Banff Gondola
Eight-minute ride up Sulphur Mountain with a rooftop observation deck and a short boardwalk. Book timed entry so the crew goes up together.
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Photo: DXR / CC BY-SA 4.0Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
Turquoise Lakes, Hot Springs and One Very Good Shuttle Plan: Banff With a Big Crew
By Crewcation Editorial•Nov 1, 2026•6 min read
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The plan
The stops
Day 1
Banff Upper Hot Springs
Open-air mineral pool beside the gondola base. Walk-in only, no advance tickets, so go as one group and allow one to two hours.
Day 2
Lake Louise and Moraine Lake
Personal vehicles are not allowed on Moraine Lake Road. A reserved Parks Canada shuttle from the Lake Louise Park and Ride reaches both lakes.
Day 3
Lake Minnewanka Boat Cruise
One-hour guided cruise on Banff's largest lake, with the story of Minnewanka Landing along the way.
Bow Falls
A short, free riverside stop below the Fairmont Banff Springs, easy to fit in before or after the cruise.
Day 4
Johnston Canyon
Catwalk trail to the Lower and Upper Falls on the Bow Valley Parkway. The main trail was closed Oct 13 to Dec 11, 2026, so check Parks Canada bulletins before you plan.
Crew tips
Keep the crew happy
- 1Reserve the Lake Louise and Moraine Lake shuttle for the whole crew on the same time slot; seats are reservation-only and typically sell out.
- 2Everyone needs a Parks Canada park pass (daily adult rate is $12.25; family or group daily pass is $24.50).
- 3The Banff Upper Hot Springs sells admission in person only, so send one person ahead to queue for the group.
- 4Check the Johnston Canyon trail status before you go; Parks Canada closed it for rock slope work from Oct 13 to Dec 11, 2026.
- 5Stay in one rental or cabin-style booking in Banff or Canmore so everyone can leave together for early shuttles.
- 6Book gondola and cruise tickets for the same day and time so nobody is left behind.
Banff is easy to love and surprisingly hard to coordinate. The lakes everyone has seen on a postcard are the hardest part: Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles, and the shuttle that reaches it is reservation-only. A group of eight that shows up without a plan ends up split across cars, parking lots and time slots. This itinerary builds the trip around the few things that need booking early and leaves the rest loose, so the crew spends its energy on the mountains instead of the logistics.
Before You Book: The Crew Basics
Best time to go: For both lakes, plan for the summer shuttle season. In 2026 Parks Canada ran the Lake Louise Lakeshore shuttle from May 15 to October 12 and Moraine Lake from June 1 to October 12, weather permitting. Dates for 2027 were not yet confirmed when this guide was written, so check the Parks Canada page before locking in flights. Winter brings snow, soaking in hot water and a very different trip.
Where to stay as a group: Banff townsite keeps you walking distance from restaurants and the Roam transit routes. For a crew of six or more, a large rental or a block of rooms booked together makes early shuttle mornings far easier than scattered bookings. Book as early as you can, since summer is the busy season.
Splitting costs: Share the big, joint items: the rental and any vehicle. Each person then covers their own park pass, shuttle seat and tickets. Parks Canada lists a daily adult park pass at $12.25 and a family or group daily pass at $24.50, so check which is cheaper for your crew. All prices here are in Canadian dollars unless noted.
Skip-the-line tickets
Book tickets for the crew
Browse top-rated Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada attractions and tours, with live prices from Tiqets.
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Day 1: Sulphur Mountain and a Long Soak
Morning: Banff Gondola (100 Mountain Ave)
Start with the view that explains the whole park. The gondola takes about eight minutes each way to the summit of Sulphur Mountain, where you get a rooftop observation deck, the Above Banff theatre and a short boardwalk. Entry tickets on Tiqets start at $55.60 (USD).
Crew Logistics:
Afternoon: Banff Upper Hot Springs (1 Mountain Ave)
The pool sits at the top of Mountain Avenue, near the gondola base, so the two fit into one outing. Parks Canada lists it open daily from 10 AM to 10 PM with last entry at 9:30 PM, though hours can change. Adult admission is $19.75 and a family pass is $64.25.
Crew Logistics:
Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada in pictures
Day 2: Both Lakes, One Reservation
All day: Lake Louise and Moraine Lake
This is the day to plan first. Parks Canada shuttles start at the Lake Louise Park and Ride at the Lake Louise Ski Resort (1 Whitehorn Road), where parking is free for reservation holders. One ticket covers your first lake, unlimited rides on the connector shuttle between the lakes, and the trip back. Adults pay $12.75 plus a $3.50 online reservation fee, and the shuttle fare does not include park entry.
Reservations open in spring, with additional seats released two days before departure. Seats typically sell out, so book the crew together and choose the same time slot.
The Vibe: Pick one lake to linger at and treat the second as a bonus. Parks Canada warns visitors to expect a wait of at least 30 minutes for a shuttle, and longer when it is busy.
Crew Logistics:
Crew budget calculator
What will this trip cost your crew?
Per person
CA$720–CA$1,600
Whole crew
CA$4,320–CA$9,600
Estimate only, based on CA$180–CA$400 per person per day for food, local transport, activities and a shared stay. Flights not included; real prices vary by season.
Day 3: Lake Minnewanka and the River
Morning: Lake Minnewanka Boat Cruise (Lake Minnewanka Scenic Drive)
Banff's largest lake gets a gentler day. The one-hour guided cruise covers the lake's history, geology and wildlife, including the story of Minnewanka Landing. Tickets start at $39.33 on Tiqets, and a combined gondola and cruise ticket is also listed there.
Crew Logistics:
Afternoon: Bow Falls
Finish with a short, free stop at Bow Falls on the Bow River, below the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel. It is a low-effort break between the cruise and dinner.
Day 4: Johnston Canyon
Morning: Johnston Canyon (Bow Valley Parkway)
Johnston Canyon is a catwalk trail through a rocky gorge to the Lower and 30-metre Upper Falls. Parks Canada lists about 1.1 km one way to the Lower Falls and about 2.4 km to the Upper Falls. It is very busy, narrow in places and not recommended for strollers.
Crew Logistics:
Crew Rules for Banff
Banff works best when the crew agrees on the big moves early and lets the mountains handle the rest. Lock in the shuttle, share the cabin and let everyone pick their favourite stop.
Planning a Banff trip?
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Group trip FAQ
Planning Banff National Park with friends
How do you get to Moraine Lake with a group?
Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles year-round. Parks Canada runs reservation-only shuttles from the Lake Louise Park and Ride at 1 Whitehorn Road; the fare covers both lakes and costs 12.75 CAD per adult plus a 3.50 CAD online reservation fee.
Do you need a park pass for Banff?
Yes. Parks Canada lists a daily adult admission of 12.25 CAD and a family or group daily pass of 24.50 CAD. The shuttle ticket does not include park entry.
Can a big group book the Banff Upper Hot Springs in advance?
No. Parks Canada says entry is first-come, first-served and admission is sold in person only. Adult single entry is 19.75 CAD.
What is the best time to visit Banff with friends?
For both lakes, plan for the summer shuttle season. In 2026 Lake Louise ran May 15 to October 12 and Moraine Lake June 1 to October 12, weather permitting. Check the 2027 dates before booking.
How should a group split costs in Banff?
Share the rental and any vehicle, and have each person pay their own park pass, shuttle seat and tickets. One organiser can book shared items and settle up afterwards.
Plan and vote together in Crewcation
Turn this Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada guide into your crew's trip. Plan and vote on trips together, so nobody ends up as the unpaid travel agent.
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