Banff Winter Itinerary: 5 Days in the Canadian Rockies
Winter in Banff is a magical time; far from the summer crowds, it’s a time when hot cocoa, snowmen, and cozy fires are all the rage. Though some activities aren’t on offer in the winter, there is still plenty to do! If you’re looking for an example Banff winter itinerary, here’s how we suggest spending five days.
Things to Note About This Winter Itinerary for Banff
- Winter in the Canadian Rockies: Winter in Alberta sets in much sooner than you might think, and also lasts a lot longer than you would think. Basically, it’s the longest season of the year. We typically think of winter from November until late April. So keep that in mind when planning your Banff winter itinerary.
- Days Are Short: Days are short during the winter months. In December, the sun doesn’t rise until around 9 a.m. and sets just after 4 p.m. Unlike our summer itineraries, where days are long and we jam-pack the week, these daily suggestions account for those short days.
- Winter Driving Conditions: Anyone driving in Banff between November and April needs to be prepared for winter road conditions. This is especially true when driving the TransCanada, the Bow Valley Parkway, and the Icefields Parkway. Alberta roads can become treacherous in the winter, and at the very least, you need to have winter tires on your car. If you rent a car for your trip to Banff, ensure that the vehicle is equipped with winter tires. If you plan on driving the Icefields Parkway or into British Columbia in the winter, your vehicle must have winter tires. Experience driving in snow is a HUGE plus. Snowstorms and blizzards are common during the winter, so paying attention to the weather is essential and staying off the road if there are snowfall warnings. You can check 5.11 Alberta for road conditions.
- Many Activities Are Shut: Many popular paid summer experiences close for the season around October 15th every year. This includes activities like the Lake Minnewanka Cruise, Columbia Icefield Adventure, Sunshine and Lake Louise Sightseeing Gondola. The roads to Moraine Lake (Moraine Lake Rd) and Takakkaw Falls (Yoho Valley Rd) are closed until next June.
Banff Winter Itinerary – Day 1
- Stroll Downtown Banff
- Walk to Bow Falls
- Drive to Surprise Corner
- Drive the Lake Minnewanka Loop
Stroll Banff Avenue
We recommend that most winter visitors base themselves in Downtown Banff. There are plenty of hotels right on Banff Avenue, making it easy to step outside and enjoy the vibe of Banff Avenue.
The first thing we recommend you do when arriving is to walk Banff Avenue. This allows you to get acquainted with the area. Strolling down Banff Avenue is well worth a few hours of time. First, grab a hot cocoa at Whitebark, and take time to wander into all the stores on Banff Avenue and Bear Street. Don’t miss Rocky Mountain Soap Company or any of the many art galleries. If it’s nearing Christmastime in Banff, The Spirit of Christmas Store is easily the most popular place to be!
Walk to Bow Falls
Continue your walk from Downtown Banff and cross over the Bow River to connect to the Bow Falls Trail. In just 20 minutes of walking on the Bow Falls Trail, you will reach one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Banff – Bow Falls. Bow Falls drops just 9 meters down, so it’s not a huge waterfall by any means, but it is still one of the best sights to see near Banff. If you don’t want to walk, you can also drive to Bow Falls, as there is a small parking lot.
Lunch Downtown
Walk or drive back to Downtown Banff via the Bow Falls Trail. Pass over the Banff Pedestrian Bridge and make your way towards Banff Avenue. There are plenty of places to grab lunch in Downtown Banff, and no matter what cuisine you are craving, you can find it here. For cheap eats, check out Hankki (Korean Street Food) and Ramen Arashi (Japanese Ramen).
If you want a more cozy, sit-down meal, we recommend Three Bears Brewery, The Block, or Park Distillery.
Drive to Surprise Corner
After lunch, hop in the car and set the GPS for Surprise Corner. It’s about a 5-minute drive from Downtown Banff. Once there, you’ll get the most beautiful views over the Banff Springs Hotel. If you can catch it right after a fresh snowfall, you’re in for a real photography treat!
