Banff: Evening Scenic Sunset Tour With Wildlife Spotting

Had a great experience with this tour. Neil our guide was great and very knowledgeable about anything we asked. Cost was fair for the length of the tour and we ended up being nearly 3 hours. Lots of great locations to see and our guide let us know of the best places to see the northern lights around the area. Lucked out and also got to see multiple elk, and deer during the tour. We had a full bus (about 13 people) everyone was quick to come back so we were never held up at any of the stops. The group size was perfect. Would definitely recommend this to anyone who want to see multiple hidden gems.

It was rainy so we did not see a sunset but the guide did not show us where it would have been We rode around the golf course and saw some elk hut after seeing a few we kept stopping and all elk seemed to look the same.

An absolutely flawless experience, from start to finish with Neil. Booking was stress free. Communication with the organization was easily established. Neil was organized, knowledgeable, engaging, humerous and attentive to every guest in the group. Every stop on the itinerary was well timed, and the experiece far exceeded our expectations. I will definitely book thru Viator again in future travel.

The idea is good- 2 hours to watch the sun go down on the snow covered mountains and lakes. Unfortunately poor time management and design of the tour made this a major disappointment. The driver was Not at fault. She did her job - checked all the boxes. She showed concern for the passengers. This is how it began. Our pickup time was changed to 6 pm (originally at 6:30pm) - message received at 5:39. That’s not enough time to rearrange my schedule. Still I rushed out to catch the bus and made it to pickup spot before 6pm. It was stressful. I tried to call Horizon tours but got only a recording. No one to talk to. The bus showed up at 6:15pm, which turned out to be a little late. So my panic was unnecessary. However, those 15 minutes made a difference in what we could see. The problem with this tour is its design. What is its purpose? If it’s a Sunset tour, that should have been the focus. There were two major issues. The first stop to view the Banff Fairmont hotel from a higher elevation was a waste of time. It cost us 10 minutes and cost us watching the sun go down at some key spots. We were able to see only a small part of it. The second issue was at the end- driving around for a long time to watch the night lights from a higher view point. Total waste. Nothing special about this. What was good about it was three scenic spots - Bow trail/fall, Minnewanka lake (needed to get there earlier), and the last lake - not sure of its name. All were lovely spots. They deserved more time. The tour was supposed to be for 2 hours. It started at 6:15pm and ended at 9 pm . That’s too much time (almost 3 hours). We didn’t see wildlife but wildlife is always unpredictable, so I don’t blame the tour for that. The driver was gracious and she drove well. As a preparation I would have liked to know the scheduled stops when the tour started. Overall, a missed opportunity. This could have been a very good tour if the first and last stops had been dropped and the focus would have been on the scenic spots as the sun was gradually approaching the sunset. It would have been beautiful. We missed the best parts. It could have been a very good sunset tour and would have fit into the 2 hours as advertised. Based on my experience, I cannot give it more than 2 stars. The last minute change in pickup time really hurt. They could have informed us 2-3 hours earlier and the van should have come at 6 pm if they wanted to take advantage of the earlier sunset. One last comment - the van felt too small for this size group. Consider a more comfortable vehicle. If you make the changes I suggested here, I may consider attending the improved version of this tour next time I visit Banff.

This tour needs to decide whether they are a sunset tour or a wildlife tour. Due to the late departure (despite a whatapp message asking us to arrive half an hour earlier in order to see the sunset), we were 20 minutes late leaving. There then seemed to be a rush in order to see the areas on the itinerary, leaving no time to search/see any wildlife or catch the sunset. This was not down to the guide who was drafted in at the last minute and was lovely and knowledgeable The tour did not fulfill the advertised brief. If you are looking for a tour that takes you to some beautiful Banff sites with a lovely guide then this is the tour for you. However, in order to see the sunset, timings must be checked on a daily basis and leave on time. As for looking for wildlife, I would choose a trip specifically for this purpose.

