Discover the Majesty of Banff Boat Tours in 2024

Sail into Serenity: A Family-Friendly Experience in Banff National Park

Looking for the perfect Banff boat tours? In the Canadian Rockies, Banff National Park is the picture perfect Lake Minnewanka, it is located just 15 minutes from the town of Banff.  If you are going on a Banff vacation don't miss this!

The Banff Lake Cruise takes visitors out on the water to see the beautiful landscape and surroundings from a new perspective.

The company runs two cruise boats which can accommodate up to 40 passengers and the Alberta Explorer which can hold up to 65 passengers.

The boat tours are all fully accessible and are glass enclosed and heated.

Types of Banff Boat Tours

The Explorer makes the scenic boat tour several times a day from mid-May to mid-October and offers a one hour interpretive experience.

The knowledgeable and entertaining guides point out interesting parts of the scenery and tell passengers a little about the history of the region, the geology, wildlife, vegetation and the native folklore of the spectacular Banff landscape

The Banff Lake Cruise runs several types of tours including the Canadian Rockies Lake Tour which uses one of the company's Lake Cruisers.

Along the way the captain entertains and intrigues passengers with tales of the early explorers and the "Lake of the Water Spirit." This Banff boat tour is so much fun my kids wanted to go on it again the next day!

The Banff Fishing Tour is a guided fishing expedition on Lake Minnewanka or you can rent a boat and go it alone by renting a fishing rod (C$10) and buying some tackle.

You can rent boats from the Banff Lake Cruise Company to explore Lake Minnewanka by yourself. There are aluminum motorboats for rent by the hour(C$54.95), half day(C$120) or full day.

This is the only lake in Banff National Park where power boats are permitted. For a slower pace try one of the new pedal boats which can be rented by the hour(C$54.95) and can hold 4 passengers.

You can reach Lake Minnewanka by taking the Minnewanka Loop Drive from Banff, the lake is also 25km from Canmore, 58km from Lake Louise, 130km from Calgary and 285km from Jasper. There is a bus pick-up service from most hotels in Banff run by Explore Rockies Tours. T

The bus is timed to arrive at the lake just before the Banff Lake Cruise commences. If you already have your ticket to the Banff Lake Cruise then you may be able to take the free shuttle bus from behind the Mount Royal Hotel, which operates daily from 11:30am to 5:30pm in the summer so check with the Explore Rockies Activity Centre office on Banff Avenue or call 403.760.8554. 

Prices for Banff Lake Cruises

The Banff Lake Cruise costs C$44.95 for adults (16+) and C$19.95 for kids (6-15) plus GST, kids under 5 ride for free and reservations are not necessary although you should arrive half an hour before the cruise.

The cruises operate from May 18th to September 16th weather permitting.  The cruises run at 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm and 6pm on weekdays and hourly from 10am to 6pm on weekends May 20th – June 7th. June 8th – September 15th they run daily on the hour from 10am to 6pm and September 16th –October 6th they operate until 5pm.

Book tickets here.

Other Boat Tours:

• Family Explorer Cruise
• Banff Canoe Tours

Know of any other Banff Boat Tours? Let us know on Facebook!

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