Drive the Lake Minnewanka Loop
Your last order of business for the day is to head from Surprise Corner to Lake Minnewanka. Lake Minnewanka Drive is just a 10-minute drive from Downtown Banff. Along the scenic road, you’ll pass Cascade Ponds, Two Jack Lake, and Lake Minnewanka. You can also detour to Johnson Lake for a nice walk around the scenic lake. In the winter, there won’t be much happening at these lakes, but they do make for nice scenic viewpoints.
Catch Sunset at Two Jack Lake
While you can’t take a kayak out on Two Jack Lake in the winter, you can get amazing Mount Rundle views with gorgeous winter colors at sunset. Sometime in December, the lake freezes over enough to ice skate on. If you hit it when it freezes but before a big snowstorm, you’ll enjoy skating in a stunning setting at sunset.
Day 2
- Ski/Snowshoe at Lake Louise
- Skate on Lake Louise
- Hot Chocolate Bar and Dinner at the Fairmont
Ski at Lake Louise
There is arguably no ski resort in the world with a better view than Lake Louise Ski Resort. In between runs, screaming down groomers, or tackling a bowl, Lake Louise provides you some fresh air and stunning landscapes.
We’ve visited resorts worldwide, and the views from Lake Louise are hands down some of the best in the world. In our opinion, Lake Louise beats out Banff Sunshine and Mt Norquay by leaps and bounds, and a day here should be included on any Banff winter itinerary.
It also happens to be one of the largest ski resorts in North America, with acres and acres covering four mountain faces. The terrain varies between beautiful groomers, challenging steeps, and expert-level chutes. The longest run here stretches for nearly five miles so start working out your leg muscles now.
We love Lake Louise so much that we have bought season passes every year now. They have a very long season, challenging terrain, and in general, it’s MUCH quieter than Banff Sunshine. Also, as snowboarders, we find that Banff Sunshine has too many flat cat tracks.
Best Runs at Lake Louise
- Beginner
- Jerry’s Jungle
- Lookout
- Wiwaxy
- Pika
- Intermediate
- Juniper/Juniper Jungle
- Grizzly Gully
- Boomerang
- Advanced
- Eagle Flight
- Lipalian Chutes
- Upper Boomerang
- Hour Glass
- Ptarmigan Chutes
- Brown Shirt
- Expert
- Brown Shirt First
- Boundary Bowl
- Vertical Cornice
- Swedes
No Ski Option: Snowshoe or Tube
If you aren’t a skier, there’s still plenty to do at Lake Louise! You can opt for a snowshoe tour or take the kids tubing in their tube park!
Skate on Lake Louise
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more scenic ice rink than Lake Louise. Every winter, the lake freezes over, and the Chateau Lake Louise marks out multiple ice rinks made for families where you can go figure skating and play hockey. And nothing screams you’re in Canada more than playing hockey on a frozen lake. Several places around offer ice skates for rent, including Wilson Sports in Lake Louise Village and the Chateau Lake Louise.
If you’re not much of a skater, don’t worry – Lake Louise freezes completely over every December through April, providing you the opportunity to walk and explore the area.
Hot Chocolate Bar and Dinner at the Fairmont
Save time in your day to enjoy the fabulous ice bar at Lake Louise. During weekends at Lake Louise, you can enjoy a mulled wine at the Banff Ice Bar! The Ice Bar is open from around December 20th to mid-April (*tentative dates), but it’s especially magical around Christmastime.
They serve all kinds of hot chocolate and even have special treats for the kids—like maple syrup popsicles. Oh, yeah, and 20 blocks of ice, each weighing 300 lbs, were used to make this bar, so it’s truly a special place to visit in Banff in the winter.
Alternative Horse-Drawn Sleigh Ride
There aren’t many places in the world where you can ride on a horse-drawn sleigh in the middle of a snowy mountain paradise. At Lake Louise, you can bring this dreamlike experience to life! Book a private experience or group sleigh rides through the Fairmont and enjoy Lake Louise from a different perspective.
