Hiking Tours

Prime Hotel Location

Your primary home base for this tour is the Banff Park Lodge, right off the main street along the river in the heart of downtown Banff. Access to trailheads and other outdoor activities is right outside your door. 

Local Professional Interpretive Guides

No fear of getting lost, our tour takes you directly to the trailheads where we will be met by professional guides who know the terrain and places to see. This makes our guided hikes stress-free so guests can concentrate on safely exploring these amazingly beautiful trails.

Balance of Group Hikes and Free Time

DeLuxe hiking tours try to strike the balance between organized activities and free time. One advantage of staying longer in one place is that guests can also take a day off if they'd like.

• Roundtrip air from Toronto, ON to Calgary, AB
• Airport transfers
• Private coach transportation
• 7 nights of accommodation
• 7 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 2 dinners
• Local professional guides & all other entry fees and passes 
• Services of a DeLuxe Hiking Tour Director

Include Highlights

• 8 hikes/walk, + free time for optional hikes
• Dinosaur Provincial Park: Tour & Great Badlands Hike
• Kootenay National Park: Stanley Glacier Trail 
• Lake Louise: hike to Lake Agnes Tea House
• Banff National Park: Bow Glacier Falls Trail, Cave & Basin National Historic Site
• Free time in Banff
• Grotto Canyon Hike & Pictographs
• HooDoo River Float Tour 
• Gondola Ride to Sulphur Mountain
• Free time in Canmore

Prices are in Canadian dollars, are per person and include HST.

Day 1: Fly to Alberta

Welcome to Calgary! Arrive at the Holiday Inn & Suites, Calgary Airport and connect with your Tour Director. The tour officially kicks off with a welcome dinner at the hotel restaurant.

Stay: Holiday Inn & Suites, Calgary Airport North (1 night)

Meals: D

Day 2: Dinosaur Provincial Park & Badlands Hike

Today is an early start as we head east to Dinosaur Provincial Park. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this park is renowned for having more complete dinosaur skeletons than anywhere else in the world. Kick off your visit at the Visitor Information Centre, where you'll meet your knowledgeable park ranger. Then, embark on a guided hike (H2/Moderate – 8.0km/165m) through the park’s striking Badlands—an otherworldly landscape that feels more like the Mars or the Moon. Discover the fascinating topography, including awe-inspiring coulees, while learning about the park's rich history and ongoing research efforts. After this thrilling adventure, head towards Banff, stopping for a dinner break (meal on your own). Upon arrival, check in at the Banff Park Lodge for a restful evening.

Stay: Banff Park Lodge (5 or 6  nights TBC)

Meals: B, L

Day 3: Stanley Glacier Trail 

Venture into Kootenay National Park and embark on a moderately challenging hike on Stanley Glacier (H2/Moderate – 10.9km/607m). Take a break on the trail to enjoy a picnic lunch. Arrive back at the hotel late afternoon, to enjoy a night of relaxation.   

Meals: B, L

Day 4: Cave & Basin National Historic Site & Free Time 

This morning begins with a walk (H1/Easy – 2.5km/80m) to the nearby Cave and Basin National Historic Site. In 1883, three railway workers found the thermal springs, sparking a series of events that led to the creation of Canada’s first national park. Today, the site is a gathering place for sharing stories about conservation and the connection between people and the land in Parks Canada administered places. Visitors can enjoy interactive exhibits, short films, seasonal activities, and stunning views of the Rocky Mountains. For guests looking to experience the thermal hot springs, there is an option to purchase this onsite. Return to downtown Banff on foot although a bus shuttle is available, and have a free afternoon and evening to explore Banff.  An option is available to join the Tour Director for a hike at Tunnel Mountain, which is also within walking distance from the lodge.

Meals: B

Day 5: Lake Louise & Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse Hike

Most of the world is familiar with the iconic images of Lake Louise with its perfect blue waters reflecting the mighty Rocky Mountains. Today’s guided hike is the Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse Trail (H2/Moderate – 10 to 12.4km/360m), which provides amazing views of Mount Victoria, Victoria Glacier, and Mount Lefroy. Absorb the beautiful surroundings and enjoy a picnic lunch along the trail.  After your hike, take some time to refresh before enjoying an evening on your own.

Meals: B, L

Day 6: Bow Glacier Lake Falls

A major feature of this tour is the full-day hike to Bow Glacier Falls. This challenging trail (H2/Moderate – 8.9km/300m) takes guests beyond the crowds of Banff and Lake Louise and offers a little bit of everything: lake views, canyons, mountain vistas, and a waterfall. After your full-day hike, return to the hotel for a free evening.

Meals: B, L

Day 7: Grotto Canyon & Sulphur Mountain 

After breakfast, depart for Canmore, AB, situated in the heart of the Bow River Valley and surrounded by mountain peaks. Spend the morning on a guided hike (H1/Easy – 7.1km/342m), exploring Grotto Canyon and its Aboriginal Pictographs.  Return to Banff for a free afternoon. Next, regroup and take the gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain for a birds-eye view of six mountain ranges. Take some time to explore the area before making your way back down the mountain (H1/Easy – 1.1km/35m) for your included farewell group dinner. 

Meals: B, D

Day 8: Hoodoo River Float & Home 

After breakfast, travel down the Bow River between Tunnel Mountain and Mount Rundle on a raft!  The Bow River is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the valley is home to a variety of wildlife. This 7 km stretch provides the perfect opportunity and vantage point to take fantastic photos of the striking land formations called hoodoos. Stop for lunch (on own) in Canmore before arriving at the Calgary International Airport for your flight home. (Note: This day is subject to change due to flight times). 

