From epic national parks in the Rocky Mountains to culture-rich cities with nature at the door, Canada always has plenty to delight adventurous travellers. This year new Indigenous-led tours and fresh national park designations means there’s ever more reason to explore the wild. Beyond the natural wonders, underrated cities will benefit from new flight routes and an exciting sporting event will draw world attention. Here’s why you should plan a trip…
1. New flight routes are opening up Ontario’s cities
Canada’s epic wilderness sometimes overshadows its culture-packed cities – but a handful of new flight routes will shine a spotlight on Ontario’s urban centres this year.
London Heathrow will be connected to Ontario capital Toronto by a new daily Virgin Atlantic service operating from 30 March. Get a dose of culture with visits to the Art Gallery of Ontario (which is in the throes of a mega expansion) and the Aga Khan Museum (dedicated to Islamic art). Make time to explore cool neighbourhoods such as the Distillery District, with its indie shops, trendy restaurants and galleries too.
Also coming in March is a direct service from London Heathrow to Ottawa, the criminally underrated Canadian capital. Spend your time exploring the striking, Gothic Revival Parliament Buildings; eating your way around ByWard Market; and kayaking on the Rideau Canal.
2. You can learn about Québec’s waterways from an Indigenous perspective
A series of water-inspired experiences – spearheaded by Indigenous communities in Northwestern Québec’s Abitibi-Témiscamingue region – will draw travellers in 2025. Abitibi-Témiscamingue is known for its many natural waterways, which have sustained the region’s First Peoples for millenia.
The new ‘water discovery route’ is named ANISIPI (which translates to ‘pure water’ in the Indigenous Anicinape language) and comprises immersive installations dedicated to the life-giving powers of water, set up at locations across the region, including animal sanctuary Refuge Pageau and the Lac Beauchamp municipal beach. The interactive, multimedia displays explore the importance of water to the Abitibiwinni First Nation and educate travellers on natural wonders such as eskers – sandy ridges formed by glacier meltwater that are common in the region.
3. For national park adventures in Atlantic Canada
The national parks in Canada’s wild western reaches are better known than those in the east (think Rocky Mountain wonderlands like Banff and Jasper). But Atlantic Canada still packs a punch when it comes to outdoor adventure.
Prince Edward Island recently became home to Canada’s 48th National Park: the Pituamkek National Park Reserve. Realised through a partnership with the Canadian government and the Mi’kmaq Nation, the park protects a precious necklace of barrier islands off PEI’s northwestern coast. The land’s natural beauty – characterised by ancient forests and sand dunes – is coupled with bountiful Mi’kmaq heritage, including rich archaeological sites.
Meanwhile, Newfoundland and Labrador’s Torngat Mountains National Park will step into the spotlight as it celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2025. An important Inuit site and a natural wonderland, the park unfolds in a playground of dramatic peaks and deep-blue fjords, home to wildlife including polar bears. Check the Parks Canada website for the announcement of special events marking the site’s birthday.
4. You’ll witness a landmark sporting event in British Columbia
The Invictus Games – a major sporting event bringing together sick or wounded service people from around the world – will be held in Canada for the second time in its history (8–16 February). This year, the games will take place across Vancouver, British Columbia’s largest city, and Whistler, a pretty ski town well-primed for outdoor adventure. For the first time, it will also include adaptive winter sports such as skiing, wheelchair curling and skeleton.
Combine the thrilling sporting event with adventures in its host cities. Nature waits on Vancouver’s doorstep, with trails wriggling through sprawling Stanley Park’s fir and cedar trees (there might be snowfall in February). Meanwhile, gourmet hotspots such as Richmond Night Market showcase the city’s world-class Asian cuisine. You can have your own active wintry adventures in Whistler, too. There’s everything from snowmobile tours to skiing, plus cultural jewels such as the Audain Art Museum, dedicated to art from the province.
5. There are new ways to explore the Yukon’s wild spaces
Travel to the remote reaches of the Yukon – one of Canada’s three northern territories – and you’ll find some of the most awe-inspiring wildernesses in the country. And in 2025, new tours and transport options mean it’s ever easier to discover them.
The Indigenous-owned Yukon Roots Adventure Company was launched in 2024, with founder Nicole Nielsen (Champagne and Aishihik First Nations) leading tours into her wild, ancestral homelands. On the Dakwäkäda Day Tour, travellers strike out from Whitehorse, the Yukon’s quirky capital, and cruise along the bucolic Alaska Highway. You’ll explore the Kluane National Park and Reserve, with its glaciers and snow-crested peaks, and your guide will share the history of the land and its deep importance to the region’s First Peoples.
There’s now also a bus route (run by local company Adventure Time) that drives into the wild heart of Kluane National Park and Reserve, if you prefer an independent adventure.
6. You can aid the recovery of one of Alberta’s top destinations
Enveloped by the dramatic Canadian Rockies and on the doorstep of its eponymous, glacier-filled national park, Jasper is one of the most sought-after towns in the country. But it made headlines in summer 2024 when it was devastated by a wildfire that destroyed one third of its homes and businesses. Now, however, the idyllic mountain town is keen to welcome back visitors and, remarkably, around 90% of the town’s lodgings have already reopened.
Spend your time hiking and wildlife-watching in the famed national park, and be sure to explore the dramatic Columbia Icefields – Zuc’min Guiding offers the chance to explore these dramatic glacial landscapes with Indigenous guides.
Other unique experiences in Jasper include excursions with Warrior Women, an Indigenous mother and daughter-founded tour operator. Immerse yourself in Cree culture through artistic workshops, foraging trips and ‘fireside chats’ featuring drums and storytelling.
7. There are unique places to stay
From upgrades to landmark properties to new Indigenous-owned lodges, 2025 brings with it a raft of new places to rest your head on your adventures in Canada.
Accommodations we’re excited about include the ‘Sky Watching Domes’ (glamping pods with transparent ceilings) at Métis Crossing, an Indigenous cultural centre and lodge, and the new tipi lodges at Pemiska Tourism in Saskatchewan, a site dedicated to protecting Cree culture.
Few more national park lodges are as iconic as the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, which you’ll find in the lake-stitched wilds of Banff. New for 2025 will be a thermal spa, plus renovated rooms, both due to be completed by summer.
