From Schiphol to the foot of the Rockies

We left Amsterdam in the afternoon on a direct KLM flight to Edmonton, with no layovers required. After roughly nine hours in the air, we landed and climbed into a minivan for the next stage of the journey. Our first night wasn’t spent in the mountains but in Old Strathcona, Edmonton’s lively entertainment district centred around Whyte Avenue. Surrounded by vintage shops, galleries, restaurants and cafés, it was easy to find the perfect spot for our first Canadian meal. After such a long flight, a stroll through a vibrant neighbourhood is exactly what you need to stay awake until a reasonable local bedtime.

The following morning was all about one thing: hitting the road. Jasper National Park was still four to five hours away. At first, the landscape was flat and surprisingly free of snow, but kilometre by kilometre the mountains began to grow larger on the horizon. Then came that unforgettable moment when you round a corner and the Rockies suddenly appear in all their glory. It is the kind of view that instantly makes every minute of the drive worthwhile. Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, a designated Dark Sky Preserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the moment you enter, you know you’ve arrived somewhere special.

We checked into Chateau Jasper, a perfectly located hotel with an exceptionally warm welcome. There was only one thing missing from the winter picture: snow. Thankfully, nature quickly took care of that. Overnight, snow began to fall, and by morning a beautiful blanket of fresh powder covered the landscape. Exactly what I had secretly hoped for.

Over the following days, the park continued to impress. A guide from Sundog Tours led us through the Maligne Valley, past frozen Medicine Lake and into the hidden Pleckaitis Canyon. Along the way, wildlife sightings gave us plenty of reasons to keep our eyes glued to the windows. Once we arrived, fully equipped with safety gear, we walked across the ice at the bottom of one of the deepest accessible canyons in the park. Surrounded by fresh snow, it felt as though we had stepped into a secret world far removed from everyday life. It was simply breathtaking.

That evening, we experienced Jasper from a different perspective during a downtown food tour featuring four stops, each serving a surprise dish paired with a matching drink. To top it all off, we spent the evening at the Jasper Planetarium, learning about Canadian constellations, the Northern Lights and the Milky Way beneath a domed sky.

While the scenery was extraordinary, what stayed with me most were the people. Whether at the ski resort, during the food tour or simply at the hotel reception desk, we encountered genuine warmth and kindness everywhere. People took the time to answer questions, offer recommendations and share their enthusiasm for the region. That hospitality makes Jasper every bit as memorable as the mountains themselves.

The grand finale: an evening with the Edmonton Oilers

Just when it seemed the week couldn’t offer any more highlights, one final experience awaited: an NHL game featuring the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place, located just steps from our hotel. The Oilers are a franchise steeped in history, having won five Stanley Cups during the 1980s and remaining one of the league’s top teams thanks to stars such as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. From our seats in the Sky Lounge, we watched a thrilling game filled with intensity and atmosphere. Every goal sent the crowd into a frenzy and made the arena erupt. If you ever have the chance to attend a hockey game in Canada, do it. The energy is unlike anything most Europeans are used to, and it is exactly the kind of unexpected highlight that can make a trip unforgettable.

On our final morning, we enjoyed breakfast at the cosy Tiramisu Bistro before taking a final stroll along 124th Street, browsing boutiques, visiting galleries and sampling chocolate at Delavoye. Soon, it was time to head for the airport, carrying memories of snowy mountains, coyotes, inspiring encounters and that one goal that sent the entire Sky Lounge into celebration.

Alberta proves that in just one week, you can combine breathtaking nature with vibrant city life, all enriched by culture and outstanding food. The snow-covered landscapes of Jasper and the electric atmosphere of an Oilers game are the two images that will stay with me the longest. And they are exactly why I hope to do it all again someday.