Banff jasper how many days

Sightseeing Overview. Shuttles Overview. Groups Overview Banff Jasper Weddings. WE unlock the world of wonder. We inspire travelers and each other. We never stop searching for the places we're passionate about, connections we value and moments that bring us joy. US Traveller Information. Here are some helpful links on the Government of Canada's website with more information: Easing border measures for fully vaccinated travellers entering Canada COVID Entering Canada requirements checklist. How Long Should you Spend in Banff?

A Day in Banff Well if it's all you've got, better do it right! Photo: Head up to the top of the Banff Gondola to catch the sunset if you've only got one day in Banff. Photo: A weekend in Banff isn't complete with a great hike. Photo: Make sure you include a trip to Columbia Icefield into your week-long itinerary. Photo: Coming for 2 weeks gives you time to visit Maligne Lake in Jasper as well.

Book Your Experience. Banff Gondola. Columbia Icefield Adventure. Mount Royal Hotel. Glacier View Lodge. More Stories Like This. Banff is a popular destination all year round but certainly in summer.

Accommodation tends to be fully booked a long time in advance and prices in peak season are sky-high. Canmore used to be the spillover option when hotels in Banff were fully booked. However, the village deserves better than that. Downtown Canmore counts numerous restaurants, grocery stores, and outdoor and sporting establishments. You will also find all kinds of souvenirs and boutique shops. Banff might be slightly more charming but the crowds in summer ruin the whole experience for many visitors.

Accommodation and food are also cheaper in Canmore, although both towns can be considered expensive. Try some of the superb winter hikes in Canmore. The cons of staying in Canmore is that the town is a little more stretched-out and therefore cannot be easily explored on foot. Here is an overview of the best hotels in Canmore. If you prefer staying in an Airbnb, take a look at our selection of the best Airbnbs in Canmore.

Jasper also has plenty of accommodation options. If you are looking for the best place to stay in Jasper, take a look here. For Airbnbs and vacation homes, take a look at our Jasper Airbnb selection. Since this is your first day in Banff, and chances are you arrived relatively late, this is a great day to discover downtown Banff and its surroundings.

Banff is very picturesque and its main avenue is very lively and atmospheric all year round. The avenue is lined with bars, boutiques, and restaurants and a great place to soak up the atmosphere of this mountain town.

If you are looking to stretch your legs after this long drive why not hike to the Bow falls Viewpoint. This is an easy 2. It starts close to downtown Banff at the pedestrian bridge across the Bow River.

The Bow Falls are a teaser of all the beauty you will witness in the coming days and this perfect short hike will get you in the mood for more hikes in the upcoming days. In winter the actual viewpoint may be closed because of icy conditions but you will still be able to see the frozen waterfall. Does this taste like more?

Here are more easy hikes in Banff and these are some great winter hikes in Banff. Next, we head to the Banff Gondola but before we board the cable car to ride to the top of Sulphur mountain we make one quick stop. This is the best spot for a picture of the iconic Banff Fairmont hotel together with the Bow river. Although the Banff Gondola is considered by many locals as a tourist trap our experience is different.

We do agree the price tag is quite steep but also think that you get a lot in return for this price. The modern top station houses a large interpretive center where you can also watch a beautiful short movie about the region. The boardwalk offers impressive views in all directions and is a nice place to catch the sunset. The restaurants, there are three of them, offer food in all price classes. Sky Bistro is a great place for a romantic dinner.

This place gets raving reviews for the quality of the food, the drinks, and the service. The Banff Gondola is the most convenient way to get unparalleled views of the Canadian Rockies but it is certainly not the only way. For one, you can hike to the top station and enjoy the same view, but there are also two other lesser-known sightseeing gondolas.

We based this article on our visit to the Banff Gondola during winter, but the post will give you an idea of what there is to do and what you can expect from your visit.

The switchback trail to the top follows a steady grade up and will absolutely get your heart rate up as well. We hiked this trail during winter and loved it.

You can read more about our experience here. Time needed: On average you need two hours but of course, this depends on what you want to see and to do.

Especially if will be in Banff in the busy summer season. Check prices and availability: Banff Gondola Tickets. A visit to the Mount Norquay lookout can serve as an alternative to the Banff gondola but nothing stops you from doing both.

On sunny days it offers splendid views of Banff with Mount Rundle and Sulphur mountain with the Vermilion lakes in the foreground. And if you are lucky you might even see some wildlife roaming around the viewpoint and on the meadows right behind it.

