Lake Louise and Icefields Parkway Tour, Full Day from Banff
One day from Banff or Canmore that puts the two lakes and the glacier road north of Lake Louise into the same 8 to 9 hours.
Updated 24 October 2026
In shortThis is a full-day Lake Louise and Icefields Parkway tour from Banff and Canmore, 8 to 9 hours in a private vehicle with a driver who guides in English. The route takes in Lake Minnewanka, Lake Louise and Moraine Lake in season, then the Parkway north past the Crowfoot Glacier turnout to Bow Lake and the Peyto Lake viewpoint. It suits travellers with one day who want the glacier road as well as the two lakes, and it starts from CAD 220 per adult.
8–9 htour length
from CAD 220per adult
★ 4.9965 reviews
What the Lake Louise and Icefields Parkway tour covers
The day runs 8 to 9 hours and pairs the two lakes most visitors come for with the road that climbs north of Lake Louise. Transport is by private vehicle, the driver works as your guide, and the operator keeps groups small, up to 22 guests, with private departures available on request. Pickup covers hotels, hostels, lodges, rentals and campgrounds in the Town of Banff and in Canmore.
Stop times are set in advance: 20 minutes at Lake Minnewanka, an hour each at Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Bow Lake and the Peyto Lake viewpoint, and 5 minutes at the Crowfoot Glacier turnout, with Two Jack Lake added on the Minnewanka loop. The Columbia Icefield ice explorer and the glacier skywalk are not part of this tour, so budget your expectations around viewpoints and lakeshores rather than walking on a glacier.
Prices start at CAD 220 per adult and the tour is rated 4.9 ★ (965 reviews). Moraine Lake Road closes over winter and reopens for the summer season, which is why a winter date spends more of the day on the Parkway stops; winter driving in the Rockies can also force the guide to change the order or swap a stop. Guests travelling in from outside the national park, Canmore included, need a park pass, and the minimum age is 7.
Pack for a long day with no services between stops. There is no cell coverage along the Icefields Parkway, food and drinks are not included, and the Peyto Lake path and lakeshore walks are easier in boots than in street shoes.
Two lakes and the glacier road in one day
Pickup in Banff or Canmore, then an hour each at Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Bow Lake and the Peyto Lake viewpoint, with short stops at Lake Minnewanka and the Crowfoot Glacier turnout.
Lake Minnewanka20 min The largest lake in Banff National Park, with the remains of a small summer village now lying under the water. Twenty minutes is enough for photographs and the story of how the valley changed.
Lake Louise60 min An hour at the lakeshore under the glacier-covered peaks, with time to walk part of the shore path and look through the Chateau Lake Louise, which has taken guests since 1911.
Moraine Lake60 min An hour in the Valley of the Ten Peaks. Follow the shoreline path, or climb the rockpile for the higher view that once appeared on the Canadian twenty dollar note. The access road is closed in winter and reopens for the summer season.
Icefields Parkway The drive north from Lake Louise, between glaciers and high peaks, on the way to Bow Lake and Peyto Lake. Grizzly bears are seen from the road at times. The ice explorer and the glacier skywalk are not included.
Bow Lake60 min An hour at the headwaters of the Bow River, looking across to Bow Glacier and the waterfalls below its base. Far quieter than Lake Louise or Moraine Lake, even in summer.
Crowfoot Glacier5 min A five-minute roadside turnout facing the Crowfoot Glacier on the mountain wall above the Parkway.
Peyto Lake60 min An hour at the rebuilt viewpoint above the lake, where you look down on water that reads electric blue from the glacial sediment in it.
Photos: ours and the tour operator's
What is included
Included
Pickup and drop-off from designated meeting points
Driver / tour guide
Transport by private vehicle
Not included
Gratuities
Food and drinks
Meeting point, pickup and cancellation
Pickup covers hotels, hostels, lodges, rentals and campgrounds in the Town of Banff and in Canmore. Banff pickups run between 9:00 and 9:25 depending on the address; Canmore pickups start at 8:30.
There is no pickup in Lake Louise.
Guests staying outside Banff and Canmore meet at the Banff train station parking area for 9:00. If your address is not on the selection list, add the pickup details to your booking.
A park pass is required for guests travelling in from outside the national park, Canmore included.
Cancellation: full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. Ages 7 and over.
How this Lake Louise and Icefields Parkway tour compares
Of the options below, this page's tour is the one that fits both lakes and the Parkway into a single 8 to 9 hour run in a private vehicle, with pickup in Banff and Canmore. The longer departures suit travellers who want the Columbia Icefield area or a day that pushes on towards Jasper, while the small-group tour with lunch takes the food question off your hands.
Tour
Length
From
Rating
Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and the Icefields Parkway Full-Day Tour (this page)
