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BanffSafaris & wildlife activities

Our most recommended Banff Safaris & wildlife activities

Banff: Lake Minnewanka Cruise

1. Banff: Lake Minnewanka Cruise

Admire views of the Canadian Rockies as you cruise on the largest lake in Banff National Park. Get the chance to see sheep, deer, and mountain goats along the shore, and learn about the culture of the indigenous people who used to live in the area from your expert guide. Meet your guide and captain on the boat dock at Lake Minnewanka and begin your adventure. Glide through the crystal clear water of this glacier lake and soak up the views of the mountains and blue sky above you. Keep an eye out for wildlife on the lakeshore, including big-horned sheep, deer, mountain goats, and even the occasional bear. During the cruise, learn interesting facts and stories about the wildlife and vegetation that inhabit the Canadian Rockies from your guides. Dive into the culture of the indigenous people who used to call the area home and hear a lot of entertaining legends of the area.

Banff National Park: 1-Hour Bow River Horseback Ride

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

Start the tour in Banff where you will meet a member of the riding office, who will check you in and provide you a helmet for your ride. From here, walk back outside into the sunshine and meet your trusty horse. Using a step, climb onto your horse under the direction of your guide, and learn some basic horseback riding techniques. Follow your guide along the tranquil Bow River and past the historic Cave and Basin Hot springs - the original birthplace of Banff National Park. This area is home to wildlife in amongst the thick marshes and grassy meadows. Enjoy unspoiled views of the magnificent Rocky Mountains along the way. After 1 hour of scenic horseback riding, return to the stables, where you'll disembark and say goodbye to your horse with some farewell pats.

Banff: Evening Wildlife Safari Guided Tour

3. Banff: Evening Wildlife Safari Guided Tour

Go on an evening wildlife safari tour and discover the animals of Banff. Led by your expert guide, experience twilight wildlife encounters.  As the sun sets behind the craggy peaks, the wildlife of Banff National Park become more active in the cool hours before dark. Get the chance to be up close with some of Banff’s wildest residents. Spot an elk sauntering across a clearing or a bighorn sheep grazing in an alpine meadow. Sometimes, you may even see a grizzly bear snuffling through a berry bush.  Have your guide take you on a paved road bus tour where you are most likely to see Rocky Mountain creatures. Learn about how the park protects these animals and their natural habitat from many threats to the ecosystem.

Moraine Lake and Lake Louise Half Day Tour

4. Moraine Lake and Lake Louise Half Day Tour

Visit the Canadian Rockies and be stunned by glistening glacial lakes. Depart from Calgary or Banff to Lake Louise and then gain access to Moraine Lake, which is now closed to public vehicles. Your tour begins in Calgary or Banff, depending on which pickup option you choose. Hop in your vehicle and relax on a road trip to Lake Louise. Step out and walk over to the lake for a better look and dip your fingers in the chilled water. Take a look around with your guide as they tell you about the attractions surrounding the lake. Lake Louise is a glacial lake within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is named after the Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and the wife of the Marquess of Lorne, who was the Governor Be charmed by the neighboring chateau before making your way to Moraine Lake. As you pull into Moraine Lake, be impressed by the Rocky Mountains standing tall in the background. Breathe in the fresh mountain air and learn more about the national park from your guide. The waters of Moraine Lake seem like they have been poured straight from the heavens into the Valley of the Ten Peaks. The towering mountains encircle the deep blue surface of the lake in a formation so extraordinary, only Mother Nature could shape it. Piles of boulders have been seemingly dropped by the hands of giants, forming miniature mountains near the lakeshore. Let yourself be drawn to the trails that wind amongst the rocks and travel beyond to alpine meadows and sparkling lakes. After spending time at Moraine Lake, return to your original pickup point either in the afternoon or evening depending on your selection. Below is the designed tour schedule: Morning Tour Schedule: Banff (8:30am) -- Lake Louise visitor center (9:15am) -- Lake Louise Commercial parking lot (9:30am to 10:30am) -- Moraine Lake (11:00am to 12:00pm) -- Lake Louise visitor center (12:30pm) -- Banff (13:30pm) Afternoon Tour Schedule: Banff (14:00) -- Lake Louise visitor center (14:45) -- Lake Louise Commercial parking lot (15:00 to 16:00) -- Moraine Lake (16:30 to 17:30) -- Lake Louise visitor center (18:00) -- Banff (19:00) Please note: the schedule above is a general guide, bus can be delayed by bad road condition, traffic jam, unexpected events, bad weather, etc. We do our best to follow the schedule. Also, the guardians are required to provide the car seats or boosters if you have any infants or young kids based on the transportation regulation and this tour won't provide any car seats or boosters.

Banff National Park: 1-Hour Spray River Horseback Ride

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

Embark on a horseback riding adventure as you breathe in the pine-spiced mountain air. Approach the Bow Falls and enjoy spectacular views. Pass by the famous Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course known as one of the most immaculately manicured courses in Canada. Continue along the edge of the Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course and cross through the waters once more. A partial climb up Sulphur Mountain brings you through a wooded residential area and back to the corrals. Enjoy a unique experience and cross the Spray River. On hotter days, your horse may even decide to cool itself off by splashing water onto its belly. Have an experience unlike anything else.

Banff National Park: 2-Hour Sundance Loop Horseback Ride

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

Explore stunning sections of wilderness on this two-hour horseback riding tour in Banff National Park. Spot wildlife that you might not get to see on foot and learn a few cowboy tricks along the way from your guide.  Pass by natural sulphur hot springs as you make your way to one of Banff’s national historic sites, the Cave and Basin. Trek along the tranquil Bow River and take in magnificent views of the Bow Valley. Press through thick marshes that are difficult to navigate on foot. Watch as your horse easily ascends the slopes of Sulphur Mountain to reach the Windy Knoll viewpoint where you can take striking photos of the sweeping landscape. 

