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Banff Unique Experiences: 3 days Summer Itinerary will take your breath away as you embark on numerous unique experiences. This summer itinerary provides three days of unforgettable memories. You’ll capture a gorgeous picture of yourself with Lake Louise and another with Moraine Lake. Your first hike will be a six-kilometre trek to Consolation Lakes. The Banff gondola offers beautiful views without requiring a long walk. On the second day, you’ll embrace your adventurous side and hike the Via Ferrata at Mt. Norquay. Different routes are available depending on how much thrill you are seeking. The evening will offer relaxation at the Banff Upper Hot Springs, with a stunning mountain backdrop. Day three, you’ll embrace the beauty of Sunshine Meadows and kayak on delightful Lake Minnewanka. The day will finish with a relaxing supper to celebrate your amazing trip.
If you live nearby, you can drive. It takes four hours to drive from Edmonton to Banff. Otherwise, you’ll want to fly to Calgary and drive to Banff. We like Expedia when we fly, as we like to bundle our flight, car rental, and accommodation to save money.
If you prefer to book separately, we recommend renting a car through Booking.com.
I suggest eating affordable and easy lunches to quickly return for more adventures. Indulge in a more expensive meal for supper when you have more time to relax and unwind after a busy day of exploring.
Banff’s unique nature experiences: 3 days summer itinerary, including recommended accommodations and restaurants, are shown on the map below.
Table of Contents
Accommodation Suggestions
These options offer a range of prices to suit your budget. If you enjoy camping, the campground offers a budget-friendly outdoor option, provided you have your camping gear with you.
Awesome Experiences
These adventures, part of Banff unique experiences: 3 days summer itinerary, will showcase the National Park’s beautiful landscapes. The Via Ferrata might provide an additional thrill for adrenaline seekers.
Tip: These experiences must be booked in advance of your arrival.
- Lake Louise & Moraine Lake Discovery Tour
- Banff Gondola
- Via Ferrata
- Guided hike at Sunshine Meadows in Banff National Park
Recommended Restaurants
Depending on your food preferences and budget, these awesome restaurants in Banff are a fantastic choice for your itinerary.
Affordable
- Tooloulous – Affordable Cajun Creole food for breakfast, lunch and supper.
- Nourish Bistro Banff – A vibrant atmosphere for brunch, lunch and supper with tapas-style vegan and vegetarian restaurant dishes at average prices.
- Coyotes Southwestern Grill – Southwestern flavours with burgers, soups, and enchiladas.
- Bear Street Tavern – Specialty appetizers, soups, salads and pizza.
Pricier
- Farm and Fire – Serving pizza, a variety of meat and vegetable dishes and salads.
- The Grizzly House – A fondue restaurant where you can try exotic meats.
- Brazen – An assortment of high-quality dishes.
- The Maple Leaf – Offering steak and seafood.
Day 1: Lake Louise & Moraine Lake Discovery Tour
Lake Louise and Moraine Lake Discovery Tour is a stunning adventure that showcases two lakes and includes a hike to Consolation Lakes with a local guide. A shuttle will pick you up at your Banff hotel at 8 A.M. and take you on your Lake Louise outing. It costs $150 per adult.
Lake Louise
Ask your guide to take a stunning picture of you in front of the iconic Lake Louise.
Tip: You’ll be surrounded by hundreds of people at this destination. Step down on a rock below the trail or walk away from the crowds to get a picture without other tourists. You’ll have one hour to explore this area.
Moraine Lake
Banff unique experiences: 3 days summer itinerary includes a stop at Moraine Lake. The best pictures are taken on the rock pile on the left side as you approach the lake. This area will also be busy, so you might need to be patient and wait a few minutes to capture pictures without other people.
Consolation Lakes
Hike in groups of four or more hikers to create noise and scare bears away, as this area is known for its frequent bear sightings.
Pablo, our fantastic guide with White Mountain Adventures, led us to Consolation Lakes. Before we started, he broke down the trail into four parts, explaining what to expect at each stage, which helped us stay motivated. He often checked on us to ensure everyone was comfortable with the hiking pace and provided enough breaks throughout the hike. The trail begins as a gradual incline and progressively gets steeper.
