Canmore Helicopter Tour: My Experience Above the Rockies

I booked my Canmore helicopter tour as the very first activity of my Banff trip. My goal was to experience the Canadian Rockies from different perspectives. Seeing them from above felt like an incredible place to start.

I flew with Alpine Helicopters at the end of June 2026, choosing the 35-minute Mt Assiniboine & Glaciers Tour. That morning gave us a perfect blue sky and an incredibly smooth flight. Jagged peaks, glaciers and alpine lakes stretched out around us.

But what stayed with me most was simply the scale of the mountains. From a helicopter, you don’t just see the Rockies – you feel them. Flying beside those enormous walls of rock made me realize just how massive this landscape really is. It became one of the most memorable experiences of my time in the Canadian Rockies.

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a booking or purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Your support helps me continue creating honest, firsthand travel guides—thank you! Read my full affiliate disclosure for more information.

Was My Canmore Helicopter Tour Worth It?

My verdict: 100% worth it.

A helicopter tour is definitely an extra, and I wouldn’t call it an essential part of visiting Banff or Canmore. But if you’re looking for one unforgettable experience in the Canadian Rockies, this was absolutely one of mine.

What made it worth it for me wasn’t simply seeing the mountains from above. For me, it was how different the experience felt from everything else I did in the Rockies. Hiking, driving and exploring the lakes gave me one perspective; the helicopter added another.

The flight lasted only 35 minutes. Even so, there was something extraordinary to look at almost constantly.

If you love mountains or photography, this is one bucket-list experience I’d consider adding to a Canadian Rockies trip.

From Canmore to Mount Assiniboine

The flight starts right in Canmore, and I loved how quickly the scenery changed. At first, we were looking down over the town and Bow Valley. Not long after, mountain peaks surrounded us.

As we continued deeper into the Rockies, the landscape became increasingly rugged. We passed the Three Sisters and continued toward the Mount Assiniboine area. Glaciers, alpine lakes and sharp ridgelines began appearing between the peaks.

What I loved most was never quite knowing what would appear around the next mountain. Sometimes it was another massive ridge; other times, a bright blue lake or a glacier tucked into the landscape.

For me, the area around Mount Assiniboine was the highlight of the flight. We had incredibly clear weather that morning, with very little blocking the views. I spent most of those 35 minutes glued to the window.

Which Canmore Helicopter Tour Should You Choose?

Alpine Helicopters offers four sightseeing tours from Canmore, with each route going progressively farther into the Canadian Rockies:

• Three Sisters Peaks Tour – C$339 per person | 25 minutes
  Flies between the Three Sisters and into Spray Valley Provincial Park, with views of the Sundance Range and Spray Lakes.
• Mt Assiniboine & Glaciers Tour – C$455 per person | 35 minutes
  Continues beyond the Three Sisters toward Mount Assiniboine. The route includes views of the Assiniboine and Gloria Glaciers. This is the tour I booked.
• Continental Divide Tour – C$579 per person | 45 minutes
  A longer flight extending farther into the Rockies, with mountain peaks, lakes and glaciers along the route.
• Marvel Pass Tour – C$945 per person | 55 minutes
  The longest of Alpine Helicopters’ Canmore sightseeing flights. It travels toward Marvel Pass along the border of Banff National Park.

I chose the Mt Assiniboine & Glaciers Tour because I specifically wanted to travel farther into the mountains. I also wanted to see the glacier-filled landscape around Mount Assiniboine. That 35-minute route is the experience I’m referring to throughout this review.

What to Know Before You Go

A few practical things to keep in mind before your Canmore helicopter tour:

• Arrive early: Give yourself enough time to check in, complete any required paperwork and listen to the safety briefing before your flight.
• Weather matters: Mountain weather and visibility can change quickly. This may affect your departure time, route or whether the flight operates.
• Bring your camera: There is a lot to see in a short amount of time. Just don’t spend the entire flight behind your screen. Some of my favourite moments came from simply looking out the window.
• Don’t expect a specific seat: Seating can vary depending on the aircraft and how passengers are arranged for the flight.
• Check the latest details before booking: Routes, flight times, pricing and operating conditions can change. Confirm the latest information directly with Alpine Helicopters before your trip.

How I Included the Flight in My Banff Itinerary

I booked the helicopter tour as the first activity of Day 1 of my three-day Banff itinerary. After flying from Canmore that morning, I continued into Banff for the rest of the day. I stopped at Cascade Gardens and Bow Falls before heading to Johnston Canyon later in the afternoon.

Starting above the Rockies and spending the rest of the day exploring them from the ground worked naturally for me.

Final Thoughts on My Canmore Helicopter Tour

Looking back at my three days in the Canadian Rockies, I love that this was where the trip began. That morning, I flew above Canmore and Mount Assiniboine. Over the next few days, I would experience the mountains from trails, turquoise lakes and the Icefields Parkway.

The helicopter flight didn’t define my Rockies trip, but it gave it an unforgettable opening.

And for a first look at the Canadian Rockies, it was pretty hard to beat.