Sleigh rides like this are the most magical during the holidays. However, sleigh ride season starts mid-December and runs all the way to April, so if you miss this opportunity around Christmas, you still have plenty of time to enjoy it. Rides last 45 minutes to one hour!
Day 3
- Sunrise on Vermilion Lakes
- Drive the Bow Valley Parkway
- Johnston Canyon Ice Walk
- Continue to Morant’s Curve
Grab Coffee at Sudden Sally
Sudden Sally is located inside the Hotel Canoe & Suites on Banff Avenue. As you head out to Vermilion Lakes in the morning, stop here for a cup of joe.
Sunrise on Vermilion Lakes
Sunrise at Vermilion Lakes is wonderful any time of the year; just in the winter, you get to sleep in a bit more! Stop here and take in Mount Rundle from a different point of view.
Drive the Bow Valley Parkway
After Vermilion Lakes, continue in the car and hop on the Bow Valley Parkway (or the 1A). This scenic road connects Banff to Lake Louise and is a great alternative to driving the Trans-Canada. In the summer, it’s a great place to cycle, but between December and April, it’s a beautiful road to drive below frosted trees.
Johnston Canyon Ice Walk
The Johnston Canyon walk is one of the best free things you can do in Banff. Due to the region’s elevation and the sub-zero winter temperatures, the waterfalls of Johnston Canyon freeze in time, and by December it’s a quiet winter wonderland – far from the maddening crowds of summer. It’s a pretty surreal experience and completely accessible trail for all.
As a tip, we suggest picking up some microspikes in town. Although the trail is well managed, it can get icy, and it’s better to slip everywhere on the trail – ours were very handy!
Once you reach the end of the trail and the most impressive frozen fall, you might even find some ice climbers. If you’re feeling adventurous, book an ice climbing tour yourself!
Continue to Morant’s Curve
After hiking, continue on the Bow Valley Parkway and drive to Morant’s Curve. Morant’s Curve is a major photo hot spot in the Rockies. The parking area is just across the road from the viewpoint, making it one of the most accessible viewpoints in Banff. At Morant’s Curve, you can see Canadian trains coming around the mountain—literally, which is a magical scene in the winter.
Stop here any time of day as the view is great without a train. However, if you happen to time your visit as a train passes by, it’s a beautiful sight and photograph!
If you’re visiting around Christmas, check the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train schedule. Once a season, a bright red holiday train with bright lights passes through Morant’s Curve, creating an absolutely snow globe-worthy picture.
Day 4
- Sunrise Hike on Tunnel Mountain
- Soak in the Banff Hot Springs
- Sunset on the Banff Gondola
Sunrise Hike on Tunnel Mountain
If you want to summit a small mountain in the winter, look into hiking up Tunnel Mountain. The hike takes less than an hour up, and once at the summit, you have astonishing views of Downtown Banff and the iconic Mount Rundle.
We recommend getting on the trail before sunrise so you can catch morning light from the top. The good news is that sunrise in the winter is sometimes as late as 9 a.m.!
Brunch at Farm & Fire
After your hike, head Downtown for a late breakfast or brunch. Our favorite places to grab brunch are Farm & Fire, Brazen, and Coyotes.
Soak in the Banff Hot Springs
Enjoying hot water in the cool air is one of the best things to do in the winter, especially right after a fresh snowfall. Just outside of the Town of Banff lies the Banff Upper Hot Springs. These hot springs are one of the best places to relax stiff muscles after a hike or ski day.
Banff Gondola
After your soak, walk right over to the Banff Gondola, which is the best gondola in Banff to head up in the winter. The Banff Gondola is this region’s most renowned gondola and takes visitors 2,292 ft up Sulphur Mountain in just 8 minutes. On your journey up, you will experience breathtaking views of the Spray and Bow Valley. Once at the top, you can admire the Town of Banff and Cascade Mountain from a completely different point of view.
