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Wildlife on the Bow | Big Canoe Tour in Banff National Park
4.9
63 Ratings
Banff
Embark on a scenic canoe tour on the Bow River in Banff and discover animal habitats, behaviors, and conservation efforts. Spot bald eagles, elk, muskrats, and even a resident beaver. Learn about wildlife encounters and the challenges they face. Perfect for families!
Duration:
1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Wolf Street & Bow Avenue - Canoeing along the Bow River in Banff provides the perfect vantage point for spotting Canada’s famous wildlife. As you paddle, enjoy working as a team with your fellow paddlers while a guide navigates the big canoe and shares stories about animal habitats, behaviours and conservation. Learn best practice for wildlife encounters and discover the challenges animals face with increasing human interaction. While traveling up the scenic river, you can hope to spot elk, bald eagles, beavers, and more. With 12 seats per canoe, this is a great option for families and no paddling experience is necessary. The river provides an ideal platform for photographing wildlife!
What's Included
- Paddles and Life Jackets
- Goods and Services Tax (GST)
- Live commentary on board
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Food and drinks
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
Additional Information
Experience the charm of the Bow River from our 12-passenger canoe. Embark on an early evening Big Canoe tour and gather interesting insights about the life and conservation of animals. Leave behind the buzzing Banff streets and plunge into the bosom of nature. Revel in the fun of paddling through the picturesque Bow, all the while watching out for the local fauna - bald eagles, elk, muskrats and maybe even “Barry”, our resident beaver. Listen to our knowledgeable guides as they explain the effective measures to take during wildlife encounters and explore the complications caused by growing human interference. There’s no better setting for an educational wildlife tour. It’s a delightful experience for all ages! Excellent tour for families.
Location
Wolf Street & Bow Avenue
Please park at the Banff Train Station and walk to the Banff Canoe Club
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(63 Ratings)
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Robyn_m
Aug 18, 2024
Great experience! - Very calming experience after a long day of hiking. We saw some beavers, loon and
Heron. Cam was our guide, super friendly and shared lots of interesting facts!
Review provided by Viator
Lesley-ann
Aug 16, 2024
Relaxing on the river - We had a fantastic trip with our excellent guide Alec keeping us entertained on the way. He had a vast array of animal sounds to go along with his extensive knowledge of the river and its wildlife. At one point he did an Elk sound and lo and behold the next moment we saw an Elk at the riverside! We very briefly spotted a black bear and also followed a Beaver for quite a while and got to see him eating on the riverbank. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dave
Aug 12, 2024
Experiencing the Bow River on the Big Canoe - Our morning canoe trip in the big canoe was a highlight during our Banff vacation. Our guide Jade was knowledgeable, fun and passionate. We definitely recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rochelle7782
Aug 6, 2024
Trip highlight! - This was a trip highlight for my family of four! Our guide, Jacob, was friendly, knowledgeable and had a great sense of humour! We got very lucky and got to see a young bear who was meandering along the bank of the river…we were able to watch the bear for a long time, staying with him as he walked along! This was the ideal way to see a bear up close! We also saw some beavers, and beaver lodges. The river itself is a gorgeous turquoise hue. I highly recommend this experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sheree_f
Aug 4, 2024
Fantastic staff, Beautiful river tour!! - This was a wonderful tour! The views were incredible and our guide, Nieve (spelling?), was fantastic! She gave us lots of local history facts and made every effort to make the trip as individual as possible. I would definitely book this trip again a the views from the water were just incredible!
Review provided by Viator
Woutr901
Jul 22, 2024
Awesome trip down the Bow river - We had an amazing time at the waters of the Bow river in Banff. During our canoe trip we learned a lot about the nature and mountains around from our guide Bri, who was cheerful and could have been explaining for two more trips.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Davidme4750uf
Jul 21, 2024
Amazing experience - It was amazing, the river was a great experience and even the Vermilion lakes. You have to cross the beavers dam in order to get there. Calvin was really helpful. Cheers mate!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Noushinp2022
Jul 16, 2024
Lots of fun and a great way to enjoy the Bow river. - We had a great time with Ethan, our guide on the canoe. He was funny and informative. Great fun.
It was our first activity when we arrived in Banff. It allowed us to be out on the river till
9 pm and enjoy the light outside.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pjgrad
Jul 9, 2024
Great fun - I wasn't sure what to expect and my spouse is unsure around water but I talked him into it. He LOVED it. The pace was pleasurable. Everyone wore life vests so he didn't feel alone. It was easy to find the location and communication was clear. The guide was very interesting and knowledgeable. We didn't spot a moose or bear. But we did see a beaver and a few different birds. If you're wondering if you should book this - DO!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hfalomir
Jul 13, 2024
Not for anyone - The tour was for anyone, but it does require some strength to paddle against the tide and is worse when there are people in the canoe who have some incapacity and do not paddle.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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