Gondola, Sulphur Mountain, Banff, Alberta, Canada

Getty Images

Banff Gondola

Banff Town


In summer or winter, you can summit a peak near Banff thanks to the Banff Gondola, with four-person enclosed cars that glide up to the top of Sulphur Mountain in less than 10 minutes. Named for the thermal springs that emanate from its base, this peak is a perfect viewing point and a tick-box Banff attraction. There are a couple of restaurants on top, plus an extended hike on boardwalks to Sanson Peak, the site of an old weather station.

Pursuit, the corporation that owns the gondola, has recently moved to a system of 'dynamic pricing' where rates fluctuate according to demand; prices can get quite steep during peak summer season. Some people prefer to hike up the mountain instead on a zigzagging 5.6km trail. You can travel back down on the gondola for half price and recover in the hot springs.

The gondola is 4km south of central Banff. The easiest way to get there is to catch Roam bus No 1; alternatively, you can hunt for a spot in the enormous car park.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Banff Town attractions

1. Upper Hot Springs Pool

0.25 MILES

Banff quite literally wouldn’t be Banff if it weren’t for its hot springs, which gush out from 2.5km beneath Sulphur Mountain at a constant temperature of…

2. Fairmont Banff Springs

1.14 MILES

Looming up beside the Bow River, the Banff Springs is a local landmark in more ways than one. Originally built in 1888, and remodeled in 1928 to resemble…

3. Bow Falls

1.35 MILES

About 500m south of town, just before the junction with Spray River, the Bow River plunges into a churning melee of white water at Bow Falls. Though the…

4. Surprise Corner Viewpoint

1.37 MILES

About 1.2km east of Banff Town, the Surprise Corner viewpoint looks out over the rushing white water of Bow Falls.

5. Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum

1.84 MILES

The Luxton Museum recounts the story of Alberta's indigenous people, with a strong emphasis on the Cree, Blackfoot, Blood and Stoney nations. The displays…

6. Old Banff Cemetery

1.87 MILES

Banff’s shaded cemetery is worth a visit, especially if you’re interested in the town’s history. Some of the gravestones date back to the 1890s; among the…

7. Banff Park Museum

1.91 MILES

Occupying the oldest surviving federal building in a Canadian National Park and dating from 1903, this museum is a national historic site. Its exhibits –…

8. Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies

2.01 MILES

Founded by local artists Catharine and Peter Whyte, the century-old Whyte Museum is more than just a rainy-day option. It boasts a beautiful, ever…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "canada/alberta/banff-town/attractions/banff-gondola/a/poi-sig/463868/361215",
      "destination": "Banff-Town",
      "continent": "North-America",
      "country": "Canada",
      "city": "Banff-Town",
      "position": "superzone"
    }