Most days in the mountains you look. Today you go in. We kick off on the world’s most scenic drive, the Icefields Parkway, winding past secret lookouts, hidden lakes too blue to be real, and wildlife around every bend. From there, the dare gets bigger.
You rumble onto the 10,000 year old Athabasca Glacier aboard a massive Ice Explorer, step out onto ancient ice, and sip water that has been frozen since before written history. After that comes the glass floored Skywalk, suspended high above the Sunwapta Valley, where you can walk right out and look straight down. Your guide is with you the whole way, sharing the stories, the history, and the kind of local knowledge that makes every stop land differently. One seamless day that keeps asking more of you and delivers more in return.
For those who want the iconic Icefields experience and are ready to go all in.
Explore in Comfort
Skip the crowded bus. Max 12 guests, premium vehicles and a pace that actually lets you take it all in.
Legendary Local Guide
Guides who turn mountains into stories and feel like a friend by day's end. They know the wildlife, the hidden lookouts, and the stories no guidebook has.
Secret Stops Only We Know
Some of the best moments happen off the itinerary. Your guide knows exactly where to find them.
Picnic Lunch Included
A gourmet sandwich, piece of fruit and sweet treat is included. Choose from Turkey, Roast Beef, Ham, Chicken Tikka, or Vegetarian at checkout.
Your Booking Protects This Place
1% of every booking goes straight to conservation. You're not just exploring the Rockies. You're protecting them.
Your guide sets the scene as we head toward Peyto Lake, the Icefields Parkway unfolding ahead of us.
The viewpoint that stops everyone in their tracks. That blue shouldn’t exist in nature, and yet there it is, stretching out beneath the mountains. Your guide shares the story behind the colour and the Indigenous significance of this glacier-fed lake.
The hidden gem most Parkway visitors drive straight past. A secluded viewpoint, postcard-perfect reflections, and the kind of quiet that only exists out here.
You came to see the glacier. The Ice Explorer takes you one step further. Rumble out onto 10,000-year-old ice, step out onto the glacier itself, and sip water that’s been frozen since before written history.
Glass-floored and suspended high above the Sunwapta Valley. Walk to the edge, look straight down, and feel every nerve in your body wake up.
Still water reflecting dramatic peaks, stories of early explorers, and a shoreline walk that earns its place between two of the most spectacular stops on the Parkway.
Back before dark, with a day that will take a while to process.
Small group experience (max 12 guests)
Comfortable, premium transportation
Local guide trained in photography and storytelling
Fresh water refills (BYO bottle)
Hotel pick-up and drop-off at select locations
Polaroid souvenir
Picnic lunch
Admission (Ice Explorer + Columbia Icefield Skywalk)
Guide gratuities (optional)
9 pick-up spots in Banff
2 pick-up spots in Lake Louise
5 pick-up spots in Canmore
Make this adventure private
Your group. Your pace. An itinerary built entirely around you.
Call or email our concierge, we handle every detail.
This experience involves some light walking on uneven surfaces, so a reasonable level of mobility is recommended. That said, you’re always welcome to sit out the walks and enjoy the exhibits at the Columbia Icefield Centre instead, the choice is entirely yours.
This is the elevated version of our signature Icefields Parkway Adventure, with everything on the standard tour plus the full Columbia Icefield Adventure experience built right into the itinerary. That means you don’t just pass through the Columbia Icefield, you board an Ice Explorer, ride out onto the Athabasca Glacier, walk on 10,000 year old ice, and then cross the glass floored Columbia Icefield Skywalk suspended 280 metres above the Sunwapta Valley. Best of all, admission to the Columbia Icefield Adventure is fully included in the tour price, so there’s nothing extra to sort out on the day.
Yes, fully included. The Ice Explorer ride, the glacier walk, and Skywalk access are all built right into the cost of this tour. There’s nothing extra to purchase on-site for any of these experiences, it’s all taken care of.
The Ice Explorer is a purpose built, all terrain glacier vehicle, a massive and specially engineered coach designed to drive directly out onto the Athabasca Glacier. It carries you from the Glacier Discovery Centre out onto the surface of the glacier itself, where you’ll step off and explore on foot. Honestly, the sheer scale of the glacier is difficult to fully appreciate until you’re standing right on top of it.
You’ll have approximately 30 to 35 minutes out on the glacier itself. The full Columbia Icefield Adventure experience, from check in at the Discovery Centre through the Ice Explorer ride, the glacier walk, and the Skywalk, runs roughly 2.5 to 3 hours in total, all of which is fully accounted for within the tour’s schedule.
The Columbia Icefield Skywalk is a glass floored walkway that extends right out over a cliff edge, suspended a dizzying 280 metres (918 feet) above the Sunwapta Valley. It offers completely unobstructed views of the valley, the glaciers, and the surrounding peaks. And access is fully included in the Columbia Icefield Edition tour price, so it’s all part of your day.
If conditions permit, yes, you may be able to fill your water bottle directly from the glacier surface, and your guide will let you know on the day. It’s a genuinely memorable moment, and one that very few people in the world ever get the chance to experience.
Even in summer, temperatures out on the glacier are significantly colder than down in Banff town. Bring a warm jacket, dress in good layers, and wear closed toe shoes or hiking boots with solid grip. Sandals and open toed footwear really aren’t suitable on the glacier surface. And if you need to store any extra items along the way, the Glacier Discovery Centre has lockers available.
Approximately 10 hours in total. This tour combines the standard Icefields Parkway scenic stops (Peyto Lake, Bow Lake, and Waterfowl Lakes) with the 2.5 to 3 hour Columbia Icefield Adventure block, which makes for a fuller, longer day than the standard Icefields Parkway tour. You’ll be returned to your hotel by late afternoon.
No, this tour operates seasonally, running from approximately May 1 through to mid October. The Columbia Icefield Adventure is a summer season experience and isn’t available over the winter months. If you’re after a year round option, take a look at our standard Icefields Parkway Adventure instead.