Gorgeous Lakes
Pablo asked us not to go closer to the lake and to stay near the group to prevent injury and possibly rolling an ankle. Stepping up on a higher rock will allow you to see this beautiful lake view.
Consolation Lakes is mostly an easy six-kilometre hike with some moderate difficulty as you hike through the initial rock section. Once you reach the lake, you’ll get to eat your delicious lunch provided by White Mountain Adventures. After booking, you’ll be asked to select the type of sandwich you’d like. I conveniently transported mine in my Osprey Tempest 24 Pack. I carried additional snacks in case I became hungry along the way.
It was a pleasant hike that I hadn’t done before. It was wonderful to meet new people travelling from the United States and spend time with them, and our fantastic, knowledgeable guide in nature. If you have additional time, consider exploring 7 gorgeous hikes near Banff for more amazing views. The Lake Louise and Moraine Lake Discovery Tour is a highly recommended experience to include in your Banff unique experiences: 3 days summer itinerary. You will likely arrive back in Banff around 2 P.M.
Banff Gondola
Drive to the Banff gondola, which takes you to the top of Sulphur Mountain. From the observation deck, you can overlook the beautiful city. Once you’ve reached the summit, you can hike for additional views. This is an excellent way to capture the town of Banff with minimal effort. Enjoy the spectacular view and relax at the Sky Bistro restaurant with a glass of wine.
Tip: Make sure to bring your camera!
A guided local gondola experience is also available for those who wish to learn more about the area.
Finish off the day at the delicious Farm and Fire restaurant. For $19 and up, you can enjoy pizza, meat and veggie dishes, salads, and so much more.
Head back to your hotel to rest up for the Via Ferrata tomorrow.
Day 2: Exhilarating Experience
Picture courtesy of Ashley from Exploring Our Way.
Banff unique experiences: 3 days summer Itinerary includes the exhilarating experience of climbing the Via Ferrata at Mount Norquay in Banff. It offers a variety of hiking routes, ranging from beginner to expert levels. I recommend taking the Ridgewalker climbing route for an exhilarating experience! On your 3.5 to 4-hour route over 1.4 kilometres, you’ll experience a suspension bridge, height exposure and fantastic views! It costs $261.45 per person.
Tip: To support your ankles, you must wear hiking boots to access the course. No worries if you don’t; they have boots available for rent.
Via Ferrata
Your guide will provide a safety briefing demonstrating how to hook and unhook your two carabiners safely. You will get a practice run to get used to all the equipment while wearing a helmet and harness to clip yourself onto the cables with carabiners before starting the route. Depending on your group size, you might get two guides, one at the front and one at the back. They helped recommend the next foothold or rung to grab. I’m very thankful we had them with us to boost our confidence. This route was doable compared to other scarier routes with ladders. Although it had one frightening part, I’m happy I conquered it and completed the Ridgewalker.
The picture is courtesy of Krista from Our Wild Wanderers.
The picture is courtesy of Krista from Our Wild Wanderers.
Steep Climb
This was part of the steep section as we went up. We encouraged each other to keep progressing and reach the top. Freezing in the middle of the path wasn’t an option; we had to keep moving. Thankfully, we didn’t have time to overthink, as we didn’t want to hold up the people behind us. Don’t look down to avoid panicking.
Tip: Throughout the trail, it’s important to note that not everywhere on the mountain is a good place to stop. Be aware of your surroundings and notice where other people are so you don’t stop in tricky or steep spots.
Picture courtesy of Caz from Y Travel.
Although an expensive excursion at $261.45 CAD for three and a half to four hours round trip, it’s an unforgettable experience! Gorgeous views greeted us as we gained height! I was happy that I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and tried something new. My husband would love to join me at some point!
Tip: Take breaks to enjoy the view. Brace yourself with steady feet when taking pictures or when someone captures you.
