Tours/Calgary/Banff Tour — Hike in Sunshine Meadow & Johnston Canyon — Gondolas
Viator · group up to 24 pax

Banff Tour — Hike in Sunshine Meadow & Johnston Canyon — Gondolas

4.8(26)Calgary1 hour
VIATOR4.9(14)TRIPADVISOR4.7(12)

Description

Enjoy a refreshing one-day Banff hiking tour to bask in the scenery of one of the world's most beautiful National Parks. Stroll through Johnston Canyon and take in the sights, wander Sunshine Meadows admiring the gorgeous flora and natural beauty of the valley. Finally, relax and feel your spirits soar in a gondola up to Sulphur Mountain to feel the alpine breeze and drink in the wonders of the peaceful Rockies. A tour designed for hiking lovers, our guide will help you cover three of the Kananaskis Country's most beloved moderate trails, showcasing Canada's finest scenery. This adventure is best paired with our Lake View Day Tour to give you a a two-day unforgettable experience, immersing yourself in all that Banff and it's surrounding beauties has to offer.

Tour Options

Tour + Banff Gondola Ticket
  • Gondola Ticket
No Banff Gondola Ticket
  • No Gondola Ticket
Special Date Discount+Gondola
  • Special date discount: this offer only apply to certain dates.

Itinerary

Admission included180 min

a gentle alpine trail above Sunshine Village with sweeping wildflower meadows, panoramic mountain views, and three small hidden alpine lakes tucked among the ridges. Easy, well‑marked paths with rolling terrain and short climbs—great for families and casual hikers.

105 min

Johnston Creek originates north of Castle Mountain in a glacial valley southwest of Badger Pass and south of Pulsatilla Pass, at an elevation of 2,500 meters (8,200 ft). The creek flows southeast between Helena Ridge and the Sawback Range, and then south through a gorge known as Johnston Canyon. As Johnston Creek approaches the Bow River, it flows through a large canyon formed by erosion over thousands of years. The creek has cut through the limestone rock to form sheer canyon walls, as well as waterfalls, tunnels, and pools. A popular hiking trail follows the canyon and leads to a meadow within the Johnston Valley above the canyon. The first part of the trail consists of a constructed walkway with safety rails and bridges, while the last part of the trail is natural and more rugged. Within the meadow are the Ink Pots, which are six blue-green spring-fed pools.

15 min

The Vermilion Lakes are a series of lakes located immediately west of Banff, Alberta, in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The three lakes are formed in the Bow River valley, in the Banff National Park, at the foot of Mount Norquay. The area offers wildlife viewing opportunities and breathtaking scenery. Offering spectacular views of Mount Rundle and Sulphur Mountain, the proximity of these lakes to town make them a fantastic place to watch sunrise or sunset.

Admission not included85 min

Timeless Rocky Mountain views. 100% reimagined summit experience. Take the Sulphur Gondola (Optional) and discover sweeping scenes of six mountain ranges, the Bow Valley and the charming town of Banff from the Sulphur Mountain summit. Once you're at the top, begin your adventure by strolling the boardwalk to the Cosmic Ray Station and Sanson's Peak and learn about Canada's first national park. The air is clean and clear up here. When gaze down from the jagged mountain ridge, you stare in amazement at the town, lakes, and rivers on the valley floor far below, and a lot more. it’s such a revitalizing and calming sensation.

15 min

Cascades of Time Garden spreads out behind Banff National Park's historic administration building at 101 Mountain Ave. A geological sequence of cascading ponds and water courses provide the garden’s namesake and is highlighted with flowers, shrubs, rustic bridges, pavilions and flagged walks. The peak season for blooms is June through September.

15 min

Bow Falls is a major waterfall on the Bow River. The falls rumble about 30 feet over a low-gradient pitch of channeled bedrock, providing a short turbulent interrupt of the cerulean waters of the Bow River. The falls are pretty, and under the right conditions, exceptionally photogenic, but not terribly impressive. The 1953 Marilyn Monroe film “River of No Return” featured the bow falls.

Highlights

WiFi on board
GST (Goods and Services Tax)
Air-conditioned vehicle
Sunshine Meadow Gondola
National Park Fee
Complimentary bottled water

What's included

Included
WiFi on board
GST (Goods and Services Tax)
Air-conditioned vehicle
Sunshine Meadow Gondola
National Park Fee
Complimentary bottled water
Not included
If you were satisfied with our tour guide service, please kindly consider showing your appreciation with a tip and/or review.
Banff Gondola Fee — Price fluctuates around
Your tour guide will kindly point out public restroom stops along your tour

Traveller Ratings

4.8
26 reviews
5
23
4
1
3
2
2
0
1
0

Important Information

  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Reviews(26)

H
Henry L
June 1, 2025
Amazing trip and tour guide

The tour guide provided us lots of interesting knowlege of the geography and history of Banff. He was so attentive and helpful. The landscape is breath-taking. We will come back soon

L
LindaLee_H
September 19, 2024
The best tour guide

We REALLY liked our tour guide Yong. Very knowledgeable and accomodating and he took us to places we weren't aware. He also respected our age (77 and 78)

J
Julie_D
August 31, 2024
Great tour of must sees in Banff

Seeing all the beautiful scenery around Banff with a private tour was great! Bow Falls, Banff, the Hoodoos, and some beautiful lakes were all beautiful

B
Bruce_G
July 26, 2024
Who knew Hoodoos!!

Hovin was an excellent guide. The scenery was hard to describe accurately as it was so beautiful. We enjoyed the hike at Johnston Canyon and the waterfalls. Going through Banf was interesting to experience the vast amount of traffic. The Two Jacks Lake and Minnewanka Lake were very beautiful. It was a wonderful tour and our most unusual new knowledge was the Hoodoos! Thanks again!

R
richardlT2043XG
May 11, 2024
Amazing host, amazing tour

We had Caroline as a host and she was amazing, very friendly and very knowledgeable. We highly recommend this excellent sightseeing tour. Richard and Cathie L

I
I5871DWjaimem
May 7, 2024
Great day out

We had a great day out with Caroline as our guide. Nothing was a problem, and she was very nice and knowledgeable. The scenery was amazing.

1 people found this helpful
4
434jessicau
May 6, 2024
Magical

The views were magical while I enjoyed the crisp weather. I loved the experience, and enjoyed listening to the history of the land. My guide was more than I could ever ask for. She was tremendous.

C
Cruiser67646403904
April 30, 2024
Must do tour if visiting Calgary

Awesome guide very accommodating and was willing to go above n beyond tnx Alex !!! Great for those transiting the city! Highly recomended

A
aracelio851
April 23, 2024
Beautiful views and a very qualified guide

An incredible walk and the guide Alex was super!!! He gave us two extras of beautiful views of the area, we told him that we wanted to book the tour in Spanish but they didn't have it and he kindly expressed some phrases in Spanish, which he speaks of your great interest in pleasing the client, congratulations

M
Michael_A
March 22, 2024
ALEX is a wonderful tour guide, and BANFF is stunningly beautiful

Alex made the tour very comfortable and worthwhile for us. He was very friendly, answered all our questions, and was very flexible with our requested spontaneous stops - to view wildlife and grab a coffee at Tim's (of course!). The highlight of the trip was the Gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain, although the visits to the various Lakes were beautiful as well. Personally, I think your company is lucky to have Alex as a tour guide- he is very service oriented and did everything he could to keep us happy on our tour. Thanks for the memories of Banff!!

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