkway about historical events in Vancouver and British Columbia. Vancouver's Cruise Ship Terminal Vancouver Cruise Ship Terminal & Convention Centre Coal Harbour, Vancouver View of the North Shore Mountains from Coal Harbour View of North Vancouver from Coal Harbour 8. Best Beaches in Vancouver Vancouver has several good sandy beaches that can be easily accessed by visitors. The closest beach to downtown Vancouver is First Beach which is at the western end of Denman Street. It's an excellent wide and sandy beach with logs to rest on. Third Beach on the western side of Stanley Park is very similar but not quite as accessible. To the south of English Bay there are excellent sandy beaches from Kitsilano to Spanish Banks. In between these 2 beaches are Locarno Beach and Jericho Beach. There is convenient paid parking at all these beaches. There are outdoor pools at Kitsilano and 2nd Beach in Stanley Park. First Beach at English Bay Third Beach in Stanley Park Jericho Beach in Vancouver 9. The Main Shopping Steets of Downtown Vancouver Map of Downtown Vancouver The streets with the most activity in downtown Vancouver are Robson Street, Denman Street, Davie Street and Granville Street. They can be seen by doing an interesting circular walk. Robson Street is my favourite street in Vancouver and it's lined with shops and some of them are exclusive. Robson Street slopes down to Denman Street which has lots of reasonably priced restaurants. Both Robson and Denman Streets are safe and very pleasant to walk around at night time. Davie Street runs parallel to Robson Street. Many years ago Davie Street had a notorious reputation but it has now been cleaned up. There are shops and restaurants along Davie Street but it isn't as busy as Robson and Denman Streets. Davie Street becomes more vibrant nearer the junction with Granville Street. I enjoy walking along Davie Street in the daytime. It isn't particularly interesting at night time and also a bit rough near Granville Street. Granville Street is probably the main street in downtown Vancouver but not the most pleasant one. There are shops, cheap eateries, bars and night entertainment. Unfortunately there are also homeless people and drug users, particularly as you get closer to the intersection with Davie Street. It's worth wandering along Granville Street but watch where you step! The street comes alive at night time with all the neon lights. At night time it becomes a bit rough near Davie Street. At th e junction of Granville and Robson there is access to the underground Pacific Centre shopping mall. It's probably about a 2 hour circular walk. It's likely to take much longer with stop offs for food, drink, shopping etc. 10. Museum of Anthropology The Museum of Anthropology is at the University of British Columbia and is about a 30 minute drive from downtown Vancouver. There is parking at the museum which costs about $4 an hour. The museum can also be accessed by bus. The Museum of Anthropology is housed in a spectacular building designed by the renowned Canadian architect Arthur Erickson. It's open from 10.00 to 17.00 each day and the entry fee is $26 for an adult and there are discounts for seniors and children. The Museum of Anthropology mainly receives very good reviews but some reviewers complain about the lack of information about the artifacts, history and culture of the indigenous population. I thought that the building was very impressive but was disappointed with the actual museum. There are masses of artifacts with no meaningful narrations. I wanted to learn about Canada's indigenous population, and their history, but that wasn't covered. Some reviewers said they spent several hours in the Museum of Anthropology but we spent just over an hour there. We didn't learn any more by paying to visit the museum than if we had freely walked around the exterior of the museum and peered through the huge glass windows. We were also disappointed with the museum's shop. The museum displayed so much indigenous handicrafts but very little was for sale in the shop. Most of the items for sale were the usual tourist tat. Exterior of the Museum of Anthropology The Main Display at the Museum of Anthropology 11. Grouse Mountain Grouse Mountain is one of the top visitor attractions in Vancouver. I didn't take the gondola up this visit as I had skied at Grouse Mountain many times in the past and didn't want to pay the admission fee. The views from Grouse Mountain are fantastic if the weather is good. I personally wouldn't spend the money to go up if it was cloudy or there was smoke from wild fires like I experienced in early September. There are many free and paid activities at the top of Grouse Mountain. Most visitors enjoy the ranger and owl talks, the grizzly bear habitat and the lumberjack show. These activities are all free but be aware that outside the peak summer season the lumberjack show is only at weekends and holidays. The online entrance fee is $82 with discounts for seniors and children. Online tickets cannot be bought on the day of admission. Tickets can be bought at Grouse Mountain and Canada Place but cost a bit more. During the summer season there is a free coach service between Canada Place and Grouse Mountain. Coaches run about every half an hour from 09.00 to 18.00. It's also possible to hike up Grouse Mountain and take the gondola down at a reduced fee. The hike up is called the Grouse Grind and it has an elevation gain of 800 metres. Grouse Mountain states that it takes 2 to 2.5 hours on average. However, many people hike up faster. I did the Grouse Grind many years ago. The hike is completely through forest and there aren't any views before the top. The only reasons to do the Grouse Grind are the challenge, fitness and to save a bit of money. 12. Capilano Suspension Bridge Capilano Suspension Bridge was free when I visited a very long time ago. Since then I have crossed numerous spectacular suspension bridges in the Himalayas for free. Therefore when I saw that the entrance fee for the Capilano Suspension Bridge was an outrageous $78 I decided not to visit. There are other activities included in the entrance fee and there is a free shuttle from Canada Place. However, if you drive there is a charge for parking. I feel that Capilano Suspension Bridge is an expensive tourist trap. Surprisingly there are a lot of positive reviews on Tripadvisor. If you want to experience walking over a suspension bridge it is better to visit the nearby Lynn Valley Canyon Park which has free entry. 13. Queen Elizabeth Park Queen Elizabeth Park is a 130 acre municipal park that's free to enter. The main attractions are in the centre of the park where there were 2 quarries. The quarries have been turned into very spectacular gardens. There are also good views of Vancouver's skyline and the North Shore mountains from Queen Elizabeth Park. The Bloedel Conservatory is near the quarry gardens and it consists of a glass domed building housing a botanical garden. The entrance fee is $9 with discounts for seniors and children. Queen Elizabeth Park is a 15 minute drive from downtown Vancouver. Fountains in front of the Bloedel Conservatory The Bloedel Conservatory, Vancouver Queen Elizabeth Park's Main Quarry Garden Queen Elizabeth Park's Main Quarry Garden 14. Deep Cove Deep Cove is on the eastern side of North Vancouver and is a 30 minute drive from downtown Vancouver. Parking at Deep Cove is very limited at weekends and holidays so we went by Uber. Deep Cove is on Indian Arm which is a tributary of Burrard Inlet. The water is usually calm and is popular for boating and canoeing. Canoes can be rented at Deep Cove. There are a few small beaches and also open parkland at the waterfront. It's a pleasant place to wander around. Deep Cove has a small high street with a few restaurants and shops Deep Cove Deep Cove Deep Cove's Shops and Restaurants 15. Golden Ears Provincial Park Golden Ears Provincial Park used to be one of our favourite places to go to for swimming when we lived in Vancouver. It has a large pristine lake surrounded by mountains and the water temperature is fine as the lake isn't glacier fed. It's a one hour drive eastwards from Vancouver. Unfortunately with Vancouver's expanded population Golden Ears Provincial Park is now very popular. In peak summer time a day pass is required up to the beginning of September. Day passes for Golden Ears Provincial Park are free and can be applied for online 2 days in advance. It's better to avoid weekends and holidays. There are 3 main areas at the lake for swimming. South Beach is the first beach off the access road and it's the nicest and largest beach. It has a large grassy picnic area by the beach and there are good toilet facilities. Further along the access road there is parking for Gold Creek and North Beach. It's a one kilometre walk along Gold Creek to North Beach. The first part of Gold Creek is too shallow for swimming but nearer the lake it's deeper and is a popular swimming spot. The North Beach area is very scenic but the beach is stony and the water too shallow for swimming. It's popular with dog owners as dogs aren't allowed on South Beach. Entrance to Golden Ears Provincial Park The main beach at Golden Ears Provincial Park North Beach at Golden Ears Provincial Park Gold Creek at Golden Ears Provincial Park 16. Buntzen Lake Buntzen Lake is 45 minute drive eastwards from downtown Vancouver. It's similar to Golden Ears Provincial Park but there is only one beach accessible by vehicles. From the middle of May to beginning of September a free permit must be obtained online from BC Hydro . Beach at Buntzen Lake 17. Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler We drove the Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler in mid September and weren't as impressed with the scenery as we thought we would be. It didn't help that it was a bit cloudy. Unfortunately trees frequently block the views from the highway which is a common problem in British Columbia. Whistler is a pleasant destination to visit but if you are visiting outside the main summer season do check before you go that the gondolas and peak chairlift are open. See my section on Whistler for further information about that. It only takes 1.5 hours to drive on the Sea to Sky Highway from downtown Vancouver to Whistler. Most visitors take a lot longer as there are a few places worth visiting on the way. Information about the main stops is provided below. Porteau Cove Provincial Park Porteau Cove Provincial Park is a 35 minute drive from downtown Vancouver. There's free parking and a picnic area just off the highway. On a clear day there are good views of Howe Sound and the coastal mountains. Porteau Cove Picnic Area & Parking at Porteau Cove Britannia Mine Museum The Britannia Mine operated from 1904 to 1974. At one time it was the largest copper mine in the British Commonwealth and it supplied 17% of the world's copper. On the hillside above the Britannia Mine there is a 20 storey building that was used for processing the copper ore. The exterior looked more impressive before they renovated it in 2007. The interior hasn't been renovated and is very impressive. As a result it's a popular filming location. The $42 entrance fee for the Britannia Mine Museum includes a 75 minute guided tour with an underground train ride. You should allow at least 2 hours for a visit. The Britannia Mine Museum is a 45 minute drive from downtown Vancouver. We visited about 20 years ago and enjoyed it. Most of the reviews are very positive but some visitors feel that it isn't worth the $42 entrance fee. In t he peak summer period it's advisable to make an online reservation as the Britannia Mining Museum can be fully booked. Exterior of the Britannia Mine Museum Interior of the Britannia Mine Museum Shannon Falls Shannon falls is only a 7 minute drive north of Britannia Mine Museum and is a popular stop. There's a free car park and flush toilets. It's a 350 metre walk along a good path to the main viewpoint of the falls. There's another viewpoint a bit further up but we didn't walk there. After seeing several spectacular waterfalls in Banff National Park I wasn't so impressed with Shannon Falls. We visited in mid September after several dry months. Shannon Falls is more impressive in winter and spring. Shannon Falls Brandywine Falls Brandywine Falls is a 1.25 hour drive from Vancouver. There's free parking but the car park can be very busy at weekends. It's a 10 minute walk to the falls and there are 2 viewing areas. Brandywine Falls Whistler Hikers and mountain bikers could spend days at Whistler in the summer time. Visitors not participating in outdoor pursuits can easily keep themselves fully occupied for a day. Gondolas at Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains The top activity is taking the gondola: there is a gondola up Whistler and another up Blackcomb. The Peak 2 Peak gondola connects the upper stations of the Whistler and Blackcomb gondolas and spans 4.4 kilometres. The Peak Express chairlift goes from the upper station of Whistler's gondola to the top of Whistler Mountain (2,181 metres). This saves a one hour hike up and provides access to the Cloudraker Skybridge. This is a 130 metre bridge between Whistler Peak and West Ridge. Tickets cost around $100 and covers the 3 gondolas, the Peak Express chairlift and the Cloudraker Skybridge. Before buying tickets check online as to what is open. During the peak summer period from mid June to Labour day all of these attractions should be open. However, at other times they may only be open at weekends or only some of the attractions may be open. I discovered that after Labour day only the Blackcomb and Peak 2 Peak gondolas were open and even these gondolas stopped operating after 21st September. It seemed a rip off that the full price was being charged when the Peak Express chairlift to the Cloudraker Skybridge was closed. There are a couple of attractive lakes at Whistler. Lost lake is the nearest to the centre of Whistler. In summer the water temperature is warm enough for swimming. Green Lake is a bit further north. It is larger and the water isn't as warm as it's glacier fed. Whistler Town Centre Green Lake, Whistler Lost Lake, Whistler 18. Squamish Loggers Sports Festival The Squamish Loggers Sports Festival is the largest and best loggers festival in Canada. It has a fantastic action packed show highlighting the skills of British Columbia's loggers. Be prepared for the noise of the chain saws! The Loggers Festival is normally held on a weekend at the end of July or start of August. The main show is on the Sunday and tickets should be booked early online as this show sells out. Squamish is a 50 minute drive from Vancouver along the Sea to Sky Highway. 19. Hotels in Vancouver Hotel rooms are very expensive in Vancouver during the summer season. In 2025 a decent hotel room cost around $400 a night. Staying outside of downtown Vancouver saves very little. We spent a few nights in the Holiday Inn Express in Metrotown, Burnaby and even that cost $400 a night. Hotel costs are high as Vancouver is a major cruise ship terminal for Alaska cruises. Also British Columbia has placed restrictions on the short term rental of apartments. We initially rented a 2 bedroom apartment near the Rogers Centre as our son was with us. This cost a whopping $850 a night through VRBO . It was a nice apartment and it should have been for the price! We then stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Metrotown, Burnaby as we wanted to visit some areas outside the downtown core. I booked directly with Holiday Inn as they had a better deal than Booking.com. The Holiday Inn Express in Metrotown, Burnaby was very good and included breakfast and free parking. It was right next to the huge Metrotown shopping centre and opposite the Skytrain station. It only took about 20 minutes to reach downtown Vancouver. At the end of our road trip around British Columbia we stayed at the Blue Horizon Hotel on Robson Street. Again I booked directly with the hotel as they had a special summer deal. As a result we paid $350 a night for a superior room. It would have cost over $400 on Booking.com. The Blue Horizon was built in the 1970's but was completely refurbished in 2025. All rooms are corner rooms with balconies. We had a room on the 23rd floor with views over Vancouver to English Bay. The room was huge and had been refurbished very well. We were delighted with the hotel and it was very central. It's worth paying for a sea view room as they are sunnier. Also the rooms on the other side of the hotel look onto apartment towers. 20. Transportation in Vancouver We used Uber a lot in Vancouver as there were 3 of us and it often didn't cost much more than public transport. We also used the very efficient and regular Skytrain and the Canada Line which is connected to the Skytrain network at the waterfront station. Skytrain and the Canada Line are automated light railway systems that run mainly above ground. The Canada Line runs frequently between the airport and downtown Vancouver. The fare is about $4.85 but it depends on the time of day. There's a $5 surcharge on top of Canada Line's fare for rides originating from the airport. This surcharge doesn't apply to rides to Vancouver airport. Visitors might find the Skytrain useful for travelling to Chinatown, Yaletown and the large shopping centre at Metrotown, Burnaby. The fare for travelling to these locations in central area of Vancouver is $3.35 and it can be paid by tapping a credit card at the start and end of each journey. There is a good bus network in Vancouver but we didn't use buses during this visit. We rented a car for a few days but unless you are travelling some distance out of downtown Vancouver it's cheaper and easier to use Uber. Most hotels and parking areas charge for parking and car rental isn't cheap. 21. Best Time to Visit Vancouver Vancouver is notorious for it's rainfall and it's pretty miserable when it rains for days on end. Fortunately most of the rain falls in winter between October and May. Vancouver tends to have good summers unlike in the U.K. The official weather statistics for Vancouver are taken at the airport which is about the driest and sunniest place in the Vancouver area! The rainfall increases, and the number of hours of sun decreases, the closer you get to the mountains. Fortunately the climate in downtown Vancouver isn't too much worse than at the airport. Another factor to take into account is smoke from forest fires. Summer forest fires have become a big problem in British Columbia and the smoke can obscure the scenery. Vancouver isn't as badly affected as inland areas. 22. Links to my other Blogs on Canada Vancouver to Canadian Rockies Road Trip Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Hike Kootenay National Park Travel Guide Yoho National Park Travel Guide The Icefields Parkway Drive

Moraine Lake We lived in Vancouver for 8 years and returned for a visit in September 2025. We spent 4 weeks travelling around British Columbia and the Canadian Rockies. We had a great trip and excellent weather. The only issue was smoke from forest fires but that only affected us for 3 days. See my Vancouver Travel Guide for information about visiting Vancouver. Contents Itinerary for Vancouver to Canadian Rockies Driv e When to visit Banff and Jasper National Parks Rental of Cars and RV's in Canada Accommodation in British Columbia & the Canadian Rockies Drive from Vancouver to Okanagan (Penticton) 2 Days in the Okanagan Drive from Penticton to Nelson Drive from Nelson to Invermere 1 Day at Invermere and Radium Hot Springs Drive from Invermere to Canmore 2 Nights in Canmore and Banff Drive from Canmore to Jasper along the Icefields Parkway 2 Nights in Jasper Drive from Jasper to Field along the Icefields Parkway 4 Nights in Field, British Columbia Drive from Field to Salmon Arm Drive from Salmon Arm to Whistler 2 Nights in Whistler Drive - Whistler to Vancouver along the Sea to Sky Highway Links to my other Blogs on Canada 1. Itinerary for Vancouver to Canadian Rockies Drive Our route is indicated in black I had thought about driving one way from Vancouver and dropping the rental car off in Calgary. However, the additional charge for a one way rental was far too much. I therefore planned an itinerary that wouldn't mean driving back to Vancouver on the same route. The only road that we drove both ways was the Icefield Parkway between Banff and Jasper. It is actually a good idea to drive the Icefield Parkway both ways. The road is very scenic and there's lots to do and see along the route. If you like hiking then 2 full days are needed for the Icefield Parkway. Also if the weather is bad one day then hopefully the weather will be good the other day. When planning our itinerary I wanted to allow plenty of time so that we could explore areas rather than just driving past them. On the other hand Banff and Jasper National Parks are very expensive destinations and I didn't want too much down time. We had initially intended to spend a 3rd night at Jasper, a 5th night at Field (Yoho National Park) and a 3rd night at Whistler so we could do some hiking. Unfortunately my wife had a foot problem so we couldn't do so. Also the 2024 fires in Jasper resulted in a couple of popular hiking areas being closed in 2025. From Vancouver we took the scenic highway 3 eastwards along the U.S. border. The other option was highway 5 (Coquihalla Highway) but the scenery along that highway is too forested for my liking. As it turned out highway 5 was closed due to forest fires so we had no option! There were several options for the return route: Highway 5 from Jasper to Vancouver. Trans Canada highway 1 from Banff National Park all the way to Vancouver. Trans Canada highway 1 to Cache Creek and then highway 99 to Vancouver via Whistler. I decided on the third option as we had never driven on the highway 99 from Cache Creek to Whistler. Our itinerary was: Vancouver Several nights Penticton 3 nights Nelson 1 night Invermere 2 nights Banff 2 nights Jasper 2 nights Field 4 nights Salmon Arm 1 night Whistler 2 nights Vancouver 3 nights Continue reading for more information about this itinerary and what to see and do at the places we visited. 2. When to visit Banff and Jasper National Parks The main season for visiting Banff and Jasper National Parks is from April to October. Our recent visit was in mid September and many years ago we visited in late April. We had excellent weather both times. April and May are offseason for summer activities. There will still be snow on many hiking trails and ice on some lakes. The access roads to Moraine Lake and Takakkaw Falls in Yoho National Park will be closed. June isn't a good month to visit as usually it's the wettest month of the year. Also in very early June some of the higher altitude lakes like Lake Louise and Moraine Lake may still be covered with ice. July and August are the busiest and most expensive months. I would therefore avoid those months if possible. The weather should be good but there is a high risk of forest fires and the smoke can obscure views. September is a popular month but is not as busy as July and August. The weather is usually good although it will be getting cooler in late September. There can be snow at higher altitude when hiking in late September. There could still be a problem with smoke from forest fires for most of the month. A big attraction towards the end of September is the golden larch trees. Unfortunately this also brings a lot of local visitors into Banff and Jasper National parks. October is offseason and the first half of October could be a reasonable time to visit if you don't mind cooler, and shorter, days. If you are driving through British Columbia winter tyres are required on certain routes from 1st October. 3. Rental of Cars and RV's in Canada We rented a SUV with Avis through Booking.com . We booked a few months ahead and car rental prices increased in the months after that. If prices had come down we could have cancelled our reservation up to a day before the rental began. It's therefore better to book a vehicle early. When we went to pick up our vehicle Avis upgraded us to a Grand Cherokee Jeep. It was way too big and difficult to park. We therefore swapped it the next day for a BMW X1 SUV and we really enjoyed driving it. A lot of visitors rent large RV's to avoid paying the exorbitant hotel costs in Banff and Jasper and to avoid high restaurant prices. I am not convinced about the benefit of renting a RV as: They are more difficult to drive and park due to their size. Everything has to be packed away when you drive somewhere. They are a lot more expensive to rent than cars when all the extras are taken into account. Fuel consumption is much worse than for a car. Food costs can be kept at a reasonable level when staying in apartments and hotels. Most hotels have fridges and some have microwaves. We often bought food from the supermarket delis and ate it on paper plates. At apartments we also bought roast chickens from the delis and had takeaways. For breakfast we had porridge or bread and marmalade. 4. Accommodation in British Columbia & Canadian Rockies We found that accommodation in Vancouver, Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper was very expensive. In summer time it would be very difficult to find reasonable accommodation for less than $400 a night. Usually this wouldn't include breakfast. The hotel prices in Vancouver are high as it's one of the main ports for Alaskan cruises. In addition there are restrictions on short term apartment rentals and that also applies to some other areas in British Columbia like the Okanagan. It's difficult to avoid the high accommodation prices in Vancouver. However, for Banff a good alternative is to stay in Canmore which is a 20 minute drive south of Banff. The accommodation in Canmore is more reasonably priced and better quality. Apartments can also be rented in Canmore. We preferred Canmore to Banff as it's less touristy and it is a very pleasant and scenic town. A good alternative to Lake Louise is the the small railway town of Field which is a 20 minute drive west of Lake Louise. Field is in Yoho National Park and there are several interesting sights to see there. Banff could also be visited from Field as it's only a 1 hour drive away. The Truffle Pigs Restaurant & Lodge is the only hotel in Field and the other accommodation in Field is provided by guest houses. We stayed in the Truffle Pigs Lodge and had a good room with 2 queen beds for $315 a night. The Truffle Pigs Lodge is near the railway and there is noise from both stationary and moving trains. As there isn't air conditioning we had to have the window open. The noise didn't bother us but it could disturb light sleepers. At Jasper we paid $460 a night for an excellent cabin at Pine Bungalows . Accommodation in Jasper is in even shorter supply than usual due to the devastating fire in July 2024. It's important to book accommodation early in Banff, Jasper and Yoho national Parks as demand often exceeds supply. Even if you find last minute accommodation it's likely to be expensive and/or not the best quality. 