Full Day Guided Glacier Hike on The Athabasca with IceWalks

Recommended by 100% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Jasper, Canada

6 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.9

· MICHAEL_O ·

Jul 2026

This was an incredible experience. We did the 6 hour trip, hiking the entire length of the glacier. At the top, we couldn't see anyone and had the entire glacier to ourselves. My kids (10 and 12) loved the experience and our guide was amazing.

· SAHIL_B ·

Sep 2025

An unforgettable adventure! Kental’s deep knowledge of glaciers and expert navigation brought us to stunning formations and beautiful rivers

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Overview

Set out on a glacier hike in the Canadian Rockies with this guided, small-group tour of the Athabasca Glacier. Meet your guide for a full-day hike and depart in the morning to explore this glacier along the Icefields Parkway. Gear including crampons for your boots is provided. Admire views of icefalls and various ice formations during the hike.

Go hiking over a glacier in the Canadian Rockies
See the Athabasca Glacier up close
Check out views of icefalls during this small-group tour
Learn about the glacier and local conservation efforts

What's Included

You will be provided micro-spikes (crampons for added traction on the ice) If you don't have your own: Rain gear, hiking boots, gloves, and hat

Warm layers - bring your own insulating layer
Lunch

BYO lunch & snacks

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

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Arrive 20 minutes prior to your departure. Meet in the West parking lot of the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre. Look for the white vans with IceWalks logo as you pull off the highway. From there you will be shuttled a short distance to the trailhead.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Start time
.10:15 am

Itinerary

Athabasca Glacier

6 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Service animals allowed

Not wheelchair accessible
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
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

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Shuxuan_L

I originally wanted to book the half day tour, but it ran out and ended up booking the full day trip, which is the best. Nick, our tour guide is super knowledgeable about the glacier and showed us all the glacier structures. Amazing trip! Will definitely recommend friends and family to join this trip.

Reviews

4.9

based on 33 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

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An amazing experience for the family

MICHAEL_O, Jul 2026

Amazing experience!

AlisonClaire_L, Sep 2025

Need to be reasonably fit as walk about 6 miles in total, most of which on the glacier. Absolutely phenomenal experience though and the best way to learn and appreciate these amazing creations!

Best experiences of my life

SAHIL_B, Sep 2025

An unforgettable adventure! Kental’s deep knowledge of glaciers and expert navigation brought us to stunning formations and beautiful rivers

Not a very strenuous hike...

JiaW_W, Sep 2025

Not a very strenuous hike but very moderate hike up the Glacier. Also, no bathrooms at the top, but plenty of places to hide and urinate.

Great hiking experience

wuyishan33, Sep 2025

Super interesting experience. Our guide is very experienced, responsible, and friendly. Love this trip

I felt like Jon Snow on a Heike north of the wall in game of Thrones. I loved it.

Timo_R, Sep 2024

Views, glacier-rivers, the blue ice, The glacier wall at the end of the hike up I dont want to say more.

Perfect Day In Jasper

Melissa_S, Jul 2024

Absolutely amazing. We booked the night before because it was SO hot in Banff. We wanted to do the 3 hour tour but it was sold out so we did the 6. SO glad we did. If you are moderately fit, you should be okay. It’s a long walk but truly one of the most amazing experience. Larry was our guide and he was so good. Our group was small (3 couples and a single girl) and we were all about the same age and level of fitness. He did a great job of finding a good pace that everyone was good with and I loved learning about the glacier. Picnic on the ice away incredible. If you can swing the 6 hour, do that one. I wouldn’t recommend for children or people with limited mobility, but if you want the most out of your experience, all the best views are farther back on the glacier ;) definitely worth the price. You can’t go that far back safely without a guide.

A MUST DO!!

Kurt_H, Jul 2024

one of the highlights of our trip to Banff and Jasper, a MUST DO!! Troy, our guide made it fun and shared his expansive knowledge of glaciers with us. There is so much to learn about them vs just a photo op and "walk on ice". If possible take the full day tour vs half day. Will take you to the top with stops on the way to view various characteristics of the glacier, including crevices, pools, running water streams and more, and Troy explained them all. Having lunch at the top was also very cool and time to learn more and meet others in the group. They keep the group small, 12 max, and Troy made it a point to spend time with each group within the group. Fantastic tour.

