3 to 4 Days in Banff: Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Gondola, Johnston Canyon & Icefields Parkway

This itinerary groups sights geographically by highway corridor so you never waste time driving back and forth: Day 1 explores Banff Town and its surrounding lakes, Day 2 uses a single Parks Canada Shuttle ticket to visit both Moraine Lake and Lake Louise, and Days 3 & 4 cover Johnston Canyon, Yoho's Emerald Lake and the memorable Icefields Parkway. Read our shuttle and Roam bus guide before Day 1.

Day 1: Banff Town, Lake Minnewanka Loop, Sulphur Mountain Gondola & Vermilion Lakes Sunset

• Morning: stroll Banff Avenue, cross the Bow River bridge to the Cascade of Time Gardens, and follow the riverside boardwalk to roaring Bow Falls and Surprise Corner Viewpoint.
• Midday: drive around the Lake Minnewanka Scenic Loop, spotting bighorn sheep, photographing Mount Rundle at Two Jack Lake, and taking the 1-hour boat cruise at Lake Minnewanka.
• Afternoon: ride the Banff Gondola up to the 2,281-metre summit of Sulphur Mountain, walk the 1-kilometre Sanson's Peak Boardwalk, and soak for an hour in the 40°C Banff Upper Hot Springs right across the road.
• Evening: watch sunset reflect off Vermilion Lakes 5 minutes from town, followed by an Alberta steak or bison dinner on Bear Street.

Day 2: Moraine Lake & Lake Louise

• Morning: park at the Lake Louise Ski Resort Park & Ride and board your pre-booked Parks Canada Shuttle up to Moraine Lake first.
• Midday: hop the free Lake Connector Bus over to Lake Louise. Hike the 2.5-hour switchback trail up to the 1901 Lake Agnes Tea House for warm biscuits and tea, add the 20-minute detour to the Little Beehive Viewpoint looking straight down on the neon-turquoise lake, and stroll the flat lakeshore trail.

Day 3: Johnston Canyon, Morant's Curve, Emerald Lake & The Icefields Parkway.

• Morning: beat the crowds to Johnston Canyon to walk the suspended steel cliff catwalks to the Lower and Upper Falls, then continue west along the Bow Valley Parkway past Castle Mountain and train-spotting at Morant's Curve.
• Midday: drive up the world-famous Icefields Parkway to Crowfoot Glacier, turquoise Bow Lake, wolf-shaped Peyto Lake, Mistaya Canyon and the Athabasca Glacier, and pop 20 minutes west of Lake Louise into Yoho National Park to canoe on glowing green Emerald Lake and stand below 373m Takakkaw Falls.