5. D rive from Vancouver to Okanagan (Penticton) We drove from Vancouver to Penticton on highway 3 which is British Columbia's most southerly highway. We stopped off on the way at Harrison Hot Springs, the Hope Landslide and Manning Park. This route is very scenic but the smoke from forest fires was so bad that we could see very little of the mountains and it spoiled the journey. To make matters worse there was road construction after Manning Park and it delayed us by over 3 hours! The actual driving time from Vancouver to Penticton should have been 5.5 hours. However, it took much longer and with the stop offs we only reached Penticton at 20.00 despite starting out at 09.00. Our first stop was Harrison Hot Springs which is a resort town set on a scenic lake with a large sandy beach. It has expanded a lot since we were last there. We walked along the waterfront but only had glimpses of the mountains through the smoke. Our next stop was the Hope Slide which was a huge landslide that occurred in 1965 and covered part of the highway killing 4 people. We could just see it through the smoke! We had driven by Manning Park in the past but had never visited it. We drove to Lightning Lake where there is a pleasant day use area and we ate our lunch there. My plan had been to also drive up to the Cascade Viewpoint on the other side of highway 3 from Manning Park. It's a 15 minute drive up a curvy road to this viewpoint and there are excellent views in good weather. We didn't bother doing this as there was far too much smoke. We had been advised by a friend to stop at one of the numerous fruit stall at Keremeos, which is a 45 minute drive before reaching Penticton. Unfortunately we were just too late and tired to do so. It looked to be the best place in the Okanagan to buy fruit. Harrison Hot Springs The Hope Landslide Lightning Lake at Manning Park 6. Two Days in the Okanagan Map of the Okanagan I had booked an apartment near Penticton 6 months prior to our trip. A couple of months afterwards I received a request to cancel the reservation due to the new laws restricting the short term rental of apartments. I therefore had to book a hotel for 3 nights and we stayed at the Balcomo  in Penticton at a rate of $250 a night. It's a fancy motel rather than a hotel but we enjoyed our stay. Unfortunately it was very hazy during our stay due to smoke. If it hadn't been for the smoke we would have had sunny weather and hot temperatures. We found that 3 nights in the Okanagan were ample. One of the main attractions of the Okanagan are the numerous wineries but Lani (my wife) doesn't drink. The other main attraction is the beaches and lakes but it wasn't swimming weather due to the haze. Penticton is situated between 2 lakes. Okanagan lake is to the north and it has a sandy beach. The SS Sicamous is at the western end of this beach. Skaha lake is on the southern edge of Penticton and has a bigger sandy beach. The SS Sicamous is a paddle wheeler that was launched in 1914 and was used for transport on Okanagan lake. It's now a museum and it receives good reviews. The entrance fee is only $10 but unfortunately it was closed when we were there. On Saturday mornings there is a popular farmer's market in Penticton and it's worth wandering around it. The most popular section of the decommissioned Kettle Valley Railway (KVR) runs 16 kilometres from Penticton to Naramata on the east side of Okanagan lake. It's a well maintained trail for both walkers and cyclists. Bikes can be rented from several bike shops in Penticton. There are wineries and breweries along this trail. Kelowna is a 1 hour drive north of Penticton. It's a scenic drive along the western side of Okanagan lake. However, the southern suburbs of Kelowna were unattractive. We liked City Park and the waterfront walkway in downtown Kelowna. Okanagan Lake Beach in Penticton SS Sicamous, Penticton Skaha Lake Park, Penticton Kettle Valley Rail Trail in Penticton Vineyard on the Kettle Valley Rail Trail in Penticton Brewery & Pub on the Kettle Valley Rail Trail in Penticton Kelowna City Park 7. Drive from Penticton to Nelson It's a 4 hour drive from Penticton to Nelson but with stops along the way it took about 8 hours. It wasn't as hazy as it had been the last few days and as we drove south towards Osoyoos the sky cleared. We stopped briefly at Osoyoos and it looks like a nice small town. Probably nicer than Penticton and Kelowna. After Osoyoos the road ascended steeply into the mountains. We were pleasantly surprised that the mountains weren't very forested and there was scenic open countryside. We stopped at Christina Lake Provincial Park for lunch. Nelson is on Kootenay Lake and is an attractive town not spoilt by modern development. Unfortunately there isn't much decent accommodation in Nelson and the only good hotel seemed to be the expensive Prestige Lakeside Resort . When I booked the room at the Prestige Lakeside Resort it was over $400 a night. I was therefore annoyed to find the day before we checked in that the room prices had dropped to around $300 a night. Unfortunately it was too late to change our reservation. Luckily the hotel was good and they upgraded our room. We didn't do much in Nelson due to a lack of time and I had been there a couple of times before on business. If we had had more time I would have done the popular hike to Pulpit Rock . This hike takes 1.5 to 2 hours. In the evening we went into the old town centre for a Mexican meal at the Cantina del Centro . We had a table outside on the main street and the food and service was excellent. Vaseux Lake south of Penticton Osoyoos Lake Christina Lake Provincial Park Kootenay Lake near Nelson The Main Street in Nelson View of Kootenay Lake from Nelson 8. Drive from Nelson to Invermere If the hotel in Nelson hadn't been so expensive we might have stayed a second night as there is a scenic circular drive that had been recommended on the Tripadvisor forum. This drive goes north of Nelson on the highway 6 to New Denver. The Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre  is at New Denver and it's where 22,000 Japanese Canadians were interned during the 2nd World War. The entry fee is $9 with discounts for seniors and children. The road from New Denver back to Nelson runs along Kootenay Lake on highway 31. It's worth stopping at the pretty village of Kaslo on the way. The SS Moyie  is located there and is the world's oldest passenger sternwheeler. From New Denver it's a short 10 minute walk to Fletcher Falls . There are two routes from Nelson to Invermere. The quickest route goes south of Nelson on highway 6 and then east on highway 3 to Cranbook. From Cranbook highway 93 goes north to Invermere. The driving time is about 4 hours. The other route goes east from Nelson to Balfour which is on the west side of Kootenay Lake. From Balfour there is car ferry to Kootenay Bay on the east side of Kootenay Lake. This is the world 's long est free ferry ride! From Kootenay Bay highway 3A runs south along Kootenay Lake to Cranbrook. We took the second route as it seemed more interesting. On the way from Nelson to Balfour we stopped at Kokanee Provincial Park to see the salmon spawning. The Kootenay Lake ferry  runs about every 40 minutes and there was plenty of space on the vessel. Whilst waiting for the ferry we treated ourselves to a coffee and freshly baked cake at the excellent Old World Bakery. The ferry ride takes about 30 minutes and is very scenic. We were wondering whether to make a slight detour to Kimberley on the way from Cranbook to Invermere. We were glad we didn't as it would have made the journey too long. Luckily we had gained one hour during today's journey as Invermere is in the Mountain time zone. I booked a 3 bedroom condominium in Invermere for $315 a night through VRBO . It was excellent as it was a spacious corner condo on the top floor with views of Lake Windermere. A condo like that in Vancouver would cost over $1,000 a night. In the evening we bought a roast chicken and salads from a supermarket deli and ate it in the apartment. Salmon at Kokanee Provincial Park The Ferry between Balfour and Kootenay Bay View from the Balfour to Kootenay Bay Ferry 9. One Day at Invermere and Radium Hot Springs In the morning we stopped off at the Parks Canada office in the town of Radium Hot Springs to buy an annual pass for Canada's National Parks. The annual Discovery Pass costs $75.25 with a discount for seniors. A daily pass costs $11 and it is therefore cheaper and more convenient to buy an annual pass if you are spending more than 7 days in Canada's National Parks. We then went on to the Radium Hot Springs pools in Kootenay National Park. The pools open quite late in September and even later in winter. Check the opening hours  before going. Radium Hot Springs costs $17.50 for an adult and there are discounts for seniors and children. We really enjoyed the Radium Hot Springs pool and spent about 2 hours soaking in it. It was very sociable and we chatted to several people. There are changing rooms, toilets, drinking water and free lockers there. Towels cost extra so it's best to bring your own. There's also a cooler pool for swimming but we didn't use it. On the drive back to Invermere we stopped at Sinclair Canyon and walked through it. It's worth stopping but it isn't a haven of peace as the main road runs through it! Invermere has 2 popular beaches on Lake Windermere. There is a stony beach at James Chabot Provincial Park which was right by our apartment. The more sandy Kinsmen beach was a short drive away. Radium Springs Hot Pool Sinclair Canyon in Kootenay National Park Beach at James Chabot Provincial Park, Invermere Kinsmen Beach in Invermere 10. Drive from Invermere to Canmore Kootenay National Park's attractions are in the southern and northern ends of the park and there is little to do in between. We saw Sinclair Canyon and Radium Hot Springs in the south of the park yesterday. Today we visited the sights in the northern end of Kootenay National Park as we had to drive through Kootenay National Park to reach Canmore, our next destination. As it's only a 2 hour drive from Invermere to Canmore we had plenty of time to sightsee. Map of the northern section of Kootenay National Park Numa Falls in Kootenay National Park was the first stop. The car park is just off Highway 93 and the falls are a 2 minute walk from the car park. There's a bridge over the river which provides a good view of the falls. It doesn't take long to see Numa Falls. The parking lot for the Paint Pots is only a 5 minute drive from Numa Falls. The Paint Pots are 1 kilometre from the car park and it's a 15 minute scenic walk. The Paint Pots are 3 colourful pools of mineral water. Marble Canyon is a short drive further along Highway 93. It's possible to hike between the Paint Pots and Marble Canyon but it didn't appear to be a scenic trail. The trail to Marble Canyon follows the canyon upwards and there are 7 bridges to cross. The 700 metre long path is steep at times.  There  a re good views of the canyon and river along the trail. If you want to do a scenic hike the Stanley Glacier Trail  is in this part of Kootenay National Park. The hike takes about 4 hours. The Continental divide is at the boundary of Kootenay and Banff National Parks. The continental divide is the dividing line between the Pacific and Atlantic watersheds. We quickly stopped to take a photo of the sign. The mountain scenery from here to Canmore is spectacular. When we reached Canmore we checked into a one bedroom apartment that I had booked through VRBO  for $380 a night. The apartment was fine but I wouldn't recommend it. Kootenay River in Kootenay National Park Numa Falls in Kootenay National Park Trail to the Paint Pots in Kootenay National Park A Paint Pot in Kootenay National Park Marble Canyon in Kootenay National Park Castle Mountain in Banff National Park The Continental Divide between Kootenay and Banff National Parks View when driving from Kootenay National Park to Banff 11. Two Nights in Canmore and Banff Canmore Map of downtown Canmore After checking into our apartment we walked around Canmore's very pleasant downtown area. 8th Street is Canmore's main street and it's pedestrianised in summertime. It's very similar to Banff's main street with lots of shops and restaurants and there are good views of the mountains. Canmore's main street runs from west to east and the Policeman's Creek Boardwalk is at the eastern end. The first section of the Policeman's Creek Boardwalk is the most scenic as the trail becomes forested after the first bridge. I therefore crossed the creek at the first bridge and walked back to main street along the pleasant Spring Creek Drive. Bow River is at the western end of main street. I walked on both sides of the Bow River between Canmore Engine Bridge and Bridge Road as it's very scenic. I also walked southwards from Bridge Road along the east side of the Bow River until it became forested. There are good views of the Three Sisters on this section. My route is shown in yellow on the map. Drivers can park on the western side of Bridge Road where there is a small parking lot at the Canmore Public Boat Launch  that costs about $4 an hour. I wanted to visit Quarry Lake  which is a 7 minute drive from downtown Canmore. Quarry Lake is in a beautiful setting and is a popular location as a result. I didn't go there as the parking cost has been increased to $10 an hour and there is a 2 hour minimum. Main Street Canmore Policeman Creek Trail at Canmore Policeman Creek Trail at Canmore Walk along the Bow river in Canmore. The 3 Sisters in the background Walk along the Bow river in Canmore Banff Town Map of Banff Town There is a free parking lot at Banff Train Station  with 500 parking spaces. It's about a 10 minute walk from Banff Avenue which is Banff's main shopping street. We parked at the Cascade of Time Garden which is just across the bridge from Banff Avenue. We arrived at 09.15 and were delighted to find plenty of free parking and public toilets. We didn't walk around the attractive garden and only went to the popular viewpoint that looks down Banff Avenue to Cascade Mountain. From the Cascade of Time Garden we walked over the bridge and along Banff Avenue. Not all the shops were open yet but it was starting to become busy. It's a pleasant main street but we aren't keen shoppers and many of the stores were very exclusive. We returned to the bridge and started walking along the 1.2 kilometre long Bow River Trail to Bow Falls. I thought it would be a scenic trail but trees obscured the views. As Lani had a foot problem we turned back and drove to Bow Falls instead. We were pleased to find a large car park at Bow Falls with plenty of free spaces. This car park can be used to see both the Bow Falls and the Banff Springs Hotel. The hotel can be viewed by walking further along the road to the nearby bridge over the Bow River. Surprise Corner Viewpoint is on the opposite side of the river to Bow Falls. The car park is small and we parked in the last available space. There are excellent views of the Banff Springs Hotel. When visiting Banff I recommend stopping first at Surprise Corner Viewpoint due to the lack of parking. Then drive to the Cascade of Time Garden car park. There are plenty of parking spaces at Bow Falls so there is no urgency in driving there. View from the Cascade of Time Garden in Banff Banff's Main High Street View of the Banff Springs Hotel from Surprise Corner Viewpoint View from Bow Falls Viewpoint in Banff Sights around Banff Town Lake Minnewanka Circular Drive After visiting Banff Town we drove a short distance to the Vermillion Lakes. There are 3 lakes and a few places where you can pull over and enjoy the views. There are many cyclists as the Vermillion Lakes are close to Banff. It should take less than an hour to see Vermillion Lakes. From Vermillion Lake we did a circular drive to Lake Minnewanka. We stopped at 3 scenic lakes on the way. The first stop was at Cascade Ponds where we had a picnic lunch before doing the short walk around the ponds. Our second stop was at 2 Jacks Lake. The weather was quite warm and people were sunbathing, swimming and using inflatables on the lake. It's a very pleasant place in good weather. Johnson Lake was our last stop before reaching Lake Minnewanka. Lake Minnewanka is 21 kilometres long and is the second largest lake in the Canadian Rockies. There are regular one hour boat cruises on Lake Minnewanka that cost around $70. We didn't go on a boat cruise due to the cost. The Banff Upper Hot Springs were closed for maintenance during our visit. I wasn't bothered about going anyway as I had been before and in summer time the hot springs can be too crowded. Entry costs $17.50 with discounts for seniors and adults. It's open from 10.00 to 22.00. There are 2 gondolas and 1 chairlift in the vicinity of Banff Town. I researched them before our trip but we didn't go up on any of them due to the cost. The Banff gondola is the most popular out of the three options. It has the best views but also the highest cost! Tickets cost around $90 but the price varies as there is dynamic pricing.  Booking  in advance is encouraged but I would be wary of booking more than a day in advance as mountain weather is unpredictable. The Sunshine gondola is a bit cheaper and the best option if you want to hike at the top on scenic trails. The Mount Norquay chairlift is the cheapest of the 3 options but the views aren't as good as from the Banff gondola. Vermillion Lakes near Banff Cascade Ponds in Banff Springs National Park 2 Jacks Lake in Banff National Park Johnson Lake in Banff National Park Lake Minnewanka in Banff National Park 12. Drive from Canmore to Jasper along the Icefields Parkway We spent 8.5 hours driving from Canmore to Jasper in excellent weather and stopped at all the places we wanted to see. It's a fantastic drive but also very popular. We managed to quickly park at all the places but the car parks were pretty full. I was glad we weren't driving a RV as it makes parking so much more difficult. I have highlighted in red on the map all the places we stopped at and the photos are below. We didn't do any hikes apart from the short hikes to see the waterfalls, lakes, glacier etc as we didn't have time. We didn't do the Columbia Icefield Adventure which involves travelling on a huge vehicle onto the Columbia Glacier and spending about 30 minutes on the glacier. This tour costs a whopping $125! This cost includes the Columbia Icefield Skywalk which is a glass floor walkway suspended from the hillside. We didn't do the Columbia Icefield Adventure for several reasons: The cost is far too high. We had done it in 1980 when the cost was reasonable and the Columbia Glacier was larger and quicker to access. I have hiked on more impressive glaciers in Nepal for free. The Columbia Icefield skywalk is a touristy gimmick. You have to allow 2.5 to 3 hours for the tour but only 30 minutes is spent on the glacier. You can walk to the toe of the Columbia Glacier for free and it's only a 15 minute walk each way. If you want to walk to the toe of the glacier you turn off to the left once you reach the huge parking lot for the Columbia Icefield Adventure which is on the right hand side of the road to Jasper. Don't stop at the first parking area which is a long way from the glacier but drive to the parking area at the end of the road. From the last parking area it's a 15 minute walk up a slight hill to the toe of the Columbia Glacier. There are markers along the trail indicating the position of the glacier over the last 100 years. The Columbia Glacier has been receding for a long time. View of Cascade Mountain from the Canmore to Banff highway View from the highway after Lake Louise Bow Lake Peyto Lake Waterfowl Lakes Viewpoint Mistaya Canyon in Jasper National Park Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park Tangle Creek Falls in Jasper National Park Sunwapta Falls in Jasper National Park Goats and Glaciers Viewpoint Athabasca Falls in Jasper National Park 13. Two Nights in Jasper Map of the area around Jasper Map of Jasper Accommodation in Jasper is in short supply and expensive. I booked 9 months ahead and paid $460 a night for a studio cabin at Pine Bungalows . We were very happy with the cabin apart from the price! The resort is well run and the cabins nicely furnished and in excellent condition. It wasn't rustic. I only booked 2 nights at Jasper as the terrible fire in July 2024 meant that the popular Maligne Canyon trail, Valley of 5 Lakes trail and the Mount Edith Cavell area were still closed. We went grocery shopping in Jasper the evening we arrived. The 2 main grocery stores are The Grocery Place (TGP) and Nesters Market. We used TGP as the hotel receptionist recommended it and it also has free parking. We bought a roast chicken and salads for our 2 nights in Jasper. It saved a lot of money and time. We were travelling in Canada for 5 weeks and we didn't feel like eating out every night. The weather forecast for our one full day in Jasper wasn't good. Unfortunately the weather forecast was correct but it only rained in the early morning and late afternoon. It meant that we could do everything we wanted but the scenery didn't look spectacular in the cloudy conditions. We drove to Maligne Lake in the morning and stopped off at Medicine Lake on the way. Both lakes are beautiful but they would have looked so much better in the sun. We walked along a popular trail on the eastern side of Maligne Lake to a viewpoint. The most beautiful part of Maligne Lake is at the southern end and is only accessible by boat. There are 1.5 hour boat cruises to Spirit Island that cost about $100. It would have been a waste of money for us in the cloudy weather. I also didn't like the idea of being in a covered boat. On the way back we stopped off at the Maligne Lookout which is just off the Maligne Lake Road. The Maligne Lookout used to overlook a beautiful forested valley but it's now desolate due to the 2024 fire. It's a good place to see the impact of the fire. We were fortunate to be there whilst an amazing tour guide explained about the fire. The scenic Edith Lake and Lake Annette are close to the Maligne Lookout and make a good detour. There is a 2.7 kilometres paved trail around Lake Annette and a longer unpaved trail around Edith Lake. There were very few other people when we went. We ended the day by driving over to Patricia Lake and Pyramid Lake which are very close to each other. Pyramid Lake is on the itinerary of tour groups who cross the wooden bridge to the small island on the lake. We also walked over to the island but there is little to be gained by doing so. The best views are from the parking area along the lakeside road. It started to rain at Pyramid Lake and the lake didn't look very special in those conditions. We returned the next morning in the sun and it made a big difference with the mountains reflected in the lake. Patricia Lake was also very beautiful and it's worth driving to the beach. Medicine Lake is next to the Maligne Lake Road Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park Maligne Lake cruise boat View of burnt forest from Maligne Lookout Lake Annette in Jasper Edith Lake in Jasper Pyramid Lake in Jasper Beach at Patricia Lake, Jasper 14. Drive from Jasper to Field along the Icefields Parkway In the morning, after visiting Pyramid and Patricia Lakes for a second time, we left Jasper and drove back along the Icefield Parkway. The weather was excellent and we enjoyed seeing the fantastic scenery surrounding the Icefield Parkway from another direction. We had visited the main sights that we had wanted to see on the drive to Jasper. We stopped off at a few viewpoints to enjoy the scenery and have a break from driving. The Weeping Wall wasn't very impressive and isn't worth stopping for. If Lani hadn't been suffering from plantar fasciitis we would done the 4 hour Wilcox Pass trail  which seems to be the best hike off the Icefields Parkway. The Parker Ridge trail  is a shorter option and takes about 2 hours. We checked in to the Truffle Pigs Lodge at Field and were happy with our room. The only restaurant in Field is at the lodge and it's very popular with people waiting outside for tables. We had a good meal at the restaurant in the evening. Stutfield Glacier Viewpoint in Jasper National Park Viewpoint south of Tangle Falls The Weeping Wall 15. Four Nights in Field, British Columbia We stayed in the small town of Field to visit Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, Yoho National Park and the Bow Valley Parkway. Getting to Moraine Lake, Lake Louise and Lake O'Hara Advance planning is very important when visiting Moraine Lake, Lake Louise and Lake O'Hara in Yoho National Park as access is restricted due to their popularity. Visitors are no longer permitted to drive to Moraine Lake. Visitors must either book a Parks Canada shuttle bus in advance for $8 (with discounts for over 65's and children), plus an admin fee of $3.50, or pay about $70 for a private bus service. The private bus service may be cheaper if booked online . Visitors can drive to Lake Louise but the car park becomes full by 06.30 in the peak summer months and costs $37 for the day! I assume most of these early visitors come for the Lake Agness and Plain of 6 Glaciers hikes. In the afternoon parking becomes available once hikers have departed. The cheapest way to visit Lake Louise is by booking in advance  a Parks Canada shuttle which costs $8 plus a $3.50 admin fee (with discounts for over 65's and children). A private bus service costs $55 but may be a bit cheaper if booked online . Parks Canada's shuttle buses to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake depart from the free park and ride at the Lake Louise Ski Resort. It's a huge parking lot and capacity isn't an issue. The expensive private buses also leave from the Ski Resort. At the Lake Louise Ski Resort proof of the reservation has to be presented at the Parks Canada booth. They issue a ticket (see below) to be shown to the bus driver. The ticket doesn't state whether the destination is Lake Louise or Moraine Lake. Therefore the system could be manipulated and a shuttle bus taken to either lake. It isn't necessary to buy separate Parks Canada shuttle bus tickets to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake when visiting both lakes on the same day. After visiting the lake specified on the Parks Canada reservation there are 2 options: a shuttle bus back to the Park and Ride or a shuttle bus to the other lake. After visiting the second lake the shuttle bus to the Park and Ride can be taken. Reservations  for the Parks Canada shuttles are for 1 hour departure time slots from the Park and Ride. Any shuttle bus can be taken back to the Park and Ride or the other lake. The ticket must be presented to the driver. There isn't so much flexibility with the private buses as the return time must be booked when purchasing tickets. In 2026 the shuttle buses for Lake Louise and Lake Moraine can be reserved from 08.00 Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) on 15th April 2026. It's advisable to create a Parks Canada account well beforehand and to gain an understanding of how the reservation process works. We flew to Madeira on the 16th April 2025 (the day reservations opened) and couldn't make reservations until the evening. The very earliest departure times had been taken but there was still plenty of space for departures from 09.00. For early departures times log in before 08.00 MDT on the day the reservation process begins. Parks Canada releases additional tickets 2 days before each departure day for the Lake Louise and Moraine Lake shuttles. I logged in before 08.00 MDT and at exactly 08.00 tried to purchase tickets. The site churned and after refreshing the page the morning tickets had been taken. I managed to buy tickets for the early afternoon. Lake O' Hara in Yoho National Park can only be accessed by a Parks Canada shuttle. The only chance of getting to Lake O' Hara is by taking part in a random draw  between March 2nd and 23rd. However, shuttle tickets are very hard to obtain as Parks Canada only allows 3,000 day use visitors at Lake O'Hara for the entire summer season. Each application for the Lake O'Hara's random draw costs $10 and up to 6 different times/dates can be entered on each application. I completed 2 application forms and wasn't successful. Moraine Lake in Banff National Park It's around a half hour drive from the Park and Ride to Moraine Lake. Unfortunately very little mountain scenery can be seen due to all the trees. The Rockpile is the best viewpoint at Moraine Lake and the short trail up to the top is incredibly crowded as a result. Every one wants to walk to the top even if they are hardly capable of doing so. I dislike crowded viewpoints but the view from the Rockpile is worth it. We only walked along the Lakeshore Trail due to Lani's plantar fasciitis. The very first section was a bit busy but the number of people soon thinned out. The trail goes through forest but has good views of the lake and mountains. The hike is about 1.8 kilometres each way. The best hike at Moraine Lake is through Larch Valley to Sentinel Pass. Larch Valley is stunning in late September when the larches turn golden but it's also busy. The Sentinel Pass trail is 11 kilometres long and the hike takes about 5 hours. Rich visitors can rent a canoe for $160 per hour plus taxes! I was surprised at how many people do this. View of Moraine Lake from the Rockpile The Rockpile at Moraine Lake Line up of people on the Rockpile! Lake Louise in Banff National Park As it was my birthday I went to Lake Louise to do the Plain of 6 Glaciers hike by myself. The first section of the trail follows the northern shoreline of Lake Louise and there were excellent views. After that the trail ascended to the Plain of 6 Glaciers teahouse. There were other people on the trail but it wasn't too busy. The official trail terminates at the Plain of 6 Glaciers tea house but there is a good unmaintained trail for another half an hour past the tea house. I continued on the trail and after a while the trail is on glacial moraine with open views. I ate my packed lunch at the end of the trail. On the way back I decided to take the Highline trail to Lake Agness rather than returning the same way. There were very few hikers on the highline