Summer in the great north

By Ben Groundwater
Published: Wednesday, May 22, 2019

High mountain peaks covered in snow, ski resorts and ice-skating rinks. Think Canada and Alaska and your mind will probably conjure up images of a winter wonderland. But there’s far more to the great northern lands than what's on offer.

Canoe in Wells Gray Provincial Park

This is the perfect family experience: a mix of Huck Finn adventure and some of the world’s most beautiful scenery. The best way to see Wells Gray Provincial Park is by canoe. Pack a tent and supplies and paddle out onto glassy Murtle Lake in central British Columbia (BC). Out on the water, you’re surrounded by mountain peaks with cedar forests hugging the shoreline. Ospreys fly overhead while fish can be spotted in the lake below. Rest your oars for a moment and listen – you could hear a pin drop. That’s how quiet it is here.

Hike in Newfoundland and Labrador

The East Coast Trail is a whopping 540km pathway through Newfoundland and Labrador, offering an absolute feast of stunning scenery. Most people come here for the rugged coastlines and the cliffs that tower over deep, sparkling fjords. However, there’s so much more to see, such as whales, seabirds, caribou, lighthouses and abandoned towns. If you’re lucky, you might even encounter a floating iceberg.

Historic lighthouse, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Ride the Rocky Mountaineer

No experience captures the majesty of Canada’s Rocky Mountains like the Rocky Mountaineer; it’s the only journey that allows you to appreciate the sheer mass of this alpine range in such luxury. You’ll make your way by train from Vancouver into the mountains, passing high-altitude lakes, rolling through mountain passes and catching sight of native wildlife. But the real drawcards of the Rocky Mountaineer are its luxurious carriages, panoramic windows, great food and five-star service.

Cruise from Canada to Alaska

The spectacular coastlines of Canada and Alaska are best experienced by ship. There’s no other way to get into the small inlets and bays; no chance to witness the wild shores of this beautiful part of the world unless you approach them by sea. Call into outposts such as Juneau and Skagway and learn about their Indigenous culture and heritage, witness glacial calving in the world heritage-listed Glacier Bay National Park, and see the fjords and tiny islands scattered along the Inside Passage.

Cruising by ship through Glacier Bay.

Fish for salmon on the Kenai River

For keen anglers, Alaska is paradise. It’s as good as it gets. There’s the chance here to go after some of the world’s most prized catches, from steelhead salmon to northern pike to rainbow trout – fish that will test your skills and your stamina. However, the main prize is the Chinook, or king salmon, and the best spot to catch one is at the famed Kenai River, near Anchorage. It’s an easily accessible spot that should be on every fisherman’s bucket list.

Watch wildlife in Juneau

Setting out by boat from Juneau, a city surrounded by Alaska’s forest-covered mountains, is a spectacular experience. Then the wildlife appears and it gets even better. Spot deer and even bears on the shoreline, or see porpoises, sea lions and seals in the water. Then there are the whales – watch majestic humpbacks and orcas peering above the surface of the icy ocean to greet travellers.

Grizzly bear in Juneau.

Feast in Vancouver

British Columbia (BC) was the first province to coin the idea of the ‘100-mile diet’: a locavore dining movement focusing on food sourced from within a 100-mile radius. Those who live in BC are blessed with excellent produce, grown or harvested in the area. The rivers and seas are filled with seafood, there’s high-quality craft beer and wine, and the soil produces some of Canada’s best fruit and vegetables. The ideal place to sample the 100-mile diet is Edible Canada: a bistro on Vancouver’s Granville Island that focuses on sustainable cuisine.

Camp in Yoho National Park

Out in eastern BC, among high Rocky Mountain territory near the Alberta border, lies Yoho National Park. With more than 1000km2 of absolutely spectacular, untouched wilderness, the rugged terrain of Yoho National Park is home to wolves, bears, moose, elk and deer. To camp out here for a few nights is to check out from the modern world: hiking during the day, toasting marshmallows in the evening and falling asleep to the sounds of the forest.

Yoho National Park.

Experience the great north

Speak to an RAA travel expert in store, or call the team on 8202 4589 to book a Canadian or Alaskan getaway.

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