National Parks · BANFF NATIONAL PARK TOURS
The two famous lakes are shuttle-only in season and the Icefields Parkway is a full day in itself. These 15 sort the Lake Louise and Moraine runs, the gondola, the wildlife drives and the Jasper push, with departure towns and timings.
Take an 8-minute ride in a four-person Banff Gondola cabin to Sulphur Mountain. Explore the Above Banff Interpretive Centre, walk the boardwalk to Sanson’s Peak, and use the rooftop deck for 360-degree views. Add coffee, a buffet, or dinner with a mountain view.
“got right in the gondola, beautiful views, excellent, chatty staff. great experience!”
Take a smooth eight-minute gondola ride from Banff to Sulphur Mountain, then explore the Above Banff center, Sanson’s Peak boardwalk, and the Cosmic Ray Station. You can stay one to four hours, eat at the summit, and return when ready. Dress for colder, windier conditions at the top.
“A wonderful experience all around! Booking ahead was the right move. We got there early and before the crowds. We really enjoyed the hike up to Sulphur Mountain, it’s a view like no other!”
Spend 11 hours touring Banff National Park with an English-speaking guide such as Guri, Hari, or Mandeep. Visit Lake Louise, Emerald Lake, Johnston Canyon, Natural Bridge, and Moraine Lake in season, with transport, park entry, water, and photo help included.
“We visited nice places. the guide guy gave us good information and was caring and helps us taking nice pictures. I recommend this tour.”
Cruise Lake Minnewanka for one hour with an English-speaking guide and captain. Expect Rocky Mountain views, Indigenous history, wildlife stories, and a quiet pause with the motor off. The $57 trip is wheelchair accessible, but parking is limited and departure times can fill.
“Last week I visited Banff and took the Lake Minnewanka Cruise, where I had the pleasure of meeting Captain Ben and Sarah Giud. Both were excellent hosts. Captain Ben was a very skilled and calm driver, making our one-hour cruise smooth and truly unforgettable. Sarah was wonderful—she listened attentively to every question, provided thoughtful and detailed answers, and demonstrated impressive knowledge about the area. We thoroughly enjoyed this experience, and I would highly recommend both Captain Ben and Sarah to anyone visiting Banff. Dr. Hany Beshay”
Ride an iconic yellow school bus from Banff to Johnston Canyon, Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, and the Lake Louise gondola. Hosts such as Tyler, Dominique, and Louis help you plan hikes and photo stops, while scheduled pickups remove the stress of parking and mountain driving.
“It is not like hop on hop off in many other locations where we have traveled. This had set times and we did not learn this until after we missed the set times.”
Explore Banff by modern minibus with a guide such as Nolan, Lubo, Charlie, or Ollie. You’ll visit Mount Norquay, Lake Minnewanka, Two Jack Lake, the Hoodoos, Bow Falls, and Surprise Corner while watching for elk, deer, foxes, coyotes, sheep, goats, and bears.
“Wasn’t too bad but possibly a bit misleading as seemed more focused on sights rather than wildlife sightings.”
Ride from Banff to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake with a local guide, stopping 30 minutes at each for photos and short walks. Guides such as Jade, Jake, Sam, and Roz add local history and practical tips. Afternoon departures can mean softer light and fewer crowds, but Moraine Lake access is seasonal.
“Great way to see both Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. This is a must do. The pick-up was on time and the guide provided information about Banff on the drive up to the lakes.”
See the Canadian Rockies without driving or hunting for parking. This 8 to 10-hour guided trip visits Banff and Yoho National Parks, with stops at Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Emerald Lake, Marble Canyon, and Natural Bridge. Guides such as Ahmed and Layse add local stories and photography help.
