Full Day · 12 hrs · departs morning
Icefields Parkway Full-Day Tour
Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, Crowfoot Glacier & the falls along one of the world’s great drives. Year-round from Calgary.
- 12 hrs
- Pickup: Calgary · Canmore · Banff
- Free 24-hr cancellation
- Park fees included
We’ve driven the Icefields Parkway more times than we can count. It still stops us cold.
Two hundred and thirty-two kilometres of highway between Lake Louise and Jasper — glaciers hanging off both sides of the valley, waterfalls cutting through limestone canyons, lakes so turquoise you’ll assume someone tampered with the colour. The Parkway is consistently ranked among the world’s most scenic drives, and it’s one of the rare things that actually deserves the ranking.
We build the day around the stops that matter most. Bow Lake is first — a wide, calm stretch of glacial water with Crowfoot Mountain behind it. From the viewpoint just up the road you look across at Crowfoot Glacier: named for the three crow’s-foot toes it once had, it lost its lowest toe to glacial retreat by the 1940s and now shows two, with the middle one slowly following. It’s one of the clearest roadside records of long-term glacial change anywhere, and our guides talk about it honestly.
From there it’s up to Bow Summit at 2,085 metres — the highest point on any public road in the Canadian Rockies — where Peyto Lake spreads out below in its distinctive wolf-head shape. Parks Canada rebuilt the viewing platform in 2021; the boardwalk is solid, the view is clean, and arriving mid-morning puts you there before the bus-tour rush.
North of the Parkway’s midpoint, things get quieter and bigger. Sunwapta Falls drops hard through a limestone gorge — louder than it looks. Athabasca Falls is a shorter drop but more powerful, especially in June when snowmelt is still pushing through. Both reward a slow ten-minute walk, not just a photo from the lot.
Wildlife is part of almost every run up the Parkway. Bighorn sheep on the road shoulders are common enough that we slow for them without comment. Mountain goats frequent the cliffs near Tangle Ridge; bears show up in late summer and fall. We stop for anything worth stopping for.
This tour doesn’t reach Jasper townsite — that’s a multi-day trip — but it covers the stretch of the Parkway most visitors come to see. If walking on the Athabasca Glacier is on your list, that’s our Columbia Icefield & Athabasca Glacier Adventure ($329), which adds the Ice Explorer ticket.
Price is per person — please set the quantity to your total group size.
Your day, stop by stop
- 7:15 AMPickup in Calgary
- 8:40 AMPickup in Canmore
- 9:00 AMPickup in Banff
- 12:00 PMSunwapta Falls30 min
- 12:50 PMAthabasca Falls20 min
- 3:05 PMPeyto Lake45 min
- 4:00 PMBow Lake15 min
- 4:20 PMCrowfoot Glacier Viewpoint10 min
- 5:30 PMBanff drop-off
- 5:50 PMCanmore drop-off
- 7:15 PMCalgary drop-off
Times shift with season and traffic. In winter (mid-November to mid-April) the upper Parkway sometimes closes for road conditions or avalanche control; we adjust to visit Abraham Lake instead of Sunwapta and Athabasca Falls.
What's included
Included
- Local expert guide
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- All Banff National Park entry fees
- Bottled water and snacks
- All scenic photo stops
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure
Not included
- Lunch
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
- Gratuities
Pickup & meeting points
- CalgaryBus stop at 206-178 4 Ave SE (across from Delta Hotel Downtown)
- CanmoreVisitor Information Centre, 2801 Bow Valley Trl
- BanffCaribou Lodge & Spa, 521 Banff Ave
Free up to 24 hours before departure. Within 24 hours, non-refundable.
Frequently asked questions
Do we walk on the Athabasca Glacier?
No — this tour drives the Icefields Parkway and stops at its highlights, but it doesn't include the glacier walk. If stepping onto the Athabasca Glacier is on your list, that's our Columbia Icefield & Athabasca Glacier Adventure ($329), which adds the Ice Explorer and Skywalk tickets. This Parkway tour focuses on Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, Crowfoot Glacier and the falls.
Is the Parkway open in winter?
Yes — this tour runs year-round, and winter on the Parkway is a completely different, often better experience. The upper Parkway can occasionally close for road conditions or avalanche control (mid-November to mid-April); when that happens we adjust the route to visit Abraham Lake in place of Sunwapta and Athabasca Falls. We confirm the day's routing based on conditions.
Will we see wildlife?
Often — wildlife is part of almost every run up the Parkway. Bighorn sheep on the road shoulders are common, mountain goats frequent the cliffs near Tangle Ridge, and bears show up in late summer and fall. Nothing in wildlife is ever guaranteed, but we stop for anything worth stopping for.
Is it good for photography?
Very — the Icefields Parkway is consistently ranked among the world's most scenic drives, and the stops are built around its best views: Peyto Lake's wolf-head shape from Bow Summit, Bow Lake, Crowfoot Glacier, and the Sunwapta and Athabasca Falls. Arriving mid-morning at Peyto puts you there before the bus-tour rush. Every stop includes time to walk in for the shot, not just photograph from the lot.
How much of the day is driving?
This is a long scenic-drive day — about 12 hours round-trip from Calgary along 232 km of the Parkway between Lake Louise and Jasper. The driving is the experience here: glaciers, waterfalls and turquoise lakes line both sides of the valley the whole way. We break it up with stops at Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, Crowfoot Glacier and the falls, each with time to get out and walk.