trail. Initially the trail was through open terrain but it became forested. After a while a steep trail turned off to the Big Beehive. I took the forested trail up to the Big Beehive and it was a relentless steep slog up with few views. I expected there to be a small viewpoint at the top but there was a large fairly open area with fantastic views down to Lake Louise and the Chateau Lake Louise. It was definitely worth the steep hike up. From the Big Beehive I descended steeply to Lake Agness. It's a beautiful trail and surprisingly there were virtually no other hikers. I think most people hike to Lake Agness and the Big Beehive in the morning and it was 14.30 when I descended. There is a popular tea house at Lake Agness and there were quite a few people there. After that the trail wasn't crowded but it was more forested than the trail from the Big Beehive to Lake Agness. Mirror Lake is passed on the descent and there is an excellent view of the Big Beehive. I had thought the Lake Agness hike would be too busy and forested for my liking. Neither were an issue and I really enjoyed the circular hike to the Plain of 6 Glaciers and Lake Agness. The hike took 5.5 hours. See my blog on the Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Hike for further information about this hike. Map of Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Hike Lake Louise from the Chateau Lake Louise Lake Louise with the Chateau Lake Louise in the background Trail to the Plain of 6 Glaciers View of Lake Louise from the Plain of 6 Glaciers Trail The Plain of the 6 Glaciers Tea House The final ridge to the Plain of 6 Glaciers Viewpoint Highline Trail from Plain of 6 Glaciers to the Big Beehive View of Lake Louise from the Big Beehive Descent from the Big Beehive to Lake Agness Lake Agness Lake Agness Tea House Yoho National Park Map of Yoho National Park Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park Emerald Lake is the highlight of Yoho National Park and it's popular as a result. It's reached by turning off Highway 1 onto Emerald Lake Road. The Natural Bridge rock formations on the Kicking Horse River are reached shortly after the turn off. It was worth the quick stop to see the Natural Bridge. The car park at Emerald Lake isn't large and it was full when we arrived just before 10.00 a.m. There were still plenty of parking spaces along the road though. There was a queue of people waiting for the canoe rental office to open at 10.00. Canoe rentals cost $100 an hour which is cheap compared to the $160 an hour charged at Moraine Lake! It's still far too expensive for us. We did the 5 kilometre scenic walk around Emerald Lake. Most people walk clockwise as the trail on the west side of the lake is maintained. We went anti clockwise and the trail on the eastern side initially runs through Emerald Lake Lodge. The trail on the east side of the lake can be muddy but in September it was fine. Some board walks were being constructed along the worst sections. The trail on the east side goes through forest but there were plenty of views of Emerald Lake and the surrounding mountains. The northern end of the lake is very open and there are beautiful views and some benches to rest on. Takakkaw Falls in Yoho National Park Takakkaw Falls is reached by driving along Yoho Valley Road. There are a few very tight hair pin bends along this road. They aren't a problem for cars but vehicles over 7 metres long must reverse down one section! Shortly after turning onto the Yoho Valley Road there is a viewpoint of the Upper Spiral Tunnel. We were fortunate to see a long CP Rail freight train passing through the spiral tunnel and saw both ends of the train on either side of the tunnel. It was a distant view of the train and unfortunately I didn't have a good telephoto lens for a photo. The trains are infrequent and you have to be lucky to see one. I was particularly pleased to see it as I used to work for Canadian Pacific. Shortly after the Upper Spiral Viewpoint there is a car park for the Meeting of the Waters Confluence. This is where the Yoho and Kicking Horse rivers meet but there is very little to see and it isn't worth stopping. There's a large car park at Takakkaw Falls and there was plenty of space when we visited in mid September. It's a 10 minute walk from the car park to the base of the spectacular waterfalls. The Takakkaw Falls are the second highest waterfalls in Canada. The Takakkaw Falls car park is the trailhead for the Iceline Trail which is the best hike in Yoho National Park. It can either be done as a 20 kilometre circular hike  or a 14 kilometre there and back hike. The hike up and down is through forest but the middle section of the hike is through spectacular alpine scenery. Lower Spiral Tunnel Viewpoint in Yoho National Park The Lower Spiral Tunnel viewpoint is just off Highway 1 between Lake Louise and Field. There's a large car park and many interesting information boards. We stopped 4 times but never saw a train passing through the tunnel. Unfortunately trees around the tunnel block most of the view of the trains. Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park View on Walk around Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park Takakkaw Falls in Yoho National Park Natural Bridge in Yoho National Park Bow Valley Parkway Map of the Bow Valley Parkway The Bow Valley Parkway is a road between from Banff to Lake Louise. It's a quieter and slower option to Highway 1 which runs parallel along the other side of the Bow River. The Bow Valley Parkway between Banff and Johnston Canyon is closed to motorised transport during May, June and September. During these months the remaining section of the Bow Valley Parkway can only be accessed from Castle Junction and Lake Louise. The main attraction on the Bow Valley Parkway is Johnston Canyon. We didn't visit it as the reviews revealed that Johnston Canyon would be extremely crowded and the parking difficult. It's just the sort of experience that we dislike. Some reviews recommend going very early in the morning to avoid the crowds. A very early start didn't appeal to us and it's likely that Johnston Canyon would be crowded on the way back to the car park. Other reviews suggest going at the end of the day. We drove southwards along the Bow Valley Parkway from Lake Louise and returned the same way when we reached Johnston Canyon. We enjoyed the drive and stopped off at Morant's Curve, Storm Mountain Viewpoint and Castle Mountain Internment Camp. There's a small car park on the other side of the road by Morant's Curve. We waited for a CP Rail train to arrive and a few other people were doing the same. We gave up waiting after 20 minutes but stopped again on our way back. We were lucky and a train came past. Our next stop was at Storm Mountain Viewpoint. There are excellent view of the spectacular Castle Mountain and the Bow River with the CP Rail track running along it. We were fortunate that a train passed soon after we arrived and I thought the view was better than at Morant's Curve. On the way back we quickly stopped at the site of the Castle Mountain Internment Camp. This is where over 8,500 people were detained during World War 1 as they originated from countries at war with Canada. There isn't much to see except an interesting information board. CP Rail train at Morant's Curve Castle Mountain from Castle Mountain Viewpoint Storm Mountain Viewpoint on the Bow Valley Parkway 16. Drive fro m Field to Salmon Arm The drive from Field to Salmon Arm takes about 3.5 hours without stopping. The journey took us 9 hours as we visited Wapta Falls and Mount Revelstoke National Park on the way. Our first stop was Wapta Falls in the western section of Yoho National Park. Wapta Falls isn't signposted when driving westwards on Highway 1 which might be because it's dangerous to cross the highway. We went sailing past the turn off as I had entered "Wapta Falls" in Google Maps. It didn't take us to Wapta Falls but to Wapta Falls Campsite! This is several kilometres past the correct turnoff from Highway 1 and then along several kilometres of dirt road to Wapta Falls Campsite. There was nothing there! I could see from the map that the Wapta Falls car park was on the other side of the river and it would mean driving back. I entered "Wapta Falls Main Trail" on Google maps and it took us the correct way. We wasted at least 30 minutes due to this mistake. It was a good road to Wapta Falls car park and there were parking spaces available. In peak season parking can be difficult. From the car park it's a 2.2 kilometre hike through the forest to Wapta Falls. There are 3 viewpoints above Wapta Falls and it's worth continuing to the last one. The third viewpoint involves a bit of descent but it isn't much. Some people hike all the way down to the river and then right up to Wapta Falls. The spray near the falls is tremendous and it's advisable to wear a waterproof. Glacier National Park is an hour's drive from Wapta Falls. There are a number of short trails off the highway but after reading reviews we didn't do any of them due to lack of views and poor maintenance. These trails are Hemlock Grove, Rock Garden, Bear Creek, Skunk Cabbage and Giant Cedars. We stopped at Rogers Pass to have a picnic lunch and use their facilities. We couldn't visit the Discovery Centre as it was being renovated. Mount Revelstoke National Park is west of Glacier National Park. We drove 26 kilometres up the Meadows in the Sky Parkway. It ascends 1,365 metres through forest to a car park below the summit (1,835 metres). There are several viewpoints on the way but unfortunately the visibility was poor due to smoke from forest fires. From the car park it's a 1 kilometre walk to the summit area. There used to be a shuttle but it no longer operates. There are several short walks at the summit and the best walk is the Fire Tower trail. None of these short trails are worth the 35 minute drive up and the walk to the summit. I only recommend driving up the Meadows in the Sky Parkway for the long hike to Eva Lake, Miller Lake and Jade Lake. We reached Salmon Arm at 18.00 and checked into the new and reasonably priced Fairfield by Marriot Inn . We then rushed to meet an old friend of Lani's for dinner. We went to the excellent Barley Station Brew Pub . Wapta Falls in Yoho National Park View from Rogers Pass Discovery Centre in Glacier National Park View from the top of Revelstoke National Park 17. Drive from Sa lmon Arm to Whistler We continued driving westwards on Highway 1 from Salmon Arm. Shortly after passing Kamloops we could have turned south on Highway 5. It's a fast route back to Vancouver. Instead we continued driving west on Highway 1 along Kamloops Lake to Cache Creek. There Highway 1 turns southwards to Vancouver. It's a scenic route that follows the Thompson River and goes through the Fraser Canyon. However, we had driven to Vancouver on the Highway 1 before and wanted to try a new route. We therefore continued south westwards to Whistler on Highway 99. The scenery was good but it was spoiled around Lillooet by scruffy Indian housing and abandoned vehicles. The traffic on Highway 99 was much lighter than on Highway 1 which made driving more enjoyable. We stopped off at several viewpoints on the way from Salmon Arm to Whistler and had a picnic lunch at Marble Canyon Provincial Park. Half an hour before reaching Whistler we stopped at the impressive Nairn Falls. It's a 1.5 kilometre walk from the car park to Nairn Falls. It began raining soon after we left Nairn Falls. We did some grocery shopping at The Grocery Store in Whistler before checking into our 1 bedroom apartment at Horstman House . The apartment was excellent, and wasn't expensive, but the free parking space was very tight for a SUV. Kamloops Lake The Fraser river in the Marble Canyon near Lillooet Seton Lake near Lillooet Marble Canyon Provincial Park Nairn Falls 18. Two Nights in Whistler The most popular activity at Whistler is taking the gondola up Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains. The Peak 2 Peak gondola connects the upper stations of the Whistler and Blackcomb gondolas and spans 4.4 kilometres. The Peak Express chairlift goes from the upper station of Whistler's gondola to the top of Whistler Mountain (2,181 metres). This saves a one hour hike up and provides access to the Cloudraker Skybridge. This is a 130 metre bridge between Whistler Peak and West Ridge. I discovered that after Labour day only the Blackcomb and Peak 2 Peak gondolas were open and even these gondolas stopped operating after 21st September. The full price of $100 was being charged even though the Peak Express chairlift to the Cloudraker Skybridge was closed. I had intended to take the gondola and chairlift to the top of Whistler Mountain and hike the popular High Note Trail. This hike takes about 4 hours. Unfortunately the weather was bad in the morning. By the time the weather had cleared there wasn't enough time to do the hike. The Peak Express chairlift was closed and an extra 2 hours of walking would have been necessary. In the afternoon we walked around the attractive centre of Whistler and visited  a couple of attractive lakes at Whistler. Lost Lake is the nearest to the centre of Whistler. In summer the water temperature is warm enough for swimming. Green Lake is a bit further north of Whistler. It's larger and the water isn't as warm as it's glacier fed. Gondolas on Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains Lost Lake in Whistler Green Lake near Whistler 19. Drive - Whistl er to Vancouver along the Sea to Sky Highway I wasn't that impressed with the scenery on the Sea to Sky Highway but it didn't help that it was overcast. Unfortunately trees block a lot of the views and this is a common problem in British Columbia. It only takes 1.5 hours to drive from Whistler to downtown Vancouver on the Sea to Sky Highway. However, there are a few places worth visiting on the way and the drive could take most of the day. We had visited the interesting Britannia Mine a few years ago so we didn't visit it again. We stopped off at Brandywine Falls, Shannon Falls, Porteau Cove Provincial Park and Whytecliffe Park. It's a short walk to both Brandywine Falls and Shannon Falls. We had lunch at Porteau Cove Provincial Park which is just off the highway. There are proper toilets and picnic benches there. Our final stop before downtown Vancouver was Whytecliffe Park in West Vancouver. There is just one good viewpoint and a large picnic area at Whytecliffe Park. Parking has to be paid for. It isn't a worthwhile stop for most visitors. Shannon Falls Porteau Provincial Park Whytcliife Park in West Vancouver 20. Links to my other Blogs on Canada Vancouver Travel Guide Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Hike Kootenay National Park Travel Guide Yoho National Park Travel Guide The Icefields Parkway Drive

Lake Bled, Slovenia Contents Introduction to Slovenia Piran Koper Izola Ljubljana Skofja Loka Radovljica Lake Bled Lake Bohinj Vrsic Pass Road Trip My Other Blogs on Slovenia 1. Introduction to Slovenia We visited Slovenia for one week at the end of April 2023 while driving from the UK to the Greek islands. We were on a 3 month road trip visiting interesting places on route to and from Greece. The aim wasn't to cover everything in the countries that we visited. See my blog Venice to Serbia - Week 2  for the daily trip report of our week in Slovenia. It would have been preferable to visit Slovenia towards the end of our trip in late June. The weather would then have then been warm enough to swim in the sea and in the lakes. By then the snow would have melted on the Julian Alps and we could have hiked in the higher alpine areas that I enjoy. Unfortunately Slovenia is too busy and expensive in summer. So we decided to visit Slovenia at the start of our road trip and to enjoy the coasts of Albania, Montenegro and Croatia on the way back. We were lucky with the weather as it was warm and sunny when we were on the coast. It was cloudy, but dry, in Ljubljana. The weather forecast for our 3 nights at Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj was abysmal, but it was dry until the day we left Slovenia. Then it poured! We were very impressed with Slovenia and it was a very easy country to travel in. The roads weren't busy and driving was very straightforward, even for someone used to driving on the wrong side of the road! Most Slovenians spoke English and were very courteous and friendly. The accommodation in Slovenia wasn't particularly cheap and we found cheaper accommodation in all the countries we visited south of Slovenia. Petrol though was about 20% cheaper in Slovenia than in the UK, France, Switzerland Italy and even Greece. Map of Slovenia 2. Piran, Slovenia 2.1. Accommodation in Piran Piran is similar to the many historic towns further south in Croatia. However, the accommodation is more expensive than Croatia, even in the off peak season. This might be because Slovenia has a very small coastline for Slovenians to visit. Piran is absolutely packed in July and August. We rented a compact apartment in the nearby small village of Pobegi for 1 night at a cost of Euro 75 through Booking.com . Pobegi is 4 kilometres from Koper and a 25 minute drive to Piran. The apartment was very well equipped and in pristine condition. I have reviewed the accommodation on my blog " UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 1 " (number 6). 2.2. Parking in Piran Parking in Piran is very expensive and it cost Euro 2.60 per hour. We parked in the Fornace parking lot and there is a free shuttle for the short distance into Piran. 2.3. What to do in Piran Half a day in Piran is ample for wandering around the old town. Piran is an unspoiled historical town with Venetian architecture. The main square in Piran is Tartinijev Trg and it is surrounded by attractive historic buildings. It is very near the sea front as it was originally the inner harbour of Piran. In 1894 the harbour was filled in to create the main square. The tourist office is in this square. We climbed up the road to the Cathedral of St George and its Bell Tower. We continued up the hill to the old Walls of Piran. It costs Euro 3 to enter a small section of the walls and 3 of the towers on the walls. There are very good views of Piran from the towers. The walls were open until 20.00. We wandered around the streets in Piran's lower town and there were hardly any other visitors. Most of the restaurants and cafes are along the seafront. It was warm enough in late April for us to sit outside on the waterfront for our evening meal of calamari and sardines. From the parking lot below the entrance to the walls there are steps that descend steeply back to the Piran's old town centre. It makes a good circular walk around Piran. The Harbour at Piran, Slovenia The Seafront Promenade at Piran, Slovenia View of Tartinijev Trg in Piran, Slovenia Tartinijev Trg in Piran, Slovenia The Cathedral of St George in Piran, Slovenia The Interior of the Cathedral of St George The City Walls of Piran, Slovenia The City Walls of Piran, Slovenia A View of Piran from the City Walls 3. Koper, Slovenia We visited the coastal towns of Koper and Izola on the drive to Ljubljana and we had most of the day to explore them. 3.1. Parking in Koper We stopped off at Koper first and there were plenty of parking spaces, unlike at Piran. It would usually cost Eur 1 per hour but a kind local told us that parking was free as it was a public holiday in Slovenia. We had all our luggage in our car. It seems that Slovenia has less theft than many other European countries. 3.2. What to see in Koper We walked into the centre of Koper along the seafront promenade and then to the main square called Titov Trg. It is an attractive square surrounded by historic buildings. The tourist office is also located there. Surprisingly there were very few other tourists in Koper, just like at Piran. We paid Euro 4 each to climb up the 36 metre high City Tower and there were good views of Koper from the top. Every town in Slovenia seems to have a tower to climb and we decided not to go up towers in future as the cost soon mounts up. Koper's historic centre is very interesting, but not that extensive, so it took less than 2 hours to see. 3.3. Restaurants in Koper It was lunch time when we finished sightseeing and we went to a cheap seafood eatery outside Koper's market called Fritolin . Fritolin is recommended in the Lonely Planet guide to Slovenia and it was busy with locals. We ordered 2 portions of grilled calamari and french fries for a total cost of Euro 21 and ate it at an outside table. It was very tasty and the portions were good! There are many other cheap eating spots and cafes in Koper's market area. The Cathedral of the Assumption & the City Tower in Titov Trg A View of Koper from the City Tower A View of Koper's Port from the City Tower View of Titov Trg from the top of the Bell Tower at Koper, Slovenia The Praetorian Palace in Titov Trg, Koper Venetian Gothic Loggia in Titov Trg, Koper The Fontico at Koper, Slovenia The Promenade at Koper, Slovenia The Cathedral of Assumption at Koper, Slovenia The Da Ponte fountain in Prešernov Trg in Kroper, Slovenia The Barbabianca Palace in Koper, Slovenia 4. Izola, Slovenia Koper's helpful tourist office had told us that it was a 6 km walk from Koper to Izola along the seafront promenade and that we could then take a bus back to Koper. We decided to do this as we needed the exercise and didn't fancy trying to find parking in Izola. The walk to Izola took 1 hour and 15 minutes. It was a very pleasant walk and was popular with the locals who were cycling, roller blading and walking. There were several free toilets along the way. We had a quick walk around Izola and then took the short bus ride back to Koper. Izola is a pleasant town but there aren't many historic sights to see. The bus runs regularly between Izola and Koper. Even on a holiday the bus ran every half an hour most of the day. The tourist office at Koper provided us with a sheet detailing the departure times and told us where the bus stops were. Our bus ride from Izola to Koper cost Euro 1.30 per person. Besenghi degli Ughi Palace at Izola, Slovenia The Parish Church of St Maurus at Izola, Slovenia The Church of St Mary at Izola, Slovenia 5. Ljubljana, Slovenia Map of Ljubljana, Slovenia 5.1. Introduction to Ljubljana Slovenia is such a compact country that it only takes an hour drive from Ljubljana to the coast, 40 minutes to Lake Bled and 30 minutes to Skofja Loka. The roads in Ljubljana weren't congested at all. Ljubljana would be a convenient base to visit places like Lake Bled and Skofja Loka. I wondered if there would be enough to do in Ljubljana as I had read that there wasn't much to see apart from Ljubljana Castle. Ljubljana is a picturesque city and we enjoyed wandering around for a couple of hours. Half a day is adequate for sightseeing in Ljubljana unless you want to visit the museums. 5.2. Ljubljana Castle Ljubljana Castle is the main site. It is a steep 15 minute walk from the city centre. There is also a funicular railway from the centre of Ljubljana to Ljubljana Castle and it costs Eur 3.30 one way or Eur 6 return. Entrance to the central courtyard of Ljubljana Castle, and a small section of the castle's wall, is free. To see a bit more of the castle is expensive and, in my opinion, not worth it. Much of the castle's interior has been renovated and doesn't look ancient. The entrance ticket for Ljubljana Castle costs Eur 15 and it includes the viewing tower and the Puppetry and Slovenian History museums. To appreciate the History Museum you need to pay an additional Eur 4 for an audio guide as there aren't sufficient signs in English. It is worthwhile seeing the Ljubljana Castle from the outside and the free interior sections. I wouldn't buy a ticket unless you want to take a photo from the tower or are interested in puppetry. Details of the current ticket prices are on the Ljubljana Castle website . Ljubljana Castle Viewed from Congress Square (Kongresni Trg), Ljubljana, Slovenia A View of the Julian Alps from Ljubljana Castle 5.3. The Bridges in Ljubljana The Ljubljanica river bisects Ljubljana and there are 3 well known bridges crossing it. They are not very old, nor particularly beautiful, but most travel books refer to them. You would probably have to cross them while looking around the Ljubljana. The Dragon Bridge was built in 1888 and has a dragon on each corner. It is northeast of the Ljubljana's old town. There are public toilets on the southwest side of the bridge. The Triple Bridge is south of Presernov Trg. The central section was built in 1842 and in the 1930's two pedestrian side bridges were added. The Cobbler's Bridge was rebuilt in 1931 and is south of Ljubljana's other 2 bridges. It is a pedestrian bridge and in medieval times shoemakers lived and worked on the bridge. The Dragon Bridge at Ljubljana, Slovenia One of the Dragons on the Dragon Bridge, Ljubljana The Triple Bridge in Ljubljana, Slovenia The Ljubljanica River 5.4. A Circular Sightseeing Walk in Ljubljana A good way of seeing Ljubljana is to do a circular walk. You could start anywhere. We began at St James Bridge in the south and walked northwards to Dragon Bridge along the west bank of the river. We then crossed Dragon Bridge and walked back to St James Bridge on the east bank of the river. Some of the main areas of Ljubljana that we saw were: Novi Trg, an old area of Ljubljana. Kongresni Trg, which has an excellent view of Ljubljana Castle. There are some attractive buildings in the square like the University of Ljubljana and the Ursuline Church of the Holy Trinity. Presernov Trg, Ljubljana's main square and is surrounded by some beautiful buildings like Hauptman House and the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation. The Triple Bridge. Miklosiceva Cesta, which runs from the railway station to the river. This street has some of the finest a rt nouveau buildings in Ljubljana. Trubarjeva Cesta, a bustling street lined with shops, restaurants and cafes. Dragon Bridge. Ljubljana Castle. The Central Market in Vodnikov Trg, which has a large open air food market. Pogacarjev Trg, which has a covered market and a fish market. On Fridays there is a weekly food fair known as the Open Kitchen. Ljubljana's Old Town, which runs along the east side of the river from Triple Bridge in the north to Hercules Fountain (near St James Bridge) in the south. Hauptmann House in Presernov Trg, Ljubljana Franciscan Church of the Annunciation in Presernov Trg, Ljubljana The University of Ljubljana in Kongresni Trg, Ljubljana Ursuline Church of the Holy Trinity in Kongresni Trg, Ljubljana The Fruit and Vegetable Market in Vodnikov Trg, Ljubljana Open Kitchen in Pogacarjev Trg, Ljubljana Hercules Fountain in the Old Town of Ljubljana 6. Skofja Loka, Slovenia 6.1. Driving to Skofja Loka It was surprisingly easy to drive out of Ljubljana. Once we had got off the highway we drove on pretty, rural roads with the snow covered Julian Alps in the background. We reached the historic town of Skofja Loka after about 30 minutes. Parking was easy to find in Skofja Loka and free. Scenery on the Drive from Ljubljana to Skofja Loka 6.2. What to see at Skofja Loka Skofja Loka has quite a large historic core and we spent about 2 hours wandering around. If you visit the castle museum you will need longer. The main site in Skofja Loka is the 13th century Loka Castle and it is a steep 10 minute walk up to it. There are good views from Loka castle and it is pleasant wandering around the grounds. Otherwise there isn't much to see unless you visit the museum and the entrance fee is Eur 5. Loka Castle at Skofja Loka, Slovenia The other main place of interest in Skofja Loka is Mestni Trg. It is surrounded by colourful 16th century houses. The most famous of these is Homan House which was built in 1511. Other things to see in Skofja Loka are: Jakoba Church dating back to the 13th century. It is free to enter. Capuchin Bridge dating back to the 14th century. Spodnji Trg with a 16th century granary. Mestni Trg in Skofja Loka, Slovenia Mestni Trg in Skofja Loka, Slovenia Homan House in Skofja Loka, Slovenia A Street in Skofja Loka, Slovenia Jakoba Church in Skofja Loka, Slovenia The Interior of Jacoba Church in Skofja Loka, Slovenia 7. Radovljica, Slovenia The Lonely Planet guide book says that " The town of Radovljica is filled with impossibly cute, historic buildings ". That is very misleading as the historic part of Radovljica is limited to Linhartov Trg. Trg means Square but in reality Linhartov is a street. Linhartov Trg is lined with 16th and 17th buildings. It doesn't take long to see them. We spent half an hour wandering around Radovljica. There is nothing else of interest to see in Radovljica. Vidic House at Radovljica, Slovenia Linhartov Trg in Radovljica, Slovenia Linhartov Trg in Radovljica, Slovenia Church of St Peter in Radovljica, Slovenia 8. Lake Bled, Slovenia 8.1. Driving to Lake Bled It is only a 45 minute drive from Ljubljana to Lake Bled as Slovenia is a compact country. We visited Lake Bled during a warm and sunny weekend in late April and it was very busy. I dread to think what Lake Bled would be like in summer! We turned off at the first parking sign we saw near Lake Bled and the charge was Euro 15 for 4 hours or Euro 25 for the whole day! That's as expensive as it was in Venice. We decided to pay Eur 15 for 4 hours rather than drive around Bled's congested streets to find somewhere cheaper. 