Our Moraine Lake and Lake Louise tour is a shared day trip running roughly 7 to 8 hours, with pickup in Calgary, Canmore or Banff. Licensed road access to Moraine Lake is included, so you are not competing for a Parks Canada shuttle seat. It runs while Moraine Lake Road is open, roughly June 1 to October 12. A private version covers the same route on your own schedule and is priced per vehicle rather than per person.
This page is about the day itself rather than how to plan one. If you are still working out whether to piece it together yourself, our guide to doing both lakes in a day covers shuttle costs, parking fees and timing. If you have already decided you would rather someone else handled it, this is what you are booking.
What the day looks like
An early start, because the lakes reward it and the day is long. Departure times shift with the season and your pickup point, so treat the shape below as the pattern rather than a timetable.
- Pickup. Collected in Calgary, Canmore or Banff. Calgary departures are earliest, since it is roughly two hours to the lakes.
- The drive west. Along the Trans-Canada through the Bow Valley, past Canmore and into Banff National Park.
- Moraine Lake first. Deliberately. The Valley of the Ten Peaks faces east, so the water is at its deepest blue in the morning and flattens once the valley falls into shadow. Time to walk up the Rockpile for the view that used to be on the twenty dollar bill.
- Lake Louise next. Fourteen kilometres away and holds its light later, because the Victoria Glacier at the far end stays lit into the afternoon. Time to walk the shoreline rather than photograph the front of the hotel and leave.
- Return. Back to your pickup point in the late afternoon or early evening.
Seven to eight hours in total. It is a full day rather than a morning, and worth planning nothing demanding for the evening.
What is handled for you
The reason this tour exists is that the day has more moving parts than it looks.
- Moraine Lake road access. The road has been closed to personal vehicles since 2023. Licensed commercial operators may use it, and our access is separate from the Parks Canada shuttle system, so you are not refreshing a booking page hoping for a cancellation.
- Park entry. Handled, so there is no separate pass to buy at the gate.
- Parking. Not your problem. Lake Louise lakeshore parking is $42 a day and the lot regularly fills before 8am.
- The driving. Two hours each way on a mountain highway, and someone else does it.
- The order. Moraine first is a deliberate choice about light, not a coincidence of routing.
What to bring
- A warm layer, genuinely. The lakes sit between 1,700 and 1,900 metres and the shoreline is cold even in July, particularly in the morning at Moraine.
- Proper shoes. Nothing on the standard day is a hike, but the Rockpile is a short real climb on uneven ground.
- Water and a snack. Food options at both lakes are limited and expensive.
- A downloaded map or playlist. Cell service at Moraine is patchy to non-existent.
- Sunglasses and sunscreen. Altitude plus water plus snow on the peaks is a lot of reflected light.
Who this suits
Straightforwardly: anyone without a car, anyone who does not want to drive mountain roads, and anyone who tried to book a Parks Canada shuttle and found late September gone. It also suits people short on time, because one day covers both lakes without a planning exercise attached.
It suits photographers less well. A shared tour runs to a schedule, and the best light does not. If you want to be at Moraine at sunrise or wait out a cloud, book private.
And if you have several days in the area with a car already, you may not need us at all. The one thing you cannot do yourself is drive to Moraine, so a Parks Canada shuttle seat plus your own vehicle covers it, if you can get one.
Shared or private
The shared tour is priced per person and runs a set route on a set schedule. It is the better value for one or two people.
The private version is priced per vehicle, so somewhere around four to six people the maths crosses over and private costs less overall while giving you the schedule. It also lets you set the departure, which on this route matters more than most: being at Moraine Lake early is the difference between the photograph you came for and a busy shoreline.
Our vehicles carry up to 24, so a family group or a few friends travelling together is one booking rather than six seats.
When it runs
While Moraine Lake Road is open, roughly June 1 to October 12. Outside that window the road is closed to everyone, including us, and no operator can take you there.
Late September is the busiest stretch, when the larches turn gold above Moraine Lake. That period books out furthest ahead, so if you are travelling then, book early and read our larch season guide.
Common questions
How long is the Moraine Lake and Lake Louise tour?
Roughly 7 to 8 hours, depending on your pickup point. Calgary departures are the longest day because it is about two hours each way.
Where does the tour pick up?
Calgary, Canmore or Banff. Tell us where you are staying when you book.
Is Moraine Lake access included?
Yes. We hold licensed access to Moraine Lake Road, so you do not need a Parks Canada shuttle reservation.
Do I need a park pass?
Park entry is handled as part of the tour, so there is nothing separate to buy at the gate.
When does the tour run?
While Moraine Lake Road is open, roughly June 1 to around October 12. There is no vehicle access to Moraine Lake outside that window.
Can I do just Lake Louise?
Lake Louise is reachable year round by road and by Roam Transit Route 8X from Banff, so it does not need a tour. Moraine Lake is the leg that does.
How far apart are the two lakes?
About 14 kilometres, a short drive between them, which is why they work well as a single day.
Booking
The shared Lake Louise and Moraine Lake tour books instantly online with pickup in Calgary, Canmore or Banff. For groups of four or more, or if you want the departure time to be yours, the private version covers the same route on your schedule.
Still deciding? Our one day planning guide covers what it costs to do it yourself, and the Calgary to Lake Louise guide covers getting to the area. Tell us your dates and group size and we will tell you which option fits.