Banff: 30-Minute Heli Tour of Minnewanka Lake and Banff｜Canada

Meet at the activity provider's office that is located in a charming log building outside the First Nations town of Morley. Taking off from the Kananaskis base on board a well-maintained helicopter we head north, following the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains. The area around the helicopter base was used by the Nakoda People for games and horse races for decades.

Heading north we fly over Ghost River. There are many stories of battle around the Ghost River involving the Blackfoot and Stoney Nakoda.

We then reach End Mountain before turning into the Lake Minnewanka (pronounced Minn-Waki) valley, flying alongside Mount Costigan's ridges and following the Lake Minnewanka shoreline until we reach the lake's halfway point. These lakes are known by the Stoney Nakoda peoples to be sacred spirit waters. Once there, turn into a valley between Mt Peechee and Saddle Peak. Mt Peechee was named after Louis Piche, Chief of the Mountain Cree, who was one of the first Metis born of a Cree mother and European father and guided a Scottish explorer through the area now known as Devils Gap.

On the return journey, meander through the mountainous valleys of Kananaskis Country and Banff National Park, past Mount Townsend, South Ghost Peak, and Old Goat Mountain. Feast your eyes on final views of Mount Yamnuska (Iya Mnathka, pronounced EE-Ya Min-Nath-Ka, meaning ‘flat-faced mountain’) before landing back at the base.