Athabasca Glacier & Columbia Icefield Tour
Drive onto the Athabasca Glacier aboard the Ice Explorer — straight onto 10,000-year-old ice
Taste pure glacier water directly from the source
Walk the glass-floor Glacier Skywalk, suspended above the Sunwapta Valley canyon
Scenic drive along the legendary Icefields Parkway — one of the world's great road trips
Photo stop at stunning Bow Lake with its Crowfoot Glacier backdrop
Wildlife spotting opportunities along the Parkway
Available from Calgary or Banff — two convenient pickup options
There are very few places on Earth where you can step off a vehicle and walk directly onto a glacier that has existed since the last Ice Age. The Athabasca Glacier — a remnant of the vast Columbia Icefield, one of the largest accumulations of ice in the Rocky Mountains — is one of them. And this full-day private tour takes you there via one of the most beautiful drives on the planet.
Bow Lake
~20–30 minutes
Your first stop along the Icefields Parkway sets a magnificent tone for the day. Bow Lake is a stunning glacial lake fed by the Crowfoot Glacier — its still, clear waters reflecting the surrounding peaks with extraordinary clarity. It's a peaceful and beautiful introduction to the scale and grandeur of what lies ahead on the Parkway.
Icefields Parkway Scenic Drive
En route
The Icefields Parkway is one of the world's most scenic drives — a 230-kilometre corridor through the heart of the Canadian Rockies that reveals ancient glaciers, turquoise lakes, and roaring waterfalls at nearly every turn. Keep your eyes on the roadside for wildlife: elk, bear, mountain goat, and bighorn sheep are frequently spotted along this remarkable route.
Columbia Icefield — Ice Explorer
~2–3 hours (Admission not included)
At the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre, the real adventure begins. Board the specially designed Ice Explorer — a massive, specially engineered vehicle built specifically for glacial travel — and drive directly onto the surface of the Athabasca Glacier. Standing on ice that has been accumulating for over 10,000 years, tasting the purest glacial meltwater you'll ever encounter, and absorbing the sheer scale of the icefield around you is an experience unlike anything else on Earth.
Glacier Skywalk
Admission not included
Perched above the dramatic Sunwapta Valley canyon, the Glacier Skywalk is a glass-floor walkway that extends out over the canyon edge — offering a vertiginous and breathtaking perspective on the landscape below. The views are extraordinary, the experience is genuinely thrilling, and the photographs are unlike anything from ground level. A spectacular finale to a spectacular day.
Calgary (8:00 AM) | Banff (available on request)
We will drop-off at the same location we picked you up from.
Warm, waterproof layers (the glacier is cold and can be windy)
Sturdy, waterproof footwear
Camera and charged smartphone
Sunglasses and sunscreen (glacial glare is intense)
Refillable water bottle
Private air-conditioned vehicle
Professional driver-guide throughout
Bottled water
Parking fees
Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre entry/admission
Gratuities
Meals
Full refund for cancellations made at least 48 hours before the tour start time. No refunds for cancellations made within 48 hours of departure. Tours may be cancelled due to severe weather — a full refund will be issued in those circumstances.