Banff

One Day Itinerary in Banff with Guide to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake

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A canoe with two people sails on a lake with turquoise waters under the backdrop of a glacier mountain.

Banff is Canada’s first national park and is one of the most popular destinations in the Canadian Rockies. Inspired by its natural beauty, magical waters, and majestic snow-covered mountains, millions of tourists from around the World visit the region each year. Among its many attractions, Lakes Louise and Moraine – with their pristine and enchanting blue glacier waters – are two of the crown jewels. They are also the most difficult to get to, as far as local transportation is concerned. But no worries, I will give you a comprehensive guide to tackle every logistical issue along the way.

For this perfect and exciting one-day Banff itinerary, we’ll head to the lakes first – the earlier the better. Afterwards, we will stop by Johnston Canyon on our way back to town and hike a couple of short and scenic waterfall trails. Finally, we’ll head up to the peak of Sulphur Mountain on a gondola to enjoy a stunning view as well as a romantic and delightful dinner.

Table of Content

Getting to Banff

A four-lane divided highway has a majestic mountain in its backdrop under sunny blue skies.

For this Banff itinerary, the airport to fly to is Calgary (YYC) which is home to numerous flights from North America as well as around the World. If you choose to rent a car, the rental car center for most major brands is just across the street from the arrival hall. Just follow the signs in the terminal. The drive is about 90 minutes on the comfortable and scenic Trans-Canada Highway One.

IMPORTANT: Note that the City of Banff is located inside Banff National Park so a park pass is required. You will see signs on Highway One as you approach the national park’s limits. At that time, merge left to get to the ticket booths to purchase your park pass. You can find the prices here.

To avoid long waits during peak season, you can purchase a park pass online in advance. In that case, make sure you print out the pass and have it placed face up on your dashboard so that it is visible at all times. You can then bypass the ticket booths by using the right two lanes to continue on the highway.

Your park pass is good until 4pm the following day. For example, if you arrive on Monday and purchase a two-day pass, it is good until 4pm on Wednesday.

Getting to the Lakes

Let me first emphasize that if you have a rental car, do NOT drive it to Lake Louise. Parking is so limited that unless you get there before sunrise, there is little chance that you can find a parking space. Roads will be blocked once the lot is full and vehicles are not allowed to circle around or wait for a spot to open up. Moreover, even if you manage to park your car there, the road to Moraine is restricted to public transportations and vehicles with permit only, so you won’t be able to drive there.

The way to go is to take the Parks Canada shuttle. But note that a pre-paid reservation is absolutely required as every bus is full to the brim and there is no way to buy a ticket on site. Getting a reservation can be confusing and even challenging to some, so I’ll walk you through the entire process step by step.

A screenshot of the first page to make the selections to reserve a shuttle.

To make a reservation online, go here. Click on the “Day Use” tab and select the shuttle option. Then fill in your arrival date and party size.

A screenshot of a map of the Banff area with camping and shuttle options.

One the next screen, click on the “shuttle” icon as shown above.

A screen showing selections of departure times and destinations for a shuttle.

Select your desired time slot – morning, midday, or afternoon, and your first stop. Other than personal preference, it doesn’t matter which lake you visit first and there is a connector shuttle that takes you from either one to the other. You can return to Park and Ride any time from either station.

The next screen is confusing so let me explain. Unless you are booking your tickets months in advance, you will find the first row of every time slot full. These tickets have all been taken as soon as they were released, as early as March or April.

The second row, which is the “last-minute” tickets are always available in advance. Limited spaces are released at 8am MDT two days before the date of departure. That is, if you plan on going on September 25, the last-minute tickets for that day will be released at 8am MDT on September 23.

Please note the time zone, and log in early enough so that you are ready to play the “fast-fingers-win” game right at 8am sharp. During the summer peak season, demand is so high that all available reservations are taken literally within minutes. But if you cannot get a reservation immediately, don’t despair but keep trying. My experience is that these slots are time-released in several batches, and it appears to me that more tickets are released in a few minutes again. Good luck!

Other Alternatives

If you could not get a Parks Canada shuttle reservation or just do not want to deal with the hassle, consider joining the Banff National Park Tour with Lakes Louise and Moraine. Not only will you enjoy worry-free transportation, but you’ll also gain insight into the region’s history and geological highlights from your professional guide. The group size is limited to 24 people to ensure personal attention and a more comfortable experience.

If you do not want to deal with a car at all the moment you land at Calgary Airport, consider the Moraine & Louise Lakes Tour from Calgary. Not only will you enjoy a guided tour to both of the legendary bodies of glacier waters, but you also get to visit Banff Downtown, Johnston Canyon, Bow Falls, and the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. This small group tour includes roundtrip transportation from/to Calgary in a minivan or SUV.

