Ice Explorer vs Skywalk vs Guided Ice Walk

People often arrive at the Columbia Icefield assuming there’s one “glacier tour.” There are really three different experiences, and they’re easy to mix up when you’re booking. Two of them — the Ice Explorer and the Skywalk — are usually sold together as one ticket; the third, a guided ice walk, is a separate, more active outing. This guide lays out what each one actually is, so you book the right thing. For the practical arrival details, see how to visit the Athabasca Glacier.

The Three at a Glance

The Ice Explorer Snowcoach

The Ice Explorer is the headline experience — a giant, all-terrain Ice Explorer bus (the fleet is operated by Brewster; there are only about two dozen of these vehicles in the world, almost all of them here) that crawls down a steep moraine and out onto the surface of the Athabasca Glacier. It rolls on six huge low-pressure tyres and carries up to 56 passengers, moving at a gentle pace on the ice. You ride out, step down into a roped, crevasse-free zone cleared for walking, stand on living glacier ice, and can taste meltwater straight from the glacier while a driver-guide explains what you’re seeing. It’s low-effort and suits all ages — the easiest way to actually set foot on the glacier.

The Columbia Icefield Skywalk

The Skywalk is a completely different thing that happens to share the same ticket. A short shuttle takes you a few minutes down the Parkway to a glass-floored, horseshoe-shaped platform that juts out over the Sunwapta Valley, with the cliff and river dropping roughly 280 metres (918 feet) beneath your feet. The glass section — the Discovery Vista — cantilevers about 35 metres out from the cliff face, and the whole thing sits along a one-kilometre interpretive walkway with panels on the glaciers, fossils, and wildlife. It’s a heights-and-views experience, not a glacier walk: you don’t touch ice here, but the vantage over the valley is the draw.

A Guided Ice Walk

The guided ice walk is the most hands-on option and a separate booking. You set out on foot with an ACMG-certified mountain guide — the established operator here is IceWalks — roped together and fitted with proper footwear, to hike out onto the glacier itself rather than just stepping off a snowcoach. The standard walk runs about three hours, with roughly two of those out on the ice; longer full-day deluxe walks cover around 8.5 km with real elevation gain. This is for people who want to genuinely hike a glacier, learn the glaciology up close, and don’t mind a moderate effort. Crucially, it’s also the only way to walk a larger stretch of the ice safely — going out alone is dangerous because of hidden crevasses, as covered in how to visit.

So, Which Should You Pick?

• Pick the Ice Explorer & Skywalk ticket (the two together) if you want the classic, low-effort experience suitable for any age — ride onto the glacier, then walk the glass platform. This is the featured option and the right call for most visitors.
• Prioritise the Skywalk if big views and the glass-floor thrill matter more to you than standing on ice — though you’ll almost always get it bundled with the snowcoach anyway.
• Add or choose a guided ice walk if you’re reasonably fit and want a proper hike out on the glacier with expert commentary, not just a stop.

If you’re still deciding whether any of it earns a place in your trip, read is the Athabasca Glacier worth it? — and for timing, the best time to visit the Columbia Icefield.

Ready to Book?

The top-rated Ice Explorer & Skywalk ticket combines the snowcoach ride and the glass-floored Skywalk in a single timed booking, with free cancellation on most options. Check availability and choose your experience.