It is one of the most bizarre feats of engineering to get the grade of a train line. The current two spiral tunnels where the railroad forms two spirals, crossing beneath itself twice, almost forming a figure eight, before continuing in the proper direction down the mountain.
Takakkaw Falls is a waterfall located in Yoho National Park, near Field, British Columbia in Canada. The falls have a total height of 373 metres (1,224 ft), making them the second tallest waterfall in Canada. The main drop of the waterfall has a height of 254 metres (833 ft) "Takakkaw" translates to "magnificent” in Cree.The falls are fed by the meltwater of the Daly Glacier, which is part of the Waputik Icefield. The glacier keeps the volume of the falls up during the warm summer months, and they are a tourist attraction, particularly in late spring after the heavy snow melts, when the falls are at peak condition. source: wikipedia
Sculpted by the erosive forces of rushing water over what had once been a waterfall, the Natural Bridge is a powerful reminder of how much influence water has in shaping the landscape.
Named by early mountaineering guides because of its extraordinary colour. Glaciers once covered this area and as the ice retreats, their meltwaters pick up a variety of sedimentary materials and carry it downstream to depressions surrounded by glacial debris, creating glacier-water lakes like this. The green or turqoise colour is from the finely ground-up rock flour suspended in the water: the scattering effect which the suspended particles has on the light, combined with the reflection of blue sky, gives the water its remarkable blue-green colour. source: BC geographical name
Lake Louise is world famous for its turquoise lakes, the Victoria Glacier, soaring mountain backdrop, palatial hotel, and incredible hiking and skiing. Surrounded by a lifetime’s worth of jaw-dropping sights and adventures, Lake Louise is a rare place that must be experienced to be believed.
Its waters are the most amazing color, a vivid shade of turquoise that changes in intensity through the summer as the glaciers melt. Set in the rugged Valley of the Ten Peaks, Moraine Lake is surrounded by mountains, waterfalls, and rock piles, creating a scene so stunning it almost seems unreal. Sit lakeside and absorb the sights and pure mountain air, or explore further by canoeing and hiking. It’s an iconically jaw-dropping place that is sure to leave a lasting impression. The road to Moraine Lake is closed during the winter due to heavy snowfall and high avalanche risk. Depending on the conditions, the road opens sometime between the third week of May and the first week of June and closes in October after the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend (the second Monday in October).
Banff is a resort town in the province of Alberta, located within Banff National Park. The peaks of Mt. Rundle and Mt. Cascade, part of the Rocky Mountains, dominate its skyline. On Banff Avenue, the main thoroughfare, boutiques and restaurants mix with château-style hotels and souvenir shops.
Excellent itinerary, great vehicle, child seats were super, enjoyed recorded commentary, and Arnel was the best guide ever, very knowledgeable, patient and kind. Outstanding day tour.
The tour was amazing. Worth every penny. I went with my family and we had the best experience. Definitely better than having to go on the shuttles! We were free to do what we wanted, with his recommendations of course.
Visiting Banff had been on our wish list for a long time, and last week, we finally made it happen. My wife and I chose a private tour with ABestX-Canada via Viator—an excellent decision. Our tour guide, Abdul Haq, had an impressive knowledge of the area. At first, we were worried because the weather forecast predicted rain over Banff all day. But Abdul was fantastic—he planned our first stop at Moraine Lake early in the morning when it was still quiet, and the sunlight beautifully illuminated the snow-capped peaks and the vibrant blue of the lake. Abdul also showed us the best spots to capture photos! At Lake Louise, we needed to find good vantage points since it gets quite busy by midday. It makes sense—Lake Louise, with its wide, emerald-green waters, is so iconic. No regrets at all. We also enjoyed an early lunch at the Fairmont Lake Louise, which was a treat. From Lake Louise, Abdul took us on to Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park, crossing the border between Alberta and British Columbia. The scenery along the way was stunning and reminded us of traveling through New Zealand’s South Island. We loved the peaceful atmosphere of Emerald Lake—it would have been wonderful to spend a night or two at one of the lodges by the shore, but unfortunately, we didn’t have much time. On the way back to the little town of Banff, light rain began to fall, yet we still enjoyed the beautiful views. If you think the best scenery in the sub-tropics is in New Zealand’s South Island, Switzerland, or Norway—you really must visit Banff, Alberta. Just imagine the diversity of landscapes: the towering peaks of the Canadian Rockies and the stunning blue and green lakes. Thank you, Abdul, for showing us the beauty of Banff and Yoho National Parks. We will always remember this trip. Wishing you all the best and continued success.
