Icefields Parkway and Ice Bubbles of Abraham Lake Tour

5.0 (66 reviews) 8 hours Free cancellation

out of 5

66 reviews

5.0

Icefields Parkway and Ice Bubbles of Abraham Lake Tour — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Icefields Parkway and Ice Bubbles of Abraham Lake Tour, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Winter's best kept secret.

Walk onto Abraham Lake's crystal ice and stare down at thousands of methane bubbles frozen in time. The bubbles reveal themselves once the lake freezes clear, typically from late December into February, and your guide tracks ice conditions daily so you see the lake at its best. Then explore the quietest stretches of the Icefields Parkway and walk or snowshoe to our favourite lookouts. Hot drinks in hand while the Rockies put on their best winter show.

★ Banff's top-rated tour provider, with 5,000+ five-star reviews and four Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice awards.

Highlights:

❄ Frozen methane bubbles of Abraham Lake

❄ Peyto Lake viewpoint on a snowy forest trail

❄ Picnic lunch: gourmet sandwich, fruit, and a baked treat

Why book with Radventures:

▸ Max 10 guests in a premium van, never a coach

▸ Banff-born, independently owned

▸ 1% of every booking protects the places you explore

Day Trips Full-day Tours Bus Tours Private and Luxury Small Group Excellent Quality Adventure Tours Additional fees

At a glance

Duration: 8 hours
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Up to 10 people
People per booking: 1–10
Guide: English
Operated by: Radventures

Ages: Adults (12–75 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Comfortable, premium transportation
Included: Small group experience (max 10 guests)
Included: Polaroid souvenir
Included: A fresh picnic lunch from a local favourite: a gourmet sandwich (turkey by default), fruit, and a baked treat. Have a preference or dietary restriction? Reach out for an alternative.
Included: Fresh water refills (BYO bottle)
Included: Local guide trained in photography and storytelling
Included: Hotel pick-up and drop-off at select Banff and Lake Louise locations
Included: Hot drinks (hot chocolate, coffee, or tea) & sweet treat
Included: Ice cleats/crampons & hiking poles

Not included

Not included: Ice-skates or snowshoes rentals (please contact Radventures BEFORE booking)
Not included: Guide gratuities (optional)

Itinerary

Icefields Parkway

Passing by

Your local guide plans each day's route on the day.

Every morning, we check the weather, road conditions on the Icefields Parkway, and the ice on Abraham Lake, then choose the order of stops so you see each one at its best.

Dress for a full day outside in freezing temperatures. Wear warm layers, a hat and gloves, and waterproof winter boots. Conditions in the mountains can change quickly.

The stops below are a sample of where the tour may go.
Abraham Lake

one hour Admission included

Walk out onto the frozen surface of Abraham Lake, just east of Banff National Park, where methane bubbles freeze in stacked white layers beneath clear ice. Your guide finds the best patch of ice for the day, so you can see and photograph the bubbles up close.
Peyto Lake

45 min Admission included

At Bow Summit, the highest point on the Icefields Parkway, your guide fits you with snowshoes or ice cleats and shows you how to use them. If you can walk, you can snowshoe.

Follow a snowy forest trail to the Peyto Lake viewpoint, where the lake's famous wolf-head shape sits below a ring of peaks and glaciers.

The walk is optional but well worth it: an easy to moderate 1.5 km (0.9 mi) round trip, about 45 minutes.
Bow Lake

15 min

At 1,920 m (6,300 ft), Bow Lake is one of the largest lakes in Banff National Park and the source of the Bow River. In winter it freezes into a wide white plain beneath Crowfoot Mountain, with the Bow Glacier, part of the Wapta Icefield, spilling down the peaks above it.
Banff National Park

6 hours

Every full-day tour includes Abraham Lake, Peyto Lake, and Bow Lake.

Along the way, your guide may add extra stops based on the weather, road conditions, and recent wildlife sightings. These could include Waterfowl Lakes, Herbert Lake, Cline River Falls, or a quiet roadside pullout with a view worth stopping for.

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

Meet at the front of the hotel.

Pickup times:

Oct. 13 – Apr. 30: 9:20am

Please be ready 10 min before departure. Vehicle departs on schedule.
Meet at the bus loading zone in the Samson Mall parking lot, opposite the Lake Louise Visitor Centre.

Pickup times:

Oct. 13 – Apr. 30: 9:15am

Please be ready 10 min before departure. Vehicle departs on schedule.
Meet at the front of the hotel.

