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    Banff Gondola

    4.5 (268 reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Banff Gondola Photos

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    Lizzie S.

    A highlight of Banff! It's not just the gondola (which is a fairly long ride) but once you get to the top, you can walk around. There's a lot of stairs and views, a restaurant, a cafe, and a store. It's neat to explore up there. It felt like we were in the clouds.

    Souporn H.

    We took the shuttle bus up from the downtown shopping area. When we got there, it was completely packed with people. It felt a bit hectic. I was worried with a 4 rider limit, that my friend and our 3 kids wouldn't be let in together. But with how tiny they are, they let us all in and I'm grateful for that. I have a slight fear of heights so going up was not a pleasant experience. Going down was a lot better for me and felt faster. Reaching up top was great! There are so many activities in every level. And a fun walk outside. They had the fire going because it was so cold. Be aware if you follow the trail to walk it gets a bit harder to breathe as you go up. But it's a fun walk. Just remember that you'll be going up both ways. So if hiking is not your thing, don't attempt it.

    Rooftop
    Elizabeth N.

    The Banff Gondola offers an incredible experience from start to finish. The 8-minute ride up Sulphur Mountain delivers stunning, unfolding views of the town and shrinking treelines. Once at the summit, the 360-degree panoramic views of the Rocky Mountains, Banff town and Bow Valley are breathtaking--it truly feels like standing on top of a postcard. A huge bonus for families: the kids were given an awesome activity book! Completing all the tasks earned them a cool patch and sticker. It turned the whole trip into a fun, interactive adventure for them. What we loved: 1. The scenic boardwalk walk to the Cosmic Ray Station. 2. Great photo opportunities (the photo package we bought turned out amazing with fun backgrounds. 3. Spotting local wildlife, including mountain goats and squirrels. 4. Super friendly staff and excellent facilities, including educational exhibits, gift shops, and a Starbucks. Going on a Friday morning was a great choice--arriving at 8:40 AM meant we had our choice of parking spots. Just keep in mind that it gets busy fast; by the time we headed out at noon, parking was incredibly crowded. We spent about three hours exploring the top. Because we had a big breakfast, we skipped the nice-looking restaurants up top to save room for later and headed straight to the hot springs right next door afterward. Overall, a wonderful, reasonably priced experience that I would highly recommend to anyone!

    Movie set view
    Shaun T.

    With a gorgeous June day how can this be described as anything but incredible. Meet at the base with timed ticket, ride a 4-seater to top and take in the views, breeze, cool fresh air and vistas. Easy. Can ride or hike down. Areas to stand under heaters or fire pits or go inside if chilly.

    Observation Deck
    Travis T.

    I recently visited Banff with my running group and they planned a whole week of activities for us. We had a free day to pick our own activity on our last day here. Out of the options that they presented to us, I chose the Banff Gondola. We spent the whole week running and hiking and I wanted something relaxing to do. The Banff Gondola takes you 2,292 feet up a steep mountainside to the summit of Sulphur Mountain. The ride itself is eight minutes long. After buying my ticket, I chilled at the Starbucks that is at ground level and watched the gondola take people up the mountain. There is also a gift shop next to it. Each gondola cabin is designed to hold up to four people and offers a 360-degree view as you ascend up the mountain. Once you arrive at the Banff Gondola Upper Terminal on Sulphur Mountain, you have four levels to explore. The fourth level is the rooftop observation deck where you get amazing panoramic view of the surrounding mountains. You can see the entire town of Banff from up here. There is also an outdoor boardwalk that leads to Sanson Peak. I spent a few hours up here exploring the different levels. There is a coffee shop and a couple of restaurants at the top. I did the walk from the observation deck to Sanson Peak and back. The views are just stunning. The observation deck can get crowded and it can get a little windy at times. I spent my time taking photographs and relaxing on the benches. I then grabbed a coffee before heading back down. The Banff Gondola is a little pricey, but I am glad I picked this activity. It was a nice way to close out my trip to Banff.

    view from the gondola ride
    May M.

