Abraham Lake, Peyto Lake, and Bow Lake: A Full-Day Banff Tour Worth Booking
Updated: Sep 10
Three lakes, One Unforgettable Day
In early 2026, I made a pretty impulsive booking to visit Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It was January in Georgia, and not a snowflake in sight. I was craving some REAL snow. Banff had been on my list for a while. I've seen the tiktoks and Instagram Reels of the ice blue lakes and overwhelming beauty of the Canadian Rockies. Banff was the perfect destination for what I was looking for, the town itself is walkable, with local bus transporation, and a paid shuttle service directly from the Calgary airport. On top of the logistics falling right into place, there would be lots of snow, beautiful scenery and adventures to have. It's also worth mentioning, Banff ranks pretty high in safety, which is always important to me as a solo female traveler.
On my solo trips, I don't often get to do the outdoorsy activities I would like just due to the safety surrounding it, or lack thereof. This was the perfect opportunity for a group tour though! A group tour meant I wouldn't have to navigate snowy roads and potentially treacherous terrain on my own, and I would still get to see everything Banff had to offer. I found the perfect tour on GetYourGuide. It was a full day, 8 hour tour taking you to 3 of the most popular lake spots: Bow Lake, Abraham Lake and Peyto Lake. I'd seen photos of the ice bubbles at Abraham Lake that form under the surface and knew I had to see this naturally occurring phenomenon in person. The fact this tour included 2 additional lakes was a major bonus.
It was an early wake up, but luckily just a short walk from the hotel I was staying at. The tour had 4 pick up locations, mine was at the Banff Caribou Hotel at 9:00 am. We all boarded the shuttle bus and soon enough we were en route to our first stop: Bow Lake.
Bow Lake: Stepping into a Snowglobe
The drive along the Icefields Parkway lived up to the hype. The bus ride to Bow Lake took about an hour. As we got higher and higher in the mountains, snow began to fall. Being from the South East, I find snow to be so calming and mesmerizing. I honestly felt like I'd won the lottery being able to experience this adventure during snowfall.
Soon enough, we arrived at Bow Lake. The second I stepped off the bus, I felt like I was in a real life snow globe. The conditions were snowy and overcast, but in the most stunning way. Everything was covered in snow: the road, the lake, the mountain behind the lake.
There was another tour bus that was part of the same parent company that was there at the same time. Their guide took them down a path onto the lake. Personally, I opted to stay at the top, the views were just as good and did not want to risk any injury. I tend to exercise a little more caution when I'm traveling solo.
First stop: Bow Lake
Abraham Lake: The Famous "Ice Bubbles"
After Bow Lake, our group boarded the shuttle, our guide ran a quick head count and then we were off to the next lake on our itinerary: Abraham Lake. If you do a quick google of Abraham Lake in the winter you will find all sorts of stories and pictures of the Abraham Lake ice bubbles. And yes, it is as cool as it sounds. What causes these bubbles under the ice you might ask... science!
Trees and plants on the bottom of the lake start to decay. During that process, methane gas is released, creating bubbles. As the lake continues to freeze over, these bubbles become trapped in the ice creating that layered bubble effect under the surface.
When we arrived at Abraham Lake, we all received a pair of crampons so that we would have more traction for walking across the ice. Good thing we had these crampons, because we had to go hunting for these ice bubbles. Our partner tour group could be seen in the distance taking pictures and I knew what that meant. They found the ice bubbles. One by one, we all started to migrate over to the other group. I have never seen so many adults filled with pure joy. There were people laying on the frozen lake making snow angels in the newly fallen snow, dragging each other around on the ice. This is what life is about: prioritizing once in a lifetime experiences. This is what true happiness and joy looked like. No reception, no social media, no phones except for taking pictures. Everyone was so present in the moment and the only use our phones served were to document the moment.
And the coolest part is that we were all from different parts of the world: the UK, Australia, Japan and so many more! But experiencing mother nature and seeing something so wonderful with your own eyes is a force to be reckoned with.
