The Banff National Park is one of the best ways to experience the Canadian Rockies and is well known for its beauty. If you live on this side of the world, I am sure Banff needs no mention and is on your bucket list. The two things that Banff is famous for are – beautiful turquoise lakes and glaciated mountains. Banff is the oldest national park in Canada, the second oldest in the US and the third oldest in the world. So you can imagine the rich natural history it has to offer.
We visited Banff over the Labor Day weekend in September and the weather was just perfect. I was stunned by the beautiful turquoise color of the lakes and it felt so unreal. These lakes are fed by the glaciers which is what makes this color so blue. I visited some of the best lakes I have ever seen in Banff such as Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Peyto Lake and Emerald Lake. We planned our trip for 4 days in Banff and while that was a short time, it was enough for us to witness the beauty of this place. For me, this was one of the best and most memorable national parks I have visited so far!
So, in this blog I’ll share an itinerary for spending 4 days in Banff to help you get the most out of your trip. However, before jumping into the itinerary I’d like to share some very helpful and important tips that can help you be better prepared.
Do you need the Canada Park Pass and how to get it?
Yes, if you’re planning to stop at any scenic viewpoints in the National Parks of Canada (including Banff) then you need a pass. If you plan to just drive through the Trans-Canada highway then you don’t need one but to access any of the national parks in Canada such as Banff and Yoho, you need to have a valid pass. There’s two ways to buy it i.e. online and onsite. If you purchase it online, then it can take up to 2 weeks to reach your mail so if you’re less than a month out from your trip then don’t buy online. You can always go and buy it onsite. There are some specific locations in the park where you can buy the pass so check the official park website for more details.
Here’s the link to purchase the pass online. There are mainly two types of passes – Day pass (for a short period of time) and Discovery pass (valid for a year). Discovery pass is best if you would be coming back within the next 1 year from purchasing the pass to visit other national parks included in the pass. However, Day pass is cheaper if this is your only trip to the national parks in Canada that are included in the pass.
However, if you rent a car with Turo or a similar car rental company, then check with them if they can give you the pass on discount. In most cases, the car owners will own the pass so you can just buy it from them along with the car rental and save yourselves the hassle of buying it online or onsite. We got it 50% cheaper with Turo.
How to go around?
We rented our car from Turo as we felt that would be the most comfortable way to get around and also the most flexible. However, there’s also public transport that runs in the park if you don’t want to drive. For example, if you have Cascade Ponds, Johnson Lake, Two Jack Lakeside Campground, Two Jack Main Campground, Lake Minnewanka Lookout, and Lake Minnewanka on your itinerary, you can take route 6 bus.
Roam Transit runs bus service to Lake Minnewanka in the summer months as well. Route 6 leaves downtown Banff every 30 minutes and takes approximately 25 minutes to reach the lake. This service operates 7 days a week, and the first bus departs at 8AM each morning.The cost is $2 for adults and $1 for Seniors/Youth. Strollers and crated pets are allowed on board. All Roam buses are wheelchair accessible. So buses can be a good option but having a car will give you a lot more flexibility and driving in Canada is exactly like in the US so I would recommend renting a car.
What to pack?
- Bear spray
- Bug spray
- Hike shoes, socks and backpack
- Jackets
- Hike poles if needed
- Rain jackets
- Umbrellas
- Sunscreen
- Hats/Caps
Best time to go?
The lakes in the park usually start thawing around June so the best time to go is between July through September. After September, the weather starts getting chilly and the lakes start freezing. So if you really want to experience the natural beauty of the lakes and do more outdoor activities like hiking and kayaking, then I’d recommend going in summer. But keep in mind that if you go in summer you’re very likely to experience crowds everywhere. And that means you will need to make advance reservations wherever possible and start your day early to skip the waiting lines.
How many days are enough for Banff?