    Always an amazing experience to see all the views of nature from the top. The entrance fee went up to $199 for 2 adults; kids 5 and below are free. Alberta residents get 10% off. Quite expensive, but the experience is worth it.

    Sarah S.

    If you go to Banff, and you can handle heights, you MUST do the Gondola! I'm afraid of heights and ngl, I was a bit scared going up the gondola. Especially because one of my friends is a toddler who thought it would be fun to scare me and her husband by shaking it a bit. Ugh! haha However, I survived the 2,292 feet glide up to the Sulphur Mountain that took about 8 minutes to get up. We rode up while the sun was out, did some exploring up top, watched the sunset from the peak of the mountain then went down after nightfall. I'd highly recommend seeing sunset there - it was just awe inspiring. Riding the gondola ain't cheap at around $70-80 depending on the time of year & date, but goodness it was so well worth it. It's absolutely a must do while in Banff!

    Lori H.

    A must when visiting Banff! Amazing views from atop Sulphur Mountain. Parking area is pretty large but fills up fast. There are kiosks to get parking passes. You buy tickets for the gondola ride from one of the ticket windows outside, off the parking area. Once you have your tickets, you can go inside and peruse the gift shop until your boarding time listed on your ticket. The operation runs very smoothly. We didn't have to wait in line long for anything during our visit. The gondola ride was pretty smooth and very scenic. We really enjoyed it. Once you get to the observation deck on Sulphur Mountain, there are information kiosks to view, and restrooms available, before heading out to the boardwalk. The boardwalk has amazing views as well. There are plenty of benches along the way to rest. We thoroughly enjoyed this stop. One of our favorite adventures this trip. Highly recommend!

    Amanda V.

    I visited Banff for the second time recently, and I finally made it to the gondola for their Christmas event. My entire family had a blast-this was the highlight of our trip to Canada this year. Everything was so well organized and thoughtfully arranged. My kids got to complete so many creative activities: cookie decorating, meeting Santa, crafting a gondola themed ornament, roasting marshmallows, etc. as a plus, everyone was very friendly and cheerful. The views are stunning, and while I didn't get to walk through boardwalk (not stroller friendly and I have a child in a stroller), I hope to next time!

    Welcome to the Banff Gondola
    Joel H.

    We came to the Banff Gondola as part of our Rocky Mountaineer Rail tour. Especially convenient as the was just a three minute ride from the Rimrock Hotel. We came in a motor coach and we (my wife and I) were raveling with another couple, our very good friends. We came fairly early and you could see the place getting busy quickly. Our tour guide obtained the tickets for us and we had virtually no wait to get onto the gondola for the ride up the mountain. It's a plus that there was Starbucks in the waiting area. The four of us all got into one gondola and took a wonderful ride is to the top of the mountain. It was an exceptionally smooth and quiet ride to the top and I spent most of my time taking pictures. This was a perfect place for me as I am a photographer. We made it to the top and just enjoyed the view at all spots. This was a great spot and, I hadn't even started taking pictures yet. This place had there own rest rooms, gift shop, plenty of signage of where you are and what you're looking at. The observation deck, a few floors up was amazing. You literally see for miles and miles. Nothing but incredible views from any spot. They even had a frame that you can have someone take your picture in. It helped that the weather was perfect!!! There is a walkway that take you a few hundred yards to the old weather station. We were on a tour and did not have the tine needed to take that walk which is about 45 minutes there and back. We had about one hour which was ample time to see and experience our time at the top of the mountain. KUDOs to the team at Banff Gondola

    All these stairs take about 10 min total
    Andrea R.

