Banff Highlights & Wildlife | Award-Winning Small Group Adventure
Recommended by 92% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Banff, Canada
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Up your odds of seeing Banff’s best wildlife with this small-group tour. Your guide, knowledgeable about the area, will follow the most recent wildlife sightings and customize the itinerary to meet your needs, taking you to the most active nature spots. You might spot bears, coyotes, elk, bighorn sheep, foxes, and more. That's if you can draw your eyes away from the mountain vistas along the way.
- Explore Banff's Lake Minnewanka and Two Jack Lake by private minibus
- With your guide, up your odds of seeing bears, foxes, coyotes, and so much more
- Enjoy upscale modern transportation with large panoramic windows, perfect for safe wildlife viewing and photography.
- Have a personalized experience in a capped-group
What's Included
- Small group guarantee (Max 12 guests)
- Upscale, modern & spacious transportation with large panoramic windows
- Water refills (please BYO water bottle)
- A dusk tour, timed to skip the crowds and improve your odds of spotting wildlife
- Hot drinks (hot chocolate, coffee, or tea) & sweet treat – winter only
- Expert local guides
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off at select Banff locations
- Guide gratuities (optional)
- To inquire about adding the Banff Gondola, contact us before booking.
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting points
Select a meeting point
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End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Banff National Park (Pass By)
1
Mount Norquay Road
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Lake Minnewanka
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Hoodoos Trail
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Surprise Corner
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Bow Falls
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- Children 8 and under are unable to join our small group adventures
- Call 4034939556 for any questions.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Dan was so very good. Very friendly, amusing and so knowledgeable about everything on the tour. The sights were breathtaking, elk were just majestic. Highly recommend but ask for Dan to make it the best
Reviews
4.7
based on 946 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
A tour around the area showing some of the viewpoints and lakes and we also saw mule deer, white tailed deer and a lot of elk. Our guide Tas was very good and we enjoyed the evening
Very good tour. Charlie was a great guide. We saw deer and caribou. Several nice stops during the tour.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Deer and caribou together is a nice mix, and Charlie's stops clearly earned their place. Thanks for this, we'll pass it on to him.
Highlight of our trip despite cold freezing rain, spotted two elks close up, never experienced that before!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Two elk close up in freezing rain, that's a memorable sighting whatever the weather's doing. Thanks for this.
Spectacular experience! Our tour guide was professional and very informative, as well as a wonderful sense of humor! Thank you Ellie for an epic tour and all of the long horn sheep and herd of elk that you put us on👌😉
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Longhorn sheep and a whole herd of elk, Ellie clearly knew where to point you. Professional, informative and funny is a great combination and one she brings consistently. Thanks for this, we'll pass it on to her.
Gabi was just perfect! Patient, kind and informative. Gabi had cute humor and was a safe driver, which is always appreciated!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Patient, kind, informative and a safe driver with a bit of humour thrown in, Gabi covering everything that matters. Thanks for this, we'll pass it on to her.
Our guide, Georgina was amazing! So knowledgeable and informative. Loved every minute of it. Would really recommend
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Knowledgeable and informative with every minute enjoyed, that's Georgia. Thanks for the recommend, we'll let her know.
Literally the worst tour I have ever been on. I am a very experienced traveller, do a lot of tours, and this was truly terrible. While I appreciate on a wildlife tour there is never a guarantee of wildlife, this was not a wildlife tour. It was more of an expensive drive around Banff seeing a few scenic spots, driving around the golf course, with no focus on wildlife at all. There was a little bit of info on buffalo and bears, but very minimal. The guide was too busy chatting to her UK comrades who took all her time and energy, not including the rest of the group in the conversations, about skiiing, trail running, hiking, answering their questions about fun things to do in Banff, and talking about their home towns instead of focusing on finding wildlife or talking about wildlife. Or even directing any conversation towards other paying customers. The guide said it was her last tour with the company, and even openly said that there really isn’t much wildlife in Banff, you just have to get lucky, as more of the wildlife is towards Jasper or in Lake Louise areas? Why on earth run wildlife tours in Banff then? The name of the tour is very misleading and literally an outright lie. Why isn’t a wildlife tour run where there is actually a good chance of spotting wildlife?
Absolute disgrace, and would not book with this company again. I would save your money and not book this tour. You’d have a better chance in a different area.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Sorry this one wasn't your Banff highlight reel. Wildlife does its own thing out here, ours included, no itinerary changes that.
Banff Highlights & Wildlife is exactly that, a highlights tour with wildlife spotting woven in, not a dedicated wildlife safari. Nobody can promise a wild animal shows up on schedule, that's just how it works out here, and we'd rather be upfront about that than dress it up.
Our guides get to know the group as the day goes, that's part of what makes small group travel worth doing over a bus tour. Sounds like this one didn't land the way you wanted, but it's how our team actually runs a trip.
