The 15 Best National Park Tours in Canada

1.Jasper National Park: Maligne Lake Cruise With Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 896 reviews · 1 day · from $84Our pick

Travel by boat across Maligne Lake with an English-speaking guide and captain. You’ll see glaciers, sharp Rocky Mountain peaks, and Spirit Island, then take a short nature walk before returning to Home Bay. Guides such as Sam, Mitchell, Nelson, and Grace are praised for adding useful history, Indigenous stories, geology, and humor.

“Thoroughly enjoyed the cruise & the beautiful lake! Grace & Liam did a wonderful job!”

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2.Explore Banff National Park with Our Premium Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 777 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $90Top rated

This 10-hour Banff National Park tour visits Lake Louise, Banff Avenue, and major mountain viewpoints, with Moraine Lake in summer or Johnston Canyon in winter. You travel in a group of no more than 12, with pickup from selected hotels, park admission, bottled water, and winter crampons included. Guides such as Teddy and Angel also help with photos and local stories.

“Our tour guide, Angel, was amazing. Very kind, he had a lot of interesting information to share and he went the extra mile to make this tour a great experience for all of us. The overall service was excellent. Highly recommended.”

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3.Banff National Park Tour with Lake Louise and Moraine Lake

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 692 reviews · 4 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $119

This 4-hour-15-minute small-group tour from Banff visits Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, with guides such as Jade, Jake, Heidi, and Alex sharing local stories and photo tips. You get round-trip transport, 30 minutes at each lake, water, and a maple cookie. Afternoon departures can mean lighter crowds, but Moraine Lake access is seasonal.

“Edie was great. Very informative. Saw wildlife. I don't want to respond to your minimum number of characters.”

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4.Jasper National Park: Evening or Morning Wildlife Watch Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 691 reviews · 3 hours · from $63

Spend three hours searching Jasper National Park for elk, bears, moose, eagles, beavers, and more from a comfortable minibus. Guides including Sam, Ross, Catherine, and Kelli adjust the route to seasonal animal movements, explain the Rocky Mountain ecosystem, and may add time when wildlife is active.

“We saw a Grizzly Bear . Catherine was so informative and took so much time with us”

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5.Discover Banff National Park – Premium Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 682 reviews · 10 to 11 hours (approx.) · from $64

Spend 10 to 11 hours exploring Banff National Park from Calgary, Banff, Canmore, or Cochrane. Your guide handles the long drive while you visit Lake Louise, Lake Minnewanka, Two Jack Lake, Banff Avenue, and, in summer, Moraine Lake. Guides such as Murray, Dan, Gordon, Dair, and Patrick are known for lively local stories and practical advice.

“Great views and itinerary. Really enjoyed being able to go into Morraine Lake. Driver was knowledgeable and fun!”

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6.Banff National Park: 1-Hour Bow River Horseback Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 518 reviews · 1 hour · from $78

Meet your horse at Banff Trail Riders’ red stables, learn basic riding skills, then follow the Bow River past Cave and Basin Hot Springs. Guides such as Sarah, Jade, Steph, and Mandi share local stories while calm horses carry you through marsh, meadow, and mountain scenery. Bring long pants, sturdy closed-toed shoes, and insect repellent.

“Great fun, horses were extremely well kept and guides were super friendly. Me and my girlfriend would definitely do again!”

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7.Calgary/Canmore: Banff National Park & Lake Louise Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 491 reviews · from $86

Spend a full day in Banff National Park with local guides such as Marco, Teddy, Angel, Mario, or Luis. Visit Lake Louise, Moraine Lake in summer, and Johnston Canyon in the colder months, with two hours in Banff Town. A comfortable van, park admission, bottled water, and crampons are included.

“Marco was excellent at being informative, keeping us on schedule, engaging in conversation and keeping us safe. Played great music on the radio.”

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8.Jasper National Park Tour: Maligne Valley, Medicine Lake and Spirit Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 474 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $154

Travel from Jasper with a guide such as Yvonne, Jan, or Warren to Medicine Lake and Maligne Lake. Choose the seasonal Spirit Island boat cruise or a guided Mary Schaffer Loop hike. Expect mountain views, wildlife-spotting, hotel pickup, and about six hours on the road.

“Fabulous tour! Van was our guide and he was very knowledgeable and informative. We learned so much and got to see some amazing views. We were also fortunate to see Elk, big horn sheep and a bald eagle. For the boat tour on Maligne Lake, our boat operators were Jordan R and Sam. They were so good! Funny, informative and very attentive. They really cared to make the experience special for each guest. I would go back and do the same tour. We enjoyed it that much!”

