Canada is a vast country, offering an extraordinarily wide range of scenery and experiences — everything from beautiful beaches to snow-capped mountains, wild outdoor adventures to gentle lake cruises. Boasting iconic wildlife, it is also known for its friendly locals and laid-back approach to life.

Western Canada is all about being outdoors, soaking up the dramatic scenery, looking for bears, whales, eagles, and a whole host of wildlife, while enjoying the café culture of its cosmopolitan cities. Eastern Canada, on the other hand, offers equally captivating landscapes, alongside an intriguing history of warring settlers (mainly the French and British) and a colourful fusion of Celtic, Acadian (French), and English heritage. This unique blend is evident in the buildings, historic sites, and lively folk music that echoes through its rolling hills and valleys.

Whatever you are seeking from your visit to Canada, you are sure to be bowled over. It’s the kind of country that quickly captures your heart and soul, so be prepared — one visit is never enough!

Due to the many cultural influences in Canada, there is a great diversity in the food on offer — from a simple burger or Thai takeaway to a lavish three-course meal or wine-paired tasting menu. In many restaurants, there is a strong emphasis on locally sourced produce, and particularly if you spend a bit more money, you will discover some mouth-watering creations inspired by the Canadian landscapes and what grows within them.

In the Maritime Provinces, you will find a superb selection of seafood, with super-fresh fish dishes served in harbourside restaurants. Lobster is particularly good in New Brunswick, and scallops are a speciality in Nova Scotia. Originating from Montreal, poutine is now considered something of a national dish — the slightly odd combination of chips, cheese curds, and brown gravy somehow works. And, of course, you will find maple syrup and maple products everywhere, so make sure you leave a bit of space in your suitcase to bring some back — it’s much cheaper to buy it over there.

Canada also has a well-established wine industry, with various wine-producing regions growing a wide range of grape varietals, giving you plenty of options for trying a local tipple. However, for a Canadian speciality, try icewine. Made from grapes that have been left to freeze on the vine, it has a sweeter and more intense flavour than regular wine and is often served as a dessert wine. A great place to sample some is at the city markets, where there are usually one or two producers offering tasters no matter the time of day.

The ideal time for visiting Canada is, broadly speaking, between May and September. It has four distinct seasons, and winter can be extremely cold, making it best suited for winter activities such as skiing, sledding, and snowshoeing. The coastal areas start to wake up in May, and in the Rocky Mountains, most seasonal accommodation and activities are up and running by the beginning of June. July and August are popular months to visit as summer tends to bring the best weather, and September into October can be a wonderful time to see the landscape, particularly in the east of the country, transform into the golden colours of autumn. Generally, while perhaps slightly chillier, the start and end of the travel season can be more rewarding due to fewer visitors and lower costs. The exception to this is for polar bear viewing in Northern Manitoba, when the best time to go is in October and November.

Flights

The three main airlines that service Canada from the UK are Air Canada, British Airways, and WestJet. All offer direct daily flights to major cities, while Air Canada also provides an excellent regional service within the country. Flights depart from London Heathrow and Gatwick, with connecting flights available from UK regional airports. Flights to Canada generally depart and arrive on the same day, while return flights are usually overnight. Air Canada, WestJet, and British Airways all offer premium economy and business class cabins.

Visas

Please check the latest summary, health, and entry requirements on the FCO Travel Advice pages:

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

An Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) is required for travel to Canada. It is straightforward to apply for online and must be completed directly by the applicant. You will need your passport, an email address, and a credit card, as there is a small charge of CA$7 (approximately £5). Generally, an ETA is approved within minutes of applying. More information can be found here:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/eta.asp?utm_campaign=eta_20150417_travel&utm_source=online_vanity-url&utm_medium=web-marketing&utm_content=canada.ca-eta

Language

Both French and English are the official languages of Canada, with French being spoken more predominantly in the eastern provinces. French is the official language of Quebec, while New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province. There are also pockets of French-speaking populations in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Ontario. However, don’t worry if you don’t speak any French, as most people in these areas will also speak English, and most tours are conducted in both languages.

The French spoken in Canada is Québécois French, which has a much thicker accent than so-called ‘Parisian’ French, with a few extra sounds added for good measure. To the untrained ear, this can be quite hard to understand, and even if you can get by in France, you may struggle to strike up a conversation with the locals here. Don’t let that stop you from trying, though — if an awkward silence arises, they’ll probably just repeat what they said in English!

Electricity

Canada has an electrical supply of 120v. Sockets take a straight, flat, two-pin plug.

Driving

Self-drive is the best way to explore Canada — it allows you to stop at points of interest you stumble across, take photos of spectacular views, and enjoy journeys at your own pace. The roads are generally much wider than in the UK, and outside of towns and cities, there is notably less traffic. So, while driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road can seem a little daunting, with the right vehicle, it needn’t be. All road signs are in English, distances are measured in kilometres, and there are plenty of rest stops and picnic areas, making the journey as enjoyable as the destination.

