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FIND OUT MOREA Canadian adventure
If your desk-bound lifestyle is dragging you down, then escape to Canada for the adventure holiday of a lifetime. From the exhilaration of dogsledding to the eerie mysticism of the Northern Lights, you are bound to rediscover the joy of life in this vast and extraordinary country, says Andrew Watson.
Occupying the northern part of North America, Canada is the second-largest country in the world, after Russia, but it has a population density of just 9.4 inhabitants per square mile. If you want glorious open space to let loose, look no further.
Stretching from the Pacific to the Atlantic and deep into the Arctic, this is a country blessed with great natural beauty and variety. From mammoth mountains and colossal glaciers to thundering waterfalls and vast polychromatic skies, it has it all.
The wonder of Canada’s terrain is matched only by the wild creatures that inhabit it, including grizzly and polar bears, moose, Arctic foxes and wolves.
Add friendly, laid-back locals, world-class hotels and a mouthwatering cuisine, and you have a place of extraordinary adventures waiting to be discovered.
Canada offers countless exciting outdoor experiences all year round. Here are some of the highlights:
Mind the polar bear
In the legendary Arctic town of Churchill, Manitoba, you can come face-to-muzzle with one of the world’s biggest land predators - the polar bear. So bundle up and board the tundra buggy armed with your camera for some of the best moments you will ever capture.
Polar bears can appear here any time of year, but if you visit from mid-October to the end of autumn you can see them gather en masse to hunt seals. This spectacular annual event is never without drama, with visitors reporting bear fights and dangerous close encounters with these ferocious and fascinating animals.
Grab a front row seat for nature’s light show
Churchill, Manitoba, is also arguably the best place in the world to view the Northern Lights, aka Aurora Borealis. This natural phenomenon is caused when energetic particles penetrate the atmosphere from above, causing a luminous glow in the shape of surreal curtains of colour swirling in the sky.
Northern Lights appear year-round in Canada, but the best time to view them is in winter, when nights are longer and darker.
What to do during this spine-tingling show is up to you. You could opt for the warmth of the Aurora Domes, which are small, heated structures offering a clear view of the sky above. Or you could head out into the frozen wilderness in a tundra buggy and catch the show outdoors. Better still, plunge yourself into an outdoor hot tub and enjoy the lights with a glass of wine in hand, following a gourmet meal of caribou.
Go dogsledding in Yukon
If you fancy gliding across a frozen lake on a sledge drawn by a pack of fluffy huskies, while the wind whips your face and the howl of Arctic wolves echoes in the white desert, the Yukon wilderness outside of Whitehorse is the place to do it. You can sit back and enjoy the ride as a passenger or grab a harness, hitch up the dogs and steer them yourself. This is an adrenaline-filled way to explore the terrain, checking out the snowy forest, mountain peaks, frozen waterfalls and wildlife along the way. Just make sure you wrap up well and hang on tight.
Ski alongside the pros
Canada will not fail to impress even the most discerning ski devotees. The country offers some of the best slopes and most breath-taking scenery in the world, without the frustrating queues of other ski destinations. Popular resorts include the picturesque Banff and Whistler, which will be teeming with elite athletes during the Winter Olympics this month.
If skiing is not your thing, there are other ways to whiz down a mountain, including hitching a ride on the Sno-Limo, a chair on skis piloted by a professional guide.
You could also play in a snowboard park, take a horse-drawn sleigh ride, sample the local cuisine on the sunny deck of a peak-top bistro, slide into a hot tub, or raise a glass or three in a mountain-village pub.
Spot the whale
Seeing a whale should be on everyone’s ‘things to do before I die’ list. Observing these ocean giants in their natural habitat is a magical and humbling experience, and you can tick it off your list in Canada.
More than 33 species of whale, including Narwhals, Belugas and Orcas, live in the country’s three oceans, and they can be spotted performing their acrobatic leaps in various regions, including British Columbia, Manitoba, Québec and Yukon. So grab your binoculars, board a sailing boat or cruiser and prepare for a truly priceless spectacle.
Discover the joy of water at Niagara Falls
Canada is home to the world’s second-largest waterfall. Standing 52 metres tall, the powerful Niagara Falls is an awe-inspiring sight that draws millions of visitors every year from all corners of the earth.
Boat tours, like the famous Maid of the Mist, will give you a close view of the falls from the very base. Helicopter tours are also available, offering a bird's eye view of the falls, while adrenaline junkies can take a jet boat tour of the mighty rapids along the Niagara River.
Away from the raging water and cool mist of Niagara Falls, the surrounding region offers a wealth of things to do. You can try your luck at a casino, tour a winery and sample a chardonnay at its source, indulge the child in you at a theme park, do some golfing or soar above the falls on the London Eye-type observation wheel.
Take the trip of a lifetime on the Rocky Mountaineer train
Widely recognised as one of the world’s greatest trips, a ride on the Rocky Mountaineer train is an unforgettable experience that recaptures the romance and adventure of rail travel.
Taking place between April and October, the original two-day trip through Canada’s west and the Canadian Rockies follows a historic route through some of the most rugged terrain in the world for train travel.
The 560-mile journey takes place during the daytime and offers panoramic views of the country’s jaw-dropping scenery. You can sit back with a glass of wine and marvel at the shimmering lakes, fast-flowing rivers, imposing mountain ranges, rugged canyons, roaring waterfalls and spectacular glaciers rolling past your window - it’s a show like no other.
Half-way through the trip, the train stops for an overnight stay in British Columbia before the adventure continues.
Explore the coastline by canoe
Canada has an extensive coastline to discover, with hidden coves and spectacular fjords. You can paddle under a waterfall, drift with dolphins, surge into rapids and watch a bear hunting for salmon on a riverbank. Feeling peckish? Why not drop a fishing line and catch a trout to fry on a campfire?
There are many easily accessible places to go canoeing in Canada, but if you want something a bit more unusual, try the remote and untouched wilderness of Quetico Park, which covers 4,800 sq km in Northern Ontario. This is an area of drinking water lakes, cascading waterfalls, sandy beaches and endless pine forests, where you can enjoy world-class sport fishing, rare glimpses of wildlife and undisturbed solitude.
Where to stay
From the boutique Pan Pacific Village Center in Whistler (www.panpacific.com) to the massive Sheraton on the Falls (www.sheratononthefalls.com) in Ontario, there is quality accommodation in Canada to suit every taste and budget.
How to get there
Canadian Affair (www.canadianaffair.com), the UK’s largest tour operator to Canada, offers direct flights from Manchester Airport to Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver with Thomas Cook Airlines all year round. For a range of other flights from Manchester Airport to Canada visit www.manchesterairport.co.uk.