Hope the next stop on your travels gives you the encounter you were after.
Brilliant tour. Wildlife sights can never be guaranteed but Kirsty knew the most likely spots. We were in luck and saw a black bear with her three cubs, big horned sheep, deer and elk. Outstanding.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
A black bear with three cubs, bighorn sheep, deer and elk, Kirsty clearly knew where to look. Outstanding is right. Thanks for this, we'll pass it on to her.
My wife and myself went on the tour together. The small group ws very nice. The places we went to were also very nice. The highlight in addition to seeing some wildlife was our guide. She was excellent, friendly and very knowledgeable.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Small group and a guide who clearly knew the area well, that's the combination that makes these tours work. Thanks for this.
Fantastic trip, George our guide was very friendly and informative, saw lots of Banff highlights and the wildlife would definitely recommend
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Friendly and informative with the Banff highlights and the wildlife both delivering, that's George doing what he does. Thanks for the recommend, we'll let him know.
We had a great time and Nolan was a wonderful guide. We saw so many amazing views. Highly recommend!!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Nolan's good for that, he'll find you the views most people drive straight past. Glad it was a great time and thanks for the recommend.
It was an extremely good trip focusing on some beautiful sights in Banff. Our guide Gabi was incredibly knowledgeable about the area and gave us lots of interesting facts along with funny anecdotes that made the trip very enjoyable! We did see sheep and Elk but sadly no bear!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Gabi's facts and anecdotes together are a good combination, glad that landed. Sheep and elk is still a solid day even without a bear, they don't always cooperate. Thanks for this, we'll pass it on to Gabi.
Georgia took us on a great tour trying to find wildlife. Through the rain we were still able to find animals. We saw several female elk with their calves and a male elk that was magnificent!! Highly recommend this tour!!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Georgia doesn't let a bit of rain get in the way of a good wildlife day, sounds like she found you a proper lineup, elk with calves and then a big bull to finish it off. Glad the rain didn't dampen the experience. Thanks for the recommend.
Our tour guide Garbi was truly amazing. She was very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. She Gavin’s us great suggestions for things to see after the tour. She is a great driver and found some good spots for us. The only reason I rate this low is because the cost is way out of line for what the tour covers. If it was half the cost I would’ve given it five stars but it is really unreasonable to charge what they do. Not worth it.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
We're not the cheapest tour in Banff, and we're not going to pretend otherwise. We keep groups small so guides can actually engage with you, answer questions, adjust the pace, point things out as they come up, instead of running a script for forty people. Our guides are IGA qualified, live here, and know the park rather than just driving the route. That's where the price goes.
Glad Gabi's local knowledge and eye for a good spot came through, sounds like she gave you the real Banff, not the bus tour version. We'll pass the kind words on to her.
We get that doesn't land for everyone, and that's fair. Appreciate you giving us a shot either way.
This is a must in Banff - the driver was superb - knowledgable about history and more importantly where you were likely to see animals etc. It is small group which ensures you are able to view and more importantly ask questions
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Knowledgeable on history, knowing exactly where the wildlife tends to be and the small group format meaning everyone gets to ask questions and get involved. That's exactly what we set out to deliver. Really glad it was a must in Banff and hope to have you back out here again sometime.
don't be late to arrive because they'll go without you and make it difficult to get even a partial refund
Nice bus ride, pretty sights - most of which I had already seen on other less expensive tours
Saw long horn sheep and no other wildlife. I realize the tour can't control what animals are by the side of the road
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Glad the drive and the views landed, longhorn sheep are a great sighting, though we know wildlife wasn't the guarantee you were hoping for. That part really is up to the mountains, not us.
On the pickup, our guide tried reaching you several times that evening once you weren't at the meeting point, phone and text, before the group had to head out. With a full group waiting and no way to reach you, we didn't have the option of holding the tour. We know that's a rough way to start an evening you'd planned around, especially for your grandson.
Since the booking and payment ran through Viator, that's also the right place to sort out anything on the payment side.
Really glad you and your family still got some good Banff time in. Hope the rest of the trip treated you well.
Had a rad ride along with Gareth! It was so nice to have someone else do the driving so I could do the sightseeing. We saw wildlife including sheep, elk, deer, ravens and squirrels. I would recommend.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
A rad ride along with Gareth, we love that. Sheep, elk, deer, ravens and squirrels while someone else handles the driving is a pretty great way to see Banff. Really glad it delivered and thanks for the recommendation.
It was a nice tour of different parts of Banff than we had been to on other trips. Had some opportunity to see some wildlife though it didn’t really seem to be the focus to find wildlife on tour.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Really glad you got to see some new parts of Banff and that the tour gave you a different perspective on the area. It's worth knowing that while our guides always keep eyes open and will stop for wildlife whenever the opportunity arises, the Banff Highlights tour is designed primarily around the scenic spots and viewpoints, with wildlife being a brilliant bonus when it happens. Hope to have you back out here again sometime.
