Blown away by the trip leaders and the majesty of the mountains surrounding Banff and Jasper! The trip plan was ideal with a good mix of activities. The equipment is top notch. The group dynamics of the family trip were awesome with a lovely mix of likeminded people. We were blown away by how everyone accommodated and loved on our special needs son, particularly the trip leaders. Considerations: 1. Buffalo Mountain Lodge was at the edge of acceptable. The Prow restaurant was great, but the buffet breakfasts were not up to the standards of Backroads. Massive hot tub a huge bonus. 2. Pine Bungalows in Jasper blew me away. I've stayed in amazing places all over the world and while Pine Bungalows is not trying to be a 5 star resort, the service, coziness, proximity to the Athabasca River, and the Kumama Bistro are top notch. That being said, a hot tub for tired bodies would be restorative. 3. Support local small businesses. The end of trip celebratory dinner was held at a restaurant that was recently subsumed by a large leisure conglomerate. There are other great places in Jasper that are still family owned - please support them. 4. Replace all the ziploc bags for sandwiches and snacks with wax paper bags. 5. Hand out a "keep sake" aluminum bike bottle instead of plastic bottles - microplastics from shedding bottles are bad for us. What could not be improved and was most excellent - our trip leaders and their awesome senses of humour (that extra "u" is for you), kindness, care for the group (without favouritism (did it again!)), and unique Canadian personalities. This trip created phenomenal connectedness for our family and I was sad to have it come to an end.

This was our first trip with Backroads and overall we've had a great experience. Banff and Jasper national parks are beautiful and the leaders made sure we saw different aspects , including mountains, lakes and wildlife. We enjoyed the itinerary as it included a variety of activities and every day offered something different. The trip leaders were able to accommodate kids of different physical abilities and make it enjoyable for all.

Our third trip .... Backroads continues to excel! Kat (as well as Sydney) were wonderful in accommodating our every need. We were a diverse family with multiple endurance and skill levels. My 43 year old daughter was in top-level fitness for the challenges for the trip, my 71 year old husband was in great shape and was up for his challenges, my 13 and 8 year old granddaughters were at the top of their game for the week. Sadly, I had physical challenges due to back surgery and a hip replacement. Both Kat and Sydney helped us to achieve our personal best. Not an easy task with such diverse levels. Their guidance, support, and encouragement helped us experience the best trip on every level! We all grew to love these exceptional young women!