Home Activities Canada Alberta Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour in Icefields Parkway

Activity Alberta, Canada

Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour in Icefields Parkway

4.8 (51 reviews) 8–16 hours Free cancellation Private tour

out of 5

51 reviews

4.8

Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour in Icefields Parkway — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour in Icefields Parkway, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Download GuideAlong's self-guided audio tour of the Icefields Parkway for the best way to tour this incredible drive. Along the way, hear stories play automatically as you explore spectacular mountains, brightly coloured lakes & glaciers.

Gaze at Peyto Lake’s vibrant blue waters, marvel at the powerful waters of Athabasca Falls, and walk on the ancient Athabasca Glacier. Voted The World’s Most Beautiful Mountain Drive, make the most of your road trip while uncovering its geology, important characters, & best wildlife spotting locations.

Enjoy the freedom to explore offline at your own pace, spending more time at places that interest you.

Stories, tips, and directions play automatically based on your location

Travel at your own pace

Tour offline using GPS, no cell service or WiFi needed

Suggested itineraries for half, full, or multi-day use

Buy once, use forever! No expiry, includes free updates.

Like having a tour guide along for the drive

Purchase one tour per vehicle.

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At a glance

Duration: 8–16 hours
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–15
Audio guide: English
Operated by: GuideAlong (GyPSy Guide)

What is included

Included

Included: Support: Toll free phone, chat and email
Included: Easy To Use: Pre-download and tour offline
Included: Trip Planners: In-app, web and PDF
Included: Location Based: Stories, tips & directions that autoplay
Included: GuideAlong (GyPSy Guide) Audio Tour: 150 Points
Included: Buy once, use forever! No expiry, includes free updates
Included: Includes an app based self-guided experience, so you do not need any in-person guide.
Included: Flexible Routes: Suggested itineraries or create your own

Not included

Not included: Entry Fees, National Park Passes, Reservations

Itinerary

Icefields Parkway

8 hours

As the audio guides play commentary based on your gps location, you can create your own itinerary along the tour route(s) to match your interests and schedule. You can drive the Icefields Parkway in either direction.

Or you can use our trip planners for our suggestions on half, full or multi day itineraries.

Some of the many highlights are listed below;
Crowfoot Glacier

20 min

Located alongside Bow Lake, Crowfoot Glacier is a fine example of a hanging glacier and looks like it is stuck onto the face of the mountain.

The name comes from how the glacier was shaped like the foot of a crow. The Crowfoot originally had 3 toes, but as the glacier has shrunk, it now has just 2 toes.
Bow Lake

30 min

Bow Lake is fed by the Bow Glacier which sits above it. And all of that water running out of the lake becomes the Bow River which runs through Banff National Park and into Calgary and beyond. A historic lodge sits beside the lake, Num Ti Jah, which was built by Jimmy Simpson, one of Banff's legendary early guides.

Because only relatively small trees were available, the hand-built log building was constructed in an unusual hexagonal shape to begin with. In its time it was the largest log building in the world. Bow Lake is an excellent photo stop.
Weeping Wall

Passing by

An impressive cliff that we drive under as valley narrows, the Weeping Wall oozes snow melt from above and trickles though the rock. This process continues through the winter too, making for excellent frozen falls for ice climbers to scale.
Stop 5

30 min

Located at Bow Summit is the simply amazing Peyto Lake. Despite being a full hour drive away from the Columbia Icefield, Bow Summit is the highest point on the Icefields Parkway.

The elevated viewing location, the surrounding mountains, and being glacier fed, makes Peyto Lake perhaps the most superbly coloured, mountain lakes you will ever see. Fingers crossed for a sunny day, as the more sunshine, the brighter the colour.
Stop 6

1 h 30 min

Located close to the Icefield Centre, Parker Ridge is a popular short but steep hike. The reward for walking to the edge of the ridge is the superb views of the Saskatchewan Glacier which fills the valley behind.

Because of the elevation of 6,000 feet, the hike may be more tiring than you would expect. Just take your time, and take frequent rests if feeling short of breath. The view is worth it and most people will spend about 1 1/2 - 2 hours enjoying the experience. It is common to find snow on the trail year-round.
Athabasca Glacier

30 min

Located around halfway between Jasper and Banff on the Icefields Parkway, the Athabasca Glacier is one of the route highlights and one of the most accessible glaciers in the world.

Located around halfway between Jasper and Banff on the Icefields Parkway, the Athabasca Glacier is one of the route highlights and one of the most accessible glaciers in the world.

You can take in the views from the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre or book a Columbia Icefield Adventure Tour which will take you up onto the glacier on an Ice Explorer, a giant all-terrain vehicle.
Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre

3 hours

The Athabasca Glacier is one of the outflows from the larger Columbia Icefield, and it's one of the most accessible glaciers in the world. You can drive right to the toe of the glacier, watching the markers that show how far it has retreated over more than a century.

The Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre is where you can book the Columbia Icefield Adventure Tour which will take you up onto the glacier on an Ice Explorer, a giant all-terrain vehicle. This ticket also includes a separate bus taking you to a glass bottomed SkyWalk out over a canyon, and you'll need to allow at least 3 hours for the combined experience. If you're short on time, you can book the SkyWalk by itself.
Sunwapta Falls and Canyon

30 min

Sunwapta has one of the prettiest settings of the many impressive waterfalls of the Canadian Rockies. Outstanding viewpoints are accessed within just a minute of the car park.

