The world famous resort town of Banff is located in the centre of Banff National Park, flanked on all sides by Alberta's Rocky Mountains. There are 25 peaks that rise over 3000m which are magically reflected in the turquoise waters of the park’s many lakes. The town offers visitors a full range of facilities, including the therapeutic hot springs that inspired the founding of the park, and is an excellent base for exploring the surrounding country. 

Banff is a centre of outdoor activity catering to all ages – these are some of our favourites:

Discover the Glacier Trail through a full day sightseeing tour, that travels through a landscape carved by glaciers and opened by pioneers. The Icefields Parkway is rated as one of the most scenic highways in the world. Included is a trip on the Ice Explorer onto the Athabasca Glacier (from £105 per person). Or another option is to visit the 'Jewel of the Canadian Rockies', Lake Louise and the renowned Moraine Lake - both are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site (from £43 per person).

Hiking is a popular activity, so share the passion for the mountains with local guides on the classic hikes of the Banff and Lake Louise area. Hikes include Stanley Glacier, Larch Valley, Healy Pass, Ha Ling Summit and Plain of 6 glaciers (from £51 per person). Or you could explore the area on horseback following the Bow River (from £60 per person).

A more leisurely approach could involve sitting back and enjoying the grandeur of the Canadian Rocky Mountains while floating on the magnificent Bow River. This leisurely river float offers excellent opportunities to view beaver, elk, osprey and more (from £43 per person). More adventurous travellers should consider a whitewater rafting trip along the Bow River Horseshoe Canyon. Located  in the front ranges of the Rockies, the Horseshoe offers some of the best scenery in the region (from £61 per person)

For details of Banff accommodation or any of these Banff day tour suggestions click on the links on the right. Our experienced consultants can easily build any of these experiences into a tailor-made Canada holiday quote for you.