Things to do in Banff
The unmissables
Most booked
Lake Louise & Moraine Lake tour from Calgary: Max 24 guests★ 4.88 (4,468) · 8h–10h
Top rated
Banff: Columbia Icefield & Glacier Skywalk 3-Hour Tour★ 4.66 (2,148) · 3h
Best value
Banff Gondola: Sulphur Mountain Summit & Boardwalk Access★ 4.64 (3,518) · 1h–4h
Recommended (7)
Lake Louise & Moraine Lake Day Trip from Banff & Calgary★ 4.89 (1,481) · 8h–10hCA$ 79View ›
Banff National Park Day Trip: Lake Louise & Moraine Lake★ 4.99 (1,140) · 10hCA$ 130View ›
Banff Wildlife Tour: Small Group, 95% Wildlife Sighting Rate★ 4.73 (948) · 3hCA$ 139View ›
Banff: Lake Louise & Moraine Lake Full-Day Tour★ 4.90 (946) · 8h–9hCA$ 220View ›
Banff Tour 8 Stops: Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Icefields Parkway★ 4.98 (936) · 10h–11hCA$ 199View ›
Banff: Hop-On Hop-Off Bus & Lake Louise with Local Host★ 4.92 (845) · 8hCA$ 110View ›
Lake Minnewanka Cruise in Banff: 60-minute guided tour★ 4.67 (822) · 1hCA$ 80View ›Top rated (10)
Banff National Park tour: Lake Louise & Emerald Lake visitA full-day guided tour of Banff, Yoho and Kootenay National Parks in Alberta, Canada, with a certified local guide, park entry included, and stops at Lake Louise, Emerald Lake, Takakkaw Falls (or Peyto Lake in winter), Marble Canyon and the Natural Bridge. Pickup starts from Banff town, Calgary Downtown or Canmore; the tour runs 9 to 12 hours depending on your starting point. Bottled water and crampons (when needed) are provided; bring or buy lunch at Lake Louise Village.Is it for me?Book this tour if you're arriving in Banff or Calgary without a rental car, or if you'd rather not drive the mountain roads yourself—the guide navigates the route, knows where the light hits the lakes at different times, and spots wildlife you'd miss from the driver's seat. The fixed schedule means you see all three parks and both the major lakes in a single day without building the itinerary yourself.
Private Banff Tour: Lake Louise, Moraine Lake & 6 glacial lakesA private guided tour of Banff National Park combining Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, and six other alpine lakes and waterfalls across eight to eleven hours. Your group customizes the route with your guide, who handles the driving while you choose how long to spend at each stop. Parks Canada entry fees and bottled water are included; lunch is a choice you make in Lake Louise Village. SUV groups under six passengers share a shuttle for Moraine Lake only due to park regulations—book the van option for a fully private vehicle all day.Is it for me?Book the SUV option if your group is under six and you don't mind sharing the Moraine Lake shuttle—it cuts the cost and the vehicle is nimble on mountain roads. Choose the van if your group is larger or you want a fully private vehicle for the entire day without any shared portions.
Banff: Standish Mountain Snowshoe Tour & Gondola RideYou’ll ride a gondola up Standish Mountain near Banff, strap on snowshoes for a real backcountry trek across deep powder, cross into British Columbia with your local guide, pause for hot chocolate and cookies at altitude, and catch wild views over Mt. Assiniboine — all with hotel pickup included. It’s not just about snow; it’s how alive you feel on that ridge.
Moraine Lake & Banff Day Tour: Small Groups, Hidden GemsA guided day tour from Canmore (or Calgary or Banff) through Banff National Park visiting Lake Louise, Moraine Lake or Johnston Canyon depending on season, plus Bow Falls and Surprise Corner, with a live English-speaking guide, park admission and an air-conditioned vehicle. Small group size and stops at lesser-known viewpoints set this apart from the standard route. The tour runs 8 to 10 hours and includes coffee or tea.Is it for me?Book this tour if you want to see the famous lakes and waterfalls without renting a car or building the day yourself—the guide handles the route, the timing and the stops, so you move through the park without the logistics. Small groups also mean you actually stop at the viewpoints instead of passing through them.
