What to book before you travel to Canada?

Most visits can be booked on the spot. A few sell out days ahead. Here they are, stop by stop, with what you can do without booking underneath. Keep the rest of your time free.

Trip length

5 days Ten days Two weeks

8 activities to book · about €465 per person

Vancouver

Days 1-3

Days 1-3Capilano Suspension BridgeHalf dayA footbridge of about 140 metres swinging 70 metres above the Capilano River, with walkways through the treetops beside it.€45Book on GetYourGuide →

Days 1-3Whale-watching tripFull dayA day on the Salish Sea looking for orcas and humpbacks, with the best chances between May and October.€110Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: Stanley Park and its seawall · Granville Island and its public market · Gastown and its steam clock · The city beaches, facing the mountains

All activities in Vancouver on GetYourGuide

Banff

Days 4-6

Days 4-6Banff Gondola up Sulphur MountainHalf dayA few minutes up to the summit ridge, then a boardwalk with views across the Bow Valley and the ranges around it.€40Book on GetYourGuide →

Days 4-6Hot springs and Lake MinnewankaFull dayA soak in the Banff Upper Hot Springs, then the largest lake in the park, by boat or on foot along the shore.€35Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: Moraine Lake (by shuttle only) · The Valley of the Ten Peaks · Banff Avenue · Wildlife: elk and bears

All activities in Banff on GetYourGuide

Lake Louise

Day 7

Day 7Canoeing on Lake Louise2hAn hour on the water beneath the Victoria Glacier, in a canoe hired from the boathouse by the Chateau.€60Book on GetYourGuide →

Day 7Guided hike to the Plain of Six GlaciersHalf dayUp the valley behind the lake to a teahouse built in the 1920s, with the glaciers closing off the view.€45Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: Lake Louise from the shore · Moraine Lake (by shuttle only) · Mountain trails to the lookouts · The hanging glaciers above the lake

All activities in Lake Louise on GetYourGuide

Jasper

Days 8-10

Days 8-10Icefields Parkway and the Columbia IcefieldFull dayThe 230 km road from Lake Louise to Jasper, with a stop to walk on the Athabasca Glacier after a ride in a giant-wheeled snow coach.€90Book on GetYourGuide →

Days 8-10Maligne Lake cruise to Spirit IslandHalf dayA boat across Maligne Lake to Spirit Island, the most photographed view in the park. Maligne Canyon, on the road up, stays closed through 2026 after the wildfire.€40Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: Maligne Lake · Maligne Canyon (closed through 2026) · Night skies in the dark sky preserve · Wildlife: elk, bears and bighorn sheep

All activities in Jasper on GetYourGuide

Indicative prices per person, checked when written. The button opens the GetYourGuide search for the activity and the town, on the days of the stop once your dates are known. Some links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

Frequently asked questions

How much do the activities to book in Canada cost?

€465 per person if you do them all, across 8 bookings. The most expensive is "Whale-watching trip" at €110, the cheapest "Hot springs and Lake Minnewanka" at €35. Prices checked when written: confirm them when you book.

What can you do in Canada without booking anything?

16 visits on this itinerary need no ticket or time slot, starting with Stanley Park and its seawall, Granville Island and its public market, Gastown and its steam clock, The city beaches, facing the mountains. They make up most of your days: booking ahead only concerns a handful of sites with limited places.

At which stop should you book earliest?

Vancouver, with 2 activities to book, against 2 at the quietest stop. That is where slots go first.

How long do these activities take?

From 2h for the shortest to Full day for the longest. Fit them into your days before filling the rest: a guided visit often takes half a day.

The rest of the trip

📒 The free printable Canada guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→ 🗓️ Best time to visit Canada, month by month→ 🎟️ What to book: all our destinations→