Icefields Parkway self-guided audio driving tour: 150 stops

The audio plays automatically based on where you are on the road.

A 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.

Step-by-step itinerary

Drive and explore Icefields Parkway highlights

• Start driving Icefields Parkway
• Stop at Crowfoot Glacier viewpoint
• Visit Bow Lake and historic lodge
• Drive under Weeping Wall cliff
• View Peyto Lake from Bow Summit
• Hike Parker Ridge trail
• Explore Athabasca Glacier area
• Visit Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre
• Optional: Take Ice Explorer glacier tour
• Optional: Walk glass-bottomed SkyWalk
• Stop at Sunwapta Falls viewpoint
• Visit Athabasca Falls canyon

The Experience

Download the GuideAlong app, redeem your voucher code with an Apple or Google account, and download the tour over WiFi before you leave. Once the audio is on your phone, you need no cell service or internet for the rest of the drive. Plug your phone into your car's USB charger, connect it to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and the commentary plays through your stereo while the map stays visible on your phone screen. The stories trigger automatically as your GPS location moves along the route—you hear them whether you're driving north toward Jasper or south toward Banff, and you can pause, rewind or skip ahead whenever you want.

The 150 stops include Peyto Lake, fed by glacier melt and colored so intensely blue that the audio explains why—the angle of the sun and the suspended glacial silt create the hue. You'll hear about Crowfoot Glacier, a hanging glacier that once had three toes and now has two as it shrinks, and Bow Lake, where a hexagonal log lodge built by one of Banff's early guides still stands. The audio takes you to Sunwapta Falls, where a one-minute walk reaches outstanding viewpoints and a 3km loop trail descends into the canyon, and to the Weeping Wall, a cliff face that oozes snowmelt year-round and freezes into ice climbing routes in winter. At Athabasca Glacier, one of the world's most accessible glaciers, you can see retreat markers showing how far it has pulled back over more than a century, or book a separate Ice Explorer tour to ride onto the ice itself.

The tour is yours to use whenever you want—no expiry, no date lock, no need to reschedule if your plans shift. Start it today or six months from now. You can drive the full Icefields Parkway in 8 to 16 hours depending on how many stops you make and how long you linger, or use the in-app trip planner to pick a half-day route that hits the highlights. The support team is available by toll-free phone, chat and email if you hit a technical snag, and the tour includes free updates whenever the operator adds new content.

What’s included

• The tour includes 150 audio stops with stories, tips and directions that play automatically based on your GPS location.
• pre-loaded offline access so you can tour without cell service or WiFi.
• suggested itineraries for half-day, full-day or multi-day use, or the option to build your own route.
• in-app, web and PDF trip planners.
• toll-free phone, chat and email support.
• and free updates to the tour content for as long as you own it.

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by GuideAlong (GyPSy Guide)

Is this one for you?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.

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Top questions

What happens if I lose cell service while I'm driving the Icefields Parkway?

The audio tour works completely offline once you download it to your phone before you start. No cell service or WiFi is needed during the drive, so the commentary plays uninterrupted even in areas with no signal.

Can I drive the Icefields Parkway in either direction with this audio tour?

Yes. The tour works whether you drive north toward Jasper or south toward Banff. The GPS triggers the stories based on your location and direction, so you hear the relevant commentary either way.

What is Peyto Lake and why does the audio say it's so colorful?

Peyto Lake sits at Bow Summit, the highest point on the Icefields Parkway, and is fed by glacier melt. The suspended glacial silt in the water reflects light in a way that makes the lake appear an intense, almost unnatural blue on sunny days—the audio explains the geology behind the color.

Do I need to book the Athabasca Glacier Ice Explorer tour separately, or is it included?

The audio tour includes information about the glacier and viewpoints you can reach from the parking area, but the Ice Explorer tour—which takes you onto the glacier itself in a giant all-terrain vehicle—is a separate booking. The audio tells you where to book it if you want to go.

How long does it take to drive the full Icefields Parkway with this audio tour?

The full route takes 8 to 16 hours depending on how many stops you make and how long you spend at each one. The in-app trip planner offers suggested half-day, full-day and multi-day itineraries, or you can create your own route based on what interests you.

Can one purchase cover multiple people in my vehicle?

Yes. One purchase of the audio tour covers everyone in the vehicle, making it a cost-effective option for groups or families traveling together.