Lake Louise

The Gourmet Flyer is posing in front of a lake with a glacier mountain in the background.

This glacier body of pristine turquoise water amid a backdrop of snow-capped peaks and alpine forests is certainly one of the World’s most picturesque scenes. When you first arrive at the shore, you’ll typically find huge crowds of tourists everywhere and it’s not even possible to take a good picture.

Let me give you a tip: Take a right and follow the trail and there will be plenty of Instagram-worthy photo spots along the way. And the farther you go, the fewer people there are.

A trail lines the shore of a lake with turquoise water and icy mountains in the background.

As you follow the trail along the water, you are on the Lakeshore Trail, which is an easy, comfortable, and mostly flat path. There are a few rocky spots and during high tide some areas might be wet and slippery so be careful.  It is not a loop but is an out-and-back trip with a total distance of about 2.8 miles.

A wooden staircase enclosed in a mass of trees and bushes has a series of metal signs in front of it.

Less than halfway down the journey along the shore you will see a wooden staircase to your right with signs pointing to three more destinations. The stairs take you to a path leading to Mirror Lake (2.6km/1.6mi) and continues up to Lake Agnes and a nearby teahouse (3.4km/2.1mi). The journey is moderately uphill and also involve a series of wooden stairs and is perfect for those seeking a little more challenge and workout than the flat trail along the shore.

Moraine Lake

A lake with pristine turquoise color water has rocky mountains with alpine trees in its background.

As mentioned earlier, the road to Moraine is closed to personal vehicles so public transportation or guided tours are the only options. If you manage to score a reservation on the Parks Canada shuttle and you choose to head to Lake Louise first, there is a free connector bus that is included in your fare that takes you right here to Moraine. From here, you can take the shuttle back to Park and Ride.

The pristine glacier waters at Moraine Lake reflects an enchanting blue color that is iconic of its surface and is almost magical. This particular shade of blue is known as azure blue and has a touch of cyan in its spectrum. Depending on the time of the day and the direction of the sun, sometimes due to the refraction of the sunlight, the water may appear turquoise.

A narrow path cuts through Alpine trees along the shore of a lake with pristine blue waters.

The Lakeshore Trail is mostly flat with some rocky areas but is still a very easy stroll. It is typically a lot less crowded than the Louise trail and I find the walk more serene and relaxing. The entire journey along the shore is picturesque and there are many benches and places to sit right by the edge of the water. So, take your time to stop and pause along the way to soak in all the magical moments. Again, it is an out-and-back hike that is about 3.7km (2.3 miles) long.

Hikers are seen on top of a hill composed of a pile of rocks.

For those seeking a more adventurous hike, go to the Rockpile Trail, which is on the left side of the parking lot near where the restrooms are. You will be climbing a series of stone steps built into – you guessed it, a pile of rocks – which will ultimately lead you to a viewpoint that is high above the water level. The hike is short – less than 1km (0.6 mile) – but is all uphill and stairs. Many hikers find this the best vantage point to enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the area.

An array of colorful canoes is parked on the edge of a lake with turquoise water.

Rent a canoe and glide through the stunning azure blue glacier waters for a truly magical and most memorable adventure. It could also be one of the most romantic moments of your trip to the Canadian Rockies and this Banff itinerary! Prices are quite steep though. As of this writing, it costs CAD160 (USD118) for a one-hour rental which includes paddles, life jackets, and some basic instructions.

Johnston Canyon

A concrete bridge path is built alongside the mountain on the left and above a creek to the right.

If you are driving back to Banff, Johnston Canyon is just a small detour away from Highway One and is a perfect fit for our one-day itinerary. It’s only a half-mile hike to the Lower Falls. It’s an easy stroll on a mostly paved path, with some narrow concrete bridges, several stretches of moderate incline, and several staircases up the hill. But of course, the return trip is downhill all the way.

Water flows down a narrow creek with rocks and trees lining both sides.

The walk is very scenic and there are numerous excellent photo opportunities. I really enjoyed the sound of the water flowing down the creek. These wonderful sounds of nature are so relaxing.

People line up against a fence leading to a waterfall and a small opening to a cave.

During peak times, once you reach the Lower Falls, you’ll see a line of people waiting to get inside a cave. Let me explain what is happening.

The opening to a small cave shows a dark and narrow path inside.

As you can see from the picture above, the space inside the cave is very small, so only two to four people can go in at a time. Most people extend the courtesy to the group ahead and wait for them to exit before going in. So, a queue forms naturally that lets one party go in at a time.

The end of a path leading to a waterfall is blocked by a tall and black metal fence.

