Travel to Lake Louise with ski insurance from Essential Travel

The quiet village of Lake Louise is 4.5kms from the gondola and ski area. The cosy and natural setting of the village along the shores of the lake makes for a romantic and relaxing base for skiers. The lower part of the village is where good food, shops and accommodation are to be found.

Lake Louise ski resort’s 113 runs are spread over a huge 1,700 hectares. Intermediate level skiers have 45 per cent of the slopes, while there are plentiful options for other levels. Access to easy and difficult runs is available from all of the 10 lifts that service the resort.

The Tri-Area ski pass offers access to a total of 2,833 hectares of skiing in the nearby resorts of Sunshine Village and Mount Norquay, as well as Lake Louise. A trip to quaint Banff town offers a pleasant distraction from the pistes; the town offers plenty of boutique shopping, museums, art galleries and a livelier après ski.

The consistent ski season at Lake Louise begins in early November and ends in mid-May. Calgary is the nearest international airport, from where a bus can take you to Lake Louise.

Skiing in Lake Louise

The Lake Louise ski area is located 60kms west of Banff in southern Alberta. The pistes at Lake Louise are spread over two mountains and have a unique layout. Groups of differing abilities are able to stick together throughout the day as green runs and more difficult runs are accessible from all lifts.

There are 113 marked slopes, with a longest run of eight kilometres plus the back bowls to ski on. The 1,700 hectares of skiable terrain (1,052 hectares of which are covered by snow making machines) are divided into 25 per cent for beginners, 45 per cent intermediates and 30 per cent for advanced skiers. The 10 ski lifts have a capacity of 16,920 people per hour and include the Top of the World six-passenger chairlift. Cross-country skiers will be pleased with the 80kms of superb trails.

The ski season at Lake Louise opens in early November and continues until the middle of May. The most popular way to arrive in Lake Louise is by ski bus from Calgary Airport.

Après-ski in Lake Louise

All 1,100 rooms at the resort are available in the village at Lake Louise, just 1.5kms from the slopes. The famous Fairmont Château Lake Louise provides some of the more luxurious rooms in the village; while hotels, motels and lodges offer alternatives. A selection of 20 restaurants and bars provide the après-ski. Day care facilities cater for infants to children of school age (open 08:30 to 16:30).

Non-skiing activities are dominated by the excellent snowboarding facilities, boasting three terrain parks with a super-pipe. Also available are tobogganing, heli-skiing, snowshoeing, dog-sledding, ice-skating, sleigh rides and snowmobile tours.

Spectacular scenery is Lake Louise’s most endearing feature, and exploring it via the massive ski area or when taking a drive is what makes this resort a popular choice. The varied accommodation options, childcare facilities and après-ski choices add value to this resort.

Transportation to Lake Louise

Lake Louise ski resort is located in spectacular Banff National Park, to the west of Calgary. The most practical way to get to the resort is to fly to Calgary and transfer by either a scheduled or private bus.

From Calgary by car, take provincial route 1/16 avenue northwest, and then Trans Canada Highway 1 past Canmore and Banff. From there, the highway becomes provincial route 93 which leads you to Lake Louise (184kms; 2 hours, 30 minutes). Trans Canada Highway 1 is the most direct route between the town of Banff and Lake Louise (52kms; 40 minutes). The alternative route is a more scenic affair along the Bow Valley Parkway Highway 1A. Various bus and minivan options are available for this journey as well.

From Calgary International Airport, scheduled regular buses travel to Banff and Lake Louise during the ski season. Other services available on this route are the ski bus provided by Laid Law and the Magicbus luxury service with guide.

From Banff, a daily bus service, the Lake Louise Ski Bus Express, takes you from your hotel to the Lake Louise ski area. From the hotels at Lake Louise to the slopes, a free and frequent shuttle service is available.

click here for a holiday insurance quotation