Meals: B

Day 2

1. Coulee Viewpoint, Badlands Fossil Hunters & Cottonwood Flats Trails, Dinosaur Provincial Park 

(H2/Moderate – 8.0km/165m) 

This area boasts beautiful and rugged scenery including flat-topped sandstone formations called hoodoos, deep canyons and coulees, and spectacular rock colour displays. A Park Guide will lead this extensive hike through this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hikers will need sun and heat protection. 

All Trails - Dinosaur Provincial Park 

Day 3

2. Stanley Lake Glacier, Kootenay National Park

(H2/Moderate – 10.9km/607m) 

All Trails - Stanley Glacier

Day 4

3. Banff Townsite Walking Tour 

(H1/Easy – 2.5km/80m) 

Enjoy a leisurely walk-through downtown Banff to the National Historic Park, Cave and Basin.

4. Marsh Loop and Sundance Trail, Cave and Basin National Historic Site

 (H1/Easy – 3.4km/105m)

This popular trail takes guests along the Bow River and features a variety of flora and fauna. Afterwards, guests can continue the hike to town (2.5 km) or catch the shuttle bus back to the hotel.

All Trails - Cave & Basin Trail 

OPTIONAL – Tunnel Mountain Trail, Banff National Park

(H2/Moderate – 4.5km/270m)

This is probably the most popular hike for visitors to Banff. The trailhead is within walking distance of the hotel.

All Trails- Tunnel Mountain

OPTIONAL – Bow Falls Viewpoint Trail, Banff National Park

(H1/Easy – 2.7km/65m)

For those seeking a pleasant stroll rather than an arduous hike, the trail to Bow Falls Viewpoint is close by and very scenic.

All Trails - Bow Falls Viewpoint

OPTIONAL - Hoodoos from Bow Falls Trail, Banff Townsite

(H2/Moderate – 10.0km/305m)

This loop trail along the Bow River goes around Tunnel Mountain, starting and ending near our hotel. Rather than long climbs up and down, this trail undulates along the river and through the community of Banff.

All Trails - Bow Falls Trail

Day 5

5. Lake Agnes Tea House, Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House, Lake Louise 

(H2/Moderate – 10 to 12.4km/360m) 

Follow the shoreline of Lake Louise to the back of the lake where the trail winds up through a forest and onto a glacial moraine. Travel to an altitude of 2,135 m to the famous Lake Anges Tea House. Stop for a snack or try one of their many types of tea. Don’t forget to bring cash! 

All Trails - Lake Agnes Tea House

Day 6

6. Bow Glacier Falls Trail, Banff National Park

(H2/Moderate – 8.9km/300m) 

We asked our local guides for their highest recommendation, and this was their pick. This trail offers lots of scenery and vistas, reminding hikers they are high in the Rocky Mountains. Begin along the banks of the turquoise-coloured Bow Lake, taking in the awe-inspiring views of lakes, glaciers, and towering peaks. After reaching the other side of Bow Lake, hike through a gorge carved out by a glacial-fed stream. 

All Trails - Bow Glacier Falls

Day 7

7. Grotto Canyon

(H1/Easy – 4km/395m)

Grotto Canyon is located just a short distance from the town of Canmore and can only be accessed on foot. This beautiful, narrow-walled creek bed provides the route for a satisfying and accessible hike. As we ascend the canyon the limestone walls get steeper and narrower, leading eventually to a beautiful cascade, spilling down over the rock face and glistening in the summer sun. Just before the falls, guests will view the remains of ancient wall paintings, dating back between 500 and 1300 years ago. These are Hopi pictographs, produced by visitors from a Native American tribe based in what is now Arizona. Their full native name is Hopitu, meaning ‘peaceful people’. The images on the walls of Grotto Canyon represent animals and humans, including an iconic flute player, the symbol of the tribe.

All Trails - Grotto Canyon 

8. Sulphur Mountain Summit Trail, Banff

(H1/Easy – 1.1km/35m)

After taking the gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain, guests can choose to explore the summit and enjoy the views.

All Trails - Sulphur Mountain Summit

• The weather in southern Alberta is notoriously fickle, especially in spring and fall. As such, guests need to be prepared for 30C and sunny one day, and 10C and stormy the next. Further, while many of these hikes are rated H2/Moderate, they are definitely at the top end of that range. As such, guests will require proper footwear, and poles are also recommended.
• Due to the absence of cooling winds and heat-absorbing, clay soils, the weather in the Badlands can be up to 10°C hotter than in other areas.
• While many of these hikes are rated H2/Moderate, they are definitely at the top end of that range.
• Proper shoes/boots and poles are recommended.
• Hikes are subject to trail conditions.

This tour flies into and out of Calgary. Guests can join this tour from anywhere in the world! Please contact us to discuss your airfare and pre-and post-tour accommodation options. 

One of the hardest parts of planning a vacation in Banff is choosing from amongst an incredible variety of things to do. Here is a list of some of the options available. 

• Horseback Riding
• Whitewater Rafting
• Fishing Trips
• Zipline Tour
• Via Ferrata
• Canoeing and Kayaking
• Helicopter Flights
• ATV Tours
• Bike Rentals & Tours
• Sightseeing by Floatplane
• Golf