    I heard the crowds here were insane, which seemed to be the theme of our trip in Banff. Yes, there were long times, but they moved fast. We arrived in time for our 1:40pm reservation and was on the gondola within minutes. Gorgeous views awaited us and a delicious meal (and even better view) at The Sky Bistro. We wanted to go across all the stairs to take in all the views, but I figured it would take us awhile. Fortunately, our waitress told us it looked further than it was and took about 10 minutes...and she was right. And we got some beautiful pics on the other side. We had a 4:30pm return gondola, but were ready to head down by 3:30pm. They were flexible and traded in our ticket. The line for the ride down was a little longer, but moved fast. Five minutes after getting in line we were headed down with 2 gondola staff members. They were super interesting to chat with and loved learning about their life living in Banff. The hardest part was finding our way home to the Fairmont since the direct bus wasn't scheduled to come until 4:45pm. We hopped on a bus to town and enjoyed some ice cream at Cows...and then took the town bus back to the hotel. Definitely a one and done experience, but thought it was a gorgeous way to see more of beautiful Banff!

    Pearl R.

    It was really worth it as a touristy attraction! I came to banff for the first time and it did not disappoint. It's on the colder side on the first week of October but the views on a sunny day is breathtaking. I also recommend dining at the sky view restaurant here. Their food is really good and the quality is worth the price!

    Lisa S.

    This is a must see when in Banff. The 360 degree views are stunning. Get in line no more than 10 minutes before your departure time. They will turn you away if you are early. The gondola seats 4 people so you may get paired with another couple. The best seats are facing away from the mountain, either up or down. It takes 8 minutes to get to the top. Once on top, take the boardwalk to the weather station. There are many stops along the way. My fav was the stop that listed all the mountain names. We had a 1:30pm board time and 3pm exit time and it was about right. I could have easily added another 30 minutes just to sit and enjoy the views. Definitely a must see activity.

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    10 days ago

    Wildly overpriced and all bars are closed which was not announced anywhere until you got to the top. Don't support pursuit

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    Review Highlights - Banff Gondola

    haha However, I survived the 2,292 feet glide up to the Sulphur Mountain that took about 8 minutes to get up.

    Mentioned in 44 reviews

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    Johnston Canyon & Ink Pots

    Johnston Canyon & Ink Pots

    4.6(90 reviews)
    22.6 km

    The hike to the waterfalls and the hike to the Inkpots are two different tales..but both…read morespectacular. The hike to the falls are on a paved or finely-crushed gravel path, or on a causeway that walks you above the water. Either way, it is a relatively easy walk for most able-bodied persons. The falls are spectacular, but be prepared...in August, it will be busy with people, and you will spend a lot of time brushing elbows as people head the other way. And, at lower falls, there will be a 45 minute wait to look at the falls through a natural window opening in the rock. Personally, I'm not in the "selfie" crowd, so I will make better use of my time. Upper falls is another few minutes up the trail, and is equally powerful. Obviously, since water flows downhill, you are hiking uphill from the parking lot to see the falls. Continue past the upper falls, and now you are on the way to the Inkpots. This is where you will really start working. It is wide, well marked, but with much less humanity...we were never completely alone, but usually we didn't have anyone within 50 yards of us. It is about 3.5 mi from parking to the Inkpots, and it is uphill 2/3 of the way from the falls to the Inkpots, before descending back downhill to the river and Inkpots. The Inkpots were not as colorful as I had hoped, but they were an interesting natural phenomenon that we wanted to see. There are some benches, no toilets, and the river runs nearby. the walk back was 1/3 uphill and 2/3 downhill to the falls before the final (and crowded) stretch to the parking lot. Speaking of parking, we arrived at 8:20AM and were lucky to grab the last parking spot. It fills up quickly. More parking is nearby, but it adds to your walk. A cafe/store at the start of the trail sells food, coffee, and souvenirs. Bathrooms are also near the cafe. This is a must-see destination at Banff, but in peak season, arrive early- with good hiking shoes, if going to the Inkpots- and bring your food, water, bear spray, and camera. Our round trip was 7.8 miles in 3.5 hours.

    We're excited to have an early morning start. Ample time to hike Johnston Canyon Lower Falls. Our…read morebiggest surprise included entering and exiting the cave. Amazing waterfalls! Would love to return and hike Upper Falls in the future.

    Photos
    Johnston Canyon & Ink Pots - Apple? no ty ITS GOOOD

    Apple? no ty ITS GOOOD

    Johnston Canyon & Ink Pots - The line to enter the cave at the lower falls

    The line to enter the cave at the lower falls

    Johnston Canyon & Ink Pots - 0.5

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    0.5

    Emerald Lake

    Emerald Lake

    4.8(44 reviews)
    75.8 km

    Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park is a wonderful alternative for canoeing if the boathouses at…read moreLake Louise and Moraine Lake get too busy. What really stands out is the value; the canoe rental rates are significantly more affordable here than at the other major lakes. The staff that operates the boat house and the attached gift shop were wonderful, incredibly friendly, and helpful. While the lake is certainly less crowded than its more famous neighbors, parking can still a challenge. Expect to spend around an extra 20 minutes to park, and be prepared to walk a short distance from your spot to the water's edge. Once you're there, it's well worth the effort. There are also several beautiful, easy-to-moderate trails circling the lake to explore the scenery on foot after your paddle. Cilantro on the Lake restaurant can get busy, but The Window walk up food counter is quick, and perfect for grabbing some food for a picnic in the canoe. Highly recommended for a more relaxed and less crowded scenic mountain experience!

    I go to see three beautiful lakes on my first day in Banff National Park. Our last stop was at…read moreEmerald Lake in Yoho National Park. Yoho National Park is one of the four contiguous national parks in Canada's Rocky Mountains. Emerald Lake is a freshwater lake near the town of Golden. The lake has a emerald green color to it and is enclosed by mountains of the President Range. I had a nice time here. I did some of the hiking trials and saw a little bit of wildlife along the way. This lake is less crowed than Louise and Moraine lakes which I enjoyed. I enjoyed the views while hiking and came across a plaque about the fossil-bearing deposits of the Burgess Shale in the area. I grabbed lunch at the Cilantro on the Lake restaurant before heading out. There are canoe rentals at Emerald Lake if you want to get out on the water.

    Photos
    Emerald Lake - So blue!

    So blue!

    Emerald Lake - Emerald Lake

    Emerald Lake

    Emerald Lake - The trailhead for hiking paths among Emerald Lake.

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    The trailhead for hiking paths among Emerald Lake.

    Kootenay National Park - Stanley Glacier Hike

    Kootenay National Park

    4.7(15 reviews)
    36.9 km

    We had an amazing time visiting sites in Kootenay National Park while staying in Radium Hot Springs…read morefor a week. The is such a picturesque part of British Colombia, Canada. Our first stop was Olive Lake. A gorgeous green-blue body of water. A short trail from the parking lot. Our next stop was Paint Pots. Such a cool experience. We've never seen anything like it before. The colorful, iron-rich pools were so cool to see up close. The boardwalk to the paint pots was picturesque too. There are many stops and viewpoints along highway 93. Be sure to stop at the ranger station to get your park pass ($14/day) and map of all stops along the route. Most stops have restrooms available as well. Overall a must while visiting British Colombia, Canada. We thoroughly enjoyed exploring this area and would highly recommend.

    Rumor had it that Kootenay National Park was, perhaps, the most underrated of the National Parks in…read morethe area. I'm all for supporting the underdogs (& avoiding the crowds). Compared to Banff, Kootenay was empty & there are plenty of bodies of Gatorade-like waters. We enjoyed the wide open spaces and the non-touristy vibe of the park. On our Stanley Glacier Hike, we only saw 3 other sets of people... no shoulder bumping or shuttles needed here. We opted for the annual family/group pass, a great value if you're spending a week or so in any combination of the parks &/or may come back. (& we will come back... already planning it)

    Photos
    Kootenay National Park - Stanley Glacier Hike

    Stanley Glacier Hike

    Kootenay National Park - Stanley Glacier Hike

    Stanley Glacier Hike

    Kootenay National Park

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    Banff Gondola - parks - Updated August 2026

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