If you are traveling during winter in Banff, Mount Norquay is a great place for skiing. We went tubbing one afternoon and had loads of fun. I think the above-mentioned activities are enough to make a great first day in Banff.

If you still have some time you can continue a little further along this road to the Norquay sightseeing chairlift and soar to an elevation of nearly 7,ft for more amazing views.

Two Jack Lake is the small brother of Lake Minnewanka. The experience is much more peaceful. This is also a great spot to put on your hiking shoes since some of the best short and longer trails start on the shores of Lake Minnewanka and Two Jack Lake. Even though many of these trails are heavily trafficked it is still recommended to take bear spray in summer. Both lakes a great places to jump in a kayak and discover the beauty of the lake from the water.

How to reach? Two Jack Lake is the little brother of Minnewanka Lake. It is located right next to it. Time needed: The time you spend here will of course depend on the activities you will be doing.

Unless you do a day-long hike you should still have time to explore a few other things in Banff. Bird lovers and just about everybody that wants to soak up nature will love driving along the Vermillion Lakes.

The 4. Since this place is quite popular for sunset viewing, we advise you to come minutes before the sun sets. If you want to add some culture to your Banff itinerary we recommend that you visit the Cave and Basin Natural Historic site. This place, which started the entire national parks system, lies a little outside town, across the Bow River. There is a large parking lot. Here you can learn more about the natural and cultural history of the mountains. The historic site consists of an artificial cave that leads to a natural hot spring, a replica of a boathouse, and a restored swimming pool.

The visitor center also constantly hosts seasonal exhibitions. Opening hours: from am or am, season depending, until pm daily.

Time needed: Depending on your interests, we recommend spending 45 minutes- 2 hours. The Cave and Basin site is also the starting point of several hiking trails such as the Marsh Loop and the Sundance Trail. These trails can be done all year round.

The first offers excellent opportunities to see moose and is also very popular among birders. Here you can find more info:. With a water temperature between 98 and degrees Fahrenheit degrees Celsius , it is a great place to rest your sore muscles after this active day. Because of that, it has a strong sulfur smell. We had a great time splashing in the hot water. How to reach: These hot springs are located at the foot of Sulphur Mountain, 2 miles south of Banff.

Note that the hot springs can get busy and there is limited parking for cars. A good alternative is to take the Roam public transit bus which conveniently drops you off at the same parking lot. We will organize day 3 differently depending on whether you want to see the sunrise at Moraine Lake.

Sunrise at Lake Moraine is very popular which means that the parking lot is often completely filled up 2 hours before the actual sunrise. The road is closed once the parking lot is full which means you will need to wake up in the middle of the night. It would take an additional hour to drive from Banff to Lake Moraine.

Therefore we really advise staying in Lake Louise if you want to witness the sunrise at Lake Moraine. Wondering where to stay in Lake Louise? Lake Louise is really just a tiny hamlet but because it is flooded with tourists each summer it offers plenty of accommodations for every budget. Here you can find an overview of the different accommodations. If you love your bed too much to get up at 3 am we will start this day with a visit to Johnston Canyon instead.

Jasper National Park in itself is a massive area—10, square kilometres to be exact. Visits here are often one part of a larger trip that includes other stops. Here is our suggested itinerary for 48 hours in Jasper, starting from Edmonton and heading to the Icefields Parkway and it could easily be reversed if your trip is connected with Banff National Park.

From Edmonton, the journey to Jasper is just over four hours following along the beautiful Athabasca River. En route to the town of Jasper itself, keep your eyes out for wildlife, especially once you are past the small town of Hinton.

If you see wildlife, remember to stay in your vehicle and keep a distance. See our tips on responsible wildlife viewing. A quick bite at Authentic Burger will set the perfect mood for a casual, relaxed meal with quality pints and plates—a tried and true local favourite for years. Discover Spirit Island accessible only by boat and enjoy some of the most beautiful vistas in the Rockies. After lunch at the historic Maligne Lake Chalet , head back towards town.

Grab some basics for breakfast the next morning - you've got another early start! Enticed by the glacially-fed waters you explored earlier? You can even try your hand at cliff-jumping into the icy crystal blue depths.

But be careful—some of the highest cliffs are 80 feet tall! Eclectic and delectable, the meals here are just as sure to intrigue as to satiate. With Jasper being quite far north, there are extra-long summer daylight hours to enjoy.

Grab your picnic supplies and get out of town by 7 AM. Hiking Mt. Edith Cavell for sunrise will create a memory to last a lifetime. Although the hike can take up to 5.