The great white north

Posted 3 May, 2024 Sasha Oelsner. This content is sponsored by APT.

With fast-raging waterfalls on one side of the continent, inching glacial channels on the other and a plethora of stunning landscapes and fascinating wildlife in between, there’s so much beauty to discover across Canada and Alaska.

Here are our favourite breathtaking experiences that you need on your bucket list.

1. Feel the mist

What makes Niagara Falls (pictured above) so impressive is the sheer volume of crystal-clear water that cascades over the crestline. In fact, around 190,000 tonnes of water flows over the edge every minute. The roaring falls form the border between the United States and Canada, which by popular opinion provides the most impressive view. Get up close and personal – and very, very wet – on a cruise to the base of the falls to experience the power and magnitude of this natural wonder. On a bright sunny day, look out for the magnificent rainbow that forms in the mist-laden air.

→ On tour: Try the 10-day Discover Eastern Canada tour.

2. Be awestruck by mighty glaciers

Glaciers are impossibly slow-moving rivers of ice carving their way through landscapes over time, and seeing these brilliant blue giants with your own eyes will take your breath away. Alaska’s aptly named Glacier Bay (pictured above) and surrounding national park is home to 1045 of these powerful earthmovers. Listen as the landscape creaks and groans, warning that a glacial carving, an icefall, is imminent. Glacier Bay National Park is also a wildlife sanctuary where, if you’re lucky, you may spot rare blue-grey glacier bears, humpback and orca whales, and sure-footed mountain goats.

→ On tour: Try the 15-day Alaska by sea and land

3. Marvel at postcard perfection

Pictures of Lake Louise in Banff National Park (pictured above) look too beautiful to be real. The glacier-fed ice-blue water shimmers, reflecting the towering mountains and rows of larch trees that line the lake. In winter, the landscape transforms into a sheer white vista. If you can tear your eyes away from the scenery, there’s plenty to do here. Try your hand at spotting local wildlife like enormous moose and cheeky beavers, take a canoe into the heart of the lake or, if you’re brave, strip down to your bathers for a wintry polar plunge.

→ On tour: Try the 15-day Rockies Icons and Alaska cruise

4. Be dwarfed by North America’s tallest peak

Living up to its name, Denali, or “the tall one” in the language of its early Indigenous inhabitants, is North America’s tallest mountain standing at 6190m above sea level. Untouched and wild, the mountain sits within more than six million acres of wild national park. The landscape is only broken by a single road. On this rugged wilderness reserve, you may spot grizzly bears (pictured above), wolves and caribou in their natural habitat.

→ On tour: Try the 25-day Rockies with Alaska by sea and land

5. Relax on one of the world’s most scenic rail journeys

Imagine reclining in your plush seat, chilled chardonnay in your hand, gazing through the glass-domed roof above as you pass through the jaw-dropping scenery of the Canadian Rockies. This is what you can expect on the Rocky Mountaineer GoldLeaf rail experience (pictured above). More than just getting you from A to B, the train travels slowly so you don’t miss a second of the view and to avoid frightening away incredible wildlife. It even slows down further when passing noteworthy landmarks. You’ll not only marvel at nature but also at engineering masterpieces, from enormous viaducts to spiralling tunnels.

→ On tour: Try the 12-day Rockies Explorer

6. Dream of a white Christmas

Canada is the perfect destination for a white Christmas! Most parts of the country will see at least a sprinkling of snow while others are blanketed with the white stuff by late December. While Aussies put up fake frosty pine trees and snowflakes to try to distract from the summer heat, you’ll see for yourself these magical Yuletide symbols as they were intended. From thrilling dog sled rides (pictured above) through the powder to a belly-warming beverage by an open fire while watching the snow fall outside, a Canadian snowy Christmas is a highlight for your bucket list.

→ On tour: Try the Twelve Days of Christmas tour

Images: APT Tours; Getty