National Parks · CANADA NATIONAL PARK TOURS
Lake Louise and Moraine close to private cars in high season, so the guided day is not a luxury here, it is the way in. These 15 cover Banff, Jasper, the Icefields Parkway and the glacier itself, with prices, departure towns and what the shuttle situation really is.
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!”
Spend 8 to 10 hours exploring Banff National Park with a local guide such as Bob, Mike, or Joshua. Visit Lake Louise and Moraine Lake in summer, or walk icy Marble Canyon in winter, with Banff Avenue, Bow Falls, Surprise Corner, and Lake Minnewanka added as conditions allow.
“This was a very beautiful tour! It was amazing to walk on the frozen Lake Louise, and we loved the hike through Marble Canyon. Bob was a fantastic tour guide with lots of great insights of the area!”
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!”
Start at the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre for a guided Ice Explorer ride onto the 25,000-year-old Athabasca Glacier. You get about 20 minutes on the ice, glacier water, live English commentary, and a shuttle to the glass-bottomed Skywalk.
“I enjoyed every minute of it. Only back drop was that witnessing the ice was melting faster where the human activity taking place including big explorer buses and people are moving around compared to not melting (or less melting) ice beyond the boundary lines.”
You’ll visit five major Rocky Mountain sights from Calgary, Canmore, or Banff in an air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking guide. Guides such as Guri, Hari, Harry, and Ross are praised for careful driving, local insight, and helping with photos. Moraine Lake is included June 1 to October 14.
“Our guide was excellent, friendly and accommodating, he really makes a difference, thank you once more Guri. All spots were fantastic, well planned. The highlight of the day for me was Johnston Canyon, we reached the lower falls and then decided to carry on and two of us reached the upper falls, amazing! We had to rush - and even run - back to make it in time, that was a great fun Hiro.”
From the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre, a shuttle carries you to the Columbia Icefield Skywalk, 918 feet above the Sunwapta Valley. You’ll follow a 1-kilometer route with multilingual audio commentary, glacier views, waterfalls, wildlife spotting, and a glass-floor lookout.
“Try and get there for the first 10am tour of the skywalk, makes all the difference :)”
Cruise 14 kilometers across Maligne Lake with an English-speaking guide, then stop at famous Spirit Island for photos and a short nature trail. Guides such as Sam, Mitchell, Nelson, and Grace bring local history, Indigenous stories, and geology to life. Bring warm clothes and drive yourself to the dock.
“Wow, we loved this cruise across the lake to Spirit Island. Both of our guides were fun and knowledgeable. We can't recommend this trip enough. Was a highlight of our 3 weeks in Canada!”
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.”
Spend about 10 hours exploring Banff National Park in a group of no more than 12, with pickup in Calgary, Canmore, or Banff. Guides such as Teddy and Angel lead the day, provide water and winter crampons, and adjust stops by season. Summer includes Moraine Lake; winter uses Johnston Canyon.
“Great guided tour with Angel. He was very thorough with every information on the places we visited. Lake Louise was gorgeous. Angel was very helpful in taking our photos. He also provided suggestions where to go for lunch snd Park Distillery and Brewery was a great restaurant.”
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 into Whistler’s Coastal Mountain backcountry on a roughly three-hour guided snowmobile tour. You’ll receive training, a helmet, goggles, and gloves before following guides such as Brock, Kyle, Tom, or Nate through forested trails, mountain terrain, and frozen lakes. Best for confident beginners and intermediate riders.
“Absolutely brilliant experience! The snowmobile ride was so fun and breakfast in the Yukon lodge was tasty! Would definitely recommend this trip!”
Ride a comfortable minibus from your Jasper hotel into the national park at the day’s cooler, quieter hours. Guides such as Catherine, Kelli, Sam, and Ross explain wildlife, fire recovery, and conservation while searching seasonal areas for elk, moose, eagles, mountain goats, beavers, and bears.
“We did this evening tour and it was very good. Our driver Josh was very friendly and animated. We saw plenty of elk, white tail deer, marmots, and big horn sheep.”
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.”
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