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9.Lake Louise Moraine Lake Emerald Lake Yoho Banff National Park

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 408 reviews · 8 to 11 hours (approx.) · from $59Best value

Travel by air-conditioned van with a local guide-driver such as Jackson, Ivan, Mike, Ben, or Andrew. You’ll visit Lake Louise, seasonal Moraine Lake or Marble Canyon, Emerald Lake, Natural Bridge, and either Banff Avenue or Bow Falls. Expect a long day, frequent photo stops, and time for lunch at your own cost.

“This was an excellent day trip! Our guide Jackson was great. The stops were long enough to allow for a short hike to explore the areas, which were gorgeous!”

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10.Banff National Park: 1-Hour Spray River Horseback Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 315 reviews · 1 hour · from $83

Ride a calm horse through Banff’s wooded trails, cross the Spray River, view Bow Falls, and pass the Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course. Guides such as Sam, Summer, Ki, Liv, Samantha, Kate, and Anna have led recent departures. Basic instruction, helmets, and lead and tail guides are included.

“Best tour! Our tour guides were the best - super friendly and were so helpful with us newbies on horses.”

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11.Jasper National Park: 2-Hour Whitewater Rafting

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 310 reviews · 2 hours · from $80

Join Jasper’s Whitewater Rafting Company for a two-hour Athabasca River trip from Jasper. After a safety briefing and wetsuit fitting, you’ll float beneath 360-degree mountain views, then tackle manageable Grade 2 rapids in an eight-person raft. Guides such as Jordan, Emily, Alice, and Conor bring local stories, clear instruction, and plenty of humor.

“The activity was great! The guides were kind, patient and had a good sense of humor! Molly, our guide, explained everything quite well, so the rafting went easily and we had a lot of fun! We surely recommend this activity!”

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12.Banff National Park Big Canoe Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 303 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $69

Meet your guide at the Banff Canoe Club for a 90-minute Big Canoe trip on the Bow River. You’ll learn basic paddling, work upstream, then relax on the return while watching for bald eagles, elk, ospreys, loons, geese, and muskrats. Guides such as Abbey, Maddie, Cam, Darby, and Jesse add local stories and good humor.

“Our guide, Ethan, was OUTSTANDING!! He made the experience fun & so memorable!! We could not ask for a better guide. I only gave 4 stars because it was more strenuous than I thought it would be. But still fun & LOVED Ethan!”

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13.Jasper National Park Easy 2-Hour Rafting Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 291 reviews · 2 hours · from $65

Join Jasper Raft Tours for a relaxed float down the Athabasca River in a 25-foot oar-powered raft. Your guide rows while sharing stories about Jasper, fur traders, wildlife, and the Canadian Rockies. Expect calm water, a few splashy Class 2 rapids, a short shuttle ride, and the chance to get wet without handling a paddle.

“We had a lovely tourguide who provided a lot of intormation during the family friendly rafting tour. Great athmosphere on the boat. Everyone from the team was very kind. Defintitly a recommandation while in Jasper!!”

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14.Banff National Park: Big Canoe River Explorer Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 286 reviews · 1h 30m · from $67

Join Banff Adventures at the Banff Canoe Club for a gentle 90-minute paddle on the Bow River. Your English-speaking guide, such as Mardi, Abbey, Brie, or Alex, explains canoe skills, wildlife, local history, and First Nations context while you take in the Rockies. The tour suits families and first-time paddlers, though cool weather calls for warm layers.

“Our tour and tour guide, Brie, were both amazing! The tour was well run, and on time. We were given an orientation on critters that live in the area along with safety guidelines and instructions on the proper way to hold a canoe paddle and how to paddle once we were in the water. The canoe ride itself was smooth with stunning views of the surrounding mountains. Brie was informative, entertaining and educational. She spoke in a loud clear voice, so we could all hear her very well. She provided many fun facts of the local wildlife and mountain life and made suggestions of places to include in our itinerary.…”

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15.Lake Louise & Yoho National Park Day Tour from Calgary/Banff

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 267 reviews · 8 to 11 hours (approx.) · from $81

Ride from Calgary or Banff through the Rockies to Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Emerald Lake, Natural Bridge, and the Spiral Tunnels. You get a bilingual guide, air-conditioned transport, park fees, and winter snowshoes. Guides such as Sammy, David, Bob, and Allen have drawn praise, though group size and commentary can vary.

“Tour guide was friendly, The time arrangement is very good. No rush. Strongly recommend to anyone who want a daily tour to Lake Louis, Moraine Lake.”

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