Banff National Park Big Canoe Tour

Overview

Available languages

English

1 hour 30 minutes

Mobile ticket

Enjoy the serenity of the Bow River and marvel at the surroundings whilst on a Big Canoe Tour. As you journey upstream, your local guide will entertain you with stories of the past, history of canoeing and interesting local facts. Every tour includes life jackets and paddles plus instruction on how to paddle as a team. Perfect for the whole family as no paddling experience is necessary. Great for kids!

Additional Info

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Public transportation options are available nearby

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

GST (Goods and Services Tax)

Guide

Hotel pickup and drop-off

What To Expect

Meet at the Banff Canoe Club, just a 5 minute walk from downtown Banff. The River Explorer Tour is a fun way to hit the river as a group! After being set up with a life jacket and paddle, our friendly guide will share some safety instruction and paddling techniques. Then load into a 12-seater Big Canoe and journey up the beautiful Bow River. Let our guide entertain you with fun facts, keep an eye out for wildlife and take in the stunning views. Many groups like our River Explorer Tour because no experience is necessary and everything is supervised by a qualified guide. Your tour will be followed by a light refreshment at the end. This tour is perfect for the whole family and It’s a fun and interactive way to explore the waterways of Banff National Park.

Options

1pm Tour

Meet at 12:45pm

5pm Tour

Meet at 4:45pm

Interval

Tour

9am Tour

Meet at 8:45am

3pm Tour

Meet at 2:45pm

11am Tour

Meet at 10:45am

Reviews

4.86

303 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

274

We had the pleasure of...
Tammy Q,
Sep 24, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
We had the pleasure of having ABBEY as our guide and she was wonderful, kind and very caring. She very knowledgeable and she interacted with all of us. Great experience. The Lake was beautiful!
Calming canoe tour of Bow River
734chloet,
Sep 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had a great time on this canoe tour. Our guide Clare was informative, funny, and super engaging. The canoe is huge and stable, so I never worried about falling out. It was peaceful traveling along Bow River, and we even caught a glimpse of a bald eagle and an elk. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any other animals, but we did enjoy the views and the calm river. Clare was very knowledgeable and regaled us with plenty of facts and history of the surrounding environment. We had a great time!
Canoeing was Fantastic!
JIM S,
Sep 18, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Great time canoeing! Everyone was helpful getting us all set with life jackets and boarding the canoe. Our guide Abbey was knowledgeable and a great picture taker 😊 we would 100% recommend this trip on the river.
A must Do!!
BeachloverCanada1957,
Sep 17, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This Canoe experience was enjoyed by our party of 4. We met many others who totally enjoyed Furgus (our very knowledgeable,passionate guide) . We were fortunate to see a small gathering of Elk as well as a swimming Elk, crossing the Bow River. Also a coyote standing river side was in clear view. Everyone felt confident and safe after our introduction, information and instruction before entering the canoe by Furgus. The other staff members were kind and helpful assisting everyone with life jackets and entering the canoe. A wonderful way to view this beautiful Bow river surrounded by the Rockie Mountains!
Paddle through natural beauty!
E6276ITsimond,
Sep 17, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Our gentle canoe trip on the Bow River was fantastic! Strongly recommend this experience. Our tour guide Darby was funny, friendly, and very knowledgeable about the sights we were seeing - the amazing mountains and local history. He helped us feel comfortable in the canoe, and pointed out natural features and evidence of wildlife we were passing. The September weather was perfect, and the choice to visit in the shoulder season meant that the river was not crowded. And what a final highlight! We crossed paths with a herd of elk, guided across the river by a fabulous bull elk who bugled in the bushes. Unforgettable!
Great experience
Agdjdijehudhdu,
Sep 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Staff all very friendly. Darby our guide was great. It is very calm and scenic on the tour. Really enjoyed it. You are better parking elsewhere and walk down as limited spaces in front of the actual canoe club.
We really enjoyed the...
Rick C,
Sep 14, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
We really enjoyed the tour with our guide Maddie. We learned a lot about the park and town, and the jokes were pretty good! I highly recommend this little excursion.
Wonderful canoeing experience
eileenmsmith99,
Sep 12, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Our guide, Darby was exceptional. He knows every turn of the river and all about the wildlife in the area. He has great stories and made the experience fun for each of us. Truly, this adventure was a delight and Darby is a natural guide.
Easy big canoe tour
KimR H,
Sep 11, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
This canoe ride was awesome. We saw a lot of wildlife as we rowed upstream and relaxed downstream on the Bow River.
Highly recommend doing this!
dlblevins35,
Sep 10, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Definitely worth doing! Paddle upstream and then coast coming back. Wonderful picture opportunities. We saw a bald eagle before we even left the dock. Jesse was a wonderful guide and he made our experience so much more fun! The weather was perfect and that helped for sure!