Although we went for only 4 days, I would totally recommend planning at least a week in Banff. That’s because there’s just so much to do that you’ll need that much time. There are a lot of beautiful lakes that you can explore through hiking, camping and kayaking. There’s also a few beautiful scenic drives and glacier based activities. Apart from that, the Banff downtown is worth spending a good amount of time in for its vibe, food and shopping. And finally, apart from Banff there are a few other national parks worth checking out such as Yoho and Jasper. Given that there’s just so much to do, you should plan accordingly.
Do you need travel insurance?
Not really. We didn’t get one as we didn’t feel the need for it. And it’s not mandatory by the Park services and no one really checks. So it’s ok to not have travel insurance, unless you’d be doing a lot of outdoor activities and don’t want to risk not having one.
What is the best way to get to Banff?
If you’re going to be flying in from the US like we did, the closest airport to Banff is the Calgary International Airport (YYC). This airport is about 45 minutes drive from Banff downtown and an hour and half drive from the national park. So we flew in the night before and spent the night in Calgary before heading to Banff the next morning.
Where to eat in Banff?
- For coffee and breakfast, I’d recommend trying out the Whitebark cafe. Their coffee is amazing and they also have a great menu of bakery items that keeps rotating daily.
- For food, we mostly tried Indian restaurants and my top recommendations are the Saffron Indian and Masala Banff. We also tried a burger place called The Eddie Burger which was really good.
And now here goes the itinerary for spending the best 4 days in Banff.
DAY 1 – YOHO NATIONAL PARK
Day 1 in Banff was all about exploring the Yoho National Park. The access to this park is covered in the Parks Pass that you’ll need to purchase beforehand.
Emerald Lake
Our first stop was the stunning Emerald Lake, which is the largest lake in Yoho National Park. The lake is beautiful with its turquoise-colored waters and it makes for a breathtaking sight. It’s a very picturesque lake that also makes for a great photo spot. You can either enjoy the lake from the Emerald Lake Lodge, from where you will get amazing views of the lake. Or you can take the lakeside trail, which is a 3.5 mile round trip trail that takes you around the entire lake. On our way to the trail, we heard that some people spotted moose on their way. So, if you’re lucky you may also be able to spot wildlife on this trail. Although we weren’t so lucky.
This lake also makes for a great canoe or kayak spot so if you don’t feel like hiking, then you can always enjoy the lake through kayaking. We saw many people doing it when we were here and it’s a popular activity in this lake.
Takakkaw Falls
These are one of the largest falls in the Banff region, at a height of 833 feet. They’re the second tallest waterfall in Canada. There is no hike involved to get to these falls. Once you’ve parked in the parking lot, it’s an easy 20-30 minutes walk to get to the falls. I was left awestruck the minute I saw these falls. They’re massive and you can literally hear the roar of the falls as you get closer. You can walk up as close to the falls as possible and see them from up close. It gets colder as you walk towards the falls, so make sure you have a jacket on.
DAY 2 – ICEFIELDS PARKWAY AND JASPER NATIONAL PARK
This day was about driving through the very scenic Icefield Parkway. It’s a scenic drive between Lake Louise and Jasper. It takes about 3 hours if there are no stops on the way but I highly recommend stopping because there are many beautiful spots along this drive. It can take up almost all of your day if you’re going to be coming back to Banff after driving through this parkway, which is what we did. However, if you have the town of Jasper on your itinerary then you can just drive one way from Banff to Jasper and spend the night in Jasper.
It’s completely free to drive through the parkway but because you will be driving through the two parks i.e. Banff and Jasper National Parks, you will need the Parks Canada Pass.
There aren’t many gas stations on the Icefields Parkway, so you will really have to plan accordingly.
If you’re coming from Lake Louise you should fill up at the village before getting on the Icefields Parkway and there’s a nice Petro Canada with snacks. We filled up gas before heading out from Banff town and we also packed lunch and snacks for the way. Also, we didn’t get much of a cell phone signal on the Icefields Parkway so we downloaded offline google maps and any other information we needed before heading on the parkway. As far as restaurants go, there aren’t many along the Icefields Parkway.