8.2. Walking around Lake Bled There is a 6 kilometre paved path going all the way around Lake Bled. It was congested near the town of Bled but not bad otherwise. Apart from the number of people it is a very beautiful and easy walk with great views all the way around Lake Bled. It should only take about 90 minutes but we took 3 hours with a lot of stops for photos. Lake Bled is very photogenic with the island, the castle perched above the lake and the snow covered Julian alps in the distance. Some people were swimming in Lake Bled and the water didn't feel too cold, even though it was the end of April. 8.3. Bled Island You can take a boat over to Bled Island. Only row boats and electric boats are allowed to prevent noise pollution. We didn't bother as it is expensive and Bled Island appears to be a tourist trap. A Pletna boat, which looks like a large gondola row boat, costs Eur 15 per person. An electric boat from Bled town costs Eur 14 per person. You can also rent your own rowing boat but it doesn't work out much cheaper. On Bled Island you have to fork out another Eur 12 to enter the church and bell tower. So for the 2 of us it would have cost Eur 54 for a 1 hour to 1.5 hour experience at a tourist trap! 8.4. Bled Castle It is a steep 15 to 20 minute walk up to Bled Castle, but that is not as steep as the Eur 15 entrance fee! You can also drive up and there is paid parking at Bled Castle. The main reasons to visit Bled Castle are for the views and the museum. Bled Island, Slovenia Bled Castle, Slovenia Bled Island, Slovenia A Church on the Shore of Lake Bled, Slovenia 9. Lake Bohinj, Slovenia 9.1. Towns and Accommodation at Lake Bohinj There isn't a town called Bohinj. The only settlement on Lake Bohinj is Ribcev Laz on the south eastern corner. It's the main hub for Lake Bohinj. We stayed in nearby Stara Fuzina, an unspoiled village a 10 minute walk from Lake Bohinj. Ukanc, the only other settlement near the lake shore, is a very small village on the western shore of Lake Bohinj. We booked a 1 bedroom apartment through Airbnb for Eur 98 per night. I have reviewed it in my blog " UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 1 " (number 8). Stara Fuzina on Lake Bohinj, Slovenia A View from Stara Fuzina on Lake Bohinj, Slovenia A Church in Stara Fuzina, Lake Bohinj, Slovenia 9.2. Hiking around Lake Bohinj The Lonely Planet guide says that Lake Bohinj is more beautiful than Lake Bled. I don't agree with that but Lake Bohinj is certainly less crowded and less touristy. We hiked from our apartment in Stara Fuzina clockwise around the Lake Bohinj. The hike is 12 kilometres long and it took us 3 hours. Unfortunately the trail on the south bank of Lake Bohinj follows the road and the views are often blocked by trees. At the western end of Lake Bohinj it was more open and there were good views of the lake and mountains. The north side of Lake Bohinj is more popular for walking. There isn't a road nearby but unfortunately trees often obscure the views. This is the more popular side of Lake Bohinj for walking and I can understand why. In my opinion it is better to hike there and back on the north side of Lake Bohinj. The disadvantage is that the north side of Lake Bohinj is busier but you could probably avoid most hikers by starting early in the morning or late in the afternoon. View on the Walk from Stara Fuzina to Lake Bohinj The Church of St John the Baptist at Ribcev Lab on Lake Bohinj Lake Bohinj from the South East Shore near Ribcev Laz The Holy Spirit Church between Ukanc and Rivcev Laz on Lake Bohinj Lake Bohinj from the Western End near Ukanc Lake Bohinj from the North West Shore 10. Vrsic Pass Road Trip 10.1. About Vrsic Pass The Vrsic Pass is in north western Slovenia near the border with Italy. It was built during the first world war and there are 50 hair pin bends up and down the 1,611 metre high Vrsic pass. Vrsic Pass is closed in winter which means it is closed from November to April, depending on the snow. You can check whether it is open on the AMZS website . The road to Vrsic pass goes from Kranjska Gora on the eastern side to Bovec on the western side. The drive to Kranjska Gora takes 45 minutes from Lake Bled and 1 hour 15 minutes from Lake Bohinj. 10.2. Driving up the Eastern Side of the Vrsic Pass The road up Vrsic Pass was a bit narrow going around some of the hair pin bends, but otherwise it wasn't a difficult drive. There are several parking spots on the road from where you can enjoy spectacular views of the Julian Alps. When you reach the top of Vrsic pass you could turn around and drive back down. The longer alternative is to drive down the western side of Vrsic pass and complete a circular route back to Lake Bohinj or Lake Bled. It would make the drive even longer if you started at Lake Bled. 10.3. Driving down the Western Side of the Vrsic Pass We did the circular drive and continued over Vrsic pass down 24 hair pin bends to Bovec. The hair pin bends weren't as tight, and the scenery wasn't as dramatic, as on the way up. We looked out for the Russian Chapel built as a memorial in 1916 by the Russian prisoners of war who constructed the road. Unfortunately we missed it and decided not to drive back up Vrsic Pass to find it. From Bovec we drove south on road numbers 203 and 102. We then turned east on the narrow and mountainous road number 403 to return to Lake Bohinj. It took us 3 hours 45 minutes to drive back from the top of Vrsic pass to Lake Bohinj. In comparison it only took us 2 hours to drive from Lake Bohinj to the top of Vrsic pass. On the way up Vrsic Pass, Slovenia View On the way up Vrsic Pass, Slovenia View On the way up Vrsic Pass, Slovenia View On the way up Vrsic Pass, Slovenia View On the way up Vrsic Pass, Slovenia View at the top of Vrsic Pass, Slovenia View at the top of Vrsic Pass, Slovenia View at the top of Vrsic Pass, Slovenia View on the way down Vrsic Pass, Slovenia View on the way down Vrsic Pass, Slovenia View on the Drive back to Lake Bohinj, Slovenia Church of the Virgin Mary in Pri Cerkvi-Struge, Slovenia View on the drive back from Vrsic pass to Lake Bohinj 11. My Other Blogs about Slovenia Venice to Serbia - Week 2 UK to Greek Island Accommodation - Part 1

Map of the Icefields Parkway We drove from Canmore to Jasper in excellent weather and stopped at all the places along the Icefields Parkway that we had planned to see. I have highlighted these stops in red on the map . The Icefield Parkway is a n excellent drive but is very popular. It helps that commercial vehicles usually aren't allowed on the Icefield Parkway. View from the highway after Lake Louise After staying 2 nights in Jasper we drove back along the Icefields Parkway and saw the fantastic scenery from a different angle. It's worth driving both ways on the Icefields Parkway in case the weather isn't good on the way up. Also one day on the Icefields Parkway isn't sufficient if you intend to do a hike. We drove along the Icefield Parkway in mid September and managed to quickly park at all the places but the car parks were pretty full. Parking must be a problem in July and August. I was glad we weren't driving a RV as it makes parking so much more difficult. The places that we visited along the Icefield Parkway are below: Bow Lake Peyto Lake Waterfowl Lakes Mistaya Canyon Weeping Wall Columbia Icefield Tangle Falls Stutfield Glacier Viewpoint Sunwapta Falls Goats & Glaciers Viewpoint Athabasca Falls Hikes along the Icefields Parkway Accommodation in Jasper Links to my other blogs on Canada 1. Bow Lake Bow Lake is very scenic and worth stopping for. There is a viewpoint along the Icefield Parkway with limited parking and it gets very busy. We walked 50 metres north along the road and the view was better and no one else was around. The Lodge at Bow Lake is at the northern end and at the lodge there is a larger public parking area. From the lodge there is a trail along the northern lakeshore that continues to Bow Glacier Falls . The final section of this trail was closed in 2025 due to rockfall. Bow Lake Bow Lake Busy Bow Lake Viewpoint 2. Peyto Lake There's a car park off the Icefields Parkway and a 750 metre paved trail up to a wooden platform for viewing beautiful Peyto Lake. The platform is usually jammed with visitors but it's well worth going to see the stunning turquoise coloured Peyto Lake. Peyto Lake Peyto Lake Viewpoint 3. Waterfowl Lakes Viewpoint We stopped off at the Waterfowl Lakes campground and walked 15 minutes to the edge of Waterfowl Lakes. However, the view was much better from the parking area on the side of the Icefields Parkway. Waterfowl Lakes Viewpoint 4. Mistaya Canyon There's a reasonably sized car park for Mistaya Canyon just off the Icefields Parkway. When we visited in mid September the car park was almost full. Mistaya Canyon is a 10 minutes walk downhill from the car park. It's well worth seeing. Mistaya Canyon in Jasper National Park Mistaya River 5. The Weeping Wall We stopped at the Weeping Wall on the way back from Jasper as the parking is on the west side of the Icefields Parkway. The scenery is nice enough but the weeping wall was a disappointment as there wasn't much water weeping from the mountainside. The Weeping Wall 6. Columbia Icefield This is the major attraction on the Icefields Parkway for many people. Everyone stops here and there are huge car parks on the eastern side of the Icefields Parkway. The Columbia Icefield Adventure involves travelling on a huge vehicle to the Columbia Glacier and spending about 30 minutes on the glacier. This tour costs a whopping $125! This cost includes the Columbia Icefield Skywalk which is a glass floor walkway suspended from the hillside. We didn't do the Columbia Icefield Adventure for several reasons: The cost is far too high. We had done it in 1980 when the cost was reasonable and the Columbia Glacier was larger and quicker to access. I have hiked on more impressive glaciers in Nepal for free. The Columbia Icefield Skywalk is a touristy gimmick. You have to allow 2.5 to 3 hours for the tour but only 30 minutes is spent on the glacier. You can walk to the toe of the Columbia Glacier for free and it's only a 15 minute walk each way. If you want to walk to the toe of the glacier you turn left once you reach the huge parking lot for the Columbia Icefield Adventure which is on the right hand side of the road to Jasper. Don't stop at the first parking area, which is a long way from the glacier, but drive to the parking area at the end of the road. From the last parking area it's a 15 minute walk up a slight hill to the toe of the Columbia Glacier. There are markers along the trail indicating the position of the glacier over the last 100 years. They indicate that the Columbia Glacier has been receding for a long time. It's well worth doing this walk to see the Columbia Glacier and the impressive lateral moraine. It takes far less time than doing the expensive tour. The Columbia Icefield Skywalk looked like a tourist trap frequented by tour groups. Red Line = Road to Car Park Blue Line = Trail to Glacier Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park Lateral Moraine of the Glacier Columbia Icefield Vehicle Columbia Icefield Skywalk 7. Tangle Falls Tangle Falls are on the east side of the Icefields Parkway and there is plenty of parking on the west side. It is therefore easier to stop on the way back from Jasper. It's a quick stop but definitely worth doing so. Tangle Creek Falls in Jasper National Park Viewpoint south of Tangle Falls 8. Stutfield Glacier Viewpoint The Stutfield Glacier Viewpoint has plenty of parking on the west side of the Icefields Parkway and the parking area should be accessed when driving southwards. There's a good view and it's worth a quick stop. Stutfield Glacier Viewpoint in Jasper National Park 9. Sunwapta Falls The turnoff for the Sunwapta Falls car park is at the Sunwapta Falls Rocky Mountain Lodge. It's only a 5 minute walk from the car park to the Upper Sunwapta Falls. There's a bridge over the canyon so both sides of the falls can be seen. It's a further 2 kilometres to the Lower Sunwapta Falls. They are worth seeing but the Upper Sunwapta Falls are more impressive. Upper Sunwapta Falls in Jasper National Park Upper Sunwapta Falls 10. Goats and Glaciers Viewpoint There's plenty of parking on the west side of the Icefield Parkway and the spectacular viewpoint is just a few steps away. We didn't see any goats but they do come to lick the salt from the rock. Goats and Glaciers Viewpoint 11. Athabasca Falls The impressive Athabasca Falls are a popular stop. They could easily be visited from Jasper if you didn't have time whilst driving along the Icefields Parkway. The car park is a 5 minute walk from the Athabasca Falls and there are extensive viewing areas around the falls. Athabasca Falls in Jasper National Park Athabasca Falls 12. Hikes along the Icefields Parkway The best hike along the Icefields Parkway is the 4 hour Wilcox Pass trail . The Parker Ridge trail  is another good trail and the hike takes about 2 hours. Close to Jasper is the popular Valley of 5 Lakes Lakes trail which takes 1.5 to 2 hours. This hike can be done when staying at Jasper as the trailhead is only a 10 minute drive away. Unfortunately the trail was closed in 2025 due to the impact of the July 2024 fires. It seems that the trail will be reopened in 2026. Parking area for the Parker Ridge Trail 13. Accommodation in Jasper Accommodation in Jasper is in short supply and expensive. I booked 9 months ahead and paid $460 a night for a studio cabin at Pine Bungalows . We were very happy with the cabin apart from the price! The resort is well run and the cabins nicely furnished and in excellent condition. It wasn't rustic. I only booked 2 nights at Jasper as the terrible fire in July 2024 meant that the popular Maligne Canyon trail, Valley of 5 Lakes trail and the Mount Edith Cavell area were still closed. Our Cabin at Pine Bungalows in Jasper 14. Links to my other Blogs on Canada Vancouver to Canadian Rockies Road Trip Vancouver Travel Guide Kootenay National Park Travel Guide Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Hike Yoho National Park Travel Guide

Langtang Trek Map I did the Langtang trek in late November 2023 and my blog provides information that will assist you in planning your trek. My blogs Day Hikes on the Langtang Trek and Langtang Trek - Trip Report will also help with the planning. Contents When to do the Langtang Trek Getting to Syabrubesi Itinerary for the Langtang trek Costs, Permits & Guides Hiking Times for the Langtang Trek Information on the Tea Houses for the Langtang Trek Pairo's Tea Houses Bamboo's Tea Houses Rimche's Tea Houses Lama Hotel's Tea Houses Riverside's Tea House Chhunama's Tea House Ghoratabela's Tea Houses Thyangsyap's Tea Houses Gumba Danda's Tea Houses Langtang Village's Tea Houses Mundu's Tea Houses Sindum's Tea House Kyanjim Gumba's Hotels Sherpagaon's Tea Houses Bhanjyang's Tea House Other Langtang, Gosainkunda & Helambu Trek Blogs 1. When to do the LangtangTrek The main 2 considerations for when to do the Langtang trek are the weather and the number of trekkers: 1.1 Weather for the Lantang Trek The best months to do the Langtang trek are: March to early June Early October to mid December The monsoon season is from around 10 June to early October. The views would be restricted and there would be leeches during the monsoon. Click here to see the historic data for the start and finish dates for the monsoon (section 6 of the blog). The winter period from mid December to early March would be cold and there is a greater risk of snow. 1.2 Number of Trekkers on the Langtang Trek The Langtang trek is not a circuit, differing from many of the other Nepali treks which are circular. The same trail is used for ascending and descending the Langtang trek so you pass trekkers coming from the other direction. Each person trekking on the Langtang trek has double the impact compared to treks like the Annapurna circuit. Nepal Tourism publishes annual statistics of the number of foreign trekkers on the main treks. These statistics show that October and early November is the busiest period and April is the second busiest period. These statistics only provide a partial picture as they exclude Nepali trekkers. The Langtang trek is very popular with Nepali trekkers so they have a major impact on how busy the trail can get. I believe that the holiday period during the festivals of Dashain and Diwali (Tihar) would be the busiest period for Nepalese trekkers. The dates of these festivals are based on the lunar calendar and take place in October and November. In 2024 Dashain is from October 3rd to 16th and Diwali (Tihar) is from October 21st to November 2nd. The Nepalese often seem to take a holiday after Tihar and there will still be many Nepali trekkers doing the Langtang trek 7 to 10 days after the end of Tihar. 1.3 Conclusion The trail for the Langtang trek would be very busy in April. March would be much quieter, but colder, and there is more risk of snow on the ground. There is a risk of haze from wild fires at this time of year and smog in Kathmandu is becoming a problem. May and early June would be quieter and it would be warmer. However, there is a risk of some pre-monsoon rain. Usually the haze from wild fires disappears in early May once there has been some rainfall. In autumn the best weather is from late October to mid December. However, the trail for the Langtang trek is very busy from early October to mid November. The best time to do the Langtang trek is probably from about 10 days after the end of Diwali (Tihar) to mid December. 2. Getting to Syabrubesi The Langtang trek starts in Syabrubesi and you can get there by bus, shared jeep or private jeep. It would probably take 8 to 9 hours by bus or shared jeep. Enjoy Nepal Treks arranged a private jeep for me and it cost $180. I left Kathmandu at 05.00 and the early start meant that I avoided the awful traffic congestion in the Kathmandu valley. The journey took 5.5 hours and I had enough time to start the Langtang trek and to hike to Sherpagaon in daylight. I had read blogs stating the road from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi was scary but it didn't seem bad to me. 3. Itinerary for the Langtang Trek 3.1 The Ascent on the Langtang Trek for Acclimatised Trekkers If you are already acclimatised you can easily hike from Syabrubesi to Kyanjin Gompa in 3 days. If you are in a rush, and are fit, you could even do it in 2 days. Day 1 - Travel from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi (5.5 hours to 9 hours depending on the means of transport). Then either hike 5.5 hours along the upper trail to Sherpagaon (2,563 metres) or take the lower trail to Lama Hotel (2,480 metres). Day 2 - Hike 5.5 hours to the village of Mundu (3,543 metres) which has 2 good guest houses. Day 3 - Hike 1.5 hours from Mundu to Kyanjin Gompa (3,830 metres). Do a day hike after finding a hotel. See my blog on Day Hikes on the Langtang Trek . 3.2 The Ascent on the Langtang Trek for Unacclimatised Trekkers If you aren't acclimatised you should take an extra day to trek to Kyanjin Gompa. Ideally your extra night should be at Ghoratabela (3,030 metres) or Thangsyap (3,140 metres). They are at a good altitude for acclimatisation and the tea houses are of a reasonable standard. 3.3 The Descent on the Langtang Trek Trekkers continuing to Gosainkunda - It is about an 8 hour hike from Kyanjin Gompa to Pairo. Pairo is the last settlement on the Langtang trek before the turn off to the southerly trail to Gosainkunda is reached. Most trekkers stop earlier at Lama Hotel or Bamboo. See my blogs on the Gosainkunda and Helambu trek . Hiking back to Syabrubesi on the Lower Trail - It would be possible to hike back in one long and tiring day. It would have taken me about 10 hours but someone younger and fitter could do it faster. Most trekkers don't do it in 1 day and spend 1 night somewhere along the trail for the Langtang trek. Hiking back to Syabrubesi on the Upper Trail - If you didn't hike the upper trail on the way up it is worth doing so on the way down. The upper trail of the Langtang trek is more scenic and you can spend the night in good accommodation in the pleasant village of Sherpagaon. The hike from Kyanjin Gompa to Sherpagaon would take about 7.5 hours. 4. Costs, Permits & Guides for the Langtang Trek 4.1 Guides for the Langtang Trek In April 2023 the Nepal Tourism Office tried to make it mandatory for all trekkers to have a guide for the Langtang trek and most other trekking areas. They didn't succeed and when I trekked in November 2023 the majority of foreigners were trekking without guides. I had a porter/guide for the Langtang trek. I did the Kanchenjunga trek just before starting the Langtang trek and had used Enjoy Nepal Treks to organise the trek. I retained the same porter/guide for the Langtang trek and the cost was $25 a day. I could have done the Langtang trek by myself but some of the day hikes were safer done with a guide. Also I continued on to Gosainkunda and wouldn't have wanted to go up Surya Peak (5,150 metres) by myself. The terrain was very rough and there were no other people there. 4.2 Permits for the Langtang Trek A permit has to be purchased for entering the Langtang National Park. It costs R3,000 ($23) and is normally payable at Dhunche which is on the way to Syabrubesi. The office was closed when I got there and I continued on to Syabrubesi. I bought the permit the next day at the Langtang Park office in Ghoratabela. Permit for Langtang National Park 4.3 Cost of the Langtang Trek I was on the Langtang trek for 7 nights and spent on average R600 ($4.60) per day on rooms and R1,800 ($14) per day on food. I spent a total of R1,800 ($14) on wifi and quite a bit more on hot drinks. I also treated myself to cake in Kyanjin Gompa. The cost of rooms on the Langtang trek would probably be higher in peak season. I used a Steripen to sterilise water so I didn't incur any expense for drinking water. 5. Hiking Times for the Langtang Trek The purpose of these times is to give an idea, when planning your Langtang trek, of how long the sections are. I was acclimatised and wasn't carrying my own pack, but I wasn't walking particularly fast. These times exclude stops for meals and hot drinks. Day TO FROM TIME 1 Syabrubesi Sherpagaon 5 hrs 30 mins 2 Sherpagaon Rimche 1 hr 30 mins 2 Rimche Lama Hotel 20 mins 2 Lama Hotel River Side 1 hr 25 mins 2 River Side Ghoratabela 1 hr 10 mins 2 Ghoratabela Thyangsyap 40 mins 2 Thyangsyap Gumba Danda 45 mins 3 Gumba Danda Langtang Village 30 mins 3 Langtang Village Mundu 30 mins 3 Mundu Kyanjin Gompa 1 hr 30 mins 6 Kyanjin Gompa Mundu 1 hr 10 mins 6 Mundu Langtang Village 22 mins 6 Langtang Village Thyangsyap 1 hr 18 mins 6 Thyangsyap Ghoratabela 33 mins 6 Ghoratabela Chhunama 1 hr 12 mins 6 Chhunama River Side 10 mins 6 River Side Lama Hotel 1 hr 10 mins 6 Lama Hotel Rimche 15 mins 6 Rimche Bamboo 1 hr 10 mins 6 Bamboo Pairo 56 mins 6. Information on the Tea Houses for the Langtang Trek 6.1 Quality of Tea Houses on the Langtang Trek The tea houses on the first section of the lower route between Syabrubesi and Ghoratabela are old, basic and uncomfortable! The tea houses from Ghoratabela are better and from Langtang to Kyanjin Gompa the accommodation is good and many rooms have attached bathrooms. The upper route for the first section of the Langtang trek has some excellent accommodation at Sherpagaon. Most trekkers don't use this route on the way up as there is a 1,050 metre ascent. I hiked up this route and it was tiring! Some trekkers descend on this upper route but you can't do so if you are continuing onto Gosainkunda. 6.2 Other Guests at Langtang's Tea Houses When trekking I try to stay at tea houses that have few other guests and certainly no groups. On most treks you know that no other trekkers will arrive after dusk. Unfortunately this isn't the case with the Langtang trek. A lot of Nepalese do the Langtang trek and they usually do it very quickly. That often entails hiking in the dark with head torches. It isn't at all unusual to have a nice quiet tea house at dusk only to have a group of trekkers arrive as late as 21.00. 6.3 Cost of Tea House Accommodation on the Langtang Trek In the off season I had good rooms with attached bathrooms for R500 ($4) a night at Sherpagaon and Kyanjin Gompa. I was charged R1,000 $7.70) for a room with an attached toilet at Gumba Danda and that was too much. A very basic room at Pairo cost R700 ($5.40). I always determined the price beforehand as the list prices were higher. I never bargained and later met a trekker who had negotiated free rooms at all but 1 place on the Langtang and Gosainkunda trek. He wasn't Israeli! 6.4 Food at Langtang's Tea Houses I always ate the local rice and noodle dishes so I can't comment on the western food served at the tea houses. Western food is available along the entire Langtang trek, even at the basic tea houses on the first section of the trek. Dal bhat cost between R650 ($5) and R900 ($7). Black tea cost between R80 ($0.6) and R150 ($1.2). The cost of food increased with the altitude. 6.5 Internet, Electricity and Showers at Langtang's Tea Houses I couldn't obtain internet through Nepal Telecoms. I paid for internet at Sherpagaon, Gumba, Mundu and Kyanjin Gompa. The cost was between R300 ($2.30) and R500 ($3). At Kyanjin Gompa the R500 fee covered the 3 nights I stayed there. There wasn't any internet at Pairo. There was solar power at all the tea houses on the Langtang trek. The tea houses on the first section of the Langtang trek are in a wooded valley and don't receive much sun. I therefore couldn't charge my phone at Pairo. There was free charging at Sherpagaon, Gumba Danda, Mundu and Kyanjin Gompa. I had free hot showers at Kyanjin Gompa and it is likely that there would be hot showers at Sherpagaon, Langtang Village and Mundu. 7. Pairo's Tea Houses There are 2 basic tea houses in Pairo and I stayed at the Namaste Guest House. I had the tea house to myself until 5 Nepali trekkers arrived in the dark. Luckily they were very quiet and I had a good night's sleep. The lady running the tea house was a bit strange. The quality of the tea houses in Pairo is poor, like all the tea houses between Syabrubesi and Ghoratabela. There was no internet or charging of electrical devices. The Namaste Guest House in Pairo The View from the Namaste Guest House My Room at the Namaste Guest House in Pairo The Menu at the Namaste Guest House in Pairo. The Menu at the Namaste Guest House in Pairo. My Bill at the Namaste Guest House in Pairo The other Guest House in Pairo 8. Bamboo's Tea Houses There is at least one basic tea house in Bamboo. Bamboo Lodge is in the bottom left 9. Rimche's Tea Houses There is one basic and not very nice tea house in Rimche. The Evening View Moon Light Guest House in Rimche. 