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Offered languages
- English
From Banff’s hidden corners to the top of its world.
Most visitors see Banff from the main street. This half day takes you somewhere else entirely. We slip off the beaten path to quiet lakes, secret viewpoints, and wildlife corridors the big buses never reach. Elk, bighorn sheep, and bears move freely out here and we spot animals on 95% of tours.
Your guide shares the real stories of this place, the history, the ecology, the little details only someone who actually lives here knows. Then, just when you think you’ve seen it all, the gondola takes you up. And the whole Rockies opens up beneath you in every direction. Four hours that take you from the hidden heart of Banff to the top of its world.
From the quiet corners to the highest peaks, the real Banff in half a day.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Itinerary
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Banff National Park (Pass by)
Your local guide tailors the itinerary for each tour. Every day, we connect with other tour operators and Banff locals to gather wildlife sightings, and factor in seasonal weather and bus tour schedules, so you get the most authentic experience of the day, without the crowds. The stops listed below are just some of what you'll see on this tour.
Admission ticket free -
1
Head up Mount Norquay, home to Banff's first ski resort, to one of our favourite viewpoints over the town of Banff and the mountains that surround it.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
2Lake Minnewanka
Keep an eye out for bears, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, coyotes, foxes, and other wildlife as we travel deep into Banff National Park to the glacier-fed waters of Lake Minnewanka and Two Jack Lake.
30 minutes • Admission ticket free -
3Hoodoos Trail
Take a short walk to one of Banff National Park's red chair spots, with sweeping views of the hoodoos and the Canadian Rockies as they stretch across the Bow Valley.
20 minutes • Admission ticket free -
4Surprise Corner
Look up through the alpine forest on Tunnel Mountain to the Fairmont Banff Springs, the famous local hotel that looks like a castle in the sky.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
5Bow Falls
Visit Bow Falls, the backdrop for a famous scene in the 1954 Marilyn Monroe film "River of No Return."
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
6Banff Gondola
Ride to the summit of Sulphur Mountain for sweeping 360° alpine views.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
Additional info
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Service animals allowed
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children 8 and under are unable to join our small group adventures
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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