Banff, Canada has become such a hot spot to visit in both summer and winter months! I added it to my 2018 travel list and was able to visit for the first time last October.

While planning my trip to Banff, I was quite overwhelmed with the number of hikes and points of interest available. I started researching on my own, as well as talked to friends who had previously visited and got their feedback on what hikes were “must-sees.”

This list below was my Banff wish list (in no particular order). I started organizing my itinerary by first plotting each of these places on my Google Maps and grouped nearby hikes with each other.

Canmore
Banff Town
Lake Louise
Moraine Lake
Lake Agnes
Lake Agnes Tea House
Little Beehive
Big Beehive
Bow Lake
Peyto Lake
Emerald Lake
Johnston Canyon
Ink Pots
Waterfowl Lake
Lake Minnewanka
Banff Upper Hot Springs

As you can see, this was a lofty wishlist, especially for 5 days; however, I was surprised at how I was able to hit all but 3 places due to how accessible they were by car! Because of this, you could definitely rearrange this itinerary based on the weather and visibility each day, or based on which places you prefer to see at sunrise.

When to visit?

Banff only has three months of true “summer” and, therefore, why so many people choose to visit during these months of June through August. Summertime has its perks like long days, warmth, and accessibility to hikes; however, the crowds can get pretty crazy during these months congesting hikes and parking lots. Visiting in the wintertime offers beautiful snow-capped mountain views; however, certain main attractions like Lake Moraine and the canoes at Lake Louise close for the season in early/mid October.

I visited in mid October, so my days usually ended around 4pm when the sun set. That being said, I was still able to pack quite a bit into each day! If I were to recommend an ideal time to visit Banff it would be September, when some of the summer crowds have died down, but all of the points of attraction remain open for the season.

Visiting Banff in the summer (June - August) -

Pros - Access to all of the hikes and outdoor water activities, longer days, warmer weather

Cons - Lots of tourist, packed hikes and parking lots

Visiting Banff in the winter (mid-October - mid-May) -

Pros - Several hikes and canoeing closed for the winter, snow-capped mountains and winter wonderland views, winter outdoor activities

Cons - Less tourists, shorter days (4pm sunsets), colder weather

Visiting Banff during summer or winter depends completely on preference, but honestly, you can’t go wrong with either!

Accommodation

Personally, I found that booking an accommodation near Lake Louise allowed me the accessibility to all major points of interest due to its central location; however, if you don’t mind switching hotel rooms, another perfectly fine option would be to book 1-2 nights in Banff Town to be super close to Canmore, Johnston Canyon, Ink Pots, Lake Minnewanka, and the Banff Upper Hot Springs, and then book the rest of your nights near Lake Louise/Jasper.

5 Day Banff, Canada Itinerary

Day 1 / Flight to Calgary, Canmore, Banff Town

Early Morning - Flight to Calgary, Canada (5-hour direct flight from NYC)

Late Morning - Arrival in Calgary. I highly suggest renting a car for your trip to Banff. Banff National Park is about a 1.5-2 hour drive from Calgary. While there are shuttles to/within Banff, I enjoyed the flexibility of traveling to different hikes and lakes at my own time. Plus car rentals are dirt cheap in Calgary, starting at $15 a day during the winter.

Save yourself the GPS rental by downloading the map of Calgary and Banff on the Google Maps app prior to departing. I have T-Mobile and have free international data in Canada, but I am still very glad I downloaded the Google Map because I ended up not having cell service in many parts in Banff and Jasper. With the pre-downloaded map, I was able to still get navigation on my phone even without cell service!

Noon - Lunch in Canmore. Canmore is about a little over an hour drive from the Calgary Airport. It is a very small town, but very charming. Stop by for a bite of lunch and a walk around the downtown streets.

Early Afternoon - Banff Town. About 30 minutes from Canmore is the town of Banff, another super charming location. Before arriving in Banff Town, you will drive through a “check point” where you pay to enter into Banff National Park.

Prior to arriving to Banff I was completely confused as to where I had to pay for entering the national park (Do you pay at every hike? Are you supposed to purchase a park pass online before arriving?) You do not need to purchase anything in advance, you’ll arrive at the entrance (similar to the booths on a toll road) and you have the option of purchasing day passes ($9.80 CAD per adult per day or $19.60 CAD per family/group, Oct 2018) or an unlimited Parks Canada Discovery Pass ($67.70 CAD per adult or $136.40 CAD per family/group, October 2018). I was there for 5 days, so purchasing 5 day passes made more sense for me. They will give you a receipt that you’ll keep on your dashboard while you’re staying within Banff National Park.

Day 2 / Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, Lake Agnes

Early morning - Head to Moraine Lake. The road to Moraine Lake begins in the parking lot of Lake Louise, a 20 minute drive uphill. After taking those jaw-dropping photos, you can do one of these 5 hikes that range anywhere from 45 minutes to 6 hours, all promising pretty spectacular views.

I was incredibly bummed to not be able to see Moraine Lake during my visit as it had closed for the winter just a week prior. The road to Moraine Lake closes the Tuesday after Canadian Thanksgiving in mid-October and opens again on the Tuesday after Victoria Day in mid-May.

