What to pack for two weeks in Canada
Every country I write a packing list for, I say the same thing: what you pack will depend on the season and the weather forecast at the time of your trip. This is just what I packed (and actually used) for mine… But never has this been more true than my Canada packing list.
I visited Vancouver Island, Banff, Canmore and Jasper in Alberta, and Vancouver city at the end of August and the beginning of September. This is summer season in Canada, and we were lucky to get unusually high temperatures – in the high 20ºCs and into the 30ºCs – throughout our trip.
This absolutely is not the case for all seasons in Canada. In fact in these areas, this packing list is only likely to be useful if you’re visiting between June/July and September. The rest of the year, these regions are likely to be cold and snowy so your need for shorts will be significantly lower (probably 0!) and your need for proper hiking gear will be significantly higher!
However, if you’re visiting Vancouver Island, Vancouver, Banff, Jasper, and Canmore in the summer months, then here’s what I think you’ll find useful to pack for your holiday to Canada.
What I packed for two weeks in Canada in August.
On top:
Four t-shirts
Three vest tops
One long-sleeved top
Two sports bras (for hiking)
Two jumpers (one cable knit, one sweatshirt)
Even if you’re visiting Canada in summer like I did, you will need layers. I would find myself wearing a thermal coat in the morning, de-layering down to a sports bra and shorts in the day, and then needing a cosy jumper and trousers at night. Don’t underpack!
Find out more about the week we spent in Alberta here.
For layers:
A plaid shirt
A waterproof
A thermal jacket
In Alberta especially, I just left all my layers in the car so I’d always have easy access to them if the weather changed.
Find out more about our favourite hikes in Canada here.
On the bottom:
Three pairs of shorts (including pairs for exercise/hiking)
Two pairs of loose trousers
One pair of jeans
One pair of leggings
One skirt
For my feet:
One pair of sandals (Birkenstock Evas which are waterproof)
One pair of trainers for walking in cities and short hikes (Adidas Speziales)
One pair of hiking/exercise trainers (Hoka Clifton 9s)
In summer, I found that I wore all of these shoes multiple times. But if you’re visiting in winter you’ll want proper winter/hiking shoes rather than canvas or suede trainers and you probably won’t need sandals!
Find out more about what we did in Vancouver Island in August here.
Accessories etc:
Sunglasses
A cap/sun hat
2 bikinis
14 sets of underwear
7 pairs of socks (I only wore socks for hikes, and often wore sandals)
A backpack (also to be used as carry-on luggage)
A small daytime/evening bag (I used the Uniqlo bumbag)
A canvas tote bag (useful as a beach bag and for keeping dirty clothes separate)
Toiletries:
Toothbrush + paste + floss
Face wash/cleanser
SPF face cream
Reusable face pads/flannel
Deodorant
Body butter/moisturiser
Hair brush (I use a Tangle Teezer that’s a handy size for travel)
Scrunchie + hair ties
Lip balm (with SPF if possible)
Sanitizer and hand cream
Enough medications, if needed
Shampoo and conditioner (not all lodges provide it)
Enough period products, if needed
SPF sun protection
Everything else:
Passport
A Canadian visa
Travel adaptors + chargers (often UK plugs work in Canada but you’ll more commonly find US plugs)
Books or an e-reader + charger
Battery pack + charger
Water bottle
Binoculars
First aid kit (including antihistamines and bite cream, sleeping tablets, pain killers, plenty of plasters, antiseptic wipes, and gauze)
Microfibre towel
Laptop + charger (if you need it)
Ready to plan your Canada trip? Check out our two week itinerary here.