10. Lama Hotel's Tea Houses Lama Hotel is the name of the village and it has more accommodation than any other village on the first section of the Langtang trek. There are several basic tea houses. The Village of Lama Hotel The Kitchen & Dining Room of the Friendly Guest House in Lama Hotel The Hotel Sherpa 11. River Side's Tea House The River Side Hotel is the only tea house at River Side. I had lunch there and the food was good. The tea house is basic and run down like the other tea houses on the first section of the Langtang trek. The River Side Hotel The River Side Hotel The River Side Hotel 12. Chhunama's Tea Houses Chhunama is only 10 minutes from River Side. The tea house here is a bit better than the one at Riverside but still basic! Hotel Woodland in Chhunama 13. Ghoratabela's Tea Houses There are 2 reasonable tea houses at Ghoratabela, the best so far when walking up on the main trail of the Langtang trek. Hotel Tibetan is at Ghoratabela 14. Thyangsyap's Tea Houses There are about 4 reasonable tea houses at Thyangsyap. Summit Guest House & Restaurant in Thyangsyap Summit Guest House & Restaurant in Thyangsyap Buddha Guest House in Thyangsyap Potala Guest House in Thyangsyap 15. Gumba Danda's Tea Houses There are several tea houses at Gumba Danda which is at an altitude of 3,400 metres. I stayed at the Langtang View Guest House as it had been recommended by other trekkers doing the Langtang trek. It is the last tea house in the village when ascending. They have rooms in the main building and also 3 rooms in an annex which have attached toilets. I paid R1,000 ($8) for a room with an attached toilet. It seemed a reasonable price at the time but it turned out to be the most expensive room of the trek. They have 2 good dining rooms. The one in the photo below isn't heated but it is nice during the day as it is spacious and bright. The other dining room is in the main building and it was very warm in the evening. When I stayed everything was great until dark. Four Nepali trekkers arrived and were very noisy. My guide said they had been drinking. I decided to move into the unheated dining room but found that it was occupied by a large group of trekkers. They were having dinner before continuing on to Langtang Village. I therefore sat in the kitchen instead. I was going to stay here on the way back from Kyanjin Gompa thinking I couldn't be so unlucky twice. However, the owner of the hotel at Kyanjin Gompa warned me that many Nepali trekkers stay at Gumba Danda and they were often noisy. The Langtang View Guest House in Gumba. The Langtang View Guest House in Gumba. The Dining Room of the Langtang View Guest House in Gumba Bedrooms at the Langtang View Guest House in Gumba My Room at the Langtang View Guest House in Gumba. 16. Langtang Village's Tea Houses Langtang Village was destroyed by a landslide that was triggered by the 2015 earthquake. A new village has been built on a nearby site that should be out of the path of future landslides. There is a lot of accommodation at Langtang Village and many of the buildings are hotels rather than tea houses. It is likely to be a busy place and popular with groups. Langtang Village 17. Mundu's Guest Houses There are 2 good guest houses at Mundu. I stayed at the Golden Holiday's Guest House and paid R500 ($4) for a really good corner room with an attached bathroom. As is often the case in Nepal the bathroom didn't have a sink. The guest house was very clean and quiet. There was a comfortable dining room and I paid R500 ($4) to use the internet. The other guest house in Mundu is called the Tip Top. It also looked good. My feeling is that Mundu is a nicer and quieter place to stay than either Langtang Village or Gumba Danda. Golden Holiday's Guest House & Restaurant in Mundu The Dining Room at the Golden Holiday's Guest House & Restaurant in Mundu. My Room at the Golden Holiday's Guest House & Restaurant in Mundu My Bathroom at the Golden Holiday's Guest House & Restaurant in Mundu Tip Top Hotel in Mundu 18. Sindum's Tea House My guide said that the Me Very Happy Guest House in Sindum was very good when he last stayed there. Unfortunately it was closed in late November when I was trekking. It did look nice and as it is a single storey building you wouldn't have people stomping above your room. 19. Kyanjin Gompa's Hotels & Tea Houses I haven't seen a village like Kyanjin Gompa on any other trek in Nepal. It mainly consists of 4 to 5 storey hotels that look incongruous in the mountain setting. It isn't picturesque but there is plenty of good accommodation at very reasonable prices. I stayed at the Buddha Inn and I wouldn't be surprised if it was the nicest hotel in Kyanjin Gompa. I had a room with an attached bathroom for R500 ($4). The bathroom was clean and had a hot solar shower and a hand basin. The disadvantage of the hotel is that it is popular with groups. I wouldn't want to stay there in peak season. Some of the other hotels worth considering are: Hotel Super View Hotel View Point Mountain View Guest House & Lodge There is a popular cheesery in Kyanjin Gompa but it didn't look very hygenic. There are also several bakeries. The most well known one is Dorje Bakery but I was disappointed by the quality of the cakes. The Village of Kyanjin Gomba The Buddha Inn in Kyanjin Gomba The Dining Room of the Buddha Inn My Room at the Buddha Inn My Bathroom at the Buddha Inn in Kyanjin Gomba The Hotel Super View in Kyanjin Gomba The Hotel View Point in Kyanjin Gumba 20. Sherpagaon's Tea Houses Sherpagaon is on the upper trail of the Langtang trek and is a very pleasant village with good views. It is worth taking the upper trail just to stay in good accommodation rather than the poor quality tea houses on the first section of the lower main trail of the Langtang trek. There are several tea houses in Sherpagaon and the best one seemed to be the Namaste Guest House. It is at the end of the village when ascending the Langtang trek. I had a large room with a large attached bathroom. The bathroom wasn't particularly clean but this is probably typical for this type of hotel. I paid R500 ($4) although the list price was R1,500 ($12). The food was good, the owners were friendly and there was wifi for a cost of R300 ($2.20). The Namaste Guest House in Sherpagaon The View from the Namaste Guest House in Sherpagaon The Dining Room at the Namaste Guest House in Sherpagaon My Room at the Namaste Guest House in Sherpagaon My Bathroom at the Namaste Guest House in Sherpagaon My Bill at the Namaste Guest House in Sherpagaon 21. Bhanjyang's Tea House Bhanjyang is the first village on the upper trail of the Langtang trek from Syrabrubesi to Sherpagaon. It is a steep 2.5 hour walk from Syrabrubesi. The Hotel Mountain View would be a good option if you don't have the time to hike to Sherpagaon on the day you travel from Kathmandu. It looks better than the tea houses on the first section of the lower trail on the Langtang trek but not as good as the accommodation in Sherpagaon. 22. Other Langtang, Gosainkunda & Helambu Trek Blogs Day Hikes on the Langtang Trek Langtang Trek - Trip Report Planning the Gosainkunda & Helambu Trek Gosainkunda & Helambu Trip Report

I did the Makalu Base Camp trek in mid November 2022 with a porter/guide. This blog provides the necessary information to enable you to plan this trek. The topics covered include when to go, how to get there, itineraries, permits, day hikes, tea houses etc. I have also done blogs on several other treks in Nepal. Click here to see them. Contents The Weather in the Makalu Region When to do the Makalu Base Camp Trek Reaching the Trail Head for the Makalu Base Camp Trek Itinerary for the Makalu Base Camp Trek Day Hikes from Makalu Base Camp Trek Other Hikes on the Makalu Base Camp Trek Permits Guides & Trekking Agencies Tea Houses on the Makalu Base Camp Trek Things to Consider Taking on the Trek Link to my other treks in Nepal 1. The Weather in the Makalu Region I normally trek in May and early June as I don't like busy trails and Lani (my wife) doesn't like the cold. However, I started the Makalu Base Camp trek on 12 November 2022, when clear skies are more or less guaranteed. Lani didn't join me on the trek. I was therefore dismayed when I had bad weather for 3 days between Khongma and Langmale Kharka. It wasn't pleasant as the tea houses on the Makalu Base Camp trek are very basic, cold and uncomfortable. The weather was better on the way back but there was still a day of low cloud. Fortunately the weather between Langmale Kharka and Makalu Base Camp was excellent. When I returned to Kathmandu I met up with someone I knew and told him about the weather. He was surprised as he had excellent weather doing the Everest 3 passes trek during the same period. The Khumbu area isn't that far from the Makalu Base Camp. On my return to the U.K. I did more research on the Makalu Base Camp trek. I discovered that the area between Tashigaon and Yangle Kharka has a micro climate with more moisture than most other areas in the Himalayas. Warm and humid air rises from the Arun Valley and condenses on the mountains in the form of rain or snow. Other trekkers' blogs confirmed that there is often bad weather in the middle section of the Makalu Base Camp trek. Fortunately the area around Langmale Kharka and Makalu Base Camp isn't affected by this micro climate and has a normal Himalayan climate. 2. When to do the Makalu Base Camp Trek The 3 main factors to take into account when doing the Makalu Base Camp trek are the weather, the number of trekkers and whether the tea houses higher up are open. 2.1 Number of Trekkers The official tourism statistics for 2022 show that the numbers of foreign visitors starting the Makalu Base Camp trek by month were: January 2 February 15 March 393 April 837 May 73 June 11 July 5 August 18 September 262 October 339 November 102 December 0 These figures don't include porters, guides and Nepali trekkers. March and April are the busiest months on the trail to Makalu Base Camp as it is the start of the climbing season for Mount Makalu. May would also be busy with the climbers descending. October is the busiest month for trekking in Nepal but there are far fewer climbers. Many of the trekkers reflected in October's figures would have still been on the Makalu Base Camp trail in early November. A trekker who started the Makalu Base Camp trek on 21st October 2024 reported that there were a lot of other trekkers on the trail. Her itinerary coincided with 2 other groups and there were at least 21 trekkers and their staff at each overnight stop. The tea houses on the Makalu Base Camp trek cannot properly accommodate such numbers. I would hate to stay in such crowded conditions. Many Nepalese trek during the festivals of Dashain and Diwali (Tihar). The timing of these festivals is governed by the lunar calendar but they take place in October and November. The Nepalese often seem to take a holiday after Tihar and there could still be many Nepali trekkers on the trail 7 to 10 days after the end of Tihar. 2.2 The Weather The monsoon season is slightly longer in the Makalu region as the monsoon enters Nepal from the east and withdraws from the west to east. This means that in the Makalu region the monsoon can commence about 5 days earlier than in Kathmandu and last 5 days longer. My blog on the Everest Base Camp trek details the monsoon start and finish dates from 2002 to 2023. Over the last couple of decades the monsoon has been starting around the 12th June and ending around the 15th October. I don't recommend trekking in the monsoon as you wouldn't have good mountain views and there would be leeches. Every 2 or 3 years Nepal is impacted by cyclones originating in the Bay of Bengal. This can spoil a trek and be dangerous for trekkers. The cyclones mainly occur in May and October. In October there is little risk of cyclones after October 20th. Until last year I mainly trekked during May and early June in Nepal. The weather in May and early June isn't as dependable as in April, late October and November but it is warmer. In 2022 and 2023 I trekked in October, November and early December. The sky is certainly much clearer at this time of year and the cold didn't bother me too much. For me the worst time for feeling the cold is in the early morning but it wasn't an issue the rest of the time. 2.3 Tea House Closure Dates The tea houses at Makalu Base Camp close before the end of November. In 2022 the owner of the tea house at Langmale Karkha said that he would reopen his tea house at Makalu Base Camp for any trekkers wanting to go there in late November. He intended to shut his tea house at Langmale Kharka on 1st December. These dates aren't fixed. When I flew back to Kathmandu on 27th November 30 Spaniards arrived at Tumlingtar airport. They were going to trek up to Makalu Base Camp with 80 support staff (see Alex Tixikon's website ). I am sure all the tea houses stayed open for them. I pity any trekker who was there at the same time and expected to have the trail to themselves! 2.4 Conclusion on the Best Time to do the Makalu Base Camp Trek In my opinion the best time to start the Makalu Base Camp trek is in mid November. Normally it isn't busy and it wasn't when I trekked at that time of the year. The weather should be clear but cold at night. However, it would be best to return to Tashigaon by 30th November as the tea houses higher up might close after that. Many groups fly to Nepal on a Friday or Saturday and after 1 or 2 nights in Kathmandu fly to Tumlingtar to commence the Makalu Base Camp trek. Consequently there is a greater chance of avoiding groups by flying to Tumlingtar between Tuesday and Saturday. This helps to avoid groups on the way up to Makalu Base Camp but not on their way back. 3. Reaching the Trail Head for the Makalu Base Camp Trek The Road from Tumlingtar Airport to the Trail Head at Num 3.1 Kathmandu to Khandbari Most trekkers fly from Kathmandu to Tumlingtar in eastern Nepal. Buddha Air has one flight a day that leaves Kathmandu in the morning between 09.00 and 10.00. The flight costs $155 each way. The flights are often delayed by 1 or 2 hours due to morning mist and cloud. The best seats for mountain views are at the front and on the left hand side when flying to Tumlingtar. It is approximately a 40 minute journey from Tumlingtar to Khandbari on a steep tarred road. The agency I used arranged a Tuk Tuk for this journey and it is probably the cheapest option. It is possible to take a very long 22 hour bus ride from Kathmandu to Khandbari and the fare was R2,700 ($20) in November 2022. View on the flight from Kathmandu to Tumlingtar 3.2 Khandbari to Num The road from Khandbari to Num is in reasonable condition for about the first 30 minutes. After that it is a very rough and uncomfortable 3 to 4 hour journey, even if you are in a private jeep. There isn't any advantage in going onto Num the day you fly to Tumlingtar. Most trekkers usually spend the second night in Seduwa regardless of whether the first night is in Khandbari or Num. I recommend spending the first night in Khandbari. The accommodation is better in Khandbari than Num but still not great. Another factor to take into account is that if you stay at Khandbari the jeep can take you the next day about a half hour drive past Num to where the road intersects the Makalu Base Camp trail. This reduces the hiking time to Seduwa by a couple of hours and avoids 475 metres of descent. There are shared jeeps between Khandabari and Num. My trekking agency arranged a private jeep and it cost $100. November 2025 Update An Indian trekking group reported that there was now a "road" from Num to Seduwa. The trekking agency that I used have confirmed this and that the drive from Khandbari to Seduwa  would take 5 to 6 hours. It seems that most foreign trekkers still walk to Seduwa. However, if you are short of time this would be a way of shortening the trek. It's likely only to be a viable option when the weather has been dry for some time. 4. Itinerary for the Makalu Base Camp Trek 4.1 Map Showing the Route of the Makalu Base CampTrek Route of the Makalu Base Camp Trek 4.2 The Ascent to Makalu Base Camp The itinerary for the ascent to Makalu Base Camp trek depends on how well you acclimatise to the altitude. All the trekkers I met hiked to Makalu Base Camp without having to spend more than 1 night at each location. However, some trekkers may need to spend extra nights at Khongma and Langmale Kharka. I wouldn't relish an extra night at Khongma as the 2 tea houses there are very basic. Also the weather is often bad at Khongma and there aren't any good day hikes. There is more to do at Langmale Kharka if the weather is fine. It is a cold place to stay in bad weather as they don't light the fire until the late afternoon. I was acclimatised before starting the trek but met up with a German trekker who wasn't. He didn't have a problem with the altitude until he reached Makalu Base Camp. He had a headache soon after arriving there. The next day we hiked up to a 5,738 metre high viewpoint and he got a bad headache during the descent. The trail to Langmale Kharka has stone steps and paths most of the way. An experienced trekker described it as relentless and taxing on the knees. This trail is also used for the descent! 4.3 The Descent from Makalu Base Camp The descent from Makalu Base Camp can be done faster than my proposed itinerary as there are no altitude restraints. There are a few very basic tea houses between the main stops on the Makalu Base Camp trek that support a quicker descent. These tea houses are at: Pematang which is between Yangle Kharka and Dobato. The tea house is just before the large landslide. Shipton La between Dobato and Khongma. Danda Kharka between Khongma and Tashigaon. 4.4 Proposed Itinerary Day 1 - Kathmandu to Khandbari See section 2 of this blog for details. Day 2 - Khandbari to Seduwa (1,530 metres) See section 2 of this blog for details of how to get to the trail head. It takes approximately 3 hours to hike from the trail head below Num to Seduwa. The first section is a steep 350 metre descent to a suspension bridge crossing the River Arun. After that there is a steep 900 metre ascent to Seduwa! It would take another 2 hours to descend from Num to where the trail head intersects the road. November 2025 update My Hotel in Khandbari A Street in Khandbari My Porter/Guide The Jeep and Driver The Bad Road Trucks stuck on the road The Start of the Makalu Base Camp Trek Suspension Bridge crossing the Arun Nadi River The Ascent to Seduwa View near Seduwa Day 3 - Seduwa to Tashigaon (2,167 metres) or Danda Kharka (2,962 metres) The trail ascends 630 metres to Tashigaon, passing through farm land, small villages and cardamom plantations. It took 4 hours. There are 2 basic tea houses at Tashigaon and they both have good campsites. A good option, if you are fit, would be to hike a further 3 hours to the tea house at Danda Kharka (2,962 metres). A trekker in October 2024 said that the tea house at Danda Kharka was the second best of the trek. She also said that the tea houses on the Makalu Base Camp trek were very basic! Danda Kharka is at a higher altitude and would be better for acclimatisation than Tashigaon. You should check at Tashigaon that the tea house at Danda Kharka is open. The first section of the trail from Seduwa to Tashigaon A traditional house with bee hives The trail up to Tashigaon A Mani Wall Day 4 - Tashigaon to Khongma (3,602 metres) The trail ascends 1,430 metres steeply through forest and it takes 5.5 hours. On the way there is a tea house at Danda Kharka which serves food and drinks. There are 2 basic tea houses at Khongma and the second one is better. The Trail after Tashigaon The Steep Ascent up to Kongma Close to Kongma - The Weather Changed Day 5 - Khongma to Dobato (3,860 metres) If you are feeling the effects from the altitude you should spend another night at Khongma before proceeding. The hike is strenuous as it crosses 4 passes and Shipton La is at an altitude of 4,216 metres. There is a tea house with rooms at Shipton La. The weather can be bad on this section of the Makalu Base Camp trek and as a result there is often snow and ice on the ground. The hike takes about 5 hours. Many websites incorrectly state that the altitude of Dobato is between 3,300 and 3,400 metres. My Garmin Inreach showed that the tea house is at an altitude of 3,860 metres. The Trail over the Shipton La Imo and I briefly meet on the trail Day 6 - Dobato to Yangle Kharka (3,634 metres) The weather tends to be bad on this part of the Makalu Base Camp trek as well. There is often snow and ice on the first section of the trail and it descends 400 metres steeply to the River Barun. When the trail is icy it takes about 1.5 hours to reach the river. The trail follows the River Barun and soon reaches a large landslide area. It is an easy traverse that takes about half an hour. There is a risk of falling stones from the overhanging cliffs and I was almost hit by some. After the landslide there is a basic tea house at Pematang. The trail then crosses the River Barun and continues to Yangle Kharka. The Landslide Zone between Dobato & Pemathang The Landslide Zone between Dobato & Pemathang The Landslide Zone between Dobato & Pemathang The Tea House at Pemathang Scenery between Pemathang and Yangle Kharka Day 7 - Yangle Kharka to Langmale Kharka (4,452 metres) If you are going to do the day hike to the Shiva Dhara it is best to do it on the way up to Makalu Base Camp to aid acclimatisation. It is a scenic 3.5 hour walk from Yangle Kharka to Langmale Kharka. There is apparently a tea house on the way at Tadosa but I can't remember seeing it. Some trekkers spend the night there for acclimatisation as Tadosa is at an altitude of 3,964 metres. There is only 1 tea house at Yangle Kharkha. The Temple at Yangle Kharka Day 8 - Langmale Kharka to Makalu Base Camp (4,860 metres) Some trekkers may need to spend 2 nights at Langmale Kharka due to the altitude. If so there is a viewpoint above Langmale Kharka but there isn't a trail. You could also visit Lower Barun Lake from Langmale Kharka. The mountain scenery on this section of the trail to Makalu Base Camp is fantastic. I took 5.5 hours to reach Makalu Base Camp but I spent quite a bit of time at both ends of the beautiful Lower Barun Lake. As I have mentioned in section 6 the lake could be visited instead on the descent if you are suffering from the altitude. It doesn't take long to reach both ends of the lake and it shouldn't be missed. I stayed at the Yak Hotel and Lodge at Makalu Base Camp as I thought it was the only tea house there. I have since read that there are 3 other tea houses but the one I stayed at was the best. Sunrise at Langmale Kharka Scenery near Langmale Kharka Day 9 & 10 - Makalu Base Camp Day Hikes Some trekkers rush back down from Makalu Base Camp the next day. It is a shame to do that after all the effort of getting there without fully enjoying the incredible mountain scenery. I recommend that a minimum of 2 nights should be spent at Makalu Base Camp and 3 nights would be better. Although the bedrooms at the Yak Hotel & Lodge are basic the dining room is quite pleasant. There are comfortable plastic chairs and the dining room is very light because of all the windows. The hike to the viewpoint to the north east of Makalu Base Camp shouldn't be missed. See the day hike section for further details on the hike to the 5,300 metre lower viewpoint and the 5,735 metre higher viewpoint . Trekkers are likely to suffer from the altitude if they ascend to the upper viewpoint on the day after arriving at Makalu Base Camp. It would therefore be better to hike to Swiss Base Camp on the first full day at Makalu Base Camp and to the upper viewpoint the next day. If you don't have enough time at Makalu Base Camp I would recommend at least doing the following: Hike to the lower viewpoint at 5,300 metres. Visit Barun Nadi (lake) which is only a 10 minute walk from Makalu Base Camp. Hike the first easy section of the trail to Swiss Base Camp until it degenerates into a field of rocks and boulders. Day 11 - Makalu Base Camp to Yangle Kharka I took 5 hours and 45 minutes to hike from Makalu Base Camp to Yangle Kharka. That excluded the time for lunch at Langmale Kharka. It would be possible to hike further. There is a small tea at Pematang and it probably would take another 1.5 hours to reach there. Day 12 - Yangle Kharka to Dobato This is about a 5.5 hour hike and the last section up to Dobato is very steep. It would be another 2 to 2.5 hours to the tea house at Shipton La. Approaching the Landslide View on the Final Steep Climb to Dobato Day 13 - Dobato to Khongma This is about a 5 hour hike. A View from the lookout tower on the Khongma La A View from the lookout tower on the Khongma La Day 14 - Khongma to Seduwa The section from Khongma to Tashigaon descends 1,430 metres steeply through forest and it is tough on the knees. The next section from Tashigaon to Seduwa is easier and more scenic. It is approximately a 6.5 hour hike in total excluding stops. The Descent from Khongma to Tashigaon The Descent from Khongma to Tashigaon Tashigaon Tashigaon Ploughing a Field Cardamom Scenery between Tashigaon and Seduwa Day 15 - Seduwa to Khandbari It is a 2.5 hour hike from Seduwa to where the Makalu Base Camp trail intersects the road to Num. You should arrange to have a jeep meet you there. If you are taking a shared jeep from Num you would have to walk another 2 to 3 hours uphill to Num in hot weather. If you are taking the bus back to Kathmandu you can buy the ticket in Khandbari Scenery between Seduwa and Num A View on the Drive between Num & Khandbari Day 16 - Khandbari to Kathmandu Take a tuk tuk or taxi to Tumlingtar airport to await the arrival of the morning flight from Kathmandu. 5. Day Hikes from Makalu Base Camp Many trekkers don't spend long enough at Makalu Base Camp to properly enjoy the incredible mountain scenery. I recommend spending 3 nights there and the minimum should be 2 nights. There is enough to do at Makalu Base Camp to keep even the fittest and most active trekkers occupied during a 2 night stay. If you weren't acclimatised before starting the Makalu Base Camp trek it would be best to leave the hike to the upper 5,735 viewpoint to the last day. Routes of Day Hikes from Makalu Base Camp 5.1 Lower View Point East of Makalu Base Camp It takes about 1.5 hours to reach the plateau viewpoint which is at an altitude of around 5,300 metres. It is a steep climb up the hillside and we didn't follow a trail. There may be a trail but I just followed my guide. There are fantastic mountain views and it is worth walking around to the other side of the plateau. View from the 5,300 Metre Viewpoint above Makalu Base Camp View from the 5,300 Metre Viewpoint above Makalu Base Camp View from the 5,300 Metre Viewpoint above Makalu Base Camp 5.2 Upper View Point East of Makalu Base Camp I hiked up from the lower view point. It was a difficult 400 metre hike over rocks and boulders which took around 2 hours. It is a short scramble up to the viewpoint at the very top which is at an altitude of 5,738 metres. There was no snow or ice when I was there. It was cold and windy at the top but the views were superb. It is possible in the right conditions to continue up a ridge to a higher viewpoint which is probably at an altitude of around 5,900 metres. It was too dangerous when I was there due to the wind and ice. I went back down to Makalu Base Camp on the normal route and there was sort of a trail. There were not many rocks and boulders to cross and it was far more enjoyable and straight forward than the ascent. The 900 metre descent took about 2 hours. It would be far easier to ascend to the upper view point on the trail I descended on rather than going via the lower view point. The Climb to the Upper Viewpoint On Top of the 5,738 Metre Viewpoint A View from the 5,738 Metre Viewpoint above Makalu Base Camp A View from the 5,738 Metre Viewpoint above Makalu Base Camp A View from the 5,738 Metre Viewpoint above Makalu Base Camp A View from the 5,738 Metre Viewpoint above Makalu Base Camp 5.3 Swiss Base Camp Swiss Base Camp is to the west of Makalu Base Camp. I didn't believe my guide when he said there were 2 Swiss Base Camps but apparently there are. The first one is at an altitude of 5,150 metres and the next one is at an altitude of 5,183 metres. Initially it is a pleasant hike on a good trail along the Barun Glacier. Then there is just a mass of rocks and boulders. There are cairns but there isn't a defined trail. It isn't easy or pleasant hiking. I got to within 10 minutes of the first Swiss Base Camp and turned back at 5,130 metres. My guide was sick, my hip was hurting, the terrain was difficult and the views wouldn't have improved. It takes about 3 hours to go from Makalu Base Camp to the second Swiss Base Camp and then 2 hours to return. It is worth doing at least the first section of the hike to Swiss Base Camp. After that the views don't alter much and it is more about achieving the objective of reaching Swiss Base Camp. The trail continues from Swiss Base Camp to Sherpani Col High Camp but it is too far for a day hike and the terrain is difficult. The initial easy trail to Swiss Base Camp The later more difficult terrain to Swiss Base Camp The Mountain Scenery near Swiss Base Camp Mount Makalu 5.4 Barun Nadi Barun Nadi is a lake only 10 minutes from Makalu Base Camp. It is a good place to while away any spare time. Barun Nadi (lake) in front of Mount Makalu 6. Other Hikes on the Makalu Base Camp Trek 6.1 View Point above Langmale Kharka I didn't go to this viewpoint as the weather was bad. There is no defined trail and it is a matter of walking up the steep slope behind the lodge. It takes 2 hours to reach the summit which is at an altitude of 5,000 metres. There are excellent views of the mountains and Lower Barun Lake. The descent takes an hour. 6.2 Lower Barun Lake This stunning lake is just off the main Makalu Base Camp trail between Yangle Kharka and Langmale Kharka. There is a bridge on the left about 1.5 hours from Yangle Kharka. After crossing the bridge you climb up the lateral moraine and then down to the southern end of the lake. The View from the Southern End of Lower Barun Lake Me at the Southern End of Lower Barun Lake There is another bridge further along the Makalu Base Camp trail. You can climb to the top of the lateral moraine from there and get fantastic views at the northern end of Lower Barun Lake. Suk at the Northern End of Lower Barun Lake Looking southwards down the Lower Barun Lake It is worth seeing the views from both ends of Lower Barun Lake. It might be better to see Lower Barun Lake on the return from Makalu Base Camp if you aren't yet acclimatised to the altitude. Definitely don't skip it. 6.3 Shiva Dhara Shiva Dhara is a well known pilgrimage site for Hindus and Buddhists. It consists of 2 caves at an altitude of 4,310 metres and a waterfall passes through one of them. The caves are reached from Yangle Kharka which is at an altitude of 3,600 metres. The round trip takes about 6 hours. The Nepalese government has spent money improving the paths leading to the mountain. Unfortunately nothing has been done to improve the dangerous sections up the mountainside. There are metal stakes and cables to aid the climb up the rock face although they aren't in good repair. Like most foreigners I didn't do this hike due to safety concerns, particularly since it was icy when I was there. Although it looks dangerous I have seen videos of Nepalese families with young children doing the hike. My guide took an overweight Indian pilgrim up to Shiva Dhara and saved him from falling to his death. 