It is a great way to immerse yourself into this beautiful part of the world! I would recommend this to anyone as a first experience to discover the beauty of the Canadian Rockies. A private tour is the best, as you feel more included in the experience.
Had a great experience, the driver was very knowledgeable and time flexible, took us to all the best locations for photos. This is a great way to maximize your day and see everything. No need to plan your route, no hassle parking, the driver waited for us as long as we needed at each location. Would 100% recommend!
The tour was very good and our guide/driver, Ali, was very knowledgeable and interesting. The only criticism about the tour was that it was difficult to understand him because there was no microphone or device that helped us to hear what he was saying especially for those who were sitting in the back rows of the van.
We were able to see so much in our one day here- loved the pace of the tour! It was great to be in our small family group of 4 and in control of our time at each stop. Well worth it. Thank you for offering this experience ♥️
Our tour guide Augusto was phenomenal. He made great suggestions at every spot, provided a lot of fascinating information, and took tons of group pics for us.
I truly don’t know what to even say here. Augusto was our guide for my sister and myself. He is PHENOMENAL!!! We learned so much about the culture and climate of Canada in addition to our destinations he took us to. He took time and effort to get to know us and tell us all about each area we visited as well as everything along the way. We felt like we made a lifelong friend with Augusto. The sites we saw were epic and not having to be concerned about parking, traffic, missing a turn, or not knowing where to go without backtracking was so nice. We just rode along and took in the scenery. Moraine Lake is beautiful beyond words and we’re so glad Augusto recommended climbing the rockslide for the view. This tour is expensive and we have already said that when we return we will book it again and request Augusto if we can because we loved it that much.
Charles was our driver and he was so patient and helpful throughout our trip! He truly knew the ins and outs of the locations we wanted to see and went above and beyond! A great experience overall and checked off all the activities we wanted to do!
We had a wonderful experience yesterday. Our guide was very accommodating to our wishes & took us to unexpected fantastic sights. Thank you for a great time. And the ponchos were an extra that was appreciated .
Awesome trip with a great tour guide! Augustin! We loved the entire trip, great recommendations when we were done as well.
We had an incredible day touring parts of Banff & Yoho, checking off bucket list items! Ali, our guide, was phenomenal!! He taught our family so much about the parks - some history, some fun facts. He was so professional and we felt safe from start to finish. The day was one to remember! Thank you!
We had a fantastic time. The guide was great and so patient. It was a full day and they made the experience special. Would recommend this tour
Our guide Augusto was so knowledgeable and patient. This was the first time they had taken a group of 25 with a small toddler up To age 77. They were so knowledgeable and made our trip amazing. It was so worth it!! Highly recommend.
We took a private Banff, Lake Louise, Lake Moraine and Teekakaw Falls trip with Gabriel. It was a wonderful trip. Words cannot describe the beauty of this area. Gabriel was just a very caring and wonderful guide. He just knew where to take us and where to park! Without the assistance of this tour company and Gabriel, we could not have visited either Lake Louise or Lake Moraine since smaller cars are either not allowed or there will be no parking! We actually couldn’t visit emerald lake and natural bridge since parking was full. However, the other destinations made up for it! Being in a private tour gave us ample time to explore what we wanted! All in all this trip is worth the money!