Here’s all the spots on the parkway where we stopped and I would recommend adding them all to your itinerary.
Herbert Lake
This is the very first stop you’ll come across on the left-side of the parkway as soon as you cross the park gates. It’s literally off the side of the road so there’s no hiking involved to get here. It’s a beautiful lake and offers amazing views of Mount Temple.
Hector Lake
This was our second stop on the parkway and we saw this lake from a pullover point as we didn’t want to hike. From this point, the colors of the lake were stunning. However, there’s also a trail that takes you closer to the lake if you’d prefer that.
Bow Lake
Bow lake is another stunning lake because of its beautiful aquamarine color. This lake is one of the largest in the park and offers beautiful views of the mountains in the background. We spent some time on the pull-off point on the side of the road which offered amazing views of the lake. And then we drove up to the Num Ti Jah Lodge from where we got closer access and better views of the lake. The cafe here offers beverages and bakery items so you can take a break and soak in the views of the lake while sipping on your hot tea.
Peyto Lake
As I said earlier, this lake was one of my most favorite lakes in Banff. The colors are just beyond real and I couldn’t believe my eyes! It’s the third most popular lake after Lake Louise and Moraine Lake and I can see why. I don’t think there’s a way to access the lake from a closer point. The only way to see it is through a scenic viewpoint which is a short walk from the parking lot. So once you’ve parked, you can keep walking towards the signs to the lake and it will lead you to a scenic lookout point from where you can see this stunning lake. It was a jaw-dropping moment for me!
Mistaya Canyon
This one is also a popular spot and to reach here, you will have to hike a 0.5 km short trail to a well-maintained fenced bridge. The sight of the powerful gush of water cutting through the rocks is just beholding.
The Weeping Wall Viewpoint
This is just a set of cliffs that will come on your right as you drive through the parkway. It can be seen from the side of the road. It has its name because the water flowing down in a series of waterfalls gives the impression of weeping. The biggest of which is called ‘Teardrop’.
Athabasca Glacier
From this point onwards, you’re in Jasper National Park. The scenery will change a lot as you enter the park because you’ll now be driving among the glaciers. It’s an impressive sight to watch the glaciers from so close. There are glacier walking tours that take you on the glacier but since we had our Icefield Skywalk tour booked, we skipped the glacier walking experience.
Columbia Icefield Skywalk
This was our second last stop for the day and I was really looking forward to this experience. An important thing to note is that there is no parking on the skywalk location so don’t drive all the way up to the skywalk. The car will need to be parked at the Glacier Discovery Center which is a little before the skywalk deck. And from here, you will then board a bus that will bring you to the skywalk. The skywalk deck is a glass bottomed bridge that extends out from a cliff edge and has a height of 300 meters from the valley floor. It was a scary experience for me walking on the glass deck at first because its so high up.
But as you look down through this glass floor, the views of the glaciers are just magnificent. There’s also a waterfall in the distance and the panoramic views of the glaciers make it worth the experience. I would highly recommend booking your spot online in advance because it can get very busy during summer months.
Sunwapta Falls
If you have some time left and are not too tired, I’d recommend continuing your drive towards Jasper and stopping at the Sunwapta Falls. There’s two falls here – Lower and Upper and both are equally stunning. The Upper one can be accessed through a hike but it’s an amazing experience.
DAY 3 – BANFF NATIONAL PARK
This was the day that I was looking forward to the most because we had Lake Louise and Moraine lake as part of our itinerary for this day, which are two of the best lakes in the park.
Lake Louise – Shuttle Reservation
Lake Louise is the best lake in Banff for the same reasons as others i.e. stunning blue water and amazing views of the mountains. Because it’s the top tourist destination in Banff, it naturally gets very busy so I highly recommend coming here as early as possible. There are many ways of exploring the lake and the two ways we chose to explore it were through hiking and kayaking. Although we had a car, I had read in many blogs that the parking lots in the lake fill up very fast and usually by 9AM the lots are full. So, we didn’t want to risk not getting a parking spot and we decided to take the park shuttle.
