Lake Louise & Moraine Lake Tour: Turquoise Glacial Lakes

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.84 (268 reviews) 90% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/8

Duration4h–5h

GroupUp to 24

LanguagesEN · CM +1

Mobile ticketAccepted

Walk to a turquoise lake that opens only half the year, then stand in front of another one across the valley.

This 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.

4h–5h

Step-by-step itinerary

Tour Lake Louise and Moraine Lake

Pick up from Banff
Pass by Castle Mountain
Visit Lake Louise
Visit Moraine Lake
Drop off at Banff

The Experience

The tour picks you up from your Banff hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle and heads toward Lake Louise, passing Castle Mountain on the way—a peak in Banff National Park shaped like a fortress by erosion over time. Lake Louise itself is a glacial lake with vivid turquoise water and the Victoria Glacier rising behind it, a sight that has drawn visitors worldwide. From there, the route continues to Moraine Lake, which sits in the Valley of the Ten Peaks and is only a short walk from the parking lot.

Moraine Lake's access is seasonal: it opens June 1st and closes October 13th each year. During those months, the strikingly turquoise water and the ring of peaks make it one of the most photographed spots in Banff. From October 13th through May 31st, the tour shifts to Emerald Lake and Natural Bridge instead, so the itinerary adapts to what is actually open. Your guide speaks English, Chinese, or Cantonese and can answer questions about what you are standing in front of without the group growing too large—small groups mean your guide has time for each person.

Pickup and drop-off happen from Banff; if you are staying in Canmore or Calgary, contact the operator to arrange that separately. The four to five hour duration includes all travel time between stops, so you are not waiting around between lakes. Bottled water comes with the tour, and the vehicle is air-conditioned for the drive.

What’s included

Pickup and drop-off from your Banff hotel.
multilingual guide in English, Chinese or Cantonese.
bottled water.
air-conditioned vehicle for the drive between stops.
GST (Goods and Services Tax).

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by Rockies Journey

Is this one for you?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.