What to Expect Visiting the Banff Gondola
The final weekend in May turned out to be a perfect time of year to visit Banff National Park. I reserved tickets to ride on the Banff Gondola, not fully knowing what the experience would be like. Reed and I were blown away with the spectacular views from the top! Here’s a look at the wonderful scenery of the Canadian Rockies from the top of the Banff Gondola and details about the amenities at the top.
The town of Banff can be viewed from the top deck.
Getting There
The Banff Gondola is located at Sulphur Mountain and is a 9-minute drive south of the town of Banff. You can follow Mountain Avenue all the way to the parking lot. Parking is limited, and it’s recommended that you take a bus from Banff. We were lucky enough to find parking, but the Gondola was not as crowded at the end of May compared to later summer months.
Tickets and Entry
We walked up to the ticket booth and waited in a line of about 25 people. The staff kept the line moving quickly and we got through in about 15 minutes. I had purchased vouchers through Viator.com that I needed to exchange at the ticket counter. You can click here to view current ticket prices.
After presenting our vouchers, we were given tickets with a time slot and directed to go inside the lodge. The gondolas were located inside the lodge, along with a cafe, gift shop, and restrooms. It was no problem at all to wait in the lodge a bit before our time was called. Once our ticket time group was announced, we lined up to get onto the gondola.
Going Up
The 8-minute ride to the top brought 698m (2,292 feet) up to the top of Sulphur Mountain. The gondola felt like a smooth ride and was enclosed with windows that were slightly open to let air in. I did feel the wind a few times and the slight swaying of the gondola, but the scenery is so impressive that it’s worth it even if heights make you nervous.
At the Top
We grabbed a coffee and headed out onto the boardwalk that extends all the way to the neighboring mountain, Sanson’s Peak. I loved how the boardwalk allowed us to view the Canadian Rockies from all angles. There were maps to help identify the mountains and some areas where we could exit the boardwalk for pictures.
We also enjoyed the rooftop observation deck. When we got to the top, we were greeted with lemonade and live music. We spent about 45 minutes at the top of the gondola, with most of our time being on the boardwalk.
Learning the names of the mountains from the maps located along the boardwalk
Other Activities at the Banff Gondola.
Aside from the breathtaking views, you can also find an indoor interactive center for kids, a gift shop, and restaurants. There are also options to reserve lunch in advance along with your gondola ticket.
My favorite activity was walking along the long deck between the mountains.
A look at the main building from the top of the boardwalk area.
An Unforgettable Experience
The Banff Gondola was a perfect way to spend a morning in Banff. I loved seeing the town from above, and although there were plenty of people moving through the excursion, we did not feel crowded or like our time was wasted. We may have gone through the Gondola quicker than others since we did not stop to eat at one of the restaurants, but I was satisfied with the time we spent there. I definitely hope to go back!
To learn about other activities we did while visiting Banff, please check out our other post:
