Hiking, biking and paddling in Banff National Park remains, after over five years of doing the podcast, the most popular destination at Active Travel Adventures! Why? Beauty beyond words with turquoise glacial lakes, towering Rockie mountains and glaciers, exciting wildlife, and enought fun, outdoor activities for any adventure junkie. Plus, it is easy to get to by plane or train, and you don’t need a car once you are there because you can walk or take public transport from town to all the fun activites. Find out why Canada’s first national park, part of Canada’s Rockie Mountain UNESCO World Heritage Sites, should be on your Bucket List!
Things to Do in Banff
It might be easier to describe what you can’t do in Banff! Whether you favor hiking, biking, kayaking, rafting, climbing, skiing and camping, you’ll find it all in this amazing year ’round park.
Our guest, Michele, explored Banff with my affiliate, Active Adventures
Active rates this adventure tour as a 3 out of 5 for difficulty. If you need training help, check out Trailblazer Wellness. Becki can customize an online training program for you using the equipment you already have. Mention Active Travel Adventures for a 10% Discount.
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Here’s what Michele did on her 6 day adventure with Active.
- After being picked up in Calgary, they biked the Legacy Trail, which offers some of the most breathtaking panoramas in all of Banff National Park.
- They did a full day 7 mile/11km hike (shorter options available) over Sentinel Pass, rated one of the top hikes in Banff. On this hike, you ascend from turquoise Moraine Lake past larch trees and alpine meadows and get some spectacular vistas of Paradise Valley from nearly 8,900′ atop the pass.
- Then it’s off to Jasper National Park on one of Canada’s most spectacular roads, the Icefields Parkway, for some glacier hiking 2 miles/3 km on Athabasca Glacier . You’ll get crampons and hiking poles to make it easy to navigate the ice. Be on the lookout for cool crevices and ice caves on this otherworldy experience!
- Raft the adrenaline pumping Class III and IV rapids on Kicking Horse River.
- Hike around gorgeous Lake Louise on the Lake Agnes Teahouse Trail (4 miles/6.4 km) with 1300′ elevation gain.
- Bike to Lake Minnewanka, Banff’s largest lake, and Two Jack Lake and take advantage of the awe-inspiring views as the mountains reflect off of the turquoise lake waters.
- Take a plunge into the glacial waters of Two Jack Lake, if you dare!
When to Visit Banff National Park
Banff is open year ’round, but if you want to do outside activities like hiking, biking and paddling while in Banff, then I recommend going between June and September for the mildest weather. It gets extremely cold and windy from fall through spring. Here are the monthly weather averages in Banff.
Banff is extremely popular with over three million visitors per year, so I highly recommend going with a quality adventure tour company as they can help you to avoid the crowds with their insider knowledge of when to go where, and off the beaten path tips. I recommend Active Adventures.
[Email me for an exclusive discount Promo Code on ANY Active Adventures tour]
Banff also offers winter sports lovers the chance to ski (and soak in a soothly hot tub afterwards). You can learn more about the park in winter HERE.
Glacier Hiking In Jasper National Park
One of the most fun things to do when you visit Banff, is to take a detour and head to Jasper National Park for some glacial hiking! Active Adventures provides you with the crampons (the metal grippers that fit over your boots so you can walk on the ice without slipping) and hiking poles.
It’s counterintuitive, but it won’t take long for you to get used to pointing your toes FORWARD instead of walking down sideways when going downhill.
If you are lucky, the ever changing ice will reveal interesting crevices and ice caves!
Who should visit Banff
Banff has something to offer everyone! Because everything is nearby, if you are into adventure, but your partner isn’t, he or she can hang out in town while you hit the mountains! You can walk many places and there is excellent public transportation (you don’t need a car, and in fact cars are discouraged).
So Banff National Park is good for:
- Couples
- Families (Active Adventures offers ‘Family Friendly’ Banff tours
- Solo travelers Active doesn’t charge a solo supplement if you room with a same sex traveler. Or you can opt for your own room with a solo supplement.
- Friends
Active Adventures Banff and Jasper National Park tour is virtually all inclusive! You’ll stay in a lovely chalet and lodge (you only move once), and eat outstanding meals (most are included). They pick you up and drop you off at the Calgary Airport, and provide all transfers on the tour, plus your glacier hike crampons and poles. The outstanding guides can teach you about the local history, flora and fauna, and will be with you on all hikes, bike rides and the rafting trip. To learn more about Active’s Six Day Multi-Activity Tour of Banff and Jasper, click HERE. Don’t forget that if you EMAIL ME, I can send you an exclusive $200 OFF Active Adventures Promo Code (they won’t let me publish it).
How to Get to Banff
You can get to Banff by plane or train.
Flying to Banff
Your best option is to fly into Calgary International Airport (YYC) in Alberta, and then your tour company picks you up. Or you can take a shuttle from the airport for a reasonable price. The airport is a scenic 90 minute drive, less than 70 miles away.
Train to Jasper > Bus to Banff
If you prefer to take a train, you can take Canada’s national passenger rail service, the Rocky Mountaineer, to Jasper. From Jasper, you can take a bus. This is a very scenic, but long ride of about 180 miles, and it takes about five and a half hours.
Visit Lake Louise
Lake Louise is a stunning glacial lake where you can do loads of outdoor activities! Be sure to stop by the Lake Louise Visitor’s Center. In addition to walking and biking around the lake, you can rent a canoe to paddle the lake to enjoy the spectacular scenery from the water.
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Mention Active Travel Adventures to get 10% OFF any customized online Training Program for your next big adventure with Becki at Trailblazer Wellness. Becki creates a program specifically for you using the equipment you already have. Highly recommend!
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