Moraine Lake & Lake Louise Tour from Calgary: Small GroupA full-day guided tour of Banff National Park departing from Calgary, Banff or Canmore, visiting Lake Louise, Moraine Lake (or Marble Canyon in winter), Bow Falls and downtown Banff with a small group of no more than 24 people. Your guide leads the stops, handles the route and helps you find the best angles for photos. Pickup and drop-off are included from your chosen departure point; meals and park admission are not.Is it for me?Book this tour if you want to see both Lake Louise and Moraine Lake in one day without driving yourself—the small group size and fixed itinerary mean the stops are arranged, the route is handled, and you can focus on the views instead of navigation. If you're visiting in winter (October through May), expect Marble Canyon instead of Moraine Lake, which is a different experience but still requires the special permit the tour holds.
Banff Food Tour: 8-10 Local Tastings on Iconic AvenueBanff's Canadian Rocky Mountain Food Tour is a three-hour walking tour along Banff Avenue where you stop at 8-10 local restaurants and cafes to taste Canadian favourites, hear the history of the town and the Rockies, and sample up to three cocktails or mocktails (for guests 18+). Your guide is a local with over three years leading food tours in Banff. The tour includes all tastings and drinks; you walk most of the time, and a few stops have stairs.Is it for me?Book this tour if you're new to Banff and want to taste the town through the places locals actually eat, or if you have a free afternoon and want the stories and the food woven together without building the day yourself. The fixed route and guide handle the planning, so you show up and walk.
Blend Your Own Gin in Banff: Distillery Tour & TastingBlend Your Own Gin Experience in Banff pairs a distillery tour and craft spirits tasting with hands-on gin blending in the working distillery. You select botanicals, craft your personal gin, and leave with a custom-labeled 750ml bottle. The experience runs about an hour with an English-speaking guide and includes four spirit samples and a bottle of PARK Vodka.Is it for me?You blend the gin yourself rather than watching a demonstration, so it suits anyone who wants to make something with their own hands instead of just learning how it's done. The shared group format and fixed one-hour window work best if you're in Banff for a short time and want a hands-on experience that doesn't demand a full afternoon.
Moraine Lake & Lake Louise: Morning or Sunset Tour from CanmoreYou choose between a morning departure (8 AM, 1.5 hours per lake, brightest turquoise) or a sunset tour (quieter, golden light, often fewer people). Both include hotel pickup from Canmore or Banff, park entry fees, a knowledgeable local guide, and a drive through wildlife habitat where elk and grizzlies are spotted on most trips. The van waits on-site so you set your own pace.Is it for me?Book this if you want both iconic lakes in one trip without arranging transport, entry fees, or timing yourself — the fixed schedule and small group size are what make it possible to spend real time at each lake instead of just stopping for photos.
Banff: Bow River Big Canoe Tour with Guide & Group PaddleYou’ll float down Banff’s Bow River in a big canoe with a local guide sharing stories and wildlife sightings along the way. Expect laughter from group paddling (even if you zig-zag), fresh mountain air, and moments where everything feels quiet and wide open. Life jackets and paddles are included—it’s easygoing and fits into any day trip from town.
Emerald Lake & Takakkaw Falls: Yoho National Park Small Group TourYou spend a full day moving through Yoho and Kootenay National Parks with a small group and a local guide who decides the route based on weather and timing. You get 1.5 hours at Emerald Lake, see Takakkaw Falls and the Spiral Tunnels, walk Marble Canyon, and stop at Natural Bridge. Hotel pickup, lunch, hot drinks, and a Polaroid are included. The group maxes out at twelve people, so you're not competing for space or the guide's attention.Is it for me?This tour works well if you want the best of Yoho and Kootenay without arranging your own transport, park entry, or timing — the small group size and local guide's flexibility are what make it possible to see five or six stops and actually spend time at each one instead of moving through on a schedule.
Lowest price (10)
Icefields Parkway self-guided audio driving tour: 150 stopsA self-guided audio driving tour of Icefields Parkway with 150 stops, downloaded to your phone and played through your car's speakers as GPS triggers stories, tips and directions automatically. You control the pace, drive in either direction, and choose from suggested half-day, full-day or multi-day itineraries—or build your own. One purchase covers everyone in the vehicle and never expires.Is it for me?Choose this if you want to explore at your own pace with audio stories that play automatically as you drive, rather than following a guide's schedule or joining a group.
Banff: Lake Minnewanka & Hoodoos 2.5-Hour TourYou'll visit five signature Banff stops—Lake Minnewanka, Two Jack Lake, the Hoodoos, Mount Rundle, and Surprise Corner—in a small group with a guide who knows the history and geology. The tour includes hotel pickup, water, and a snack bar, and wraps in 2.5 hours, leaving your afternoon free.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Banff's signature viewpoints without renting a car or spending a full day on a tour—the 2.5-hour window and small-group format mean you hit the real stops and still have your afternoon free.
