15 National Park Tours in Banff to Build a Day Around

1.Lakes Moraine, Louise, Emerald, Johnston Canyon & Yoho Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,023 reviews · from $61Our pick

Spend 7.5 to 11 hours visiting Banff and Yoho National Parks with an English-speaking guide such as Ben, Mike, or Sammy. See Lake Louise, seasonal Moraine Lake, Emerald Lake, Natural Bridge, Johnston Canyon, and Vermilion Lakes, with transport from Calgary, Canmore, or Banff.

“The tour was wonderful! Gray was phenomenal! He was funny, personable and always willing to take pictures for everyone!”

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2.Banff National Park Tour with Lake Louise and Moraine Lake

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 692 reviews · 4 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $119

Spend a half-day visiting Lake Louise and Moraine Lake from Banff, with a guide such as Jade, Jake, Sam, or Neil sharing local history and pointing out the best photo spots. You get comfortable transport, a maple cookie, water, and about 30 minutes at each lake. Moraine Lake access is seasonal.

“We all enjoyed the trip to see Lake Louise and Moraine absolutely majestic Simon our guide was very knowledgeable and the coach was extremely comfortable Highly recommend this excursion”

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3.Banff National Park: 1-Hour Bow River Horseback Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 518 reviews · 1 hour · from $78

Meet your horse at Banff Trail Riders’ red stables, learn basic Western riding, then follow lead and tail guides beside the Bow River and Cave and Basin Hot Springs. Sarah, Jade, and other guides are praised for clear instruction and local stories. Bring long pants, sturdy shoes, and insect repellent.

“Jade and Steph were fantastic guides! The one hour Bow River ride was a great experience for our family of five.”

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4.Banff National Park: 1-Hour Spray River Horseback Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 315 reviews · 1 hour · from $83

Ride a gentle, well-trained horse through wooded trails near Banff Springs, with two Spray River crossings, Bow Falls views, and guides such as Samantha, Summer, Ki, and Liv sharing local stories. Basic instruction, helmets, and lead and tail guides make this a friendly first ride.

“We had a brilliant time on the hour spray ride! The tour guides were great fun and we felt really safe at all times. The ride is so scenic! Would highly recommend!”

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5.Banff National Park Big Canoe Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 303 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $69Top rated

Join Hydra River Guides at the Banff Canoe Club for a 90-minute guided trip up and back along the Bow River. You’ll paddle a 12-seat Big Canoe with no experience required, watch for elk, bald eagles, ospreys, loons, and muskrats, and hear local stories from guides such as Abbey, Maddie, Cam, and Darby.

“Fun trip with great views. Phone safe (you will not get wet). Some exertion as you paddle upstream, but not too intense. Stephanie is great.”

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6.Banff National Park: Big Canoe River Explorer Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 286 reviews · 1h 30m · from $67

Join Banff Adventures at the Banff Canoe Club for a gentle 90-minute paddle on the Bow River. Your English-speaking guide, such as Abbey, Brie, CJ, or Mardi, handles safety, paddling tips, local stories, and wildlife facts. The tour suits families and beginners, with lemonade served afterward.

“Ethan our tour guide was awesome!! We had a great experience and would definitely go again”

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7.Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, Emerald Lake and Yoho Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 272 reviews · from $61

This full-day coach or van trip links Lake Louise, Moraine Lake or Marble Canyon, Emerald Lake, Natural Bridge, and either Banff or Bow Falls. Guides such as Ben, Sam, Rhonda, Michael, and Isabella share local facts, while included transport removes the parking headache.

“Ben was very engaging and informative. Learned lots of cool facts from him — about the mountains, bears, etc. He also shared some great tips on what to do and where things were at at our stops, which made our excursions smoother. Overall a great experience. And we saw grizzlies — a mom and her cubs!! 🐻”

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8.Banff and Jasper National Parks: Tour with Transport

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 185 reviews · from $66

Ride from Calgary, Canmore, or Banff along the Icefields Parkway with an English-speaking guide such as Param, Guri, Anna, or Aashish. Stop at famous lakes and glaciers, then add the Ice Explorer and Skywalk at the Columbia Icefield for an extra fee.

