With a surge in bookings to hotspots such as Toronto and Lake Louise, here's where to venture off the beaten track, writes Tim Jepson
Let's assume you understand the appeal of Canada: the majestic landscapes (mountains, fjords, forests, glaciers); the plethora of outdoor activities; the lure of the open road; the extraordinary wildlife; the scenic rail journeys; and the range of buzzing, contemporary cities.
Knowing this, why would you want to get off the beaten track? Surely, in a country of this size and scenic grandeur, where wilderness and wide-open spaces prevail, pretty much everywhere is off the beaten track?
Well, yes and no. Like any country, Canada has its busy spots – places you and everyone else want to see – and tours and activities in which far too many want to indulge: the Canadian Rockies (top of the list, of course), the honey pots of Banff and Lake Louise, along with Niagara Falls, Whistler for winter sports, and the world-class cities of Vancouver and Toronto.
Canada's hotspots are under pressure. UK tour operators report a surge in bookings, coinciding with larger than usual numbers of Canadian and American travellers who, post-pandemic, have chosen to holiday close to home. The result is a shortage of accommodation, hire cars and campervans.
Be flexible around dates, if you can, is the operators' advice and, more to the point, this year or any year, look beyond the usual destinations to get under the country's skin. The same goes for types of holidays – why always the same rail journeys through the Rockies or the same oversubscribed spots for polar bear or whale-watching? And why only summer when autumn colours in the forests of eastern Canada, for example, are the equal of their New England counterparts?
We're not saying avoid Canada's highlights – nobody wants to miss the Rockies – but rather consider them as part of a less predictable itinerary, or plump for some of the quieter but equally glorious alternatives we've highlighted below.
Waterton Lakes National Park
It's hard to resist Banff National Park, the Canadian Rockies' great centrepiece, and even harder to resist Lake Louise and nearby Moraine Lake, two of the park's scenic highlights, but to say these are busy spots is an understatement. As an alternative – or add-on – to Banff and its over-famous lakes, head 265km south of Calgary to Waterton Lakes National Park (pc.gc.ca), the least-known of the Rockies' parks. The eponymous lake is a beauty, and charming little Waterton (mywaterton.ca) a superb base from which to explore the park. Wildlife proliferates – drive the Red Rock Parkway for viewing – and there's plenty to do, including a host of half- and full-day hikes, with the walk to Bertha Lake a standout.
The Kootenays
Not an alternative to the Rockies perhaps, but certainly a complement, the Kootenays (kootenayrockies.com) occupy British Columbia's southeast corner, a magical and lightly visited region of mountains, lakes and the picture-perfect wooden houses and flower-filled gardens of villages such as Nakusp, Kaslo and New Denver.
Nelson (nelsonkootenaylake.com), with its vibrant arts scene and 350-plus heritage buildings, makes an excellent regional base. There's plenty to keep you busy – though you'll need a car – not least visits to Sandon (sandonmuseum.com), one of five ghost towns in the region, a legacy of the area's rich silver mining heritage.
The Skeena
A trip through the Canadian Rockies by train is one of the world's most iconic rail journeys. Strange, then, that most travellers consider only the private Rocky Mountaineer or state-operated VIA Rail trip, unaware that there's a third Rockies rail option: the Skeena, which runs over two days between Jasper and Prince Rupert via Prince George. You get a day's worth of the Rockies, including majestic views of Mount Robson, the Rockies' highest point (something you don't get on the other trips), and the considerable bonus of a ride along the magnificent Skeena Valley as it carves through British Columbia's Coast Mountains.
The Skeena (viarail.ca) runs May to October, from CAN$154 ($192) per person one-way. Accommodation in Prince George is not included.
The Canadian Arctic
Churchill is known as the polar bear capital of the world, which is fine, except that you're often sharing your wildlife-watching with an awful lot of other people. The answer? Get further off the beaten track, further north, to Pond Inlet, Nunavut (travelnunavut.ca). Travelling here is costly, but the rewards are extraordinary: not just polar bears, but narwhal, bowhead and beluga whales and countless seabirds and other marine mammals. And, unlike Churchill, you can enjoy the ethereal landscapes of Canada's Arctic North – one of the great last frontiers – and gain first-hand insights into the Inuit way of life.
