Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Canadian Rockies: Lakes, Glaciers and Teahouses
6 days from Calgary to Jasper: Moraine Lake at sunrise, a canoe on Lake Louise, the Icefields Parkway, a glacier walk and Maligne Lake, ending in Edmonton.
6 days · Calgary to Edmonton · up to 10 guests
Moraine Lake at sunrise Photo: Andrea Belvedere, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Moraine_Lake_-_36964910112.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 6 days, 5 nights
- Start and end
- Calgary to Edmonton
- Group size
- 6 to 10 guests
- Longest drive
- 4 h on day 6No drive day is longer than 4 hours.
- Where you sleep
- HotelsA real bed every night, no tents
- Activity level
Easy
Easy walks of up to about 2 hours on good paths at 1,400 to 2,300 metres, one very early start for Moraine Lake, and an optional steeper hike of about 3 hours to the Lake Agnes Teahouse. No day has more than about 4 hours of driving.
- Meals included
- 5 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 4 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 1,560 (estimated price)
- Season
- Mid-June to mid-September
Highlights
Why this trip
- Moraine Lake and the Valley of the Ten Peaks at first light, on the Parks Canada sunrise shuttle
- A guided canoe on Lake Louise below the Victoria Glacier, with an optional hike to the Lake Agnes Teahouse
- The Icefields Parkway: Bow Lake, Peyto Lake and an Ice Explorer onto the Athabasca Glacier
- A cruise on Maligne Lake to Spirit Island
- Two nights each in Banff and Jasper, then out through Edmonton with no drive back to Calgary
What makes this trip different
Short drives, all published
Every drive is listed day by day, and none is longer than 4 hours.
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 1,560 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
The longest drive is 4 h, on day 6.
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Calgary to Banff, and the gondola at golden hour
Calgary airport to Banff, about 145 km and 1.5 hours
- Dinner
- Stay: Moose Hotel & Suites or similar
- Drive about 1.5 h
Fly into Calgary International Airport (YYC), landing by 1 pm, and your trip leader meets you in the arrivals hall. We drive west on the Trans-Canada Highway, about 145 km and an hour and a half, as the prairie rolls into foothills and then stops at the grey wall of the Front Ranges. Past Canmore we enter Banff National Park, which grew from a small reserve set aside around the Sulphur Mountain hot springs in 1885 to become Canada's first national park. Check in at the Moose Hotel & Suites in downtown Banff, your base for two nights, and take some time to settle in. Late in the day, when the light turns warm and the crowds have thinned, we ride the Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain. A boardwalk along the summit ridge leads to a stone weather observatory built in 1903, with the town, the Bow River and Mount Rundle spread out below.
Evening
Then the group sits down together for a welcome dinner in town.
Included
- Pick-up at Calgary International Airport (YYC)
- Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain at golden hour
- Welcome dinner
Johnston Canyon and a free afternoon in Banff
Banff to Johnston Canyon and back, about 30 minutes each way
- Breakfast
- Stay: Moose Hotel & Suites or similar
- Drive about 1 h
Morning
After breakfast we drive about 30 minutes west up the Bow Valley to Johnston Canyon, early enough to beat the busiest hours. A paved path and steel catwalks fixed to the limestone walls climb gently about 1.1 km up the narrow canyon, with the creek racing below, to the Lower Falls, where a short tunnel through the rock brings you right up to the spray. It is an easy walk of about an hour there and back, and anyone keen can carry on another 1.5 km or so to the taller Upper Falls. Back in Banff, a one-hour trail ride with Banff Trail Riders is included for anyone who would like to see the valley from the saddle.
Afternoon
The afternoon is yours: soak in the Banff Upper Hot Springs, follow the Bow River path to Bow Falls, visit the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies or wander Banff Avenue.
Evening
Dinner is on your own tonight, and your leader will happily suggest places.
Included
- Guided walk to the Lower Falls of Johnston Canyon
- One-hour trail ride with Banff Trail Riders, if you would like to ride
Optional experiences
- Banff Upper Hot Springs
Easier option: Turn back at the Lower Falls, about 2.2 km there and back on a gentle path.
More active option: Continue to the Upper Falls, about 5 km there and back from the car park.
Free time: Afternoon free in Banff
Moraine Lake at first light and a canoe on Lake Louise
Banff to Lake Louise, about 60 km and 45 minutes
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay: Lake Louise Inn or similar
- Drive about 45 min
An early start, and worth it. Private cars are not allowed on the road to Moraine Lake, so we leave Banff at about 4 am, drive 45 minutes to the Lake Louise lakeshore and board the 5 am Parks Canada Alpine Start shuttle.
Morning
You reach Moraine Lake as first light catches the Valley of the Ten Peaks, before the day visitors arrive, and a short climb up the Rockpile gives the famous view along the water. Breakfast comes with us, and a warm layer is essential: dawn at nearly 1,900 metres is cold even in July. The Lake Connector shuttle brings us back to Lake Louise, where we paddle out together on a guided canoe outing below the Victoria Glacier, weather permitting. Then choose your pace: hike up to the Lake Agnes Teahouse for tea and soup beside a hanging lake, or stroll the flat shoreline path.
