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Discover Grizzly Bears from Banff: Majestic Wilderness Adventure in Grizzly Refuge
4.6
135 Ratings
Takakkaw Falls
Embark on a majestic wilderness adventure in the grizzly refuge near Banff. Ride a gondola for stunning views of grizzly country and witness an orphaned grizzly bear in its natural habitat.
Embark on a majestic wilderness adventure in the grizzly refuge near Banff. Ride a gondola for stunning views of grizzly country and witness an orphaned grizzly bear in its natural habitat.
Duration:
10 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Takakkaw Falls - Explore Takakkaw Falls in Yoho National Park (when accessible) to witness Canada’s second tallest waterfall, cascading 254m (830 feet) in a single drop and 384m (1,260 feet) in total. The falls can be viewed from the parking lot or by taking an optional short 0.5km (¹⁄₃ mile) walk along a paved path to the base of these…
- Takakkaw Falls - Explore Takakkaw Falls in Yoho National Park (when accessible) to witness Canada’s second tallest waterfall, cascading 254m (830 feet) in a single drop and 384m (1,260 feet) in total. The falls can be viewed from the parking lot or by taking an optional short 0.5km (¹⁄₃ mile) walk along a paved path to the base of these magnificent falls.
- Kicking Horse Mountain Resort - Take a ride on a four-person open-chairlift partway up the mountain to visit the Grizzly Bear Refuge, the largest enclosed grizzly bear habitat globally. Here, meet Boo, a bear with paws as large as hubcaps, a mouth full of sharp teeth, and powerful muscles beneath his thick fur, in his 20-acre habitat in the Rocky Mountain wilderness. Learn about Boo’s personal story and grizzly bear behavior from an expert guide while observing him as he explores, hunts, and forages like his wild relatives. After the tour, return via the open-air chairlift.
- Emerald Lake - Enjoy a brief stop at Emerald Lake, renowned for its jade-colored waters and encircled by the stunning Rocky Mountains.
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Return transport from Banff
- Visit to a grizzly bear refuge
- Chairlift ride
- Gondola ride at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort (Not available until 2026)
- Small group size (up to 24 guests per guide)
- Golden Skybridge — A suspension bridge 130 metres (426 feet) high (Only available UNTIL August 31)
- Professional guide
- Return transport from Banff
- Visit to a grizzly bear refuge
- Chairlift ride
- Gondola ride at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort (Not available until 2026)
- Small group size (up to 24 guests per guide)
- Golden Skybridge — A suspension bridge 130 metres (426 feet) high (Only available UNTIL August 31)
What's Not Included
- Optional gratuities
- Optional gratuities
Additional Information
Embark on an exhilarating small-group journey through the Rockies, immersing yourself in the region’s breathtaking natural marvels. Witness the majestic Takakkaw Falls, one of Canada’s tallest waterfalls, and explore the vibrant waters of Emerald Lake. Discover the historic Spiral Tunnels in Yoho National Park. Visit the Golden Skybridge, Canada’s…
Embark on an exhilarating small-group journey through the Rockies, immersing yourself in the region’s breathtaking natural marvels. Witness the majestic Takakkaw Falls, one of Canada’s tallest waterfalls, and explore the vibrant waters of Emerald Lake. Discover the historic Spiral Tunnels in Yoho National Park. Visit the Golden Skybridge, Canada’s highest suspension bridge, offering spectacular views and a delightful lunch. Continue to the Kicking Horse Grizzly Bear Refuge to encounter Boo, a rescued grizzly bear residing in a 20-acre sanctuary. It’s not just the destinations, but the experiences that make it unforgettable.
- Early and late season bookings may be subject to itinerary changes, the Takakkaw Falls Road typically opens late June. Alternative stops are usually the Spiral Tunnels and Natural Bridge..
- Infant rates do not include food.
- Group bookings of 9 or more guests have a 7 day cancellation period.
Location
Takakkaw Falls
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.6
(135 Ratings)
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I6599bjjenniferp
Jul 18, 2025
Awesome tour and day with Boo and Jake. - Jake was awesome! We had a great day and he made the whole tour even more enjoyable. Great mix of stories, information and music. Very knowledgeable.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Terra_l
Jul 10, 2025
Loved it - It was a great tour and we did get to see Boo, it was a brief sighting but still awesome. The sanctuary is beautiful with plenty of area for that beautiful bear to roam. It was cold and wet but we were literally up in the clouds. Great trip.
Review provided by Viator
Natalie_h
Jul 1, 2025
Amazing trip!!! - Would recommend this trip. Brianna was a very good tour guide! Amazing trip. We were fortunate on our trip to see black bears. We also saw Boo the grizzly bear at the Kicking Horse. The weather was really good which also adds to the experience.
As an advisory the Golden Skybridge had a lot of uneven terrain and steep areas which can make it difficult for those with mobility issues.
Review provided by Viator
Allrogers
Jun 22, 2025
Excellent tour - Excellent tour with very knowledgeable guide Tim. He knew all about the rivers, lakes and natural environment. We saw black bears and a grizzly bear. The Golden sky bridge was fantastic and Emerald lake was stunning.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Elizabeth_m
Jun 5, 2025
Grizzly tour - Roz was a brilliant guide, full of local knowledge which made the drive interesting and nothing was too much trouble for her. Emerald lake was beautiful and the change in schedule to Golden was very good. Lots of activities to do there. Disappointed that we didn’t get to see Boo at Kicking Horse reserve but we did get to see a black bear and her cubs on the way up to the resort. Roz carefully positioned the vehicle to allow us to watch the trio for some time which was fantastic and made up for not seeing Boo. I would recommend this tour but perhaps a little later in the season as it was opening week at the sanctuary when we went.
Review provided by Viator
835darrylb
May 22, 2025
Great Tour! - Eli was a great tour guide. He was very professional even dealing tactfully with other passengers who had obviously confused their pick up versus tour start times.
During the tour he shared his personal knowledge as well as some historical information about the area.
At each stop he always offered to take photos and answered guest questions.
I would highly recommend him!
Darryl Branham
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Explore40252891337
Apr 19, 2025
Discover Banff Tours - We had Jake as our tour guide! He was Brilliant! Highly recommend it! Great to see & hear about the local nature & wildlife! Jake gave us a lot of insightful information & history about the land! A lot of thought & effort was put into the tour & thank you for the Easter goodie bags at the end! :)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alis0nc8
Sep 24, 2024
Amazing - This was an amazing experience to see a grizzly bear close up - Boo put on a show for us. The gondola ride and lunch in the Eagle eye restaurant was great. Our guide Bobby was very informative - i would highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
745dianaj
Sep 24, 2024
Great day - Brilliant
We had a fabulous day. Our tour guide Roz was excellent - gold star deserved.
She was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot about the landscape and the history as well as about bears and other local wildlife, it was interesting and entertaining.
We very much enjoyed all the stops and didn’t feel too rushed. The meal at Eagle’s Eye restaurant was fine, choice of beef burgers, chicken burger or a salad. 2 cake type desserts.
Was great to see Boo the Grizzly Bear and the warden was knowledgeable.
It’s a long day and quite pricey but we felt it was worth it and would recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kimberly_l
Sep 17, 2024
Grizzly bear tour - Cameron was a great guide, so knowledgeable about the area and shared lots of tips and information to make the drive and the stops enjoyable. Offered to take pictures of us at each stop and really welcomed us to Banff! This was our first tour of our vacation and a great way to start the trip. Boo the grizzly Bear was our favorite.
Review provided by Viator
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