Decided on a last minute tour of Banff and area, Worth every penny to take in the sites escorted by a knowledgeable and flexible driver.
Worth every penny! Which a great time having Arnel drive us to all the sights. It was wonderful and low stress.
Manny was just very sweet and accommodating and was very thorough in explaining and his knowledge of the areas was excellent. The whole day was awesome and we loved the views and scenery. It is just breathtaking to see the beauty out there
We really enjoyed this private tour on Sept 8, 2023. A bit about us: 2 couples about 60 years old on our first trip to Canadian Rockies. Booking was seamless through Trip Advisor, and we were happy to have the free cancellation up to 1 day in advance, since this tour is best with sunshine. Luckily we didn't need to cancel. I had a few questions ahead of time, for which I messaged the tour company (ABest Transport and Tour Services) directly. Responses were timely and clear. We wanted to ensure we could customize the proposed itinerary based on the weather, our needs, what we'd already seen, etc. The answer was Yes. Also, we clarified that we could stop for lunch at some point, which we didn't end up doing after all, but we took a small cooler of snacks, which was perfect to eat in the van between destinations. Jobo was a fantastic tour guide! He was extremely knowledgeable and informative about the area, and we had great conversation all day. He was flexible (thank you for taking us to clean rest areas for our bathroom breaks!) and customized the trip to our wishes. He used his knowledge to enhance our trip. For example, he walked us directly to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake viewpoints, anticipating what we would/would not want to do there. Prior to each stop, he explained the terrain, suggested walks/hikes, or simply told us that this location is just a 20 minute stop to view something. We liked the itinerary, and the order of the day (furthest destination first, working backward toward home base. The tour wasn't cheap, for sure, but well worth it. Parking at all of the popular sights is very difficult and crowded, even Sept 8; but having designated parking for private tours, which is closer than bus parking and car parking, saved us so much time and headache. Jobo even took photos of us at Moraine Lake and emailed them to us after the trip. Thank you Jobo for a very memorable day!!
Joey was wonderful. He was very knowledgeable about scenic views for great photo zones. He also takes great pictures. Good time management. We had great time for the day.
He was very easy going about the day and accommodating. Took us places would not seems to easily if not use if his local knowledge.
Our trip was amazing! We could never have seen all that we did without the meticulous planning of Aljay, our driver. He pointed out everything we needed to see and knew the history and reason for seeing it. He took fantastic pictures for us and helped us avoid long lines and parking issues. He also knew when we needed a rest and brought plenty of water for us. I highly recommend this company and Aljay to anyone looking for a private trip. The planning and experience they put in made our trip so special and we were able to do much more than we had anticipated because of that. We thank them.
I was so happy and relieved I booked a private tour with this company. I got to see everything I wanted to see that I otherwise would not have been to driving myself. Our driver was Aljay and he was awesome! He even took us to a couple extra spots not listed on our itinerary on the way back to our hotel in Banff. He was very knowledgeable of the areas we went to. Parking is hard to find around the main stops but the vans are able to pull into parking up front so we never had to worry about parking and getting around to all the places we wanted to see! I highly recommend!!
Banff, Lake Louise, Yo Ho and our driver/guide Aljay all exceeded our wildest expectations! The van was comfortable too
This was worth every penny!! Amman was our driver and he was so affable and accommodating!!!! He even has photography experience and offered to take our photos at many of the gorgeous spots. I was most excited about Lake Moraine and Lake Louise but Amman also showed us other really cool locations like Takakaw Falls (which was my husband’s favorite) and Emerald Lake (which was my favorite). He was a very safe driver and very punctual. I would definitely book this again - next time to see Jasper Park - and request Amman! He’s the best!!
