Athabasca Glacier and Skywalk Small Group Tour with Lunch

5.0
(14 reviews)
Banff, Canada

8 hours (approximately)
Offered in: English

Highlights:

Small Group, Local Pace: Skip the big bus tours. We travel in small groups, so we can stop when something's worth stopping for, at Peyto Lake, Bow Lake, the Columbia Icefield, and more.

Local Knowledge, Real Wildlife: The Parkway has its well-known stops, but our guides also know the quieter viewpoints and pull-offs where wildlife tends to show up, the spots most tours drive right past.

Guided Hikes, Real Insight: Your guide leads a few relaxed hikes to the best viewpoints along the way, mixing local stories and history with plenty of time to just take it in.

Gourmet Picnic Lunch: A fresh gourmet sandwich, piece of fruit, and a sweet treat from a local favourite, ready to enjoy at one of the most scenic spots on the drive.

An Itinerary Built for the Day: We shape the route around weather, recent wildlife activity, and crowd timing, so you're seeing the Parkway at its best, not on a fixed drive.

What's Included

Comfortable, premium transportation
Hotel pick-up and drop-off at select Canmore, Banff and Lake Louise locations
Polaroid souvenir
Fresh water refills (BYO bottle)
Small group experience (max 12 guests)
Columbia Icefield Adventure Admission (Ice Explorer + Columbia Icefield Skywalk)
Expert local guide trained in photography and storytelling
Fresh lunch from a local favourite, Turkey sandwich by default. Preference or dietary need? Reach out for an alternative. Included for bookings on or after June 26. Booked earlier? Call to add lunch.
Guide gratuities (optional)

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point
You can choose from multiple locations at checkout.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Duration: 8 hours (approximately)
  • Banff (Pass by)

    This award-winning Radventures small-group adventure begins with a scenic drive from Banff, spotting wildlife along the way and learning about the region's Indigenous and European history.

    Admission ticket free
  • 1
    Icefields Parkway

    Widely regarded as one of the most scenic drives in the world, the Icefields Parkway passes more than 100 ancient glaciers, cascading waterfalls, dramatic rock spires, and emerald lakes set in sweeping valleys of pine and larch forest. Wildlife is a regular part of the drive through Banff and Jasper National Parks, so keep an eye out around every turn. As we take our time along the route, we'll stop for a short hike or two, find a viewpoint worth photographing, and enjoy a picnic lunch in the middle of the Canadian Rockies wilderness. This is the Icefields Parkway the way it's meant to be experienced.

    5 hours Admission ticket free
  • 2
    Peyto Lake

    Peyto Lake, shaped like a wolf's head from above, is one of the most visited and photographed lakes in the Canadian Rockies, and it's easy to see why. In summer, glacial rock flour flows into the lake, and these suspended particles give the water its bright turquoise colour. We'll take an easy walk to view the lake from Bow Summit, 2,088 metres (6,800 feet) above sea level, the highest point on the Icefields Parkway and the highest elevation crossed by any public road in Canada.

    30 minutes Admission ticket included
  • 3
    Athabasca Glacier

    As the name implies, these "fields of ice" straddle Banff and Jasper National Parks and make up the largest icefield south of the Arctic Circle. The Columbia Icefield covers 325 km² and runs 100 to 365 metres (328 to 1,197 ft) deep, with up to seven metres (275 in) of snowfall a year feeding the ice. Step onto the 10,000-year-old Athabasca Glacier aboard an all-terrain Ice Explorer, where you'll walk on ancient ice.

    1 hour 30 minutes Admission ticket included
  • 4
    Bow Lake

    Bow Lake, a striking shade of blue, is the headwaters of the Bow River, the same river you'll see running through Lake Louise, Banff, and Calgary before eventually reaching Hudson Bay on the other side of the country. The lake lines the Icefields Parkway and makes for a pleasant walk down to the shoreline, with views across to Crowfoot Glacier, Wapta Icefield, Bow Glacier, Crowfoot Mountain, and Mount Thompson.

    30 minutes Admission ticket included
  • 5
    Columbia Icefield Skywalk

    Walk out onto the glass-floored Columbia Icefield Skywalk, suspended high above the Sunwapta Valley, for a rare, straight-down view of the wilderness below.

    30 minutes Admission ticket included

Additional info

  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Service animals allowed
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
  • Children 12 and under are unable to join our small group adventures
  • Not recommended for travellers with mobility issues
  • Lunch is included for all bookings made on or after June 26, 2026. A fresh picnic lunch from one of our local favourites, with a turkey sandwich by default. Have a preference or dietary restriction? Reach out and we'll sort you out with an alternative. Booked before June 26? You can still add lunch by calling us ahead of your tour.
Supplied by Radventures

Tags

Day Trips
Full-day Tours
Bus Tours
Private and Luxury
Small Group
Adventure Tours
New Product

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

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Rating

5.0 Based on 14 14 reviews
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