Luxury Travel in the Canadian Rockies

By Krista Marshall (2005)
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Luxury in the Canadian wilderness? Champagne and whitewater? High alpine hiking and silver tray service? While sounding outrageous and contradictory it’s just another day of active luxury travel by Austin-Lehman Adventures. And the magnificent setting of the Canadian Rockies provides the perfect multisport playground.

Rising well over 10,000 feet the Canadian Rockies loom on the landscape like the great stone and steel towers of downtown New York. Carved and shaped by Mother Nature, this breathtaking mountainscape invites adventurous exploration and is the home to five national parks – Banff, Jasper, Yoho, Kootenay, and Waterton Lakes. Amid impenetrable forests, raging rivers, hanging glaciers, and meadows of Technicolor wildflowers Austin-Lehman Adventures succeeds in merging invigorating outdoor activity into an unforgettable luxury vacation.

The bustling and historic city of Calgary offers the ideal gateway for quick access into the region’s most awe-inspiring scenery. A gorgeous 90-minute drive brings you to the charming mountain town of Banff, jumping-off point for most of Austin-Lehman’s day adventures. Here you’ll find the Buffalo Mountain Lodge and its cozy rooms replete with amenities such as down comforters, fireplaces, and claw foot tubs. Down the road is the jewel of the Rockies, Lake Louise. Here, ALA guests stay at the Post Hotel, a sumptuous accommodation that was named one of the “World’s Best Places to Stay” in 2004 by Condé Nast Traveler. You see, nightly pampering after a day of calorie crunching activity is just a part of what makes a vacation with Austin-Lehman so special.

Whether taking a family trip or a romantic escape for two, an ALA small group adventure in the Canadian Rockies provides a plethora of healthy and achievable outdoor adventure. Combining wilderness hiking, rafting, canoeing, horseback riding, and some of best alpine mountain biking into a seamless six-day package is what Austin-Lehman does best. During a typical week you’ll float the Kicking Horse River, hike alpine meadows to Ptarmigan Cirque (a glacier-carved natural amphitheater), bike the Minnewanka and Two Jacks Lake Loop, and spur your horse through the forests of Kananaskis. A guided walk (with crampons and ice axe) across the Athabasca Glacier with noted guide and naturalist Peter LeMieux is another highlight to expect.

The Canadian Rockies are a main attraction among Austin-Lehman’s portfolio of 32 luxury multisport vacations. Hallmark to all their trips is what Director Dan Austin calls the “WOW factor.” Combining luxury with multisport activities can be challenging but Austin-Lehman does it by focusing on the details. “We're always looking for ways to surprise our guests and blow away their expectations,” says Austin. Just like offering hot towels after a cool river raft, a tray of yogurt and fruit parfaits (with tiny umbrellas) halfway through a hike, or a cooler of ice-cold beer and lawn chairs by a lake after a good bike ride.

Their trips into the Canadian Rockies are no exception. To top-off each day they offer the best in fine dining and the most pampering places to rest your head. From mints on your pillow to silver platter mountain picnics, Austin-Lehman offers the ultimate in luxury multisport travel.

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