Duration(in days): 8
From: Vancouver
To: Vancouver
See more ideas for: Canada
Discover Canada in the winter with this Northern Lights trip from Vancouver. Start in the city, where you can explore the food culture of Vancouver whilst enjoying views of the snow-capped mountains from the harbour. After a few days of exploring, fly north to Whitehorse where you’ll spend three nights in a cosy lodge, snowshoeing and hiking by day while searching the skies for the Aurora Borealis by night. Finish each evening with a glass of wine and a dip in the hot tub under the stars – the perfect way to experience both the city and the great outdoors of wintery Canada.
This Northern Lights Canada itinerary can be tailored to suit your requirements, so please contact one of our consultants to start planning your dream trip.
On arrival in Vancouver, you will be greeted at the airport and driven to your hotel, where you’ll check in for three nights.
Vancouver is a great city for foodies – spend the day hopping between independent cafés, craft breweries and food trucks. If you need to warm up, be sure to try poutine, a Canadian specialty of gravy and chips. If it’s a sunny day, a scenic cycle through Stanley Park is also a good way to keep snug and will reveal stunning views of the mountains as you near the water. There is plenty to do beyond the city limits – why not head up to Grouse Mountain and try snowshoeing before enjoying a fondue in the warm summit restaurant with views over Capilano Lake? We can book this for you – just ask!
Spend your morning in Vancouver with breakfast at a cosy café before being driven from your hotel to the airport for the short flight to Whitehorse, in the far north of Canada. On arrival you will be met and taken to the Boreale Ranch, where you will check in for three nights. Cross your fingers that the Aurora Borealis will make an appearance!
With 3 nights of opportunity, you’ve got a great chance of seeing the Northern Lights - huge blue and green streaks of light across the sky. Your days will be spent as you please – the ranch includes complimentary snowshoes and bikes, so you can hike through the snow-covered landscape or cycle on special fat bikes through the wilderness. There are plenty of other activities that you can book and pay for on arrival too, from dog sledding with playful huskies to cross country skiing and touring a local First Nation village. Whatever you do, the short days here will go by in a whirlwind.
Each evening you’ll enjoy a delicious meal influenced by northern ingredients like wild cranberries and salmon before wrapping up warm and heading outside. You can hunt for the Northern Lights from your balcony, the aurora viewing platform, the spa or in the warm glow of the bonfire. You’ll have to stay up quite late – the lights normally start appearing after 10pm. Over three days of late nights, long lie ins and hopefully some fantastic aurora sightings, you’ll leave this wintery wonderland with lasting memories of the Northern Canada.
*there is no guarantee of seeing the Aurora Borealis – they are a natural phenomenon and appear when they like!*
After breakfast you’ll be taken to the airport for your flight back to Vancouver and be taken back into the city for one final night. Why not head out for dinner? Seafood and Asian food are both huge here, so find a small restaurant and toast your final night of exploring Canada.
Today is your final day in Vancouver – take one last stroll along the harbour with views of the snow-tipped mountains before being picked up and taken to the airport for your onwards flight.
Boreale Ranch is open all year round and while there are plenty of activities to enjoy in the summer, Aurora viewing season runs between September and April.
Deep in the Yukon, Whitehorse is no stranger to temperatures around -20 degrees in midwinter. However, due to its location in the Whitehorse Valley, the town is considerably milder than other areas of northern Canada, with short days in the winter that are ideal for aurora viewing. Vancouver has its fair share of cold, snowy winters as well, but after Whitehorse it’s bound to feel like summer!
This Northern Lights Canada itinerary is purely a suggestion, and can be tailor-made to your requirements, so please contact us with your dates and requests and we’ll put together a bespoke quotation for you.