We’re going on a bear hunt… We’re not scared!

Wrong on both counts. I wasn’t going on a bear hunt but rather my first solo hiking adventure, and talks with work mates about encountering bears in the Canadian wilderness had me quite worried about running into one. Eeps!

But as luck would have it, the only wildlife I saw during my hike at Joffre Lakes Provincial Park was a cute-looking ground rodent of some sort.

This hike remains one of my favourites to date, right up there with the Preikestolen hike in Norway. And much like the other memorable hikes I have experienced, it was a tough slog getting from A to B, but the physical effort (read, 115 floors’ worth of elevation across the return trip) was well rewarded with stunning views of the three lakes throughout. The most vibrant and spectacular shade of aqua blue thanks to the glacier that feeds into the lakes. I had seen a few photos prior to my visit, but seeing the real deal was something else entirely. Needless to say, this is one to add to your bucket lists!