Canada, a country of vast landscapes comparable in size to the United States, offers a wealth of exclusive travel experiences, from heli-fishing in the north to Arctic safaris. Top tour companies are curating these adventures, allowing travelers to immerse themselves in destinations like the Canadian Rockies and experience activities such as crab fishing from a helicopter or wildlife viewing, all while minimizing travel stress.
Rockies and Coastal Adventures
For travelers aged 18 to 35, Contiki offers an 11-day journey through British Columbia and Alberta, starting and ending in Vancouver. This trip includes visits to Whistler, Jasper National Park, and Banff, with excursions like canoeing on the River of Golden Dreams and white-water rafting on the Fraser River. Julia McPhail, Contiki’s operations director, highlights the Indigenous Warrior Women's fireside chats in Jasper as a particularly inspiring experience. The golden larch season, from mid-September to early October, is recommended for viewing Banff's landscapes.
Intrepid Travel's Heather Warren suggests visiting the Rockies in May or September to avoid peak summer crowds and experience fewer people, snowy peaks, and changing seasons. The tour covers iconic locations such as Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Peyto Lake, and Maligne Lake, with an excursion onto the Athabasca Glacier and a trip up Sulphur Mountain. The Icefields Parkway is noted as a highlight, offering unexpected wildlife sightings and scenic viewpoints.
Much Better Adventures offers a 10-day tour of Vancouver Island, capped at 12 attendees. Activities include hiking "The Chief" and Whistler’s High Note Trail, exploring ancient trees in Cathedral Grove, and traversing trails in Pacific Rim National Park. Summer is an ideal time for spotting orcas and humpback whales, as well as sea otters, eagles, and wolves. Josiane Bureau of Windigo Aventure emphasizes the intimate wildlife viewing opportunities in Clayoquot Sound due to its gentle terrain and proximity to the water.
G Adventures' National Geographic Journeys program offers a 12-day experience featuring hot mineral springs, exploring Banff with a historian, and hiking in Jasper National Park. The itinerary includes a gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain and standing before the Athabasca Glacier. G Adventures' chief experience officer, Harvey Taphorn, suggests a visit to Bill Peyto’s Café in Lake Louise.
Arctic Wildlife and Helicopter Expeditions
For a unique summer experience in the Arctic, a tour from Churchill offers opportunities to witness the tundra bloom with wildflowers and greenery. Participants can kayak alongside beluga whale pods on the Churchill River and observe polar bears on guided safaris from Polar Rovers near the Prince of Wales Fort. Expedition leader Eleanor Edye describes Churchill in the summer as a magical time, where locals engage in activities like berry picking and bonfires on the beach, often with the sound of beluga whales nearby.
Luminaire offers a five-day private helicopter expedition in British Columbia, starting and ending in Vancouver with transfers to Whistler. The tour provides access to rugged terrain, including coastal fjords and glacial mountains, with activities like crab fishing directly from the helicopter. The experience includes a pilot-guide, chef, and camp manager, with opportunities to spot marine mammals, orcas, grizzly bears, and elk. One excursion mentioned involved flying over glaciers to Tantalus Ridge and the Princess Louisa Inlet, complete with lunch at a snow-sculpted table.
Indigenous Culture and St. Lawrence River Safaris
In Victoria, the Songhees Nation, an Indigenous-owned tour operator, provides canoe and walking tours through Victoria’s Inner Harbour. Led by Lək̓wəngən hosts, these tours incorporate tribal teachings and songs. The two-hour canoe tour costs $145 for adults, and the walking tour is $55. Melissa Jean Barnhard of the Songhees Nation recommends visiting Thunderbird Park to see totem poles and Beacon Hill Park to view the Story Pole carved by Master Carver Mungo Martin.
Along the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, De Fleuve St. Lawrence Excursions offers day trips including sea kayaking, seabird watching, whale watching, and hydrophone exploration. Tours depart from Les Escoumins, with July and August being prime months for spotting various whale species, including humpback, beluga, and blue whales. These excursions, lasting two-and-a-half to four hours, start at approximately $65 per person and run from May to October. Co-owner and captain Simon Beaudry advises bringing a beanie, as it can be cold on the water.