Day 1
9:00 am: Pick up the car in Calgary and head to Banff, which takes approximately 75 to 90 minutes. Some places in Banff offer free parking:
11:00 am: Arrive in Banff town, grab your lunch, then check into the hotel. After a short break, wander around Banff Avenue. Lucky you! You are at this beautiful national park.🥳
2:00 pm: Proceed to Johnston Canyon (open year-round, stay for 1 to 3 hours). The trail winds through lush evergreen forests, leading to beautiful waterfalls—both the lower and upper falls. Suspended catwalks bolted to the canyon’s side offer a thrilling experience as you walk directly above Johnston Creek.
4:00 pm to 5:00 pm: Return to Banff. If budget allows, I will recommend watching the sunset at Sulphur Mountain, I'm sure you will be amazed. Book tickets in advance if you choose to take the gondola up to the mountain. (Prices are $66 for adults and $42.90 for children. Check the official website for the latest prices.)
Sunset time is between 8:00 pm and 9:00 pm in summer.
👉Another cost-saving option is to hike up and down the mountain, this is about 4 hours. I would say it's more going up but easier coming down.We did twice (of course we try our best to save the money😝), it was not that hard. It is a bit challenging if you never hike in rocky mountains but trust me, we were very beginner level at that time as well. We found it worthy! 😎
After the gondola trip, if you want to relax, you can soak in the Banff Upper Hot Springs at the foot of the mountain.(to be honest, I won’t feel sad if you are going to pass this section 🤭.); If you still have energy, you can visit the beautiful castle hotel -Fairmont Banff Springs.
I Hope you have the best first day in Banff. 🥰
Day 2
8:00 am: Enjoy a simple breakfast and coffee at Whitebark Cafe - Kary‘s favorite coffee spot in town. Then take the 8X bus to Lake Louise. (Depart early to avoid queues)
Expected arrival between 9:30-10:00 am.
🚶🏼➡️🚶🏼♂️Option 1: Relaxing Route
Morning: Visit Fairview Lookout Trail (1 hour round trip) And walk along the lake shore.
Afternoon: Return to the hotel for rest or leisure activities.
*For those with a more flexible budget, canoe rentals are available for exploring Lake Louise. It's a truly fantastic experience!
After the lunch break, take the shuttle bus to Moraine Lake (make sure you have the reserved seats).Spend your time enjoying the amazing view. The road to Moraine Lake is also incredible, offering a spectacular view of the Ten Peaks mountains ahead.
🏃🏼➡️🏃🏼♂️Option 2: Adventure Route
Route A: Plain of Six Glaciers
Morning: Hike the Plain of Six Glaciers trail (3-5 hours round trip).
Afternoon: Return to the hotel for rest or leisure activities.
Route B: Devil's Thumb/Little Beehive
Morning: Hike Devil's Thumb/Little Beehive trail (4-6 hours round trip).
Afternoon: Return to the hotel for rest or leisure activities.
👉🏼We understand it must be difficult to choose the hiking route in Lake Louise areas, Saddle Mountain via Paradise Valley is a good one too, but if you are visiting during the Larch season (at the end of Sep - Oct), definitely go for it.
Little Beehive VS Big Beehive: I would say it depends on your own ability, do more research based on your group members, for my suggestion: make your trip easy and safe. 😚
OPTIONAL:
I know Moraine Lake is a must-visit attraction when you visit Banff. However, if you plan to hike in Lake Louise, I wouldn't suggest doing it on the same day. It could be very rushed. I would prefer spending more time in Lake Louise on your first time.
If you stay a bit longer, planning to visit Moraine Lake on the same day as Lake Louise could save travel time for sure. Make sure you get the ticket from Parks Canada (I know there are lots of private companies), and watch the sunset at Moraine would be lovely.
Evening:
6:00 pm: Return to Banff downtown.
Dinner: Make reservations in advance to avoid queues.
After dinner: Visit Bow Fall or Surprise Corner.
Night: If time permits, drive to Mt. Norquay to enjoy the night views.
This itinerary should allow you to fully experience the beauty of the Lake Louise and enjoy more sights and food in Banff in the evening.
Day 3
Morning hike in Tunnel Mt (around 2 hours return).
If hiking in the morning is too much for you at this time, grab a coffee and visit Cascade Garden would be a great start 😉. Then do some shopping in Banff Ave (evening time is always the busier period). Then drive to Lake Minnewanka/Two Jack/ Cascade Pond for the afternoon. Our way is to prepare your lunch and bring a nice picnic blanket, just to spend the afternoon there.
(photo location: Cascade Pond)
👉We lived in Banff for 2 years, so we know the rules 🤠! This is our very personal idea of how to plan your first trip to Banff. We understand that each person has their preferences. If you're an advanced hiker, send us a DM on IG. We definitely have more lists in our pocket.😈
🔥Banff travel tips:
I do not have restaurant suggestions as Banff is pretty expensive for dining out. However, our tip is to check the happy hour for each restaurant to find a good deal.
Tips for how you wear during the visiting: layering, layering and layering. Morning and night can be very windy sometimes in the Rocky Mountains, always to have your wind jacket with you. This is all you need. 🤩
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