Scenery was beautiful, and not having to worry about driving to and parking at Moraine Lake and Lake Louise is priceless. The Driver really tried to ensure we had a good time, and recommended a different itinerary due to rain. However, that's basically all we got, a driver. He would drive us to the place, tell us what to go see, and then we would hop out and go see it by ourselves. For this much money, I was expecting a tour guide. Like someone who would be with us, tell us about the history and the scenery, take photos for us, etc.
THIS TOUR IS AWESOME! Book it! Listen, parking anywhere in Banff/Yoho is a TOTAL PAIN in the summer. This wonderful company will take you to all of the best spots DOOR TO DOOR, safely, and with a smile. Just wanted to say thank you to our driver for an incredible day that included Johnston Canyon, Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, Takakkaw Falls and the Spiral Tunnels. Our driver had a cooler of waters for our group, and we stopped for sandwiches. Highly recommend and many thanks to this friendly, professional local business. Thank you also to our driver, Amman!
Amman, our Tour Director, made our tour day very special. We loved it!!! Amman was very friendly, professional, and knowledgeable of the area. He customized the trip to make it perfect for us, never made us feel rushed, took photos of all of us, and knew exactly where to take us. It rained off and on in the afternoon, BUT Amman had his “Magic Hat” which worked perfectly because it only rained while we travel in the vehicle from destination to destination. When we arrived at each destination, the rain would stop, the sun would come out, and it would be beautiful. We highly recommend Amman for a perfect day!
Great tour, exceptionally nice and friendly driver. Flexible to adjust to your own wishes. What more could you wish for?
Our guide Jobo was great. He took us to spots that most people wouldn’t know how to get to. He was very friendly and knowledgeable about all the spots we went to. A very ent and worthwhile experience. Highly recommended
We spent a full day traveling the area with our wonderful guide Jeff who showed us all we had hoped to see and more! Traveling on this private tour allowed us the flexibility to explore comfortably at our own pace. Jeff provided lots of information throughout the day so we felt we really became familiar with Banff. Although pricey, this tour was well worth it!
Our private guided tour in Banff, Alberta, became an unforgettable adventure, thanks to the exceptional guidance and companionship of Ali. His profound knowledge, unwavering patience, and genuine care for our family, particularly our energetic toddler, made this journey one we will forever cherish. From Ali's captivating storytelling to his thoughtfulness in accommodating our needs, he created a personalized and extraordinary experience. We express our deepest gratitude to Ali for sharing his expertise, friendship, and love for Banff, allowing us to create lifelong memories in this awe-inspiring destination. I will recommend Ali and his tour service provider.
We had an enjoyable day touring all the locations. We were traveling with children and Manny was able to adjust to our needs so that our day went smoothly. I highly recommend.
Ajay was our driver. We had one day in Banff to see as much as we could. Ajay was terrific! We saw so many sights and even had time to canoe at emerald lake and do a one hour hike. Great driver, very knowledgeable and personable and a terrific photographer to boot. Highly recommend as parking and permits make travel so complicated in this area.
Joey was the best! He was knowledgeable, kind, and considerate of what we wanted of the tour!!!!!!
As part of our Rocky Mountaineer package we were collected from our hotel in Banff and enjoyed a four hour tour on our trip to the Fairmont Lake Louise. On the way we stopped at the Kicking Horse Pass lookout just as a freight train was entering this amazing engineering marvel. Following that we headed doe to the Natural Bridge on th river and then another stop off at Emerald Lake before finally making our way to the Fairmont at Lake Louise. It was a wonderful journey made even more special by the excellent commentary of our driver, Andy. He was so informative, interesting and entertaining and really made our trip such a terrific few hours. Full credit to Andy for all the info and insights he shared with us along our trip.
The trip was wonderful. Very busy itinerary but the sites were worth it.The lakes were still frozen but beautiful. Our guide Joey was great. He very attentive to what we wanted to do and how long we wanted to stay at places. He also took us some places that were not listed on tour because several of the places were still closed. I would highly recommend this tour.
