Perfect 3 Day Banff Itinerary: Winter In The Canadian Rockies
About Banff
Banff is one of the most incredible places on earth. It is one of those places that no matter what season you visit it will still charm you. Summer is famous for blue lakes and some of the best hiking in the world. Fall is full of amazing colours and draws thousands to see the larches. But winter might be my favourite season to visit Banff. Winter is a magical time here in the Canadian Rockies. Banff has a population of 10,000, but in summer the number can swell to over 40,000 with visitors. In Winter the crowds are gone, the days are cold but sunny and clear, and everything is dusted in snow. This is the Canada that people travel the world to see and you can get it all to yourself if you are willing to brave the cold and come in winter!
Winter Vs Summer at Lake Louise
Banff Know Before You Go
If you are visiting from the US or Europe Canada is a particularly good deal right now at $1 USD = $1.44 CAD (Feb 2025).
The weather can be very cold in winter average low of -15C to high of -5C (5F -41F) you need to prepare, I will put some gear tips below.
If planning to do attractions out of town Banff is best visited by car. Depite this there are some great shuttle services and bussing routes.
Banff is in western Canada so everyone will speak english no french language needed. Most government workers and park officials will be able to speak french if that is your language.
Banff National Park Need To Know
Banff National park is over 6600 sq Km, and the town of Banff is inside that park. Because of this you need to buy park pass in order to enter. The park passes can be purchased online in advance here or at the entrance gates heading into town at the parks Canada facilities. If you are driving to town all traffic from the highway in either direction is funneled into the Parks Canada booths you can’t miss it.
Banff National Park Pass Prices
You have two options for park passed you can pay the day rate or buy the Discovery pass. The Discovery pass is an annual pass that allows access to all of Canada federal Parks. The discovery passes are hung on your mirror and are way better deal if there are several of you or you plan on visiting multiple parks
Day Passes $11 Adult – $9.50 Senior grants access for a single day youths 17 and under are free
Discovery Pass $151.25 Family pass (7 people 1 vehicle) – $75.25 Adult – $64.50 Senior
Where To Stay In Banff
Banff has some incredible accommodation you should definitely take advantage of on your visit. We chose the Banff Buffalo Mountain Lodge and could not have been happier. It was beautiful with wood beams and a magical chalet style feel. The hot tub also had incredible views and was a must in -15C. We spent a lot of time in there !
Our favourite spots at Banff Buffalo Mountain Lodge
The view just outside our room and the epic hot tub
The beautiful great room with fireplace
Day 1 In Banff
Start your day off with one of our favourite attractions in the park, Johnston Canyon. After your hike grab lunch in town and then drive to Two jack Lake. You can walk on the frozen lake here and it is a very Canadian experience. Take some picture of the iconic red Adirondack chairs and the famous Mt Rundle. After your explorations head back to your lodge for a soak in the hot tub and drinks and dinner at Prow.
Johnston Canyon
Johnston Canyon is an incredible natural canyon with ice blue water that completely freezes over in winter. It is 2.5 km to the upper falls each way and worth every step. The boardwalk and frozen waterfall views are incredible. Bring your micro spikes it can get slippery!
The epic ice falls and walkway
The view at the upper falls
Elk on the way to Johnston Canyon
Two Jack Lake / Lake Minnewanka
Head to Two jack Lake to walk on the frozen lake and take picture of the iconic red Adirondack chairs and the famous Mt Rundle. This famous view is a 5 minute walk from the parking lot and a great spot to hangout.
Drinks & Dinner At Prow
The restaurant Prow also had very tasty food with great portion sizes!
Day 2 In Banff
If you are up for it Tunnel mountain is the perfect place to get a view over Banff and watch sunrise. You can walk right from the Buffalo Mountain Lodge and save some vert as you are already a bit of the way up the mountain. After your hike come back for breakfast and then go Dog Sledding. If Skijoring is happening make sure you explore the town and watch the event.
Hike Tunnel Mountain
Tunnel mountain is an easy 2 hour hike at about 4.6km return with 250 m of elevation.
Dog Sledding
We went Dog Sledding with Kingmik and it was a magical experience. The dogs were super cute and friendly and loved to run with the sleds. I can’t believe we waited this long to do this.
We sledded up Lake O’hara forestry road and it was beautiful
Making friends
Ski Joring
Skijoring Is a crazy winter sport where cowboys and girls drag skiers behind horses over jumps and a course in the middle of Banff town! If it’s happening make sure to head into town to check it out.
