For Australians making the long-haul journey to Canada, Banff National Park is often the centrepiece of the trip.
But before you head off to explore this wonderful park, did you know that there is a variety of travel apps that can help you make your trip the best it can be?
Ten best apps for exploring Banff National Park
Take a look at ten of the best smartphone apps for you to download before you set off on your Canadian adventure.
1. Learn all about Banff National Park with the official app
Want to explore the beautiful sights of the entire park from the comfort of your car? The Banff National Park app has self-guided driving tours ready and waiting to be used, allowing you to see everything you want in the park.
Over 100 self-guided audio tours can answer all your questions as you explore the park. The audio tours include fascinating stories that help you further appreciate the park. These stories will automatically trigger as you approach the next place of interest.
The app offers a “seamless offline” experience, with over 1,200 local search categories ready upon download. Moreover, if you purchase tours in-app, you’ll be charged per car and not per person, allowing people to save money.
2. Secure your internet connections with a VPN
As with any outdoor activity, many people visiting Banff National Park will prioritise their physical safety. But you need to remember your cybersecurity, too. Many travellers don’t realise criminals are keen to track their activity and launch a cyberattack when they least suspect it.
The best way to secure your online activity and get total peace of mind is to use a reliable VPN provider. A VPN works by encrypting your connection, scrambling data, and making it harder for anyone to monitor your activity.
With a VPN, you can connect to any public Wi-Fi network along your route, which are typically hotbeds for criminal activity, without compromising your personal information.
3. Identify all mountain peaks with PeakVisor
Banff National Park is home to some of the world’s most iconic mountain peaks, including peaks such as Mount Rundle, Sulphur Mountain, and Mount Temple. PeakVisor is a fantastic app that allows you to recognise, name, and find detailed information about these natural attractions.
The app gives you information about each peak, including elevation and distance from you, and it can highlight the best route for you to take for a closer look.
4. Learn about the park’s unique nature with iNaturalist
The Banff National Park is a treasure trove of biodiversity, with amazing flora and fauna at every corner. iNaturalist is an app developed by the National Geographic Society that allows hikers to identify and record many different flowers, insects, and more throughout their journey.
Each entry can be recorded on a community map, allowing other travellers to visit your finds in the Banff National Park and beyond.
Best of all, the data you capture is recorded and used by scientists to profile natural environments, meaning you’re helping the vital research that documents plant and animal populations in the area.
5. Pack everything you need with PackPoint
Massive weather changes can hamper your travel plans and limit your freedom around the park. PackPoint is a handy planning app that helps you make the most of your trip to the park, allowing you to plan for virtually everything.
It can create a list of things you must bring to the park on a specific date. All you need to do is put in your desired activities and enter the date. The app will consider predicted weather forecasts to help you plan accordingly.
6. Enjoy the pristine night sky with Sky Guide
One of the best (and often overlooked) benefits of visiting the Banff National Park is the clear night sky you will enjoy. Since there is no light pollution, many travellers enjoy seeing the stars over the picturesque mountains.
Sky Guide is an app that can help you identify any star, constellation, planet, or satellite you take a picture of with your phone. Its user-friendly design means new and experienced astronomers can easily navigate the skies.
Calendar features can help highlight upcoming celestial phenomena, and the app works with or without mobile data, ensuring that you can explore the skies no matter where you are in the park.
7. Keep track of your spending with Trabee Pocket
Do you want the best experience at Banff National Park but at an affordable cost? Trabee Pocket is a fantastic travel app that helps you manage your budget and expenses throughout your trip.
The app allows you to add purchases on the go and keep track of cash and credit card purchases separately. The app will keep them on file and provide you with statistics on how much you are spending. Multiple currencies and exchange rates ensure that you can measure your spending accurately.
8. Gather all essential documents with TripIt
TripIt is a valuable app for travellers making a long journey to Banff National Park, who may have several bookings across accommodations and restaurants that they need to keep organised.
The app can take all your reservations and create a “master” document of your trips, helping you stay on top of everything and reducing the paperwork and documents you need to bring — even when your phone is offline.
All you need to do is forward your confirmation emails, and TripIt will create a comprehensive itinerary in seconds, simplifying your trip. The app will send helpful reminders as your trip approaches, helping you prepare well ahead of time.
The above article is paid content, and any information presented should be independently verified before making any decisions as a result of the content. This article does not constitute advice of any kind, nor does it represent the opinions of the website publisher.