Those with a little more energy will enjoy exploring the 3km loop trail that explores to peaceful pools lower into the canyon and can be completed easily in an hour.
Athabasca Falls

30 min

Located at the Jasper end of the Icefields Parkway, the Athabasca Falls cut through very hard quartz-rich rock, cascading their way through a narrow canyon.

A spectacle at any time, during the spring thaw, snow melt delivers an incredible amount of water over the falls for an impressive show.

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

From Jasper, join Hwy 93 southbound from town to begin the tour. After booking, search your email for “Download Audio Tour,” then preview the route in the app.
From Banff, drive toward Lake Louise and continue past its exit to Hwy 93N. Commentary begins as you approach the Icefields Parkway exit. After booking, search your email for “Download Audio Tour,” then preview the route in the app.
Includes an app-based self-guided experience, so there is no need to meet an in-person guide. From Lake Louise, join Hwy 93N as commentary begins near the Icefields Parkway exit from Hwy 1. After booking, search your email for “Download Audio Tour.”

End point

From Jasper, join Hwy 93 southbound from town to begin the tour. After booking, search your email for “Download Audio Tour,” then preview the route in the app.
From Banff, drive toward Lake Louise and continue past its exit to Hwy 93N. Commentary begins as you approach the Icefields Parkway exit. After booking, search your email for “Download Audio Tour,” then preview the route in the app.
Includes an app-based self-guided experience, so there is no need to meet an in-person guide. From Lake Louise, join Hwy 93N as commentary begins near the Icefields Parkway exit from Hwy 1. After booking, search your email for “Download Audio Tour.”

Using your ticket

Includes an app based self-guided experience, so you do not need any in-person guide.

STEPS TO GET YOUR GUIDEALONG AUDIO TOUR:

1. SIGN IN + REDEEM your VOUCHER CODE: https://store.guidealong.com/voucher

2. DOWNLOAD the GuideAlong App

3. SIGN IN to the GuideAlong app with the same Apple or Google account as Step 1

4. DOWNLOAD the Audio Tour NOW

FIND YOUR VOUCHER CODE AND INSTRUCTIONS

Email: Search for “GuideAlong”. Check All Mail and junk/spam.
Text: Search for “GuideAlong”.
This Ticket: Find the VOUCHER CODE at the top under the QR code and redeem at Step
Viator App: Open your booking and Contact Support > Contact Tour Operator.
TripAdvisor App: Account > Messages.
Support: Call GuideAlong toll-free on 1866-477-1791.

DOWNLOAD THE GUIDEALONG APP & TOUR NOW

You must download the GuideAlong app and tour to your phone over WiFi or cellular data beforehand. If you can OPEN your tour and see START TOURING, it is downloaded. No service is required while touring.

FLEXIBLE TRAVEL DATE

There’s no expiry date or time limit for your tour. If your plans change, there’s no need to change your travel date.

CHARGING & SOUND

Use a USB/C car charger adapter in the auxiliary power outlet (cigarette lighter) to keep your phone charged, not the vehicle's USB port. Audio will play through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the app’s map will display on your phone. Connect your phone via Bluetooth to listen through the car stereo: guidealong.com/travel-tips-bluetooth/.

HELP & SUPPORT

FAQs: See the GuideAlong app’s Help menu or online FAQs at guidealong.com/faq.
Contact GuideAlong Support: Call toll-free 1866-477-1791, chat online at guidealong.com, or email [email protected].

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%

Good to know

Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How to Access: After booking you’ll receive an email and text with instructions (search “Download Audio Tour”). Click the link in the email/text to sign in with your preferred Apple or Google account and redeem your voucher code ahead of time.
Download The GuideAlong App: Download the free app over WiFi or cellular data and sign in with the same Apple or Google account.
Download The Tour: Download the tour in the GuideAlong app under 'My Tours' over WiFi or cellular data.
Start The Tour: Open the tour in the GuideAlong app to preview the start locations, tour route and trip planner, or start the tour.
Location-Based Stories: Audio commentary plays automatically as you drive using your phone’s GPS chip. Wherever you are and whichever direction you’re going, you’ll hear the best stories and tips.
Flexible Travel Date: Tours are a one-time purchase with no expiry or date/time limit. If your plans change to a different day, there’s no need to change your travel date.
Tour at Your Leisure: With GuideAlong, you control the pace. Start, stop, and resume the tour any day, anytime, adapting it to your schedule.
Driving Tours: Group Savings: One purchase covers everyone in the vehicle, making it a cost-effective way to explore.
Works Offline: No internet or cell service is required once the audio tour is downloaded to your phone, so you can relax and tour offline.
Bring A Charger: Pack a USB/C car charger for charging and easy sound connectivity, and make sure your device is fully charged.
Technical Support: The GuideAlong support team is available daily by toll-free phone, online chat, and email.
The app’s audio will play through your car’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto display, while the app’s map will display on your phone. You can connect your phone to the car via Bluetooth to listen to the commentary through the car stereo.