Discover Banff Tours

What Discover Banff Tours is and where it operates

Discover Banff Tours is a family-owned tour company based in Banff, Alberta, that runs guided sightseeing, wildlife, hiking and winter tours in Banff National Park and the surrounding Canadian Rockies. Its About page says "We own our buses, employ our drivers and guides directly, and run every owned tour ourselves", with "no white-labeled subcontractors", and adds that "For experiences we don't operate ourselves (helicopter, dogsled, rafting) we partner only with operators we trust". So the sightseeing and wildlife tours are its own, while rafting, heli flights and dogsledding are sold on behalf of partner operators.

The tours start in Banff and reach Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Yoho, Kananaskis, the Columbia Icefield and Jasper, and the menu has a Calgary & Canmore category. The office is a street-front store on Banff Avenue, which the homepage says "has been a fixture for decades", and the company says it has been the "local expert in the Canadian Rockies" for "over 25 years". Prices are set in Canadian dollars (CA$), with conversions into US dollars, euros, pounds and Australian dollars shown beside them.

Sightseeing and wildlife tours

The Sightseeing Tours list says "View all 13". Among them are the Discover Banff Tour with Gondola from CA$198, Lakes of the Rockies: Louise, Moraine & Emerald Lakes Tour from CA$199, the Moraine Lake Sunrise Guided Tour from Banff from CA$179, Moraine Lake & Lake Louise from CA$133, the Lake Louise Spring & Fall Tour from CA$116, and the combined Discover Banff Tour + Lake Louise & Moraine Lake Tour from CA$215. Further afield, the Columbia Icefield Tour & Glacier Skywalk is from CA$360 and the Jasper Maligne Valley Tour from CA$83. Winter has Discover Lake Louise and Yoho in Winter from CA$237.

The wildlife page lists 8 tours. The Banff Evening Wildlife Safari runs 2 hours, April to October, from CA$73. The Discover Grizzly Bear Tour is a 10-hour day, June to September, from CA$319. Discover Banff & Its Wildlife runs 3 hours year round from CA$95, and a Wildlife Tour + Lake Louise & Moraine Lake Tour runs 6.25 hours, June to October, from CA$200. There is also a Jasper Wildlife Discovery Tour. The Wolfdog Sanctuary offers a Self Guided visit (1 hour, ages 6+, from CA$37), an Intro (30 minutes, ages 10+, from CA$52) and an Interactive session (45 minutes, ages 15+).

Outdoor adventures, private tours and winter

Summer adventures include horseback rides (Bow River 1 hour from CA$101, Spray River 1 hour from CA$117, Sundance Loop 2 hours from CA$199, each for ages 8+), Kananaskis Whitewater Rafting (4 hours, ages 5+, from CA$144), Horseshoe Canyon Whitewater Rafting (4 hours, ages 12+, from CA$142), Guided Signature Hikes (7 hours, ages 13+, from CA$191) and a Wagon Ride + Cowboy BBQ Cookout from CA$159. Winter brings the Johnston Canyon Icewalk (4 hours, ages 8+, from CA$104), sleigh rides from CA$52, a Snowshoeing Tour to Paint Pots from CA$99, tubing at Mt Norquay from CA$49, a Kicking Horse Snowmobiling Tour from CA$260, dogsledding from CA$675, the Frozen Bubbles Heli Tour from CA$434, and the 12-hour Kicking Horse Powder Express from CA$89. The homepage splits the year into a summer season from May to October and a winter season from November to April.

The private tours page lists the Private Family Sleigh Package (40 minutes, December to March, from CA$380), a Private Sleigh Package For Two from CA$253, Guided Private Winter Tours (3-5 hours, November to April, from CA$574), Private Downtown Carriage Rides (15, 30 or 60 minutes, May to October, from CA$103) and Private Banff Heli Sightseeing (55 minutes, year round, from CA$1,890). Private tours are pitched at "couples, families, or friends", with private sightseeing tours of 1 to 4 days and "Hikes or on-trail activities for up to 12 guests". Groups of 25 or more, multi-day services of 4+ days and hikes for 13+ people go through a separate groups, events and corporate service. The quote form asks for adults, children and infants, dates, and pickup and drop-off locations. The private fleet runs from a Deluxe SUV and a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van to a mini-bus and a sightseeing coach.

How the day works

The About page promises "Capped tour sizes" for "more time with your guide, better photo spots, and a more personal experience than the big-bus operators", though the site does not give the cap. It says "Every guide lives in Banff or Canmore", and the homepage describes them as "certified Interpretive Guides Association guides". Each tour card shows duration, a minimum age or "All Ages", and the months it runs. A "My Pocket Guide" tool lets guests track their pickup, see tour details and chat with the team.

The homepage promises "Guaranteed Departures": all summer sightseeing tours, wildlife tours and hikes "are guaranteed to depart. We won't cancel your tour due to low bookings", with exceptions for extreme weather or other unforeseen events. On sustainability, the site says the company has offset its CO2 emissions "since 2019" and follows Leave No Trace principles.

Booking, and what the site leaves open

Tours are booked online, by phone (toll free +1 825-360-0184, local 587-608-5680), by email at info@banfftours.com, or in person at the Banff Avenue store. Tour cards carry a Klarna option. The Services menu lists gift certificates, group tours and transfers, and a "Start a Trip Plan" tool asks for travel dates so a planner can "build your perfect Banff trip, day by day". A Waivers link sits under Support.

The site does not state a cancellation window or refund rule on its tour pages, though the footer links to Terms & Conditions. The site does not give a group-size number for regular tours, list pickup hotels, or say which partner operates each rafting, heli or dogsled trip.

Discover Banff Tours suits travelers who want a local, small-group day around Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, a guided evening or full day looking for wildlife, or one office that can also book horseback, rafting and winter activities. The clear ages, seasons and starting prices on every card make it easy to plan a family trip before calling.