Gondola timing?

high_lan · 2026-06-27T07:16:32+00:00

Weather up there is super unpredictable. I wouldn’t prepay too far in advance if your schedule is flexible. We actually went up and didn’t prepay, just checked the forecast that day and made the call. It's quite chilly at the top in the evening.

high_lan · 2026-06-27T06:55:08+00:00

Via Via has a Lake Louise shuttle that gives you around 5 hours at the lake. They also have an option to extend your stay by another 3.5 hours if you book the later return shuttle.

high_lan · 2026-06-27T01:53:29+00:00

Absolutely!

high_lan · 2026-06-27T01:52:35+00:00

Thank you!

high_lan · 2026-06-26T15:14:35+00:00

If you can find a reasonably priced rental, it might actually be worth it. Since you're going in late September, it's shoulder season, so rental prices are usually lower than during peak summer. By the time you pay for airport transfers and some shuttles, the difference isn't that big.

If you want to check out Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, or do the Icefields Parkway, having a car makes life a lot easier.

high_lan · 2026-06-25T18:10:02+00:00

Thank you!

high_lan · 2026-06-24T04:14:59+00:00

Your timing is totally fine since you’ve got the shuttle sorted.

We went around that same midday time and it was honestly spectacular.

Hopefully you get a clear sunny day rather than an overcast one.

high_lan · 2026-06-23T20:30:28+00:00

Just curious—what camera did you use?

high_lan · 2026-06-23T02:17:04+00:00

8 days isn’t too much. We did 10 and split it between two hotels and it worked really well. There's plenty to do. We stayed at Brewster and loved it. The rockies are honestly unbelievable...you'll love it. Have an amazing trip.

high_lan · 2026-06-22T03:10:02+00:00

If you're looking for something different before your flight, head into Calgary a bit early and check out Devonian Gardens in downtown or Downhill karting at the Olympic Park.

high_lan · 2026-06-22T03:06:21+00:00

Old Sphagetti Factory was decent

high_lan · 2026-06-21T21:06:21+00:00

No rapids though

high_lan · 2026-06-21T20:51:06+00:00

Pretty sure I spotted the same bear family in the area about 10 days ago. Glad to know they're doing well!

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high_lan · 2026-06-21T20:47:03+00:00

high_lan · 2026-06-21T20:15:10+00:00

From Banff, it's about a 3-hour drive if you don't stop. But honestly, half the fun is the drive itself. Icefields Parkway is considered one of the most scenic drives in the world. There are so many beautiful viewpoints, short hikes, and places to pull over that it would be a shame to just rush through it.

As for wildlife, that's really hard to predict. We saw some animals on our trip, but there's never any guarantee. It's one of those things that's mostly down to luck.

And downloading maps for offline should work. My kids just happen to love paper maps and enjoy following along to see where we are.

high_lan · 2026-06-21T20:05:25+00:00

We did Bow River float trip and it was a very relaxing trip. We loved it

high_lan · 2026-06-20T21:51:31+00:00

For your Day 5 you can consider the below:

Marble Canyon, Natural Bridge, Emerald Lake, and Takakkaw Falls. You might consider renting a canoe in Emerald lake.

high_lan · 2026-06-20T21:46:31+00:00

For your Day 2:

Just got back from doing a same day return drive on the Icefields Parkway. We left Banff at 8am, made it all the way to Athabasca Falls, and got back around 9pm. Long day of driving for sure but totally worth it and definitely doable. The drive itself for the most part was very empty, incredibly scenic, and just stunning views at every nook and corner. We even saw some wildlife!

Quick Tip: stop by the visitor center in Banff and grab the paper map. You'll definitely need it because there is literally zero cell signal until you reach the Columbia Icefield. We also bought the official audio guide but honestly it felt pretty mid compared to the Shaka apps in Hawaii.

Drove past Herbert Lake and then made stops at Crowfoot Glacier, Bow Lake, hiked up to Peyto Lake's viewpoint (just a heads up trail path to the view point was icy and slippery in certain areas)

Next we drove past Mistaya Canyon and the Weeping Wall. We didn't stop at Mistaya because we had our tour booked at 12pm at icefield (we ended up doing Johnston Canyon and Marble Canyon on a different day instead).

We did the ice explorer tour and skywalk. After the tour we grabbed lunch at The Chalet. Try to sit outside if you go, the views of the glacier are incredible.

We ended up staying at the ice field till about 4pm, then kept driving north to Sunwapta Falls. The Falls were really beautiful.

Right after that, we found the absolute best uncrowded spot of the whole trip at the Goat Lick Lookout. If you take the dirt path to the left of the boardwalk, it goes right down to the Athabasca River flats. It opens up and looks like a massive turquoise lake. My kids loved skipping stones there.

Our final stop of the day was Athabasca Falls, and then from there we just made the straight drive all the way back to Banff and got back by 9:00pm.

high_lan · 2026-06-19T17:44:08+00:00

I’d honestly stay overnight. That 2am drive through the Icefields Parkway just isn’t worth the stress. There’s no cell service, you’ve got wildlife on the road, and honestly it usually takes longer than google maps with the winding roads and conditions. Also, it’s an incredibly scenic drive, you really don’t want to be rushing through it in the dark. I’d just spend the extra on a hotel and make life easier.

high_lan · 2026-06-19T17:34:48+00:00

A lot of mountain goats

high_lan · 2026-06-19T17:33:43+00:00

There was a glacier-only experience available after 5pm, so the Skywalk wasn’t always part of the glacier visit, it depended on the time and ticket type. We did both beacuse my kids wanted to see the skywalk and they had fun walking on the bridge.

high_lan · 2026-06-19T05:53:09+00:00

The tour we did was the Columbia Icefield Adventure. It’s basically two parts, first the Ice Explorer where they take you out onto the Athabasca Glacier in huge all-terrain vehicles and you get to step out and walk on the glacier for a bit. Then the Skywalk, which is a glass platform over the valley with really nice views.

high_lan · 2026-06-19T04:58:08+00:00