5 Best Travel Apps for the Canadian Rockies
We've handpicked the best travel apps we used to save our time and travel more efficiently in Canada and the Canadian Rockies, but you can generally use them for all your travels. All information, advice, maps, and tips in your pocket.
Every time we travel abroad, we search for apps that may help us with our upcoming journey.
And even though it is an excellent idea to get away from technology and camp or hike in the wilderness without a cell phone and mobile signal, there are moments when travel apps come especially handy.
Either you need an accurate weather forecast for your next trek or don't know where you will spend a night; in those times, it is helpful to be able to find information quickly, and nowadays, there is usually an app for that.
This short travel guide includes the best travel apps for the Canadian Rockies we used on the road.
#1 WEATHER NETWORK
When it comes to a weather forecast, the only thing that matters is hourly accuracy.
You might find countless other apps with either a more pleasing user interface or cool functions while browsing the app store, but this one did the job for us and was the most reliable.
It is good to remember that weather in the Canadian Rockies is unpredictable and can change quickly, so be prepared for the worst when planning outdoor activities.
Not underestimating the weather is very important, same as the packing list. To get inspired on what to pack, check out our Canadian Rockies Packing List.
#2 WIKICAMPS CANADA
If the weather app is the most important, the Wikicamps is the most facilitating in guiding you on your journey, and we couldn't imagine traveling in Canada without this app.
You don't even need an internet connection as it works offline. The database is kept up-to-date by the user community, allowing you to find campsites effortlessly and just making everything so much easier.
The only downside is the app is not free for IOS.
#3 LEARN TO CAMP
Would you like to spend a night in the wilderness or a designated campground, and not entirely sure what to pack or how to set up a tent?
Camping in the Canadian Rockies can be an unforgettable experience, and this app will help you with that. Learn to Camp is the official app created by Parks Canada, and even though it's aimed at first-time campers, it still offers useful tips and advice to everyone.
What we truly appreciated the most was a function called camping checklists, which allows creating your list so you won't leave anything at home.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
#4 SKYVIEW
One of the coolest and educative apps you can download on your device.
Just point your phone's camera at the night sky, and the app will identify celestial objects you see. With billions of stars above, this app comes in handy when camping outdoors away from the city lights.
#5 MAPS.ME
We used this app every day on our travels through the Canadian Rockies and couldn't recommend it enough. It does an outstanding job not only in Canada but is very useful all around the world.
It's free, maps have significantly smaller size when compared to Google Maps, and you can download entire country or even the whole world. Navigation works in offline mode (walking, cycling, driving), you can bookmark every place on the map and the reason why we love this app so much, are hiking trails.
You will be surprised how many trails it offers, and even though it can't compete with specialized hiking apps, its overall versatility is what makes it great.
To save a map, just zoom in and download the country of your choice.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads Travel Insurance covers against risks of travel.