Day 3 In Banff
Kick of your final day in Banff with a post breakfast hot tub soak and an epic Helicopter Tour with Alpine Helicopters. The tours leave from nearby Canmore and fly through the Banff and Kananaskis parks. The views here literally blew my mind. We have been to mountains all over the world and they really are special here. After your flight grab lunch in town and drive up to Lake louise to see the Iconic Fairmont hotel on the lake with the ice sculptures and winter skating rink.
Helicopter Tour Over The Rockies
We did the tour that flew through Kananaskis and Mt Assiniboine and it was one of the prettiest experiences I have ever done. We have travelled and hiked all through the world including the Himalayas and the Alps; the Mountains around Banff really are world class and truly mind blowing. We can not recommend these guys enough!
Helicopter Alternative – Banff Gondola
If the chopper tour is out of your budget you can still get amazing views from the Banff Sulphur mountain gondola. You can book your tickets in advance here. We did not visit in winter as we did the chopper tour but we have seen the views in summer and they were fabulous. They also have a Sky Bistro and coffee shop here which is a great lunch or dinner spot with a view.
Visit Lake Louise
If you are in the are you have to check out Lake louise. Louise is one of the most famous lakes in the entire world for good reason, It is absolutely stunning. The Fairmont hotel on the lake was built in 1893 and is a luxury experience in itself.
In summer the parking is wildly expensive at $36.75 and very difficult to get. In winter its free and there are lots of spots 🙂
The insanely pretty Lake Louise and the ice castle
If You Have Extra Time
If you have extra days I highly recommend making it to Yoho National park and visiting the incredible Emerald Lake. In summer the lake is famous for it’s colour. In winter it freezes over and you can walk out and get incredible views of the mountains and the lodge.
The Natural Bridge in Yoho just before Emerald Lake
If your budget allows a stay at the Emerald Lake Lodge is worth every penny. They have phenomenal food and the ability to wander around at sunset when all the other people have left is really special.
Emerald Lake Lodges Cilantro restaurant
Incredible views from the foot bridge at Emerald lake
There is a convenient rental hut on the lake where you can get snowshoes and cross country skis in winter and canoes in summer. The trail around the lake is beautiful in both season and very much worth doing! They have great deals in winter and it can be surprisingly affordable for a luxury resort, you can check the prices and book here.
What To Bring For Winter In Banff
Winter is no joke in Canada so you want to make sure you are prepared. You will need microspikes for traction for hiking and warm layers.
We recommend: a good jacket or parka, insulated pants or thermal leggings (merino base layers), good winter boots, a warm fleece, toque hat or beanie, warm gloves, scarf, and hand warmers wouldn’t hurt. Don’t forget a bathing suit cause you are going to love your hotels hot tub. I have linked our amazon list of clothes we brought here! We also recently got some fleeces from Siroko that were crazy warm and we loved, (10% off here).
Banff Without A Car
Banff is absolutely fine to visit without a car it just requires a bit of planning. You can use the Roam bus system to get around. The Roam service can take you to to all attractions within the Town of Banff, as well as all major attractions in the Park such as: Town of Canmore, Banff Gondola and Upper Hot Springs, Bow Falls and the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Lake Minnewanka, Cave & Basin National Historic Site, Lake Louise and even Johnston Canyon.
Banff Tours
If you are not driving and would rather not brave the busses and the weather there are some fabulous tours in the area that will take care of everything for you.
This Banff full day tour picks you up takes you to Johnston Canyon and all the pretty lakes including Lake Louise and Minnewanka. This could be a great way to see a ton if you have limited time.
There is also this other very cool option that takes you north on the Icefield parkway to see the Columbia icefield as well as Bow and Peyto lake!
Getting to Banff From Calgary Airport
There is also a great shuttle service form calgary airport you can check out here that is very reasonably priced at $45 CAD per person.
If you do end up renting a car I would recommend picking up and dropping off at the Calgary airport YYC. I always compare both Booking.com car rates as well as Expedia’s rates to make sure I am getting the best deal. If you elect to bus and change your mind there are also rentals available in Banff itself. At this time of year I would highly recommend paying that little bit extra and getting a car with All Wheel Drive or 4×4. This is particularly important if you plan on driving the Icefields parkway towards Jasper. We saw several accidents when we visited. Stay safe and drive according to the conditions!
