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Many motorcyclists head to Canada for an adventure on their two-wheeler. And with good reason. The country has a lot to offer motorcyclists, including unrivalled and diverse natural beauty, empty winding roads and welcoming locals. In fact, Canada has so much to offer that it can be difficult to decide where to go. That’s why we’re here to help. We’ll go over the perfect route for an adventurous motorbike journey through the Canadian Rockies to discover the unspoilt paradise of British Columbia.

Golden Triangle Circle Route

A well-known route through the Canadian Rockies is the Golden Triangle Circle Route, a scenic motorbike route that takes you through three different national parks: Banff, Yoho and Kootenay. This route starts in Alberta’s Banff National Park, where the picturesque Lake Louise is located. Pull over and enjoy a lakeside walk or a gondola ride.

Continue west over Kicking Horse Pass to British Columbia and Yoho National park. This park covers an area of 1,310 km² and includes the Spiral Tunnels, Takakkaw Falls (one of the highest waterfalls in Canada), Emerald Lake and Burgess Shale (a 505 million year old fossil record). Plenty of interesting stops for your motorbike journey!

A little further on in Golden, situated on the Kicking Horse and Columbia Rivers, the sporty motorcyclists are in for a treat. It is the perfect place for rafting or mountain biking. Golden also has a wolf and grizzly bear sanctuary.

After this, unwind on your bike and drive further to Kootenay National Park. Here lies Sinclair Canyon, home to the Radium Hot Springs. These natural mineral hot springs are the ideal place to relax. In Kootenay National Park, you will also find several viewpoints and hiking trails (such as Kootenay Valley Viewpoint, Vermillion Crossing, Paint Pot and Fireweed Trail at the Continental Divide). To complete the Golden Triangle Circe Route, return to Alberta.

Getting an international driving licence and eTA

A motorbike trip like this requires some preparation. In theory, the British driving licence is valid in Canada. However, some rental companies can still ask for an international driving license, so it is wise to still get one regardless. Additionally, rental companies can have other rules, such as a minimum or maximum age, or a minimum amount of years your must have held your license. Check this before you head off to avoid problems on location.

British tourists, and indeed tourists from Europe in general, must also get their eTA application  sorted out before heading to the airport. The eTA is applied for online and. unlike the visa. only takes a few days to be approved (often the same day). Unlike a license or visa, the eTA is not a paper document but an electronic authorisation. This means you don’t have to print anything after it has been approved. Instead, the eTA is digitally linked to your passport. From the moment of approval, your passport and flight tickets are the only proof you need to travel.

While Canada is massive, the eTA allows you to stay in the country for up to six months. Of course, most holidays don’t last quite as long, but it’s a comforting thought to know you don’t have to worry about the validity of your travel permit during your trip.

Taking your own bike, renting or buying

It is of course a special experience to ride around in another country on your own trusty motorbike. Normally, Air Canada has a “Fly Your Bike program” from spring to fall. Through this program, motorbikes can be flown to and from the following cities: Athens, Brussels, Calgary, Casablanca, Dublin, Edinburg, Frankfurt, Geneva, Glasgow, London (LHR), Manchester, Milan, Montreal, Paris, Rome, Toronto, Vancouver, Venice and Zurich. Prices vary depending on the destination. However, due to the coronavirus, this service is temporarily unavailable.

If you don’t want to have to go through all that hassle, you can also choose to book your motorbike trip through a travel agency. In that case, you will usually also rent a motorbike through them. Renting a motorbike is often the easiest and cheapest option. Can’t get enough of the beautiful Canadian landscapes and are you planning to drive around the country for several months? Then it might be wise to buy a motorbike. This may require a little more maintenance, but if you can sell it at the end of your trip, it is the cheapest option for longer trips.