Evening
Lunch and dinner are included, and tonight we sleep at the Lake Louise Inn in the village, a short walk from the shops.
Included
- Parks Canada Alpine Start shuttle to Moraine Lake for sunrise
- Lake Connector shuttle to Lake Louise
- Guided group canoe on Lake Louise, weather permitting
Easier option: Stroll the flat Lake Louise shoreline path, up to about 2 km each way, and stop wherever you like.
More active option: Hike to the Lake Agnes Teahouse: about 7 km there and back with about 400 m of climbing, 2.5 to 3 hours with time for tea. Bring some cash, as card payment there is not reliable.
Activity: Very early start: we leave Banff at about 4 am for the 5 am shuttle.
The Icefields Parkway to Jasper
Lake Louise to Jasper on the Icefields Parkway, 233 km, about 3 hours plus stops
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay: Chateau Jasper or similar
- Drive about 3 h
Today is the drive many visitors come to the Rockies for: 233 km of the Icefields Parkway, about three hours at the wheel, spread across the whole day. The road climbs past Bow Lake, where the Crowfoot Glacier hangs above the water, to Bow Summit, the highest point on the parkway. From there a short paved path leads to the viewpoint over Peyto Lake, whose glacial blue water fills a valley shaped, people say, like a wolf's head.
Afternoon
Lunch is included along the way. At the Columbia Icefield we join the Columbia Icefield Adventure: an Ice Explorer, a giant all-terrain bus, crawls down a steep moraine onto the Athabasca Glacier, and you step out to walk on ice that has flowed down from the icefield above. Next comes the Glacier Skywalk, a glass-floored walkway curving out over the Sunwapta Valley.
Evening
Our last stop is Athabasca Falls, where the river thunders through a narrow gorge, before Jasper, Chateau Jasper and dinner together.
Included
- Stops at Bow Lake and the Peyto Lake viewpoint
- Columbia Icefield Adventure: Ice Explorer onto the Athabasca Glacier and the Glacier Skywalk
- Athabasca Falls
Activity: The drive time excludes stops; it is a full day on the road with plenty of breaks.
Maligne Lake and Spirit Island
Jasper to Maligne Lake and back, about 48 km and 1 hour each way
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay: Chateau Jasper or similar
- Drive about 2 h
Morning
After breakfast we drive the Maligne Road into the valley east of Jasper, where elk often graze beside the road. We pause at Medicine Lake, which has no surface outlet: it drains through sinkholes in its bed into one of the largest underground river systems known in North America, and by late summer it can shrink to mudflats and winding channels. At Maligne Lake, the largest natural lake in the Canadian Rockies, we board the cruise to Spirit Island, a small tree-covered island that is a sacred place for the Stoney Nakoda and one of the most photographed views in Canada. Back on shore, the easy Mary Schäffer Loop follows the lake past signs telling how Schäffer reached it in 1908 with a map drawn for her by Samson Beaver, a Stoney Nakoda hunter.
Afternoon
The afternoon is free in Jasper: walk the town, ride the SkyTram up Whistlers Mountain, or rest.
Evening
In the evening we gather for a farewell dinner.
Included
- Medicine Lake viewpoint
- Maligne Lake cruise to Spirit Island
- Walk on the Mary Schäffer Loop at Maligne Lake
Optional experiences
- Jasper SkyTram up Whistlers Mountain
Free time: Afternoon free in Jasper
Jasper to Edmonton airport
Jasper to Edmonton International Airport, 389 km, about 4 hours
- Breakfast
- Drive about 4 h
Morning
A last breakfast in Jasper, then we head east on the Yellowhead Highway. The road follows the Athabasca River out of the mountains, past lakes and gravel flats where bighorn sheep and elk are sometimes seen near the highway, and leaves the park at its east gate. The Front Ranges fall away behind us as we pass Hinton and Edson and roll on through the forest and farmland of central Alberta.
Afternoon
The drive is 389 km, just under four hours, with a stop to stretch and for lunch on your own. Finishing in Edmonton means we never drive the Icefields Parkway a second time, and it is about an hour shorter than the 412 km run back to Calgary. We aim to reach Edmonton International Airport (YEG) in the early afternoon, so please book a flight that leaves after 3 pm. If you would like more time in the Rockies or in Edmonton, ask us and we can help arrange extra nights before you fly home.