As part of your self-drive itinerary, we will book a car hire for you and make suggestions for your free time, allowing you to pick and choose between our recommendations and your own ideas to create a personalised schedule.

There are often locally payable fees for one-way car rentals in Canada, and we will always advise you of any applicable charges in your quotation.

Health

There is no reciprocal healthcare system in Canada, and a visit to a GP or hospital can be extremely expensive. It is therefore essential that you take out travel insurance for your trip.

It is not necessary to have any vaccinations to visit Canada; however, if you are concerned about your health and fitness, we recommend contacting your GP for expert advice before planning your trip. We also recommend The Travel Doctor, an interactive website providing specialist health information for travellers, plus tips and advice on common travel-related topics (though this does not replace a consultation with your GP).

Money & Tipping

The currency in Canada is the Canadian dollar (CA$). Credit and debit cards are accepted at most hotels, restaurants, shops, and service stations. ATMs are available in most towns, but in more remote areas, local stores may only accept cash.

Tipping is expected in Canada for most services, so ensure you factor this into the cost of your trip. In restaurants, expect to add 10%–15% to your bill, and keep change handy to tip taxi drivers, valet parking staff, and hotel porters a couple of dollars. You may also wish to tip tour guides; our guideline is CA$5–$10 per person for a half-day small group trip or CA$10–$20 per person for a full day, depending on the quality of the guiding. In remote wildlife lodges and on cruise ships, a daily tip is often expected, which is distributed among all staff — the amount will vary and will be advised in your itinerary or final documents.

Service in Canada

The service you receive in Canada can vary greatly from place to place. In larger resort towns and hotels, it’s worth noting that many staff are seasonal, so at the beginning or end of the season, service may not always meet expectations as staff are either learning the ropes or winding down for winter. Regardless of the quality of service you receive, tipping is expected. While you can usually get away with tipping the bare minimum for poor service, if you don’t tip at all, be prepared to be challenged. Unfortunately, hospitality staff are often paid very low wages, and tipping is an essential supplement to their income.

We provide all of our clients with a “Travel Facts” document upon confirmation of their booking. This includes useful facts and travel advice for your chosen destination, such as restaurant recommendations, reading tips, basic language phrases, cultural traditions, climate information, and brief historical overviews. We believe this provides valuable insight into the country you are visiting and helps you interact with local residents in a more sensitive and well-informed manner. Please take the time to read this information before your visit, if at all possible.

Many of the countries where we operate holidays are religious societies with widely observed customs. Please respect these norms, particularly when visiting religious buildings.

To the best of our knowledge, all of the hotels, lodges, and camps in our portfolio operate stringent measures to minimise water usage. Many of our destinations face issues with water supplies to some extent, so feel free to raise any concerns about wastage should you encounter it during your stay, either with the accommodation provider or with us upon your return.

Please always ask before taking photographs of people, and respect their wishes if they do not want to be photographed. A friendly request and a smile are usually met with agreement.

Strive, where possible, to contribute to sustainable environmental practices in the destination you are visiting. This could include minimising electricity usage, avoiding smoking in protected areas, sticking to marked roads while self-driving, avoiding coral while snorkelling, and safely disposing of litter (recycling where possible).

Whenever possible, support local suppliers by shopping for souvenirs, eating out in local restaurants, and booking additional excursions during your free time. In areas where haggling is a common practice, try not to become angry or offended if you cannot agree on what you perceive to be a fair price. We emphasise to local suppliers that our clients should not be taken on unsolicited shopping trips, but if this does happen, maintain your sense of humour, provide a firm refusal, and let us know about the experience upon your return. We share all feedback with our local suppliers, who share our commitment to responsible travel practices.

Please do not remove any indigenous items from their natural habitat to bring back as souvenirs. This includes coral, shells, plants, food, cultural artefacts, and antiques.

If you are unsure about anything mentioned above, please feel free to ask our local suppliers or your Holiday Architects specialist. These individuals either live in or have travelled extensively in the country you are visiting and will be more than happy to provide guidance.

Various images on the website provided courtesy of: The Canadian Tourism Commission, Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership, Destination Canada, Indigenous Tourism Canada, Bonjour Québec, Destination British Columbia, Destination Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism, Northwest Territories Tourism, Tourism New Brunswick, Tourism Nova Scotia, Tourism PEI, Tourism Saskatchewan, Tourism Yukon, Travel Alberta, Travel Manitoba, Banff & Lake Louise Tourism, Destination Greater Victoria, Destination Québec Cité, Destination St. John’s, Destination Toronto, Destination Vancouver, Ottawa Tourism, Tourism Calgary, Tourism Canmore Kananaskis, Tourism Whistler, Tourism Winnipeg, Tourisme Montréal.