There are two reservation types for the park shuttle – regular and last-minute. Both are reserved online through this link but the difference is that if you want a regular parking spot, you need to make a reservation way in advance i.e. 2-3 months from your trip date. However, if you couldn’t make that for some reason, you also have last minute shuttle reservations spots left. But these open only 48 hours before your trip date around 10AM EDT and they get filled up within 5-10 minutes of opening. So be very fast with these bookings and make sure you’re able to book right at 10 AM EDT to ensure you seats in the shuttle.
One tip from our personal experience is that they may say the parking spots in the lake are full but that may not always be the case. So, if you really want to try your luck you can take your car to the parking lot of the lake and even if they say it’s full, you can try to find a spot. You might get lucky if there’s 1 or 2 spots still open. To board the shuttle, you will need to park your car at the Lake Louise ski resort from where you can take the shuttle to and fro from the lake.
Another important tip – If you book Lake Louise shuttle, it will take you straight to Lake Louise but as long as you have these tickets, you can use the Lake Connector shuttles to go to Moraine Lake. So one shuttle ticket can give you access to two lakes. And this shuttle ticket is a round trip so it can take you back from either of the lakes to the parking lot where you parked.
Lake Louise – Hikes
There are many hikes at the lake like Lake Agnes Tea House, little beehive, big beehive and Plain of six glaciers. We only did the Lake Agnes Tea House hike because we didn’t have more time but I would suggest also adding little and big beehive hikes to your itinerary because the views are so rewarding.
The Lake Agnes Tea House hike is a very popular one. I would say it’s a moderate hike and definitely not easy. It took us about an hour and a half to reach the tea house and it took us through the forests. There were 1-2 viewpoints on the way from where you can see a top view of the lake and the colors were gorgeous. The hike starts from the lakeside trail and you can just keep following the signs that will lead you on this trail.
Once you’ve reached up here, you will be able to see the beautiful Lake Agnes and the tea house. The tea house is very old and dates back to 1905. We spent around 1-2 hours up here soaking in the views of the lake and the mountains around. We also had our lunch here before heading down. You can either buy food from the tea house or bring your own. The tea house has a great menu including hot beverages, sandwiches and desserts but it always has a long wait of at least 1 hour so plan accordingly if you want to dine at the tea house.
If you have the time and energy, you can make your way to the little and big beehive hikes as I have heard the top views from here are just incredible.
Lake Louise – Kayaking
Another activity we did in Lake Louise was kayaking which we did early in the morning to save ourselves from standing in the lines. Here’s a complete guide on how to plan this activity and things to keep in mind so I recommend going through it.
Moraine Lake
The next stop after coming back from the Lake Agnes Tea House hike was Moraine Lake. We took the connector shuttle near the parking lot and reached Moraine Lake. Moraine Lake is equally stunning and has beautiful glacier fed blue-green water. The two hikes I would recommend here are the lakeside shore trail and the Rockpile trail. While the lakeside shore trail will take you along the shore of the lake from where you can access it more closely, the Rockpile hike is a series of steps that will give you top views of the lake. This hike is not difficult and offers stunning top views of the lake. We spent around 1-2 hours at Moraine Lake before heading back to our car parking.
Bow Valley Parkway
Our last plan for the day was to drive through the scenic Bow valley parkway. This parkway also has a few scenic lookout points that are worth stopping at. The bow valley parkway takes you back to the Banff downtown from Lake Louise. The whole drive is about an hour long but if you plan to stop at scenic points on the way it can be longer.
Also note – Parks Canada has approved a three-year pilot that restricts vehicles every day from 8am to 8pm from May 1 to June 25, 2023 and from September 1-October 1st, 2023 only along the eastern 17-kilometer section of the parkway to allow for vehicle-free cycling. This closure is between the Fireside Day-use Area and Johnston Canyon. So if you would like to go to Johnston Canyon during this time it’s recommended to cycle in (make sure to bring a bike lock!). Your other alternative is to access Johnston Canyon via the Castle Junction exit.
