Rubbing shoulders with the Rocky Mountains, Kananaskis country in Alberta, Canada is a wonderland of nature. Travelling there in the summer is filled with a myriad of outdoor things to do like horseback riding, going for a helicopter ride, winning (or losing, depending on Lady Luck!) at the Stoney Nakoda Resort and Casino, playing at the Kananaskis golf course and taking the plunge with whitewater rafting.
Kananaskis Golf Course
- 1 Lorette Drive, Highway 40 South, 1-877-591-2525 or 403-591-7272
For some, summer is synonymous with golf. That’s just the way it is. The Kananaskis Country Golf Course is equipped with the Mt. Lorette Course and Mt. Kidd Couse, corresponding to the spectacular mountain views that each course is set in. Speaking of mountains, they rise almost 1,500 metres (5,000 feet) above the golf courses here, so bring a camera along in the caddie.
Kananaskis Country Helicopter Tour
- Office located in the Stoney Nakoda Resort and Casino (see below), 1-888-591-0222 or 403-881-2500
Being so near to the Rocky Mountains, it would be insane not to take advantage of the surroundings.
Highly recommended is taking a helicopter tour with Kananaskis Heli Tours. There are 20-minute, 25-minute and 55-minute routes that take the adventurous past Mt. Lougheed, Mt. Sparrowhead and Mt. Assiniboine. The views are breathtaking and it feels as if a quick arm out the window could touch the mountains. The staff are ultra friendly and are good at soothing frightened nerves and making everyone feel welcome.
Kananaskis Trail Rides at Boundary Ranch
- On highway 40, 1-877-591-7177 or 403-591-7171
Whether it’s an hour, half a day, or full day trail ride, going horseback riding while in Alberta is a requirement (not officially, but it should be). The company also does backcountry riding trips for two days or longer. They go into places that are hardly seen by others.
For the less daring, the trail rides offer gorgeous views without staying overnight. A wonderful lunch is prepared for guests (with great vegetarian options), or stay for a full BBQ, rodeo and hayride. The folks at Boundary Ranch have been taking care of their guests since Alvin Guinn began guiding visitors around Kananaskis country the 1930s (make sure to check out the vintage and movie photos that were taken here).
Whitewater Rafting in Kananaskis
While enjoying the outdoors, there are a few rivers around that have good whitewater rafting. Inside Out Tours (Bragg Creek, 1-877-999-7238 or 403-949-3305) does trips in the Kananaskis, Bow, Red Deer and Kicking Horse rivers.
Kananaskis Hotel, Alberta
- 888 Nakoda Way, 1-888-862-5632 or 403-881-2830
At the entrance to Kananaskis Village is the brand new Stoney Nakoda Resort and Casino. 300 slot machines keep most people entertained, but there’s also blackjack, roulette, baccarat and Texas Hold ‘Em Poker to play.
After a day of working hard in the casino, there are contemporary rooms upstairs for travellers. Actually, because the building is new and the amenities in a casino hotel are good (free parking, calls and wireless internet, reasonable nightly rates, etc.), this is a good place to stay as a base for exploring Kananaskis country.
Lori Henry - A travel writer, Lori flits between exploring the world with incessant curiosity and huddling over her laptop writing.
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