Banff: Town Highlights and Gondola Tour
Tour Highlights
Start the day at Two Jack Lake, a glacier-fed stop most tours skip entirely
Take in Lake Minnewanka, the largest lake in Banff National Park
See the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel from Surprise Corner and hear the story behind it
Stand above Bow Falls and learn what shaped the canyon below
Finish at the Banff Gondola summit, 2,281 metres with views across six mountain ranges
Gondola ticket included, roundtrip transport from Banff and Canmore
About This Experience
Your day starts with a pickup from Canmore, then a second stop at the Mount Royal Hotel in Banff town. Settle into a comfortable van with your small group as your guide introduces the day and shares background on Banff National Park, its history, and the landscape you'll be moving through.
Heading northeast out of town, your first stop is Two Jack Lake, a glacier-fed lake where Mount Rundle reflects off the surface on calm mornings. Most sightseeing tours drive straight past it. Your guide covers the ecology of the lake and the wildlife corridor running through the area.
From Two Jack, a short drive takes you to Lake Minnewanka, the largest lake in Banff National Park. At nearly 24 kilometres long, it stretches deep into the mountains with a submerged town sitting beneath the surface. Your guide covers the history of the flooded valley, the wildlife patterns along the shoreline, and what makes this lake distinct from the glacier-fed lakes you will see later in the day.
The route then loops back through town to Surprise Corner, a viewpoint that frames the full profile of the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel against Tunnel Mountain, with the Bow Valley spread out below. Your guide shares the story of the hotel and how the Canadian Pacific Railway shaped the early tourism economy of the Rockies.
From there it is a short walk down to Bow Falls, where the Bow River drops over ancient limestone at the edge of town. The sound hits before the view does. Your guide explains what carved the canyon and why the river runs the colour it does.
The final stop is the Banff Gondola. An eight-minute ride in a fully enclosed cabin carries you 700 metres above the valley floor to the summit of Sulphur Mountain at 2,281 metres. At the top, the ridgetop boardwalk delivers a 360-degree view across six mountain ranges and the entire Bow Valley below. Your guide is with you at the summit and available for questions before the descent.
After returning to the gondola base, the van heads back through Banff for drop-offs before returning to Canmore. Your guide will share recommendations for dinner and things to do with the rest of your evening.
What's Included
Itinerary
Meeting Point
Cancellation Policy
Questions About This Tour
Guest Reviews
"The three-lake tour was the highlight of our trip. Canoeing on Two Jack Lake was something we never would have found on our own — having the whole lake to ourselves was magical."
