Summer Activities: Banff tours bring you to some of the Canadian Rockies’ most prized wildlife

The grizzly bear is one of the great attractions of the Canadian Rockies, and on the Discover Grizzly Bears tour, you'll learn all about these magnificent animals.

Ah, mountains. Rejoice in the abundance of life that flourishes in them. The Canadian Rockies boast some of the most varied and impressive wildlife to be found anywhere, and there are many tours available to show it to you during your vacation in Banff National Park, Jasper National Park and their surroundings. Here are a couple you might consider to get started:

- EVENING WILDLIFE SAFARI: The best times of the day to see most wildlife are dawn and dusk. This three-hour tour in Banff National Park highlights dusk. It leaves at 6:30 p.m., and in the course of the journey you will learn about the behaviors of many of Banff’s most celebrated residents, and about the challenges of protecting them and meeting their needs. The route for this tour changes daily, as does the content, so it’s a new experience every time you take it. You should know that this is a bus tour; there is almost no walking involved.

- DISCOVER GRIZZLY BEARS TOUR: What better way to highlight your vacation that with a visit to that most famous inhabitant of of the Canadian Rockies, the grizzly bear? Come meet Boo, an orphaned cub who now lives in Golden’s Grizzly Bear Refuge. He’s a playful fellow, and you’ll get to watch him in action in his natural habitat. You’ll also get a seat on the gondola at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, which rises over an area known to be frequented by grizzly bears. Other tour highlights include walking the summit’s trails and a lunch at Canada’s highest restaurant.