EXPERIENCE

Travel should make you feel alive. The most life-changing trips allow you to step outside of your comfort zone, connect with the natural world, and find yourself again. You don’t need to go far to find awe-inspiring wilderness and epic adventures. Canada, the second-largest nation on the planet, offers diverse landscapes of epic proportions and endless possibilities to satisfy all thrill levels.

Road Trip Across The Yukon

Get off-the-beaten-path in the Yukon. Canada’s remote northwest territory will spark your imagination and stir your soul with its wild beauty. A road trip is the ultimate way to take in this region’s dazzling diversity, from historic sites to wildlife preserves. Snap a photo of the log skyscraper in Whitehorse, the Yukon’s quirky capital, before hitting the road to visit the Yukon Wildlife Preserve. You’ll want your camera ready to frame photos of woodland caribou, wood bison, muskox, and moose. It’s a two-hour drive along the historic Alaska Highway to Haines Junction, a town of just 800 people, fewer than the number of grizzly bears in Kluane National Park. For the ultimate adrenaline rush, take an air tour over the park so you can ogle the world’s largest non-polar icefields and get a bird’s eye view of Canada’s highest peak, Mount Logan, which tops out at 19,545 feet.

If fresh air and wide-open space are what you crave, you’ll get a big dose of them driving from the Chilkat River Valley to the windswept Chilkat Pass. Roll your windows down to admire the otherworldly landscapes as you skirt the boundaries of the largest contiguous area of protected wilderness on earth. The shores of shimmering Kluane Lake are the ideal stop to stretch your legs with a short hike.

Back on the Alaska Highway you’ll drive to Tok, the dog mushing capital of Alaska. Visit with some of the rambunctious sled dogs before continuing to Dawson City by way of the Top of the World Highway. This stretch of your trip takes in stunning backcountry and gold mining areas. Stop at the summit, which peaks at 4,515-feet, to savor the views.

A ferry ride across the Yukon River delivers you to Dawson City, a trapped-in-time outpost full of relics from its Klondike Gold Rush days like the Grand Palace Theater and Gertie’s Casino. History buffs should stop by to see the SS Keno , the last steamer to run the Yukon River from Whitehorse while literary fans won’t want to miss the Jack London Interpretive Center, which houses the poet’s original cabin. The return journey to Whitehorse provides one last stretch of raw wilderness and an opportunity to reflect on how this adventure in big nature has changed you and reignited your sense of wonder.

Ocean Hop In Style

You could spend a lifetime exploring Canada. Or you could touch all three of Canada’s coasts (Atlantic, Arctic, Pacific), plus iconic destinations in between, on a single vacation. Embark on a three oceans adventure featuring a private jet to take in the country’s most spectacular sights, while the most luxe lodges serve as your basecamp. Begin your adventure in St. John’s, the capital of the east coast province of Newfoundland and Labrador. While it doesn’t get as much buzz as Vancouver or Toronto, this city holds its own when it comes to fantastic dining. Just wander George Street, which claims more restaurants and bars per square foot than any street in North America.

A helicopter transfers you to isolated Fogo Island, where you’ll stay at the award-winning Fogo Island Inn. This architecturally striking hotel is operated under the Shorefast Foundation, a registered nonprofit dedicated to promoting cultural and economic resiliency in the community. Guests are paired with a local host who showcase’s the island’s heritage including the local cabin culture and boat building traditions. Depending on the season (the island has seven), you can spot icebergs off the coast or forage for wild berries.

Next, jet north to Resolute Bay where a seaplane will deliver you to Arctic Watch Wilderness Lodge, set 500 miles north of the Arctic Circle. This magical wildlife base is nestled on the shores of the Northwest Passage in Nunavut and attracts thousands of beluga whales each year. Excursions, like kayak and ATV adventures, promise close encounters with whales, muskox, Arctic foxes, and even polar bears.

More thrilling wildlife encounters await on Canada’s west coast. A private eco-tour of Jasper National Park, a UNESCOdesignated World Heritage Site, offers opportunities to view bighorn sheep, elk, bald eagles, and even black bears. The journey from Jasper to Lake Louise travels along the scenic Icefields Parkway, where you’re likely to encounter black and grizzly bears, moose, and mountain goats. On the coast, you’ll be immersed in rugged coastline, empty beaches, and an oldgrowth forest. You’ll stay at two top lodges deep within the Great Bear Rainforest where you can view grizzlies from a floating sauna.

After being off-the-grid, jet to Vancouver, where you can indulge in such urban delights as designer boutiques along Alberni Street and acclaimed restaurants in the city’s Chinatown. Your final stop, Victoria, mixes big-city attractions with nature-based thrills. Start the day browsing the downtown shops on Lower Johnson Street and end with an exhilarating open-air zodiac adventure as you go whale-watching through the Juan de Fuca and Haro Straits. When it comes to a country that offers it all, no other place on earth can top Canada.