Escape through Canada’s gateways to the wild
We’ve teamed up with the experts at Audley to bring you exciting experiences across Canada, taking you into the wild that’s right on the doorstep of each Province.
British Columbia
Gateway: Vancouver
The City of Glass is cosmopolitan, but also surprisingly wild. Whether it’s biking along the sea wall, exploring the trails of Stanley Park, skiing down Grouse Mountain or seeing ancient rainforest as you cross Capilano Suspension Bridge, it’s a city with nature on its doorstep.
Into the wild...
The Rocky Mountains run along the border between Alberta and British Columbia, spiking the area like a dragon’s spine. They’re a focus for hiking, mountain biking, skiing and other adrenaline-fuelled pursuits. Whistler is world famous, but for somewhere more off the beaten track, head for the Cascade Mountains for quieter trails, or the Bugaboos for heli-hiking and rock-climbing.
The Great Bear Rainforest covers more than 64,000 square kilometres making it the largest temperate rainforest on earth. It's a haven for wildlife. Head out on a wolf-tracking tour or kayak tour from Port Hardy, or book in for bear-spotting from Vancouver Island, Bella Bella or the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary near Prince Rupert.
BC is brilliant for whale safaris: around Vancouver Island, you’ll see humpbacks, orcas and other cetaceans from June to October. And for a unique experience, how about a nighttime kayaking trip to see bioluminescence lighting up the ocean along the Sunshine Coast?
Dream sleeps
Wild thrills are guaranteed at Klahoose Wilderness Resort, an indigenous-owned wilderness lodge on Desolation Sound only accessible by boat or seaplane.
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Fish in the Fraser Valley and spy the Khutzeymateen Valley’s grizzly bears from a boat. Kayak through the Great Bear Rainforest and stroll the quaint towns of the Sunshine Coast. Experience all this and more on Audley’s Into the Wilds of British Columbia itinerary.
Yukon
Gateway: Whitehorse
A hub for travellers since the Gold Rush, Whitehorse is the commercial centre of the Yukon. Both main highways – the Klondike and Alaska – pass through, as does the Yukon River. Arty, fun and blessed with lots of great bars and brewpubs, it’s a perfect place to begin your Yukon adventure.
Into the wild...
If it’s great northern wilderness you’re looking for, Yukon fits the bill: it’s a next door neighbour to Alaska, after all. 130 years ago, the Yukon was the epicentre of the Klondike Gold Rush, and thousands of prospectors and speculators came here to seek their fortunes in the gulches, creeks and hills. You can still visit many ghost towns, while Dawson City retains elements of its gold rush heritage.
The Yukon River is one of the world’s fabled stretches of whitewater, prized by kayakers and canoeists who come to test themselves on its rapids. Hikers and wildlife watchers make a beeline for Kluane National Park or Tombstone Territorial Park, while the Klondike Highway and Top of the World Highway are as wild as road trips get. If you’re here in winter, you might well spy the northern lights, nature’s most spectacular light show.
Dream Sleeps
Northern Lights Resort & Spa is 20 minutes from downtown Whitehorse, but prides itself on aurora-watching – and has a fab Finnish spa, too.
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Whether travelling by foot, boat or car, the Yukon’s wilderness is never far away. On Audley Travel’s Alaska and Yukon Explorer itinerary, you will follow the Klondike gold rush trail, drive past Kluane National Park’s mountain ranges, go whale and iceberg watching in Prince William Sound and watch wildlife in the Kenai Fjords.
Alberta
Gateway: Calgary
Welcome to cowboy country! Famous for its annual stampede in July, there’s a free-spirited, frontier vibe to Alberta’s largest city, Calgary. It’s an economic powerhouse – as you'll guess from the skyscrapers – but it’s a fun-loving city too: wander through Prince’s Island Park, browse the street eats at Calgary Farmers’ Market, and admire the view from Calgary Tower. And if you’ve always wanted a handmade cowboy hat, Calgary is the place.
Into the wild...
Bordered westwards by the Rockies and eastwards by the Prairies, Alberta is a province of big skies and wide-open landscapes. It’s home to Canada’s most beloved national parks, of which Banff is the best-known of all. Mountain adventures galore are in store here, whether it’s hiking the blue shores of Lake Louise, canoeing down the Bow River, photographing wildlife at Vermilion Lakes or braving a winter ice walk along a frozen Johnston Canyon.
