Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Lake Minnewanka Cruise: Cruise Options, Hours & Rates

lake minnewanka cruise

If you’re in Banff around Christmas or New Year, watch Lake Minnewanka, as it typically freezes over enough to ice skate during this time. Lake Minnewanka cruises open for the 2024 summer season in mid-May (May 10, 2024) and run until October 14th. It’s a unique natural feature that looks out to the east and the plains of Alberta while enveloped in a mountain amphitheater. You’re guaranteed spectacular mountain vistas while you cruise across the emerald water. The large lake is well known for its “swells” that occur when the wind gust picks up. More advanced paddlers can plan multi-day camping trips along the lake with their own canoes.

Hiking to Stewart Canyon

You can take a booze cruise on this stunning Alberta lake next month - Curiocity

You can take a booze cruise on this stunning Alberta lake next month.

Posted: Thu, 27 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. The Lake Minnewanka Cruise is one of the best ways to see the lake and its surrounding scenery! It is one of the most beautiful lakes we’ve been to and has such a fascinating story behind it. We definitely recommend going and booking your tour ahead of time, so they don’t sell out. Two Jack Lake is also just a 5-minute drive from Lake Minnewanka. We think it’s definitely worth checking out this smaller lake while you’re in the area.

lake minnewanka cruise

Other Things to do in Banff in Summer

As of June 2021, Banff National Park requires a Self-Certification Permit for any non-motorized watercraft, fishing equipment and aquatic recreational equipment. Please help stop the spread of invasive species in Banff National Park by cleaning, draining and drying your paddleboard before and after you SUP on Lake Minnewanka. There are a wide variety of boat rentals at Lake Minnewanka, including canoe rentals, single or double kayak rentals or even a 16-foot motorboat rental. The Lake Minnewanka boat rentals come with all required safety equipment and gas (if required). As you might imagine in one of Banff’s most beautiful locations, there are many excellent Lake Minnewanka hikes. One of our favorite Lake Minnewanka hikes is the Stewart Canyon Trail.

Enjoy some food or drinks

There are tons of great hotels right in Banff town, but if you prefer somewhere a little outside of town, we’ve got you covered too. Below are some amazing hotels we recommend for all budget types. Of course, we had to check out the Lake Minnewanka cruise for ourselves after hearing all of the hype. We arrived well before our cruise, but it’s recommended to get here and check in at least 15 minutes before. There is a 72 hour cancellation policy, which allows you to change/cancel or refund your booking up to 72 hours outside your booked tour (up to 10 days for group bookings).

Best Things to do at Lake Minnewanka in Banff

At this point me and a few of the kids headed to the back of the boat to sit out on the back deck of the boat. This gave us amazing views of the lake and the surrounding mountains. He also had a hot stone that he poured water over and walked around to let everyone touch it.

What to Wear and Bring on Board

The Black Anchor Snack shop is available for a variety of snacks and to-go food and drink items right off the lakeshore. Washroom facilities are available at the parking lot and there are also plentiful picnic and recreational areas around Lake Minnewanka. The Lake Minnewanka Cruise is a unique sightseeing tour exploring Lake Minnewanka, the largest lake in Banff National Park. If you’re arriving in Alberta via plane then I can’t recommend getting a rental car enough. Canada is a large country and traveling between cities and even just getting out to some of the best places to visit in Alberta requires transport.

During the winter, the western part of the road is closed as it’s a wildlife corridor. You’ll only be able to drive the eastern section of the road in the winter. It’s a very popular road to cycle, and cyclist deserve their space on the road. There are large windows to take in the surroundings from, and and outdoor space to get closer to nature. There are no bathrooms on the boats, so please do your business beforehand, or it will be a very long boat ride.

We think this is one of the most spectacular areas and the perfect place for an outdoor vacation. We aim to help you get the most out of your trip to Banff National Park and the surrounding areas. Bankhead is a tiny coal mining town that thrived in Banff National Park in the early 1900s. The town’s coal mine was situated under Cascade Mountain, which harbored superior-quality anthracite coal reserves. Which is a nice challenge that provides astounding views of Lake Minnewanka and the Bow Valley.

For the best weather, we recommend July and August, and for the calmest waters, we recommend booking either an early morning cruise or an evening cruise. Cruises last between 1 hour and 1.5 hours depending on which cruise package you purchase. We recommend booking the 1.5 hour Premium Cruise or Beer Voyage Cruise. Lake Minnewanka is one of the most beautiful lakes in all of Banff. Its beauty captures the hearts of nearly every visitor to the park. Even after seeing the lake numerous times throughout every month of the year, it never gets old.

One of the best things to do at this beautiful picnic spot in Banff National Park is to take a scenic 1-hour Lake Minnewanka cruise. A popular sightseeing option at Lake Minnewanka for over 100 years, the Minnewanka Lake cruise takes visitors on a very scenic, fun and informative journey on the water. And they let you start to board 15 minutes before your departure. We got on and sat down in our seats and waited for the boat cruise to take off at 10am.

There is only one company that operates the cruises on Lake Minnewanka, and that is Pursuit. They are the same company that operates popular Banff attractions like the Banff Gondola, Athabasca Glacier Experience, and the Jasper Skywalk. From family-friendly expeditions to cruising with a craft beer in hand, find the right tour for you on Lake Minnewanka. On the Beer Voyage cruise, we’ve teamed up with an amazing local bakery to serve the perfect treat to compliment your beer—a fresh and warm pretzl-sourdough bun.

lake minnewanka cruise

Over time the town would grow to four avenues, dozens of cottages, hotels, restaurants, and multiple sailing companies to take guests out on the Lake Minnewanka. It’s important to note that Lake Minnewanka Cruise (and other activities offered by Pursuit, such as Banff Gondola) operates on dynamic pricing. That means the higher the demand, the higher the price, so you can expect higher prices during summer weekends. There are speakers on the deck, so you don’t miss out on any information about Lake Minnewanka’s history or Indigenous stories shared by knowledgeable guide. Samesun Banff Hostel is a great budget choice with dorm rooms.

This is a great way to get to Lake Minnewanka if you visit Banff without a vehicle. Many visitors to the Rockies can only choose so many paid experiences, as a trip to Banff can get very expensive. The two cruise experiences are on Maligne Lake in Jasper and Lake Minnewanka in Banff. While both are fantastic, we would tell any visitor who can only choose one to consider the Maligne Lake cruise to Spirit Island over the cruise on Lake Minnewanka. There are a wide range of boating options on Lake Minnewanka, including canoes, motorboats, kayaks, or even stand-up paddleboards.

What You Should Know About the Lake Minnewanka Beer Voyage - Avenue Calgary

What You Should Know About the Lake Minnewanka Beer Voyage.

Posted: Wed, 29 Jul 2020 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Roam Transit runs a bus service to Lake Minnewanka in the summer months. Route 6 leaves downtown Banff every 30 minutes and takes approximately 25 minutes to reach the lake. Lake Minnewanka Cruise offers spectacular views, but they don’t change much. On the other hand, Maligne Lake Cruise’s views are on a whole new level.

Show your tour ticket to the Route 6 bus driver of the Bow Valley's Roam Public Transit service from Downtown Banff to Lake Minnewanka and get a FREE RETURN RIDE. Parks Canada Passes can be bought online here or at one of the Visitor Centers or booths at the entrance to many national parks. It’s about 15 km (9.3 miles) from Banff town, so it takes about 20 minutes to drive there. If you’re driving from Calgary to Banff, it’s 132 km (82 miles). And if you’re coming from Lake Louise, Lake Minnewanka is 70 km (43 miles) away.

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