The iconic Abraham Lake ice bubbles
When we finished at Abraham Lake, we took a brief lunch break. They tell you ahead of time to bring your own lunch as there are no places to get food along the Icefields Parkway. We enjoyed lunch on the warm bus where we all started connecting and conversing with one another, learning where everyone traveled from, how long they were staying in Banff and what else they had planned for their trip. Our guide surprised us with a large box of chips we could choose from and we had our choice of hot coffee or hot cocoa. He had hot water that he poured over the instant packet of your choice, a nice little afternoon pick me up.
After lunch, we got back on the ice fields parkway where the snowfall would come and go. We stopped at some public restrooms on our way to Peyto Lake. These are the only restrooms during the tour aside from the restrooms at the final lake, Peyto.
Peyto Lake: A Different Kind of Beauty
When we got to Peyto Lake, the parking lot was FULL! There were so many cars. I will say, this was another added benefit of taking a group tour, you did not have to worry about rushing to any of the lakes first thing in the morning to secure a spot.
This last lake requires a short hike to the view point. The hike is only about half a mile and is an overall pretty easy walk. You are surrounded by large fluffy green trees, each one covered in snow. Again, it felt like a winter wonderland. I was living my dream.
Once you make it to the view point, you are greeted with another breathtaking view of a snow covered lake. My favorite thing about this day is that each lake had something so incredibly different to offer. The weather at each one could not have been more different due to the varying altitudes. The scenery was different, the vibes were different. Each one so beautiful, in their own ways.
Peyto Lake can be enjoyed from a viewing deck up above. Again, a different experience from the other two lakes. By the third lake, you more than likely had a few friends from your tour bus which means you now have some designated photographers who will take your photos...and you for them.
Peyto Lake brought our fun-filled, extraordinary day in the Canadian Rockies to a close. In fact, this is how I spent my Valentine's day. Mother Nature was my designated Valentine for 2026. Thanks for showing off.
Last stop, Peyto Lake
What to Know Before You Book
Depending on the time of year, your route will change because of road conditions, etc. If you book your tour date April through the end of November, you will visit Sunwapta Falls. December through the end of March, you will visit Abraham Lake.
The tour is an all day event, pick up in the town of Banff around 9:00 am and you will arrive back in town around 5:00. I paid $60.39 for my ticket, which was a great deal for a shuttle bus to all 3 lakes. Some light snacks and drinks were also provided during lunch time. You will also want to be mindful of the lack of bathrooms. There is no bathroom on the bus and we did not get a bathroom break until after lunch at some public restrooms that were off the side of the road. There was also bathroom facilities at Peyto Lake. Due to the snow, one of the bathroom facilities was completely snowed in, so there was a line for the facilities.
While you are on the ice fields parkway, you will not have any service. You will quite literally be off the grid. As a solo traveler, I told my parents ahead of time. I texted them when I got picked up and was on the shuttle and let them know I would touch base with them as soon as I was able to. I did not have service again until we were on our way back to town. So be prepared not to have service. In fact, our guide even recommended putting our phone into airplane mode to help save your phone battery.
Speaking of your phone battery, I would highly recommend bringing a portable charger, you will be taking LOTS of pictures and videos.
What to Pack
a portable phone charger
lots of layers, the weather is unpredictable and the bus could get a bit warm at times
snacks/lunch
a hat and gloves
sunglasses, the sun tends to reflect off the snow
Would I do it Again?
If you are headed to Banff and are hoping to see some of the other iconic lakes around Banff, I would highly recommend this tour. It eliminates trying to navigate the Icefields Parkway in dead zone for cell service. You have a guide who shares different facts and information with you throughout the day. It removes an extra layer of planning. You are able to just show up, hop on the bus and enjoy the adventure.
So, would I do it again? In a heartbeat! This day was one of a kind and as a solo traveler, I felt so grateful I was able to experience this by choosing to go on a group tour with professionals that are trained to drive on the snowy/icy roads. If a group tour hadn't been an option, I would have missed all of it: the snowfall at Bow Lake, walking on a frozen lake to see ice bubbles at Abraham Lake, and hiking through a winter wonderland leading up to the most spectacular view of Peyto Lake.
I visited during the winter time and I do think it would be amazing to see the lakes thawed in the spring/summer time. It would be a totally different experience and a different way to experience the lakes.
Dreaming of your own trip to Banff, or somewhere just as unforgettable? I'd love to help you plan it.
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