Had a great experience on this tour with my dad. It was perfect as we could dictate our own pace. Manny was a great tour guide and had the best recos. We loved out experience. The walk on the frozen Lake Louise was our highlight. We'd come back with warmer weather to see it in a different season and go with this again
The private tour was fantastic. Jeff, our driver, picked us up at hotel and took us directly to Lake Louise. The tour company has their own parking spots close to the entrance to the Lake. When watching other visitors having to be bused into the entrance, due to a lack of parking; I knew I had made the right choice. The rest of the day went smoothly. The driver was personable, friendly and knowledgeable. The car was clean with extra leg room for tall individuals. I would recommend the full day private tour of Banff to anyone.
Everything we could have asked for and more. Armed took us to locations we never would have known to bust. He was completely accommodating to all are requests.
For our group of 7, this was hands down, THE BEST WAY to tour Banff and the greater area in one day. Our guide, Jeff, felt like a family friend taking us to all the scenic-picturesque spots at Natural Bridge, Emerald Lake, Lake Moraine, Takakkaw Falls, Lake Louise and downtown Banff Avenue. Jeff also took us to some extra local spots along the way. We never felt rushed and took our time with lots and lots of pictures. We had a leisurely lunch at the Fairmont, overlooking the beautiful Lake Louise. Jeff was a rockstar as our patient, family photographer. We also got some extra time shopping and snacking at Banff Avenue. We felt like VIPs in our Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van and never had to worry about parking at all the hot spots.
My 3 favourite lakes - Emerald, Moraine Lake and Lake Louise. Too bad the weather was not on our side. We didn't see the beauty of Maligne Lake and Canyon.
Our tour guide was Mr. Manny Caparas. There was 8 of us in the group, a small girlfriends reunion. We were so excited a bout the day trip and super happy, hence super loud. Manny was very courteous and friendly. He had great knowledge of the area and gave us all the interesting facts about the area. We enjoyed our trip as he did not rush us and let us enjoy our time. I definitely recommend this company and Manny. Look forward to our next trip here.
The Banff scenery is probably one of the most beautiful areas in the world i have ever seen. Lake Louise was still frozen when we visited, but the sun came out briefly and it was stunning, this has to be on anyones bucket list..
Jeff did a fabulous job as our tour guide! This was a private tour and Jeff was able to tailor the tour to our liking. He is very knowledgeable about the area and showed us all the must-see parts. Moreover, he was very flexible and was willing to make changes to suit our convenience. Moreover, Jeff is very personable! He took a lot of pictures for us (and of us), and never stopped smiling! He is a delightful person to know, and we are so glad that he helped make the day very memorable for us.
Manny was our tour guide and he was amazing!!! He was able to take us to so many locations and was able to give us more than enough time so explore and do activities. We had such an amazing day and would definitely book with them again the next time we come back!!!
The trip was amazing, our guide was perfect, a very relaxing day that allowed us to go at our own pace. Definitely bring sneakers so you can walk to the least crowded areas for the best views. I would do this tour again! Loved it!
Joey Joey Joey!! Can’t say enough good things about our guide! He promptly picked us up at our hotel on time, van full of water and snacks and then we were off. He was full of information and not only took us to all the places but got out and walked with us explaining things about the sites we were seeing. Took tons of pictures, helped us with videos and best of all brought us to see some wildlife!!! I give Joey and his company an 11 out of 10 and if we are ever back in Calgary will definitely use Abest again!
Everyday we toured different scenic spots from Jasper to Calgary including Drumheller from June 5-10, 2022. Every place we saw is so beautiful on its own. The snow capped mountain range along the way is awe inspiring. Our tour guides and drivers were from ABestX Travel and Tours. They provided us with the best service. The tour guides/ drivers Arnel & Aman are both very knowledgeable of each scenic spots, very friendly, helpful, considerate, patient, accomodating on every request especially taking our pictures, they even held our hands to help us in ascending or descending a difficult trail. I highly recommend this tour service to anyone planning to visit the Rockies.
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