Is the Sunshine Village Sightseeing Gondola & Standish Chairlift worth the trip?

Yes. The Sunshine Village Sightseeing Gondola and Standish Chairlift are well worth the trip, especially if you want more than a simple gondola ride. The experience combines two scenic lifts with high-alpine viewpoints, Sunshine Meadows, alpine lakes, wildflowers, wildlife opportunities, and an extensive hiking network. In 2026, the Standish Chairlift is included with the sightseeing gondola ticket and reaches about 2,385 metres.

The Standish Viewing Deck is a major reason to go. From the upper area, you get panoramic views across Sunshine Meadows and can see Rock Isle Lake, Grizzly Lake, and Laryx Lake. Sunshine describes Standish as the only sightseeing chairlift in the Banff-Lake Louise area providing views of three alpine lakes.

What makes Sunshine particularly worthwhile is that you can customize the experience. You can simply ride the gondola and chairlift and visit the viewpoint, or spend several hours hiking through the meadows. There are about 12 kilometres of summer trails, so it can be anything from a relatively easy sightseeing excursion to a substantial half-day hike.

It is especially worthwhile in late July and August, when the meadows are green and alpine wildflowers can be abundant. September offers a completely different experience, with cooler conditions and the possibility of golden alpine larches.

Sunshine also tends to appeal to visitors who want a more natural and less developed experience than the Banff Gondola. Rather than spending most of your time around a summit building, you can get out onto the trails and explore the landscape. Recent summer visitors have particularly praised the 360-degree views, hiking, wildflowers, alpine lakes, and comparatively uncrowded atmosphere.

The main reasons it might not be worth it are if the weather is poor, you're very uncomfortable with an open chairlift, or you have no interest in walking or hiking. Clouds can hide much of the mountain panorama, and the best parts of Sunshine become more rewarding when you're willing to explore beyond the gondola terminal.

For a first-time summer visitor to Banff who enjoys mountains, photography, alpine lakes, wildflowers, or easy-to-moderate hiking, I would consider Sunshine Village and Standish one of the more worthwhile mountain experiences in the area. Book the Banff Sunshine Village Sightseeing Gondola & Standish ChairliftBooking the Banff Sunshine Village Sightseeing Gondola & Standish Chairlift Admission includes All taxes, fees and handling charges. Banff Gondola Home