Banff: Wildlife on the Bow River Big Canoe Tour

7. Banff: Wildlife on the Bow River Big Canoe Tour

Discover life on the Bow River in a 12-seat Canoe. Start the tour in the evening and learn fun facts about animal habitats, behaviors, and conservation in the region. Escape the bustling Banff streets and get back to nature. Enjoy paddling up the scenic Bow while keeping your eyes peeled for some of the locals like bald eagles, elk, muskrats, and maybe even “Barry” the resident beaver. Let our informative guides share the best practices for wildlife encounters and discover the challenges they face with increasing human interaction.

Banff: Highlights and Wildlife Group Tour

8. Banff: Highlights and Wildlife Group Tour

Experience many of Banff's highlights on this tour with a focus on viewing wildlife in their natural environment. Enjoy guaranteed visits to Lake Minnewanka, Two Jack Lake, Bow Falls, Surprise Corner, Hoodoos Viewpoint, and Mt. Norquay Viewpoint. Start your wildlife adventure with pickup from select locations in Banff. Enjoy an itinerary carefully tailored by your expert local guide based on each day’s recent wildlife sightings and weather conditions. In addition to the sites mentioned above, you can also expect visits to some of the following locations: Vermilion Lakes, Cave and Basin, Marsh Loop, Tunnel Mountain, and some local secret spots. Learn all about the area from your guide along the way. Get your cameras ready and keep your eyes peeled as you travel through wildlife corridors and seek out bears, elk, deer, coyotes, foxes, bighorn sheep, and more.

Banff: Grizzly Bear Refuge Tour with Lunch

9. Banff: Grizzly Bear Refuge Tour with Lunch

Get picked up from a meeting point at the Mt Royal Hotel in a modern minibus by your friendly guide. Departing from Banff, head to Takakkaw Falls in Yoho National Park (when access permits), to see Canada's 2nd highest waterfall tumbling 254m (830 feet) in one stretch and 384m (1,260 feet) in total. The falls can be admired from the parking area or from an optional short 0.5km (¹⁄₃ mile) walk on a paved trail from the parking area to the base of the impressive falls. Then, continue on to Kicking Horse Mountain Resort to take an enclosed sightseeing gondola with glass windows. Travel up to 7,700 feet s you admire the panoramic views of the Rocky Mountains, the Columbia River Wetlands, and the quaint town of Golden. At the top, enjoy a gourmet lunch from your choice of menu items with a non-alcoholic beverage and dessert at Eagle's Eye restaurant, Canada's highest restaurant. After a leisurely lunch and enjoying the mountain top views, descend back down the sightseeing gondola, and take a 4-person open-chairlift chairlift partway up the mountain to the Grizzly Bear Refuge, the largest enclosed grizzly bear habitat in the world. At the refuge, meet Boo, a bear with paws the size of hubcaps, a mouth full of sharp teeth, and enormous muscles moving beneath his shaggy fur, in his 20-acre habitat in the Rocky Mountain bush. Hear his personal story and learn about grizzly bear behavior from the knowledgeable guide. Watch him explore, hunt, and forage just like his wild cousins. After the tour, descend back down the open-air chairlift and have a brief stop at stunning Emerald Lake on the return journey to Banff. This tour has a guaranteed grizzly bear sighting or your next tour is free.

Banff: Wagon Ride with Cowboy Cookout BBQ

10. Banff: Wagon Ride with Cowboy Cookout BBQ

Meet your guide at the stables in Banff, where your adventure will begin. After check in at the office, walk back outside into the sunshine and meet your trusty horse that will be pulling your wagon.  Embark on a 1-hour ride along the Bow River and past the historic Cave and Basin hot springs towards the BBQ spot at 3 Mile Cabin. Upon arrival, let the cook know how you would like your steak cooked or first try a round of lassoing or horseshoes. Tuck into your cooked-to-order steak along with a roasted potato, cowboy baked beans, coleslaw, buns, and dessert. This sheltered lunch spot has comfortable picnic benches and there's plenty of time to relax by the fire or try some western style games after lunch if you prefer. After your tasty BBQ, take a 1-hour ride back along the Sulphur Mountain Trail and up and around the Windy Knoll, where you can see dazzling views of the surrounding mountains. Back at the stables, disembark the wagon and say goodbye to your horse with some farewell pats.

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Frequently asked questions about Banff Safaris & wildlife activities

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What people are saying about Banff

Overall rating

4.9 / 5

based on 9 reviews

I took my 11 yr. Old son. We are from Edmonton and have been to Banff many times. But we’ve never seen it like this! Our guide Jeff was AMAZING! Friendly and courteous, and he shared so much information about the town, and it’s history. He recommended places to eat and shop and visit after the tour on our own. He spoke about the wildlife in the area, resident wolves and bears and have us things to look up after about those animals. The bus was warm and clean, we really enjoyed it. Just the right length as well. I liked that Jeff didn’t try too hard in making cheesy jokes to entertain everyone. He was very knowledgeable, professional, friendly, and made everyone quite comfortable. I would request him as a guide again!

Our tour guide Jeff was so knowledgeable about the area as well as so personable. I highly recommend the tour. I was travelling with my teen and she loved it as well! Loved that he went above and beyond to make sure everyone was comfortable (it was -27 at the beginning of our tour)

My boyfriend and I loved it. The guide was great and the tour was super nice. It takes you to the main natural attractions in Banff and the lake part was a true adventure

The guide Annika was very informative, had lots of photos to hand around and show different aspects of the tour, good stops for viewing

We enjoyed our private family sleigh ride. Our guide was awesome and the atmosphere impecable.