The Banff Gondola offers a year round way for visitors to see breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, the Bow Valley and the town of Banff. The views are completely different but equally spectacular in both the summer and winter seasons.
The mountain views start along the road leading up to the parking lot for the Banff Gondola.
The glass enclosed gondola cars hold four people and offer a 360 degree view during the ride. In 8 minutes you will be whisked up Sulphur Mountain to an elevation of 2281 meters (7486ft) above sea level.
As you ascend the mountain you will be treated with some incredible sight lines into the valley.
The observation decks at the summit complex and from the various boardwalk trails offer scenic mountain views in every direction.
The Banff Springs Hotel is easily recognizable. You can see the Bow River flowing behind it and along the base of Tunnel Mountain.
The Best Views From The Summit Are Along The Banff Skywalk Or Vista Trail
To get the most impressive and revealing views climb an extra kilometer along the Parks Canada Vista Trail, known as the Banff Skywalk. It’s an easy self guided interpretive walk that takes you along the summit ridge leading to Sanson’s Peak Meteorological Observatory. Allow yourself 30 to 40 minutes return trip to the observatory and back. In the early 1900’s, Norman Sanson climbed a trail up the mountain every week. For nearly 30 years he recorded the weather data at this historic stone building that is still standing. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to reach the observatory.
Keep an eye out for squirrels or marmots while walking around the boardwalks. You might even see Big Horn Mountain Sheep.
For those wanting a more adventurous hike you can take the South East Ridge Trail that runs along the ridge of the mountain to the true Summit of Sulphur Mountain.
What’s Amenities Are Offered At The Banff Gondola
The Lower Terminal
The lower terminal where the gondola ascends from has a Starbucks cafe, washroom facilities, a gift shop and an information center.
The Upper Terminal
The upper summit terminal building has four levels that offer two full restaurants, a self serve coffee shop, washroom facilities and a souvenir shop. There is an interpretive area with a mini theater showing the history of the area as well as interactive displays and activities. The rooftop patio has a seating area and in the summer months they hold BBQ’s with live entertainment and music, weather permitting.
Banff Gondola Tips
- The gondola might not be for those with a great fear of heights. The cable cars have a glass panel in the bottom. They gain elevation quickly and can rock when the wind is blowing.
- It’s only worth going up the gondola if it’s a clear day. High cloud cover is okay, but there’s no point if low level clouds are obscuring the views of the mountains and the town of Banff. See the Banff National Park webcam for current conditions.
- Dress appropriately. The temperature at the bottom is not indicative of the conditions at the summit. It can be cold and windy even in the summer months.
- Allow up to 2 hours for the gondola experience which would include at least a half hour or more to walk around the trails and board walks at the top. See information below about set ascent and descent times in the peak tourist season.
- In off season periods outside of the summer months and early fall the gondola has a lot less crowds.
- Check the schedule in January, it’s the only time of year the gondola shuts down for up to 2 weeks for maintenance.
- Reserve ahead of time if you want to eat at the Bistro restaurant or Northern Lights cafe in the summer or you probably won’t be able to get in.
- The fourth floor of the upper terminal offers the most breathtaking views.
- The gondola and facilities are wheelchair accessible, all four levels of the summit complex have elevators. The gondola cabins can accommodate most standard-sized manual and motorized wheelchairs, walking frames, and assistance devices. The summit boardwalk is not accessible, there are 368 shallow stairs.
- Strollers are not permitted due to limited space in the gondola and facilities at the summit.
- The best times to avoid crowds are before 10 AM or after 6 PM.
- Parks Canada has designated all National Parks in Canada as “no drone zones” for recreational use. Fines apply
Discounts And Package Deals
The following are some of the deals that may be offered, most with advance purchase only.
- Early morning discounts where one child rides free with a paying adult.
- Discounted tickets for Alberta residents.
- Evening ride discounts.
- Combo tickets for a meal in one of the restaurants and the gondola are offered at a discount.
See the Banff Jasper Collection Travel Deals for the current offerings.
Changes To The Gondola Rate And Ticketing System
In an effort to help reduce crowding during high visitation periods the gondola ticketing system has been changed. For full information see Banff Gondola Hours And Rates
The ticket costs fluctuate depending on the season and time of day. In the peak summer months you’ll find mid-week day tickets cheaper than weekends. The ticket prices will always be cheaper by buying them in advance online versus at the terminal. Ticket prices will increase as the date approaches.
- An adult ticket starts at approximately $50 in the low season and can cost as much as $70 in the peak summer months.
- Youth tickets for ages 6 to 15 are $25 and up.
- Children 5 and under are free, but must have a ticket.
If you want to make a change to your date or time once you have purchased your ticket it may result in a price adjustment either up or down.