Here are some points that are worth stopping at on the Bow Valley Parkway,
- Morant’s curve – Apparently, this is the most photographed spot in the Rockies and it overlooks a train track and an epic valley. The best sight is when the train is passing along the river, with mountains in the backdrop.
- Storm Mountain Lookout
- Castle Cliffs lookout – Offers amazing views of the Castle Cliffs
- Castle Mountain Lookout trail – It’s a 4.5 miles round trip trail that offers stunning views of the Castle mountain
- Moose Meadows – If you’re lucky you might be able to spot a moose here
- Johnston Canyon – This is a very famous stop on the Bow parkway. There are two falls here – lower and upper. The lower one is a short 1.1 km hike so it took us around 30 minutes to get to this point. The hike opens up to a bridge that is a great view point to see the lower part of the falls. If you want to go to the upper part, the hike will continue for another 1.7 km and get steeper. We didn’t go to the upper falls because we didn’t have a lot of time to hike up and back. But the views were equally amazing from the lower side.
- Vermilion Lake viewpoint – Catch the sunset here
One tip on visiting Bow Valley parkway – I would recommend doing this drive in the morning on your way to Lake Louise. This is because the sun will be on the opposite side to the look out points so you will be able to see the mountains more clearly. By evening, the sun comes behind the mountains so it can be a little hazy.
DAY 4 – BANFF DOWNTOWN AND LAKE MINNEWANKA
Banff Downtown
We spent our last day here exploring the downtown. The first half of the day was just about grabbing coffee, walking around downtown, shopping and having lunch. We shopped for a few souvenirs and its here that I came across this amazing boutique called House of Angelica. Their collection is so chic and it’s mainly imported from Italy and Australia. So if you’re in the downtown and have some time, I’d suggest stopping here.
For lunch, we stopped at this really nice burger place called Eddie Burger. Their black bean burgers were delicious. We also tried the local Canadian beer.
We also stopped at the Cascade of time gardens which was a beautiful sight. There were so many species of plants and so many beautiful flowers that it was just so beautiful to watch.
Two Jack Lake
This lake is much smaller than others but it’s equally beautiful. It offers a stunning view of Mount Rundle in the background. There’s also a hike along the shores if you really wanted to get more incredible views of this lake.
Lake Minnewanka
This is an artificial lake and the second largest in the national parks in the Rockies. This lake is really enormous and is very beautiful. This has to be on your itinerary because its equally stunning when compared with the other top lakes. Like all other lakes, there are many ways to explore this one. You can either hike up through the different trails here or explore through the Lake Minnewanka Cruise option which is an hour-long scenic boat ride that goes around the lake.
If you don’t want to do the cruise, you can also kayak or canoe here but keep in mind that if this is your first kayaking experience, it might be better to do it in the other lakes like Lake Louise or Moraine Lake that are relatively smaller and easier to navigate through. This lake is really huge so it can be difficult to row if it gets too windy.
Cascade Ponds
Our second last stop for the day was the beautiful Cascade ponds. This is quieter than other spots and makes for a great picnic spot overlooking the Cascade mountain. We just walked around the side of the ponds and stopped at a picturesque bridge that crosses the ponds. This was a very surreal and beautiful spot to sit in peace and soak in the view of the mountains.
Norquay Lookout
How could we end our trip without catching a sunset? So our last stop was this lookout point which makes for an amazing sunset point. From the parking lot, it’s an easy walk and leads up to the lookout point overlooking Banff. It was one of our most memorable sunset experiences.
And that’s all for this itinerary! I really hope this itinerary is able to help you better prepare for your Banff trip. I cannot explain in words how I feel about Banff because its beauty is just incredible. So, I really wish you all get a chance to visit and have the best time here. Thanks for reading this blog!
Here’s another important planning guide if you are planning to canoe at the Lake Louise.
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