Banff National Park Adventures

"I have to say we were not prepared for the wonders of the Canadian Rockies. Simply put, we were blown away by the landscape and our guides who were totally devoted to making our trip one we will always remember. They were knowledgeable, friendly, and open, making us feel like part of their family as they showed us their back yard. And what a back yard it is. Living in a city, the isolation in this vast wide open world of the Rockies was a welcome relief from the rush and crush of urban living. And the skies at night, unfettered by city lights, were out of this world. This trip ranks right up there with our trip to Everest Base Camp a few years ago. If you go, be prepared not only to be wowed, but also be fit. This is not a walk in the park. It will test you, but at the end of each day, you will feel like Hillary on top of the world.

"The Hut to Hut hike is amazing. The scenery is some of the best I've ever seen! I was impressed with the guides. Will, Sydney, and Keenan were very knowledgeable regarding the structure of the mountains, the rocks and rock formations, and the foliage in the area. The watched us carefully to make sure we stayed hydrated and ate appropriately. They were fun to be around, and made the hike even more enjoyable.

"I have to start off mentioning that I was a little nervous, and anxious as the date got closer for my trip. I was questing myself regarding the physicality of the hiking, or do i have the right gear. But after meeting with Will, Keenen, and Sydney, I new I was in good hands. They were there for all the guest's every step of the way. No matter what situation arose they were at the ready. I really enjoyed my stay with the entire group, and got a lot out my trip. It wasn't just the shear beauty of the Alpine, but the education i received from Will, and his staff. They make sure you're well being, and overall enjoyment is priority. And not mention the food and lodging, which was very good and comfortable. I highly recommend this trip to anyone who enjoys the outdoors, a bit of a challenge, and a whole lot of fun!

"It was an excellent trip. Our two guides, Sydney and Santana were fantastic. We had some rain on two of the days and they were flexible in finding alternatives to our plans so that we could still hike but not be out in the elements too much. The accommodations were fine. The lunches that were prepared were great. The hikes were stunning.

"To say I was emotionally overwhelmed is an understatement. I have been to a lot of beautiful places but this place brought tears. Even with three -maybe four - days of rain, this still was an amazing trip. The glory of the Rockies, the colors of the waters, the simple calmness of the place was a welcome respite from my concrete city life.

"Excellent, the trip of a lifetime!

"If you want to hike a-l-l-l day, then this is the trip for you. The trip was a good trip with beautiful sites and knowledgeable, personable guides. Originally we were signed up for a different Banff/Jasper multi-adventure trip with hiking, biking, kayaking, and a raft trip. We then had to change the date and I was told by Sam this date was the same trip. Later on, we found out it was just hiking and we were really disappointed. We really were looking forward to the biking and kayaking to break up the hiking. The trip turned out to be fine, but I would rather have had a break from some of the hiking. The guides, Santana and Ben were great and very helpful. The "trust" activity was fun as we walked through the forest with our eyes closed, to then open them to a beautiful view. The guide at the glacier was fun and interesting. The accommodations were fine and what I expected.

I do think the price of the trip should have been adjusted since any costs associated with biking, kayaking, and rafting were not required. All in all,…

"This is a wonderful experience. It was challenging, beautiful, and a new part of BC for myself and the group. Do not underestimate boulder field hiking. The ridge hiking is splendid, with glaciers, mountain ranges and late season wildflowers.

"Our trip was wonderous so much more than I could have imagined. Our 2 guides Will and Lisa were outstanding and very knowledgeable. If you want to experience the beauty of British Columbia away from the crowds this is the trip to take.

"This was my first adventure with (Active)Austin Adventures and my husbands second trip. I loved it! For me the white water rafting and glacier ice walk were awesome. Our guides, Sydney and Keenan were fantastic. They truly gave us the red carpet treatment and you can see the difference between Active Adventures and other companies when you are on the trip.

