Lake Minnewanka Nestled just a short drive from Banff town, Lake Minnewanka—meaning “Water of the Spirits” in the Stoney Nakoda language—is the largest lake in Banff National Park. Surrounded by rugged mountains and rich forests, it offers breathtaking scenery and a deep connection to local Indigenous history. The lake stretches over 21 kilometers and is a popular spot for wildlife viewing, photography, and scenic walks. In summer, visitors can enjoy a boat cruise across its clear blue waters, while in winter, it becomes a peaceful haven framed by snow-dusted peaks. The area’s blend of natural beauty and cultural heritage makes Lake Minnewanka one of Banff’s must-see highlights.
Two Jack Lake Just minutes from Banff, Two Jack Lake is a tranquil, turquoise gem surrounded by pine forests and mountain peaks. Its calm waters beautifully reflect Mount Rundle, making it one of the most photographed spots in the park. A favorite with locals and visitors alike, it’s a peaceful place for picnics, short walks, and wildlife watching. In summer, you’ll often see kayakers and paddleboarders gliding across the lake; in winter, it transforms into a quiet, snow-covered retreat. With its easy access and postcard-perfect views, Two Jack Lake is a must-stop on the scenic Lake Minnewanka Drive.
Banff Hoodoos Viewpoint The Hoodoos are striking, naturally sculpted rock spires formed over thousands of years by wind and water erosion. Made of soft limestone capped by harder rock, these formations stand like sentinels overlooking the Bow River Valley, with stunning views of Mount Rundle in the background. According to local legend, the First Nations people believed the Hoodoos were petrified giants who came to life at night — adding a touch of mystery to their beauty. This scenic stop is a perfect spot for photos and a short walk to admire Banff’s unique geology.
Mount Rundle Viewpoint Mount Rundle is one of Banff’s most recognizable peaks, stretching dramatically along the Bow Valley between Banff and Canmore. From the Mount Rundle Viewpoint, visitors are treated to a breathtaking panorama of this iconic mountain, whose sharp ridgeline glows gold at sunrise and sunset. The mountain’s distinctive shape tells a story of powerful geological uplift and erosion that shaped the Rockies millions of years ago. It’s a favorite subject for photographers and a symbol of Banff’s wild alpine beauty — a perfect stop to truly appreciate the scale and majesty of the Canadian Rockies.
Surprise Corner Surprise Corner is one of Banff’s most famous viewpoints, offering a postcard-perfect view of the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel framed by the Bow River and surrounding mountains. Named for the delightful “surprise” of this stunning panorama, it’s an ideal stop for photos and to appreciate the beauty of Banff town nestled in the Rockies. This spot is quick to visit but unforgettable, giving guests a classic Banff view in just a few minutes.
Town of Banff
It was just the right amount of touring for someone who doesn’t love the 8 hour long tours that can exhaust you more than excite you haha. My host, Akhi was amazing and super knowledgeable. Smooth day with some breathtaking sights!
It was informative and beautiful. The lakes are gorgeous. It was not too long so we had time in town.
I had a great time on this tour. Well worth the cost. It lasted around 1.5 hours and it was a great way to see a bunch of beautiful sites in Banff. Aki was our driver and was very friendly.
Amazing tour guide showing all the stunning viewpoints. Provided water and a granola snack as well. Would recommend!
Great Driver and Guide. Great tour around the town of Banff.
It was a short tour, but our tour guide efficiently drove us to several scenic places. It was almost sunset, so the lighting was perfect for taking photos. Highly recommended.
Our tour was cancelled just a few hours before it started. The operator did not answer the phone or return messages or texts to reschedule. There is no operator company name associated with this tour and I’m feeling now that we got taken. Viator told me that there will be no refund of the credit we used to pay for this. Beware before you buy! Which is unfortunate as our past experiences have been great with Viator.
Truly wonderful experience and certainly the BEST 2.5 hours spent touring around. Our group was only four people and so we had the driver/guide to ourselves. Aki was our driver and guide, he arrived promptly and took us off on our tour around the lakes and sites. He knew all the right places to stop to get the right photo opportunities as well as offering us water/biscuits on the way around. His knowledge of the area was exceptional. He also helped by taking group photos of us all. All in all an incredible experience and one I shall never forget. THANK YOU AKI YOUR A STAR ⭐️ Well done Banff Lakes Travel keep up the great work. 👍👏🏼
Great quick tour of the Banff area to see a few of the sights. Ideal to give a useful orientation. Aki was knowledgeable of the areas visited and added a lot of useful facts. Stay at each stop as long as you wished - no rush. Offered granola snack and bottle of water. One restroom stop, if required. Great value.
Sujith was an awesome tour guide. So glad we picked this tour. We highly recommend!
Very comfy Bus tour with stops at the Lake, and view spots in Banff. Our driver Sujith was very kind and took good care of us with water and snack.
A fantastic experience with tour guide, Sujith! We visited Two Jack Lake, Lake Minnewanka, the Hoodoos Trail viewpoint, and Surprise Corner. It was absolutely beautiful, and Sujith was friendly, knowledgeable and shared lots of interesting information along the way. There was time to take in the views and explore each stop. A great experience and a lovely way to see Banff National Park!
Sujith was a very friendly, knowledgeable guide who shared so much of the area, and took our photos in beautiful spots. Highly recommend this tour.
Booked as a last minute thing and so glad we did. It was a great tour. Got to see some wild life and the stops were just long enough to get great pictures and look around. Our tour guide Sujith was great! Thanks for a lovely afternoon.
Sujith was a fantastic guide! an incredible way to see Banff and some of its beautiful spots would highly recommend!
It was my first tour in Banff, and honestly, it was a wonderful and beautiful way to start my vacation there. The guide waited several minutes for me because I had come straight from the Calgary airport. The only downside was that we couldn't go to Two Jack Lake because there was no parking available; I feel like something could have been done, maybe going back later or something, but overall, the experience was incredible.
Dinesh was an amazing tour guy. Very knowledgeable about the area and friendly. Thoroughly had a good time especially since it was day one for us
Sujith picked us up at our hotel which was nice. We were the only people on the tour. Sujith was a great guide and cameraman taking photos for us. We went for the express tour as only had 1 day in Banff and this was a good use if that time.
Booked the tour online based on reviews and they weren’t kidding…the food, Canadian history, and hotel ambience were amazing. Highly recommend Stacy as your guide!
The driver was personable, friendly and accommodating. We were the only 2 people on the tour and he made it very interesting and informative. We had very personalized service. We were able to spend time at each of the destinations.
Sujith is a great travel guide
We had an absolutely amazing experience on our Express Banff Tour with Sujith! He was an exceptional tour guide from start to finish. He was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, patient, and genuinely passionate about showing us the beauty of Banff. Sujith made the entire experience fun and memorable, sharing interesting information along the way and making sure we had plenty of opportunities to enjoy the scenery and take great photos. Everything felt relaxed and well organized, and he went above and beyond to make sure everyone had a wonderful time. If you’re booking a tour in Banff, I highly recommend asking for Sujith. He truly made our day special and was one of the highlights of our trip. 10/10 experience and an outstanding guide!
This was an inexpensive way to see parts of Banff we probably wouldn’t have seen. Our guide was Sujith. He was very friendly. This tout was worth the money.
Sujith was amazing! He communicated his arrival time with us, offered us water and a snack, narrated sights and information along the way and was a wonderful host. He pulled over when we spotted wildlife and took photos of us at various viewpoints. We enjoyed all of the sights and stops along the way. This tour includes some locations most tours overlook, but it provides a great opportunity to explore Banff in a different way. I apologize for many of my photos being sideways.
Sujith was amazing. He made our tour special. Despite booking our tour the night before he made everything work and took us to various sites around Banff that we would not have known of without his expertise. The views were stunning. The guy was great and having bottled water was an amazing bonus many tours do not offer. Do not hesitate to book this tour. The Value is phenomenal especially for Banff.
This tour was wonderful! Sujith did a great job explaining all of the beautiful sites and history! I highly recommend this tour!
Wonderful tour. Covered everything we wanted to see. Sugith was very informative and thorough. He answered all of our questions and we highly recommend him.
Our family (with two teens) went on the speed run tour of Banff with Joe, our driver. We were looking for an easy overview after having driven and hiked the previous few days. Just needed a little, pretty break. Joe picked us up, had snacks and water, and was super kind. (Was a little late arriving, but when I called they confirmed he was on his way. Traffic in Banff is wild.) He took us to the highlights - well some as there are so many- and we saw some mountain goats as a plus! He totally got our vibe. A great way to see a lot you don’t have a ton of time or are just looking for an easy way to get the lay of the land. After talking about not having a reservation for Lake Louise and Lake Moraine the next day, he said he could take us. We planned to meet him the next morning at 4am, texting to confirm. He warned us it would be cold, and that it would fill up if we went later. So we were prepared, or at least had the chance to be. 😂 Sure enough we were first in the parking lot and then immediately after all the buses and shuttles came in. Joe brought coffee/tea before we head out to the rock pile for sunrise. It was great to have someone who knew where to go and what was happening. He showed us around, explained some history and facts. Then we got the Louise before it got super busy too. He waited while we hiked, and was ready at the van with more water when we were done. I totally recommend Joe. He made everything super easy so we didn’t have to stress. Also great with pictures and knowing where the good spots are, how to skirt the crowds, etc. And he had bear spray just in case. Seriously made our trip! Otherwise we would be stuck wondering/debating/arguing what to do. Thank you so much!!
