Peyto Lake I Banff National Park, Alberta I Canada
Destination: Canada
The Great White North
For many of us Australians, Canada is a fascinating place. The Canadian British colonial history and modern Commonwealth appear to share striking similarities. Yet at the same time, Canada could not be more different from Australia with near opposite climates that result in a contrast between the driest, flattest continent in the world (Australia) and a country that contains more fresh-water lakes and waterways than any other country in the world that sustains forests covering more than 40% of the massive Canadian land area. Then, of course, there is the language difference and the fact that Canada is covered in snow every year, with parts of it covered year-round earning it the nickname: The Great White North. Couldn’t be more different from Australia, could it?
Canada Travel Guide
Bienvenue au Canada!
From soaring mountains to rolling prairies, Canada is a diverse country where both English and French are the official languages.
Take in the sights with a road-trip and experience the abundance of wildlife in a country of immense natural beauty.
Whether you hike, drive, paddle, cruise or explore another way, Canada’s remarkable blend of intense beauty, multiculturalism spread across a vast landscape make it a country that would take a lifetime to truly ‘see it all’.
So, where do you start?
British Columbia
HIGHLIGHTS
Victoria
Emerald Lake
Mt Robson Provincial Park
Natural Bridge
Alberta
HIGHLIGHTS
Banff
Lake Louise
Banff Gondola
Moraine Lake
Calgary
Bow Lake
Maligne Lake
Patricia Lake
Jasper Skytram
Sunwapta Falls
Yukon
HIGHLIGHTS
Emerald Lake
Carcross Desert
Bennett Beach
Nares Lake
Cruising
Inspiration
Canada has the longest coastline of any country in the world, much of it, shrouded in icy mystery and inaccessible to cruise ships. However, the BC capital of Victoria often features in sought after Alaskan Inside Passage cruise itineraries, showcasing a remarkably British city in a surprisingly warm part of Canada.
Alaskan Inside Passage
Jewel of the Seas I Royal Caribbean
7 Nights
Departure Port: Seattle, Washington, USA
Scenic Cruising: Inside Passage, Alaska, USA
Port of Call: Juneau, Alaska, USA
Port of Call: Skagway, Alaska, USA
Scenic Cruising: Tracey Arm Fjord & Sawyer Glacier, Alaska, USA
Port of Call: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Arrival Port: Seattle, Washington, USA
Roadtripping
Inspiration
Canadian Rockies
Calgary to Jasper Return
7 Days
The snow-capped Canadian Rockies on the west coast of Canada separate British Columbia from the rest of the country and are home to the Icefields Parkway, perhaps the most iconic road-trip in Canada.
The Icefields Parkway meanders through Banff and Jasper National Parks past the Columbia Icefield and jaw-dropping Athabasca Glacier. And yes, you can take a tour out onto the glacier aboard one of the massive Ice Explorer buses.
Visit in Spring to bear witness to the remarkable changes as the many lakes begin to thaw and snow melt feeds roaring waterfalls through rugged gorges.
Icefields Parkway I Banff National Park, AlbertA
Where the Wild Things Are: Wildlife Watching In The Canadian Rocky Mountains
Inspiration:
Wildlife Encounters
The abundance of forests in Canada means there is plenty of wildlife that you’re likely to spot year round, especially on a visit to a national or provincial park.
If you can time your visit to be during the Canadian Spring you’re likely to be rewarded with caribou, deer, elk, and even bears out foraging with their cubs.
If you’re lucky, you might spot the more elusive grizzly bear or a moose. I’m sure we saw a big grizzly disappear into the forest beside the road…
Chipmunk
Ground Squirrel
Melanistic Arctic Ground Squirrel
Coming Soon
Caribou/Reindeer
Deer
Black Bear with Cubs
Yearling Bull Elk
Bighorn Sheep
Back to Nature
It’s hard to visit Canada and not see at least some postcard perfect lakes like the brilliant blue Peyto Lake, iconic Morraine Lake, or vibrant Emerald Lake. Imagine mixing more than 2 million lakes with soaring mountain peaks, and stunning wilderness regions. This is Canada; a hikers paradise, with vistas that are the envy of the world.
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Discover Postcard Perfect Lakes in the Canadian Rockies – Coming Soon
Thrillseeking
Inspiration
Natural thrills are the way to take in all that Canada has to offer, whether it’s the thrill of an up-close encounter with elusive wildlife, or sky-high views from mountain-tops via gondolas and skytrams.
Sulphur Mountain
by Banff Gondola
The Whistlers
by Jasper Skytram