Banff to Lake Louise Shuttle: 1-hour stops at both lakesYou ride in a small group from Banff to Lake Louise for an hour of photos and shoreline walks, then continue to Moraine Lake for another hour at the turquoise glacier lake. Water and an energy bar come with you. The driver handles all the mountain roads while you watch the peaks change shape. You're back in Banff by afternoon, parking stress and shuttle queues already forgotten.Is it for me?Right for travelers staying in Banff without a car who want to see both lakes in one morning without arranging their own transport or navigating shuttle queues. Plan for a full five hours out, which is what makes fitting two lakes and the drive time into one trip possible.
Banff: Ghost Walks & Haunted Stories Night TourYou’ll follow a local guide through Banff’s shadowy streets, hearing ghost stories at haunted landmarks and mysterious alleys. Expect laughter mixed with chills as you explore by night in a small group. The Banff ghost walk is less about scares and more about feeling history breathe down your neck — don’t be surprised if you find yourself glancing back once or twice.
Moraine Lake & Lake Louise tour: Glacial lakes without the driveA half-day guided tour of Moraine Lake and Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies, departing from Banff, Canmore or Calgary. Moraine Lake closed to private vehicles in 2024, making this small-group tour the way to visit it; the tour includes park admission, transport in an air-conditioned coach, and a live English-speaking guide. Timed entry is guaranteed. Refunds available up to 24 hours before departure.Is it for me?Pick a Banff or Canmore departure to minimize driving time from the mountain towns, or start from Calgary if that's your base; the small-group format is how you access Moraine Lake now that private vehicles are restricted.
Lake Louise & Moraine Lake tour from Banff: Skip the shuttleA full-day guided tour of Banff National Park and Yoho from Calgary, Canmore or Banff, visiting Lake Louise, Moraine Lake (June–October), Emerald Lake and Natural Bridge with a local guide, park entry and hotel pickup included. The tour skips the shuttle lines and parking chaos that trap most visitors, routing you straight to each lake and giving you time to walk, photograph and stand still at each one.Is it for me?Book an early morning departure if you want to reach Lake Louise and Moraine Lake before the midday crowds arrive. The fixed schedule and included park passes mean you skip the planning and the gate lines, so the day holds together without you managing transport or entry separately.
Lake Louise & Moraine Lake Tour: Turquoise Glacial LakesThis half-day tour from Banff visits Lake Louise and Moraine Lake (or Emerald Lake and Natural Bridge when Moraine Lake closes seasonally), with pickup from your hotel, a multilingual guide, and bottled water. The tour runs four to five hours and includes time to walk from the parking lot to Moraine Lake's shore. Moraine Lake is accessible only from June through mid-October, so the itinerary shifts in winter months.Is it for me?Book this tour if you want to see Lake Louise and Moraine Lake without renting a car or driving the mountain roads yourself—the guide handles the route and timing, and the small group size means you get attention at each stop instead of being herded through with a crowd.
Banff: Gondola Ride, Hot Springs & Bow Falls Day TourYou’ll feel glacier air on your skin at Lake Minnewanka, hear Bow Falls rumbling under your feet, ride high above Banff on the gondola, and finally unwind in mineral-rich hot springs with mountain views all around. This day trip blends wild beauty with small comforts—and leaves you thinking about those quiet moments long after you’ve left.
Banff: Shuttle to Moraine Lake & Lake LouiseYou get picked up from your Banff hotel and driven to Moraine Lake for 75 minutes of self-guided exploration, then to Lake Louise for another 75 minutes. The shuttle includes the vehicle, driver, and all park fees — no guided narration, no extras. Five hours round trip, fixed schedule, professional service without the review-chasing markup.Is it for me?Right for travelers staying in Banff who want to see both lakes without renting a car or paying for a guided tour. The fixed five-hour schedule is what keeps the cost down and the logistics simple.
Banff: Lake Louise & Moraine Lake Shuttle from CanmoreYou skip the drive, the parking hunt, and the navigation — a driver handles all three while you watch the Rockies. Summer takes you to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake; winter swaps Moraine for Johnston Canyon. Multiple morning and afternoon departures from Canmore or Banff mean you can fit it around your schedule, and you're back by early afternoon.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Lake Louise and the second lake without driving, parking, or navigating — the fixed schedule and shared shuttle are what make a half-day trip to both possible without renting a car.
