The deep turquoise blue hues of the glacial waters of Lake Louise set against the backdrop of the snowy mountainous terrain and lush green forests of larch trees in the background lend an ethereal feel to this stunning body of water, that has also earned it the nickname of The jewel in the heart of the Canadian Rockies!
Your trip to Banff would be incomplete without seeing the two most iconic lakes in the national park, Lake Louise and Lake Moraine.
It's important to know a few things about Lake Louise before your visit...
Lake Louise is free to visit. You only need the Parks Canada Pass to enter the national park.
Parking at Lake Louise is on a first come first served basis and it's not free. Please ensure that you get your parking ticket to avoid any penalties later. And parking rates are crazy at around $ 36 for a day! I normally don't make a note of parking rates but after having paid that much money for a 3-hour parking, I'm sure anyone would remember.
The best time to visit the lake is early morning in summer to beat the massive tourist rush and also to get a decent parking slot.
Keep a tab on the weather forecast before your visit to the lake. The views on a clear sunny day are unmatched in their beauty.
Right opposite the lake is the beautiful Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise with fine dining options. If you're looking for a quick bite, then there is a cafe, a takeaway joint, on the ground floor which is open to walk-ins. They serve fresh coffee with good options for knick-knacks like sandwiches and small meals.
Lake Louise will mesmerise you with its deep blue colour created by the presence of fine rock dust that flows into the lake from the nearby glaciers, remains suspended in the water and reflects the light. The lake shore has a pedestrian-friendly boardwalk that's ideal for clicking pictures.
One should plan to spend at least 3 to 4 hours at the lakeside since there are a whole lot of activities that can be done while you're there. Hiking on the famous Fairview Lookout Trail is one of the top favourites among visitors.
Canoeing on the lake is another popular activity, you will see a lot of conspicuously coloured red canoes on the blue surface of the lake.
Lake Louise Gondola is another popular attraction. The 14-minute gondola ride will take you up an incline of 2088 m where you can get splendid views of the mountains and a bird's eye view of the lake.
However, if you are okay with hiking up a reasonably steep incline, then the hike up to the Fairview Lookout Trail should be top of your list of must-do activities in Lake Louise.
View from the Fairview Lookout Point
The trail is about 1 km in length and although the level of difficulty mentioned on the signboard was easy, I'd say that it's moderate since the climb to the viewpoint is uphill all the way. Return is all downhill. We came across a lot of people halfway through the trail wanting to enquire about how much to go further.
We did it in summer on a sunny day, so the path was dry and easy to walk on. In winter, this steep slope can get very slippery, so be careful if you go in winter or if it's raining.
Another famous lake that should be included in everyone's itinerary visiting Banff is Lake Moraine. This lake is considered to be more beautiful than Lake Louise...how is it even possible??
But I believe it is....since getting access to the lake was a nightmare. We tried making a booking 2 days in advance after reaching Calgary but could not find any vacant slots and even shuttle tickets were not available. We had to forego the idea of seeing Lake Moraine altogether.
Hence, I am sharing our experience with you so that you make the bookings on time and are able to visit this wonder lake!
A visit to Lake Moraine is paid and can be visited with a tour only since driving to the lake in your private vehicle is not permitted.
You can access Lake Moraine only by the Parks Canada shuttle buses, Roam Public transport or if you have a pre-booked tour package.
Tour packages are expensive. Ideally, one should book a shuttle to and fro in advance in the peak season.
The official website for Lake Moraine is https://morainelake.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Day-Visits-to-ML-2023.pdf. You must go through this if you're serious about visiting this lake on a day trip and that too in the peak season.
So, Lake Moriane will have to wait for another trip to Alberta but Lake Louise was definitely the show stealer of our trip to Banff. If you're able to visit both these lakes on your trip to Alberta, do share your experience with me. I would love to hear your story.