Successfully Completing the Hard Section
Picture courtesy of Gina from Driftwood Photography.
After the massive accomplishment of climbing the Via Ferrata on Banff’s unique experiences: 3 days summer itinerary, it was essential to capture the moment! I was thankful we were doing a loop, so we didn’t have to return this way. Going up rungs was manageable, but I wouldn’t want to go down them! From this point, hiking along the trail became much easier. You’re still harnessed for safety precautions, but it’s easier, similar to gorgeous hiking to Laughing Falls. If you’re looking for more adventures, crazy outdoor activities for a thrill of a lifetime offer adrenaline rush options worldwide.
This is the dirt switchback trail we took on our return to the starting point.
You’ll reach the parking lot around 2 p.m. for a late lunch. Coyotes offers Southwestern-flavoured lunch options, including soups, sandwiches, burgers, and enchiladas, that will satisfy your hunger.
Banff Upper Hot Springs
The Banff Upper Hot Springs are a nice way to spend your afternoon relaxing while enjoying the fantastic scenery. After being pampered, head on a scenic drive to the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. You’ll be able to drive by admiring the enormity of the building. There is a traffic circle at the end of the road, making it easy to turn around.
Brazen Restaurant
Head to the Brazen restaurant for a romantic evening with your partner. Make a reservation before arriving in Banff to ensure you get a table. It’s a busy spot, especially in the summer, so you don’t want to be disappointed and miss out.
Day 3: Journey Through Waters and Breathtaking Views
Banff unique experiences: 3 days summer itinerary includes kayaking on Lake Minnewanka and hiking Sunshine Meadows. These fantastic activities will wrap up your trip. The two places have beautiful landscapes that embrace our national park, which you’ll be excited to see. You’ll have two options available that day. Option A is to go kayaking first thing in the morning, followed by a self-guided hike at Sunshine Meadows in the afternoon. Option B offers a guided trip at Sunshine Meadows in the morning, followed by kayaking in the afternoon, weather permitting. You can decide what works best for you.
Option A: Lake Minnewanka Kayaking
Your day will start with one hour of kayaking on Lake Minnewanka. Arriving by 9 A.M. will ensure you find a parking spot in the parking lot. More kayaks will also be available for rent at this time. A single kayak costs $47 CAD per hour to rent. The booth where you’ll pay for your kayak rentals is beside the Lake Minnewanka Cruise dock. They accept a credit card, which I safely put into my MEC Fulcrum Guide PFD‘s pocket to keep it safe while kayaking.
They will encourage you to stay on the left side of the lake, as there are currents crossing the lake, and it can get windy. This could cause kayaks to flip, especially for beginners, if you go to the right side of the lake. There will be lots of space to explore throughout the hour you rent your kayak.
Tip: Renting kayaks on Lake Minnewanka for $47 is cheaper than renting canoes on Lake Louise for $165 per hour. This is a better option, with lovely lake views and fewer tourists.
Try to pick a seat that is locked into position to help stabilize you and keep you upright while kayaking. Kris ended up with an unstable seat, making it harder for him to sit up straight and comfortably and preventing him from gaining momentum to keep moving forward.
If you’re unsure how far you want to go initially, consider kayaking to get a feel for the strokes and the watercraft. As you become more comfortable and confident, you can continue.
Stunning View Behind Us
This was looking back at the starting point. On a nice day, tourists might be seen playing by the lake’s edge or swimming.
With a few kayaks on the lake, I had fun practicing my strokes, going fast and then slowly, and trying to beat Kris’ time, which was enjoyable.
It was fantastic to explore and discover a new place to kayak. I wish we had more time to explore, but we had a gorgeous morning kayaking and spending time together. It was a nice way to get exercise first thing in the morning while appreciating our surroundings.
Tip: Bring your windbreaker, as it might be cool and windy on the lake early in the morning.
Self-Guided Hike at Sunshine Meadows in Banff National Park
After kayaking, you’ll drive to Sunshine Village for a self-guided hike at Sunshine Meadows. You’ll take the gondola from the parking lot for $68 per adult. Once you arrive at the top, you’ll be met by an attendant who will provide you with a map to help you navigate.
