Banff: Columbia Icefield & Glacier Skywalk 3-Hour Tour
Walk on a glacier, then stand on glass above it
You board a specialized ice explorer at the Discovery Centre and drive onto the Athabasca Glacier, where you walk on the frozen surface and fill a water bottle with snowmelt. Then you cross the glass-bottomed Glacier Skywalk suspended 918 meters above the valley. The whole experience takes three hours and includes your guide's commentary on glacial geology and climate change. All park access and the guide are included. Infants ride free.
Step-by-step itinerary
Columbia Icefield and Glacier Skywalk visit
- Board Ice Explorer at Discovery Centre
- Travel to Athabasca Glacier
- Listen to glacier and ecosystem commentary
- Walk on Athabasca Glacier
- Fill water bottle with snowmelt
- Visit Glacier Skywalk glass walkway
- Enjoy views and take photos
- Return to Discovery Centre
What’s included
- Your tour includes a guided drive on the specialized Ice Explorer to the Athabasca Glacier, time to walk on the glacier and fill your water bottle with snowmelt, access to the glass-bottomed Glacier Skywalk, and your guide's commentary on glacial geology and environmental change.
- All taxes, fees, and park access are covered.
- Infants ride free but must be ticketed.
Times
Next departure: 1 May 2027
6 departing soon ›Before you book
Operated by Banff Jasper Collection By Pursuit
Prices and times updated today
Traveler reviews
The experience
The moment you step onto the Athabasca Glacier, you realize the ice is not white. It's blue. Deep, layered blue, like nothing you've seen on a postcard. The three-hour tour starts at the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre, where you board a specialized Ice Explorer: a massive vehicle with oversized tires that can grip the frozen surface without sinking. Your driver talks through the route about how glaciers shape the landscape and what's happening to them now, which sounds like it could be dry until you're actually standing on the ice, watching the scale of it sink in. You fill your water bottle straight from the snowmelt running off the glacier, which tastes clean in a way that makes you understand why people make a point of it.
After the glacier walk, you head to the Glacier Skywalk, and this is where the tour surprises you. The walkway has a glass bottom, and you step out onto it knowing there's 918 meters of air below you. It's not a long walk (maybe ten minutes out and back), but it's the kind of moment where your phone comes out and you stand there longer than you planned, just looking. The views stretch across the valley to the peaks beyond, and on a clear day you can see why this part of the Canadian Rockies draws people from everywhere. The whole experience, from the Discovery Centre to walking back inside, runs about three hours, which means you're not rushed but you're also not spending a full day on one attraction.
The tour is wheelchair accessible, and infants ride free (though they need to be ticketed). If weather turns bad (and it can in the mountains), you get offered an alternative date instead of a refund. That's worth knowing because the glacier and the Skywalk are both weather-dependent, and a cloudy day changes what you see. The guide is included, so you're not navigating the ice on your own or wondering what you're looking at. It's straightforward: you show up at the Discovery Centre, you get on the Ice Explorer, you walk on the glacier, you cross the glass, and you're done.
Is this one for you?Right for travelers who want to stand on a glacier and cross a glass walkway without spending a full day on logistics: the three-hour window and included guide mean you're not arranging transport or timing yourself. Plan for weather variability. The tour runs subject to favorable conditions, which is what keeps the ice and views safe.
Compare the 6 alternatives
Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 15 years); Infant (under 6): free.
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. No refund if you cancel.
How long is the tour?
Three hours total, including the Ice Explorer drive, glacier walk, and Glacier Skywalk.
What's included in the price?
Guided drive to the Athabasca Glacier, access to the Glacier Skywalk, the guide's commentary, and all taxes and fees. Infant tickets are free but required.
Can I bring a stroller or pram?
Yes, infants and small children can ride in a stroller or pram. Infants must sit on an adult's lap during the Ice Explorer drive.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
Yes, the tour is wheelchair accessible, and transportation options are wheelchair accessible.
What happens if the weather is bad?
If the tour is canceled due to poor weather, you're offered an alternative date. The glacier and Skywalk are both weather-dependent.
Do I need to be fit to do this tour?
No, it's suitable for all physical fitness levels. You're driven onto the glacier and walk on a prepared surface.
Where does the tour start?
At the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre, outside of Banff in the Canadian Rockies.
Banff: Columbia Icefield & Glacier Skywalk 3-Hour Tour
3h · EN
from CA$ 103.43 per person
≈ US$ 75 in your currency
Next, you choose your date and number of travelers and see the final price.