Included
- Drop-off at Edmonton International Airport (YEG)
- Calgarystart
- Banff2 nights
- Lake Louise1 night
- Jasper2 nights
- Edmontonend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: Summer days in the valleys are often 20 to 25°C, but mornings are cool and it can be near freezing at Moraine Lake at dawn and on the Athabasca Glacier, so pack layers and a rain jacket for afternoon showers. Smoke from distant wildfires can haze the views on some days in July and August. Elk are likely around Jasper; black bears, grizzly bears and bighorn sheep are possible but never guaranteed.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers who want the Rockies' famous lakes at an easy pace, from comfortable hotels
- A first visit to Banff and Jasper with the driving and the park shuttles handled
- Anyone who would rather finish in Jasper than drive back to Calgary
Not for you if you want
- Hikers who want a long or high trail every day
- Camping or backcountry trips
- Late risers: the Moraine Lake morning starts at about 4 am
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
5 nights
Where you'll stay
Named stays, or similar where we are still confirming.
2 nights · Days 1 and 2
Moose Hotel & Suitesor similar
Banff · Hotel
Downtown Banff
1 night · Day 3
Lake Louise Innor similar
Lake Louise · Hotel
In Lake Louise village, a walk from the shops
2 nights · Days 4 and 5
Chateau Jasperor similar
Jasper · Hotel
A walk from the centre of Jasper
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 5 nights in hotels, twin share: 2 in Banff, 1 in Lake Louise village and 2 in Jasper
Transport
- Pick-up at Calgary International Airport (YYC) and drop-off at Edmonton International Airport (YEG)
- A 12-seat van with your trip leader at the wheel for the whole trip
- Parks Canada sunrise shuttle to Moraine Lake and the Lake Connector to Lake Louise
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours trip leader and driver from Calgary to Edmonton
Activities
- Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain
- Guided walk at Johnston Canyon
- A one-hour trail ride in Banff, if you would like to ride
- Guided group canoe on Lake Louise
- Columbia Icefield Adventure: Ice Explorer onto the Athabasca Glacier and the Glacier Skywalk
- Maligne Lake cruise to Spirit Island
- Parks Canada national park admission for every day of the trip
Meals
- 5 breakfasts
- 2 lunches, on days 3 and 4
- 4 dinners: a welcome dinner in Banff, dinner in Lake Louise and in Jasper, and a farewell dinner in Jasper
Not included
- Flights to Calgary and from Edmonton
- Travel insurance
- Lunches and dinners not listed
- Drinks
- Banff Upper Hot Springs, Jasper SkyTram and tea at Lake Agnes
- Tips
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 1,560 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the trip include?
Five hotel nights (2 in Banff, 1 in Lake Louise and 2 in Jasper), a See Sight Tours trip leader who drives the group's van from Calgary to Edmonton, the Parks Canada sunrise shuttle to Moraine Lake, the Banff Gondola, a guided canoe on Lake Louise, the Columbia Icefield Adventure with the Glacier Skywalk, the Maligne Lake cruise, park admission, and 5 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 4 dinners.
Which airports do I fly into and out of?
Fly into Calgary International (YYC), landing by 1 pm on day 1, where your trip leader meets you. The trip ends at Edmonton International (YEG) in the early afternoon of day 6, so book a flight leaving after 3 pm. Flights are not included.
How early is the Moraine Lake morning?
We leave Banff at about 4 am for the 5 am Parks Canada Alpine Start shuttle from the Lake Louise lakeshore, because private cars cannot drive to Moraine Lake. It is the one very early start of the trip, and it puts you at the lake for first light before the crowds. Breakfast comes with us.
How fit do I need to be?
The walks are easy: about an hour at Johnston Canyon, short paths at Moraine Lake, Peyto Lake and Maligne Lake, and a few steps onto the glacier. The hike to the Lake Agnes Teahouse, about 7 km there and back with 400 m of climbing, is optional; you can stroll the Lake Louise shore instead.
Is Jasper open after the 2024 wildfire?
Yes. The town, Maligne Lake, Athabasca Falls and the Icefields Parkway are open, and the hotels planned for this trip are open. You will see burned forest on some drives. Maligne Canyon is still closed, so the Maligne day visits Medicine Lake and Maligne Lake instead.
Will we see wildlife?
Elk are likely around Jasper, often right beside the road. Black bears, grizzly bears and bighorn sheep are possible, especially along the Icefields Parkway and the road out of Jasper, but wildlife is never guaranteed. Your leader stops when it is safe to watch.
When is the best time to go?
The trip runs from mid-June to mid-September, when the Moraine Lake road, the Ice Explorer, the Maligne Lake cruise and the Lake Agnes Teahouse are all open. July and August are warmest and busiest; June and September are quieter, with cooler mornings.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 6 to 10 guests, travelling in a 12-seat van with your trip leader at the wheel.
Can we travel privately or on our own?
Yes. Besides the small group, the trip comes as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose. If you would rather travel on your own on your own dates, ask us from the dates section: we can book the same hotels, shuttles and activities for you.
How much does it cost?
Prices are per person sharing a room, with taxes, and differ by style: small group or private. The small group starts from CAD 5,190 per person, and a room of your own is from CAD 1,560 more. Pick your start date when you request to book, and we confirm your trip within 24 hours. Nothing is charged until then.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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