last updated: October 2023
Planning a winter trip to Banff National Park for the first time can be a daunting task, especially if you wish to explore all the legendary sights and spend some time skiing or snowboarding. My intention for our trip to Banff in late March was to experience the Canadian wilderness and have fun on the slopes, all while ensuring that we have enough time to relax and take it all in. The mission was indeed accomplished! So, here is our 12-day Banff itinerary, perfect for skiers and snowboarders wishing to discover the best and enjoy it mindfully.
Banff National Park occupies 6641 square km (2564 square miles), all within the Canadian province of Alberta. It is part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Banff National Park is home to several mammal species, amongst them grizzly and black bears, elk, moose, wolves, coyotes and pumas.
ABOUT THIS ITINERARY
This was a nature focused trip and, as such, sightseeing usually came hand in hand with an activity; this was the formula for our Banff itinerary. On our non-skiing days, there was one sight + activity combo which took up the better part of the day. After all, in a winter trip, it’s not so much about the number of hours in a day but the duration of daylight!
Later in the day and in the evenings, there was plenty of time for après skiing, enjoying the local cuisine, visiting a spa and experiencing the local way of life -without the hassle of having to pre-book everything. We stayed in the town of Banff for the whole duration of our trip. We were spoiled for choice with regards to impromptu drinks, dining, shopping and even some culture or history focused activities.
The simplicity of our Banff itinerary is, in fact, one of the reasons why I enjoy trips like this the most. Contrary to city breaks and the associated logistical nightmare of having to plan different things for morning, afternoon and evening, exploring the great outdoors is… straightforward. And, as Leonardo Da Vinci said, simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
CHOOSING WHICH DAYS TO SKI / SNOWBOARD & WHERE
The deciding factor on which days we were going to ski was the lift pass. We got SkiBig3 multi-day passes which gave us the flexibility to ski in Sunshine Village, Lake Louise and Mt. Norquay with the same ticket. They are, also, better value and more convenient than queuing for day tickets.
We chose day 3 of our trip to be our first day on the slopes in order to acclimatise to the high altitude. Our 5-day ski pass gave us the option to ski for 5 days out of a 7-day period starting on our first day on the slopes, two break days allowed. These ‘grace days’ as SkiBig3 calls them do not extend onto rental equipment. So, you do end up renting ski gear for more days than required. However, we welcomed the flexibility of having a couple of rest days in between skiing days. It also helped with avoiding bad weather. The price increase for renting the gear for two more days was not that substantial anyway.
Lastly, I should probably explain why we did not visit Mt. Norquay. It’s simple, really. Sunshine Village and Lake Louise ski resort are a lot larger than Mt. Norquay. And I’ll be honest. Size does matter when it comes to ski resorts!
READ MORE:
Banff National Park in winter & early spring: 7 things you need to know
Travelling to Banff, Canada in March: Why go & what to expect
OUR 12-DAY BANFF ITINERARY
A long day (which pretty much started the evening before) with a trans-Atlantic flight from London to Calgary.
From there, it was a 90min drive to Banff in our rental car.
Taking it slow for our first full day, in order to get our bearings and acclimatise to the higher altitude.
Enjoying brunch on a sunny outdoor terrace, learning more about the local history and culture, shopping and indulging in some hearty Canadian cuisine for dinner…
We had such a nice time exploring the lively social scene and true western vibe of this proper North American town.
Our first skiing day!
The excitement levels were high, only to rise even more once we arrived by gondola from the ‘Base’ to the ‘Village’ and took a good look at the magnificent powdery slopes sprawling over the three mountains around us!
In the evening, après ski back in Banff.
Read more:
Sunshine Village ski resort: Quick guide
After all the adrenaline of yesterday’s skiing session, time for a relaxing day admiring the awe inspiring landscape of Lake Louise… Maybe not so relaxing, though, at least for the guys in our group who got involved in a local ice hockey match on the frozen surface of the lake!
After some ice skating, a luxurious afternoon tea at the Fairmont Chateaux and a romantic sunset walk, it was time to get back to Banff and a hearty Canadian dinner.
Read more:
An unforgettable winter’s day in Lake Louise, Canada
Now that we got our ski legs back, it was time to explore Lake Louise ski resort.
Nestled in the Rockies and spread across four mountain faces, not only does the resort offer world class skiing but we also got some spectacular views over glaciers, lakes and forests.
In the evening, après ski in Banff.
