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20 October 2022 by Rachel Mostyn
Whether it’s natural wonders, life-changing wildlife interactions or simply the ever-welcoming disposition of its people, it’s no secret that Canada is full of unique experiences. To inspire, we’ve picked out just a few below.
Grizzly bear watching at Knight Inlet
Accessible only by seaplane or boat, this remote fjord on British Columbia’s wild coast offers some of the world’s premier grizzly bear sightings, being perfectly secluded among old-growth forests backed by coastal mountains. Boat, kayak and hiking trips will also see you out in search of bald eagles and – from mid-July – pods of orca. Each day, you’ll return to a First-Nations-owned lodge that floats on the glacier-carved fjord itself. It also serves up the best in just-caught seafood.
Knight Inlet Lodge, Vancouver Island
Birds, Bears and Belugas in Manitoba
With no roads leading to it, a flight north to Manitoba’s Churchill and the edge of the Arctic Circle rewards with a wilderness of barren bays and near-endless tundra. In summer, you’ll spot otherworldly beluga whales on Zodiac boat trips and everything from wolves and polar bears to Arctic hare and fox on hikes or all-terrain tundra buggies. In winter, it's all illuminate by the Northern Lights. Then, come the evening, you’ll warm up by the fire of your Nat-Geo timber lodge.
Polar bears in Manitoba
Journey behind Niagara Falls
Put simply, Niagara Falls is an icon of world travel, and this is perhaps the most evocative way of experiencing it. You’ll descend nearly 40 metres below ground through century-old tunnels carved right into the bedrock to gaze up at the crashing torrents from water level and get right behind the water itself with the cave-like portals. You’ll hear it before you see it, with over 2,800 cubic metres of water thundering over the precipice every second. Next door, there’s also world-city Toronto and the region’s great wineries to explore.
Niagara Falls
Ultimate Aurora at Blachford Lake Lodge
Located under the auroral oval and accessible only by bush plane, Blachford Lake Lodge offers some of the planet’s best aurora viewing, being far from any light pollution among the great forests and idyllic lakes of the Northwest Territories’ wilderness. Theatrical light displays are showcased everywhere from the hot tub and sauna deck to the fire-heated tipi and your very own log cabin. And, with both a summer-autumn and winter-spring aurora season, you can choose between the likes of kayaking and swimming or snowshoeing and snowmobiling.
Northern Lights over Blachford Lake Lodge
See the Northern Lights at Blachford Lake Lodge
The Calgary Stampede
Billed as ‘The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth’, the Calgary Stampede is much more than the world’s most popular rodeo event. From performances by music legends and colourful parades to open tipis and native dances, it’s a celebration of both Western and First Nations culture. And, yes, there’s also plenty of time for daredevil chuckwagon racing, steer wrestling and finger-licking barbecue. Each July its infectious spirit creates a city within a city in Alberta’s Calgary, where the Rockies are always within striking distance.
Chuckwagon racing at the Calgary Stampede
Experience the Calgary Stampede
Torngat Mountain Base Camp & Research Station
Labrador and Newfoundland’s towering Torngat Mountains backdrop a coastal wilderness of turquoise lakes and mighty fjords. It’s all best showcased by its storied Base Camp. 200km above of the region’s most northerly community and open only during summer, its simple tented accommodation and campfire salmon cooking are the perfect springboard for everything from waterfall hikes and wild beach picnics to ancient Inuit settlements visits. Keep your eyes out for seals and whales on the water or polar bears, wolves and caribou on land.
Torngat Mountains, Newfoundland & Labrador
