Our pick
Abraham Lake, Sunwapta & Athabasca Falls, Peyto, Bow Lake, Vancouver Journey
Vancouver Journey runs one Icefields Parkway day all year and swaps the stops with the season. From 1 December to 31 March the van goes to Abraham Lake, weather permitting, and adds Bow Lake and Peyto Lake on the same day. The rest of the year it visits Sunwapta and Athabasca Falls instead.
The van seats up to 24, which sounds like a lot until you see the coaches some companies use. Guides speak English and Chinese. The day starts in Calgary at 7:15 am and ends there in the evening, so the earlier your pickup, the longer you sit.
- Price
- from ~$78 per person, often shown much lower
- Duration
- 7.5–12 hours, depending on the pickup town
- Winter stops
- Bow Lake, Abraham Lake, Peyto Lake
- Group
- Up to 24 in a van
- Pickups
- Calgary, Canmore, Banff, Lake Louise
- Food
- Bring your own lunch; hot coffee or tea included
- Gear
- Free crampons for the ice
- Cancellation
- Free up to 24 hours; reserve now, pay later
How the day runs, step by step
The order of the stops can change with the road and the weather. This is the winter outline the listing gives:
Pickups along the Bow Valley
- 7:15 am Delta Hotels Calgary Downtown, 209 4 Ave SE
- 8:40 am Canmore visitor information centre, 2801 Bow Valley Trail
- 9 am Banff Caribou Lodge, 521 Banff Ave; 9:50 am Lake Louise Visitor Centre
North on the Icefields Parkway
- Bow Lake, frozen and walkable below Crowfoot Glacier
- Abraham Lake, out on the ice with crampons, weather permitting
- Peyto Lake viewpoint, then back down the valley to each drop-off
What the price covers
The fare pays for the seat, the guide and the gear for the ice. Everything you eat comes from your own bag.
Included
- Pickup and drop-off in four towns
- Crampons for walking on the ice
- Hot coffee or tea along the way
- GST and an air-conditioned van
Not included
- Lunch and snacks
- A CA$15 tip the listing asks for
- Your own warm layers and boots
- A guarantee of clear ice
Between us, before you go
The pickup times are fixed, so be in the lobby fifteen minutes early. If too few people book a date, the company can move or cancel it. The nearest restaurant to the lake is about half an hour away in Nordegg, so a packed lunch and a thermos are the smart move.
Dress for wind on bare ice. Our guide to dressing for the lake covers the layers.
Why it beats the pricier trips
The bubbles look the same whether you paid ~$78 or ~$187. Vancouver Journey gets you there from any of four towns and adds two of the parkway's best-known lakes. It does so at a fare that sales often cut by half. Big van or small group weighs it against Radventures' ten seats.
Who we would not send on it
Photographers who want to linger, since a van of two dozen keeps to a timetable; Radventures' smaller group suits them better. Families with toddlers facing a twelve-hour day from Calgary. And anyone who hates a cramped seat, which a few reviewers mention.
Book it if
You want to see the bubbles without driving winter roads, at the lowest fare going. Get picked up wherever you are staying in the Bow Valley, and add Bow Lake and Peyto Lake to the day. It suits couples, friends and solo travelers who pack their own lunch.
Skip it if
- Want a small group? Try Radventures, max 10
- Staying in Calgary? Check Top Choice Tours, up to 13
- Want a set hour on the ice? Go with Rockies Journey
- Driving yourself? Read driving to the lake first
Ready for the ice?
The day is sold on GetYourGuide and on Viator. GetYourGuide shows more reviews and lets you cancel for free up to 24 hours before, so you can check the snow forecast before you commit.