7. Permits for the Makalu Base Camp Trek 2 permits are required for the Makalu Base Camp trek: Makalu Rural Municipality Permit - R2,000 ($15) Makalu Barun National Park - R3,000 ($23) They can be purchased at the National Park's office in Seduwa. I met a trekker who inadvertently didn't buy the permits and was fined. 8. Guides & Trekking Agencies You don't have to hire a guide, or use a trekking agency, to do the Makalu Base Camp trek. When the weather is good it is easy to follow the trail to Makalu Base Camp. It could be difficult, however, when there is a lot of fresh snow. There is often snow and ice in the middle section of the trek from Khongma to Dobato. There are thousands of trekking agencies in Kathmandu. I can recommend 2 agencies for this trek. The first agency is the only one based in the Makalu region. The second one is based in Kathmandu. 8.1 Makalu Arun Social Treks I used Makalu Arun Social Treks which is run by Tejanath Pokharel, a retired English teacher living in Khandbari. The agency is mentioned in the Lonely Planet guide book on Trekking in the Himalayas. They also have good Tripadvisor reviews . They use local guides and porters who know the Makalu Base Camp trek and the people running the tea houses extremely well. It also means that you don't have to pay to fly a guide from Kathmandu. I had a porter/guide who carried about 18 kilograms for me as I took a tent. I was very happy with the service that Tejanath provided and the trek went very well. I booked my own flights online with Buddha Air and Tejanath met me at Tumlington airport. He arranged a hotel in Khandbari and the jeep to and from the trail head for the Makalu Base Camp trek. The porter/guide paid for his own food and accommodation and I paid for mine. They do offer all inclusive packages. However, it is cheaper and better to pay for one's own food and accommodation. Tejanath & his wife who run Makalu Arun Social Treks 8.2 Enjoy Nepal Treks I used Enjoy Nepal Treks in late 2023 to do the Kanchenjunga, Langtang, Gosainkunda and Helambu treks. They have excellent Tripadvisor reviews and I was very satisfied with their service. They are a larger agency and can provide porter/guides who will carry up to 15 kilograms. They will carry a bit more if necessary. The owner of the agency is well organized, punctual and speaks English and German. They will obtain your airline tickets and provide a porter/guide for $30 a day. There is also a one off fee of $35 for his insurance. The guide will meet you at your hotel and fly with you to Tumlingtar. The client and guide have to organize the transport to the trail head and the client pays for it. 9. Tea Houses on the Makalu Base Camp Trek 9.1 Tea House Quality I have done many tea house treks in Nepal and I found that the tea houses on the Makalu Base Camp trek were the most basic and uncomfortable. This might be because the main tea houses are run by the same family so there is little competition. A person who did the Makalu Base Camp trek in October 2024 reported that the accommodation hadn't improved. Most of the dining rooms don't have comfortable seating and fires are only lit in the late afternoon. The seating is often just benches and without back support. The best dining room was at Makalu Base Camp as the dining room was large, bright and had plastic chairs. The worst dining room was at Yangle Yarkha as the benches were fixed along the wall and were too far from the fire. I sat on a table so I could be close to the fire which became very uncomfortable after a few hours. Unfortunately a lot of time is spent in the tea houses' dining rooms on the ascent to Makalu Base Camp. That's because the time spent trekking each day is quite short due to the issue of altitude acclimatisation. Also the weather in the middle section of the trek can be poor and not conducive to being outside. 9.2 Food at the Tea Houses I didn't see any menus at any of the tea houses although a 2019 blog mentioned there were menus at Langmale Kharka and Makalu Base Camp. It was therefore difficult to know what food was on offer. It seems that only basic rice, noodle and pasta dishes are available. That wasn't a problem for me as I usually only eat local rice and noodle dishes when trekking. At Langmale Kharka they had potatoes which made a nice change. I usually had oat porridge for breakfast but Tsampa porridge was also available. I tried the pancakes but they were like rubber. Someone said that they miss out one essential ingredient when making pancakes on the Makalu Base Camp trek. It's strange as the pancakes on the Kanchenjunga trek were great. It was frustrating that breakfast would often not be served at the agreed time. For example at Khongma it was meant to be served at 06.30 but it came at 07.15. When I stopped for lunch I had vegetable noodle soup. On other treks I have had more for lunch but for some reason I didn't on the Makalu Base Camp trek. 9.3 Location of Tea Houses There are Tea Houses at the following locations on the Makalu Base Camp trek: Seduwa (1,530 metres) Tashigaon (2,167 metres) Danda Kharka (2,962 metres) Khongma (3,602 metres) Shipton La (4,247 metres) Dobato (3,860 metres) Pematang (3,494 metres) Yangle Kharka (3,634 metres) Tadosa (3,964 metres) - I can't remember this tea house but it is mentioned in a blog. Langmale Kharka (4,452 metres) Makalu Base Camp (4,860 metres) 9.4 Pictures & Details of the Tea Houses I stayed at Tashigaon's Tea Houses There are 2 basic tea houses at Tashigaon. I am not sure of the name of the lower one where I stayed on the ascent. The building I slept in had a sign stating it was the Tashigaon Sherpa Buffer Zone Community Homestay. The dining room building had a sign saying it was the Makalu Barun Hotel and Lodge. This first tea house is in the centre of Tashigaon and has a large grassy camping area around it. It would be a pleasant place to sit in good weather. The bedrooms were small, old and basic. There were mice scratching around in the ceiling above me. The dining room is small and gloomy. The food was good and the lady running the tea house was very pleasant. The second tea house is a bit higher up and also has a large grassy campground. There are 3 large bedrooms with several beds in each. The dining room is large and quite nice. If I did the trek again, and wasn't acclimatised, I would hike on to Danda Kharka (2,962 metres) as it's at a better altitude for acclimatisation. A person who did the trek in October 2024 said that this was one of the better tea houses on the Makalu Base Camp trek. My bill at Tashigaon on the way up to Makalu Base Camp came to R2,150 ($16.50). Dal Bhat cost R450 ($3.50). On the way down from Makalu Base Camp I stayed at the upper tea house and I paid R1,850 ($14). Makalu Barun Hotel and Lodge The lady running the lodge The Upper Tea House at Tashigaon My Bedroom at the Upper Tea House at Tashigaon on my return from Makalu Base Camp. My tent at the Upper Tea House at Tashigaon Khongma's Tea Houses There are 2 basic tea houses at Khongma. The Hotel View Point & Lodge is the first tea house when coming from Tashigaon. It is the more basic of the 2 houses. There is a building with a dining room, kitchen and some bedrooms. There is another building with about 8 bedrooms. The dining room is cold as the fire is in a small room off the main dining room. Noise travels easily in the bedrooms as the walls don't go all the way up to the ceiling. A mouse visited my room during the night. The next tea house is the Shiva View Hotel & Lodge. It is better but still far from being good! The dining room isn't comfortable or warm. There is a new building with several bedrooms and I slept there. It can be treacherous going down to the toilet when there is snow. I read a blog which said there were mice in the bedrooms of the old building. I paid R2,550 ($20) on the way up to Makalu Base Camp for my stay at the Shiva View Hotel. On the way to Kongma I stopped for lunch at Danda Kharka and had noodle soup R400 ($3) and coffee R200 ($1.50). On the way down from Makalu Base Camp I paid R1,600 ($12) at the Hotel View Point & Lodge. The room cost R400 ($3), dal Bhat cost R500 ($4) and noodle soup cost R200 ($1.50). Shiva View Hotel & Lodge in Khongma The Dining Room of the Shiva View Hotel & Lodge in Khongma My Bedroom at the Shiva View Hotel & Lodge in Khongma The Hotel View Point & Lodge at Khongma The Building with the Bedrooms at Hotel View Point & Lodge at Khongma Dobato's Tea House There is 1 basic tea house at Dobato. There is a building with the kitchen, dining room and 5 bedrooms. There is only a sheet of corrugated iron separating the dining room from the bedroom area. As porters and guides often sleep in the dining room their noise can be heard clearly in the 2 bedrooms next to the dining room wall. The other 3 bedrooms would be quieter but they are smaller. There are also some bedrooms in a stone building which would probably be quieter. On my way down from Makalu Base Camp I stayed at this tea house for the second time. The snow on the steps to the dining room hadn't been cleared and had turned to ice. I fell badly and it took a month for my arm to fully recover. Be very careful when it is icy. On the way up my stay at Dobato cost R2,600 ($20). On the way to Dobato I had noodles and coffee at Shipton La for R600 ($4.50) and paid R2,300 ($17.50) for my stay at Dobato. The Dining Room of the Tea House in Dobato My bedroom at the Tea House in Dobato. Yangle Kharka's Tea House This basic tea house is in a very pleasant and scenic setting. I slept in a separate building with 3 bedrooms when I stayed there on the way up to Makalu Base Camp. This building is on the right in the photo. The main building has the kitchen, dining room and about 8 other bedrooms. They were "renovating" those bedrooms on my way up and I slept in 1 of them on the way down from Makalu Base Camp. I preferred the bedrooms in the separate building as they were quieter. The dining room isn't laid out well as the benches are too far from the fire and can't be moved closer. There is a television in the dining room and on the way down a lot of construction workers had their meals in the dining room and watched the television. I don't like television when trekking. My bill on the way up at Yangle Kharha was R2,000 ($15). Dal Bhat cost R500 ($4) and the room was also R500. I also paid R350 ($3) the previous day for a large bowl of vegetable noodles and a cup of hot tea at Pematang. My bill on the way down from Makalu Base Camp was R1,500 ($11.50). The Tea House at Yangle Kharka My bedroom in Yangle Kharka The Temple at Yangle Kharka Langmale Kharka's Tea House There are 6 bedrooms in a separate building which is on the left in the photo. There is another building with the kitchen and an unheated dining area. A third building has a dining room with a fire and perhaps some additional bedrooms. Be very wary of sitting in the very smoky kitchen. I sat for several hours in the freezing dining room to avoid the smoke. It was a good decision as my porter/guide sat in the kitchen and developed a terrible cough. The owner and his daughter were running the tea house. The owner also has the best tea house at Makalu Base Camp. In the latter part of November the people running the Makalu Base Camp tea house go back down. If trekkers want to stay at Makalu Base Camp the owner will go and open it up. I paid R3,400 ($26) for my stay. The room cost R600 ($4.50) and the dal Bhat also cost R600. I had a lot of hot drinks and lunch there. The Tea House in Langmale Kharka My bedroom at the Tea House in Langmale Kharka The Heated Dining Room at the Tea House in Langmale Kharka The Unheated Dining Room at the Tea House in Langmale Kharka Makalu Base Camp's Tea Houses I stayed 3 nights at the Yak Hotel and Lodge at Makalu Base Camp. Apparently there are 3 other tea houses but the one I stayed in is the largest and best. The main building has a dining room, a kitchen and a few bedrooms. The dining room is very pleasant as it is spacious and there are a lot of windows letting in the light and warmth from the sun. There are comfortable plastic chairs. There is another building with about 5 bedrooms (on the left in the photo). I stayed in one of these bedrooms and it was fine. There were plenty of duvets and they are needed as it is cold at night. The water in the dining room was frozen in the mornings and I paid for hot water. The trekker I met on the trek filled his bottle from a nearby river. The outside toilet also froze at night which wasn't so pleasant. I paid R10,200 ($78) for my 3 night stay. This included filling my 2 bottles with hot water each morning. The Yak Hotel & Lodge at Makalu Base Camp The Dining Room at Makalu Base Camp My Bedroom at Makalu Base Camp 10. Things to Consider Taking 10.1 Microspikes I took Kahtoola microspikes and used them several times on the icy middle section of the trek. Unfortunately the surface of the trail constantly alternated between ice and bare rock. It was a hassle putting them on and taking them off. Kahtoola micospikes are of a very good quality and I didn't always remove them when walking on short sections of rock. Much cheaper microspikes can be purchased in Kathmandu but they are less durable. I recommend taking microspikes but the locals and some trekkers manage without them. The German trekker I met didn't use microspikes or trekking poles. I needed both! 10.2 Steripen or Water Filter You can't buy bottled water after the initial section of the trek and hot water can be expensive. You therefore need to have some method of purifying the water. I always use a Steripen and it takes a minute to sterilise one litre of water. Other options are: A Life Straw Bottle Sterilising Tablets Water Filters. I don't recommend the popular Sawyer water filter as its seal must not freeze. 10.3 Power Bank and Solar Charger Above Tashigaon I believe you cannot charge electrical devices at any of the tea houses. I took a 3 panel solar charger and a couple of power banks. 10.4 Tent I took a tent in case the tea houses on the Makalu Base Camp trek were full or there was a problem with rodents in the rooms. I also didn't want to share a room if the tea houses were busy. My agency was in favour of me taking a tent as one of their clients had been unable to obtain a room at Khongma and had to hike on to the tea house at Shipton La. As it turned out the tea houses weren't busy when I did the Makalu Base Camp trek in mid November. However, I passed more trekkers coming down the trail and had only just missed the peak season. Mice weren't much of a problem. There were only mice in the ceiling of my room at Tashigaon and I had one mouse in my room at Khongma I slept in my tent at Tashigaon as there was a good camping area and I was concerned about mice in the tea house. There were no mice but it was a good decision as my porter/guide was sick and disturbed the trekker I had met at the start of the trek. This other trekker had also brought his own tent but unlike me he was carrying it! When he reached Yangle Kharka he left it there until the return journey as it was too heavy and he wasn't using it. Apparently a lot of independent trekkers end up doing this. There is often snow on the ground a Khongma and Dobato. I met some people who were doing a camping trek but stayed in the tea houses there because of the snow. Despite what I have said above I think it is advisable to take a tent if you are trekking in the peak season of October and early November. There are less trekkers in Spring but there are a lot of climbers. The climbers might camp rather than stay in the tea houses but taking a tent might be advisable. 10.5 Warm Sleeping Bag There are blankets and duvets at all the tea houses on the Makalu Base Camp trek and you could have more than one if they aren't busy. In winter it is still advisable to bring a warm sleeping room as it gets very cold at night and the walls of the rooms are constructed from sheets of corrugated iron. I was lent a North Face -40 centigrade sleeping bag that had been used on an Everest expedition. That was over the top but in winter it would be best to bring a sleeping bag with a rating of around -20 C. That might sound excessive but sleeping bag temperature ratings are often misleading. Just before the Makalu Base Camp trek I was trekking in Lower Dolpo. My Rab -13 centigrade sleeping bag was insufficient for temperatures of - 7 centigrade despite wearing numerous layers of clothing. 10.6 Tea Bags & Coffee If you are on a tight budget bring some tea bags, coffee and a spoon. Hot water is much cheaper than cups of tea and coffee. I had a lot of hot drinks due to the cold and miserable weather in the middle section of the Makalu Base Camp trek. 10.7 Boots It is very likely that there will be snow on the ground during the middle section of the Makalu Base Camp trek. Therefore boots are much better than trainers. 10.8 Snacks & Toilet Paper The food on the Makalu Base Camp trek is as basic as the tea houses! You can buy biscuits, chocolate bars and toilet paper at the tea houses but they are expensive higher up the trail. If weight isn't an issue it is best to bring a supply from Kathmandu or Khandbari.

Vilan Lighthouse on Stage 5 Contents Introduction The Official Lighthouse Way Website Maps & Signs for the Lighthouse Way Taxis & Buses Accommodation & Restaurants in Muxia Weather Organised Lighthouse Way Treks Stages of the Lighthouse Way & Shortening Options : 8.1. Stage 4 of the Lighthouse Way 8.2. Stage 5 of the Lighthouse Way 8.3. Stage 6 of the Lighthouse Way 8.4. Stage 7 of the Lighthouse Way 8.5. Stage 8 of the Lighthouse Way 9. Links to Other Blogs about our Road Trip 1. Introduction to the Lighthouse Way The Lighthouse Way is a hard 8 day trek along the Coast of Death on the tip of north-west Spain. It is called the Coast of Death because of t he numerous shipwrecks. The Lighthouse Way is n't busy or commercialised like the Camino Frances and the majority of the Lighthouse Way is on coastal paths rather than roads. We had never heard of the 8 day Lighthouse Way trek until a friend of Lani (my wife) mentioned it and suggested they do it while I was trekking in Nepal. They didn't do the Lighthouse Way trek and I think they would have struggled with the long and tiring sections. When I was planning our 10 week road trip from the UK to southern Morocco in 2024 I decided to spend a week in Muxia at the end of the journey. Our plan was to do the last 5 sections of the Lighthouse Way as day hikes from Muxia. Some of the advantages of doing day hikes on the Lighthouse Way from a comfortable base, rather than doing it as a continuous trek, are: It is easy to do it independently. You don't have to carry, or arrange transfers for, your bags. If the weather is bad you can postpone hiking on the Lighthouse Way to another day. Galicia isn't known for it's great weather! Road sections at the start and end of each daily stage of the Lighthouse Way can be cut out easily when using taxis. You can have rest days and do excursions. Most of the 8 stages of the Lighthouse Way trek are long. Unfortunately the excellent official website  for the Lighthouse Way doesn't provide any information on how the stages can be shortened. We wanted to do more relaxed hiking so I worked out how sections 4 to 8 of the Lighthouse Way hike could be shortened without missing out too much of the great scenery. My blog includes information on: How to shorten the daily sections of the Lighthouse Way. How to use buses and taxis to get to and from the daily sections. A review of sections 4 to 8 of the Lighthouse Way to help you decide which sections you want to hike. Route finding on the Lighthouse Way. See my trip report Week 9 - Muxia & the Lighthouse Way for additional information about our hikes along the Lighthouse Way. 2. The Official Lighthouse Way Website The official website for the Lighthouse Way provides excellent information about the 8 day trek. It provides detailed information for each of the stages including downloads of the Lighthouse Way on Google Maps and Wikiloc. There is also information on taxis, accommodation and restaurants. Unfortunately the official Lighthouse Way website is designed to help hikers who want to do the Lighthouse Way in full and as one continuous trek. A hiker we met informed us that the officials don't want to encourage shortened sections and therefore don't provide any information on how it can be done. My blog provides information that isn't on the official website about hiking individual sections of the Lighthouse Way and shortening some of the long sections. 3. Maps & Signs for the Lighthouse Way The trail for the Lighthouse Way has been marked with green dots and arrows painted on to rocks and trees. Sometimes they aren't clear and the markings have been made for hikers going from north to south. Fortunately the official website provides information on each stage of the Lighthouse Way. This includes trails for the 8 stages which can be downloaded on to Google Maps or Wikiloc. You can then see your position in relation to the trail. We followed the trail on Google Maps and it worked very well. We would have gone the wrong way several times without Google Maps. We found that when hiking along a road or beach it is often not apparent when to turn off on to a path and Google Maps alerted us to the turn off. Mark for the Lighthouse Way 4. Taxis & Buses I had planned to use buses for 2 of the Lighthouse Way's sections in order to save money. In the end we used taxis for the 5 sections of the Lighthouse Way that we hiked as it was more convenient and the cost was reasonable. Google provides details of 9 taxi drivers in Muxia. One of these drivers is Mathew Smith (telephone 34 683 36 24 65) who is a Brit married to a Spanish lady. We used Mathew for all our hikes as he is a great guy and we could communicate with him in English. Lani is learning Spanish but she didn't relish phoning a Spanish taxi driver and trying to arrange a trip. Particularly since most of the time we were trying to shorten the stages and start hiking a few kilometres after the official starting points for the Lighthouse Way. When I first contacted Mathew I asked about the cost. After that I didn't bother as the Muxia taxi drivers have set rates for all the destinations and Mathew had them on a sheet of paper. The fares were reasonable and the official website provides details of many of the fares. There is a taxi office on Muxia's seafront but it is only manned when there are drivers waiting for rides. The taxi rank is shown as Parada de Taxis on Google Maps. Aviva Spain has a bus service between Fisterra, Muxia and Camarinas. There are 5 buses each day on weekdays and 1 daily bus at weekends. Single bus tickets currently cost Eur 2.60. This bus service is useful when doing stages 6 and 8 of the Lighthouse Way. If you are based in Muxia you can take a taxi to the start of stage 8 of the Lighthouse Way and then take the bus from Fisterra to Muxia at the end of the stage. For stage 6 of the Lighthouse Way hike the bus service provides a couple of options if you are based in Muxia. If you want to do the entire section 6 you can take a bus from Muxia to Camarinas. However, if you want to reduce the length of stage 6 you can take the same buses and alight at Cereixo. Mathew Smith - The best taxi driver in Muxia! 5. Accommodation & Restaurants in Muxia We booked an excellent 3 bedroom apartment in the centre of Muxia through Booking.com for Eur 474 in June. It had a very high approval rating of 9.6. If you intend to use Mathew Smith's taxi service it would be worth considering the accommodation he offers which is about a 5 minute drive from Muxia. His accommodation is: A 3 bedroom house which has an approval rating of 9.6 on Booking.com . A studio apartment for up to 4 people which has an approval rating of 9.4 on Booking.com . Mathew recommended several restaurants and we ate at O Porto and A Marina. Both the restaurants were good. In June the O Porto was frequented by locals and wasn't busy. A Marina was mainly frequented by visitors and was busy. The staff at A Marina were very welcoming. 6. Weather We were surprised that the weather forecasts for Muxia were very reliable. We were lucky that in June we had good weather and no rain at all. The only negative was a very strong northerly wind for about 4 days of our stay. Apparently this isn't unusual and Muxia is particularly affected by wind. It is important to take into account the wind direction when planning the Lighthouse Way hikes so that the wind is behind you. It makes walking much easier and more pleasant. We did stage 7 of the Lighthouse Way hike from the south to the north and left it until the end of our stay when the wind had died down. We found it very hot without the wind! 7. Organised Lighthouse Way Treks If you want someone to organise a self guided trek along the Lighthouse Way then On Foot Holidays seems to be the major operator. They offer packages for both the full trek and reduced stages. They also offer shortening options for each stage. The official website also offers packages for the Lighthouse Way through a Spanish travel agent. 8. Stages of the Lighthouse Way & Shortening Options We did day hikes on stages 4 to 8 of the Lighthouse Way hike. We really enjoyed stages 4, 5 and 8. The scenery on stage 7 of the Lighthouse Way wasn't as good as we expected and the second part of the trail was a bit overgrown. We only did the second half of the very long stage 6 and it was a good starting hike. When driving from Muxia to Camarinas we passed some of the first section of stage 6 of the Lighthouse Way. The trail along the busy road didn't look appealing as too much of the trail goes inland, and through forest. 