Tour Leader, Best of Banff National Park
Take a minute to get to know Luke Windle who joined the Travel With Wes team in 2026 to take over the Best of Banff National Park trip.
Keep an eye out for future tours led by Luke!
What Led Luke to Travel
Most of the traveling I did growing up was camping with my parents along the East Coast of the United States. I didn’t actually leave the country until I was well into my 20s.
I was always a little jealous of the van lifers and the people who backpacked Europe for six months after college. I eventually took a surf trip to Costa Rica and got the itch to travel more, but life kept lifing. I spent most of the next 15 years working hard and building a career in management.
Why I Stopped Waiting
Then my dad passed away less than a year after retiring. His brothers didn’t get much time after retirement either, and that changed my perspective in a big way. I realized I didn’t want to spend my life waiting for the “right time” to do the things I actually wanted to do.
Since then, I’ve made it a point to live more of the life I want now instead of assuming I’ll have time for it later. That mindset is a big part of why I’m here, and honestly, it’s a big part of why most people finally book the trip they’ve been talking about for years.
Why I Lead Group Trips
Solo travel definitely has its perks, but there’s something much more fulfilling about experiencing a place with other people. Bonding over incredible sights, great food, and all the little unexpected moments that happen on the road can create lifelong friendships and memories.
There’s something special about looking around at a group of people experiencing the same incredible moment and knowing you’ll all remember it years from now. That’s the feeling I’m chasing on every trip.
How I Like to Travel
My travel style has always been about quality over quantity and finding the little things outside of the crowds. Sometimes you have to go just a bit off the beaten path to find the real gems.
Over the last several years I’ve been traveling more and more, from surf trips through Central America and Mexico to exploring Canada, Iceland, and much of Western Europe.
My biggest adventure so far was spending just over two months traveling through Europe, and there’s still a long list of places I want to see.
One memory from that trip sums up how I travel pretty well.
I wanted to hike in the Dolomites, but I arrived just outside of the season. Many of the gondolas needed to reach the mountains were still closed, and the forecast was basically rain or snow for the foreseeable future. Instead of moving on, I holed up in a small Scandinavian style Airbnb in Gufidaun, a tiny Alpine village in South Tyrol, and waited it out.
About three days later, the weather completely changed. I woke up to blue skies and snow covered mountains, and the bad weather had kept most of the tourists away. For a little while, it felt like I had the mountains almost entirely to myself. Sometimes patience (and a little stubbornness) pays off.
Why Banff
Right now, Banff is probably my favorite destination in the world, with Iceland a very close second. Banff is pure beauty for hundreds of miles. Turquoise rivers and lakes, mountains in every direction, and wildlife everywhere you look. It’s one of those places that almost doesn’t look real.
It’s also a place that rewards the way we travel on this trip. Wes has done a great job of curating an itinerary that lets you see the most popular spots while still giving you time to explore on your own. It’s truly the best of both worlds, and I can’t wait to share it with you.
What I Bring to the Trip
Leading groups isn’t exactly new territory for me. The closest comparison might actually be my time as a camp counselor. Honestly, group travel sometimes feels a little like adult summer camp, just with better food and much better destinations.
Professionally, I’ve spent more than a decade in management, including time as a program manager. That experience taught me how to organize a lot of moving pieces, lead teams, solve problems when plans inevitably change, and sweat the details.
Those skills translate surprisingly well to travel, where the itinerary is only as good as the person keeping it on track.
When I’m not traveling, I’m usually chasing a new hobby. Right now my favorites are climbing, surfing, motorcycles, and playing music. I’m also pretty good at skipping rocks (I think).
Rapid Fire with Luke
- Dream destination: New Zealand. So many people have told me I have to go that I think it’s finally time.
- Favorite food abroad: The tiramisu at Zeb in Florence.
- Packing must-have: Sleep mask and earplugs. Always.
- Window or aisle: Aisle. I’m tall. I need the legroom.
- Coffee order: Black drip coffee.
- Worst travel mistake: Getting on the wrong train in Barcelona!
- Bad travel habit: Overpacking. Always overpacking.
Come See Banff With Me
If Banff has been sitting on your bucket list for a while, take it from someone who stopped waiting for the right time: it’s now.
Join me on the Best of Banff National Park tour and let us handle every detail while you soak in some of the most incredible scenery on Earth.
So.. what are you waiting for?!