Which of These 4 Incredible Banff Gondolas Should You Choose?
Millions visit Banff National Park yearly to experience the rugged beauty of the Canadian Rockies. While the mountain views from the Bow Valley are stunning, nothing compares to the panoramic vistas from a Banff gondola.
The park has four gondolas and chairlifts, each offering unique perspectives of the Rockies. Whether you choose one or explore hiking trails to the summit, you’ll enjoy breathtaking views.
As Canmore locals, we’ve tried all four gondolas and will share our personal experiences and what we love about each one.
1. Banff Gondola
Visitors who take the Banff sightseeing gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain will be treated to 360-degree views of the majestic Canadian Rockies, a state-of-the-art Upper Terminal with several excellent restaurants.
Your Banff Gondola experience begins at the Lower Terminal and ends 8 minutes later, rising from an elevation of 1,583 m to 2,281 m above sea level. Each gondola car holds 4 adults.
Level 1 has Castle Mountain Coffee, a gift shop, and is where you’ll board the gondola for the ride back to the base.
Level 2 has an interpretive center and the multi-sensory Above Banff Theatre. Kids of all ages will love exploring this area and enjoying the many interactive interpretive exhibits.
Level 3 of the Upper Terminal is where you’ll find the two Banff Gondola restaurants: Sky Bistro and Northern Lights Alpine Kitchen.
Level 4 has the outdoor 360-degree rooftop observation deck with the iconic glass bear. You’ll find plenty of places to sit and take in the views. In wintertime, you’ll also find many comfy chairs around several firepits. Also from the Upper Terminal, you can walk the Sulphur Mountain Boardwalk to the Cosmic Ray Station on Sanson’s Peak. The 500 m walk from the Upper Terminal to the national historic site is along a wide wooden boardwalk with many built-in benches, abundant interpretive signs along the way, and jaw-dropping views!
It’s important to note that although the gondola cabins are enclosed and protected from the wind, they are not heated, so ensure you dress appropriately if your gondola ride is while visiting Banff in winter. You’ll want to bundle up for heading out on the boardwalks in the winter time and don’t forget appropriate shoes! All year long, you’ll find it much cooler at the top so plan to have extra layers if you want to walk the boardwalk.
Banff Gondola Tickets:
The Sulphur Mountain gondola has a dynamic pricing policy in effect. In a nutshell, the busier the Banff Gondola is projected to be, the higher the price will be. The day of the week and how far in advance you book are all variables that impact the price of your admission ticket.
Prices are subject to change, but typical prices range from $58 – $85 per adult and $39 – $46 for children 6 and up. To increase your chances of getting the best price for your visit, book your Banff Gondola tickets as early as possible and try to schedule your visit midweek.
Banff Gondola Hours:
Banff Gondola Address:
100 Mountain Ave, Banff, AB T1L 1B2
Banff Gondola Parking:
There is a large parking lot found here, but it can fill up during peak times. If the parking lot is full, there’s an additional parking lot (for the Hot Springs) located nearby.
Other Ways to Get to the Banff Gondola:
Roam Transit Route 1 stops at the Banff Gondola. Always check bus schedules before leaving. Walk to the Banff Gondola, which is a 2.5 km walk from Banff Town Centre. Alternately, it’s just a 7-minute walk from the Rimrock Hotel.
Why Choose the Banff Gondola:
It’s wheelchair accessible, so everyone can take part in this favorite thing to do in Banff. Keep in mind that while the Upper Terminal is wheelchair accessible, the boardwalk has over 360 stairs and is not accessible. Strollers are not recommended.
If you want to make it a longer outing, you can hike Sulphur Mountain to the top and take the gondola down for half-price. We always enjoy the hike up!
The boardwalk has some of the most incredible views and is well worth the time.
You can easily get to the Banff Gondola even if you are visiting Banff without a car.
The restaurants at the top offer some of the most incredible views.
2. Lake Louise Sightseeing Gondola
After the snow has all melted, the Lake Louise Sightseeing Gondola continues to operate taking visitors up a 14-minute ride to an elevation of 2101 m (6893 ft) with an opportunity to see not only spectacular views but grizzly bears as well!
Visitors to Lake Louise Summer Gondola have the choice of taking a quad ski chairlift or a closed gondola to the upper grizzly bear viewing area. We recommend the open-air chairlift as it gives you the most visceral experience. Being in the open air allows you to enjoy unimpeded views, smell the fresh mountain air, and give you the best chance to see a grizzly bear.
Along the way, you’ll enjoy beautiful fields of wildflowers, rushing mountain streams and dense evergreen forests. The scene is so magical it’s hard to concentrate on watching grizzly bears. Lake Louise itineraryThe ride down is equally exciting with 180-degree views of the Canadian Rocky Mountains and Lake Louise. We think this is the perfect activity to add to any Lake Louise itinerary.
At the top of the chairlift, visitors can enjoy exploring a safe area protected from the massive grizzly bears by electric fence. Just downhill from the Lake Louise Summer Gondola is the viewing platform. The vistas of Lake Louise and her surrounding mountains from the observation deck are worth the price of admission alone.
Also within the safety of the electric fence is an interpretive walking trail down to the Wildlife Interpretive Centre. The Lake Louise Gondola Interpretive Centre is a small, but very enjoyable experience. Just above the interpretive center, is the Whitehorn Bistro. The views from this upscale Lake Louise restaurant could be some of the best restaurant views in the world. The patio is surrounded by glass, allowing unimpeded views from any table.
Visitors to the top of the Lake Louise Summer Gondola do not have to remain within the safety of the enclosed electric fence. There are two enjoyable hikes to choose from.
Lake Louise Gondola Tickets:
To purchase a ticket to ride the Lake Louise Gondola only, it’s $62 for an adult, $51 for seniors (65+), $26 for a youth (13-17), and $14 for a child (6-12) with 5 and under riding free.
Lake Louise Gondola Hours:
The Lake Louise Sightseeing Gondola operates starting June 7, 2024, until mid-October. The Lake Louise Gondola hours do change slightly throughout the summer (with the longest hours in August from 8am to 6pm). Check the operating hours for the Lake Louise summer gondola here.
Lake Louise Gondola Address:
1 Whitehorn Road, Lake Louise
The Lake Louise Gondola is located at the Lake Louise Ski Resort.
From Banff, take Highway 1 west towards Lake Louise and exit on the Bow Valley Parkway exit towards Lake Louise. Rather than turn left to Lake Louise, stay right at the fork onto Whitehorn Road/Bow Valley Parkway. Stay on this road (turns into Whitehorn Drive) until you reach the ski resort.
The Banff Gondola is a better choice in the winter since there’s not as much to do at the Lake Louise Gondola aside from nice views in the winter (assuming you aren’t skiing or snowboarding!).
The Banff Gondola has more options for walking around on the observation decks and the boardwalks in the winter.
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