Wildlife on the Bow: Big Canoe Tour

Embark on a scenic canoe tour on the Bow River in Banff and discover animal habitats, behaviors, and conservation efforts. Spot bald eagles, elk, muskrats, and even a resident beaver. Learn about wildlife encounters and the challenges they face. Perfect for families!

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Wolf Street & Bow Avenue - Canoeing along the Bow River in Banff provides the perfect vantage point for spotting Canada’s famous wildlife. As you paddle, enjoy working as a team with your fellow paddlers while a guide navigates the big canoe and shares stories about animal habitats, behaviours and conservation. Learn best practice for wildlife…
What's Included
  • Paddles and Life Jackets
  • Live commentary on board
  • Other
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Food and drinks
  • Hotel pick-up and drop-off
Additional Information

Experience the charm of the Bow River from our 12-passenger canoe. Embark on an early evening Big Canoe tour and gather interesting insights about the life and conservation of animals. Leave behind the buzzing Banff streets and plunge into the bosom of nature. Revel in the fun of paddling through the picturesque Bow, all the while watching out for the…

Location
Wolf Street & Bow Avenue
Please park at the Banff Train Station and walk to the Banff Canoe Club
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(77 Ratings)
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T7862qzdebrab
Sep 22, 2025
Terrific - A great experience for the whole family - we were really treated with the wildlife experience. From Oma to our 4 year granddaughter.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Johnk801
Aug 23, 2025
Great Canoe tour - We spent an hour and a half on the river today with Abbey as our guide. The sun shone and the river was beautiful and calm, with amazing colours. We saw a bald eagle and beaver dams, with Abbey giving us a great insight into all the sights on the way. Thoroughly enjoyed this day and Abbey was fantastic. Thank you!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cathyd8888
Aug 19, 2025
Great way to spend a morning in Banff. - We had Bree as our guide on this group canoe ride on the Bow River. Bree was knowledgeable and informative throughout the ride. We felt very safe. A very memorable experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
360jameso
Aug 18, 2025
A great canoe ride with Brea - Brea was our guide and she was bubble friendly and very sociable. She gave us a talk about the potential animals that we may see in the area. I learned a lot about deers. We then set out onto the bow river in the canoe. It was such a peaceful and beautiful time being in nature surrounded by breathtaking mountains. We learned how to paddle and navigate the river and we learned about bears and other wildlife in the area. Brea made the whole adventure an exciting learning experience and one that we will always remember. Thank you Brea
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marla
Aug 18, 2025
Had a great time! - While this activity on paper seemed a little lame with 2 kids in their 20’s, I booked it anyway and we were all impressed! Cam was engaging and fun. We learned a lot about the wildlife and mountains. This tour definitely exceeded our expectations!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lovetravel301131
Aug 14, 2025
fun for the whole family - This was a wonderful experience for our extended family of 13 with folks ranging from 14 to 83 years of age. Such a beautiful, tranquil river. Claire, our guide, was fantastic and kept us engaged and informed. She was such a personable and warm soul. Great experience all around.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
N5024izjamesr
Jul 3, 2025
Leisurely family canoe trip. - Not sure whether I’ve chosen the correct tour- we went in the ‘River Explorer Canoe Tour’ 1.5 hours in a 12 person canoe. After booking in we were given a quick informative and light hearted talk about what wildlife we may encounter, health and safety and use of equipment. On the trip we all paddled with our rep, Mardi, giving direction and commentary. It was a relaxed pace and a very enjoyable ride, with Mardi adding to the experience giving history and nature talks as we initially paddled upstream for around 45 minutes against the flow. On the way back was easier with the flow, but at no point was the initial paddle difficult. Plenty of time for photos of the beautiful scenery.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Beckyprogers
Jul 1, 2025
Claire gave us an awesome experience canoeing on the Bow River- and we did see wildlife! - Claire was such a warm, knowledgeable guide! We saw a coyote, loon, two beavers and an osprey - so cool. It was a fun group experience, and the river was so peaceful and calm, with spectacular scenery.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Amandamj7707av
Jun 30, 2025
Great Canoe Trip! - We very much enjoyed this canoe ride. I went with my husband and two teenaged boys. We felt safe at all times, and Abbey was a very friendly and informative guide. We saw a beaver and an osprey eating a fish up in a tree, and got some great photos of the mountains from the water. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Amish_p
Jun 30, 2025
Operators were very nice... - Operators were very nice and the canoe ride was relaxing but you don’t see much wildlife. I wouldn’t recommend.
Review provided by Viator