THE BEST
ADVENTURES
IN THE
ROCKIES


Wild Cave Tours

Year-round adventures in one of Canada's longest caves.

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The Descent - OCT 28 & 31

The creepiest halloween adventure imaginable, back by popular demand!

I'm Prepared to be Scared

Join us underground

Cavers rappelling in Rat's Nest Cave on the Adventure Tour

Adventure Tour Adventure Tour

6 hours
$199+Gst
Year-Round
6 hours
$199+Gst
Year-Round
Cavers rappelling in Rat's Nest Cave on the Adventure Tour

Adventure Tour

This Canadian Signature Experience is our longest cave tour. It includes an 18m rappel and plenty of time to explore passages like the Laundry Chute.

  • Canmore, AB
  • 6 hours
    (~4 hours Underground)
  • $199.00 + GST
    (12-15 yrs: $169 + GST)
  • Ages 12 +
  • Year Round
  • Challenge: Moderate
More Information Book Now
Happy female caver on the Explorer Tour wearing a helmet, light and coveralls.

Explorer Tour Explorer Tour

4.5 hours
$149+Gst
Year-Round
4.5 hours
$149+Gst
Year-Round
Happy female caver on the Explorer Tour wearing a helmet, light and coveralls.

Explorer Tour

The Explorer Tour may be our shortest cave tour, but it is by no means short on fun and excitement.

You will spend approximately 2 hours underground exploring this amazing playground, passing ancient bones and cave formations along the way!

  • Canmore, AB
  • 4.5 hours
    (~2.5 hours Underground)
  • $149.00 + GST
    (10-15 yrs: $129+GST)
  • Ages 10 +
  • Year Round
  • Challenge: Moderate
More Information Book Now

introductions

  • Canmore Cave Tours

    Join us year-round, rain or shine, for a Natural History tour into Rat’s Nest Cave - a wild, undeveloped cave under Grotto Mountain; near Banff and Canmore, Alberta, Canada!

    Canmore Cave Tours has been offering tours at Rat’s Nest Cave, since 1992. While we have grown since then our goal remains the same - to offer our guests the most extraordinary, unforgettable experience possible.

    As passionate cavers and cave advocates we feel it is a privilege to share this amazing place with you, and when you join a tour with us you do so as our friend and fellow explorer. We hope that at the end of the day, tired and dirty as you may be, you are brimming with as much excitement and appreciation for the cave as we are.

    About Canmore Cave Tours
  • Canmore, Alberta, Canada

    Canmore is an authentic mountain lifestyle community nestled in the spectacular Bow River Valley and surrounded by the majesty of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. In this dynamic and energetic town you will find award-winning festivals, world-class mountain sports, outstanding health and wellness, vibrant arts and culture, unique boutique shopping and remarkable dining experiences, all on the doorstep of Banff National Park.

    Canmore is just a 60 minutes west of Calgary and 25 minutes east of the town of Banff so come visit us and see why in Canmore you can: Do More, Play More, Live More!

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    About Canmore
  • Rat's Nest Cave

    Rat’s Nest Cave is a special place. In 1987 it was designated a Provincial Historic Resource because of its incredible archaeological significance. It is home to ancient pictographs, 7000 year old bones, and beautiful cave formations. At over 4km long, Rat’s Nest Cave is one of the longest caves in Canada.

    The water-sculpted passages of the cave offer us seemingly endless opportunities to learn and explore. At 5 degrees celsius, the cave is a cool but comfortable destination every day of the year, a trait enjoyed by cave residents like bushy-tailed wood rats, and North America’s smallest mammal - the pigmy shrew.

    With no lights, handrails or walkways we are left to enjoy the cave in its natural state, just as the original explorers did.

    Explore the Cave Map
    About Canmore Cave Tours
Trip Advisor Reviews from Recent Guests

The Cave Experience

The thought of caving often invokes images of extreme adventure, and if that's what you're looking for we can certainly accommodate.

We also understand that not everyone is into the adventurous side of caving. If you find yourself in this category we still have plenty of great options for you too.

Every caver enjoys the cave in their own way, so let us help you discover what those stories and memories are for you.

Newsworthy

Here are a few of our most recent stories. Feel free to peruse these samples, or head on over to our Stories page to see them all.
A caver surveying Rat's Nest cave during the original exploration of the cave.
  • June 5, 2019

    The Canmore Cave Tours team are thrilled to share an exciting new project with you. As of April 2019, in partnership with the Alberta Speleological Society, we have embarked upon the resurvey of Rat’s Nest Cave; a project that we hope will shed new light on a fascinating and important part of Alberta’s history. As one of the longest caves in Canada it still has potential for significant new exploration and research contributions in the realms of geology, biology, anthropology, ecology, and more. Resurveying the cave is the first step in what we hope will be a long journey of new discovery and we invite you to join us for that journey!

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A couple dressed in caving equipment before visiting Rat's Nest Cave
  • Feb 5, 2019

    Tim and Whitney have been adventuring together since their first date. Living in the mountains benefits a lifestyle centred around hiking, kayaking, and most recently, caving. Pushing boundaries, facing fears, and finding patience are all a part of their journey through both life and the cave. Keep reading to see how the adventure-lovers fared.

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A caver on rappel in Rat's Nest Cave
  • Jan 21, 2019

    There is something a little bit odd - disconcerting even - about standing at the entrance of Rat’s Nest Cave on a cold winter day and feeling warm air pouring out of the cave. That can’t be natural, can it? Caves are supposed to be damp and cold, aren’t they?

    How is it that even on the coldest days of the year a dark hole in the side of Grotto Mountain maintains a modicum of warmth while the rest of the countryside succumbs to the long, deep freeze?

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Explore the Rat's Nest Cave Map

Cave Entrance
Entrance to the Cave

In winter, fixed ropes aid access to the entrance.

Bushy-Tailed Wood Rats
The Bushy Tailed Wood Rat

The cave is named after these critters, which make their homes close to the entrance.

The Grand Gallery
The Grand Gallery

This is the largest room in the cave

The Laundry Chute
The Laundry Chute

Visit this amazing squeeze on our Adventure tour

The Bacon Strip
The Bacon Strip

See this ancient formation on our Adventure tour

The Grotto
The Grotto Pool

This is where our cave divers brave the unknown, and 'push' the cave. Visited by both the: Adventure tour and Explorer tour.

  • Cave Entrance
    Entrance to the Cave

    In winter, fixed ropes aid access to the entrance.

  • Bushy-Tailed Wood Rats
    The Bushy Tailed Wood Rat

    The cave is named after these critters, which make their homes close to the entrance.

  • The Grand Gallery
    The Grand Gallery

    This is the largest room in the cave

  • The Laundry Chute
    The Laundry Chute

    Visit this amazing squeeze on our Adventure tour

  • The Bacon Strip
    The Bacon Strip

    See this ancient formation on our Adventure tour

  • The Grotto
    The Grotto Pool

    This is where our cave divers brave the unknown, and 'push' the cave. Visited by both the: Adventure tour and Explorer tour.