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Columbia Icefield tours follow the Icefields Parkway to the largest icefield in the Canadian Rockies, spread across the Continental Divide between Banff and Jasper national parks — its meltwater drains to three oceans. The Athabasca Glacier is the only outlet glacier you can reach by road, sitting opposite the Icefield Centre about 100 km south of Jasper town. Ice Explorer rides onto the glacier and the glass-floored Skywalk are optional and booked separately. Most trips depart from Calgary or Banff town, with longer packages from Vancouver. The icefield operates May to mid-October.
Our best-selling Columbia Icefield trips, from 1 to 10 days. Every one stops at the Athabasca Glacier on the Icefields Parkway, and most pair it with Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper. Coach transport and a guide are included on every trip; multi-day trips include hotels.
Most tours pass the Columbia Icefield in an afternoon. These stay the night on the Icefields Parkway instead, putting you at the glacier in the evening and again early the next morning, before the day coaches arrive.
Calgary is the airport hub, Banff town the closest start, and Vancouver the long way in from the coast. Pick a departure city to see the routes that leave from it, prices and how many days you'll need.
| Trip | Days | You'll see | From | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day trips | 1 Day | Bow Lake, Peyto Lake and the glacier itself, back the same evening — the Ice Explorer onto the ice is optional | $101 | The glacier in a day |
| Short trips | 2-4 Days | Two to four days on the Parkway with a night in Banff or Jasper town, adding Athabasca Falls and Maligne Canyon | $319 | A first visit |
| Vacation packages | 5-10 Days | Fives days and up from Calgary or Vancouver, adding Yoho, Waterton, Kamloops and Glacier National Park | $636 | The whole Rockies |
The Columbia Icefield is the ice sheet on the plateau above; the Athabasca Glacier is one of the tongues that flows down from it. Most of the icefield sits hidden behind the peaks. The Athabasca is the only one of its outlet glaciers you can reach by road, which is why every tour stops here. It ends opposite the Icefield Centre, and the walk from the parking area to the toe takes about half an hour each way.
A single day from Calgary or Banff town reaches the glacier and returns the same evening, taking in Bow Lake and Peyto Lake on the way. Longer routes add a night in Banff or Jasper town, which puts you on the Parkway in the early morning before the coaches arrive. The longest packages continue north to Jasper town and Maligne Lake, or west to Yoho and Kamloops.
The icefield is in Alberta, Canada, so travelers arriving from the United States need a valid passport, and entry requirements differ by nationality and by US immigration status — green card and visa holders should confirm their own before booking. National park admission is included on most tours, and the tour page confirms it. Bring a warm layer whatever the month: the Icefield Centre sits near 2,000 metres and the wind coming off the ice is cold in midsummer.
May to mid-October is the operating season. The Ice Explorer and Skywalk run daily from mid-morning to late afternoon in those months, and the icefield closes entirely outside them. July and August are the busiest — an overnight on the Parkway gets you to the glacier before the day coaches. Snow can fall at this elevation in any month.
The Icefield Centre faces the glacier directly, so the view needs no walking at all. The Ice Explorer is a seated ride onto the ice with a short walk at the top, and it is optional, so it can be skipped without leaving the group behind. The walk to the glacier toe is uphill over loose rock. Do not step onto the ice unguided — crevasses are hidden under snow and have caused deaths here.
Meal stops are usually at cafeterias and food courts rather than set restaurants, so travelers order their own and vegetarian options are available at every stop. Stricter requirements such as Jain or halal depend on what each stop carries, so raise them before departure rather than on the day. Services on the Parkway are sparse — the Icefield Centre and Saskatchewan River Crossing are the only two. Day trips do not include meals.
Choose a departure city, pick a date, and book online. Your confirmation gives the pickup point and time — these are set by the route rather than chosen at checkout. Shorter routes leave from Calgary and Banff town; longer packages leave from Calgary or Vancouver. Prices are per person and change by season.
On most tours it is optional and paid separately. The Ice Explorer and the Glacier Skywalk are run by a separate operator at the icefield and take about three hours together. Some routes bundle them into an activity package you select when booking; on others the guide arranges them on the day. Tours that do not include them still stop at the Icefield Centre, directly opposite the glacier.
The icefield itself closes before May and after the second Saturday of October, and the visitor centre shuts for the winter. Tours still depart in those months but substitute other stops — Lake Minnewanka and the Banff hot springs on the day trips. The Icefields Parkway stays open year-round except during avalanche control. Each tour page shows what your departure date covers.
Most Canadian Rockies routes are guided in English and Mandarin Chinese. A smaller number run in English only, and some departures also list Japanese. The languages for each departure are shown on the tour page.
