A 'wild' weekend in Banff National Park

If you are heading to Banff from Calgary, take the scenic route and drop by the Wolfdog Sanctuary. This non-profit Sanctuary is dedicated to driving awareness and education surrounding wolfdog ownership. Take an interactive tour and get the chance to go into the enclosure with the Wolfdogs. Alternatively, go at your own pace to view the Wolfdogs and take a self guided walk around the sanctuary.

After a beautiful drive into the Rocky Mountains, get settled in Banff and take in some of the local sights such as Cascade Gardens, the Bow Falls and take a walk along the Bow River. Banff also has an abundance of restaurants to chose from if you are feeling hungry! Check out our places to eat page to give you some inspiration.  

Start your evening by joining Banff’s very popular Evening Wildlife Safari. Guides will take you for a tour around the local area in search of wildlife. Routes change daily depending on where wildlife has been spotted. While wildlife cannot be guaranteed on this tour, the guides offer a brilliant interpretive tour along the way and are super knowledgeable - so ask away all your wildlife questions! 

Today is the day you get to meet Boo the Grizzly Bear! The Discover Grizzly Bears Tour is a sure-fire way to get to see a grizzly bear up close on your trip. Boo, who was rescued as a cub, is located at Kicking Horse Mountain in the largest enclosed and protected grizzly bear habitat in the world. You will learn all sorts of fascinating information from an interpretive tour conducted by a knowledgeable guide which focuses on grizzly bear behaviour and natural history. 

After meeting Boo, you will soar up the Purcell Mountains up to 7,700 feet in an enclosed Gondola. Experience a gourmet lunch and stunning views of the Canadian Rockies at Eagle’s Eye, Canada’s highest restaurant. On the way home, you will stop to marvel the green colours of Emerald lake and take a short stroll. Your last stop before home will be Takakkaw Falls to see Canada’s second highest waterfall tumbling 254m (830 feet) in one stretch and 384m (1,260 feet) in total. 

On your last day in Banff, head to the Lake Louise Gondola and drive down the Bow Valley Parkway for even more chances to see wildlife. At the Gondola, take in breathtaking alpine views and keep your eyes peeled for bears and other local wildlife. Combine the Gondola with the Breakfast or Lunch package to really make the most of your trip. 

End your day with a peaceful Big Canoe tour and learn fun facts about animal habitats, behaviors and conservation on the Wildlife on the Bow Tour. Paddle up the scenic Bow River while searching for bald eagles, elk, muskrats and "Barry" our resident beaver.