Episode 7: Banff’s Best Gondolas and Chairlifts. Which One Should You Ride?

If you’ve ever dreamed of soaring over the Canadian Rockies without breaking a sweat, Banff’s best gondolas and chairlifts are the ideal way to experience that. Whether you want jaw-dropping views, a fun family outing, or a shortcut to epic hiking trails, I’ll help you pick the best ride for your trip.

Why You Should Absolutely Ride a Gondola in Banff

First off, gondolas aren’t just for skiers around here. In Banff, they’re one of the easiest ways to get those stunning above-the-treeline views and they work for literally everyone.

Whether you’re travelling with little kids, grandparents, or you just want to save your energy for another hike later, riding a gondola is like stepping into a mountain postcard.

As locals, we are lucky enough to see the mountains all year long, but that doesn’t stop us from enjoying the gondolas too! We typically hit each of them at least once a year if not more! We have our favourites at different times of the year. Which I’ll share as we go through each one.

The Banff Gondola

The Banff Gondola at Sulphur Mountain is the most popular and well-known one and for good reason.

Here’s what you need to know:

• It’s an enclosed 4-person gondola
• The ride itself is about 8 minutes
• At the top, you can walk the Sulphur Mountain Boardwalk all the way to the historic Cosmic Ray Station
• There’s a rooftop deck, two restaurants (including Sky Bistro), and an interpretive center
• The Banff gondola operates all year long.

If you want that classic Banff “wow” view looking over the Bow Valley, Banff townsite, and endless mountains, it’s incredible.

Quick tip: Book your tickets in advance for those peak summer days! This one will sell out.

Now it’s no secret that our family likes to hike… Often when we travel, we’ve opted to hike up instead of taking a gondola. Which you can do for the Banff Gondola. Usually Dan and I will hike up Sulphur mountain a couple of times a year.

But when it comes to the Banff Gondola, one of our favourite times to visit is in December. We love to go up and get pictures with Santa. We’ve been doing it for years.

Not this past winter, but the one before that, we took the kids up for the usual mountaintop festivities, but we also had tickets to the Christmas Carol, so we opted to hike down from the gondola since we had some extra time. At first the kids were not so pleased to hear that we had decided to hike down instead of taking the gondola… But the entire trail and forest was snow covered and both kids enjoyed running down the trail and playing in the snow.

The funny part was the next year when we suggested that we hike down instead of ride down, they were both excited and didn’t put up any fuss. I guess that’s our new Gondola at Christmas tradition!

The Lake Louise Gondola

Let’s move on the Lake Louise Gondola, which is located at the Lake Louise Ski Resort. This one’s totally different!

The Lake Louise Summer Gondola is an open chairlift or enclosed gondola (your choice) and it’s all about wildlife viewing. The gondola  and chairlift goes right above a wildlife corridor (so there’s no option to hike up instead of taking the gondola here).

This one is approximately 14 minutes long and along the way, you’ll have a chance to spot bears from the chairlift.

At the top, you get:

• Stunning views of Lake Louise and Victoria Glacier
• Shorter hikes with impressive views
• A small wildlife interpretive center
• Whitehorn Bistro has incredible views, plus you’ll find additional restaurants at the base

The Lake Louise summer sightseeing gondola typically opens in early June once the ski season is done and they’ve had a chance to prepare for summer. They do a winter sightseeing gondola, but there’s not really anything to do at the top unless you are skiing.

It’s as built up at the top as the Banff Gondola, but the scenery is jaw-dropping. You are also enclosed in an electric fence for protection at the top. If you want to hike, you need to leave the protected area.

Local tip: Bring binoculars if you’re into wildlife. And go for the gondola option if you’re nervous about heights, it feels way more secure.

Our family goes up the Lake Louise gondola (though we always opt for the chairlift) at least once each summer. While I know that the possibility of seeing a grizzly bear is there, we haven’t been lucky yet. However, we did get to see a lynx last year which was even more exciting for us! And even without having been lucky enough to see a grizzly, we still try every year!

In summer, you can enjoy the wildflowers along the hikes. If you happen to be visiting in late September, there are a couple of great larch hikes from the top.

Local Tip: If you haven’t figured out your shuttles to Moraine Lake and Lake Louise yet, the Lake Louise Ski Resort does a gondola and shuttle combo option!

Sunshine Village Gondola + Standish Chairlift

If you want a little more off-the-beaten-path feel, head to Sunshine Village. While most people don’t know about this one, it’s definitely my favourite!

Here’s the best part about the Sunshine Village Gondola, you start with the Sunshine Gondola up to the ski village . This is the longest gondola ride at 25 minutes. Then you ride the Standish Chairlift even higher. You land at the top of Sunshine Meadows, an alpine paradise of wildflowers and tiny glacial lakes.

In the winter you can do guided snowshoeing at the top of the Sunshine Gondola.

In the summer, typically Mad Trappers Grill and Chimney Corner are open at Sunshine Village for food or grab a coffee at Java Lift.

You need to be comfortable riding both the gondola and chairlift for this one, although you do have the option of hiking without taking the chairlift.

This is easily one of the most stunning places for easy hiking in the alpine without having to do all the hard work. The views from the Standish viewpoint are insane! From there you can do an easy hike down past Rock Isle Lake and down to the gondola. There are more options for hiking as well, depending on how much time you have.

Unfortunately, this one doesn’t typically open until very late June.

While we often ski at sunshine in the winter, this is one of our favourite summer places! We make sure to visit at least once a summer, but it usually ends up being more. Last year, we came up to see the wildflowers then again on their last day. The last day typically ends up being close to when the larches are starting to turn yellow, so it’s a wonderful time to visit!

Last September, when we came on the final day, my son decided to wear shorts despite being told several times it had snowed the night before… Rather than argue, I decided to just past some pants for when he got cold… He never did… But I sure got some looks from the others around. I could only shrug while commenting “mountain kids – what are you gonna do”?

In all seriousness though, it’s going to be several degrees colder at the top of any of the gondolas, so it’s worth packing an extra layer! You can thank me later!

Mount Norquay Chairlift

Last but not least, Mount Norquay offers a chairlift ride in summer as well. Here’s what you need to know about the Mount Norquay Chairlift:

• It’s a 2-person open chairlift
• It’s a short ride (around 10 minutes) but the view over Banff townsite is stunning
• The Cliffhouse Bistro at the top is a wonderful restaurant with incredible views.

It’s usually cheaper and less busy than the Banff Gondola, so it’s great if you’re short on time or money but still want an aerial view.

Local Tip: It’s also where you join the Via Ferrata climbing tours if you’re looking for one of the best adventurous activities around Banff!

Bonus Tips For All Banff Gondolas & Chairlifts

Here are a few extra tips from a local who has been on all the gondolas and chairlifts around Banff several times:

• Always bring an extra layer, even in July, it’s chilly at the top
• Book tickets online early in peak summer months for the Banff Gondola. The other ones you can do as a walkup.
• Bring a water bottle and snacks if you plan on doing any hikes (Lake Louise or Sunshine Meadows)
• If you’re scared of heights, stick to enclosed gondolas (no chairlifts!)

Here’s my full blog post on Banff’s best gondolas and chairlifts with side-by-side comparisons and even more tips!