Canada

When most people think of Canada they envisage the snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains, Canadian Mounties on horse-back, grizzly bears prowling for wild salmon, and the sheer space and beauty of the great outdoors. Whatever season you choose to travel Canada is spectacular, but summer and fall are particularly exceptional.

Brilliant British Columbia

British Colombia is a spectacular province and it’s fair to say Vancouver was high on the list when Mother Nature was handing out her charms. Explore beautiful Stanley Park, test your nerve on the Capilano Suspension Bridge, or head for the delights of Grouse Mountain. Gastown is Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhood and where you’ll find some of the city’s finest restaurants and stylish boutiques.

Beyond Vancouver, British Columbia is blessed with incredible natural attractions. Whistler is a blissful, summer adventure playground less than two hours from the city and if you want to explore the great Canadian outdoors, Vancouver Island takes some beating. The Pacific Rim National Park is home to wild beaches and some of the best bear viewing in North America. Kayak with orcas, learn more of the First Nations heritage or seek out the elusive Spirit Bear in the Great Bear Rainforest.

Amazing Alberta

Alberta is a province of superlatives, where the scenery is quite simply off the scale.

Banff and Jasper National Parks offer everything you could want from a Canadian holiday. Wildlife, spectacular scenery, and mountain-based activities. Kayak the emerald, green waters of glacial lakes and explore waterways with gentle float tours. If you’re a thrill seeker take to the rapids on a white- water rafting adventure.

The Icefields Parkway is Alberta’s ultimate road trip, and the Columbia Icefields Glacier and Skywalk is a must-do experience. In the Canadian Badlands, you’ll find towering hoodoo’s and can walk in the footsteps of dinosaurs.

Putting the Wild into Wildlife

Canada is renowned for its iconic wildlife and when it comes to bears is probably the best place on earth for sheer variety. The coastal rainforests of Vancouver Island offer some of the finest viewing options, this is where grizzlies (brown bears) roam through pine forests and paddle in fast flowing rivers in search of wild salmon. Canada’s nutrient rich waters are also the perfect home for humpback whales, grey whales, and orcas. For polar bears however you need to head to Manitoba in the far north, this is where they congregate in large numbers as they wait for the sea ice to form in the Hudson Bay. If you’re hoping to see iconic moose, then the Banff National Park is a good place as well as the eastern provinces of Ontario and Newfoundland, where you’ll often spot them meandering along the roadside.

Travelling Around

Canadian roads were made for driving, they are wide and once you leave the big cities behind, very often empty. Hiring a car is an easy way to explore, or a camper van where you can travel the road less travelled entirely at your own pace. Canada also does train travel well. The legendary Rocky Mountaineer travels various routes between Vancouver, Calgary and Jasper, whilst the Trans Canadian will take you from Toronto to Vancouver through the very heart of the country. On the east coast it’s easy to hop from Toronto to Montreal and Quebec and then into the provinces of Atlantic Canada by train.

Best Places to Stay

From five-star hotels to floating bear lodges, ranches and wilderness camps, Canada has a vast array of unique and interesting places to stay. The bear viewing lodges in western Canada offer some of the finest opportunities in the world to spot bears in the wild and there are even some which are dedicated purely to the sightings of polar bears. Western-style ranches are also a great way to experience Canada, whether you want something hands-on where you can get involved in everyday life, or a little more luxurious with exceptional food and activities to enjoy, there are plenty to choose from.

About Me

It’s fair to say that travel is in my blood, I’ve spent more than 24 years exploring almost every continent on the planet and Canada in particular is a real passion of mine. I’ve been lucky enough to live in and travel to Canada multiple times so the knowledge I offer is from first-hand experience. The service I offer is personal, flexible, and tailored entirely to you. Have a look at my website https://www.catherineblackburntravel.co.uk/ you can also follow me on Facebook for more inspiration.