Contiki Review: A Canadian adventure in the Rockies & Beyond

As crazy as this sounds, this was my very first travel anywhere! I have always been a career focused individual, where I studied back-to-back and never really got the chance to explore! When I saw this trip on the Contiki website I was in love with it, so I booked it and decided to go on an adventure as a solo traveler with a bunch of strangers! I had many mixed feelings; nervous, anxious, and all the feelings a solo traveler feels when booking their very first travel on their own! But this did not stop me from being extremely excited to see mountains and the beauty of the west side of Canada!  

As a person who is reaching her 30s now, I wanted to make sure I have one trip which is perfect and my favorite! The Canada and the Rockies trip was beyond my expectations, the beauty of this side of Canada is not justifiable merely by its pictures. The first memory was being in the plane heading to YVR (Vancouver International Airport), and just seeing the mountains from the aircraft, this is where I knew how real it was getting! The moment I touched down, I was greeted by the enchanted beauty of its mountains, it was the place I had dreamed of being in one day! 

Whistler: Mini Christmas town in other words

Our first stop was Whistle r; this was my favorite stop; the little town where it just reminded me of those hallmark Christmas movie towns, and then just the beauty of mountains making it more beautiful! We had a really fun activity planned right when we got there, called the RZR which was an FTA, (an experience where we used off-road buggies to explore the back country of Whistler). An adrenaline rush activity, but it was one of the most amazing times I had. The views from the top were just astonishing! They took my breath away, as mountains were the first thing I was so excited to see. Just being immersed in nature made the experience extremely worth it for me, and being part of such an amazing group, which I vibed with so fast makes Contiki the best for a solo travellers! Our welcome dinner on this day just felt so family vibed, because everyone was so engaging, so friendly, it’s like we knew everyone from the beginning and didn’t feel like strangers. This is why Contiki was my choice for this, due to the friendly and family vibes one gets on their first group trip! 

Another great activity in Whistler which I was fan of was the peak-to-peak Gondola, which was known as the highest gondola ever! You already know how nervous I was hearing that, but that did not stop me from putting my fear to the side and going for it! It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I had to go for it! The moment we got to the top, I was in a different world, the view blew me away, I was so emotional just being up their mountains all around! It all felt like a dream, but I knew it was real! Our entire group was in awe of the view, and it was breath-taking! My Trip Manager knew it was my first time being in front of mountains so she was the sweetest, and made sure I was doing fine! 

There was one experience the 2^nd day in Whistler which made me feel like I was immersed in a magical realm. This experience was called Vallea Lumina, a very enchanting walking trail, where a story is being told about lost explorers who vanished when trying to find the magical valley. It was a 1.5 KM trail, with magical lights and music, by far was the most beautiful night show I have been to! This was a whole vibe, and for someone who used to read so many fairytales, this experience brought it to life! The guides at the start were amazing, they made sure we had the best time before entering into this magical forest walk! 

Jasper: Home to Spirit Island

I always saw photos of Jasper, Alberta on social media but the moment we crossed from Whistler and entered Jasper, I was speechless again! This is where we had officially entered the Rockies! The views during the drive, the giant mountains more like our Canadian Rockies left me silent. The drive was long but, I was glued to the window – my entire group was – even the Trip Manager! I will forever be grateful I was able to go on this Contiki as this is an experience I wanted once in my lifetime! It just felt like home even in the drives, our trip manager made sure we were doing good! 

An activity I absolutely loved in Jasper was the Maligne Lake Cruise, where we saw a place known as Spirit Island. I truly enjoy being near the water, so combining being near the water and surrounded with mountains made it thousand times worth it. Spirit Island felt very magical, the nature, the sound of animals and just nature all around. It was the best experience I had, was so soothing and peaceful when we got to the island, was perfect in all ways.

Banff: A horseback journey

During my journey in the mountains, I got a chance to explore the back country, in a very unique way which was riding a horse like a cowboy. This was my very first time riding a horse, so I was pretty nervous, but at the same time I was mesmerized by the beautiful animal. This was one of the free time add-ons for my Contiki trip and I could not let the chance go of riding a horse for the first time.  

It was the most amazing experience, just riding the horse through the trails with the backdrop of the towering peaks of the Rockies. We had a great dinner in the middle of the forest which was the best meal ever and really enhanced the experience more. All in all, the weather and the sun did justice to this experience on this day, made it so worthwhile. It was truly the best way to end our day in Banff! 

This Contiki trip was a dream come true, my first trip ever, and I could say traveling solo was the best experience one could have. It showed me that new experiences that are out of my comfort zone can have a profound impact on how I view my life. Not only did I meet new like-minded individuals on this group travel journey, I got to embrace a new side of me; one with a new kind of ‘travel bug’. I look forward to many new adventures in the future as I delve into more new experiences.