Horseshoe Canyon Raft + Via Ferrata

The tour includes 1.5 – 2 hours on the river (including a 20 minute float to finish up), a professional river guide with each boat, an optional river swim and free professional photos. All safety equipment including clean and dry wetsuits, wetsuit booties, fleece, spray jacket, life jacket and a helmet is provided. The tour winds through scenic views of the front range of the Rocky Mountain Ranges and occasionally we see wildlife such as osprey, bald eagles, deer and bears.

The Nakoda Lakeside Lodge has clean port-a-potties, male and female change tents and ample free parking.

The meeting point is at the Nakoda Lakeside Lodge, located on Highway 1A approximately 25 minutes from Canmore and 45 minutes from Banff and Calgary. Detailed driving directions are included in your booking confirmation. There is ample free parking at the riverbase and you will brought back to your vehicle at the end of the tour.

Please wear your swimsuit under your clothes and bring warm clothes, a face mask, hand sanitizer, and a towel in a bag for after the tour. We also suggest bringing a toque or hat for colder days, to wear under the helmet. Your belongings can be stored in the bus or your own car while you are on the river.

You can wear sunglasses/glasses as long as these are secured with a strap or piece of string, and contact lenses are usually okay if you are comfortable swimming with them and tell your guide. Sunscreen is great on a hot day for any areas not covered by the wetsuit, but avoid putting it above or near your eyes. You can bring your own waterproof camera or GoPro which can be secured with your own chest harness or on a helmet with a GoPro mount, but we are not responsible for loss or damage of your equipment.

Anything else! It isn’t recommended to bring your camera and rafters aren’t permitted to wear their own wetsuit or to wear anything that could cause a hazard while on the tour.

When you are making your reservation please let the agent know and they will check with the rafting team. On the day please bring any medication you may need and inform your guide of any medical conditions.

No rafting experience is necessary, and we provide a Professional River Guide with each boat who will explain and demonstrate paddle, safety and emergency techniques. This includes dryland safety instructions and practicing paddling on the river before the waves.

Guests should be physically fit and have a reasonable swimming ability. If you have never rafted before or do not know how to swim, we recommend the Kananaskis Whitewater Rafting Tour, as the rapids and river are not as strong as the other tours.

You will go through class 3 & 4 rapids during your tour, which is ideal for adventure lovers. This is a moderate trip, exciting but not difficult. Check out the Whitewater Rafting Rapid Classification Guide for more information: http://chinookrafting.com/plan-and-book/river-classifications/.

The tour is run by Chinook Rafting who have been operating whitewater rafting tours as a licensed company in the province of Alberta since 1983 and all of the rafting guides are trained in Swiftwater Rescue and First Aid & CPR. What this means for you is that they are confident that they can manage, not eliminate, the risks today to offer you an exciting and fun day on the river, creating as safe a framework as they can, given what we are doing. However, it is important to remember that we are not on a track, this isn’t Disneyland!  The fact that we’re not on a track adds excitement to what we’re doing, but it also adds inherent risks.

There is a 24 hour cancellation policy, which allows you to change/cancel or refund your booking up to 24 hours outside your booked tour (up to 7 days for group bookings).

This is a 2.5 hour round trip tour on the Via Ferrata that starts at 9:00am and 3:30pm daily. Please ensure that you arrive 30 minutes prior to your tour.

This high-alpine climbing experience includes an ACMG-certified guide, equipment orientation, harnesses, helmets, Via Ferrata leashes and rental equipment such as backpacks, hiking boots and rain jackets (if necessary). The Norquay Via Ferrata is located on the cliffs above the Mt Norquay Ski Resort at the top of North American Chair, and so the tour also includes the 8 minute open-air chairlift to access the Via Ferrata.

The meeting point is at Mount Norquay at the end of Mt Norquay Road in Banff, located approximately five minutes from downtown Banff. Full driving instructions will be provided in your booking confirmation.

Guests can also take advantage of the free shuttle bus that runs from Banff. The free shuttle bus runs throughout the day from Banff with several pick-up locations.

Please arrive 30 minutes prior to your tour.

Via Ferrata is a trail or route‐making method used in the mountains to make passage easier and more secure. It’s done by a installing steel steps, handles, ladder rungs, and a steel cable in places where the trail steepens. Travellers are secured to the rock by wearing a harness that is always attached to the steel cable.

No experience is required, the Via Ferrata is designed to accommodate beginners seeking a taste of the alpine and those who live for the mountains alike. You can do it, no experience needed. It’s just like climbing a series of ladders, all of which are located on the side of a mountain. Guests should be aware that the routes are exposed.

Dress for the outdoors with an all-weather/waterproof outerwear (e.g. rain jacket and soft-shell pants suitable for outdoor activity involving moderate physical exertion), warm layers, sunglasses, and sturdy hiking footwear. You’ll be on a mountain, so be sure to pack some sunscreen, water and a snack in your small backpack. If you don’t have these items, you can access the extensive range of free rental equipment before your tour if needed, including backpacks, hiking boots, rain jackets and pants. Available on a first come first serve basis; can’t guarantee availability or sizes.

Yes, you can fall. Your fall will be arrested by your leashes, which are attached to the steel cable. The whole point of the Via Ferrata is to reduce the probability of falling, and minimize the consequences should a fall occur.

There is a 48 hour cancellation policy, which allows you to change/cancel or refund your booking up to 48 hours outside your booked tour (up to 7 days for group bookings).

Tips are not expected, but are certainly appreciated. If you think your guide did a wonderful job and would like to indicate that with a tip, it will be graciously accepted.