Moraine Lake Shuttle & Tours from Canmore, Banff, and Harvie Heights
The Best Way To Visit Moraine Lake
Premium small-group tours to Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, and Banff National Park. The same guide, the same vehicle, from start to finish.
4.95 ★★★★★ · 950+ reviews across Google, Tripadvisor, and GetYourGuide
Moraine Lake
Private Tours
Transfers
Skip the driving
Pickups in Canmore, Harvie Heights, and Banff. Because driving to a shuttle to catch another shuttle feels a bit silly
True mountain locals
Your guide calls these mountains home and will introduce you to them like old friends.
More animals, fewer semis
Part of your return winds through the Wildlife Corridor, where bears, elk, and bighorns actually show up.
No crowded buses
Groups capped at 14, so your guide knows your name and more about your family dynamics than expected.
Daily tours to Moraine Lake & Lake Louise
You've seen the photos. Time to fact-check them.
Daily tours to Moraine Lake and Lake Louise. Every tour travels via the Wildlife Corridor on the return drive, where wildlife sightings are common. Who knows, maybe the Boss, Banff's famous grizzly, will strike a pose for you from his good side.
From:
Pricing includes round trip transport + Moraine Lake access.
Additional booking fee + GST do apply. No hidden fees.
Moraine Lake + Lake Louise
This is the tour for guests who want to experience the lakes, not just see them. Canoe on Moraine Lake, hike to the Lake Agnes Tea House, or tackle Larch Valley. Five hours is enough to do one properly and still breathe. You pick the option when you book; we handle everything else.
Price is for a roundtrip from Canmore, Harvie Heights, or Banff.
Moraine Lake access fees included.
No surprise charges at checkout.
Booking fee and GST apply.
From:
Pricing includes round trip transport + Moraine Lake access.
Additional booking fee + GST do apply. No hidden fees.
Moraine Lake + Lake Louise
The morning light hits Moraine Lake at an angle that turns the water a shade of turquoise you won't fully believe until you're standing there. By 8 AM you are on the road through Banff National Park's prime wildlife corridors. By early afternoon you are back at your hotel, the rest of the day still ahead of you.
Price is for a roundtrip from Canmore, Harvie Heights, or Banff.
Moraine Lake access fees included.
No surprise charges at checkout.
Booking fee and GST apply.
From:
Pricing includes round trip transport + Moraine Lake access.
Additional booking fee + GST do apply. No hidden fees.
Moraine Lake + Lake Louise
By late afternoon, most visitors have already left. What stays is quieter: softer light, warmer tones, and sometimes a surface so still the peaks reflect straight back up at you. This tour is for guests who prefer to experience the lakes the way most people never do.
Price is for a roundtrip from Canmore, Harvie Heights, or Banff.
Moraine Lake access fees included.
No surprise charges at checkout.
Booking fee and GST apply.
Spend your time exploring, not waiting for the next shuttle.
Why Canmore Travel?
We handle every detail from pickup to drop-off, so you can focus on what you came for: turquoise lakes, towering Rocky Mountain peaks, and wildlife around the next corner. Keep an eye out for bears, elk, bighorn sheep, and, if the mountain gods are feeling generous, a moose. No driving. No parking headaches. No shuttle transfers. No wondering where to go next.
We come to you, not the other way around
Convenient pickup locations throughout Canmore, Harvie Heights, and Banff. No driving, no staging areas, and no wandering around a parking lot with Google Maps open wondering where the shuttle starts.
Parking at Moraine Lake taken care of
Private vehicles aren't allowed at Moraine Lake. Regular shuttles make you drive 80km to Lake Louise first, find parking, and then join the queue. With us, you board near your hotel and step out at the lake. No parking lot. No existential crisis at a shuttle queue.
One guide. One vehicle. Both lakes. No switching.
The same guide and the same vehicle stay with you throughout the day. No transfers, no changing vehicles, and no carrying your belongings from shuttle to shuttle. Leave your extra layers, snacks, and car seats in the van while you explore. When it's time to head to the next stop, you'll rejoin the same guide and the same vehicle you started with.
Guides who live here, not just for the summer
Our guides have spent years in these mountains. They know bear behaviour from 400 metres, the best light on Moraine Lake, and where elk like to dramatically block the road in September. Ask them a question and you'll get a real answer not something read off a laminated card by someone who arrived last Tuesday.
A van, not a bus. Max 14 guests.
Every tour runs in a comfortable 14-passenger van with large panoramic windows and high ceilings. The mountains don't wait until you reach the lakes to start showing off. You'll hear the guide. You'll see the mountains. You won't feel like you're reliving grade 7 field trip energy. Small groups, by design.
Lakes and wildlife on the same tour
The two biggest reasons guests come to the Rockies are the turquoise lakes and the animals. On the return leg, our tours wind through part of the Wildlife Corridor, the original two-lane road that runs parallel to the Trans-Canada Highway. It's a quieter, slower road where elk, deer, bears, and bighorn sheep move freely. While other shuttles take the highway at 90 km/h (blink and you missed the bear), this stretch gives you a real chance to see wildlife in its element. Sightings aren't guaranteed, but the route is chosen specifically because it tips the odds in your favor.
How we compare
Getting to Moraine Lake on your own means driving about 80 km from Canmore or 60 km from Banff to Lake Louise Ski Resort, then queuing three times: once for the shuttle to Moraine Lake, once for the connector to Lake Louise, and once for the bus back. Three buses. Three lineups. More time managing logistics, less time enjoying the lakes.
Most other shuttles take the Trans-Canada Highway; not exactly known for wildlife viewing.
