Wildlife Watching
1–2 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 97% of travellers
97% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
C$86
per adult
The Banff Canoe Club
The Banff Canoe Club
5
Water SportsNature & Wildlife ToursSelf-Guided Tours & RentalsStand Up PaddleboardingKayaking & Canoeing
9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Full view
About
At the Banff Canoe Club we think everyone should have access to the wonderfully Canadian sport of Canoeing. Rent a canoe, kayak or SUP and explore the gentler section of the Bow River or head up forty mile creek into Vermillion Lakes. We think you will love it so much, that you'll be back for another paddle before long! For those new to the sport, we offer Big Canoe Tours. Choose from the River Explorer or Wildlife of the Bow tour and explore the river with your guide.
Banff, Alberta, Canada
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024
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Improve this listingTours and Tickets by The Banff Canoe Club
On the Water
1–2 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 99% of travellers
99% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
C$86
per adult
Nature and Wildlife Tours
1–2 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 95% of travellers
95% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
C$86
per adult
Travellers talk about
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
944 reviews
Excellent
836
Very good
81
Average
12
Poor
10
Terrible
5
ValChesna
Grande Prairie, Canada64 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
My daughter and I took the Wildlife on the Bow tour and we had such an amazing time! Mitch M (I think it was Mitch M.. There was 2 and can't quite remember which one, but he did the 6 pm tour and Ant was in the other canoe) He was super knowledgeable about the animals we may see and the info on the area we were in. Told us some great stories and made it so enjoyable ! Everything from the instructions, to the Wildlife talk was done so it was fun. Highly recommend for a nice trip, you don't have to paddle as much on the way back so you can soak in the beauty around you. Even the train that went by blew the horn as we all waived and the younger kids loved it.
There really isn't a place to store backpacks or purses so make sure you have a place for them.
There really isn't a place to store backpacks or purses so make sure you have a place for them.
Written August 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
shay-lynn w
5 contributions
Jul 2020 • Couples
Rented a kayak and paddled upto Vermillion lake, took about an hour round trip. The narrow Bow lake stretch was very crowded with kayaks and canoes but was manageable, once at the lake everyone was more spread out and nicer to look around and enjoy the scenery. The folks at the club were informative and got us on our way quickly, reasonable prices. Would definitely rent from them again.
Written July 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
FortuneTaylors
75 contributions
Sept 2022 • Couples
I cannot recommend this place enough.
We hired a canoe at a fraction of the price that the nearby lakes are charging. Moraine Lake (as an example) was $130 per hour whereas we paid $50 here and I’m so glad we did.
We arrived just as they were opening, with the two guys being very welcoming and explaining everything clearly. It was evident that they all knew what they were talking about and got us out on the water quickly.
The river and surroundings are stunning and the trip out itself was so peaceful. There are two options - either up the river or the creek so we weren’t surrounded by other guests and had the space and time to go at our own pace.
We will absolutely be coming back here to canoe in future over any of the lakes.
We hired a canoe at a fraction of the price that the nearby lakes are charging. Moraine Lake (as an example) was $130 per hour whereas we paid $50 here and I’m so glad we did.
We arrived just as they were opening, with the two guys being very welcoming and explaining everything clearly. It was evident that they all knew what they were talking about and got us out on the water quickly.
The river and surroundings are stunning and the trip out itself was so peaceful. There are two options - either up the river or the creek so we weren’t surrounded by other guests and had the space and time to go at our own pace.
We will absolutely be coming back here to canoe in future over any of the lakes.
Written September 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
travel0rr
Stratford, Canada34 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
What an unexpected treat!
The Banff Canoe Club is just a short walk along the Bow river trail from downtown Banff. You can rent a canoe, a kayak or join a group wild life tour.
We really enjoyed our wildlife tour. We went further upriver than we would have on our own and learned about the history of Banff and the wildlife that share their home with the humans.
Our guide Sydney was amazing - particularly considering that on this day you could barely see the mountains for the smoke that filled the air from the BC forest fires
Despite the lack of views Sydney kept us entertained and informed - and we did see a heron and an elk up close and personal!
The Banff Canoe Club is just a short walk along the Bow river trail from downtown Banff. You can rent a canoe, a kayak or join a group wild life tour.
We really enjoyed our wildlife tour. We went further upriver than we would have on our own and learned about the history of Banff and the wildlife that share their home with the humans.
Our guide Sydney was amazing - particularly considering that on this day you could barely see the mountains for the smoke that filled the air from the BC forest fires
Despite the lack of views Sydney kept us entertained and informed - and we did see a heron and an elk up close and personal!
