Page 32 of Canada Alaska and The Arctic by Audley Travel

banff and surrounding mountains log cabin cathedral mountain lodge buffalo mountain lodge hiking in the rocky mountains banff gondola banff the small town of banff is dominated by the towering mountains of banff national park the town itself has plenty of shops and restaurants and is small enough to walk around but it is the stunning beauty of the surrounding national park that captivates visitors created in 1887 this is canada s oldest national park and encompasses some of the finest scenery in north america if not the world for an overall view of the mountain landscape take the gondola to the top of sulphur mountain before visiting the cave and basin lake minnewanka and bathing in the upper hot springs active options include walking horse riding mountain biking canoeing and rafting all of which may well provide a close sighting of the region s abundant wildlife buffalo mountain lodge banff located on the slopes of tunnel mountain just a few minutes drive from the centre of banff buffalo mountain lodge is an oasis amongst the mountains built of timber and fieldstone the delightful main lodge features wooden cathedral post and beam ceilings and a huge stone fireplace the adjacent dining room offers mouth-watering local cuisine and an awardwinning wine selection whilst there is also a café serving more casual fare in total there are 108 rooms located in two-storey annexes and all have a balcony or patio and a wood-burning fieldstone fireplace sulphur mountain gondola banff the unesco world heritage site of sulphur mountain provides fabulous 360-degree views of the surrounding snow-capped peaks it is said that from this peak you can see more mountains in a moment than most will see in a lifetime six mountain ranges dominate the view there s no need to be a mountaineer as gondolas whisk you from banff to the summit where boardwalks lead along the ridge and there are two restaurants canmore located just a few kilometres from banff canmore is a charming quiet town just outside the national park limits that has not yet succumbed to souvenir shops and the busy pace of life which comes with tourism it has some lovely restaurants and bed and breakfasts and can be a better alternative base to explore the national park especially during the peak summer months pension tannenhof banff pension tannenhof set in the spruce trees at the foot of sulphur mountain away from the hustle and bustle of central banff has been welcoming guests from around the world since 1985 with all the cosy comfort of a charming country home guests meet around the open fireplace of the large high-ceilinged living room while accommodation is provided in ten spacious guest bedrooms a buffet breakfast is the perfect start to each morning in the mountains pension tannenhof alberta canada telephone 01993 838 700 33

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