General information about the National Park
Together with Jasper National Park, Kootenay National Park and Yoho National Park, Banff National Park protects part of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Together with the other national parks, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.
Number of visitors
Best time to visit: Banff NP has its charms in every season. Because of the three ski areas within the park, it is also very attractive for many visitors in winter.
Our visits:
So far 2 visits: June 1998 and July 2002
Entrance fees and opening hours
- 11CAD/person/day
- Covered by the Discovery Pass*
- Open 24h all year round.
Banff
Description: Situated at 1399m above sea level, Banff is the largest town in the park. It is the base camp for all activities in the park, as there are many hotels, restaurants, stores and campsites.
One of the most prominent and well-known buildings in the town is the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. Once built by the Canadian Pacific Railroad as a "railroad hotel", it is today, after numerous renovations and expansions, an elegant hotel. Since June 24, 1988, the building has been listed as a National Historic Site of Canada.
Our rating: As for many other tourists, Banff also served for us as a place to stay during our visits to the park. The small town is pretty and you can find everything you need and expect. We felt very comfortable here.
Lake Louise
Description: Lake Luise was also founded as a railroad town in the late 1800s. Today it serves mainly as a tourist resort. In Europe, the place is also known for the World Cup ski races held here in winter. Here, too, there is a lot to experience for the many tourists.
We chose the Pain of Six Glaciers Trail for our visit. This is one of the most popular trails in the park because it offers great views, wildflowers and with a little luck also some of the wild animals living here.
Trail length: 9.1mi
Altitude difference: 1929ft
Time needed: 4-5 hours
Difficulty level: moderate
Current: Lake Louise is basically very busy all year round. Since 2021, the parking spaces directly at the lake are therefore subject to a fee. Per car 11,70CAD are due. Because the parking spaces are limited, shuttle buses are also used to bring tourists to the lake. These cost 8CAD/person.
Our rating: Even though we didn't necessarily have optimal weather during our hike, we enjoyed it very much. We can recommend the trail to everyone. It is really great even if it is somewhat strenuous because of the altitude meters. It is worth every drop of sweat.
Lake Moraine
Description: Lake Moraine is a glacial lake in the Valley of the Ten Peaks. It is one of the most popular places in the park. This is why the parking lots are often filled before sunrise. The best way to get to the lake is by shuttle.
Because of the altitude, the road to the lake is closed in winter. It usually opens at the end of May and closes sometime in October.
Our rating: We visited the lake in 1998 and 2002. At that time there were significantly fewer tourists. Maybe that's why we found the place really great and extraordinary. We really liked the turquoise lake surrounded by huge mountains and glaciers. However, we also had the opportunity to enjoy the great nature in silence. For us, this is a "must see" in Banff National Park.
An important and always very fun part are the animals that you can observe in their natural habitat, especially in the national parks. Here at Banff NP we were able to spot the animals shown below.