“The driver was excellent, attentive to passenger requests and providing commentary on the scenery. He was great! Signage on the vehicle at the pick up point would help avoid confusion at the outset to start things off on a good note. It would also distinguish your tours from so many others sharing the pick up point.”

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9.Banff National Park: 2-Hour Sundance Loop Horseback Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 128 reviews · 2 hours · from $152

Ride from Warner Stables along the Bow River, past Cave and Basin hot springs, through marsh and forest, then up Sulphur Mountain to Windy Knoll. Guides such as Sophie, Angela, and Nicole provide riding tips and local stories. Expect a calm walking pace, mountain views, and horses with distinct personalities.

“Fabulous friendly staff from start to finish. Really helpful and fun. Would highly recommend”

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10.Banff National Park: Guided Signature Hikes with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 123 reviews · 7 hours · from $145

Spend seven hours hiking with a certified English-speaking guide in a group of up to 12. Choose Stanley Glacier, Larch Valley, Consolation Lakes, or Plain of Six Glaciers, with hiking poles, transport from listed stops, and a gourmet picnic lunch included.

“Our tour group had Francis and Buck looking after us. Their excitement was palpable as we drove towards Moraine Lake which had started snowing. A unique experience as the road shuts over Winter! Francis took great care of my partner who was suffering from an earlier ankle injury. The two guides bounced off each other well to create a fab tour group environment. Buck had packed some hot chocolate for the whole group too once we got to the top! Thanks for the great tour.”

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11.From Banff/Lake Louise: 1-Way Sightseeing Tour to Jasper

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 57 reviews · 11 - 12 hours · from $254

Spend 11 to 12 hours crossing Banff and Jasper national parks with an English-speaking guide, stopping at Lake Louise, Peyto Lake, Athabasca Falls, and the Columbia Icefield. The small vehicle includes lunch, the Athabasca Glacier Adventure, and Glacier SkyWalk before drop-off in Jasper.

“Norm the guide was super informative, it was amazing to stand on a glacier !!”

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12.Snowshoeing Tour in Kootenay National Park

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 37 reviews · 4 hours · from $79

Ride from Banff to Kootenay National Park, learn snowshoeing on a mostly flat 3-kilometer trail, and visit the Paint Pots mineral pools. Your English-speaking guide supplies snowshoes, poles, hot chocolate, and maple taffy made in the snow. Small groups are limited to 12 people.

“Our guide was amazing and knowledgeable. We enjoyed our trip. Everything was great! Taffy making was a nice touch esp for the kids.”

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13.Banff, Lake Louise, Marble Canyon & Yoho National Parks Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 33 reviews · 8 - 9 hours · from $104

Spend 8 to 9 hours visiting Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay National Parks with a bilingual Chinese and English guide. See Emerald Lake, Natural Bridge, Lake Louise, and Marble Canyon, with optional lunch or afternoon tea at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. Expect moderate walking and a long but rewarding day.

“Super visite des lacs! Par contre, beaucoup trop de monde au Canyon Johnston… en 1h, il n’y a pas suffisamment de temps pour apprécier le site à sa juste valeur.”

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14.3-Day Lake Louise, Moraine, Emerald, Yoho, Icefield

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 25 reviews · from $236

Pack three full days of mountain scenery, short walks, and guided stops from Calgary to Jasper. You’ll see Lake Louise, Moraine Lake in summer, Emerald Lake, Johnston Canyon, and Peyto Lake, with optional gondola and Icefield activities. Guides such as Tammy, Jay, and Gray have earned strong praise for their help and local insight.

“The lakes were breathtaking! This was a wonderful itinerary that got to show off all the well known sites and a few new places we hadn’t heard of. Highly recommend! All 3 of our guides (Louis, Jay, and Tammy) were fantastic and each offered something unique.”

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15.Moraine Lake: Lake Louise & Yoho & Moraine Lake Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 24 reviews · 8 - 10 hours · from $50Best value

Travel by comfortable coach with an English-speaking guide to Lake Louise, Emerald Lake, Natural Bridge, and Moraine Lake. You get about two hours at Lake Louise, one hour at Moraine Lake, and winter snowshoe rental is included from November to mid-April, weather permitting.

“Bus is very new, clean, and very comfortable. Itinerary and time were arranged just about right. We had enough time for each place. It was not rushed. Tour guide was nice and polite. We had great time so this is highly recommended.”

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