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Day 2: Banff National Park: Moraine Lake & Lake Louise
120km/75mi – 1h20
On the second day of this itinerary, it is time to go explore the two most iconic lakes in Banff National Park: Moraine Lake and Lake Louise.
Explore:
- Start the day by walking along the magically blue Moraine Lake.
- Spend the afternoon exploring Lake Louise, and its surroundings, including the Fairmont Chateau hotel.
- Both lakes offer canoe rentals when weather permits.
Eat:
- For lunch, we bought a picnic at IGA supermarket in Banff village.
- We enjoyed a tasty dinner with a view at Primrose in the Rimrock hotel.
Stay:
- We recommend staying in Banff Village for the first two nights. We stayed at the Brewster Mountain Lodge.
Tips:
- Unless you arrive at Moraine Lake or Lake Louise very early in the day (5:30am according to park personnel), onsite parking will not be available. You will need to park at the overflow parking about 5km away, and take the Moraine Lake shuttle ($15pp), and/or the Lake Louise shuttle (free). Expect long lines (outdoors) to catch the shuttles.
- If your budget permits, and you absolutely want to avoid shuttle buses, there is a hotel at Moraine Lake (Moraine Lake Lodge) and one at Lake Louise (Fairmont Lake Louise).
- Consider buying a picnic in Banff village, as there is barely any food for sale and no indoor spaces to eat at Moraine Lake.
Go to the next page to see the following day of this itinerary. Feel free to comment below if you have any questions or want to share your recommendations with our fellow readers!