The downside to purchasing advance tickets is that there could be poor visibility during your scheduled date or time slot to ride. If the views are obscured you may be offered an opportunity to reschedule your time or date, but it would be subject to availability. No refunds are given.
In the peak tourist season you will be assigned a time to ascend and descend the mountain. It will usually be a 2 hour window. Some people may find that they want to spend longer on the mountain and others may be ready to descend sooner. You can attempt to change your descent time once you are at the summit terminal to an earlier or later time, but it will be subject to availability. There’s no guarantee of getting a new time slot.
Hiking Up Sulphur Mountain And Taking The Gondola Down
In the summer hiking season some people prefer to make their own way up Sulphur Mountain and take the gondola back down. Take note that it is not free to ride the gondola down. You need to purchase a one way ticket. If want to do the opposite and take the Banff Gondola up and hike down you will have to purchase a full price ticket. The rules for the one way ticket are subject to change. Check the gondola website or contact them to see if and when the one way ticket option is available and the current rate.
The Sulphur Mountain trail starts at the north west side of the upper gondola parking lot. It’s 5.3 km’s one way on a series of switchbacks. Allow at least 1.5 to 2 hours to reach the top. The majority of the trail is through the forest, but views of Banff and the valley peak through occasionally along the way. The wind can be strong on the face of the mountain. It’s a strenuous hike with an elevation change of 655 meters. (2149 feet) and the end point is 2281 meters above sea level (7486 feet).
In the spring and fall the trail can be icy and slippery and there are avalanche risks. Check the conditions ahead of time. It’s usually free to ride the Banff Gondola down in the winter, but hikers need to be aware that the trail will be covered in snow and ice. You must have appropriate hiking gear for winter conditions. It’s not recommended if you are not fully experienced in winter hiking.
After The Gondola Take A Dip In the Hot Springs
The Upper Banff Hot Springs are located right near the Banff Gondola parking area. It makes it convenient to combine the two attractions. Having a soak in the hot springs can be a nice way to relax after the gondola or great way to warm up if it’s a cold day. See the Banff Upper Hot Springs for hours and rates.
Driving Directions To The Banff Gondola
The gondola is a short 5 minute drive from downtown Banff. Head south on Banff Avenue across the Spray River bridge. Turn left onto Cave Avenue after the bridge. Shortly after the road forks take the right onto Mountain Avenue and follow the gondola signs until you reach the parking lots and gondola terminal at the base of Sulphur Mountain.
How Can I Get To The Gondola With Out A Car Or When The Parking Lot Is Full
If you do not have a vehicle you can easily get to the Banff gondola via the Roam bus. You may want to consider taking the bus to the gondola in the peak summer months when parking can become limited at the gondola.
- Banff’s Roam Transit Route #1 is a year round option that will take you right to the gondola. It runs approximately every 40 minutes and costs $2.
- Banff Taxi (403) 762-4444 or Taxi Taxi (403) 762-0000 is another option.
Gillian @OneGiantStep
I love taking the gondola to the top and actually prefer it in the winter when we can quite possibly be the only people up there. This past winter we went up and it was snowy and blowy at the top showing the power of Mother Nature. Then we took the gondola down and warmed up in the hot springs. Perfect.
Audrey
Ahhh, there’s nothing like warming up in the hot springs. It’s nice to be in a popular tourist place when you can have it all to yourself!
Ellie
Planning a trip to Banff in Sept. Noticed the Banff Alpine Light Dinner Package. Was hoping I could get more information… I noticed that there are seatings at 5 pm and 7 pm. What time should we arrive at the base of the Gondola to make sure we make our dinner reservation? Also, how much earlier can we arrive so that we can walk around at the top before our meal? Would you recommend the 5 pm or 7 pm seating? Any other information that you could recommend would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Audrey
Hello there,
We haven’t actually done the Alpine Lights Dinner ourselves, but we have gone up the gondola several times. I looked up the sunset times for September in Banff. At the beginning of the month it says it is around 8:30pm and as you get towards the end of the month it is closer to 7:30pm. You can go up the gondola as early as you would like prior to your meal time. It depends on how much time you want for taking photos and walking around, but I would recommend taking the gondola up at least an hour or more prior to your meal.
I would imagine if you take the 5pm seating that the sun will be getting close to setting as you are finishing your meal then you can go out on the boardwalks to enjoy it finish setting. If you do the 7pm seating you will be enjoying the sunset views during your meal. Either way you can go up earlier than the meal time and enjoy walking around to take in the views in the daylight.
There is a toll free number to call the gondola 1-800-760-6934. I will call it myself tomorrow and ask how the lift tickets work when you have a dinner reservation. I would assume you get priority boarding if it is busy, but I will check to clarify that.
Cheers,
Audrey
Ellie
Hi Audrey,
Thanks for the info.
I wonder how far in advance we should book our reservations for the Alpine Dinner Lights? We plan to go on Sept. 22.
