A 4-Day Itinerary to Banff and Jasper National Parks
Day1 : Arrive at Calgary International Airport (YCC). Have dinner and take rest. I booked the hotel inside the airport and it was very comfortable. They sent me the shuttle as soon as I landed and it was just a 5 minute shuttle drive from the airport to the hotel. Here are some the pictures of the Hotel.
Day2 : Drive to Banff, Hike Johnston Canyon and Visit the Famous Moraine Lake.
I woke up around 6AM, took shower and got ready by 7AM. Had a nice breakfast at the hotel. They gave me 25% off at the restaurant as I was staying in the hotel. I checked out the hotel and took the uber to Airport. It costs me less than $10. I took the rental car from AVIS at the airport and started driving to Banff exactly at 9AM. The traffic was light. The distance between Calgary airport and Banff town is 150KMs and took only less than 2 hours. I reached the Banff town around 11AM.
11AM-12Noon (Bow River and Bow Fall) : Stroll around Bow river and see the Bow waterfall. This is just a mile flat walk from downtown area. After 2 hours of driving, you can relax a bit here before going to Johnston Canyon. The wooded trail along the river stays cool even on the sunniest of days, leading to an intriguing wooden staircase ascending above the trees. The viewpoint above cascading Bow Falls is just breathtaking.
I was not hungry as I had a breakfast at hotel around 7AM, So I thought of having lunch after completing the Johnston Canyon Hike.
12noon-12:45PM : Started driving from Banff town to Johnston Canyon. Its around 25 miles from Banff town and take anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes of driving.
1pm-3pm ( Johnston Canyon Upper and Lower Fall hike) : This canyon is one of the most popular places to visit in Banff National Park. The hike’s first section is flat and leads on a boardwalk fixed to a cliff so that you will have the rushing river on your right-hand side. After 1.2 kilometers, you will reach Lower Falls, which is a beautiful natural attraction. The trail between Lower and Upper Falls is 1.5 km long and climbs steadily along the creek. This part is very scenic, with many smaller or bigger cascades, and once the canyon narrows, you can hear and sometimes even feel the power of the water. Upper Falls can be accessed via a boardwalk.
3pm – 3:30pm : Drive from Johnston canyon to Moraine Lake Park and Ride area. You have to reserve the shuttle to go to Moraine Lake and normally it gets full weeks before, but they will open the limited tickets just 2 days before the departure date at 7AM Canada time. If you are lucky, you will get the reservation. I just booked my shuttle in that limited seats opened 2 days before my departure date.
4pm-5:30pm (Moraine Lake) : My personal favorite during my visit to Canada. The towering mountains encircle the deep blue surface of the lake in a formation so extraordinary, only Mother Nature could shape it. Hike to the Rockpile and get to see the classic view of Moraine Lake that featured in $20 bill during 1970’s. If time permits, go for a shoreline trail to get to see the lake from different perspective.
6pm-7:30pm (Lake Louise) : is the crown jewel of Banff National Park and has been drawing visitors to the Canadian Rockies for over a century. Snap some pictures in-front of the lake and in-front of the famous hotel.
9pm (Dinner at Banff) : After Lake Louise, return to Banff and have dinner and sleep. You have many options for dinner at Banff town. BTW, the sun sets after 10PM, so you can have a long day if you want.
Day3 : Banff Gondola, Big Beehive Hike and Banff Upper Hot Springs
9:30 to 11AM (Banff Gondola) : The Banff Gondola offers incredible panoramic views of the Canadian Rockies, the Bow Valley, and the town of Banff all year round. The gondola takes visitors to the top of Sulphur Mountain and allows them to experience summit views without effort. It’s easily one of the best things to do in Banff. An experience accessible to everyone, the gondola is much more than just a fun ride.
2-6pm (Hike to Lake Agnes teahouse and Big Beehive) : The Big Beehive hike is a classic trail in the Canadian Rockies of moderate difficulty rewarding hikers with beautiful views of the unreal Lake Louise and it is great to make a stop at the renowned Lake Agnes teahouse. Big Beehive is a mountain that resembles a beehive located close to Lake Louise in Banff National Park.
7-8pm (Banff upper hot springs) : After a tough day, I had visited the Banff upper hot springs for the relaxation. At 1585 meters of elevation, Banff Upper Hot Springs is the highest operating hot spring in Canada.
9pm (Dinner at Canmore) : Had dinner and went to bed early for the next day adventure.
Day4 : Columbia Icefield Glacier and Jasper National Park
6-9:30AM – Drive from Canmore to Columbia Icefield Discovery Center – This is one of the incredible drives I ever had. You have waterfalls, lakes, meadows and lot of picnic spots.. You will fall in love with this drive within one hour of driving. There are 10-15 must stop places along the scenic icefield parkway. I had to rush to Columbia icefield adventure tour before 9:30AM as I had a tour at that time. I planned to stop at these incredible places while coming back.
9:30-12noon (Columbia Icefield Glacier Tour and Glacier Skywalk) : The Columbia icefield glacier adventure tour is a must do while visiting the Jasper National Park. At 215 square kilometers, the Columbia Icefields is the world’s largest non-polar icecap. There is no better way to learn about these glaciers than to board Glacier Explorer buses and venture onto the ice itself. Surrounding by some of the most unique and awe-inspiring landscapes in the world, the newest attraction in Jasper National Park is about taking a single step above the landscape. The Glacier Skywalk is a glass-floored arch that hangs 280 metres above the Sunwapta River Valley. The hair-raising heights offer a unique view of the glacier-carved landscape located just minutes north of the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre.
12-1:30pm (Drive to Jasper) : Jasper is only 60 miles from Icefield parkway and I thought of driving to Jasper as I had time till 10pm (The sun sets at 10pm). While driving to Jasper, visited the following attractions:
Tangle Creek Waterfalls: This waterfall is a multi-tiered cascade of water, with a vertical drop of about 100-feet. It can be viewed from the Icefields Parkway, just minutes from the Glacier skywalk.
Athabasca Waterfalls: These are extremely powerful, picturesque waterfall to witness. Athabasca Falls are known for their strength due to the large quantity of water.
Sunwapta waterfall: One of the best and most beautiful waterfalls on the Icefields Parkway in Jasper National Park, is a must-visit place in the Canadian Rockies.
Valley of 5 Lakes: You will find the Valley of the Five Lakes hike simply along the Icefields Parkway, just under 9km south of the traffic lights at Jasper.
1:30-9pm (Jasper to Calgary) : Drove back from Jasper to Calgary – While returning, I hiked a Parker ridge trail – its a 3 mile roundtrip hike where you get to see the glacier closely.
Parker Ridge Trail : This short and sweet hike has one of the best effort-to-reward ratios in the Rockies, with sweeping views of the Icefields Parkway and the Saskatchewan Glacier after only a brief climb. Parker Ridge makes for an excellent stopover on your way up to Banff, as the whole hike takes only two hours roundtrip.
Day5 (Relaxed day at Calgary) :
Day6 (Return to Los Angeles) :