The Best Guided Tour to Moraine Lake: Discover Lake Louise, Moraine & Emerald Lakes in One Epic Day
If you've been searching for the best guided tours to Moraine Lake from Banff, Calgary or Canmore, your search ends here. Our brand-new full-day Crown of the Rockies: Louise, Moraine & Emerald Lakes Tour is the most comprehensive way to experience three of the Canadian Rockies' most breathtaking lakes in a single, unforgettable day. No rental car, no parking nightmare, no stress.
Three Iconic Lakes. One Perfect Day.
Most tours give you a quick stop at one or two lakes and call it a day. Not this one. We've designed the Crown of the Rockies tour to take you deep into two Canadian national parks, Banff and Yoho, for a full-day journey that hits all three of the Rockies' crown jewels: Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, and Emerald Lake.
Whether you're based in Banff, visiting from Calgary, or staying in Canmore, this tour was built for you. We offer convenient hotel and accommodation pickup from all three locations, so wherever you're sleeping tonight, we'll have you at the lakeshore tomorrow.
Why Book a Guided Tour to Moraine Lake from Banff?
Here's the thing: most visitors don't find out until it's too late that you can't just drive to Moraine Lake anymore. The road to Moraine Lake is restricted to tour operators, public buses, and shuttle buses. Private vehicles are not permitted during peak season. That means without a tour or shuttle, you simply don't get in.
Add to that the fact that Lake Louise parking lots routinely fill before sunrise, and mandatory paid parking is in effect throughout summer, and it becomes clear that booking a guided tour isn't just convenient - it's the smartest way to guarantee access to both lakes.
With Discover Banff Tours, your spot at Moraine Lake is locked in. No lottery, no 4 a.m. wake-up call (unless you take our Moraine Lake Sunrise Tour). Just show up, let us handle the logistics, and focus on taking it all in.
What's Included in the Crown of the Rockies Tour?
Your day begins with pickup from your Banff hotel or from Canmore or Calgary if you're joining us from there. Then you'll travel into the heart of the Canadian Rockies. Along the way, your certified local guide sets the scene, sharing the geology, wildlife, and history of the landscape unfolding outside your window.
Here's what you can expect at each stop:
Lake Louise is your first destination. Known as the "Jewel of the Canadian Rockies," Lake Louise stuns every single visitor who sees it for the first time and the second, and the third. You'll stroll the lakeshore with the Victoria Glacier rising in the background and the iconic Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise framing the scene. Your guide will explain the glacial rock flour that gives the water its impossible shade of turquoise and share stories of the Victorian-era mountaineers who first explored these shores in the 1890s.
Moraine Lake comes next, and for many guests, it's the highlight of the entire trip. Tucked into the Valley of the Ten Peaks at 1,885 metres above sea level, Moraine Lake's vivid blue-green water, surrounded by ten dramatic peaks is the kind of view that used to grace the back of the Canadian $20 bill - and it earns every pixel. You'll have time to take the short walk up the Rockpile for the most iconic viewpoint in the Rockies, or simply wander the shoreline and let the scenery do what it does best: leave you speechless.
Emerald Lake, across the border in Yoho National Park in British Columbia, rounds out the day with a completely different character. Where Moraine feels wild and raw, Emerald Lake is serene and enveloping, with its vivid green waters surrounded by old-growth forest and backed by dramatic peaks. It's a quieter, more contemplative end to an extraordinary day.
Small Group, Big Experience
Our buses seat no more than 24 guests, so you're never lost in a crowd. Big windows mean unobstructed views the entire drive, and your guide is always close enough to answer questions, share stories, and point out wildlife along the way. We see animals on the vast majority of our tours - elk, bighorn sheep, deer, and the occasional bear are all regular sightings on the road between Banff and the lakes.
Who Is This Tour For?
This tour is ideal for travellers staying in Banff, Canmore, or Calgary who want a guided day trip to Moraine Lake and Lake Louise without the complexity of renting a car, researching parking restrictions, or coordinating logistics across two national parks. It's suitable for all ages and doesn't require any significant hiking ability. The Rockpile at Moraine Lake is a short, easy walk under 500 metres, and the lakeshore strolls at all three lakes are flat and accessible.
It's also the perfect choice for visitors who want more than a photo stop. With a knowledgeable certified guide narrating the entire journey, you'll leave understanding the landscape, its geology, its wildlife, and its Indigenous and colonial history in a way that a self-guided drive simply can't offer.
What is the best time to visit?
The Crown of the Rockies tour operates during the summer season, when Moraine Lake Road is open (typically late May through early October). The lakes are at their most vivid from late June through early September, when glacial meltwater keeps that signature turquoise colour at its most intense. If you're planning a summer trip to Banff, Canmore, or Calgary, this tour should be at the top of your list, and it does sell out weeks in advance, so early booking is strongly recommended.
The Bottom Line
If you're looking for the best guided tours to Moraine Lake from Banff, Calgary, or Canmore, this is it. The Crown of the Rockies: Louise, Moraine & Emerald Lakes Tour gives you guaranteed access to all three of the Rockies' most iconic lakes in a single full day, with an expert local guide, small-group comfort, and hotel pickup included from all three locations. It's not just a tour, it's the definitive Canadian Rockies day trip.
Book Three Lakes in one guided tourUse code **ONLINE2SAVE** for 10% off when booking 7 or more days in advance.