Mid-day - Lake Louise. Drive back down to the parking lot of Lake Louise. From there you will see a small path leading you to Lake Louise and the Fairmont Hotel.

Take a canoe ride on the lake. The canoes rentals are available when the lake is (obviously) not frozen, around mid-June to end of September/early October.

Lake Louise Shoreline Trail. If you are facing the lake from the Fairmont Hotel, there is a 4.7km roundtrip walking path (about 1 hour) on the right that takes you all along the lake. This flat path is perfect for people of all ages.

Early Afternoon - Lake Agnes. From the same Lake Louise Shoreline Trail you will see the trailhead to the Lake Agnes Tea House, with the option of continuing to Little Beehive and Big Beehive.

The hike to Lake Agnes & the Tea House is a moderate 4.3mi roundtrip hike (about 2 hours). At 1.7km, take a break at Mirror Lake. If you are visiting anytime from early October to mid-May be sure to rent ice cleats as the hike can get very dangerous with many steep areas (I slipped on the ice on the edge of a cliff and let’s just say my life flashed before my eyes). Ice cleats rentals tend to sell out very quickly, so consider renting them from Banff Town for the duration of your trip.

Lunch - Recharge with some sandwiches and tea at Lake Agnes Tea House. The Tea House will be on the right side of the lake and open, weather permitting (cash-only).

After taking a break at the Tea House you can continue towards Big Beehive - cross the bridge south of the Tea House and the uphill trail to Big Beehive begins here, 2mi roundtrip.

Once you are back at Lake Agnes you can take another short but steep 0.5mi (one way) trail to Little Beehive. One the way down, there is a shortcut that connects with Mirror Lake, so you don’t need to return back to Lake Agnes.

Due to the heavy winds and icy conditions, I didn’t continue up to Little or Big Beehive, but I would highly recommend these hikes during the warmer months as you can see spectacular views of Lake Louise.

The total roundtrip hike to Lake Agnes, Big Beehive, and Little Beehive is approximately 6.8mi and should take around 3 hours.

Dinner - There aren’t a ton of food options in the Lake Louise area, but my friend recommended I check out Bill Peyto’s Cafe inside of the HI Lake Louise Alpine Centre and I highly recommend for all of your meals in Lake Louise!! The portions are huge and all of the dishes I tried were delicious!

Day 3 / Emerald Lake, Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, Waterfowl Lakes

Morning - Emerald Lake. 30 minutes west of Lake Louise lies the prettiest green waters of Emerald Lake. Although there were so many breaktaking views in Banff, I have to say Emerald Lake was one of my favorites. Take a relaxing stroll along the lake or take a canoe ride on the water.

Mid-day - Bow Lake. As you’re making your way north to Peyto Lake you definitely cannot miss Bow Lake. The Candian Rockies reflect off of the lake making it a worthwhile photo op.

Peyto Lake. Just 5 minutes north of Bow Lake you will see the entrance to the Peyto Lake parking lot. From the parking lot take a short walk uphill until you see the bus drop-off. On the right, you will see a small path leading into the woods. Walk just a few feet on the path and you’ll be met with the jaw-dropping view of Peyto Lake. The best time to see the bright blue waters is during mid-day to early afternoon when the sun is shining directly over the lake.

Afternoon - Waterfowl Lakes. If you continue north from Peyto Lake for 12 more minutes you will arrive at the Waterfowl Lakes Campground. From there you have the option of hiking to Chephren Lake 4.8mi roundtrip or to Cirque Lake 5.7mi roundtrip. I met some wonderful ladies who invited me to go hiking with them (and their pup) to Chephren Lake and we had the entire lake to ourselves.

Day 4 / Johnston Canyon, Ink Pots, Banff Town

Morning - Johnston Canyon. 30 minutes from Lake Louise Village is Johnston Canyon. This 3mi roundtrip hike is perfect for people of all fitness levels. It is open year-round; however, I highly suggest using ice cleats if you’re visiting between October-May as the entire trail turns to ice in the winter months.

From Upper Johnson Falls, you can take a moderate 3.1mi roundtrip uphill hike to the Ink Pots. The Ink Pots consist of several pools made up of greenish colored mineral springs that bubble to the surface. The entire hike including Johnston Canyon and the Ink Pots takes approximately 3-4 hours roundtrip.

Afternoon - After 3 days of hiking, your body may be craving some down time. Head to Banff Town from Johnston Canyon for a casual evening or head back to Lake Louise Village and take it easy.

Day 5 / Lake Minnewanka, Banff Hot Springs

Morning - On the journey back to Calgary, make a pit stop at Lake Minnewanka and take in the views

Mid-day - Banff Upper Hot Springs. Just a short drive from Lake Minnewanka, head to the Upper Hot Springs and soak your muscles in the steamy hot mineral water. Open year-round, 9am - 11pm (Adults $8.30)

Afternoon - Drive back to Calgary. Enjoy the final 1.5 hour scenic drive back to Calgary International Airport

Evening - Fly back home.