If you do get a chance to call the 1-800 number, could you please share any information you get from them? Thanks a bunch…
Audrey
I contacted the 1-800 number, it is through the company Explore Rockies that the bookings are done. They said it is best to book a while in advance if you know there is a specific date you want to do it. It can sell out sometimes weeks in advance, and other times there may be spots still available. It sounds like you would be safe to hold off for a while since it’s not until the end of September. She said the experience of the lights is more in the winter months when it is getting dark by 5pm. If you wanted to have a chance of seeing the sunset and the lights of Banff then definitely book the 7pm seating. If you don’t like booking things in advance there is always the option of taking a chance and leaving it until you arrive. You would still be able to go up the gondola anytime you want, but the dinner option could sell out.
The price is $49 plus 5%tax per person. That includes the gondola and the prime rib dinner, but it does not include transportation to the gondola. You would need to do that on your own by car or the Roam bus. It’s easy to catch from most hotels and does run until 11pm. There is always the option of a taxi as well which would not cost that much.
I did confirm you can go up whenever you want. It’s only for one time so you would not want to go up really early in the day and then come back again, you would have to pay twice. To get on the gondola is still first come first serve with your tickets, but it should not be a problem in the afternoon and at that time of the year. September can still be busy, but nothing like the months of July and August.
Hope that helps you out, if I can help you with anything else feel free to ask.
Cheers
Ellie
Thanks Audrey… The information you provided was great.
I don’t mind booking things in advance.
We’ll probably do the hot springs and then take the Gondola and have the meal.
We’re renting a car. We’re actually going to make a 11 day trip out of this. Fly into Edmonton from Ontario stay there for a couple days, head to Calgary, then to Banff, up to Jasper, and then back to Edmonton and then fly back to Ontario.
Audrey
Sounds like a great trip that you have planned. Glad to hear you are going to Jasper as well. It’s a beautiful part of the Rockies and you will get to travel along the stunning Columbia Icefields Parkway from the Lake Louise area up to Jasper.
Audrey
The weather and temperature can and does jump all over the map, especially at this time of year. If you look up the average weather temperatures for June it ranges anywhere from 5.C. to 19.C. On the top of Sulphur mountain it can be windy and cooler than down below, or it can be sunny and hot as well. You will need to be prepared for a variety of temperatures. Your best bet is to go by the weather when you arrive and on the day you plan to go up the gondola. I would suggest a rain jacket and some kind of sweater or fleece for extra warmth if it is cooler and you need it. Today the temperature is currently at 8.C in Banff, but then supposed to get up to 15.C tomorrow.
June is the month with the most rain in Banff and we are certainly experiencing it now. There is actually a flood warning in place for much of the Bow Valley, including Banff and Canmore, there have been roads washing out etc. Hopefully this heavy rain will taper off by the time of your trip if it is in mid-June.
Cheers,
Audrey
rachel
We’re planning to visit Banff on August 21st – 24th with our kids (10, 17). We want to take the Gondola on Friday . Is the meal is a good option for kids these ages?
What is the preffered hour to go up and see the view as well as the sunset?
Are all the tables in the restaurant facing a window?, or should I make reservation for a table with a view? and last question: Is the reservation for the restaurant is refundable? what is the policy of cancellation? I’ll appreciate your answer,
Audrey
I have not personally had the meal at the Banff Gondola myself. I know it is a bit expensive. I googled the sunset times during your visit in August it will be setting at 8:50pm. I would go up at least 2 hours before hand. It looks like they have a summer discount if you book your ride up for 6pm or later.
For other questions about reservations for dinner, refunds etc. you would need to contact the Banff Gondola for those answers. Here is the link to their site, they have a toll free phone number, or I’m sure they would answer your queries by email as well.
http://www.explorerockies.com/banff-gondola/hours-rates.aspx
Sorry I couldn’t be of more help. I’m sure you will enjoy the spectacular views regardless of whether you decide to do the dinner experience or not.
Cheers,
Audrey
Peter
Hi,
I am planning to go to Banff in April first week. Is it a good idea to take a four year old kid to lake Louise and sulphur mountain?
Audrey
I’m not sure if you mean take them to Lake Louise itself or the gondola at Lake Louise? I wouldn’t take a 4 year old up the Lake Louise gondola in winter, there’s not much to do other than see the view and then come back down.
Whether you take them on the gondola at Sulphur Mountain depends on your individual child. You are certainly allowed to take children up there. Obviously they wouldn’t be too thrilled with the gondola ride if they are afraid of heights. It can be bitterly cold and windy when walking around up top, you would need to bundle them up warmly. The views are pretty, you can walk around on the boardwalk areas for a bit and then go to the restaurant for something to eat. Whether your particular 4 year old would enjoy it or not, I couldn’t say.
Cheers,
Audrey