Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Canada Alberta Lake Louise Lake Agnes Teahouse
AO Edited Gastro Obscura

Lake Agnes Teahouse

Take a hike to this remote, scenic tea stop in the Canadian Rockies.

Lake Louise, Alberta

Added By
Anne Ewbank
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  qwesy qwesy/CC BY 3.0
  wilsonhui/CC BY 2.0
  daveynin/CC BY 2.0
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The Lake Agnes Tea House in Alberta's Banff National Park opened to hungry and thirsty hikers in 1905. This is no simple rest stop with only Lipton on hand. Instead, expect everything from 100 Monkeys white tea to Bora Bora mango rooibos. When it's open during the warmer months of the year, the Lake Agnes Tea House offers 100 types of tea and a full snack menu, with everything prepared on propane. Up this high in the mountains, there's no electricity, road, or running water. Staff have to hike supplies up from town, and trek trash back down.

But why is tea the drink of choice here, and not, say, coffee? Well, in the early 1900s, the Canadian Pacific Railway sought to make this neck of the woods a popular tourist stop. So they imported Swiss mountain guides to lead tourists up the slopes. The Swiss guides, in turn, brought along their tradition of mountain huts that served tea, which remains the customary hot drink in lodges and hotels in the area, as well as at Lake Agnes. While the tea is excellent, it's all the better enjoyed amongst the glorious mountains and the shining water below.

Related Tags

Teahouse Tea Food Unique Restaurants & Bars Hiking Mountains

Know Before You Go

The Lake Agnes Teahouse is generally open from June to October. Checking their website to make sure they're open in advance is wise. To reach the teahouse, start at Chateau Lake Louise and follow the signs indicating the way to the teahouse. Take care to follow the uphill trail through the woods, as the path around the lake will lead to a different, harder-to-reach teahouse.

Community Contributors

Added By

Anne Ewbank

Published

October 15, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/banff-teahouse
Lake Agnes Teahouse
Lake Agnes
Lake Louise, Alberta, T0L 1E0
Canada
51.4162, -116.2439
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Spiral Tunnels at the Big Hill

Field, British Columbia

miles away

Yoho National Park

Field, British Columbia

miles away

Eisenhower Tower

Eldon, Alberta

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Alberta

Alberta

Canada

Places 81
Stories 5

Nearby Places

Spiral Tunnels at the Big Hill

Field, British Columbia

miles away

Yoho National Park

Field, British Columbia

miles away

Eisenhower Tower

Eldon, Alberta

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Alberta

Alberta

Canada

Places 81
Stories 5

Related Stories and Lists

10 Places to Eat Perched on Cliffs, Mountains, and Volcanoes

List

By Alex Mayyasi

In the Canadian Rockies, High Tea Is Served at 7,000 Feet

parks

By Anne Ewbank

Related Places

  • Salinas, California

    The Steinbeck House Restaurant

    Eat a tasty meal in the house where John Steinbeck was born.

  • Dinners are only available in the winter, when the yurt must be accessed by ski or snowshoe.

    Crested Butte, Colorado

    Magic Meadows Yurt

    Ski or snowshoe your way to a feast in the mountains.

  • The heated lava rocks bake the pizza.

    San Vicente Pacaya, Guatemala

    Pizza Pacaya

    For this chef, an active volcano is his oven.

  • Ridgedale, Missouri

    Bat Bar in Lost Canyon Cave

    If there's another drive-through golf-cart bar in a bat-filled cave on top of a mountain, we don't know about it.

  • Berlin, Germany

    Tajikistan Tearoom

    A slice of central Asia in the middle of Berlin.

  • The view of the Blue Ridge Mountains here is spectacular.

    Canton, North Carolina

    Black Balsam Knob

    On a clear afternoon, you can see mountain peaks more than 40 miles away from this clearing in the Pisgah National Forest.

  • Vacant since the 1960s, this tower still offers the best view around.

    Cosby, Tennessee

    Mount Cammerer Lookout Tower

    Trek up to an abandoned fire lookout from the 1930s for an unimpeded view.

  • Wash your egg tarts and pineapple buns down with a cup of strong, black tea with evaporated milk.

    Hong Kong

    Kam Wah Cafe

    This cha chaan teng’s pineapple buns are so sought-after that they sell 5,000 a day.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.