Columbia Icefield Tour: Glacier Skywalk & Ice Explorer

Walk across the glacier on a glass-floored bridge high above the valley.

This day trip from Calgary takes you north along the Icefields Parkway to the Columbia Icefield, where you ride the Ice Explorer onto Athabasca Glacier and cross the Glacier Skywalk, a glass-floored observation platform suspended over the ice. The tour includes stops at Lake Louise and Crowfoot Glacier, a hot buffet lunch, and dinner in Banff before returning to Calgary late in the evening. A live English-speaking guide leads the group, and hotel pickup is included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Columbia Icefield and Banff day trip

• Travel from Calgary to Lake Louise
• Enjoy the view at Lake Louise
• See views of Banff National Park
• See views of Crowfoot Glacier
• Explore Athabasca Glacier on Ice Explorer
• Enjoy the Glacier Skywalk experience
• Stop for dinner in Banff
• Return to Calgary

The Experience

The drive from Calgary to the Columbia Icefield takes you up the Icefields Parkway, one of the most scenic routes in the Canadian Rockies. You'll stop at Lake Louise and see Crowfoot Glacier along the way, giving you time to step out and take in the landscape before reaching the icefield itself. The route unfolds gradually, so the scale of what you're heading toward builds as you travel north.

Once at the Columbia Icefield, you board the Ice Explorer—a massive vehicle built to cross the glacier—and ride it onto Athabasca Glacier itself. After that ride, you walk onto the Glacier Skywalk, a glass-floored bridge that hangs 918 metres above the valley floor. The glass lets you look straight down while you stand on the ice. This is the centerpiece of the day, and it's the reason most people book this tour.

A hot buffet lunch is included partway through the day. On the return journey, you stop in Banff for dinner before the drive back to Calgary, which departs at 7:30pm. The whole day runs 14.5 hours from pickup to drop-off. If you have accommodation in Lake Louise or Banff, you can arrange to end the tour there instead of returning to Calgary.

What’s included

• Columbia Icefield Skywalk admission and a ride on the Ice Explorer across Athabasca Glacier.
• a hot buffet lunch and dinner in Banff.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in Calgary.
• an air-conditioned vehicle and a live English-speaking guide throughout the day.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomeInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Banff Jasper Collection By Pursuit

Is this one for you?The day is long and the drive substantial, but the route itself is the main event—the Icefields Parkway unfolds gradually, and the stops at Lake Louise and Crowfoot Glacier break up the travel. You're on your feet for the Skywalk and the glacier, but the Ice Explorer does the heavy work of getting you onto the ice, so moderate fitness is what the operator asks for, not athletic ability.

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Top questions

What is the Glacier Skywalk and what do you actually do there?

The Glacier Skywalk is a glass-floored observation platform suspended 918 metres above the valley at the Columbia Icefield. You walk across it on foot, and the glass floor lets you look straight down at the landscape below while standing on the ice.

Do I ride on the glacier itself, or just look at it from a distance?

You ride the Ice Explorer, a specialized vehicle, directly onto Athabasca Glacier. After the ride, you step out and walk onto the Glacier Skywalk, so you're standing on the ice itself for part of the day.

What's included in the price, and what do I need to pay for separately?

The tour includes the Glacier Skywalk admission, the Ice Explorer ride, a hot buffet lunch, dinner in Banff, hotel pickup and drop-off in Calgary, and an air-conditioned vehicle with a live English-speaking guide. Gratuities and any additional drinks or snacks are not included.

How long is the full day, and what time do I get back to Calgary?

The tour runs 14.5 hours from pickup to drop-off. The return transfer departs Banff at 7:30pm, so you arrive back in Calgary late in the evening.

Can I get out of the vehicle and walk around at the stops along the way?

You stop at Lake Louise and see Crowfoot Glacier during the drive north, giving you time to step out and view them. The main walking happens on the Glacier Skywalk itself and during the Ice Explorer experience on the glacier.

What if I don't want to return to Calgary—can I stay in Banff or Lake Louise instead?

Yes. If you have accommodation arranged in Lake Louise or Banff, you can depart the tour at either location instead of completing the return drive to Calgary.