Fantastic experience

Carsten_L, Jul 2024

Great views an Glacier and good explanation of the surroundings by guide. The glacier had lost already 1 m in height this year since end of may, that’s only 6 weeks. And a heat wave just started. A pity to see the fantastic glacier melting…

Worth the sweat

Sandra_R, Jul 2024

We were lucky to experience and see this melting glacier. 3+ km walk uphill definitely took a toll on us, but its an experience that we might never have an opportunity to repeat so one thing crossed off of our bucket list. :)

Once in a lifetime

pqr9vvmxpx, Jun 2024

Lunch in a glacier with very ambitious and beautiful people and views, and sliding down on our butts…lots of fun, challenging and rewarding experiences

Everyone should have this experience.

Gaurav_S, Sep 2023

First time Glacier Hiking!! Wonderful Experience. Our Leader Troy, is amazing person with immense knowledge about the history and recreational activities. Lots of talking and fun on this hike. He makes sure that people follow his guidelines to be safe. This is an experience which everyone should experience at-least once. Glaciers are beautiful, so many streams were seen, Hope we all do our part to save these for our planet.

After a rainy cold start,...

Jenny_W, Sep 2023

After a rainy cold start, this hike turned out to be absolutely amazing! Our guide was excellent. We took our time, exploring the ice, and learning about the glacier. Even got to drink some of the fresh glacier water! Highly recommend the full day. You get to hike the whole glacier and see amazing waterfalls, crevasses and get to eat lunch at the top. This is not too strenuous, and the hike is a nice leisurely pace. They provide wind pants, wind jacket and extra gloves if needed.

My highlight in the Rockies

Felix_M, Sep 2023

The Athabasca Glacier Hike was the highlight of my time in the Rockies! Nick was a great guide, had a lot of knowledge, showed us some really nice ice formations. The day started windy and rainy, but they always supported us to keep the motivation high and provided us with additional clothes (two pair of gloves, raining jacket, raining pans). I highly recommend to visit the glacier, also in a day tour in order to get the full experience and to see more interesting stuff (in comparison to "just" 3 hour tours). In 40-50 years the glaciers will be disappeared, so take your chance to see them before it is too late!

Went with three teens -...

Genevive_L, Jul 2023

Went with three teens - 11, 13 and 14 years old, and it was accessible for them. Stunning views, great guide!

Mike is the best

Troniemar_A, Jul 2023

By hiking on the glaciers. Our tour guide mike was the best. He was very knowledgeable ablut the glaciers

Amazing IceWalks!

Shuxuan_L, Jul 2023

Incredible experience

Kelly_W, Aug 2022

Great all day tour with experienced guides. Lots of interesting information shared and I felt safe at all times

Great experience, but I was hoping for a bit more

Chris_D, Jul 2022

First let me say that both my spouse and I have previously been on a glacier tour, originally in New Zealand. In comparison to that tour, this tour was good but not great. On the New Zealand tour, we were on a fast moving glacier and were almost immediately exposed to really interesting ice features, almost from the outset of the tour. In comparison, on the Athabasca Glacier, you need to hike quite a way before you get to the interesting stuff. In fact, by the time we got to the ice falls, which is where things get really interesting, it was time to turn back. So, I'd say the density of thrills-to-effort is a bit lower on the Athabasca. Having said that, our tour guide, Jason, was quite good and he did make the tour very interesting. He was full of information about the glacier and even had our teenaged children interested, which is no small feat. While 6 hours sounds like a lot of time, it went by quickly. If you've never been on a glacier before, this is absolutely worth the time. There may not be many more years before there are no easily accessible glaciers like this one to see. And, I do think you want to do the 6 hour tour because the three hour tour probably does not have enough time to reach the really interesting stuff.