6 minute read
Awaken Your Senses
Push those boundaries
Whether you want to learn a new skill, be at one with nature or leap from your comfort zone, Canada will test, challenge and refresh, writes Stuart Forster
The inquisitve polar bear peers directly into my eyes, sniffs at my camera then exhales. To my surprise the billowing cloud of condensed breath is neither meaty nor fishy.
The animal-loving side of me wants to reach out and touch her cuddly ears but the logical side prevails — she looks placid but there’s every chance I’ll be mauled.
Viewing wildlife was on my wish list when I flew north to Churchill, the Manitoba town known as ‘the polar bear capital of the world’. Here at the Seal River Heritage Lodge, 60 kilometres further north,
I’ve seen bears every day since arriving. This morning I’d arrived in the lodge’s lounge both well before breakfast and the other guests, who were probably having a lie-in after viewing the Northern Lights last night.
Terry, one of Churchill Wild’s bear experts, told me a lone female was approaching the building. I had my camera ready so stepped outside, gulping in the bitter cold air.
As I opened the wooden door the bear hissed. Terry advised me to move away slowly. I squatted by the security fence, whose wire acted like a reverse zoo, and moments later the bear lumbered to check me out. Being this close to a wild polar bear was beyond my wildest expectations. Her paws were enormous. I was clicking photos and thrilled to be observing her.
Destination Canada’s slogan is ‘For Glowing Hearts’ and, as I stared back at the bear, my heart was thumping hard and fast. I felt as alive as I ever have.
Bearing up to the wild
During October and November Churchill Wild (churchillwild.com) operates polar bear safaris near the shore of Hudson Bay.
Aimed at keen photographers, they feature guided walks on the tundra and provideg opportunities to see creatures such as Arctic foxes and hares.
The Tundra Buggy (frontiersnorth.com), an all-terrain vehicle specially adapted for viewing wildlife and Northern Lights, visits locations around Churchill. It makes polar bear viewing accessible during the peak autumn season and operates in July and August, when wildflowers bloom.
Between May and October, grizzly bears can be observed from boats and hides operated by Great Bear Lodge (greatbeartours.com) near Port Hardy in British Columbia.
Having a whale of a time
During July and August white beluga whales swim in the Hudson Bay’s shallows and you can paddle amongst them in a kayak.
Alternatively, Sea North Tours (seanorthtours.com) operates tours led by experienced guides in whale-friendly boats.
The Bay of Fundy attracts humpback, finback and minke whales. Whale-watching tours in high-speed Zodiac boats are offered by the likes of Fundy Tide Runners (fundytidetunners.com) in New Brunswick, and Ocean Explorations (oceanexplorations. ca) in Nova Scotia.
close encounters of the polar bear kind
British Columbia’s whale-watching season runs from April to late-October. Vancouver Island is a particular hotspot for viewing orcas, also known as killer whales. Orca Spirit (orcaspirit.com) operates out of Victoria, and Prince of Whales (princeofwhales.com) leave from Vancouver.
Take an uphill challenge
Canada’s vast wide open spaces and accessible mountains are ideal for hiking. In addition to exploring those remote wilderness areas, visitors can rack up their steps on tours of cities and towns.
For example, set within an urban park, Mount Royal (lemontroyal.qc.ca/en) offers outstanding perspectives of Montréal.
In Vancouver, the 2.9 km Grouse Grind on Grouse Mountain is nicknamed ‘Mother Nature’s Stairmaster’ and microchipped cards are available for those wishing to register their time.
Rossland (tourismrossland.com), a former mining town in BC, is known as the Mountain Biking Capital of Canada. With more than 200km of trails, it offers something for bikers of all levels. Open from July into October, the 36km Seven Summits Trail is a challenging and remote route with spectacular views.
Reaching for new heights
There are plenty of ways visitors can enjoy an adrenaline boost by taking themselves out of their comfort zone. In Toronto, they can lean over the city from a height of 1,168ft during a CN Tower EdgeWalk (cntower.ca).