First of all, we were never told that we had to arrive 30 minutes early. We also expected the tour to take us to special or exclusive spots, but in reality, they were all places you can easily visit on your own. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any wildlife at all—not even a squirrel. Ironically, while exploring on our own, we’ve seen bighorn sheep, deer, and squirrels. The guide was friendly and pleasant, but overall, the tour was disappointing and didn’t feel worth it

We were lucky enough to get a glimpse of a black bear eating along the road, we saw some elk from a distance and saw two deer on or near the road. We got to see Banff town from up on the mountain. Beautiful drive through Banff and Pato, our guide was very knowledgeable and shared information with us along the way. Thank you for a great trip

The scenic views the guide took us to were lovely There wasn’t really much wildlife spotting as even though we were taken to places where wildlife might be, there was no slowing down or stopping. We did sight a black bear on the opposite side to where we were seated but were told to stay in our seats! So had little chance to actually see or capture the moment. We missed the sunset at the view point The first stop offs could have been shorter; either make it a scenic tour or a wildlife tour, there wasn’t enough time for both. The mini bus was very uncomfortable, cramped and either too hot or too cold! An ok experience but not one we would repeat

Ivan was the best! He made sure I was being taken care of, and the views & experiences were just so good. Definitely recommend!

I had an amazing experience on the tour with Ivan as the guide! I saw Banff Town, Bow Falls, Lake Louise, and Moraine Lake. I can’t wait to visit the Rockies 10/10!!

I had the most amazing time on the tour, especially with Ivan as the guide. He was professional, fun, and most importantly extremely knowledgeable about all the areas. Such a beautiful area I can’t wait to go do the full tour someday! Can’t recommend this enough.

Great experience. The guide, Ivan, made the tour fun and informative. Was really fun and I learned lots about the Rockies. Many thanks from the US!

I had an amazing experience on the tour with Ivan as the guide! He’s friendly, respectful and utmost professional. I saw Banff Town, Bow Falls, Lake Louise, and Moraine Lake. Can’t recommend this tour enough!

The tour was beautiful and the guide (Ivan) pointed out some amazing facts about the Rockies and surrounding areas. The instructions were very straight forward. I would definitely recommend this tour!

It was very fun and professional. Best experience I’ve had in a while. Very kind and friendly. I would book again!!

This tour was awesome. The views of the Rockies were stunning! Ivan was a great guide, very engaging and informative. I liked how it wasn’t just facts but actual stories about Banff and the surrounding areas. You can tell there’s real passion behind it, I’d highly recommend this tour.

Amazing experience overall. The tour was engaging, well-paced, and full of great insights that really brought Banff National Park to life. The scenery was stunning, and it was clear a lot of care and knowledge went into every part of it. Highly recommend to anyone interested in exploring Banff.

Such a cool experience overall. Ivan clearly knows Banff inside and out. Loved hearing about the early history mixed in with the scenery. Made the Rockies feel alive not just beautiful. I didn’t expect to learn this much about Banff National Park. The stories about how the park was formed and the people who explored it were my favorite part. Really well explained and easy to follow.

Fantastic. Beautiful and engaging. Ivan was a pleasure with the right mix of historical knowledge, fun facts and personal insights. Highly recommend!

By far the Best Tour I have ever had! The guide was very engaging and knowledgable. The bus was very clean. I was able to completely relax and enjoy the beauty.

If you enjoy learning while you travel this tour is perfect! Our guide shared the background of Lake Louise, Johnston Canyon area, and Natural bridge and explained how history and tourism came together in Banff. He was very engaging and easy to follow.

Ivan gave an incredible tour of Banff and shared so much interesting history about the Rocky Mountains, Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, and the early days of Banff National Park. I loved learning about how the Canadian Pacific Railway shaped tourism and opened up the region. If you want a guide who really understands Banff and the Rockies, Ivan is the one to book.

Our tour guide, Ivan, was outstanding! He was warm, easy to talk to, and knew exactly where to go for the best photo spots. We didn’t miss a single part of the tour itinerary, and his knowledge of history was impressive. A huge thank you again — I would absolutely recommend Ivan to everyone!

Ivan was an excellent tour guide and shared detailed history and stories about lots of places throughout the Rockies like Lake Louise, Lake Moraine, Lake Louise Village, Emerald Lake, and the Natural Bridge. We toured around Banff town and everything was perfectly timed and well organized. I would definitely do this tour again!

Thoroughly enjoyed my time on this tour, the guide was extremely knowledgeable and provided insights I wouldn’t have discovered myself otherwise.

I had an amazing time on this tour with Ivan! He was a fantastic guide, and I got to see some elk roaming around downtown Banff area. The beautiful mountains were snow capped and it was an unforgettable experience. I will share a beautiful photo of mount Norquay!