Last updated on June 9th, 2024 at 01:08 pm

If you are headed to Banff for the first time then this is THE guide for you. The itinerary below covers all the top things to see and do in Banff National Park as well as Yoho and Jasper Parks. As always with all our itinerary posts, feel free to change or modify things but don’t forget to remember our tips and recommendations.

Banff road trip reminded us of our epic 7-days in Iceland. Both these countries are abundant in natural beauty, beautiful landscapes, waterfalls, lakes, and wildlife. In our itinerary below, we explored Banff downtown on our last day because we wanted to end the trip in a more relaxing way. We have another detailed blog about the stops to take along your Banff to Jasper drive and don’t forget to read these important tips for summer travel.

TIP: This Banff itinerary does not include getting to & from Banff. So add in a day of flying in and out to make this a 7 day (week-long) trip.

Transportation

By Car – Unless you are taking one of those tour packages you have no choice but to explore these Canadian National Parks by driving yourself. I’d recommend renting the car from Calgary airport which is where you are most likely to fly in and out of unless you are driving your own vehicle.

By Train – Now here is another cool option to explore Banff i.e via the train that will cover the Rockies from Vancouver to Banff/Jasper. Rocky Mountaineer trains offer a glass dome luxury coach which looks like once in a lifetime kind of adventure.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Banff National Park Entrance Fee

You’ll need to buy the annual Parks Canada Discovery Pass in order to access Banff for 5 or 7 days since the only other option is a daily pass. For 2 or more adults, you’ll need the family/group pass which you can order here in advance.

You can find more details on the fees here (which is changing in 2023 per the official website). This website will also tell you about the camping and backcountry hiking fees that you may need to pay. TIP: Kids under 17 years of age can enter for free.

5 Day Banff, Yoho, and Jasper Itinerary

Day 0 – Late Arrival

Because we landed late in the evening we stayed the night in Calgary. The drive from Calgary to Banff is about 1.5 hours.

If you land earlier in the day, I highly recommend driving straight to Banff and starting your Day 1 itinerary below.

TIP: Arrive in Canada prepared for winter weather with proper gear.

Day 1 – Explore Lake Louise & Yoho National Park

We decided to skip the Banff downtown on our first day and drove to Yoho National Park. Yoho points of interest and Lake Louise can be covered on the same day unless you want to do some hiking. You will be driving past Lake Louise and onto the Trans-Canada Hwy 1 to enter Yoho National Park.

TIP: Yoho will probably take half a day unless you decide to do some activities along the way. If you plan on hiking Agnes Tea House or Plain of Six Glacier I’d recommend skipping Yoho.

Things To Do in Yoho National Park

• Upper Spiral Tunnel
• Emerald Lake (can rent kayak, or go hiking along the lake loop, Emerald Lake Lodge is an amazing place to stay overnight if you choose to do so)
• Natural Bridge (A gorgeous stop along the way very close to Emerald Lake)

Things To Do in Lake Louise

• Enjoy a walk along Lake Louise with mirror like reflection of the glacier.
• Hike 11 mile Plain of Six Glacier which starts at Lake Louise. You can choose to hike only up till Agnes Tea House which is what most hikers do.
• Visit Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise or even better enjoy an afternoon high tea here.
• Take the Gondola ride over Lake Louise in the summer (we skipped this).
• Morant’s Curve for that iconic postcard picture of Canadian Pacific Railway cutting through the Rockies. To get to this viewpoint you’ll need to drive on the Bow Valley Parkway instead of the Trans-Canada Highway between Banff and Lake Louise. TIP: This is the first viewpoint that you’ll see when driving from North end of the parkway (near Lake Louise) – you cannot miss it.

Read More: Things to Know About Banff in the Summer

Accommodation:

I’d recommend staying in or around Lake Louise if you can find a decently priced stay which is so hard in peak summer months. We stayed at Baker Creek Mountain Resort and highly recommend the place (definitely try their Apple Pie warm cocktail). It’s such a fantastic spot if you are into glamping but it gets sold out so make reservations ahead of time. Otherwise if you don’t mind driving back an hour to Banff, stay there overnight.

Day 2 – Icefields Parkway – Banff to Jasper Drive

Hop on the most amazing drive in the Canadian Rockies from Banff to Jasper with multiple stops on Icefields Parkway. Technically this drive starts at Lake Louise so since you stayed the night at Lake Louise you are already at the starting point of the drive.

We have an entire post full with details on where to stop and what to do on this drive, read it here. You will be driving pretty much all day long so plan on staying overnight in the town of Jasper.

Accommodation

Jasper downtown has a handful of options to stay. Hotels get booked way in advance so sometimes you just have to go with what’s available if you plan at the last minute.

Day 3 – Explore Jasper and return to Banff

Take some time to explore Jasper before driving back to Banff. Also, make sure to stop at places you might have missed on your Icefields Parkway drive on day 2.

Things to do in Jasper National Park

• Jasper Skytram
• Columbia Icefield Skywalk – as part of a day tour (enroute Banff to Jasper)
• Columbia Icefield Glacier (enroute Banff to Jasper)
• Hike the five lakes loop
• Lake Maligne – If you want to visit Lake Maligne then consider adding another night to your Jasper stay.

As you drive back from Jasper to Banff you’ll want to stop along the Icefields Parkway to see places you may have missed on the way up.