"Our trip to Banff & Jasper was fantastic. Sydney & Keenan were expert guides for the area and activities, and took care of our group. They pivoted with the weather and some of our requests during the trip all while pulling off a seamless adventure. We saw parts of Canada that we would not have been able to do on our own and learned so much - from hiking techniques to glacier activity. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience, guides and fellow guests. Looking forward to our next Austin adventure!

"Our trip guides - Keenan and Sydney were awesome! They literally thought of everything to make our trip so nice! From snacks on the river, to a dry towel after rafting, to a yummy charcuterie board after our bike ride, the two of them were so very thoughtful and engaged, for the entire trip! We thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of our trip, lots of great scenery, adventures and getting to know Keenan and Sydney throughout our week!

"The first three days of this adventure were so fun! The guides and other 6 guests were so easy to be around; no awkwardness from the get-go. We eased into hiking and cycling to prepare for the longer excursions later in the week. The afternoon river rafting trip on the Kicking Horse river was a blast.. and COLD! But so fun! Unfortunately, I came down with covid that evening of the third day and spent the remainder of the trip in our Banff hotel. Sydney and Keenan made sure I was taken care of, but since I was testing positive I could not rejoin the trip. To my great disappointment I was not able to hike the Athabaska Glacier, did not see the bears, did not hike Solitude Pass. The pictures provided by Austin Adventures made me cry to see what I'd missed. I had to downgrade my overall experience because of covid, although it was not AA's fault. Neither was the wildfire smoke that obscured some of the views.

"This was my 3rd trip with Austin Adventures and it again met their (and my) very high standards. After years as a single parent, I am always struck by how the guides at Austin take care of all the details as if they were an attentive parent planning so that no contingency could detract from my enjoyment. Didn’t bring enough water? They carried extra. Too tired to climb that last hill on the bike ride? They’ll give you a ride up, all without making you feel embarrassed. And they’re not only incredibly nice and resourceful, they are incredibly knowledgeable. I love traveling with these wonderful people.

"We had the bittersweet opportunity to complete this trip that my Mom had planned to go on with my great Aunt. After my Mom passed away suddenly, my Aunt offered to my wife and I the chance to go on this trip in their place. We were overwhelmed by the beauty of Banff and the incredible hospitality of our guides. Exploring these out of the way spots and the little details made this trip magical and the beauty of it all deeply healing for us.

"Excellent, the trip of a lifetime!

"I can’t say enough good things about this trip!
Location: Lovely and pristine, wildflowers galore and not another soul around
Guides: Will and Ben are fabulous, really kept us going when we flagged. Their patience with us is truly appreciated.
Overall: We had such a great group! The camaraderie between guests and guides was exceptional, with a special shout out to Tim and Jeremy for making the Huts are home away from home.

"This is a wonderful trip through a beautiful area of what I would call wilderness - I am from the US. The only people around are your group - that's it. You see no one else and have the forest/mountains to yourselves - as far as you can see. This is a marvel compared to other hikes I have taken where I run into people all of the time which kind of ruins the experience. The huts were the only 'intrusion' in the area and were greatly appreciated. Guides, accommodations, food and hiking were second to none. This is my second trip through Austin Adventures and each was superb. I'm doing another trip soon.

"Excellent, the trip of a lifetime!

"A challenging and scenically rewarding trip far away from the madding crowd. Loved the opportunity to hike in such a remote area and end each day in a comfortable hut - with wonderful hot meals, saunas and sheets on the bed. Appreciated that the hut-to-hut hikes could be enhanced with various side trips to nearby peaks, lakes or scenic overlooks. Incredible views despite smoky air.

Our small group of five clients was, unfortunately, not compatible in hiking ability. Three of us were trained and fit; the two others, not so much. Our guides Will and Ben deserve medals for their patience and kindness in helping the struggling couple get up - and especially down - some steep terrain. The guides strived to accommodate those of us who wanted to hike more, and faster, and kept morale up among all of us amid difficult circumstances.