Campervan to the Yukon
Western Canada is tailor-made for travel by campervan, or RV, but with facilities few and far between, and with lots of RVs on the road in the popular areas, sourcing vehicles and summer berths can be a problem. Head north instead on the Alaska Highway (themilepost.com), one of the continent's great road trips and a wonderful window on some superlative wilderness. Pause in Whitehorse (yukontourism.com), Yukon's capital, then continue to Dawson City (dawsoncity.ca), the atmospheric former capital of the Klondike Gold Rush. Even better, drive some of the Dempster Highway (dempsterhighway.com), the only public road in North America to cross the Arctic Circle.
Newfoundland
Newfoundland (newfoundlandlabrador.com) is a world apart, but a world of manageable size and extraordinary variety. Better still, it rarely seems busy or crowded. You could easily spend two weeks here, or combine a week's fly-drive with time exploring the Maritime Provinces. Follow the 524km Viking Trail (vikingtrail.org), one of Canada's newest road trips, and explore the mountains of Gros Morne National Park (pc.gc.ca). Visit the wild Burin coastline, go whale-watching at Bay Bulls, see the remarkable bird colonies at Cape St Mary's, hike the East Coast Trail (eastcoasttrail.com), admire summer icebergs, and allow two days to enjoy the briny charm of St John's (destinationstjohns.com), the island's capital.
Follow the foliage
Think about a trip to see autumn leaves on the turn and you probably think of New England. But why? The colours in the forests of eastern Canada are every bit as spectacular as those just over the US border. And you'll pay less for the privilege, share the experience with fewer people and get to see some hidden Canadian corners in the process. Visit provincial websites such as tourismnewbrunswick.ca and novascotia.com for updates on the changing colours. Many specialist travel agents can arrange tailor-made fly-drives around the most celebrated areas, notably Algonquin Provincial Park, the Laurentians, the Bruce Peninsula, Cabot Trail, the Fundy coast, and Prince Edward Island. Or leave the itinerary to experts and travel on an escorted tour.
Cruise the St Lawrence
Niagara Falls' spectacular first impressions don't last long, which is why the site is ringed around with tours and gimmicks to keep the attention of the 13 million visitors who flock here annually. Go, instead, for a more subtle watery adventure nearby, namely a river cruise on the St Lawrence, one of North America's great rivers. There's delightful scenery en route, and a different stop each night, with the option of adding days in Quebec City and Montreal. The cruises work as part of longer itineraries, with nearby Georgian Bay Islands National Park (gc.pc.ca) a superb add-on.
Get active in Quebec
Most visitors to Quebec (bonjourquebec.com) venture no further than its key cities, Montreal and Quebec, missing out on countless unsung destinations and activities. Try the beautiful Appalachian countryside of the Eastern Townships (easterntownships.org), perhaps following a route through the region's vineyards (laroutedesvins.ca), or the more rugged landscapes of the Gaspe Peninsula and Forillon National Park (pc.gc.ca). Hike the 96km Traversee de Charlevoix (traverseedecharlevoix.qc.ca), one of eastern Canada's best walking trails, or cycle Le P'tit Train du Nord (ptittraindunord.com), a standout (and family-friendly) section of the Green Route (routeverte.com), a 5300km cycle network across the province.
Ski alternatives
Most ski operators focus on Canada's major resorts – Mont Tremblant in the east and Whistler, Banff and Lake Louise in the west. All well and good: these are popular for a reason. But also busy, of course.
Some operators include less high-profile Mont-Sainte-Anne in the east and Kicking Horse, Sun Peaks and Big White in British Columbia. But for quieter slopes in breathtaking landscapes make for the country's charming smaller resorts: Stoneham (ski-stoneham.com) and panoramic Le Massif (lemassif.com) in Quebec, for example, and Revelstoke (revelstokemountainresort.com), Red Mountain (redresort.com), tiny Whitewater (skiwhitewater.com), Fernie (skifernie.com) and Silver Star (skisilverstar.com), among others, dotted across British Columbia.
CHECKLIST: CANADA
GETTING THEREAir New Zealand flies direct from Auckland to Vancouver. Air Canada will resume its direct service in November.
DETAILS
Destination Canada (travel.destinationcanada.com) has more ideas for off-the-beaten-track travel. For practical information, visit travel.gc.ca.
Covid rules
All travellers must submit their information via the ArriveCAN app and show an Electronic Travel Authorisation (cic.gc.ca), as well as providing proof of full vaccination, or a negative PCR test taken in the 72 hours before boarding your flight, or a negative antigen test taken in the 24 hours before boarding your flight, or proof of recovery.
© Tim Jepson / Telegraph Media Group Limited 2022