Banff Gondola, Banff, Alberta, Canada 🇨🇦

by heavenstobetty, posted in Homeschool

Day #4 (last day) I actually set an alarm for 7 AM because we bought tickets for the Banff Gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain ascending at 10:50 AM. We had the 20 min walk downhill, followed by a 15 min shuttle/bus ride to the gondola. I was able to find a “kids ride free” deal online so we got 5 tickets for the price of 3 adult tickets (about $80 each). Roam transit #1 was free with proof of paid Gondola tickets.

bus stop in Banff
view from gondola

About halfway through the gondola ride, I decided that I don’t like gondola rides! The heights! Ugh! I threatened to walk back down the mountain instead of riding. My husband asked, “What about the bears?” I decided to face the other direction in the gondola on the way back down so I could trick myself by not looking at the view to the bottom. I figured the heights were better than running into a bear!

one of the 360° views from the summit

At the summit, we were rewarded with 360° Mountain views of the gorgeous Canadian Rockies! It felt like you were standing on top of the world.

There was a wooden boardwalk to an even higher point at an old weather station. We decided to walk 1.2 miles there and back. The Internet says there are 368 stairs. We didn’t count them.

some of the steps were icy and we witnessed one tourist slip and fall – though thankfully he was uninjured
little cutie…
…with a fine of $25,000 if you feed him!
We visited during the short season when the larch trees turn yellow and drop their needles – the larch is a unique deciduous coniferous tree.
family Christmas photo done super early this year ✔️

With the sights seen, the souvenirs purchased, and our family Christmas photo taken, we were ready to head back down the gondola. When I purchased the “kids ride free” tickets I was required to choose an ascent time and a descent time. I had chosen a descent at 1:50 and we hopped onto the descending gondola about 40 minutes early with no issue. We caught the bus back to downtown Banff, ate a late lunch at The Balkan (delicious Greek food with garlic mayonnaise on the street fries), after lunch we headed back to the Banff Centre to swim and get packed up for our return trip home.

another larch tree on the walk back to the hotel

Flight ✈️ to Canada 🇨🇦

Banff, Alberta, Canada 🇨🇦

Banff Centre & 5-Pin Bowling, Banff, Alberta, Canada 🇨🇦🌧️

Lake Louise & a Beavertail, Banff, Alberta, Canada 🇨🇦

We had a wonderful time visiting Canada! We hope to return someday for more adventures with our northern neighbors! 🇨🇦

7 thoughts on “Banff Gondola, Banff, Alberta, Canada 🇨🇦”

  1. So interesting that you are swimming down below and in snow and ski caps up above. I’m glad you were brave to ride the gondola down, as I loved reading about your summit and walk around up above. Such beautiful scenery and sights! Thanks for taking us along.

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  4. Your family photo is perfect! I definitely want to visit Banff someday. I am sure pictures don’t even do justice to the scenery. I am so happy for you and the good time you had. Was your child with the injured knee okay doing all those stairs?

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    1. Thank you. ☺️

      Absolutely, you know, it, girl! Pictures of places like that never do it justice.

      Yes, by the end of the week, his knee was feeling better and the walk to the weather station was probably pushing it a little bit, but we went really slow and let him set pace.

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