Keep your eye open for other landmarks you may have seen in Banff, like the Banff Springs Hotel and Banff Avenue. Up here, there is an elevated boardwalk where you can walk all the way to Sanson’s Peak. If you’re feeling chilly, nice interactive displays inside are ideal for entertaining the kids.
If you’re interested in Christmas events you can enjoy a Mountaintop Christmas up here and may even see Santa. Also, from mid-November to March, you can experience Banff Nightrise at the top of the Gondola. Banff Nightrise is an interactive experience created by multimedia studio Moment Factory in partnership with the Stoney Nakoda Nation. It is an immersive and interactive journey that transforms Sulphur Mountain after dark with lights, projections, and riveting soundscapes.
Dinner at Sky Bistro
The Sky Bistro is fine dining in the sky, located at the top of the Banff Gondola. While you’re up there, we recommend you make some plans to dine at one of the most scenic restaurants in Banff. They serve delicious cocktails and even better appetizers, entrees, and desserts.
However, this one will require reservations and advanced planning as it’s quite popular and books up fast. It’s one of the nicest restaurants in Banff so it books up 30 days in advance – even in winter. They save about 10% of their tables for walk-ins, but it’s not a large restaurant, so I wouldn’t count on walking in and eating without a reservation. But you might get lucky!
Day 5
- Drive the Icefields Parkway to Jasper!
Spend the Day on the Icefields Parkway
The Icefields Parkway is one of the most beautiful drives in the world and connects Banff to Jasper. Despite what you may have read, this beautiful drive is still open in the winter, and you can include it on your Banff itinerary!
You just have to take extra precautions, as road conditions can be very poor and dangerous in Alberta between November and April. Winter tires are a must for driving this road in the winter. Also to note, there are NO services on the Icefields Parkway in the winter. This means no fuel, no snacks, no cell phone coverage. Prepare to be completely self-dependent.
The plus side is that the mountains will be covered in fresh snow, and the lakes will be frozen. It’s like the inside of a snow globe!
Stops on the Icefields Parkway
- Bow Lake
- Peyto Lake
- Mistaya Canyon
- Athabasca Glacier (this is where we turn around if not going all the way to Jasper)
- Tangle Creek Falls
- Sunwapta Falls
- Athabasca Falls
Dress Warm!
If you’re planning a winter visit to the Rockies, you’ll want to pack very warm clothing. A good jacket, hat, gloves, scarf, warm pants, sweaters, and boots are a must.
Where to Stay in the Winter
The Rimrock
This is a super great pet-friendly option in Banff. It’s close to Sulphur Mountain and the Banff Hot Springs. It’s one of the most popular places to stay in Banff, so book it in advance.
Banff Springs Hotel
If you’re heading to Banff in December and want to feel like you’re in a Christmas wonderland, you’ll have to book a stay at the Banff Springs Hotel.
Baker Creek Cabins
If you want to stay in a cozy cabin, we recommend Baker Creek. It is a bit isolated on the Bow Valley Parkway, so it’s best for those who have a car and are willing to drive.
Plan Your Trip to the Canadian Rockies
- Recommended Experiences: There are many things to do in the Rockies, but our top recommendation is the Banff Gondola – a must do experience! If you want to get active, consider snowshoeing on top of the world. Lastly, enjoy nighttime in Banff on this Sunset and Stars Tour!
- Want an all in one tour? Pursuit is running this special Winter Wonder tour on weekends!
- Transport in the winter: If you don’t want to drive to Banff in the winter, we totally get it. To avoid this book with the Banff Airporter.
- Hotels in the Rockies: There are many places to stay, from luxury hotels to wilderness cabins. See all our favorites here.
- Get Around: We suggest renting a car to get around. You can search for rental cars on Rentalcars.com. For a campervan trip, you can check prices and compare on Outdoorsy.
- We can help you plan your 2025 trip to Western Canada! If you’re feeling overwhelmed by planning we can assist! We’ll personally go over your itinerary, hop on a 1 on 1 phone call, or create a bespoke itinerary just for you! See our services here.
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