Winter holidays usually fall into two categories: winter sports and winter sun. Whilst both continue to be popular year on year, they’re not necessarily for everyone.
Canada offers holidaymakers the opportunity to experience the ultimate winter landscape. You can however get away without having to purchase a suitcase worth of ski gear or take to the slopes of a snowy mountain when you’d rather be cozied up by the fire.
Whether you’d rather watch snowy scenes pass you by from the comfort of a warm train carriage, or don a pair of snow shoes and head into the forest to track local wildlife, Canada has a wide range of alternative winter holiday options.
1. Trans-Canada Snow Train
For those of you that want the opportunity to get up close and personal with Canada’s Rocky Mountains but don’t fancy taking to a pair of skis to do so, the Trans-Canada Snow Train is a dream come true.
Whisking you across wintry landscapes through snowy scenes, board a train in Vancouver and travel east or book a ticket from Toronto and travel west.
A number of different tour companies offer a range of itineraries. This ensures that you get the winter wonderland trip of a lifetime. Top sights and highlights to look out for include stopovers and tours in Jasper, Lake Louise and Banff.
2. Winter Wilderness Survival Training
Although beautiful, wintry landscapes can be a cruel mistress. Surviving freezing temperatures is a novel experience. Especially when you know that you’ll be warming yourself by a roaring fire come evening.
A winter wilderness survival trip offers you the chance to really test your metal against the elements. Lean the necessary skills and gain the confidence to work with Mother Nature.
Your guides will help you acclimatise and lead the way to extreme survival. Experience the satisfaction of providing for yourself in the most primitive way and discover your inner Ray Mears.
3. Snow Mobile Safari
Whilst the word safari more conjures images of the African grasslands and khaki clad animal lovers sat atop a jeep, the Canadian winter landscape offers a safari of a very different nature.
A snow Mobile Safari is an adrenaline fuelled winter wilderness adventure. Fly across untouched snow fields, follow winding forest trails and zoom over frozen lakes. Look out for grizzly bears, wolves, caribou and elk and even a mighty polar bear!
After a fun day whizzing about in the crisp fresh air, spend your evenings watching the stars in the hope of a glimpse of the northern lights.
4. Algonquin Park Adventure
Experience the stunning beauty of Algonquin Park in winter. Tread in the footsteps of Canada’s pioneers with a log cabin winter break. Why not try your hand at dog-sledding, snowshoeing and ice-fishing too.
Spend an invigorating day exploring the park and its various trails with your guides. With exciting activities coming out of your ears, you’ll soon work up an appetite and appreciate a delicious evening meal laid out for you and your group by a roaring fire.
5. Winter Dream at Frances Lake
Frances Lake in south-eastern Yukon is nothing short of a fairytale dream. Ideal for those that are looking to escape from civilisation, trips don’t get much more remote than Frances Lake.
On cross-country ski or snow shoe trails around the lake and through the forest, you may be lucky enough to spot some of the local wildlife in its natural habitat. Experience the breath-taking phenomenon that the Canadian winter is capable of at the creek. Here you’ll find a waterfall that’s frozen into an icy staircase.
The silence that comes with nightfall provides the perfect backdrop to enjoy the spectacular northern lights. Along with your own private cabin a cosy retreat to relax in after a day of exploring.
It certainly seems easy to get active when this extreme winter wonderland is made so accessible! No doubt you’ve added a log cabin stay in Canada to your bucket list by now, we certainly have!
If you have visited Canada in the colder months and have some recommendations, be sure to let us know and leave a comment below.
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If you go WEST from Vancouver you’ll get very wet!
Oops! Little typo there, thanks for bring it to our attention David.