Great value for money within the time. Great picture spots as well. Sujith was very patient and helpful to us with more information on how to get around Banff
Sujith did an amazing job showing us the best of Banff. Smoke from wildfires made picture taking challenging however Sujith did his best to help us capture many great pics. He knew where to go to see elk and other animals. He was knowledgeable and provided many insights.
My husband and I are retired and took this tour with our adult daughter. Our tour guide and driver, Sujith, was very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable about each area. Van was clean, comfortable and aur conditioned. Snack and water were provided. 2.5 hours was an ideal length and each stop was timed perfectly. Several rest rooms were available during the tour. Very accessible for people with old, creaky knees! Excellent value, very enjoyable - we highly recommend this and will be booking again soon!
Our tour guide, Sujith was very knowledgeable and helpful. He made myself and my brother feel very comfortable. Thanks you!
I enjoyed leaving the skillful driving to Joulouf. He was knowledgeable and gave a good safe tour. Sorry for the spelling of his name...
Sujith was great ! Very informative and saw all the best spots ! Beautiful locations and super photo ! He was an excellent photographer as well
This tour shows takes you to all the great scenery around Banff. Not only to you get some great photo opportunities but you get a history lesson. Our guide did such a great job that even my son was interested in the history. Thank you for the great time.
We had a really nice time touring the beautiful sights of Banff. The van was clean and comfortable, the driver did a great job.
Bus/Tour guide was late (45 minutes-from an already delayed departure time). The guide could barely speak English (all attendees were English speakers). Very little explanation of the sights we saw was provided. No communication on how long we had at each stop. On the booking info- they said they would provide an energy bar, and water. At the end of the tour, the guide produced granola bars and no water (it was very hot that day). We have been very pleased with Viator tours in the past. This one was a let down.
Sadly, this is one of the worst tours I have ever gone on! Most guides spend time talking about the wonderful sights and experiences of the area. Our guide rarely spoke to us. As we exited the van, we were told the water area we were viewing, no history or background! When we were standing by a lake, we weren't given time limits. No one knew what was happening or when to return. Please save your money and use a better tour company than Banff Lake Travel.
Very nice experience. The guide took us to a number of beautiful spots for photographs. We had a little problem with parking before the meetup. The guide was very patient and helpful directing us to parking, then actually came and picked us up. I thought this went above and beyond on his part.
Aki was super friendly, knowledgeable knowledgeable. Van was not full and they didn’t cancel the tour. So very thankful since we saw an abundance of big horn sheep and large herd of elk. I would recommend and do another tour with Aki!!
This tour was excellent!!! The sights and scenery are gorgeous! The tour is flexible and the guide (Aki) will work at the pace that the group desires. Guests are able to do as much or as little as they desire. He is incredibly knowledgeable and has wonderful information to share if guests are interested in learning all about the area, the history, and many fascinating facts. It was a very pleasant tour that did not feel too rushed nor too slow. We were able to stop to take pictures and get out to walk and see (close-up) wildlife and the views at each stop. It was truly a memorable tour/excursion! Aki is the guide who leads this specific tour. Thanks, Aki!!!
We had a wonderful time on this tour. My husband and I took it on our first day in Banff and it was a wonderful way to see the nearby sites and get acclimated in the town. Sudith was a great guide and gave lots of information about the town and pointed out local wildlife.. We enjoyed it very much and would highly recommend this tour.
Our tour guide (Aki) was very knowledgeable and courteous. The tour itself was very relaxing and enjoyable with enough time for each stop. Highly recommend!
Nice clean bus. The tour guy was great (Aki) very trustworthy. I left me lpad and he returned to me right away
Excellent trip only 2 on the tour so exceeded expectations
Wonderful stress-free tour. Sujith was a great driver and provided excellent commentary along the way. Recommend for those who have limited time in Banff.
Its just fantastic saw some wildlife the guide was I now rush to get the perfect photo for us Would recommend fully
This tour was just right! We went to spots we didn’t really know about. It hit the highlights of Banff! We really lucked out and saw elk, mountain goats, a wolf, and a chipmunk! The sights were explained by our driver. His was from India and his name was ?Ato?
Really good guide and took in all the scenic spots. He was friendly and easy to visit with. Made my solo time fly by.
We really enjoyed this and our guide Akki. We didn’t have a lot of time and this tour gave us a lot of ground covered and sights to see in the perfect amount of time. So glad we booked it.
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