A rush, in its literal sense, is on hand at the Zipline to the Falls (niagaraparks.com) races to the base of the iconic Horseshoe
dog sledding in quebec
Falls at Niagara Falls. Those with a head for heights will appreciate mountain scenery on the new Golden Skybridge (goldtourismgolden.com). The country’s highest suspension bridge is just a few minutes from the Trans-Canada Highway, and easily reached on a road trip.
The Canadian Rockies are renowned for world-class ice climbing. Based in Canmore, Yamnuska Mountain Adventures (yamnuska. com) operates tours for experienced climbers and introduces the activity to beginners between December and March.
The Sasquatch (whistler.com) in Whistler is the country’s longest zipline. And new in 2021 is Canada’s first ‘interprovince zip line’, Interzip Rogers (interzip.ca/en), which opened in Canada’s capital, crossing the Ottawa River between Quebéc and Ontario.
For stunning yet more sedate views, take a ride on Whistler’s Peak 2 Peak Gondola and Squamish’s wheelchair-accessible Sea to Sky Gondola (seatoskygondola.com). Along with the Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge, the latter offers giddying views of the Howe Sound.
Over on Vancouver Island the Malahat SkyWalk (malahatskywalk.com) is another new attraction. The immersive nature experience presents coastal and forest views on a spiralling ramp.
Discover hidden gems
The little-known Arctic Cordillera, a 1,900mile mountain range between northern Labrador and Nunavut, offers four national parks. Arctic Kingdom (arctickingdom.com) operates tours to more remote destinations, including Auyuittuq National Park on Baffin Island in Nunavut.
At Alberta’s Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park (albertaparks.ca/parks/south/writingon-stone-pp/), interpretative programmes introduce the hieroglyphs carved into rocks in a park with backcountry hiking and camping in pre-erected tents.
Neighbouring Saskatchewan’s Grasslands National Park is one of the quietest places on the planet and, for stargazers, its remoteness means the darkest of all the dark sky preserves in Canada.
Near Saskatoon, Wanuskewin Heritage Park’s (wanuskewin.com) exhibitions and interpretive programme provide opportunities for visitors to delve into the heritage and lifestyles of the Northern Plains’ indigenous peoples.
In the Yukon, the Long Ago Peoples Place (yukonfirstnationculture.com) is open yearround, allowing travellers to spend time with representatives of the Southern Tutchone nation to learn about hunting methods and traditional cooking. Lake Kelowna (tourismkelowna.com) in the Okanagan Valley, a region known for wine production, is now established as one of Canada’s wild swimming locations.
Book it with...Canadian Affair A six-night, seven-day option that includes bear watching at Knight Inlet Lodge starts from £2,432pp, based on two sharing. It includes Air Canada flights from Heathrow, internal flights, fullboard at Knight Inlet Lodge and a Grizzly Bear watching tour. 0207 616 9192; canadianaffair.com
take a tour to baffin island
Upskill in the kitchen
Increasingly, Canada is evolving into a culinary destination where foodies can participate in cooking experiences and return home with new skills to use in the kitchen.
Chef Brad Smoliak (kitchenbybrad.ca), whose long table dinners champion the Prairie Provinces farm-to-fork culture, plans to run three-hour cooking demonstrations in his Edmonton kitchen in 2022.
In the Maritime provinces, the gourmet bent tends to be on seafood. TV’s Kilted Chef (kiltedchef.ca), Alain Bossé, offers a ‘Lobster 101’, providing insights into preparing and cooking the crustaceans.
Attending Nova Scotia’s month-long South Shore Lobster Crawl (lobstercrawl.ca) – planned for February 2022 – is a great way to experience the province outside high season and take part in activities such as a trip on a fishing boat.
Prince Edward Island’s International Shellfish Festival (peishellfish.com), held each September, introduces visitors to the practice of foraging for mussels, clams and oysters.
The festival offers an opportunity to stretch your food choices and remove any doubts about consuming shellfish!
