Banff is the heart of Banff National Park — Canada's first national park (1885), a 6,641-square-kilometre UNESCO-listed wilderness of peaks, glaciers, turquoise lakes, and larch forests in Alberta's Rocky Mountains. The town of Banff is a small resort village (permanent population about 8,700, tourist population in peak season many multiples of that) sitting at 1,383 metres altitude on the Bow River, with the 1888 Fairmont Banff Springs hotel (Canada's 'Castle in the Rockies') visible from almost everywhere in town. The nearest international airport is Calgary (YYC), 140 km east — a 90-minute drive on the scenic Trans-Canada Highway (Route 1).
Book an airport transfer to Banff
Fixed-price private transfers with English-speaking drivers. Meet-and-greet included.
Getting to and around Banff
The must-do loop covers three lakes and one gondola. Lake Louise (60 km northwest of Banff town) is the most photographed — turquoise water, glaciated peaks, and the 1890 Chateau Lake Louise on the shore. Moraine Lake (14 km further west, seasonal access only from June-October via a shuttle bus since 2023) sits in the Valley of the Ten Peaks — an even more dramatic setting. The Banff Gondola on Sulphur Mountain (2,281 m summit) is the standard way to see the whole peak ridge in 30 minutes. Johnston Canyon, the Vermilion Lakes, Surprise Corner, and the Hoodoos trail are the other in-town walks.
Things to see & do in Banff
Beyond the town: the Icefields Parkway runs 232 km north from Lake Louise to Jasper — regularly voted one of the world's most scenic drives, with the Columbia Icefield Athabasca Glacier (climb onto the ice via Ice Explorer vehicles), the Glacier Skywalk (glass-bottom cantilever over Sunwapta Valley), Peyto Lake viewpoint, and Bow Lake. Plan a full day or better an overnight in Jasper (3.5 hours drive north of Banff). Winter skiing: Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise Ski Resort, and Mount Norquay form the Ski Big 3 pass.
Tours & experiences
Top tours & experiences in Banff
Browse Viator’s catalogue of Banff tours, day trips, and experiences. Most include free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity.
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Neighborhoods & food in Banff
Best seasons: June-September for hiking (14-22°C days), December-April for skiing. July-August are peak tourist season with heavy crowds at Lake Louise. Late September has golden larches (the short window of Larch Valley hike is 2-3 weeks only). Canadian Dollar (CAD); most vendors tap-to-pay. Canada requires an eTA (CAD 7, online, instant) for visa-exempt nationalities flying in; US citizens are exempt. Parks Canada entry pass required — daily CAD 11/adult or annual CAD 75/person.