Insider advice for visiting Banff
During my four years living in Western Canada, I got the chance to explore Banff like a local. Here are the tips I now share with travellers – from how to improve your chances of spotting wildlife to the quieter corners I’d choose when you want to escape the crowds.
By Travel Specialist Luke Northeast
Last updated on 15 September 2026
When I speak to travellers planning a trip to Western Canada, Banff is often one of the places already on their ‘must-visit list’, and for good reason. The iconic mountain scenery, the panoramic viewpoints, and the vivid blue waters of Lake Louise are often what draw people to Western Canada in the first place.
Of course, this level of popularity means sharing beauty spots with crowds of tourists, especially during peak season. But don’t let that put you off.
What I’ve learned over the years is that a little local insight can make a big difference. Whether that’s knowing when to head out to avoid the peak rush of crowds, how to increase your chances of spotting wildlife, or where to find quieter parts of the region, you can have a much more rewarding experience when you know where to look and plan ahead.
What wildlife can you spot around Banff?
There’s an abundance of wildlife in this part of Canada, and you can see a lot of native species in Banff if you’re lucky, including elk, deer, bighorn sheep and bears.
You can never guarantee a wildlife sighting, of course, but I can certainly suggest a few tips and tricks to stack the odds in your favour.
When's the best time to see wildlife in Banff?
Sunrise and sunset are always my preferred times of day for spotting wildlife. If you’re happy to get up early or head out again after dinner, your chances of seeing animals like elk and even bears can be much higher.
If you’re planning your trip specifically around wildlife and have some flexibility over when you travel, autumn is one of my favourite seasons. Animals are particularly active at this time of year as they feed up before hibernating through the winter.
Where’s the best place to spot wildlife around Banff?
The Bow Valley Parkway is always one of my go-to recommendations for wildlife enthusiasts.
It’s a side road that runs roughly parallel to the highway connecting Lake Louise with the town of Banff. The journey takes a bit longer, but it’s much more scenic and gives you the opportunity to slow down and keep an eye out for animals along the roadside and forest edge.
For me, it’s a much more enjoyable way to travel between the two.
What are the best hikes around Banff?
Some of Banff’s most popular walks are well known for good reason. Trails like Johnston Canyon, where you’ll walk along suspended walkways that cling to the rocks, or round Lake Louise up to the Lake Agnes Tea House, attract plenty of visitors.
They’re worth considering, however, one of my personal favourite walks in Banff National Park is the Hoodoos Trail. It’s easy, has fantastic views over the Bow River and surrounding mountains, yet tends to be overlooked compared to some of Banff’s more famous hikes.
If you want a rewarding hike without joining the crowds at the headline trails, it’s one I’d really recommend.
My favourite activities in and around Banff
Banff by horseback
One of the more unique ways to experience Banff is on horseback. You can ride along the Bow River on a three-hour journey surrounded by stunning views of the national park.
There’s time to enjoy a cowboy cookout meal in the open air, look for wildlife, and maybe even try your hand at lassoing.
Hidden Kananaskis
When travellers tell me they want to experience the Canadian Rockies away from Banff’s iconic but busy highlights, I like to introduce them to Kananaskis.
In this remote part of Alberta, we work with a local guide who offers private tours that take you off the beaten path into this dramatic natural landscape, where you’ll enjoy a picnic overlooking the Kananaskis Lakes, and have plenty of opportunities to capture photos.
What’s the best way to see Lake Louise & Moraine Lake?
Lake Louise and Moraine Lake feature high on many visitors’ wish lists, but I wouldn’t say that means you should skip them altogether. Instead, take advantage of the fact that I’ve been there myself multiple times, seen the logistical challenges first-hand and can advise you on how to have the most relaxed experience.
Both lakes are incredibly popular, so this is one part of your trip where planning ahead really pays off. Parking at Lake Louise is notoriously difficult, and private cars aren’t permitted on the road to Moraine Lake at all. If you arrive without a plan, getting to both can quickly become more stressful than it needs to be.
That’s why I often arrange for travellers to head out on a Moraine Lake & Lake Louise sunrise tour with one of our local partners. The seven-hour adventure takes care of the transport for you and gives you around 1.5 hours at each lake. So you have plenty of time to watch the sun rise over the surrounding peaks at Moraine Lake, wander along the shoreline at Lake Louise, hear stories from your guide, and enjoy those postcard views.
For me, it’s one of the most relaxed ways to experience both places. You remove the headache of worrying about parking or transport, arrive before the biggest crowds build, and still have plenty of time to appreciate two of the Rockies’ most famous landscapes.
How do you escape the crowds in Banff?
I’ll be honest, when you visit Banff, there’s almost always going to be some crowds. So my best advice? Don’t plan to spend all your time at the hotspots.
Instead, venture beyond Banff and consider including places like Canmore and Kananaskis in your trip.
These two areas offer the same sort of dramatic scenery, brilliant hiking and opportunities to see wildlife, but with a fraction of the crowds. For me, that makes it much easier to feel truly immersed in nature, rather than simply moving from one busy viewpoint to the next.
Your questions about visiting Banff
In our experience, the biggest mistake is treating Banff like a quick photo stop rather than a busy mountain national park that needs careful planning. We usually recommend building in early starts, shuttle reservations for popular lakes, and enough time to slow down between the headline sights, rather than trying to squeeze Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and the Icefields Parkway into one rushed day.
The best way to avoid the worst crowds in Banff is to avoid the peak summer months, start exploration days early, stay more than one night, and look beyond the most famous viewpoints. Instead, you should consider nearby places like Canmore and Kananaskis that offer similar scenery with far fewer visitors. In our experience, a quieter lodge-style stay outside the busiest areas, a guide who shares their local stories, or a lesser-known walk can make Banff feel far more personal.
Banff town is best if you want restaurants, shops and easy access to tours, but a quieter base nearby can feel more relaxing, especially if you prefer space and slower days. We tend to match travellers with small-scale stays where the location adds something practical, such as convenient access to scenic drives, local host advice or a calmer evening after a busy day outdoors.