If you prefer your trails quieter, head for Kananaskis Country or Waterton Lakes, or venture south into the Badlands, where strange natural sculptures known as hoodoos create an otherworldly landscape. Don’t miss Dinosaur Provincial Park, where archaeologists have unearthed a huge hoard of dinosaur fossils, including ankylosaurs, stegosaurs, giant pterosaurs and tyrannosaurs. Guided trails wind through the fossil beds.
Dream sleeps
The Lodge at Bow Lake was built by legendary Rockies outdoorsman Jimmy Simpson back in 1922, and remains the ultimate mountain getaway.
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With visits to four national parks, a white-water adventure on the Kootenay River and even a scenic helicopter ride above the mountains and lakes of Alberta, there’s no better way to see the wilds of Alberta. Experience it for yourself on Audley’s Hidden Gems of Canada’s Rockies Self-Drive Tour.
Saskatchewan and Manitoba
Gateways: Winnipeg and Saskatoon
Museums and microbreweries make Winnipeg worth a few days, while Saskatoon is known as the ‘Paris of the Prairies’ for its sophisticated restaurants, riverside walks and urban parks.
Into the wild...
Saskatchewan is the province of the Prairies, the great grasslands which cover much of central Canada, once populated by enormous herds of bison and the First Nations who lived alongside them – including the A'aninin (Gros Ventre), Nêhiyawak (Plains Cree), Niitsítapi(Blackfoot) and Lakota (Sioux). Grasslands National Park is the prime place to experience this landscape, with a network of trails and a herd of reintroduced bison to find. Hiking and canoeing in Prince Albert National Park is a must, while a swim in Lake Manitou is memorable: the minerals mean it’s almost impossible to sink!
The prairies roll across the border into Manitoba, where rugged trails and quiet lakes await in Riding Mountain National Park, along with numerous waterfalls in Pisew Falls Provincial Park. Arguably the main reason to visit Manitoba is the chance to see polar bears in the wild. The northern town of Churchill has become a centre for winter bear tours, while the frozen waters of Hudson Bay promise icy adventures aplenty.
Dream Sleeps
Book into a cozy room at Lazy Bear Lodge in Churchill and head off for polar bear safaris and dogsledding tours.
Go now: Saskatchewan
Book onto the Saskatchewan's Ranches, National Parks & Cities Self-Drive Tour to get outdoors in Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, see bison in Grasslands National Park, stay at a working cattle Ranch and explore the fossil fields at Dinosaur Provincial Park.
Go now: Manitoba
Experience the frozen wilderness of Hudson Bay, seek out Churchill's polar bears and watch on in awe as the aurora borealis light up the sky on Audley’s The Great Polar Bear Gathering itinerary.
Ontario
Gateway: Toronto
Multicultural Toronto is a melting-pot, with its mix of cultures creating a smorgasbord of cuisines, cultural events and nightlife. Cycle along Lake Ontario, paddle around the Toronto Islands, stroll through the city parks or, in winter, skate on an outdoor rink.
Into the wild...
Ontario is Canada’s most populous province – around 40% of the country calls it home, most of whom live in the twin big cities of Ottawa and Toronto. That means the rest of Ontario is gloriously undeveloped – and with an area about the same size as France and Spain conjoined, there’s plenty of space to explore.
Astonishingly, there are more than 250,000 lakes in Ontario – so watery adventures are a highlight, from whitewater rafting around Foresters Falls to a multi-day kayak adventure in Algonquin Provincial Park that follows in the footsteps of the early voyageurs.
Manitoulin Island is another intriguing area, with indigenous guides offering tours introducing you to their myths and legends, the medicinal uses of plants, and their spiritual connection with the natural world. You’ll also learn bushcraft, and hopefully see bears and beavers too.
Dream sleeps
On the northern shore of Georgian Bay, Killarney Mountain Lodge is a rustic waterfront hotel and gateway to Killarney Provincial Park.