We pick you up in Canmore, Harvie Heights, or Banff and take you directly to both lakes. On the return journey, we travel through part of the Wildlife Corridor, the original two-lane road where animals actually roam. One vehicle. One guide. Zero logistics. We handle the route so you can spend your vacation actually vacationing.
I watched visitors drive 1.5 hours toward Moraine Lake, full of excitement, only to be turned around at the entrance to Moraine Lake Road because the parking lot was full. I started this company to make sure guests could actually get to the lake they came all this way to see.
– Lenka, Founder, Canmore Travel
Don't Take Our Word For It
4.95
★★★★★
· 950+ reviews across Google, Tripadvisor, and GetYourGuide
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We don't cherry-pick, but we won't lie, it was hard to narrow down.
Founded in Canmore · Female-owned since 2020
We Saw the Problem Before the Road Closed
Before Parks Canada restricted private vehicles at Moraine Lake, the warning signs were already there. Guests would plan a day at the lake, drive all the way from Canmore or Banff, and be turned around because parking was full. We started Canmore Travel in 2020 to solve that problem.
What began as a simple way to help visitors reach Moraine Lake has grown into one of the region's highest-rated tour and shuttle companies. We started in Canmore and later expanded pickups to Harvie Heights and Banff, making it easier for guests to experience Moraine Lake and Lake Louise without stress, lineups, and logistics.
Our guides aren't seasonal workers passing through. They've spent years in these mountains, and guests mention them by name in hundreds of reviews. Knowledgeable, warm, and here because they genuinely love sharing this place with others.
The Wow Hump
There's a small rise on the trail to the Rockpile that I call the "Wow Hump." Moraine Lake stays hidden until you reach the top, and then suddenly the whole view opens up in front of you. I always walk ahead and turn around to watch the guests' reactions. Almost every time, their eyes go wide and the first word out of their mouth is: "Wow." In years of guiding, nobody has ever reached the top and said, "That's nice."
– Lenka, Founder, Canmore Travel
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything You Need to Know Before You Book
How does pickup work, and what time will you arrive?
We pick you up within a 15-minute window at a convenient location within a 1 to 5 minute walk of most accommodations (usually a nearby landmark or common meeting point). When you book, you'll get your exact pickup window. For example, 8:00-8:15 AM from Canmore or Harvie Heights, or 8:30-8:45 AM from Banff. Please be ready a few minutes before the start of your window. If the first pickup runs late, every stop after it does too.Do I need a Parks Canada pass?
Yes. All guests need a Parks Canada Pass to enter Banff National Park. It's not included in your tour price. If you're staying in Banff, you almost certainly already have one. It's required just to drive into the park, and most accommodations remind guests at check-in. If you're staying in Canmore (which is just outside the park boundary), you'll need to purchase your pass online in advance at parks.canada.ca. We'll remind you before departure. Note for summer 2026: Parks Canada has waived entry fees from June 19 to September 7. No pass purchase is required during this window. Check the Parks Canada website for the latest.What's the difference between your tours and the Parks Canada shuttle?
The Parks Canada shuttle system works, but for guests coming from Canmore or Banff, here's what it actually looks like: drive 80km to the Lake Louise Ski Resort parking lot, queue for a shuttle to Moraine Lake, queue again for the connector shuttle between Moraine Lake and Lake Louise, then queue a third time for the shuttle back to the ski resort. Three buses. Three lineups. In peak summer, those lineups can sometimes reach two hours, standing outdoors in full heat or rain. We pick you up from a location within a 1 to 5 minute walk of your accommodation. The same guide and van take you to both lakes and bring you back with no vehicle switches and no wondering which bus is yours. You're back by early afternoon with time left for other activities, without turning your vacation day into a logistics exercise.Can I really see both Moraine Lake and Lake Louise in one day?
Yes. Every Canmore Travel shared tour visits both lakes. The drive between them is about 20 minutes. We time our departures so guests arrive at Moraine Lake early in the morning, then move on to Lake Louise. Part of the return journey winds through the Wildlife Corridor, the original two-lane road where elk, deer, bears, and bighorn sheep move freely. (The two biggest things people come to the Rockies for are the lakes and the wildlife. We built the tour around both.) On the shared morning tour, you'll have 1.5 hours at each lake, enough to hike, canoe, or simply walk the shoreline at your own pace. Private tours offer more flexibility, with up to 4 hours at the lakes total, divided however you choose.What should I bring?
Comfortable walking shoes. The Rockpile Trail at Moraine Lake is short but uneven underfoot. A layer, even on warm days. Elevation changes mountain weather faster than most guests expect. Hiking gear if you plan to hike. For food: the coffee shops at both lakes are a treat, but the lineups can eat into your lake time. We recommend bringing your own snacks. Water is essential. The mountains are sneaky dehydrators. Your Parks Canada pass (see above). A camera. Honestly, that's it. We handle the rest. You're on vacation. Pack like it.What is your cancellation policy?
Shared tours can be cancelled or rescheduled up to 48 hours before departure for a full refund. Groups of 6 or more and private tours have separate cancellation windows. You'll see the exact terms on your booking confirmation.Are these tours accessible for guests with mobility limitations?
Our tours run in a 14-passenger van with panoramic windows, high ceilings, an entry step, and a portable stool for boarding. We can't accommodate wheelchairs, but guests with mild mobility limitations (including elderly travellers) regularly take our tours with no difficulty. Several guides have received reviews for proactively offering a hand to guests who needed it. If you're not sure whether the tour works for your needs, call or email us before booking and we'll give you a straight answer.
