Wilderness on the edge of luxury

Incentive groups don’t have to rough it or stay in remote, isolated locations to experience the spectacular Canadian wilderness. The beauty of Canada is that there are some fantastic world-class resorts located right on the edge of the country’s most stunning and unspoilt landscapes.

 So, if your top performers prefer the buzz of being in the heart of the action along with all the creature comforts of a luxury five-star hotel, there are a raft of easily accessible wilderness activities available that will make your winners feel like they are truly off-the-beaten track…

Banff & Lake Louise, B.C, Canada. Photo credit: Darren Roberts

Banff & Lake Louise

Banff and Lake Louise have a way of luring you in. Canada’s Rocky Mountain playground is the ultimate incentive reward. Here, mountains soar to jagged peaks, hanging glaciers cling to granite rock faces, narrow valleys are teeming with free roaming wildlife, while glacier-fed lakes shimmer and dazzle. Luxurious resorts combine with wild team building activities and exceptional culinary adventures to provide your incentive winners with an elevated experience.

Fairmont Banff Springs

Luxury

No trip to Banff would be complete without a stay at the ‘Castle in the Rockies’. One of the most renowned hotels in all of Canada, the Fairmont Banff Springs is perched slope-side in the heart of Banff National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The landmark property boasts 770 rooms and suites, so it can accommodate a wide range of incentive groups.

Another Canadian icon, the historic Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise provides the perfect setting for top performers to escape and reenergise in picture-perfect scenery. Ideally suited for intimate retreats for just a few, or a full Chateau buy-out – there are 552 rooms in total – the property provides five-star service amid jaw-dropping scenery.

Adventure

Escape the crowds and get underground to discover the hidden secrets of the Canadian Rockies from a difference perspective. The wild, undeveloped cave under Grotto Mountain is part of one of the longest cave systems in Canada and great for year-round incentive adventures. Your group will climb, crawl, wiggle and slide their way through the wild caves, while marvelling at the ancient stalagmites illuminated by the soft glow of your headlamp.

Taste

Saddle up and experience Banff’s cowboy culture, genuine western hospitality, and incredible mountain scenery on a Cowboy Cookout Ride in Banff. It’s the perfect group activity with a scenic horseback ride or horse-drawn wagon ride along the tranquil Bow River to 3 Mile Cabin for a delicious BBQ cookout with steak, baked potatoes, cowboy baked beans and more.

Jasper

Rustic luxuries meet natural wonders in Jasper. This Rocky Mountain retreat is an ideal place to treat your peak performers against some of Canada’s most dramatic mountain vistas.

Jasper National Park

With its shimmering glaciers, abundant wildlife, crystal-clear lakes, thundering waterfalls, deep canyons, and evergreen forest and abundant wildlife, it’s no wonder that Jasper National Park is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Canada’s largest dark sky preserve, the stars shine more brightly here and yours will too, to earn this top incentive reward.

Luxury

Out of the way, but not off the grid, the secluded Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge takes Canadian cabin and cottage culture to new heights. Framed by mountains, this luxurious log cabin retreat deep in the heart of Canada’s largest national park and dark sky preserve has welcomed rock stars, royalty, and intrepid incentive winners to discover lush green forests, sparing mountain peaks, endless vistas, and mystical turquoise lakes.

Adventure

Journey along the Athabasca Glacier in a snocoach specially designed to navigate the icy terrain. As part of the experience, your team will step out onto ice formed over 200 years ago, fill their bottles with ice cold water burbling down the largest glacier in the Columbia Icefield and stroll high above one of the most unique ecosystems in the world.

Taste

A secluded, tranquil lake. Some of the darkest night skies in the world. A roaring bonfire. The winsome call of loons. Horseshoes, lawn darts, and strumming guitars. There’s no better place to connect with your team than with a grand cookout on the shores of Trefoil Lake. 

Whistler

Whistler is magnetic. From the breath-taking alpine playground to the endless options of the Village, its diverse offering of rugged West Coast beauty, passionate community, and unrivalled selection of adrenalin fuelled experiences, Whistler is the perfect backdrop for thrill seeking incentive groups in search of adventure. A permanent fixture on bucket lists around the world, excellence in hospitality pairs perfectly with this mountain resort playground.

Garibaldi Provincial Park, Whistler, B.C

Luxury

There are plenty of luxury options in Whistler, from the prestigious Four Seasons Whistler, which offers 273 rooms featuring cosy wood interiors and gas burning fireplaces combined with superb hospitality, to the ski-in, ski-out luxury of the Fairmont Chateau Whistler which recently topped the list of Canada’s best resorts in Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards. The 519-room resort is located at the foot of Blackcomb Mountain and is an ideal base for incentive groups looking for wilderness experiences with a luxury edge.

Adventure

Heli-adventures are a great way to get out and discover the areas most secluded spots. Soar over knife-sharp peaks, ancient glaciers, hidden lakes and valleys and stunning ice formations. Touch down in a remote backcountry valley or atop a mountainside far from civilisation but hardly uncivilised. Take a yoga class, hike in the pristine landscape, or toast your team with a glass of bubbly and a gourmet picnic.

Taste

Imagine an exclusive dinner inside an ice cave in the mountains, with walls that turn every shade of blue. The experience begins with a helicopter ride to the largest icefield in the southern region of Canada, where your group can observe mountains covered in snow, forests, and impressive views. Enjoy a glass of champagne while touring the inside of the cave before tucking into a gourmet menu as a team.

Planning your 2022 incentive programme? If you’re interested in rewarding your top performers with a memorable stay in one of Canada’s luxury resorts in Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper or Whistler, head to the Destination Canada Business Events Canada website for ideas and inspiration

This content is sponsored by Destination Canada Business Events.