Pickup times:

Oct. 13 – Apr. 30: 8:35am

Please be ready 10 min before departure. Vehicle departs on schedule.
Meet at the bus loading zone on Elk Street, by the roundabout across from the Train Station, next to the Banff sign.

Pickup times:

Oct. 13 – Apr. 30: 8:30am

Please be ready 10 min before departure. Vehicle departs on schedule.
Meet at the front of the hotel.

Pickup times:

Oct. 13 – Apr. 30: 8:25am

Please be ready 10 min before departure. Vehicle departs on schedule.
Meet at the bus loading zone outside the Fairmont shops, by the turn circle.

Pickup times:

Oct. 13 – Apr. 30: 8:20am

Please be ready 10 min before departure. Vehicle departs on schedule.
Meet at the front entrance of the hotel.

Pickup times:

Oct. 13 – Apr. 30: 8:15am

Please be ready 10 min before departure. Vehicle departs on schedule.
Meet at the front of the hotel on Banff Ave.

Pickup times:

Oct. 13 – Apr. 30: 8:05am

Please be ready 10 min before departure. Vehicle departs on schedule.
Meet at the front of the hotel on Banff Ave.

Pickup times:

Oct. 13 – Apr. 30: 8:05am

Please be ready 10 min before departure. Vehicle departs on schedule.
Meet at the front of the hotel on Banff Ave.

Pickup times:

Oct. 13 – Apr. 30: 8:05am

Please be ready 10 min before departure. Vehicle departs on schedule.
Meet at the Roam Bus Stop on Tunnel Mtn Rd outside Tunnel Mtn Resort.

Pickup times:

Oct. 13 – Apr. 30: 8:00am

Please be ready 10 min before departure. Vehicle departs on schedule.

End point

Meet at the front of the hotel.

Pickup times:

Oct. 13 – Apr. 30: 9:20am

Please be ready 10 min before departure. Vehicle departs on schedule.
Meet at the bus loading zone in the Samson Mall parking lot, opposite the Lake Louise Visitor Centre.

Pickup times:

Oct. 13 – Apr. 30: 9:15am

Please be ready 10 min before departure. Vehicle departs on schedule.
Meet at the front of the hotel.

Pickup times:

Oct. 13 – Apr. 30: 8:35am

Please be ready 10 min before departure. Vehicle departs on schedule.
Meet at the bus loading zone on Elk Street, by the roundabout across from the Train Station, next to the Banff sign.

Pickup times:

Oct. 13 – Apr. 30: 8:30am

Please be ready 10 min before departure. Vehicle departs on schedule.
Meet at the front of the hotel.

Pickup times:

Oct. 13 – Apr. 30: 8:25am

Please be ready 10 min before departure. Vehicle departs on schedule.
Meet at the bus loading zone outside the Fairmont shops, by the turn circle.

Pickup times:

Oct. 13 – Apr. 30: 8:20am

Please be ready 10 min before departure. Vehicle departs on schedule.
Meet at the front entrance of the hotel.

Pickup times:

Oct. 13 – Apr. 30: 8:15am

Please be ready 10 min before departure. Vehicle departs on schedule.
Meet at the front of the hotel on Banff Ave.

Pickup times:

Oct. 13 – Apr. 30: 8:05am

Please be ready 10 min before departure. Vehicle departs on schedule.
Meet at the front of the hotel on Banff Ave.

Pickup times:

Oct. 13 – Apr. 30: 8:05am

Please be ready 10 min before departure. Vehicle departs on schedule.
Meet at the front of the hotel on Banff Ave.

Pickup times:

Oct. 13 – Apr. 30: 8:05am

Please be ready 10 min before departure. Vehicle departs on schedule.
Meet at the Roam Bus Stop on Tunnel Mtn Rd outside Tunnel Mtn Resort.

Pickup times:

Oct. 13 – Apr. 30: 8:00am

Please be ready 10 min before departure. Vehicle departs on schedule.

Cancellation

Free cancellation

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

If you cancel	You get back
At least one day before	100%
Less than a day before	0%

The operator may cancel if the weather does not allow it; you then get another date or your money back.
The operator may cancel if too few people book; you then get another date or your money back.

Good to know

Service animals allowed
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Guests who wish to participate in snowshoeing will need to be free of mobility issues.
Children 5 and under are unable to join our small group adventures.
A fresh picnic lunch from one of our local favourites, with a turkey sandwich by default. Have a preference or dietary restriction? Reach out and we'll sort you out with an alternative.