Banff Tours, Banff National Park
Canadian Rockies Sightseeing Tours
Beautiful Banff National Park lies in the majestic Canadian Rockies. First established in 1885, it is Canada’s oldest national park, spanning 6,641 square km (2,564 square miles) of protected terrain and encompassing picturesque mountains, glaciers, meadows, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, hot springs and a wide array of stunning wild life. Nestled in between Mount Rundle, Cascade Mountain, Mount Norquay, Sulphur Mountain, and Tunnel Mountain, the town of Banff Alberta offers attractions, festivals, arts, outdoor adventure and so much more.
Select a sightseeing tour from Banff below:
In 1883, Sulphur Mountain’s hot springs were discovered by three Canadian Pacific railway workers and its popularity quickly grew with the establishment of the castle-like Banff Springs Hotel by William Cornelius Van Horne. Van Horne, the railroad's president, was the one who stated "Since I can't export the scenery; I'll import the tourists.” Other characteristic buildings erected soon after included the centrally located Mount Royal. In the spirit of discovering and protecting the area, numerous tours also began being offered by the local Brewster brothers.
Today, the town of Banff is less than 4 sq kilometres and located within a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a protected area that embodies a natural, serene yet dynamic way of life. Development is carefully managed within the existing footprint of the townsite.
The summmer season sees approx 4 million visitors to the area. However, winter is low season and ski vacations in Banff are very popular with three ski resorts nearby; Ski Norquay, Sunshine Village and Lake Louise ski resort just a short drive from hotels.
Nearby Tunnel Mountain is very popular for quick hikes; named Tunnel Mountain because surveyors initially wanted to make a tunnel for the Trans-Canada (Canadian Pacific) Railroad right through the mountain.