Northern exposure: From heli-fishing to polar safaris, here’s how to unlock Canada’s most exclusive experiences
Visitors to the greater Victoria area should seek out this Indigenous-owned tour operator offering canoe and walking tours through Victoria’s Inner Harbour.
By Perri Ormont Blumberg
Heading north? Don’t act like a clueless European who plans to visit LA, NY, Miami and Chicago in the same week-long trip. Canada is massive — roughly the same size as the US, depending on how you want to define things. To make the most of it, you’ll want to tap the experts at top tour companies who will do the daunting grunt work of planning your perfect Canadian adventure for you. They’ll ensure you have the finest experiences moose country has to offer — from hiking in the Canadian Rockies to crab fishing from a helicopter cabin — without the stress of rushing between airports.
Below are some of the best tours and guides in the business.
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Songhees Tours
Visitors to the greater Victoria area should seek out this Indigenous-owned tour operator offering canoe and walking tours through Victoria’s Inner Harbour. Guided by a Lək̓ʷəŋən host, known today as the Songhees Nation, you’ll walk downtown Victoria or paddle in a traditional canoe as you take in tribal teachings and songs.
The canoe tour lasts two hours and costs $95 for children under 12 and $145 for adults, while the walking tour costs $35 for children under 12 and $55 for adults. Tours operate frequently June through September; check the website for availability.
Melissa Jean Barnhard of the Songhees Nation, traditional name Nawhea’mowha, recommends Thunderbird Park to see an “impressive collection of totem poles and monumental carvings that help tell the stories of First Nations communities on the coast.”
She also directs folks to Beacon Hill Park: “It is home to the iconic Story Pole carved by Master Carver Mungo Martin, beautiful camas meadows that reflect generations of Indigenous stewardship and Mile Zero, the symbolic start of Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope,” she said.