Read more:
Lake Louise ski resort: Quick guide
None of us expected to love dog sledding as much as we did, but what is there not to love?
Running through snowy forests where the only sound was the dogs running and the muffled gliding of the sled on the fresh snow was simply… mind blowing. I will not forget the moment we came out of the narrow treelined path and into a huge open space; we were gliding on top of a frozen lake!
Oh, and did I mention the hugs with the doggies?
Read more:
Banff winter bucket list: Dog sledding
Our second visit to Sunshine Village ski resort!
Read more:
Skiing the Canadian Rockies: Sunshine & Lake Louise VS the Alps
For our final day on the slopes, we chose to re-visit Sunshine Village only because it was closer to the town of Banff than Lake Louise ski resort is.
We loved both ski resorts though.
Read more:
The ultimate après ski packing tips, must-haves & extras
A relaxing start to the day with a gondola ride to Sulphur Mountain observation deck. We particularly liked walking along the boardwalk to the Cosmic Ray Station as well as having lunch at the panoramic restaurant.
After spending our morning amongst the clouds, visiting the Upper Hot Springs took us to even higher levels of relaxation.
Read more:
Banff winter bucket list: Sulphur Mountain & Banff Upper Hot Springs
A lovely morning on the very popular hiking trail in Johnston Canyon. Walking (on ice cleats) along steel catwalks built into the canyon walls and admiring the airy views into the icy gorge below was super fun.
Back to Banff for our final evening; drinks and dinner, Alberta style.
Read more:
Banff winter bucket list: Johnston Canyon hike
That’s a wrap! What an incredible trip, can’t recommend it enough!
Banff, till next time…
INCLUDING JASPER & ICEFIELDS PARKWAY INTO A BANFF ITINERARY
If you are travelling to Canada from anywhere further than, let’s say, northern USA, it is easy to get carried away by the desire to see as much of the country as possible, all in one go. When my friends and I planned our trip to Banff from London, we were tempted to include Jasper National Park and the epic drive through the Icefields Parkway into our itinerary -amongst many other ideas. If you are reading this, I am guessing you are too!
As you saw in the itinerary, we didn’t go to Jasper after all but focused solely on Banff National Park. In retrospective, given the number of days we had, we are all glad that we kept it simple. Exploring both Banff and Jasper and also doing some decent skiing, all in 12 days, would have been… intense, to say the least. My friends, my partner and I are all fans of slow travel. Rushing from one place to the next is not our cup of tea. Jasper will be included in our next Canadian adventure, though, and I can’t wait!
Visiting Banff National Park is a proper trip on its own right. As tempting as it is to combine half of Canada with it, make sure you allow for enough time to enjoy this unique place. Further than the actual sightseeing, it would be a shame to miss out on all the fun activities available such as tobogganing, ice skating, snowshoeing… the list is long!
TIPS FOR A 2-WEEK TO 3-WEEK BANFF ITINERARY
If you are planning a longer Canadian adventure, here are some ideas to extend your itinerary.
- Classic add-on: Explore Jasper National Park.
- For those who love to drive: Drive through the Rockies and explore Whistler and Vancouver.
- For those who love trains (and a dash of luxury): Go on a dreamy train journey with the Rocky Mountaineer (on my bucket list!).
TIPS FOR A 7-DAY TO 10-DAY BANFF ITINERARY
If you have less time than we did, you can either reduce the number of days skiing / snowboarding or condense our itinerary.
More specifically, you can merge day 2 and 10; Sulphur Mountain and Banff Upper Hot Springs are located close to the town of Banff. You could also spend just a couple of hours in Lake Louise rather than a whole day although we did love every minute of our perfect day there. Lastly, rather than hiking in Johnston Canyon during the day, you can opt for the organised Johnston Canyon Evening Icewalk. This is a completely different experience than the day hike, for sure. However, it will free up several hours of daylight to be used for another activity of your choice.
FINAL THOUGHTS
So, this is it! Hope you found this Banff itinerary a great source of inspiration for your winter travels in one of Canada’s most famous regions. If you have read any of my other Banff blog posts, you probably know already that this was a trip full of wow moments and lots of fun in the snow. We can’t wait to go back and explore more! If you are planning your own Canadian adventure and need more information, don’t hesitate to post your questions in the comments section below.
This is not a sponsored post & I am not affiliated with any of the hotels, restaurants or organisations mentioned.
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