“Guide was friendly but while we appreciate the safe driving, the tour was more of a hop on/ hop off bus. She did give us history and information but most of our 4 stops were shortened: Marble canyon was 25-30 min (instead of 45 min), Lake Louise was 40 min (instead of 1 hour as described in the tour description), and Natural Bridge was completely skipped all together with no alternative spot so we got back to Banff super early around 3 pm (we started the tour 10 am). We were 2 passengers but only given 1 gift tote bag (I guess since we were together) when she had 3…”
Spend four hours visiting Lake Louise and, from June through October, Moraine Lake with Discover Banff Tours. Guides such as Ella, Neil, Emma, and Alex add local history, mountain stories, and wildlife spotting to a relaxed small-group ride from Banff.
“Tim was great! Would recommend this tour to anyone visiting Banff :)”
Travel from Banff along the Icefields Parkway with stops at Lake Louise, Crowfoot Glacier, and Peyto Lake. Ride the Ice Explorer onto the Columbia Icefield, visit the Glacier Skywalk, and enjoy a hot buffet lunch. Small groups, hotel pickup, and guides such as Jack, Nolan, and Brad add ease and local detail.
“Very nice trip. Whole trip went smooth. Both driver and tour guide are very nice ! Very knowledgeable”
Meet your horse at Banff Trail Riders’ red stables, learn basic riding skills, then follow the Bow River past Cave and Basin Hot Springs. Guides such as Sarah, Jade, Mandi, and Steph are praised for clear help and local stories. Closed-toe shoes, long pants, and a 30-minute early arrival are required.
“Excellent hack along the Bow River. Sarah was very entertaining and had a lot of information to give us on the area. She has a love for horses and excellent manner. A must do activity for the beautiful scenery on very well trained horses as we had a helicopter hovering very low overheard and every horse did not take any notice.”
Spend about eight hours with Radventures visiting Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, plus flexible Banff-area stops. A certified local guide such as Nolan, Amelia, Gini, or Charlie leads a group of no more than 12 in a spacious van, with time to walk, take photos, and watch for wildlife.
“We had the best time on our tour to Lake Louise and Lake Moraine, and a huge part of that was thanks to our amazing guide, B! B struck the perfect balance between giving us freedom and guiding us with knowledge and personality. At both lakes, she offered us the option to explore on our own for a couple of hours or to follow her along the trail — we chose to stick with her and it was totally worth it. She shared fascinating historical facts about the lakes and Banff, all while keeping things fun and relaxed. We especially loved her witty commentary (including her very relatable dislike for…”
Ride from Banff to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake in a small group of up to 24 people. Guides such as Joe, Aki, and Akko add useful commentary, while one-hour stops leave time for photos and short walks. Water and an energy bar are included.
“This was a Great way to see Lake Louise and Lake Moraine, The Bus is very comfortable and has a narrator telling of the History and Facts about the area, The driver of the Bus was very pleasant and accommodating, We even had a bottle of water and a granola bar waiting for us after the first stop after visiting Lake Louise, I would definitely Recommend taking this tour if you want to visit both Lakes, as you can not take a personal car to Lake Moraine, Best way to see both Lakes in My opinion!”
Spend about nine and a half hours visiting Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, Emerald Lake, Takakkaw Falls, the Spiral Tunnels, and Yoho National Park. A host and driver handle the mountain roads, wildlife spotting, commentary, snacks, and round-trip pickup from select Banff hotels.
“Mike and Claudie, our bus driver and tour guide, added information and fun to our tour. They made sure we saw the maximum of lakes, mountains, and waterfalls—plus trains and wildlife, too!”
Spend two hours touring Banff National Park at dusk in a small group of up to 24 people. Guides such as Lucy, Jake, Evie, and Georgia share wildlife facts and local stories while you search for elk, deer, sheep, coyotes, and perhaps a bear.
“Jeff the driver picked us up at the allocated time, he was very pleasant and friendly. When all the passengers where picked Jeff laid out the details of the trip and places we would stop at. The bus was very comfortable. Jeff was very knowledgeable on the wildlife in Banff and gave us a very good explanation on the life of the brown bear. Unfortunately there was not a lot of the animals that we hoped to see but the trip was very entertaining and we enjoyed it. Thanks David”
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