8.1. Stage 4 of the Lighthouse Way Stage 4 of the Lighthouse Way goes from Laxe to Arou. It's the easiest stage of the Lighthouse Way as it is 18 kilometres long and there isn't much elevation. The official website estimates that stage 4 will take 7.5 hours and that allows enough time for photos and a picnic lunch. We enjoyed the hike and thought that the coastal scenery was excellent. One of the highlights of stage 4 is near the end when the trail for the Lighthouse Way goes through a spectacular area of large boulders. We shortened stage 4 by taking a taxi to Praia dos Cristais instead of to Laxe. This cut out the headland that has Laxe lighthouse on it. It reduced stage 4 by 2.8 kilometres and saved 1 hour. Our entire hike for stage 4 of the Lighthouse Way took 6 hours. Taxis can be taken to Praia dos Cristais to start stage 4 You could reduce the length of stage 4 by another 3.1 kilometres if a taxi collected you in Camelle instead of Arou. See my trip report Week 9 - Muxia & the Lighthouse Way (28 June) for information about how we organised the taxi for stage 4 of the Lighthouse Way. Stage 4 could be ended at Camelle Castro Rock Traba Beach The Boulders between Traba & Camelle Approaching Arou at the end of the hike 8.2. Stage 5 of the Lighthouse Way Stage 5 is one of the best stages of the Lighthouse Way hike. It is 23.7 kilometres long and the official website estimates it will take 9 hours. We shortened stage 5 by taking a taxi to Lobeiras viewpoint instead of Arou. This reduced stage 5 by 1.7 kilometres and saved half an hour. We cut out the trail from Arou to Lobeiras Viewpoint which is circled in red We didn't walk up to Vilan lighthouse and that probably saved another half an hour. The northerly wind was ferocious and 2 hikers who went up to the lighthouse told us it was much worse there. We took the track circled in red to bypass Vilan lighthouse At the end of stage 5 of the Lighthouse Way we bypassed an uphill section to the Hermitage of Virxe do Monto. The road circled in red bypasses the Hermitage of Virxe do Monte It took us 6.25 hours to reach Camarinas when cutting out the 3 sections mentioned above. We didn't think the hike was particularly tiring as there wasn't much elevation. The scenery for stage 5 was excellent. Stage 5 of the Lighthouse Way could be reduced by an additional 3 kilometres by arranging for a taxi to collect you from Lago beach, instead of Camarinas. There is a reasonable road to Lago beach but only a tiny parking area. Taxis can access the Praia de Lago The English Cemetery is on stage 5 of the Lighthouse Way and it is worth quickly stopping to visit it. There is a reasonable road to the English cemetery and it continues westwards along the coast almost to the Vilan lighthouse. There is very little traffic on the road. The English Cemetery A View over to the Vilan Lighthouse Vilan Lighthouse 8.3. Stage 6 of the Lighthouse Way Stage 6 goes from Camarinas to Muxia and is the longest stage of the Lighthouse Way. The official website estimates that the 32.6 kilometres hike would take 10 hours. A lot of stage 6 isn't the sort of hiking we enjoy as the trail runs along roads and through forests. It's also too long. The hike from Camarinas to Cereixo can easily be avoided by starting in Cereixo instead. It isn't a particularly nice trail as too much of it is inland and along roads. It would reduce stage 6 of the Lighthouse Way by 14.5 kilometres (4 hours). Buses from Muxia could be used for stage 6 of the Lighthouse Way as there are 5 buses a day between Muxia, Cereixo and Camarinas. The section from Camarinas to Cereixo could be skipped We hiked from Leis Beach to Muxia and enjoyed it. The hike was 10 kilometres long and took 3 hours. Although the trail went along some country roads there was very little traffic. It also went through forest but much of it was very nice virgin forest. We started hiking on stage 6 by taking a taxi from Muxia to Camping Praia Barreira Leis . We started our hike at Camping Praia Barreira Leis on Leis beach The last 2.5 kilometres of stage 6 of the Lighthouse Way continues from the centre of Muxia to the tip of the headland and back to Muxia. This section isn't necessary in order to reach accommodation in Muxia. We walked around the headland on a day we had a break from hiking and enjoyed it as we could take our time and weren't tired. The trail circled in red can be cut out at the end of stage 6 Leis Beach A Granary (Horeos) The Forest near Negro River Mills 8.4. Stage 7 of the Lighthouse Way Stage 7 of the Lighthouse Way goes from Muxia to Nemina and is 25.3 kilometres (9.25 hours) long. It is a tough section as there are several hills that have to be climbed. In addition part of the last section of the trail was overgrown in places. We were a bit disappointed with the scenery at times on the southern section of stage 7 of the Lighthouse Way as the trail deviates from the coast. We did stage 7 of the Lighthouse Way from south to north as it was easier taking a taxi to the start of the trek than arranging for a taxi to meet us at the finish. At the end of our hike we just walked back to our apartment in Muxia. There are a few ways that stage 7 of the Lighthouse Way hike can be shortened: Our taxi driver dropped us off in the hamlet of Talon (called Heel on the official website), which is one kilometre north of Nemina beach, and it saved 15 minutes of walking. The trail from Nemina beach to Talon goes inland so the views are unlikely to be good. We took a taxi to Talon to start stage 7 of the Lighthouse Way The headland with the Tourinan lighthouse can be bypassed and this saves 3.5 kilometres (1 hour) of walking. The Tourinan lighthouse loop can be cut out on stage 7 Some hikers use the road to completely bypass the beautiful Punta Buitro headland. We were also going to do that but met someone whose wife had been attacked by a dog when doing so. As a result we decided to hike around the Punta Buitro headland and cross over to the other side at a narrow point. As we walked along the headland we could see that there was too much thorny ground vegetation to be able to cross over unless there was a path. We weren't disappointed in having to hike around Punta Buitro as the scenery was superb. Then halfway to the tip of the headland there was a dirt track crossing over to the north side. I am not sure how much time this dirt track saved but it was probably around half an hour. The red line indicated where there is a track across the Punta Buitra headland View from Mount Pedrouzo Punta Buitra Descending Mount Cachelmo with Muxia in the distance. 8.5. Stage 8 of the Lighthouse Way Stage 8 of the Lighthouse Way goes from Nemina to Fisterra lighthouse and it's 27 kilometres (8.75 hours) long. It is a beautiful hike but tiring due to the length and hilly terrain. We took 2 shortcuts on stage 8 which reduced the hiking time to 6 hours, including lunch and photo stops. We only saw 3 other hikers the entire hike! We started stage 8 of the Lighthouse Way by taking a taxi from Muxia to Area Grande. This cut out 7.3 kilometres (1.75 hours) of a mainly inland section of the hike from Nemina to Area Grande. At low tide it is also possible to wade across the Lires estuary from Praia de Lires on the north side to the south side. See the article on the Estuary of Lires in the official website. A taxi can be taken to Area Grande, instead of Nemina, to start stage 8 We ended our hike at the town of Fisterra where the taxi collected us. However, stage 8 of the Lighthouse Way ends at Fisterra lighthouse which is a further 5 kilometres and much of it is uphill! If I was doing the entire Lighthouse Way trek I would leave this final part to the next morning so I could enjoy it. As mentioned earlier in this blog there are are buses from Fisterra to Muxia and Camarinas. The section from Fisterra to Fisterra Lighthouse can be cut out A View between Lires & Rostro Beaches View of Nemina Rostro Beach 9. Links to Other Blogs about our Road Trip from England to Morocco Week 1 - Salamanca, Toledo, Cordoba & Granada Week 2 - Spain to Morocco Week 3 - Southern Morocco Week 4 - Marrakesh to Todra Gorge Week 5 - Todra Gorge - Merzouga - Fes - Chefchaouen Week 6 - Morocco to Cadiz & Seville Week 7 - Seville to Portugal Week 8 - Porto to Pontevedra, Spain Week 9 - Muxia & the Lighthouse Way Week 10 - Muxia, Spain to Plymouth, UK

Map of Yoho National Park We visited Yoho National Park in mid September 2025 during a 3 week road trip from Vancouver to Banff and Jasper (see my blog Vancouver to Canadian Rockies Road Trip ) . We stayed for 4 nights in Field which is the only town in Yoho National Park. During our stay we also visited Lake Louise and Moraine Lake in Banff National Park as they are so close by. The main sights in Yoho National Park could be visited in one full day. A 2 or 3 day visit would be more appropriate if you like hiking. The Iceline Trail starts at Takakkaw Falls and is a fantastic hike. If you are lucky enough to obtain a shuttle ticket to Lake O'Hara the Alpine Circuit is another great hike. Contents Emerald Lake Natural Bridge Takakkaw Falls Upper Spiral Tunnel Viewpoint Lower Spiral Tunnel Viewpoint Wapta Falls Lake O'Hara When to Visit Where to Stay Links to my other blogs on Canada 1. Emerald Lake Emerald Lake is the highlight of Yoho National Park and it's popular as a result. It's reached by turning off the Trans Canada Highway onto Emerald Lake Road. This road is open all year but Emerald Lake can be covered with ice up to early June. The car park at Emerald Lake isn't large and was full when we arrived just before 10.00 a.m. in mid September. There were still plenty of parking spaces along the road though. There was a queue of people waiting for the canoe rental office to open at 10.00. Canoe rentals cost $100 an hour which is cheap compared to the $160 an hour charged at Moraine Lake! We did the 5 kilometre scenic walk around Emerald Lake. Most people walk clockwise on the west side of Emerald Lake as the trail is maintained. We went anti clockwise and the trail on the eastern side initially runs through Emerald Lake Lodge. The trail on the east side of Emerald Lake can be muddy in places but in September it was fine. Some board walks were being constructed along the worst sections. The trail on the east side of the lake goes through forest but there were plenty of great views of Emerald Lake and the surrounding mountains. The mid point of the circular walk around Emerald Lake is at the northern end. Emerald Lake is very open here and there are beautiful views and some benches to rest on. Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park View from the trail on the eastern side of Emerald Lake Trail on the eastern side of Emerald Lake View at the northern end of Emerald Lake View at the northern end of Emerald Lake Car Park at Emerald Lake 2. Natural Bridge Natural Bridge is at the start of Emerald Lake Road and most people visit it on the way to Emerald Lake. The car park isn't that large but spaces soon open up as visitors don't spend much time at Natural Bridge. There is a concrete bridge over the Kicking Horse River which provides the best view of the Natural Bridge over the river. The Natural Bridge was formed by the river eroding the softer rock below a layer of hard limestone. I didn't think the Natural Bridge itself was impressive but the river and scenery is very nice. It's worth a quick stop when driving to Emerald Lake. Natural Bridge in Yoho National Park Natural Bridge in Yoho National Park Kicking Horse River at Natural Bridge 3. Takakkaw Falls Takakkaw Falls is reached by driving along Yoho Valley Road. There are a couple of tight hair pin bends along this road. They aren't a problem for cars but vehicles over 7 metres long must reverse down one section! Shortly after turning onto the Yoho Valley Road there is a viewpoint of the Upper Spiral Tunnel (see section 4 ) and parking for the Meeting of the Waters Confluence. The confluence is where the Yoho and Kicking Horse rivers meet but there is little to see and it isn't worth stopping. There's a large car park at Takakkaw Falls and there was plenty of space when we visited in mid September. It's a 10 minute walk from the car park to the base of the spectacular waterfalls. The Takakkaw Falls are 373 metres high and they are the second highest waterfalls in Canada. The Takakkaw Falls car park is the trailhead for the Iceline Trail which is one of the best hikes in Yoho National Park. The hike can either be done as a 20 kilometre circular hike  or a 14 kilometre there and back hike. The hike up and down is through forest but the middle section of the hike is through spectacular alpine scenery. Hair Pin Bends on the Yoho Valley Road Warning Sign on the Yoho Valley Road Takakkaw Falls in Yoho National Park 4. Upper Spiral Tunnel Shortly after turning onto the Yoho Valley Road there is a viewpoint of the Upper Spiral Tunnel. We were fortunate to see a long CP Rail freight train passing through the spiral tunnel and we saw both ends of the train on either side of the tunnel. It's a distant view of the tunnel and as the trains are infrequent you have to be fortunate to see one. I was particularly pleased to see it as I had worked for Canadian Pacific. If you aren't a train enthusiast it probably isn't worth stopping. Viewpoint for the Upper Spiral Tunnel View of train going through the Upper Spiral Tunnel 5. Lower Spiral Tunnel Viewpoint The Lower Spiral Tunnel viewpoint is just off Highway 1 between Lake Louise and Field. There's a large car park and many interesting information boards. We stopped 4 times but never saw a train passing through the tunnel. Unfortunately trees around the tunnel block most of the view of the trains. It's worth stopping at the viewpoint to read the interesting information boards. Lower Spiral Tunnel Viewpoint 6. Wapta Falls Wapta Falls is on the western boundary of Yoho National Park and is a 40 minute drive from Field. Wapta Falls isn't signposted when driving westwards on the Trans Canada highway which might be because the turn off is on the other side of the highway. We were driving westwards and went sailing past the turn off. I had entered "Wapta Falls" in Google Maps and it took us to Wapta Falls Campsite rather than Wapta Falls! Wapta Falls campsite is several kilometres past the correct turnoff from the Trans Canada highway and then along several kilometres of dirt road. The Wapta Falls car park is on the other side of the river and there isn't a trail from the campsite to Wapta Falls. You have to enter "Wapta Falls Main Trail" in Google maps to take the correct route. We wasted at least 30 minutes driving to the campsite. Many visitors driving westwards make this mistake. There is a good road to Wapta Falls car park and in mid September there were parking spaces available. In peak season parking can be difficult. From the car park it's a 2.2 kilometre hike through the forest to Wapta Falls. There aren't any views until you reach Wapta Falls. There are 3 viewpoints above the spectacular Wapta Falls and it's worth continuing to the last one. The third viewpoint involves a bit of descent but it isn't difficult. Some people hike all the way down to the river and then right up to Wapta Falls. If you do this it's advisable to wear a waterproof as the spray near the falls is tremendous. Map showing the route to Wapta Falls First Viewpoint at Wapta Falls Second Viewpoint at Wapta Falls Third Viewpoint at Wapta Falls 7. Lake O'Hara Lake O'Hara can only be accessed by a Parks Canada shuttle bus. The shuttle tickets are very difficult to obtain as Parks Canada only allows 3,000 day use visitors a year at Lake O'Hara. Lake O'Hara can only be visited from mid June to early October. Shuttle tickets can be obtained by entering the random draw  in March. Each application for the Lake O'Hara's random draw costs $10 and up to 6 different times/dates can be entered on an application. I completed 2 application forms but wasn't successful. There is a very high demand for this shuttle and it's very difficult to obtain tickets. It's possible to go to the Lake O'Hara parking lot on the day to see if there is space on the next shuttle due to no shows. There would be a very limited number of spaces on the shuttle, if any, and you would need to be one of the first there. It's only worth the hassle of obtaining shuttle tickets to Lake O'Hara if you intend to do a hike. The Lake O'Hara Alpine circuit is a fantastic hike that takes around 6 hours. It starts with a demanding 500 metre ascent. Lake O' Hara 8. When to Visit Yoho National Park The main season for visiting Yoho National Park is from April to October. Our recent visit was in mid September and many years ago we visited in late April. We had excellent weather both times. April and May are offseason for summer activities. There will still be snow on many hiking trails and ice on Emerald Lake. The access road to Takakkaw Falls is closed from mid October to mid June. June isn't a good month to visit as usually it's the wettest month of the year. Emerald Lake may still be covered with ice in early June and it wouldn't be as special without the reflections and turquoise colour of the water. July and August are the busiest and most expensive months. I would therefore avoid those months if possible. The weather should be good but there is a high risk of forest fires and the smoke can obscure views. September is a popular month but is not as busy as July and August. The weather is usually good although it will be getting cooler in late September. There can be snow at higher altitude when hiking in late September. There could still be a problem with smoke from forest fires for most of the month. October is offseason and the first half of October could be a reasonable time to visit if you don't mind cooler, and shorter, days. Winter tyres are a legal requirement from 1st October to 31st March. 9. Where to Stay Field is the only town in Yoho National Park. Field is a small town and only has one hotel which is the Truffle Pigs Restaurant & Lodge . There are also several guest houses in Field. We stayed at the Truffle Pigs Lodge and had a good room with 2 queen beds for $315 a night. The Truffle Pigs Lodge is near the railway and there is noise from both stationary and moving trains. As there isn't air conditioning we had to have the window open. The noise didn't bother us but it could disturb light sleepers. Staying in Banff is a possible alternative as it's a one hour drive east from Yoho National Park. However, accommodation in Banff is pricey. Golden would be a better alternative to Banff as the accommodation is cheaper and closer to Yoho National Park. Golden is 45 minute drive to the centre of Yoho National Park and has several hotels. Some of these hotels belong to international chains. Truffle Pigs Lodge & Restaurant in Field 10. Links to my Other Blogs on Canada Vancouver to Canadian Rockies Road Trip Vancouver Travel Guide Kootenay National Park Travel Guide Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Hike The Icefields Parkway Drive

A view on the Seceda Hike in Val Gardena We spent a week in the first half of July 2023 hiking in Val Gardena and we based ourselves in Ortisei. Ortisei is a fantastic area for hiking and the chairlifts and buses make it so easy. This blog provides information gleaned during our stay there. Contents Planning Hikes in the Dolomites Crowds in the Dolomites When to Go to the Dolomites Weather in the Dolomites Chairlifts in Val Gardena Hiking Maps for Val Gardena Buses in Val Gardena Sassolungo Hikes Rescesia Hike Seceda Hikes Alpe di Siusi Hike Accommodation in Ortisei My Other Blogs on Italy 1. Planning Hikes in the Dolomites I found the planning of hikes in the Dolomites to be the most difficult part of organising our 3 month European road trip. Click here to see the blogs of our road trip. It di dn't help that most towns in the Dolomites have 2 or 3 names. For example Ortisei is also known as St. Ulrich and Urtijei! The Dolomites is a large area and it takes time to drive from one area to another on the mountain roads. So I wanted to base ourselves in one area and to hike there. I bought the Cicerone Guide Book on Day Walks in the Dolomites which costs GBP 13.67 from Amazon . This seems to be the best English guide book on walking in the Dolomites but it didn't help in determining the best area to be based in. In the end I decided on Val Gardena as a number of websites said it was a good base for hiking in the Dolomites. It turned out to be a good decision and there were plenty of excellent hikes for our 5 days in Val Gardena. I then wanted to plan some hikes in Val Gardena which involved using the chairlifts to reach high alpine areas with mountain views. I tried using the Cicerone Guide book and travel blogs. The maps were confusing as the path numbers referred to meant nothing to me. I should have bought a hiking map from Amazon as the book and blogs would have made more sense. Once we arrived in Ortisei I bought a map and also got the free map from the tourist office. It was then easier to plan hikes and some other hikers gave us some advice. The short hikes listed on the reverse side of the free "Summer Hiking Map" provided by the Ortisei tourist office gave me some ideas of where to hike and the time required. I could then modify the hikes and make them longer if necessary. 2. Crowds in the Dolomites We were in Ortisei from the 9th July to the 15th July. The first hike we did was on Seceda. The start of our hike was delayed so we could buy maps. We didn't start hiking until mid morning. I was shocked by the number of people when we reached the top of the Seceda gondola station. I thought the number of people would quickly decrease as we hiked away from the Seceda gondola station but it took over an hour. A lot of people had no hiking etiquette and didn't allow faster walkers to pass on the narrow trail unless asked. I was despairing as I knew I wouldn't enjoy hiking in the Dolomites if it was that crowded. On subsequent days we left earlier and took chairlifts soon after they opened. This made a big difference as we could get away from the chairlift stations before too many people arrived. 3. When to Go to the Dolomites Try to avoid weekends as the Dolomites will be even busier with day hikers from nearby towns and cities and people coming for a weekend break. The period after the first week in July to the end of August will be very busy and more expensive. The 2nd half of June is a good time to hike in the Dolomites unless you intend to hike in areas where snow might linger. September is also a good month and all the chairlifts are still open. Some chairlifts close in the first week of October. 4. Weather in the Dolomites Mountain weather is very fickle and therefore hard to forecast. One morning we decided to risk hiking despite a bad weather forecast for Val Gardena. We took the bus from Ortisei to St. Christina and when we got there it rained heavily. After sheltering for well over an hour we abandoned our planned hike. The forecast for the next day was for rain at midday. So we took an early gondola from Ortisei up to the Alpe di Siussi and hiked up to midday. It didn't rain all day! Meteoblue is a good weather website. There is a Radar and Precipitation Nowcast at the bottom of the page. This is a good way of determining if any bad weather systems will hit your location in the next 3 hours. You have to pay to get this information for longer than a 3 hour period. 5. Chairlifts in Val Gardena One of the attractions of hiking in the Dolomites is that you can often use chairlifts to reach the higher alpine areas. This saves slogging up wooded mountains to reach open alpine areas with views. Hiking purists might not agree! The lifts are expensive in the Dolomites. For example a return ticket from Ortesei to Seceda costs Eur 52. We decided to buy a Val Gardena lift pass so we wouldn't have to think about the cost each time we wanted to hike. Lift passes are also expensive, but it does work out cheaper if you hike every day. Val Gardena lift passes cost Eur 118 for 3 consecutive days or Eur 152 for 6 consecutive days. As the lift passes are for consecutive days you lose out if bad weather or sickness prevents use of chairlifts. Another issue we had is that we were in Val Gardena for 5 days and lift passes can only be purchased for 3 days or 6 days. We ended up buying a 6 day pass as we figured it would be cheaper than buying a 3 day pass and then paying for individual lifts for the remaining 2 days. We were right! The Val Gardena pass doesn't cover 6 lifts on the Alpe di Siusu. These lifts are Siusi - Alpe di Siusi, Puflatsch, Florian, Panorama, Marinzen and Spitzbühl. 6. Hiking Maps for Val Gardena 6.1. Free Tourist Office Map You can obtain a free " Summer Hiking Map " for the Val Gardena area from the Ortesei Tourist Office. It is a useful topographical map which clearly shows forested areas. I try to avoid walking in forests as I prefer open views. The hiking map also shows all the summer lift routes including those not covered by the Val Gardena lift pass. There are details of suggested hikes on the reverse side. The free map has a few drawbacks: The major drawback is that north is at the bottom of the map so everything is upside down! So if you buy another map, which you should, it is very difficult to use both maps to plan a route. The other drawbacks are that you need good eyesight to see some of the path numbers and not all the paths are shown. We didn't hike any paths indicated as "difficult" on the map. We hiked paths indicated as "easy" or "moderately difficult". None of these paths were at all difficult. 6.2. Tabacco and Kompass Maps I bought a 1:25,000 Tabacco map covering Val Gardena from the Tourist Office for Eur 7. It is a good map clearly showing the hiking paths and summer lifts. It was torn by the end of our 6 night stay in the Dolomites. It can also be bought from Amazon for GBP 12.99 and this map may be laminated. The Kompass maps are also good and can be bought from Amazon for GBP 10.33 . I mainly used the Tabacco map when hiking as it was much easier to read and more detailed than the free map. 6.3. Chairlift Map When we bought our Val Gardena lift passes we were given a map showing all the chairlifts covered by the pass. On the back it states the opening and closing times of each lift and the cost if you don't have a pass. It doesn't show the 6 chairlifts on the Alpe di Siusi that are excluded from the pass. You can get lift maps at the main lift stations and probably from the tourist office. This map is also on the Val Gardena website . 