Niagara Falls and Niagara on the Lake (Ontario) Holidays

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. There’s a lot to explore, but we’re here to help cherry-pick the best bits for you.

Whatever you’re seeking from your visit to Canada, get ready 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!

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 from September into October, it 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.

Thanks to the many cultural influences in Canada, there’s a great diversity of 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’s a strong emphasis on locally sourced produce, and particularly if you spend a bit more money, you’ll discover some mouth-watering creations inspired by the Canadian landscapes and the fresh produce that grows from them.

In the Maritime Provinces, you’ll 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’ll 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 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.

As always, we’re here to help find the best and most convenient flight options for you!

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’s straightforward to apply online and must be completed directly by the applicant. You’ll need your passport, an email address, and a credit card, as there’s 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

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 might 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!

Self-driving is by far the best way to explore Canada. It allows you to stop at any 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’s 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’ll 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’ll always advise you of any applicable charges in your quotation.

There is no reciprocal healthcare system in Canada, and a visit to a general practitioner (GP) or hospital can be extremely expensive. It’s therefore essential that you take out travel insurance for your trip at time of booking.

It’s 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 doesn’t replace a consultation with your GP).

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 be sure to 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 your 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 trip, 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.

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, though, 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 believe travel should be a force for good. That means exploring with open eyes, treading lightly, and respecting the people and places that make the world so special. Our code of conduct isn’t about rules, it’s simply a guide to help you travel thoughtfully, ethically, and with care. Because every small choice makes a big difference.

• If you choose to trust us with your holiday, we’ll send you a “Travel Facts” document when confirming your booking. This includes useful facts and travel advice, such as restaurant recommendations, reading tips, basic language information, cultural traditions, climate information, brief historical overviews, and more. We feel that this offers a useful insight and can help you interact with local residents in a more sensitive, well-informed manner. Please do try to take the time to read this information before your visit, it’s worth the time!

• A number of the countries in which we operate holidays are religious societies with a widely observed set of customs. Always respect these norms, particularly when visiting religious buildings.

• To the best of our knowledge, all hotels, lodges, and camps within our portfolio operate stringent measures to minimise water usage. All of our destinations have issues with water supplies to a certain extent, so feel free to raise any possible wastage should you encounter it during your stay, either with the accommodation or with us upon your return.

• Please ask permission before taking photographs of people, and respect their wishes if they are not happy to be photographed. We find that friendly requests and a smile are usually met with a ‘yes!’

• Strive, where possible, to make your own contribution to environmental practices as you travel. This might include minimising your electricity usage, not smoking in protected areas, avoiding coral while snorkelling, and safely disposing of all litter (recycling where possible).

• Where possible, try to purchase from local suppliers. This includes shopping for souvenirs, dining out at restaurants, and booking additional excursions during your free time. In areas where haggling is an accepted part of daily life, don’t be offended if you’re unable to obtain what you perceive as a fair price for an item.

• We emphasise to local suppliers that our clients should never be taken on unsolicited shopping trips, but if this does happen, try to retain your sense of humour, provide a firm refusal to participate and do let us know about it on your return. We pass on all feedback from every trip undertaken with us to our relevant local suppliers, who all share our commitment to travelling with sensitivity.

• Please don’t remove any indigenous items from their natural habitat and attempt to bring them home as a souvenir. This particularly applies to everything from coral, shells, plants and food in the natural world, to cultural artefacts and antiques.

If you’re unsure about anything relating to the above, please feel free to chat to us. We’ve travelled extensively through Canada and will be more than happy to offer our considered advice.