The cave leads you to a spot up close and personal with the waterfall that you will be literally within a few feet away. A tall and strong metal fence is there to prevent people from accidentally falling into the water. I was so close that my camera actually got wet, and my lens got messed up – which gave me the perfect excuse why the above picture was not as sharp as I would like.

The Upper Falls is another 1km away and again, it is all uphill. So, if you still have enough energy left, feel free to venture along. But after spending a great part of the day exploring the twin lakes, my wife and I decided to come back another day. (And if you decide to follow this itinerary, there are still another 368 steps of stairs awaiting you at the Sulphur Mountain, see below.)

Sulphur Mountain Gondola

Two sets of gondolas run up and down the mountain slope of Alpine forests.

The base of the gondola is very close to the Town of Banff so if you are staying in the area, it is the perfect endpoint for your return itinerary from the Louise and Moraine Lakes. Your journey starts with an exciting 8-minute ride on board a gondola that soars above the alpine forests and mountains.

A scenic view atop a summit of Alpine forests in the foreground and misty mountains in the background.

Once you reach the summit, marvel at the stunning view across six mountain ranges and the charming Bow Valley. If you are lucky enough to be here in the evening of a clear day, you’ll also get to enjoy one of the most romantic sunsets in the World.

IMPORTANT: Admissions to the gondolas are timed. That is, if you decide to purchase your tickets on site, you most likely will not be able to get a time slot right away. One-to-two-hour (or longer) waits are typical during summer. Your best bet is to purchase an advance ticket that guarantees you a time slot on the gondola. This is particularly important if you already have a restaurant reservation.

Tourists walk up a long series of wooden staircases.

Your next adventure is to climb up the Boardwalk to the historic Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray Station. The one-way journey is about 2km (1.25 miles) long and the path is smooth and very well-built. But there are 368 stairs along the way, punctuated by stretches of flat walkways and places to sit and rest. There are also plenty of viewpoints for you to snap that Instagram-worthy picture.

Tourists walk up a series of wooden staircases leading to an antenna structure at the peak.

The Cosmic Ray Station was built in 1956 under a global collaboration involving 66 countries to study cosmic rays. The high elevation of Sulphur Mountain made its summit the perfect site for the Canadian side of the joint efforts. The station and its laboratory were operative until 1978 and the original building has since been demolished. In 1982, it was designated a National Historic Site. The picture above shows the final sets of staircases leading to the station.

A set of downhill staircases cut through Alpine trees to descend to a three-story building with the Rocky Mountains in the background.

Here’s a look on your way downhill with the Banff Gondola Summit Building in the background. The top floor is where the restaurants are housed. On the roof is an observation deck if you want to enjoy the spectacular views without climbing up the stairs at the Boardwalk.

IMPORTANT TIP: If you have an extra day to spare, are physically fit, and want to engage in a challenging adventure with a rigorous workout, then instead of riding the gondola, take the 5.5km (3.4 miles) hike up the mountain. Depending on your fitness level, this journey can take anywhere from 2 to 3 hours or longer. Be sure to bring plenty of water and snacks such as energy bars if you decide to do this. Once you reach the top, you can purchase a one-way gondola ticket to go downhill.

Four sophisticated looking small plates of food are placed on a wooden table alongside a cocktail.

Ready for dinner? If you choose to dine at the summit (and why not?) you have two options, and both restaurants offer large windows with spectacular views. Sky Bistro serves a trendy and sophisticated menu of Rockies cuisines which include bison tartar, duck wings, bison steak, bone-in pork loin, etc. You can see the full menu here. Reservation is a must, and you need to make it on Open Table days ahead during the peak season. (They say walk-ins are welcome on the website, but believe me, it’s either a very long wait or they’ll just tell you they are full for the evening.)

Northern Lights offers a high-quality buffet and accepts both reservations and walk-ins. If you decide to eat at the Sulphur Mountain summit in the last minute without a reservation, you have a much better chance of getting a table here than at Sky Bistro. The buffet includes a carving station serving typically beef brisket or other cuts of roast beef, sautéed vegetables, potatoes, meatballs, chicken, fish, and pastas. Soup of the day, a nice salad bar, a pizza station, and plenty of desserts are also part of the deal. You can see the full menu here.

Conclusion

This is certainly a very compact and fast-paced itinerary for one day in Banff covering both Lakes Louise and Moraine and more. This is ideal for those who have only one day to spare and would like to cover as much ground as possible. If you are staying here multiple days and want a slower paced trip to have time to smell the roses (well, there are no roses here, but you know what I mean), then feel free to split this up into two days. If you want a leisurely pace and also the opportunity to engage in longer hikes, then the two lakes themselves could easily fill one full day. There are plenty of possibilities and alternatives. Whatever you decide to do, I hope you’ll enjoy this journey as much as my wife and I did, cherish many romantic moments, and take home plenty of fond memories.