Canada · WINTER ACTIVITIES
This is the shortlist you would send a friend: 15 winter days out worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.
Spend about 11 hours with a guide such as Neil, Georgia, or Jake on the Icefields Parkway. From Banff, visit Crowfoot Glacier and Bow Lake, ride an Ice Explorer across Athabasca Glacier, walk the Glacier Skywalk, and enjoy a picnic lunch.
“Drinking glacier water was the best part - and the views were amazing. The viewing platform was great.”
Meet at Carlton Lodge at 2:30 pm for a three-hour guided snowshoe outing in Callaghan Valley. You’ll follow an old trapper’s route beneath cedar, fir, and hemlock, hear local stories, try medicinal-herb tea, and enjoy snacks. Snowshoes, shuttle transport, and an English-speaking guide are included.
“What a wonderful day in nature. Our guide was attuned to our various skill levels. She exuded great sense of wonder and appreciation of the surroundings and had many great stories.”
Spend 2.5 hours with a local English-speaking guide such as Gary, Fish, Julie, Rebecca, or Roberto, sampling small bites and drinks while walking Victoria’s Chinatown, Bastion Square, Market Square, and Inner Harbour. A short harbour ferry ride adds a fun change of pace.
“Excellent overview of the harbor area of Victoria BC. Michael was very knowledgeable, patient and numerous. He was also considerate of my slow pace.”
Join Orca Spirit Adventures at Victoria’s Inner Harbour for a three-hour Zodiac ride led by a captain and certified marine naturalist. You’ll wear a full flotation suit, scan for humpback and Bigg’s killer whales, and listen to whale calls through a hydrophone.
“This tour was fun and enjoyable, even in the rain! We walked around town, taste tested a range of food and, learnt so much about the history of the area. It felt good to support local businesses.”
Meet a licensed MTL Detours guide for a small-group walk through Old Montreal in winter. In about 90 minutes, you’ll see major landmarks, hear stories about the city’s past, and finish near Bonsecours Market. Guides such as Louis, Isabelle, Sylvia, and Jeff are known for clear, lively explanations.
“Cold sunny day made very fun with our knowledgeable and personable guide, Sylvia. We enjoyed the whole experience.”
Head to Snow Tubing, Snow Adventures Laurentians at the Ax Hotel, about 15 minutes from Tremblant Resort. Choose a two-hour, three-hour evening, or four-hour session, then ride eight runs with two mechanical rope tows, indoor heating, and optional cafeteria food.
Spend 210 minutes exploring Jasper National Park by warm sightseeing vehicle, with hotel pickup, a local English-speaking guide, and stops for winter views and wildlife. Guides such as Yvonne and Jeff are praised for their local stories, but animal sightings, including moose and bears, are never guaranteed.
“Great guide, beautiful views, good trip, just didn’t see any bears - not his fault.”
Spend eight hours with a Radventures guide exploring frozen Johnston Canyon, snowy Lake Louise, and Banff National Park. You can hike with provided cleats and poles, add skating or snowshoeing at Lake Louise, and enjoy local stops chosen around weather, crowds, and wildlife sightings.
“Our guide Michael was amazing. He was very friendly and attentive to our needs. He is also a good photographer which meant we got great photos of Johnston's Canon and Lake Louise.”
Travel from Banff to frozen Lake Louise and Emerald Lake with guides such as Emma, Anik, or Timothy. Walk the Lake Louise shore, see Natural Bridge, enjoy lunch at Emerald Lake Lodge, and warm up with hot chocolate and a maple cookie or s’mores.
“We had a good laugh snow shoeing . The scenery was beautiful . Had a hot chocolate in the ice bar at the lake .”
Spend about 3.5 hours riding from Jasper into Maligne Valley and Jasper National Park with a guide such as Yvonne, Jeff, or Christian. Expect wildlife searches, mountain views, local geology, fire history, and comfortable transport. Animals are never guaranteed, but the scenery and stories fill the gaps.
“This was a very interesting tour conducted by a local guide who really knew the area and was very informative. I think it's misleading to call it a wildlife tour though, it's basically a tour of the main tourist sights of Jasper and if you're lucky enough to see any wildlife on the way that's a bonus. We did see a bald eagle, which was fantastic, and one big horn sheep, but I was expecting to go off the beaten track to places to specifically look for animals, so I was a little disappointed in that respect.”
Explore Niagara Falls with a group of up to six and guide Asif, visiting Horseshoe Falls, Table Rock, the Whirlpool, and Skylon Tower when selected. Descend into tunnels behind the Falls, then warm up with maple syrup and chocolate tasting. Hotel pickup is offered in the Niagara Falls tourist area.
“Superb morning with Asif. Nice private tour with four of us only. Asif is very knowledgeable and made sure we were all happy at every stage of the tour. Recommended tour, especially this time of year when the boats are not running.”
Travel from Ottawa with guide Vivi Wilds in a private SUV to Parc Omega, where deer and elk approach for carrots and wolves, bison, wild boar, and seasonal bears live in broad natural habitats. Expect two walking stops, photos, wildlife facts, and optional Montreal drop-off.
“A fantastic day out, expertly guided by ViVi who was extremely knowledgable and interesting to talk to, a wonderful experience and we were lucky to see all the animals including some very rare and hard to spot examples, 10/10 😀”
Spend six hours in Niagara-on-the-Lake wine country with Niagara Fun Tours, visiting three wineries for complimentary tastings, stopping for lunch at Farmhouse Cafe, and browsing Wayne Gretzky and Trius. Guides such as Tyler and Tina add local context, while transportation removes the need to drive.
“We enjoyed the different wineries we went to. Each winery had 3-4 good sized samples, which was great. Each winery seemed to pay attention to what we already had drank and tried to give us new types to sample. The only downside of the day (which in the grand scheme of the day was nothing), was that when we got on at the first stop there was too many people. We had to squeeze 13 extra people on the bus and then drop off at the tourist centre, where we then had to wait for another bus. Overall, I would definitely recommend to friends and family!”
Travel from Toronto or Mississauga to Niagara Falls with a licensed guide such as Tracey, John, or Suresh. Enjoy scenic river stops, three maple syrup flavors, Journey Behind the Falls, and about three hours for lunch and exploring. Optional Skylon Tower and helicopter rides add more views.
“John was very nice and super helpful. He is also very precise with time which I like. I would want to be with him again on future trips.”
You get three aurora outings plus ice fishing with a fish-fry lunch, snowmobiling, dog sledding, and a Yellowknife city tour. Guides including Leon, Mimi, Mo, Peter, and Willie handle transfers and photography. Hotels cost extra, and early bookers get free winter clothing rental.
“This was a really fun and diverse trip. We saw the Aurora all 3 nights. We went to the cabin to watch the first night. The second and third night we watched from the lodge and the popular Ice Road. Hot chocolate and snacks were served each night. The tour guides took pictures for us all. The guides were professional, knowledgeable and very friendly and helpful. In addition to the Aurora viewing late at night, we did dog sled, snow mobile, ice fishing and the city tour. Having the provided mits, boots, pants and parka was great. Shout out to Leon, Mimi, Mo, and Peter. Thanks for a memorable trip…”
Pick a mountain, a shoreline or a table.