We really enjoyed this tour. We did get to see some of the local wildlife. Would definitely recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Really glad you got to see some local wildlife and that the tour was worth recommending. Hope to have you back out here again sometime.
Liam was our tour guide and it was a great small group experience taking in more than we could have on our own in a short period of time. Although we only saw a few deer and ravens for wildlife, he filled the tour with great stories and one of biggest benefits was someone to take your family photos at each scenic stop so we have memories saved. Highly recommend Radadventures and would tour with Liam again!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Limited wildlife but Liam's stories filling every gap and family photos at every scenic stop to bring home. That's a really complete tour experience and exactly what a great guide adds beyond just the sightings. Really glad you'd tour with him again and hope to have you all back out here sometime.
I had Ella as my tour guide. Top class personality and very knowledgable when it came to the wildlife and the general area. 5 stars
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Top class personality, knowledgeable on wildlife and the general area and five stars. That's Ellie doing exactly what she does best. Really glad it delivered and hope to have you back out here again sometime.
Exceptional tour with passionate tour guide, Liam. Can't recommend highly enough! Great stops, interactive small group, fascinating information, and memories - and pictures! - for a lifetime.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Passionate, interactive, fascinating and pictures for a lifetime. That's Liam on a great evening and it sounds like it absolutely was one. Can't recommend highly enough right back at you and hope to have you back out here again sometime.
Great way to obtain an overview of the Banff area. Out host Marnie was delightful and knowledgeable about the area. She shares personal experiences that enhanced our visit. She was patient with all the guests too. We saw some elk and other local sites that we hadn’t visited yet. Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Delightful, knowledgeable, patient and sharing personal experiences that actually added to the visit, that's Marnie at her best. Really glad the elk showed up and that it introduced you to parts of the area you hadn't seen yet. Thanks for the recommendation and hope to have you back out here again sometime.
Our tour guide Emily was bubbly and informative giving us lots of interesting facts. We seen an abundance of wildlife and stunning views. Great way to see the area around Banff.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Emily's got that bubbly thing down to an art form. Glad the wildlife showed up and the views did their thing too. Great way to spend a day, agreed.
Good experience. The guide was really friendly and knowledgeable. We were lucky with an early sighting of a bear. Lots of long-horn sheep. And towards the end some elf from a distance and deer. The stopping spots and views were good regardless of whether we saw animals in all locations or not. I'd recommend taking the tour.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much for the recommendation! An early bear sighting alongside plenty of longhorn sheep, elk and deer is a great result, and we're so glad the stopping spots and views delivered regardless of whether every location had wildlife on show. We'd love to welcome you back for another good experience soon!
Very informative tour guide. Saw lots of wildlife. A great experience I would recommend it to anyone that loves wildlife
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much for the great recommendation! Lots of wildlife and an informative guide is a brilliant combination and we're so glad it made for such a great experience. We'd love to welcome you back for another adventure in the Rockies soon!
We had a great time with Emily and found a lot of wildlife including bears, elk, deer, long horned sheep and mountain goats. We also got to see plenty of the Banff scenery.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much! What a wildlife lineup, bears, elk, deer, longhorn sheep and mountain goats all in one outing is a truly brilliant result. We're so glad Emily made it such a great time and that the Banff scenery delivered alongside the wildlife. We'd love to welcome you back for more adventures soon!
It was amazing. I would highly recommend this excursion. We saw a mom bear with her cubs, elk, goats, and squirrels.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much! A mom bear with cubs, elk, goats and squirrels is a fantastic wildlife outing and we are so glad it was such an amazing experience. We'd love to welcome you back for more adventures in Banff soon!
Excellent experience. Very knowledgeable guides! Saw amazing scenery and the guides went way above and beyond to stop to see wildlife. This experience was definitely worth doing.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much! Going above and beyond to stop for wildlife sightings is something our guides genuinely love to do and it is wonderful to hear it made such a difference to your experience. Stunning scenery and a team that really cares, that is exactly what we aim to deliver every time. We'd love to welcome you back again soon!
The guides were lovely and sweet and had so much knowledge about the area and its wildlife, as well as some amazing stories. They took the time to show us hidden gems as well as assist people with mobility issues. Was my favourite and most personal feeling tour in Banff
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much for such a wonderful review! Making every guest feel genuinely looked after, including those with mobility needs, is something we care deeply about and it is so lovely to hear it came through so clearly. Hidden gems, amazing stories and that personal feeling that sets a small group tour apart from the rest, that is exactly what we set out to create every single time. We'd love to welcome you back for another favourite Banff experience soon!
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up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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