Vancouver to Banff and back
 

Here's the challenge:
My Japanese relatives want me to organise a trip starting in Vancouver, driving to Banff/Jasper and back.
Total time ONE WEEK in August.
Budget: limited. Say around $100 or less per room per night.
Interests: Hiking, sightseeing, eating and drinking.

Can anyone advise me whether this is possible? Suggestions of places to see/hike? Places to stay that won't break the bank? How crowded will it be in August? What's the driving like?

And any other advice.

Thanks.

for August, $100 or less per room per night would be almost impossible inside the mountain park area. You also didn't mention the total number of people in your group as it might make a difference as well (as in more expensive with more people in the same room)

I was wondering if there are any standard chain hotels in places outside the mountain parks from where it would be easy to drive to the parks.
There are 5 of us and we will need 2 rooms.
Have also just seen the replies on earlier posts....

In your price range campgrounds advisable there are cheapish hotels along the way also.When I did this last liked Kamloops Penticton Revestoke Banff Lake Louise Jasper it was great.
Best hiking along Ice Fields parkway around Lake Louise gorp.com
Beware the bears wear bells and bring pepper spray when you hike. Always look at the bear poo(skat) as you hike amd learn the difference between brown bear skat(lots of berries) and grizzly skat(lots of bells and sort of smells like pepper)

With a group, the rental car from Vancouver is cheaper. When I travel solo or with my DW, I/we travel on the Canadian from Vancouver to Jasper. We both like the HI Hostel about 4 miles SW of Jasper. http://www.hihostels.com/
It has been a very long time since I have been to Banff.
There are other HI hostels in that area.
The dorm rooms will fit your budget and being able to cook in the kitchen will save lots of money vs. restaurants.
Bears aren't the only animals to be worried about. Elk often come right into Jasper.

Hostel is definitely an option, so are bed and breakfasts. I remember years ago that we didn't book anything ahead and everywhere is full. We pulled into a palce called "A1" motel and back then that still wanted $S49 +tax. We paid for the rioom and ended up sleeping in the car outside the room and used the bathrooms. There are cheapies and then there are cheapies.

Canmore (ouside Banff) can be cheaper and is only minutes away from the park gate. You can probably rent a 2 bedroom units for around $200 to $250 a night which will be close to your budget. Those units also has full kitchen so it will cut back on the food bill.

You can use Canmore as a base for Banff and Lake Louise. There are palces outside Jasper but they are a bit further out.

Here is a suggestion for your 1 week (would be very rushed):

Day 1: Drive from Vancouver to Valemount (a relative long drive but can be done in a day if you have an early start)

Overnight at Valemont. There should be hotel rooms close to your price. Valemont is only a short drive to Jasper so you can actually return to Valemont after toruing Jasper.
Tête Jaune Cache is an option but better amnd more choices at Valemuont.

Day 2: Another early start from valmount, derive through Jasper and icefield Parkway. Feel free to make as many stop as yu want along the way, as long as you make it to Canmore by night. You can drive right through to Canmore and don't make any more stop once you drive pass the Hwy 93 and Trans Canada Hwy junction. Over night at Canmore

Day 3: Canmore to Lake Lousie, spend the day at Lake Lousie area. Return to Canmore overnight.

Day 4: Canmore to Banff, spend the day in Banff townsite and surrounding area. Return to Canmore overnight.

Day 5: Canmore to Banff, spend the day in area outside Banff such as Johsntone Canyon etc. Return to Canmore overnight.

Day 6: Canmore to castle Junction - Radium Hot Spring through Kootenay National Park., Go North on Hwy 95 towards Golden. This is a bit off the beaten and offers different scenery then the Icefield Parkway. Overnight at Godlen.

Day 7: Godlen to Kamloops - home to Vancouver.

Alternative for Day 6 would be drive towards Lake Losuie and into Yoho National Park, to Godlen and then overnight at either Golden or Kamploops.

Valemount is about an hour and 15 minutes drive from Jasper, for the moeny you may save in Hotel in Jasper, you ended up spending 2.5 hours driving and probably half a tank of gas ($50-$60) so I would look at a hotel in Jasper instead and spend less time driving, and more time sight seeing if the money difference is not that much bigger.

Canmore is only 1/2 hour away from Banff so it is no big deal.
lake Losuie is about 45 minutes away from Banff. Teh drive is eay and teh scenery is great so driving that stretch back and forth is no big deal. And the savings at Canmore over Banff or Lake Lousie is substaintial.

By the way, if you ask the locals, bear bells doesn't work. Bears don't like loud noises so a whistle may work better. Common sense is what is needed when approaching wild life, even it is a harmless looking deer.

Good luck!

By the way, when I say approach wildlife, I really mean when you see wildlife.

You NEVER EVER approach any wildlife. It is dangerous. You should stay at a safe distance, even if it is a harmless looking little thing.

And never feed the wildlife.

Thanks. I really appreciate this.
Maybe I should add that one of our group is 94 and the rest are all over 60!
I'm especially grateful for the advice re bears: I'm not sure if the others are aware of the local wildlife.
Right now I'm looking at apartments.