Top Places to Experience Canadian Wilderness

Updated on Mar 04, 2024 | Canada eTA

Canada’s widespread national parks and numerous lakes located just around its busiest cities make it one of the best countries to explore the beautiful outdoors in the simplest way possible.

Canada's great outdoors can be experienced without taking the extra burden of facing the harsh side of nature in exploring its exquisite natural wonders.

Lakes and rivers are located at the heart of many national parks and the good comfort of the cities by another end, Canada is home to such wonderful places which could make you lost in nature’s magic just when you ask for it!

Nova Scotia

The term wilderness might not exactly match this place, with the rather heavy English influence found in its towns located by the peaceful water bodies and the famous colourful houses decorated by the streets, this is the place that must make it to your Canada travel list.

Home to three UNESCO World Heritage sites, Nova Scotia, one of the thirteen provinces of Canada, is a place with both pretty-looking English towns on one side and amazing national parks on the other.

With the majority of English speaking population, Nova Scotia means New Scotland in Latin, and it might appear so among its colourful and tidy walkable streets, with galleries and historic sites on one side and the view of a beautiful ocean on the other, something which is a common sight in Old Lunenburg, one of the cultural places located on the south shore of the province.

By the Meadows

L'Anse aux Meadows, a Unesco Heritage site of Norse settlements located in the easternmost province of Newfoundland and Labrador, is a site with historic settlement signs of the first European contact with North America outside of Greenland. The first people from Europe to set foot in the North American region. Now that is fascinating enough! Guided tours across the historic grasslands of Newfoundland Islands are the best way to experience the story of the only known site established by the 11th-century Vikings!

The Little Town- Tofino

Tofino Tofino in British Columbia, the Spring Surfing capital of Canada

The all-time tourist-friendly town of Tofino, located on Vancouver Island, in British Colum, is a place filled with rainforests, large beaches and hot springs located within its national parks at a near distance from the main town, with the majority of tourism in the town bustling during summer days.

This quiet and relaxed town has everything from good food to year-round surfing facilities with its sandy beaches including the Cox Bay Beach resort and the famous Long Beach situated within the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

Algonquin Provincial Park

One of the oldest and largest provincial parks of Canada, the Algonquin is diverse with something for everyone to spend a good time around. From hiking to water sports and observing the wildlife around the park, a typical day at Algonquin Provincial Park is the best way to experience Canada's beautiful outdoors.

Banff National Park

Banff National Park Banff National Park near the Rocky Mountains

Canada's oldest national park, located west of Calgary in Alberta,’s Rocky mountains, is someplace known with many unknown wonders. Banff National Park is the place which could offer a great way to start exploring the natural landscapes of Canada.

Located at the heart of this national park is Lake Louise, one of the most famous and prettiest lakes in Canada. Lake Louise is a view to behold in both winters and summers with each season offering a great time for visitors.

British Columbia Whale Watching

From May to October, Killer Whales migrate to the coasts of British Columbia and a visit to this province of Canada at the right time means a definite view of this rare sight in the middle of the ocean.

From the historic village of Steveston in Vancouver to the scenic San Juan Islands spread between the U.S. and Canada, British Columbia is truly a way to experience the good feeling of being one with nature. Several whale-watching tours are organized around Vancouver Islands and joining a typical tour would mean a definite view of a Killer Whale jumping out of nowhere in the ocean!

A View From Above

With several cliff walks, treetops and footbridges, this national park would introduce you to the true beauty of British Columbia. Only minutes away from Downtown Vancouver, Garibaldi National Park is a place that has everything from bridges running across the dense rainforests to the fragrance of cedar spread all along the way as you hike through its beautiful trails.

The Garibaldi National Park is the topmost outdoor recreation destination in Canada, with many kilometres long hiking trails, campgrounds and winter camping facilities. The western side of Garibaldi National Park is more popular with outdoor recreation activities like backcountry camping, hiking and kayaking. The widespread area of the park and its proximity to the city of Vancouver make Garibaldi one of the best provincial parks for appreciating the natural views of Canada.

Top Tips for Exploring Canadian Wilderness Safely

To experience the wilderness of Canada, everyone should put a lot of effort into thorough planning. Always remember, that the better you plan your trip to the Canadian wilderness, the better the experience will be. To help you plan a trip to the Canadian wilderness and to make sure that you are safe while exploring the wilderness of Canada, here are some top tips to keep in mind-

  • When visiting the wilderness of Canada, please remember that you are a guest there for the animals you will be looking out for. Thus, being respectful and careful is extremely important. Incidents occurring in such places are rarely the fault of the animals residing there and more of the fault of the explorer who chose to be there.
  • Before you start exploring the area that you have chosen, it is recommended that you enquire with the local authorities about the presence of wild animals in that area and plan accordingly.
  • If you happen to come face-to-face with a wild animal, you must give the animal sufficient space to move on from there. No traveller should be alone in such a place to begin with. You should always travel with your group while exploring the wilderness in Canada which will make sure that no harmful attention is drawn towards you.
  • Please remember that while camping in the wilderness, never carry smelly food items. This is mainly because the strong smell of food is the main attraction for most wild animals. Thus, you should not carry any strong-odoured food in your camping tent that may attract the attention of wild predators and put your safety in danger. Ideally, always be in closed spaces while camping.
  • Always keep a good supply of food and water while camping in the wilderness. Please remember that the farther you go from the metropolitan spaces, the more you abandon yourself from obtaining necessary living supplies. Thus, carrying a sufficient stock of food and water is always ideal! For safety purposes, you must also carry a first-aid kit and satellite phones for extreme trips.

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We have previously covered Tofino and other top attractions in British Columbia Must See Places in British Columbia.


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