Columbia Icefield Glacier Adventure Day Tour from Calgary/ Banff
Description
Explore the frozen expanses of the Columbia Icefield, snap photos of the snow-covered peaks of the Rocky Mountains, and learn about the erosive legacy of the Crowfoot Glacier on this day trip around Banff and Jasper's national parks. Explore a small corner of the largest icefield in North America and consider an optional tour to the Columbia Icefield Ice Explorer. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to visit the heart of the Icefields Parkway. Continue to Bow Lake for photos of the jagged peaks and the icy foot of Crowfoot Glacier. Learn how the ice shaped the mountain-studded skyline, and visit Peyto Lake, known for its blue-green waters due to high mineral content. Please contact us via Viator message, if you would like to cancel. To receive a full refund, travelers may cancel up to 72 hours before the experience start time in the local time zone. No refunds will be given after that time period.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Bus Ride from Calgary to Banff National Park / Pick up at Banff Town
One of Canada's national treasures and most rewarding destinations. Stretching 232km (144mi) through the heart of Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site, this world-class journey offers access to a vast wilderness of pristine mountain lakes, ancient glaciers and broad sweeping valleys
At the edge of the Columbia Icefield, hop out to explore a small corner of the largest icefield in North America and consider consider an OPTIONAL tour to the Columbia Icefield Ice Explorer. A once in a lifetime experience to visit the heart of the incredible Icefields Parkway, one of the largest non-polar ice fields in the world. Climb on board an all-terrain Ice Explorer and head on to the surface of the Athabasca Glacier. Walk on, feel and drink from the ancient ice while you learn about glaciers and icefields. **Please note that this stop point includes lunch break **Please not that this stop does not include SKYWALK due to the tour length concern **With the high demand, we strongly recommend to book the option provided with admission
It's milky blue color is unique and will change with the seasons and time of day. (if closed, replaced by Waterfowl Lakes)
It is the headwaters of the Bow River that runs south through the city Calgary and onto the Oldman River ultimately to Hudson Bay.
Named after its shape when was discovered. A must-see stop with the climate change nowadays. The "Third toe" was melted and barely visible.
Bus Ride From Icefield back to Banff National Park
Bus Ride from Banff National Park back to Calgary
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(64)
Excellent tour. Very comfortable, driver was excellent, and timing of everything was great. Would definitely recommend.
Our guide Eric was the best he gave us information along the way to the Icefield. I didn’t care for the lunch at the lunch stop. I’d pack my own lunch next time. The Icefield is amazing the ride on the ice explorer was cool as well as the driver Lars who was very entertaining. Highly recommend this excursion.
Visited the Icefield Parkway, a great e perience the giant trucks that take you up to the glacier are great fun. Jackson our driver was hilarious with his commentary.
There is no guide, only a driver who cant tell many things about the content. His English was also not so clear for me. The tour begun late and ended a bit late too. I think the travel agent is preferable for Chinese traveler.
Its a long day but well worth it Very cold on the glacier Decent restroom breaks Exhilarating We had fun
The glacier was amazing and our guide, Jackson, was the best. I have had many guided tours and this was my favorite. Highly recommended.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are absolutely thrilled to hear that the glacier was amazing. It truly means a lot to us that out of all the guided tours you have taken, ours was your favorite. Your strong recommendation is the highest compliment we could receive. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you on another one of our tours in the future!
The tour guide took time to explain every location. It was all nice ride and fun, a bear cub came to the side of the road, the driver slowed down, kept a good distance for safety and we all took pictures from the bus. Very beautiful experience.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We're so glad you enjoyed the beautiful scenery of the National Park and that our tour guides met your expectations. We're especially happy to hear you had the chance to spot some wildlife along the way — it truly adds a special touch to the journey. We appreciate your support and hope to welcome you on another adventure soon!
We enjoyed the Columbia Ice Fields and the stops to see the mountian vistas. However the experience was not worth the safety hazards we experienced by the reckless driving behavior of our driver, Zak. He ran late on our pick up and drove aggressively to make up time to meet our preplanned Ice tour. On the two lane highway he passed other vehicles in no passing zones, tailgated other vehicles within 5 to 10 meters, and exhibited aggressive behavior. We were concerned for our safety and our fellow passengers. We recommend the Columbia Ice Fields, but either drive there yourself or take another tour company besides Calgary Tours.
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We sincerely apologize for the discomfort and concern caused during your tour. Your safety—and the safety of all our guests—is our highest priority. We take this matter very seriously and will be following up with the driver and guide involved to thoroughly investigate what occurred. Please be assured that we do not tolerate any form of reckless or unsafe driving, and we will take appropriate actions to ensure that such behavior does not happen again. We’re committed to providing not only memorable travel experiences but also a safe and respectful environment for every guest. We appreciate your feedback as it helps us improve, and we hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back for a better experience in the future.
The driver was not very helpful or forthcoming. He was even quite rude. His English is not clear at all. The vehicle was not very comfortable and very jumpy. And from the front seat, we were not able to see anything in the front.
Thank you for your feedback. We're sorry to hear about your experience. If anything is unclear during the tour, we always encourage guests to ask the guide to repeat or contact our team directly—we’re more than happy to assist. Unfortunately, since we only received your feedback through this review, we weren’t able to offer timely support during your trip. Regarding the seating, many guests prefer front-row seats, but preferences vary, and we’re unable to meet everyone’s seating expectations. If needed, guests are welcome to speak with the guide during the tour to request a seat swap with others. We appreciate your understanding and thank you again for sharing your thoughts.
I'm a bit disappointed because I was not able to go to the athabasca glacier ride , I didn’t see any options in Viator that we can book it , I was only able to do the skywalk , they offered a package we won’t have enough time for the 2 activity . And I have to pay criminal for both.
Thank you for taking the time to share your review. We truly appreciate your feedback and the opportunity to clarify a few details. This particular tour includes the option to upgrade to the Ice Explorer ride, but it does not include the Skywalk, and this is clearly stated in the itinerary. During the stop at the Columbia Icefield, we allocate sufficient time for guests to enjoy the Ice Explorer experience. Those who chose to add this upgrade have consistently shared positive and fulfilling experiences. We understand that certain attractions can greatly enhance a trip, and we believe that if the upgrade had been added during your booking, it could have made your journey even more enjoyable. We hope this helps clarify any confusion, and we thank you again for traveling with us to the Rockies!