Tip: Taking a map to guide yourself on the trails is essential. Although the trails have signs indicating which way to go, they don’t have maps, making it incredibly difficult to navigate and visualize one’s location with only trail names.
Two Directions
You can take two directions after disembarking from the gondola:
- The trail to the left will take you toward the gorgeous Mt. Assiniboine backcountry trails for backpacking.
- The chairlift to the right will bring you to a platform overlooking the valley. From there, you can hike many loops.
Kayaking in the early morning and hiking Sunshine Meadows in the afternoon allows you to hike as long as you like. You’ll cherish the opportunity to witness the meadows covered with a vibrant tapestry of wildflowers, each bloom adding its own splash of colour. And with every turn, the majestic mountain vistas will captivate you with a breathtaking panorama.
Tip: Grab a sandwich or lunch items at the grocery store before your day starts to have food on the trail. Sunshine Village has a restaurant where you can eat, but you’ll need to eat before hiking, which may cut into your hiking time.
Option B: Guided Hike at Sunshine Meadows in Banff National Park
This Sunshine Meadows guided tour departs at 8:20 a.m. from Banff (location to be determined by the instructor). If you go on the guided trip, you’ll attempt to kayak in the afternoon after hiking.
Tip: Sometimes, the wind is stronger in the afternoon, which can prevent kayaks from being rented. Option A mentions going in the morning, as the wind tends to be calmer.
This guided five to six-hour hike will cover a distance of twelve kilometres, achieving a 300-metre elevation gain. Expect the entire trip to take approximately eight hours, from pickup to drop-off. You’ll be dropped off back in Banff around 4 P.M. The $193 adult ticket includes transportation to and from Banff, a gondola ticket, a local, experienced guide for the hike, and a picnic lunch provided by the company.
You’ll explore the best trails in the area, and you’ll see the rich landscape filled with spectacular three-hundred-and-sixty-degree views and wildflowers.
If you prefer, you can skip the guided tour and hike on your own in the morning. This way, you will have the flexibility to finish the hike when you want and then go kayaking.
Lake Minnewanka Kayaking
Drive to Lake Minnewanka for a kayaking adventure. Hopefully, when you reach the lake, the wind will be calm enough for you to try kayaking. It’s a nice way to unwind after a day of hiking. Kayaking gives your legs a break and exercises your arms. I took many breaks, enjoyed the view, and took many pictures.
Tip: You may need to wait for a kayak rental, as it can be busier at this time of day.
After kayaking, drive to The Maple Leaf, a delicious steak and seafood restaurant. Before heading home, you can reminisce and reflect on your Banff unique experiences: 3 days summer itinerary with fond memories you created.
Final Thoughts
Embark on a summer adventure in Banff National Park that blends relaxation with thrilling experiences. This thoughtfully curated 3 days itinerary offers a variety of experiences, ensuring every moment is memorable. Embrace exciting new hikes, kayak new landscapes, and take in stunning views from Sulphur Mountain’s summit after taking the Banff Gondola. Relax in the hot springs while soaking up the breathtaking scenery. After a busy day, unwind at new restaurants where you can share stories and engage in lively conversation. Challenge yourself by tackling the Ridgewalk Via Ferrata loop. Don’t miss the chance to marvel at the beauty of Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. Have a spectacular trip!
Disclaimer: You assume all risks associated with these excursions.
Clothes
Recommended Gear
Additional Links
- Fall Hikes in Banff and Yoho
- Guide to Banff National Park Larch Hikes
- Guide to Four Seasons in Banff National Park
- 9 Extraordinary Winter Wonderland Banff National Park Activities
- Downhill Ski Sunshine or Lake Louise?
Trip Resources
- Book your flights with Expedia
- Book your hostel through Hostelworld.com
- Book your hotel with Booking.com or Hotels.com
- Book your vacation rental with Vrbo
- Book your experiences through Viator, Manawa
- Book your group tours through GetYourGuide
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