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.”
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.”
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…”
Follow a live English or French guide, such as Chantelle in period costume, through Old Quebec’s Upper and Lower Towns. See Château Frontenac, Dufferin Terrace, historic churches, city squares, and Petit-Champlain while learning how Quebecers faced more than 400 years of winter.
“I enjoyed our guide Chantelle, she was dressed in character, it was cute. She was very engaging, jolly and fun. It was informative, and I really enjoyed the tour of the historic Upper and Lower town. It gave me my bearings to better explore on my own. I highly recommend this tour.”
Meet your guide in Quebec City, ride to Jacques-Cartier National Park, and learn ski-shoeing on quiet snowy trails. Gear, poles, lunch, hot chocolate, park fees, and transport are included. Guides such as Victor and Lorenzo explain Quebec forest life, park history, and beginner techniques in English or French.
“j'ai découvert le ski-raquette, activité que je ne connaissais pas et j'ai beaucoup apprécié. Elle m'a permis de découvrir également le telemark. Nous avons eu très beau temps avec un bel enneigement et le groupe était très sympathique. Merci à Lorenzo pour ses explications très complètes. J'espère que j'aurai l'occasion de pratiquer de nouveau cette activité.”
Spend six winter hours seeing Banff’s top viewpoints from an open-top vintage car, with storytelling from an English-speaking host. Visit Lake Minnewanka, Bow Falls, and Sulphur Mountain, then enjoy Nightrise and a hot buffet dinner at Northern Lights Alpine Kitchen.
“Our trip was amazing!! We had a great guide who was very knowledgeable,welcoming and entertaining. Really enjoyed ourselves and would definitely recommend this outing to friends”
Travel from Toronto to Niagara Falls with hotel pickup, scenic stops along the Niagara Parkway, free time by the falls, sunset views, and the Winter Festival of Lights. The English-speaking guide handles the drive, with optional Journey Behind the Falls and Skylon Tower tickets. Recent departures have been led by Ali.
“everything should be improved. a full bus with a guide who was also the driver... no sense.. three types of tickets all together... you are really master in maximizing profit with the least possible quality of service. shame on you”
Travel from Montreal with North Adventures for a guided ski day in Mont-Tremblant, Saint-Bruno, or Mont Sutton. Your small group gets transport, equipment, helmet, winter accessories, instruction, and a level-appropriate mountain pass. Guides including Alejandro, Xabier, and Manuel teach in English, French, or Spanish.
“We had an incredible experience with our guide, Alejandro! From start to finish, he went above and beyond to ensure our day was unforgettable. We missed our scheduled pick-up time, but Alejandro was understanding and went out of his way to turn around and pick us up at a later time. He was incredibly patient and made sure we had plenty of time to enjoy every aspect of our adventure, from learning new skills to skiing down the mountain. He even made sure we had time to eat and relax before heading back to our hotel. Alejandro’s professionalism, kindness, and attention to detail made this tour exceptional. We couldn’t have…”
Pick a mountain, a shoreline or a table.
