09/03/2026
Want to add a memory to your Banff trip your kids will never forget? 🌊🏔️
One of our favorite family adventures was rafting the Kicking Horse River with in Yoho National Park—just ~30 minutes from Lake Louise!
Here’s what you need to know👇🏼
🚣♀️ FAMILY-FRIENDLY OPTIONS: Hydra offers different rafting experiences, so you can choose a calmer family-focused trip or a more adrenaline-filled run with bigger rapids - perfect for teens! You don’t need prior experience!
👧🏼 KIDS: Family white-water rafting is available for ages 8+ with 1hr on the water, while the Kicking Horse Classic is designed for ages 12+ with 2hrs on the water!
☀️ WHEN TO GO: Rafting is a seasonal activity, generally running from late spring into early fall. Summer is a great time to add it to a Banff itinerary, especially when you want a more dynamic trip.
🏔️ WHERE: The rafting base is in Yoho National Park about an hour from Banff town - making it an easy day trip where you can also add sightseeing to Emerald Lake 😍 + Takakkaw Falls.
🧤 WHAT ABOUT THE COLD WATER? 😅 Wetsuits and rafting gear are provided, including splash jackets & an optional fleece layer! Believe me I get cold easily & I was comfortable the whole ride AND even jumped in the water!!
TIP: bring a swimsuit, towel and dry clothes for afterward.
⭐ WHY ADD THIS: You get mountain scenery, rushing whitewater, a little adrenaline, and an experience that feels completely different from the typical Banff itinerary of hikes, lakes and scenic drives that the kids will remember! 😉
📌 Save this for your Banff family itinerary!
Thank you for hosting our family on the Kicking Horse River! 🤍 All opinions are our own.