7. Buses in Val Gardena Virtually all accommodations in Val Gardena provide a free Val Gardena Mobil card that provides 7 days of free bus transport from the time it is first used. The bus times can be determined from the valgardena.it/en/ website. The Val Gardena bus service is excellent and the buses run frequently. We didn't use our car at all for the 6 nights we were in Val Gardena. It was a welcome change after 3 months of driving around Europe! You are meant to tap your card onto a machine when entering the buses but the machines were usually broken. It was only on the final day that we got on a bus that had a working machine! The free buses for Val Gardena also include the bus that goes to Bolzano if you want to do some sightseeing. At Bolzano you can ride the historic Ritten railway for free with the Mobil Card. 8. Sassolungo Hikes 8.1. The 3 Main Hikes for Sassolungo The hikes around Sassolungo are very popular as it's a spectacular mountain and the terrain isn't difficult. The paths are mainly out in the open so the views are excellent. As a result the trails are busy. The 3 main hikes for Sassolongu are: A full circuit around Sassolungo that takes about 6.5 hours. A half circuit of Sassolungo. This involves taking the "Coffin" gondola up from Passo Sella up to Forcella del Sassolungo (2,685 metres) in the centre of the massif and hiking down the northern side. If you then hike back to Passo Sella around the eastern half of the mountain it will take about 5 hours. A hike up to 2,958 metres on path 527 from the south west of Sassolungo. You can go down a different way to meet the path descending from the gondola station. There is a section at the top shown as being for expert hikers. I doubt that this trail would be busy. 8.2. Our Route around Sassalungo I decided to do a variation of the half circuit but it turned out to be as long as the full circuit! My plan was to: Take a bus from Ortisei to St. Christina. Take the chairlifts from St. Christina to Monte Pana and then from Monte Pane to Mont Seura. Walk around the eastern section of Sassolungo on paths 526 and 526C to the "Coffin" gondola station at Passo Sella. Take the "Coffin" gondola up to Forcella del Sassolungo (2,685 metres). Walk down on path 525 to the junction with paths 526 to the east and 527 to the west. Walk on path 527 on the western side of Sassolungo until the junction with path 9A. It would probably be quicker to take the earlier turn off onto path 531A instead of path 9A. Follow path 9A and then path 7A to the Florian chairlift. The Florian chairlift descends to Saltner and is not covered by the Val Gardena pass. It costs Eur 14. Walk up path 9 to the Sonne to Alpe di Siusi chairlift. It saves a 20 minute uphill walk to the gondola that descends to Ortisei. Take the gondola down to Ortisei. There are several maps below indicating our route. These maps are from the tourist office and for some strange reason have South at the top of the map! Apart from that they are good maps and do help to illustrate our route. Map of Entire Sassolungu Hike - The white line shows the route 8.3. Details of our Hike around Sassolungo We set off early and we were the first people on the St. Christina to Monte Pana chairlift when it opened at 08.30. This took us to the base of the Mont Seura chairlift which took us up to an elevation of 2,025 metres. Monte Pana to Mont Seura Chairlift above St Christina We then had the choice of either path 526 or 526A along the northern base of Sassolungo. We took the slightly lower 526 path as it looked a bit easier and walked eastward. Initially it descended into forest but after a while it was very open and we enjoyed great views. At one point two cows blocked the narrow path. In the UK cows can be dangerous so we were cautious and scrambled up the steep bank to get around them. Map of 1st Section of Sassolungu Hike - The white line shows the route View from Path 526 along the northern lower slopes of Sassolungo View from Path 526 along the northern lower slopes of Sassolungo View from Path 526 along the northern lower slopes of Sassolungo View from Path 526 along the northern lower slopes of Sassolungo View from Path 526 along the eastern lower slopes of Sassolungo View from Path 526 along the eastern lower slopes of Sassolungo View of Sassolongu from Path 526 along the eastern lower slopes of Sassolungo We followed paths 526 and 526C until we reached Passo Sella. Everyone was excited about going up in the "Coffin" to Forcella del Sassolungo (2,685 metres). The attendants were very helpful and friendly. Two people can squeeze into the gondola. Each person is allocated a separate spot to stand in anticipation of having to individually jump into the gondola. They quickly lock the door and when you reach the upper station they unlock it. You quickly jump out one after the other. It is great fun and nothing to worry about at all. The "Coffin" Chairlift from Passo Sella to Forcella del Sassolungo There is a mountain hut at the top station which is at an altitude of 2,685 metres. There are very good views both to the north and south. It is then a steep descent down the rocky and barren mountainside. It took us just under 2 hours to descend but it can be done a lot faster. Walking sticks definitely make it a lot easier. Map of 2nd Section of Sassolungu Hike - The white line shows the route View south eastwards from the Forcella del Sassolungo View north eastwards from the Forcella del Sassolungo The Descent from the Forcella del Sassolungu The Descent from the Forcella del Sassolungu The Descent from the Forcella del Sassolungu The Descent from the Forcella del Sassolungu From there we turned westward onto path 527, rather than eastward for the half circuit hike of Sassolungu. I was conscious that the Florian chairlift down to the Alpe di Suisi closed at 16.00 and time was running out. We rushed along path 527, and then path 9A, and reached the Florian chairlift at 15.30. Map of 3rd Section of Sassolungu Hike - The white line shows the route Path 527 on the north western lower slopes of Sassolungu The Florian chairlift took us down to Saltner on the Alpe di Siusi. From there it is at least a 1 hour uphill walk to the Sonne - Alpe di Siusi chairlift. That chairlift closes at 17.00 and I doubted we would get there in time. If we missed it, it meant a steep 20 minute walk up to the upper station for the gondola to Ortisei. As we walked through Saltner I saw a bus stop with a lot of people waiting. It was going to Compaccio and some people told us that this was the gondola station. We were delighted as it would save a tiring walk. We had already been walking for 6.5 hours. The bus soon came and we paid the Eur 3 fare. Unfortunately, on the way, I could see that we were going to the wrong gondola station on the other side of the Alpe di Siusi plateau! When we reached Compaccio we met a Norwegian couple who had made the same mistake. It seemed from Google that the best solution was to take a bus down from the Alpe di Siusi plateau. Luckily there was one leaving very shortly. The bus fare was an exorbitant Eur 16 but we had no choice. The bus went part of the way to Ortisei and we then had to transfer onto another bus that was free. We reached Ortisei at around 18.00 which was 10 hours after we had set off. We could have got back to Ortisei by 17.45 if we had continued walking from Saltner and taken the gondola down to Ortisei. It would have been possible for someone to do this hike faster and get back to Ortisei by 16.30 as: We spent time watching the "coffin" at both ends. We were slow descending from the Forcella del Sassolungu. It would probably be quicker to take the earlier turn off onto path 531A instead of path 9A. It was a fantastic hike and I highly recommend that you do a half or full circuit hike of Sassolungu. It was busy in sections but that didn't spoil the hike for us. 9. Resciesa Ridge Hike Map of the Resciesa Ridge Hike - White line shows our route A funicular takes you up 800m from Ortisei to the Resciesa ridge. In the summer time the Resciesa funicular opens at 08.30 and runs every 15 minutes. At the top there is an easy and scenic circular hike that takes about 3.5 to 4 hours. The route runs through high alpine countryside and there is very little increase in elevation. At the end of the hike you descend to the upper station of the Furnes to Ortisei gondola. If you want more exercise you can walk all the way down to Ortisei! The first section of the Resciesa Ridge hike is described on the reverse side of the free "Summer Hiking Map" that can be obtained from the tourist office. It is route number 9. As I stated earlier north is shown at the bottom of the map! We went up the Resciesa funicular at 09.00 as I thought that was the opening time. There weren't many people and it took 10 minutes to ascend to the upper station which is at an altitude of 2,093 metres. Riding on the funicular from Ortisei to Resciesa It was cloudy at the top so initially I didn't take many photos. We walked westwards on path 35 to the small and simple Holy Cross Chapel and then on to the Crucifix at Resciesa di Fuori (2,281 metres). Initially the walk is through forest but it soon opens up. There are meant to be fantastic views but unfortunately there was too much cloud around when we were there. Crucifix at Resciesa di Fuori (2281 m) From the crucifix we followed path 31 eastwards along the upper part of the Resciesa ridge. Path 31 heading eastwards from the Crucifix at Resciesa di Fuori Looking back to the Crucifix from Path 31 View of Seceda from Path 31 Path 31 eventually joined path 35 and we continued walking eastwards towards the Rifugio Brogles. On the ridge above Rifugio Brogles there was a sign saying it was closed for renovation so we didn't descend. We had a picnic lunch on the ridge and there were fantastic views of Seceda. Luckily the weather had cleared and we could appreciate the views. Unfortunately there were too many cows and they disturbed our lunch. View of Seceda from Path 35 From the 2,119 metre high ridge above the Rifugio Brogles, path 5 descends steeply through forest down to Ortisei. Half way down at Furnes (1,691 metres) we turned eastwards onto path 8. Very soon afterwards we reached the gondola station and took the gondola back to Ortisei. It is an easy and scenic half day walk. We weren't tired so in the afternoon we took the gondola up to the Alpe di Siusu and did a short walk there. 10. Seceda Hikes 10.1. Introduction to Seceda Hikes Seceda is a very beautiful area to hike. However, the area from the upper station of the Ortisei to Seceda gondola to the Seceda viewpoint (2,518 m) is very popular and busy. Paths 1, 6 and 2B run along the mountain edge from the Seceda viewpoint to Refugio Pieralongia and are also very popular. As the path is narrow it can be difficult to pass slower walkers. I found this section to be very frustrating when we hiked in mid morning. The solution is to go early to avoid the casual walkers and sightseers. Then you can fully enjoy the scenery on this fantastic part of Seceda. 10.2. Our Hike on Seceda Overview of our route on Seceda Detailed Map of our Seceda Hike Hike number 6 on the Tourist Office's free "Summer Hiking Map" provides details of a 3 hour circular hike. It appears to be a good hike. It could be shortened at the end by taking the Fermeda to Seceda chairlift back to the gondola station rather than hiking the 400 metres up. Our hike on Seceda was a longer variation of hike number 6. We followed the same route (paths 1, 6 and 2B) to the Pieralongia Refugio. Quite a few hikers then descended on path 4A but we continued walking eastwards on path 2B. View of Sassolungo from the Seceda Gondola Station View from the Seceda Gondola Station Seceda View of Sassolungo from Path 2B View from Path 2B About 15 minutes after passing Refugio Pieralongia there are 2 very distinctive triangular shaped rocks. It is a good spot to have your photo taken. We continued eastwards along the fairly quiet path 2B until it ended at a junction with Path 2-3. View from Path 2B on Seceda Path 2B near the Pieralonga Hut on Seceda View from Path 2B on Seceda View from Path 2B on Seceda View from Path 2B on Seceda View from Path 2B on Seceda When we reached path 2-3 it was initially signposted as path 2. We turned right and descended south westwards. We had to descend a section of scree that had no path. Fortunately a hiker came the other way and we saw that we should be on the left hand side of the scree. View from Path 2-3 on Seceda View from Path 2-3 on Seceda View from Path 2-3 on Seceda View from Path 2-3 on Seceda Path 2-3 descended to Refugio Firenze (2,037 metres). From there we took Path 4 up to Col Raiser (2,107m) and descended towards St. Christina on the gondola. At the lower gondola station we took a short bus ride to the centre of St. Christina and then the free bus back to Ortisei. Instead of taking the gondola from Col Raiser to St. Christina we could have walked a short distance to the Fermeda to Seceda chairlift. This chairlift would have taken us to the main gondola on the top of Seceda which goes down to Ortisei. This hike on Seceda took us about 3 hours and I highly recommend it. 11. Alpe di Siusi Hike 11.1. Introduction The Alpe di Siusi (Seiser Alm in German) is the largest high altitude Alpine meadow in Europe. It has a spectacular setting, particularly the view towards Sassolungo. There is some infrastructure on the plateau and there are roads and several chairlifts (not covered by the Val Gardena lift pass). There is even a bus service between Compaccio in the east and Saltner in the south. There isn't much change in elevation across the Alpe di Suisi so it is easy walking with fantastic open views. A blogger mentioned that it was better to cycle on the Alpe di Siusi than walk as the views are very similar wherever you are on the plateau. The roads and paths are ideal for cycling. As we aren't cyclists we did a 2 to 3 hour walk and really enjoyed it. There is a gondola from Ortisei to Alpe di Siusi. There are excellent views from the upper gondola station across the plateau to Sassolungo. 11.2. Our Hike on Alpe di Siusi We did a slightly longer variation of hike number 3 on the reverse side of the Tourist Office's free "Summer Hiking Map". Alpe di Siusi Circular Hike From the Alpe di Siusi gondola station we walked westwards along path 6A. There are excellent views the entire way and initially the path is very level. The path eventually gently descends southwards to a short section of road (path 6) . View of Sassolungo from the top station of the Ortisei to Alpe di Siusi Cableway A View from the top of the Alpe di Siusi to Sonne Chairlift View from Path 6A of the Alpe di Suisi and Sassolungo View from Path 6A of the Alpe di Suisi and Sassolungo The road isn't busy but it is the least enjoyable section of the walk. Fortunately it is a short section and we soon turned eastwards onto a wide track (Path 6B). There were no vehicles. View eastwards from Path 6B Path 6B would have taken us northwards back towards the gondola station. We continued eastwards by turning onto Path 19. We walked on path 19 until we reached the junction with path 9. View of Sassolungo from Path 19 View across the Alpe di Siusi from Path 19 on the Alpe di Siusi There is a bench as the junction of paths 19 and 9 and we sat there enjoying the views. Path 9 runs between Saltran to the south and the Alpe di Siusi gondola station to the north. We contemplated walking down to Saltran but we didn't think that the views warranted the effort. Instead we walked northwards on Path 9 to the chairlift at Sonne. View across the Alpe di Siusi to Seceda from Path 9 View of Seceda from Path 9 View of Sassolungo from Path 9 on the Alpe di Siusi A signpost on the Path Since we had a lift pass we took the short ride up the Sonne to Alpe di Siussi chairlift. This chairlift ascends to an area close to the upper station for the Alpe di Siussi to Ortisei gondola. It probably saved a 20 to 25 minute uphill walk. View of Sassolungo from the bottom of the Sonne to Alpe di Siusi Chairlift 12. Accommodation in Ortisei Accommodation is expensive in the Dolomites. In the peak summer months of July and August it is necessary to book early. We booked a reasonably priced 1 bedroom apartment in Ortisei for 6 nights and we were very happy with it. We booked it through Bookiply.com for Eur 111 per night. It can also be booked through Booking.com for a bit more. I reviewed the apartment on my blog " UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 2 " (number 16). 13. My Other Blogs on Italy Cornwall to Venice - Week 1 Venice to Serbia - Week 2 Rab to Dolomites, Italy - Week 12 Dolomites to Home - Week 13

View of Rovinj from the North Our visit to Rovinj was part of a 3 month road trip from the UK to the Greece. See my blog Rab to Dolomites, Italy - Week 12  for our daily trip report covering Rovinj. We drove to Rovinj from Rab Town on our return journey to the UK. See my blog Rab, Croatia: Travel Guide . Contents Rovinj Pula Accommodation in Rovinj My Other Blogs on Croatia 1. Rovinj 1.1 About Rovinj & What to See Rovinj has a very Italian appearance and apparently some inhabitants still speak Italian. It is an unspoilt historic town. Rovinj is a reasonably large town and there is little traffic so it is great wandering around. There are not too many sights to see, but Rovinj is an exceptionally nice town in a beautiful setting. Rovinj's main square is Trg Marsala Tita and it has a clock tower. In summer there are often street performers in the square. A street called Grisia branches off the square to the west through a Balbi's Arce and then climbs steeply up to St Euphemia's Church. Clock Tower - Trg Marsala Tita Trg Marsala Tita in Rovinj. Balbi's Arch in Rovinj The 18th century St Euphemia's Church is at the top of the hill in the centre of Rovinj's old town. Its tower is very impressive and is visible from most parts of Rovinj. There isn't an entry fee and it is worthwhile seeing the interior. There are good sea views from the plaza by the church. St. Euphemia's Church, Rovinj Interior of St. Euphemia's Church, Rovinj 1.2. A Circular Walk around Rovinj It is a very pleasant walk around the perimeter of Rovinj. Start from the southern end of the harbour and and walk along the harbour to the piers in the northern section. The promenade along the harbour is surrounded by cafes and restaurants. Rovinj's Southern Harbour Then continue walking westwards along the sea front and soon the street climbs up to St Euphemia's church. From there descend eastwards along the northern part of Rovinj. There are houses and shops on either side with a few alleys on the left descending to the sea. Typical Alley in Rovinj Trg Valdibora is at the bottom of the hill and from around this area is an impressive view of the northern side of Rovinj. Then walk south to the very nearby main square of Trg Marsala Tita, which is just off the harbour. View of Rovinj from the North Just north of Trg Marsala Tita walk down Rovinj's main shopping street (Via Carrera) that runs south eastward. At the end of Via Carrera take a side street to the right and you will be back at Rovinj's harbour where you started. 1.3. Parking in Rovinj We parked at a reasonably sized car park on the eastern side of Rovinj and it was a 10 to 15 minute walk into the centre. There were always places available and it cost Eur 1 per hour. Payable in advance by cash or card. Click here to see the location on Google Maps. 1.4. Beaches in Rovinj We spent half a day at Zlatni Rt (Golden Cape). It is a 6 minute drive from Rovinj to the edge of Zlatni Rt (Golden Cape), and then depending on where you park, a 10 to 15 minute walk through wooded parkland to the sea. Zlatni Rt Nature Reserve near Rovinj The closest parking is on the road where it ends at Zlatni Rt. However, you have to get there early to find a spot. Otherwise there are large parking lots a bit further back. We parked at " Parking Monvi " which is a huge parking lot. You can pay at a machine with a credit card or cash, exact change only. We paid Eur 7 for the day, but there is also an hourly charge. There are a couple of beaches in the large park (Lone Beach and Zlatni Rt), but we just found a nice shaded spot on the rocky shoreline. I think we were near Punta Cabana . It is a popular area so go there by mid morning to obtain a good spot and also to find parking. There were a couple of restaurants nearby and they were renting out sun loungers and umbrellas. 2. Pula 2.1. About Pula & What to See Pula is a working port that isn't as reliant on tourism as other Croatian coastal towns. Pula isn't a particularly attractive town, unlike the numerous Venetian coastal towns dotted along Croatia's coast. However, Pula is more authentic and caters for locals rather than tourists. There are many interesting historical sights in Pula and it is definitely worth visiting for half a day. Many of the sights date back to the Roman era and include: The sixth largest amphitheatre in the world dating back to around 14 AD. Amphitheatre at Pula Amphitheatre at Pula The Roman amphitheatre is the main tourist site in Pula and the entrance fee is Eur 10. In summer it is open from 08.00 to 22.00. We entered at 09.00 and there were very few people until 09.30. Unfortunately they were constructing a large stage and screen for summer events. This prevented us from taking photos of the entire amphitheatre and the construction was noisy. They do this in summer at many amphitheatres and it spoils the experience for visitors who are paying high entrance fees. The Triumphal Arch of the Sergii which was erected in 27 BC. Arch of the Sergii The Temple of Augustus which was completed in 14 AD. Temple of Augustus The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary that dates back to Roman times, although much of the present structure is from the 17th century. Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Venetian castle built in the 1600's. Pula Castle We didn't enter the Venetian castle as there is a Eur 7 entrance fee. This fee also includes the museum but we didn't want to visit it. Instead we walked the entire way around the castle on a reasonable path. There were good views of the moat, castle walls, Pula's harbour and the amphitheatre. The views wouldn't have been much better from the castle. Pula's indoor market which was constructed in 1903. Fish Market 2.2. Getting There & Parking in Pula We visited Pula as a half day trip because Rovinj was a more attractive town to base ourselves in. Pula is a 50 minute drive from Rovinj. Car parking can be a problem in Pula but if you are willing to pay Eur 4 per hour there is a good solution. " Parking Karolina " is a large car park with 200 spaces next to the amphitheatre and it still had spaces when we left at midday. The Eur 4 per hour charge is the most we paid anywhere during our 3 month road trip but it was worth the convenience. Before exiting you pay at the ticket machines by card or cash. There are clean toilets for a charge of Eur 0.70, but there are also free clean toilets at the amphitheatre. 3. Accommodation in Rovinj We stayed in an excellent one bedroom apartment about a 10 minute drive from the centre of Rovinj. We booked it through Booking.com for only Eur 61 per night. I have reviewed it on my blog " UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 2 " (number 15). 4. My other blogs on Croatia Hvar Island, Croatia: Travel Guide Split, Croatia: Travel Guide Trogir, Croatia: Travel Guide Omis, Croatia: Travel Guide Krk Town, Croatia: Travel Guide Brac, Croatia: Travel Guide Rab, Croatia: Travel Guide Montenegro to Croatia- Week 10 Brac to Rab, Croatia - Week 11 Rab to Dolomites, Italy - Week 12

The 4 Bell Towers of Rab Town from the Zidine Fortress We really liked Rab Town and the beaches on the island were good. However, there was too much sporadic development in the countryside along the main roads and it spoiled the view when driving around. Rab seems to be a very compact island and was a bit too busy. That might be because it is so close to the mainland. Contents Rab Town Beaches on Rab Island Ferries to Rab Island Accommodation in Rab Town Restaurants in Rab Town Links to My Other Blogs on Croatia 1. Rab Town 1.1. What to See in Rab Town Rab Town was one of the nicest towns that we visited in Croatia. It is also one of the easiest to find your way around as there are 4 main streets running parallel to one another from west to east. Rab Town is entered from the main square (Trg Svetog Kristofora) which is on the north west side of Rab Town. It is a busy square next to the harbour and has a good view of Zidines's Fortress. The first main street, which runs along the harbour, is surprisingly not that pleasant and there is little to see. The next 2 main streets (Donja Ulica and Srednja Ulica) run closely parallel to each other along the middle of Rab Town. Most of the shops and restaurants are on these 2 streets. The fourth main street runs through the upper part of Rab Town and there are 4 churches and bell towers along it. There is a fee to enter the Great Bell Tower. At the western end of the upper street you can climb steps to a short section of Rab Town's walls. There are good views of the old town with its 4 churches and also of the harbour. At this western end of the upper street you can enter the large and wooded Komrcar park. It is a pleasant walk along the most southern path as there are good sea views over to the Frkanj Peninsular and also of the city walls. The 4 Bell Towers of Rab Town from the Zidine Fortress St Andrews Church & Bell Tower View of Trg Svetog Kristofora from Zidine's Fortress The Zidine Fortress in Rab Town St. Andrew's Church viewed from Komrcar Park St. Mary's Bell Tower in Rab Town 1.2. Parking in Rab Town We always parked at " U.O. Marina (Parking) " about a 10 minute walk from the centre of Rab Town. It is a large car park with an attendant. The charge is Eur 1.50 per hour and you pay the attendant when entering. In the early evening there was plenty of space but by 20.00 it was becoming full. 2. Beaches on Rab Island 2.1 Frkanj Peninsula near Rab Town The Frkanj Peninsular is an undeveloped and wooded peninsula less than a 15 minute drive from Rab Town. Most of the coastline is rocky, although there are some sandy areas. We went twice and parked at Žal Beach Bar & Kitchen for a fee of Eur 4. Water taxis from Rab Town also dock near here. Sun loungers and umbrellas are available, but most people don't use them and find a shady spot along the rocky coast. It is best to arrive before 10.30 to 11.00 a.m. to obtain a parking place and to find a good spot by the sea. It is a popular area and we really liked it. The restaurant gets good reviews but we didn't eat there. Beach on the Frkanj Peninsular Frkanj Peninsular on Rab Island 2.2 Paradise Beach at San Marino Paradise Beach is in the Lopar Peninsular, which unusually for Croatia has a sandy coastline. It is a 20 minute drive to this beach from Rab Town. Paradise beach is a huge beach in a very shallow and sandy bay. It was far too shallow for us as even after walking 100 metres into the sea the water was only up to our knees. It is therefore a beach which is popular with families and has attractions like water slides in the bay. If you have children Paradise beach is probably very nice. For us the sea was too shallow, there were too many people and it was too commercialised. We much preferred the Frkanj Peninsula We paid Eur 13.50 for 2 sun loungers and an umbrella. All day parking was Eur 7.00. Toilets cost Eur 1 with the first visit free if you rent sun loungers. There are smaller and uncommercialised sandy beaches in the north of the Lopar Peninsula. They would have probably suited us better. Paradise Beach at San Marino Paradise Beach at San Marino 3. Ferries to Rab Island 3.1. The Ferry from Jablanac to Misnjak on Rab Island Rapska Plovidba run hourly ferries from Jablanac on the mainland to Misnjak on Rab Island. You can't buy tickets in advance and must buy them at a booth at the dock. They accept credit cards and it cost us Eur 25.50 for the short ferry ride. It is a busy ferry and in peak season there may not be space on the ferry if you arrive near the departure time. The ferry carries about 100 vehicles. Cars waiting for the Ferry at Jablanac Vehicles on the Jablanac to Misnjak Ferry The Jablanac to Misnjak Ferry The Ferry entering Misnjak on Rab Island 3.2. The Ferry from Lopar on Rab Island to Valbiska on Krk Island There is a car ferry that goes between Lopar, at the northern end of Rab Island, to Valbiska on Krk Island. Krk island is connected to the mainland by a bridge. See my blogs Krk Town, Croatia: Travel Guide and Rab, Croatia: Travel Guide . We felt that this was a nicer way of travelling to Rovinj in northern Croatia (see my blog Rovinj & Pula, Croatia: Travel Guide ) than taking the short Jablanac to Misnjak ferry crossing back to the mainland. The travel time was about the same for each route, but the longer ferry ride to Krk island appealed to us as it would be more relaxing. In the summer season there are 4 ferries a day and the times and cost are detailed on croatiaferries.com . We paid Eur 43.93 for the 1 hour 20 minute ferry ride which is operated by the state owned Jadrolinija. The ferry takes about 100 vehicles and when we went all the waiting vehicles boarded the ferry. However, in July and August it is probably best to get there half an hour before boarding time. There is a ticket booth at the dock and credit cards were accepted. The Ferry entering Valbiska on Krk Island 4. Accommodation in Rab Town We were fortunate to find a very nice 2 bedroom apartment 2 kilometres away from Rab Town as there had been a cancellation. We paid Eur 117 per night through Booking.com but the price had been reduced due to the cancellation. My reviews of both apartments are on my blog " UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 2 " (numbers 12 and 13). 5. Restaurants in Rab Town We ate at the Sanpjer restaurant in Rab Town every evening as we liked the food and it was good value. It has very good reviews and is very popular as a result. Usually there are queues and it is better to get there before 18.30. 6. Links to My Other Blogs on Croatia Hvar Island, Croatia: Travel Guide Rovinj & Pula, Croatia: Travel Guide Split, Croatia: Travel Guide Trogir, Croatia: Travel Guide Omis, Croatia: Travel Guide Krk Town, Croatia: Travel Guide Brac, Croatia: Travel Guide Montenegro to Croatia- Week 10 Brac to Rab, Croatia - Week 11 Rab to Dolomites, Italy - Week 12

Krk Town's Harbour We visited Krk Town on our way from Rab to Rovinj (see my blogs Rab to Dolomites, Italy - Week 12 , Rovinj & Pula, Croatia: Travel Guide and Rab, Croatia: Travel Guide ) . We took the ferry from the town of Lopar on Rab Island to the town of Valbiska on Krk island. It was a short drive from Valbiska to Krk Town. We parked to the west of Krk Town at " Parkiraliste 1 . zona" on Kvarnerska Ulica " and it was a 10 minute walk to the historic centre of Krk Town. The parking cost Eur 1 per hour. There were other car parks nearby if this one is full. Krk Town is dominated by the Frankopan Castle and the bell tower of St Quirinus' Church. The tall bell tower has a striking onion dome with a trumpet blowing angel on top. There is a Eur 5 entrance fee for Frankopan castle. Most Google reviews say that it only takes 15 to 20 minutes to look around and the views from the walls are the main feature. You can see the interior of the castle for free as the ticket office is in the courtyard. We didn't think it was worth paying to look around. We enjoyed wandering through most of the streets in Krk's old town and it took us just over an hour. It was definitely worth stopping to see Krk Town. The Francopan Castle, Krk Town The Francopan Castle, Krk Town Interior of the Francopan Castle Passageway by the Cathedral of the Assumption Church of Our Lady in Health St Quirinus' Church My Other Blogs on Croatia Hvar Island, Croatia: Travel Guide Rovinj & Pula, Croatia: Travel Guide Split, Croatia: Travel Guide Trogir, Croatia: Travel Guide Omis, Croatia: Travel Guide Brac, Croatia: Travel Guide Rab, Croatia: Travel Guide Montenegro to Croatia- Week 10 Brac to Rab, Croatia - Week 11 Rab to Dolomites, Italy - Week 12