Written August 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Liana B
1 contribution
Aug 2021 • Friends
I was visiting Banff for the first time and kayaking seemed like the perfect thing to do while visiting, although I’ve never kayaked before so I was a little nervous. My friend and I got to the Canoe Club nice and early, it was easy to find, then we were greeted by Liam who was just the best! We shared that we were newer to kayaking and he made us feel very confident before getting in the water. Once in the water Liam was patient while I was getting the hang of it then when were in our groove he was so knowledgeable! He gave us all little facts about the wildlife and the area surrounding us and was just fun to chat with. He took us for a great tour, my best memory from my trip! Thanks Liam!! I’m coming back and hope to see you again!
Written August 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steph
5 contributions
Jul 2021 • Couples
Get Mitch B as your guide!!! The group kayak tour ended up just being my boyfriend and I. It was fantastic that Mitch tailored the tour exactly to our liking. He was super informative and fun - would highly recommend this tour. The explanation of “kayak with a group” does not do it justice. You’ll get to see a panoramic view of the entire lake and be the only ones on the water.
Couldn’t be happier with this experience :)
Couldn’t be happier with this experience :)
Written July 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to write a thorough review of your tour and Mitch.
We are so happy to hear you enjoyed the experience. Hope you had fun for the rest of your time in Banff.
Written August 18, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jim F
1 contribution
Jul 2021
Canoeing down the Bow River was a blast.
Austin was our guide and his brother from another mother Mitch was also along for the ride that day.
They were outstanding at sharing their knowledge of the Bow River, it's origin and history. They also shared some great stories and taught us all about several things we saw along the way.
Highly recommend this activity while you are in Banff.
Austin was our guide and his brother from another mother Mitch was also along for the ride that day.
They were outstanding at sharing their knowledge of the Bow River, it's origin and history. They also shared some great stories and taught us all about several things we saw along the way.
Highly recommend this activity while you are in Banff.
Written August 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review of our team and you tour. We are stoked to hear you enjoyed your experienced and Ant and Austin were great guides. Hope you can come again!
Written August 18, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
MD
Toronto, Canada16 contributions
Aug 2023
Exceptional experience. The wait times weren't long at all, the staff was extremely friendly and clear with instructions, managing crowds very well. There is a 5 minute grace period for the canoe which takes away a lot of the stress from getting back in time. 1 hour is a perfect amount of time to explore Bow River in all its beauty. Also, this activity is completely BEGINNER FRIENDLY and so fun to do with family and friends, especially thanks to the fact that they allow a third person into the canoe (for a small extra fee).
Written August 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John S
5 contributions
Sept 2021 • Friends
Paddled right past some elk cows with their cavs. One of a kind experience. Part of of a 13 person canoe trip including our guide Ant. He developed a great rapport with the group and was able to answer all the questions we threw at him.
Written September 14, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are so happy you got to see some awesome wildlife on your tour! Glad Ant could answer all of your questions and provide a great tour. Hope you can visit us again.
Written March 7, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
A P
1 contribution
Jul 2022 • Family
What a fun time! Alec was great, and very funny and knowledgeable about the river. He kept us entertained, even when we waited over 30 mins for the other family to show up (which they thankfully did). Despite the unexpected delay, the trip itself was great and very relaxing, while being a great arm workout. Sadly, we did not see much wildlife on the river at the time we went, but we got to see the osprey nest, two spoonbill ducks, and a great blue heron. Alec knows quite a lot about birds and imitating their calls, which is quite cool. Would highly recommend this experience to others looking for a fun, family friendly activity!
- Joe and Ashley
- Joe and Ashley
Written July 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your detailed review. We apologize for the delay due to other guests but we are happy to hear you still got a great experience on the water. Alec is really knowledgeable and a great guide. Hope you can visit us again
Written August 11, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Are the kayaks “in on” of “sit in” style?
Written July 30, 2022
We are 2 adults and 2 infants under 5. Can we hire a canoe?
Written May 1, 2019
I would email them direct. I found them really helpful. I expect so. We were 2 adults and 2 teenagers and went in a guided boat tour
Written May 1, 2019
Is the kayak rental on a first come, first serve basis in summer? Do I need to make a reservation first?
Written July 14, 2018
First come first serve, but as others have said, plenty of kayaks available. We went early in day and asked what was a good time for availability for later in the day. Worked for us!
Written July 15, 2018
Hi. When in the year do you start your tours and when do you finish? Thanks
Written February 5, 2017
Hello,
Our canoe rentals start May 15th until mid October and the Voyageur Canoe Tours start June 1st until Sept 30th.
Please let us know should you have any further questions
Thanks
Written February 6, 2017
estepdana
Anchorage, Alaska
Do you rent canoes and/ kayaks for people to take to lakes and camp? Or only on the river?
Written May 3, 2016
Hi there
We do have a certain quota of canoes that can go offsite per day. Unfortunately we don't take reservations so it is first come first served. The Banff Canoe Club opens on may 14th. Hope to see you then!
Written May 4, 2016
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