Emerald Lake & Takakkaw Falls Tour
Discover the natural beauty of Yoho National Park with a private tour to Emerald Lake and Takakkaw Falls. Enjoy breathtaking scenery, turquoise waters, and one of Canada’s tallest waterfalls.
Discover Two of Yoho National Park’s Most Spectacular Attractions
Escape into the breathtaking landscapes of Yoho National Park with a private tour to Emerald Lake and Takakkaw Falls. From the vibrant turquoise waters of Emerald Lake to the powerful cascade of Takakkaw Falls, this journey offers an unforgettable experience surrounded by towering mountains, ancient forests, and incredible natural beauty.
With Apex Cabs, you can travel comfortably from Canmore while avoiding the stress of driving, parking, and planning your route. Relax and enjoy every moment as our experienced local drivers take you through one of British Columbia’s most scenic national parks.
Why Visit Emerald Lake & Takakkaw Falls?
Emerald Lake is famous for its crystal-clear emerald-colored water, peaceful walking trails, and spectacular mountain backdrop. It’s one of the most photographed destinations in the Canadian Rockies and offers visitors a relaxing escape into nature.
Just a short drive away, Takakkaw Falls impresses visitors with its incredible height and thunderous flow, making it one of the tallest waterfalls in Canada. Together, these two destinations create an unforgettable sightseeing experience for visitors of all ages.
Tour Highlights
Your Emerald Lake & Takakkaw Falls Tour may include:
- Emerald Lake
- Takakkaw Falls
- Yoho National Park
- Natural Bridge
- Scenic Mountain Viewpoints
- Beautiful Walking Areas
- Photography Stops
- Flexible Time to Explore
Every private tour is designed to let you explore at your own pace while enjoying the spectacular scenery.
Travel in Comfort
Sit back and enjoy the journey while we take care of the driving. Our private transportation allows you to experience Yoho National Park without worrying about busy roads, parking availability, or navigating unfamiliar mountain highways.
Whether you’re travelling as a couple, family, or small group, our comfortable vehicles and professional drivers help make every journey enjoyable from beginning to end.
Why Choose Apex Cabs?
For over 25 years, Apex Cabs has helped visitors explore the Canadian Rockies with safe, dependable, and professional transportation. Our experienced local drivers know the region well and are committed to providing a comfortable sightseeing experience with friendly, reliable service.
Whether it’s your first visit to Yoho National Park or you’re returning to discover more of its beauty, we’ll help make your journey memorable.
Emerald Lake and Takakkaw Falls sit in Yoho National Park, British Columbia, roughly an hour and a half from Canmore via the Trans-Canada Highway and Kicking Horse Pass. This is the only one of our tours that crosses into British Columbia rather than staying within Alberta, which makes it a good option if you have already seen the more commonly visited Banff National Park spots and want to see something a little different.
Perfect For
Our Emerald Lake & Takakkaw Falls Tour is perfect for:
- Couples
- Families
- Friends
- Nature Lovers
- Photography Enthusiasts
- International Visitors
- Small Groups
- Visitors Exploring Yoho National Park
Whether you’re looking for a relaxing sightseeing experience or an unforgettable day surrounded by nature, this tour is an excellent choice.
Along the way, the Natural Bridge, a rock formation where the Kicking Horse River has carved a bridge through solid stone, is a quick and easy stop that pairs well with the lake and falls without adding much extra time to the day.
Crossing the Kicking Horse Pass
The drive to Yoho National Park takes you over the Kicking Horse Pass, a historically significant route through the Continental Divide that separates waters flowing toward the Pacific from those flowing toward the Atlantic. The pass has long been a major transportation corridor, first for railways and later for highways, in part because of how challenging the surrounding terrain is to navigate. The engineering involved in the railway’s famous spiral tunnels, built to manage the steep grade through the pass, is still visible from certain highway viewpoints along the way.
Why Emerald Lake Looks the Way It Does
Like several other well-known lakes in the region, Emerald Lake gets its striking colour from glacial rock flour suspended in the water, fed by nearby glaciers and snowmelt. Emerald Lake tends to be quieter than Lake Louise despite a similarly vivid colour, largely because it sits further from Banff National Park’s busiest corridor and requires a longer drive to reach. A trail circles the entire lake for visitors who want a longer walk, while the main viewing areas near the lodge provide a shorter option for those with less time.
Takakkaw Falls in Detail
Takakkaw Falls ranks among the tallest waterfalls in Canada, with water dropping in a long, dramatic cascade fed by the Daly Glacier above. The name comes from a Cree word roughly meaning “it is magnificent,” which gives some sense of how the falls have been regarded for a very long time, not just by modern tourists. The viewing area sits a short walk from the parking lot, close enough to feel the spray from the falls on a windy day, making it one of the more immersive waterfall stops in the region compared to falls viewed only from a distance.
Seasonal Access to Yoho National Park
Some roads and facilities in Yoho National Park, including access to Takakkaw Falls, operate on a seasonal basis and are typically closed through the winter months due to snow. This tour is best suited to the warmer months when full access is available. If you are visiting outside the typical operating season, mention this when booking so we can discuss what is realistically accessible at that time of year.
Because this tour covers more driving distance than some of our other Canadian Rockies routes, it works well paired with a relatively early start, giving enough time at both Emerald Lake and Takakkaw Falls without feeling rushed at either stop.
For visitors with a longer stay in the region, this tour is often a good choice partway through a trip, once you have already seen some of the more commonly visited spots closer to Banff and Lake Louise.
FAQs
Experience Nature at Its Finest
Book Your Emerald Lake & Takakkaw Falls Tour
Explore the stunning beauty of Yoho National Park with comfortable private transportation and unforgettable sightseeing from Canmore.