by – Jordan Allen

Banff National Park is Canada’s oldest National Park and is renowned for its simply spectacular peaks and valleys which wee formed through geological upheavals and glacial movements over 77 million years ago.

Banff National Park is also an amazing wildlife refuge and is home to elk, deer, big horn sheep, but perhaps the most famous sight in the whole Park is Lake Louise.

People have been living in the area for over 11,000 years with the Cree and Kootenay Native Americans living in the area. The first white settlers arrived in the 1800’s and eventually arguments over the regions natural resources prompted the Canadian Government to declare the area a National Park. The town of Banff is located inside the National Park and is under the strict control of the government.

Lake Louise

The surreal turquoise-aqua colour of the water in Lake Louise flows from the mineral-filled melting water from the Victoria Glacier. The lake is only 2 km long (1.2 miles) but is 69 m (225 ft) deep. Being glacial runoff, the water is icy and too cold for swimming, but it is very popular for boating during the summer.