Accommodation:

Stay in Banff Downtown so you can easily access the National Park in the next few days. There are tons of boutique lodges, inns, B&Bs, and resorts in Banff to choose from.

Day 4 – Explore Banff National Park

Now that you’ve parked yourself in Banff for the next couple of nights, it’s time to truly explore Banff National Park. As you can see in our photos the entire lake Moraine was frozen at the end of May and we were walking literally on the snow-covered lake bed. TIP: Lake Moraine typically doesn’t thaw until the end of June.

PRO TIP: Chances of finding parking at Lake Moraine is very slim especially in the summer unless you come here before sunrise or after sunset. Consider parking at the overflow parking spots and taking the shuttle.

We are listing our recommendations on things to do in Banff National Park below.

ITINERARY TIP: If you choose to skip Yoho National Park then you can absolutely visit Lake Moraine on day 1 along with Lake Louise.

Things To Do in Banff National Park

• Lake Moraine – Hike the Rockpile trail or walk the lake or rent a canoe. FUN FACT: The view from up there is called twenty dollar view because it was featured on Canadian $20 bill.
• Johnston Canyon Hike – This is an easy paved trail to both upper and lower falls.
• Sulphur Mountain – You can either hike up to Sulphur Mountain or take the Banff gondola ride up the mountain for some gorgeous views. We skipped this and the hot springs.
• Banff upper hot springs – Although not natural hot spring but if you are in for some relaxing time then this is it.
• Wildlife – Keep an eye out for wildlife (especially Bears) as you drive along the National Park highway. You are bound to see some bears grazing especially at around sunset. We saw grizzlies and a black bear on our way. FUN FACT: As you drive through Banff you’ll notice the best invention by mankind ever i.e. overhead bridges for wild animals to cross above the highway. What an amazing effort by Canadian Park service to avoid disruption to these animals.
• Banff Gondola

Day 5 – Explore Banff Downtown (and surrounding)

If you stay in Banff downtown then I highly recommend waking up for sunrise and heading to Vermillion Lake which is only 5 mins away from Banff town center. Take this day to chill and explore Banff downtown or drive to nearby attractions listed below. There are tons of great eating options in Banff so you won’t be disappointed (see list below).

If you are leaving the same day then head back to Calgary airport after spending a wonderful day in Banff. 

Things To See & Do Near Banff Downtown

• Vermillion Lake – The sunrise at this lake is magical with a mirror reflection of Mt. Rundle. It’s literally 5 minutes drive from the downtown so no reason to miss.
• Lake Minnewanka – There are mini cruises that run on this lake. A sunset boat cruise would be gorgeous here. We just had enough time to go for a walk by the lake which in itself was so peaceful and relaxing.
• Two Jack Lake – On our way to Lake Minnewanka we stopped at another beautiful lake, Two Jacks Lake.
• Mt. Norquay – After lunch in Banff downtown we drove up to the outlook point of Mt. Norquay. It’s such a perfect spot for a picnic or a lazy afternoon. The outlook gives an aerial view of the town of Banff with a bonus sightings of mountain goats and bighorn sheep.
• Surprise Corner – It’s in Banff downtown and known for that postcard view of Chateau Fairmont Banff Sprimgs.
• Bow Falls Hike – You can hike down to Bow Falls from Surprise corner. We didnt have the time to do this.
• Tunnel Mountain Trail – If you are up for a workout then this is an easy and short hike (2.7 miles round trip) that starts from Banff downtown taking you through some wonderful views such as the Chateau and Mt. Rundle.

Places to Eat and Drink in Banff

• Good Earth Coffee House
• Whitebark Cafe
• JK Bakery Cafe (permanently closed)
• Bear Street Tavern
• Pacini Banff
• The Bison

That’s the end of this trip. I hope we have given you some wanderlust to explore the mighty Canadian Rockies in Banff National Park. As you can see from our pictures and itinerary, there are tons of things to see & do so give yourself enough time when you visit this National Park.

Budget Breakdown for this trip

Two of our most important expenditures after landing were accommodation and car rental. Especially in peak summer season, the hotel prices are exorbitantly high so definitely consider visiting in shoulder seasons like April-May or Sept-Oct OR if you can go with a group of friends/family you can split your travel costs. Overall, I’d say we spent roughly about $2000 for 5 days in total including food, car, gas, and accommodations for two people NOT including flights.

Below is the breakdown of this trip based on 2023 prices. For the sake of ease I have listed all pricing in USD below.

Car Rental – avg $100/day

Hotel in Banff, Jasper – avg $250 or higher

Hotel in Lake Louise – avg $500 or higher in peak season (We really lucked out to have gotten $250/night at Baker Creek in May)

HI Hostel near Lake Louise – $61/night

Gas prices in Alberta – roughly $5/gallon (FYI – you will price per liter in Canada)

Food – You can go fancy or eat at chain restaurants, that’s totally up to you. I’d say reserve anywhere from $50-$100 per day.

And if you are interested in exploring other places in Canada, here are some inspirations for you –

• Quebec City Winter Carnival Guide
• Experience Christmas in Ottawa
• Spend a Summer Weekend in Quebec City

As always don’t forget to pin this post for later and/or leave us a comment with your feedback or any questions you may have in planning your Banff trip.

Happy & Safe Traveling!