How much time to they have? Are they driving from Calgary to Banff, sight see, and then drive back to Calgary or is this a few day trip with days in Banff, Jasper, and in between?
So for Banff the best Gondola hiking option is taking the Gondola up to Sunshine and the the chair up to top of the world and hike to the 3 lakes or Citadel pass.
https://www.banffsunshinemeadows.com/hiking
Thats about 4-5 hours depending on pace.
Johnston Canyon is always worth doing, go before 9 or after 7pm
Lake Minniwanka lake cruise is neat if you want low energy activity.
The skywalk sucks, the ice fields tour view isn’t great. The much better option is hiking of Wilcox pass about 300m elevation and 4km each way. And hiking from the parking lot to the toungue of the glacier past all the mile markers.
From Banff to Jasper
Johnston Canyon
Lake Louie/ Moraine Lake - reserve parking or bus
Bow Lake / Bow Glacer falls hike. - really cool really easy hike
Peyto Lake - short walk really cool view
Parker Ridge hike
Wilcox pass hike
Ice fields Center
Sunwapta Falls
Athabasca Falls
I’d do LL/Moranine Lake, Wilcox pass for a hike, Ice field walk, Athabasca falls if going Banff to Jasper.
In Jasper Edith Cavel (might need to book parking) is a short walk or longer hike
Maligne Canyon - Can start at the bottom for a longer hike or at the top of just wanting the tourist experience
Renting bikes or ebikes and any skill level is fun in Jasper they have easy 5 year old friendly trails from the townsite to Jasper Park Lodge
If it’s hot the pyramid lake beaches are nice mountain lake beaches to jump in.
Out of all of this if you are picking a Gondola do sunshine meadows is way better than sulphur mountain.