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This itinerary may start in the bustling city of Toronto, but the call of the wild will soon entice you further into the province. Feel the splash of Niagara Falls from a boat, canoe the lakes of Algonquin Provincial Park and head off the beaten track to discover Killarney Provincial Park on Audley’s Ontario's Falls, Forests and Lakes Self-Drive Tour
Québec
Gateways: Montréal
Quintessentially Canadian but with a distinctly French frisson, Montréal is a city best explored slowly: wander the old town, stop at a cafe for pastries and coffee, have lunch at a Gallic-inspired bistro, then hire a Bixi bike for a spin along the Canal de Lachine or Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Into the wild...
The most populated part of Québec is between Montréal and Québec City, but that’s just a tiny part of this massive province – Canada’s largest at 1.3 million sq km, twice the size of France. Parc National de la Gaspésie and Parc National de la Jacques-Cartier are the obvious places to start, with outdoor pastimes ranging from multi-day canoeing trips along pristine rivers to epic backcountry hikes.
The Chic-Choc and McGerrigle Mountains are a paradise for hikers, with a good chance of spotting bears, moose and bald eagles. The nutrient-rich waters of Saguenay-St-Lawrence Marine Park attract large numbers of whales –including fin whales, beluga, minke and, most impressive of all, blue whales. Tadoussac is the main base, but Les Escoumins is more tranquil. For an island getaway, how about Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine – a dreamy archipelago alive with Acadian culture?
Dream Sleeps
Hidden in the woods between Baie St Paul and La Malbaie, Repère Boréal offers cabins, treehouses or lodges made from repurposed shipping containers.
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Forested mountains and lakes await exploration on foot and by boat. Black bears, moose and whales make a trip to the St Lawrence River unforgettable. And cedar saunas and wood-fired hot tubs in unique accommodations offer the perfect place to soothe weary muscles after a day out adventuring. Experience all this and more on the Québec's Whales, Wine and Wilderness Self-Drive Tour from Audley.
Atlantic Canada
Gateways: St John's and Halifax
Newfoundland and Labrador’s capital, St John’s, is a city full of colour, not least in its rainbow-tinted houses. Buzzing with art and music, renowned for its seafood and an unquenchable thirst for beer, it makes an atmospheric intro to Canada’s eastern seaboard. Climb Signal Hill for the classic postcard shot.
Over in Nova Scotia, Halifax is Atlantic Canada’s largest city and is loved for its natural harbour. Seafood restaurants adorn the waterfront and historic maritime warehouses have been repurposed to house boutique shops and trendy breweries. It makes for a delightful gateway to the nature right on its doorstep.
Into the wild...
Salty, windswept and sea-soaked, in the Atlantic provinces, you’re never far from the influence of the ocean. It’s a wonderful corner of Canada for a coastal road-trip: spin along Nova Scotia’s South Shore, complete the loop around Cape Breton, tour the red beaches of Prince Edward Island or tick off the sea stacks as you drive the New Brunswick coast. The Bay of Fundy is home to the highest tidal range in the world, and as the tide recedes, you can walk right out onto the ocean floor.
For proper wilderness, however, you need to head northwards into Newfoundland and Labrador. Here, you can kayak past mighty icebergs in Twillingate, hike through the ridges and valleys of Gros Morne National Park or head out to watch humpbacks, minkes and fin whales in Witless Bay Ecological Reserve.
Dream sleeps
Fogo Island Inn is the ultimate island retreat – with its minimalist architecture, it looks like an experimental art gallery at the end of the world.
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On Audley’s Newfoundland Explored Self-Drive Tour you’ll spot icebergs drifting past Newfoundland and Labrador’s rocky coastline, soak up the scenery of Gros Morne National Park and feast your eyes on whales, moose and caribou.
Make it happen with Audley
Audley Travel is a tour operator with more than 25 years’ experience in creating meaningful travel experiences. It understands that what motivates you to explore is deeply personal. A trip to Canada with Audley is created completely around you, from the experiences you have to the places you stay.
Its award-winning Canada specialists have a deep connection to the Canada that can only have come from living or travelling there extensively, so you can rely on them as the dedicated experts who’ll craft your plans into the Canada trip you’re imagining. Audley won’t just ask you how you want to explore, but will ask you how you want to feel and create experiences that will stay with you long after you return home.
