- Banff Gondola
- Fairmont Springs Hotel View point
- Banff downtown
- Lake Minnewanka
- Johnston Canyon Falls
- Lake Louise
- Explore Lakeside: 30 min-1hr
- Plain of Six Glaciers Hike, and come back via Big Beehive: Takes 6-7 hrs
- Big Beehive has one of the best view points of Lake Louise
- Enjoy the tea house at the top of Six Glaciers
- Other hike options include:
- Big Beehive Hike (3-4 hrs)
- Little Beehive Hike + Lake Agnes TeaHouse (1-2 hrs)
- Kayak/Canoe in Lake Louise
Day 3
- Rock pile hike: Best photographic view point of Moraine Lake. Easy hike
- Larch Valley + Sentinel Pass Hike: Takes ~6 hours
- Other smaller hikes include
- Larch Valley hike only
- Consolation Lake Hike
- Kayak/Canoe in Moraine Lake
- Emerald Lake
- Natural Bridge
- Takkaw falls – 1 mile easy hike
- Wapta falls – 3 mile moderate hike
Scenic drive between Banff and Jasper National Park. Takes a full day with multiple stop points. Start as early as you can. Most beautiful attractions are listed below:
- Bow Lake – Look out point visit.
- Peyto Lake – 4th best lake in our opinion. 1.2 mile round trip hike to see the lookout point. If you walk a bit further towards the left from the 1st look out point, there is another better view point with unobstructed view of the lake. It is just another 5 min walk, and worth the visit.
- Bow summit hike – This hike is another 2 miles from Peyto Lake’s 1st look out point. It is very open hike, and will let you see the Bow Valley.
- Waterfowl Lakes – Only a view point
- Mistaya Canyon falls – Easy 1.2 miles loop hike to see a pretty waterfalls
- The Crossing – Can be used as a lunch stop. This place and Columbia Icefield Adventure are the only two options for food/dining in Icefield parkway drive.
- Big Bend – Viewpoint to see the icefield parkway valley
- Columbia Icefield Adventure- This is the place from which you can see the giant Athabasca glacier from close range. You can walk a few feet on the glacier for free or you can take the Explorer tour which will take you right into the glacier. You can also take a skywalk tour.
- Walk on the glacier for free for about 10 feet.
- Take Ice Explorer tour
- Columbia Skywalk
- Sunwapta Falls – Beautiful waterfalls. Walk 100 ft for the upper falls, and a 2 mile easy hike for lower falls
- Athabasca Falls – Beautiful waterfalls, very easy hike of 0.6-1 miles and 82 ft elevation
Note: If you don’t have time to finish all of them, Athabasca falls can be done later next day or when you drive back to Banff. It is closer to Jasper, and only 30 min away.
Explore Jasper National Park
- Edith Glacier and Mount Edith
- Edith Glacier – It is an easy 1.2km round trip hike, and takes you right infront of the glacier.
- Cavell Meadow Hike – 6-7km round trip hike with 500m elevation gain
- Both hikes are pretty open in the sun.
- Valley of 5 lakes hike – 4.5km easy hike. Takes you along 5 beautiful lakes.
- Medicine Lake and sunset at Maligne Lake – Chances of seeing bears and wild life on this route.
Explore more of Jasper National Park, and anything that couldn’t be covered in the last 2 days.
- Malign Canyon Hike – Hike takes you through multiple bridges and canyon water falls.
- Short easy walk about 20-40 min will cover first 2 bridges.
- Medium hike about 30 min -1 hour will cover the first 4 bridges.
- Longer hike about 2-3 hours will cover all 6 bridges. Infact, bridge 5 and bridge 6 can be accessed through road from different end for those who want to skip this hike.
- Pyramid Lake and Pyramid island – Short easy walks around the lake area.