• Search out the great outdoors in the southern part of the Rockies; Banff and Jasper in Alberta, and Kootenay and Yoho in British Columbia are obvious starting points.

• Make the most of wonderful mountain scenery by engaging in a plethora of winter sports, for example: dog sledding (trekking along mountain trails with teams of huskies under the supervision of experienced guides); ski-joring (being pulled along on skis by teams of huskies); wildlife tracking; igloo building and snowshoeing.

• Get out on the snowy slopes. Skiing, both cross-country and downhill, is a major pastime in the Rockies in the winter. Snowboarding is also very popular.

• Attend the Calgary Stampede, Canada's biggest rodeo and billed as the ‘Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth'; it is held over 10 days in July each year (website: www.calgarystampede.com) and attracts many competitors and spectators with stage shows, parades, concerts, rodeo and agricultural exhibits.

• Drive the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93), running the length of the two stunning parks and affording magnificent views of the lakes, forests and the glaciers of the Columbia Icefield, which incorporates the McKinley Glacier and the Columbia Glacier. It also provides access to wilderness trails in the area.

• If you dare, try alpine diving! Horseshoe Lake, Patricia Lake and Lake Annette are three of the more popular locations. Divers should be experienced and employ the ‘buddy' system as the water is cold often cloudy. The local Rangers Station supplies permits, maps and other information.

• Enjoy the Banff Summer Arts Festival, which is Alberta's biggest showcase of the arts (with dance, theatre, film, lectures and art) and takes place over three months annually: all amidst the stunning backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. 

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.