Banff Fall Wonderland Adventure

 Detailed Itinerary*

SheTravels acknowledges that, while most of the signage in and around Banff celebrates the history of European colonizers, the original inhabitants and caretakers of the land we will be visiting are the Black Feet, the Kootenai, the Stoney, the Tauut’ina, and the Métis.

Day 1

Rendezvous at Calgary International Airport at 3:00pm** to meet your guides and fellow SheTravels guests. Your guides will then drive you 90 minutes to our accommodations in Canmore, just outside of Banff.

After settling in, your SheTravels guides will serve up a warm and energy-boosting dinner while filling you in on what to expect for the week. Your guides will also facilitate an opening circle interaction that helps us get to know one another and set intentions for our time in Banff.

We won’t keep you up late, as Day 2 is an early start and we hope you’ll get some rest for the adventures ahead!

Day 2

At She Travels, we love getting the best trails all to ourselves, so we’ll be up early for a hearty breakfast, packing our lunches, and driving to Moraine Lake for the first day of hiking.

Day 2 hikes will help you warm up and get acclimated to the altitude - but have your cameras and selfie sticks ready as the Moraine Lake area is one of the most gorgeous (and most photographed) parts of the park. At this time of year there may even be a light dusting of snow, bringing each layer of stone into stark relief and making the scenery that much more incredible!

Our first hike will be a very relaxed walk up and back the west coast of Moraine Lake (about 3 miles total, with very little elevation change), followed by snacks along the shore. After our rest we’ll embark on a second hike up to Consolation Lakes. This beautiful 4.5 mile hike runs along a flowing stream all the way up to a pair of lakes surrounded by several large peaks. We’ll stop here for lunch and will see how many glaciers we can spot!

After making our way down to the trailhead, we’ll head into the town of Banff to enjoy some shopping and dinner at a local restaurant.

Total Hiking Distance: about 7 miles; Total Hiking Elevation Gain: about 1000 feet

Day 3

We’ll start with another early breakfast, pack up lunches and snacks, and drive to another famous landmark in Banff, Lake Louise.

From there we’ll make our way up 2.3 miles and 1400 feet to beautiful Lake Agnes. If the famous Lake Agnes Tea House is open we’ll take advantage of a Canadian Alpine tradition and stop in for a hot cup of tea - otherwise we’ll enjoy some of our packed snacks along the Lake Agnes shore.

For those looking for more challenge (and an awesome view of Lake Louise from high above), we’ll lead a group one mile and 500 ft of additional elevation gain, to the top of Big Beehive. From there you can look straight down 2000 feet to Lake Louise and its surroundings!

Those who want to sit out the Big Beehive will make our way back down to Lake Louise for a gentle walk along the shore before meeting up with the rest of the group.

After all groups have made their way down the mountain, we’ll relax with an early happy hour at the Fairmont Lake Louise (pending Covid restrictions allow for it) before heading home for a hearty dinner.

To Lake Agnes - Total Hiking Distance: about 4.6 miles; Total Hiking Elevation Gain: about 1400 feet

To Big Beehive - Additional Hiking Distance: about 1.2 miles; Additional Hiking Elevation Gain: about 1000 feet

Day 4

The midpoint of our trip offers an opportunity for restoration through some good old fashioned pampering. We’ll have a chance to sleep in and take our time with breakfast before heading to the town of Banff to enjoy afternoon tea service at the Fairmont Banff Springs (tea service includes a hearty selection of food and desserts as well as gourmet teas). From there you’ll have an opportunity to either relax on the Fairmont grounds, explore and shop in downtown Banff, or take advantage of the Fairmont’s spa for a treatment. Any/all spa packages are at your own expense.

In the late afternoon we’ll visit the Banff Gondola, which will take us to the summit of Sulfur mountain where you can take in views of 6 visible mountain ranges and most of Bow Valley below. Walk the boardwalk to see the sights from different angles, or visit the souvenir shop. After some time for exploration, we’ll be seated for dinner atop this mountain, where our backdrop will be views of the sun setting behind the surrounding mountain peaks.

Day 5

We’ll make the most of our final day in Banff by starting early again, this time heading to a different part of the park for some new scenery and experiences. The climate and ecology in and around Johnston Canyon is very different than what we will have experienced in previous hikes - the narrow canyon holds in a lot of moisture, creating warmth and a hospitable environment for a variety of flora and fauna you won’t find on our other mountain trails. We’ll hike a 3.2 mile out-and-back trail along roaring Johnston Creek, leading us to two waterfalls (and a lot of photo ops) along the way.

From there we’ll head north to hit our final must-see sites in the park. We’ll visit the highly Instagram-able Peyto Lake Lookout and, weather permitting, will do a final 2.5 mile out-and-back gentle hike to the shore of Peyto Lake (where few visitors stop by, making it likely we’ll have the shoreline all to ourselves!).

During our final dinner together in our lodging, your guides will facilitate a closing circle activity, offering an opportunity to reflect on your experience and what you’ll take home with you.

Total Hiking Distance: about 6 miles; Total Hiking Elevation Gain: about 1300 feet

Day 6

After breakfast we’ll pack up some snacks and head out early to get you back to Calgary International Airport by 11:00am, in time for your afternoon flights home.

*All SheTravels itineraries are subject to change based on weather and safety conditions at the time of our adventures.

**Depending on where you’re traveling from, you may need to arrive in Calgary the day/evening before the start of this adventure. SheTravels is happy to provide a list of recommended hotels in the area if needed.

Physical Demands: HIGH

While we’ve curated an experience designed to ease you in to the harder hikes, this trip includes several miles of hiking almost every day, some of which is steep terrain and all of which occurs in Banff’s high altitude. Therefore, for your safety and enjoyment we want to be realistic about the physical demands to make sure you’re prepared for a fun and rewarding experience.

Please take a close look at the detailed itinerary above to understand distances and elevation changes on our daily hikes. For this adventure you need to be comfortable being on your feet for many hours at a time, be able to ascend and descend multiple flights of stairs without severe joint pain, and be able to walk 5-6 miles multiple days in a row. For perspective, it’s ok if any of this will make you sore - that’s very normal. Also, SheTravels believes in being fully present in the moment so we move at a pace slow enough to take in the natural environment (its not the destination, but the journey!). We are sharing this information for you to make an honest call about whether these physical demands risk putting you in severe pain or causing injury. If you have any questions about your ability to enjoy this experience, please reach out to us at info@shetravels.com. We are happy to talk with you about what to expect, and how you can prepare. There’s still PLENTY of time to get your body ready with some manageable movement practice.

Hiking Trail Difficulty: MODERATE

While the physical demands for this adventure are high due to the distances and amount of hiking we’ll be doing, the trails we’ll hike are rated “moderate” or “easy.” That means while some hikes may be longer, none include technically difficult components such as scrambling, or very steep inclines. That means no hiking expertise is required to participate and all hiking levels are welcome! When you register for the adventure, SheTravels will share a packing list that includes any recommended equipment that will help you enjoy these hikes safely. Again, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@shetravels.com with any questions you have about what to expect, or if this adventure is right for you!

Please note: by registering and paying a deposit for an Adventure, you acknowledge and agree that you have received, read, and understood the SheTravels Participation Agreement and agree to abide by the SheTravels’ policies as they may be amended from time to time. As of this time, ALL PARTICIPANTS will be required to provide proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 at the time of travel (final shot administered at least 14 days prior to start of your adventure). Accepted vaccines are Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Johnson & Johnson (Janssen).