Canada family adventure holiday, self drive

Planet

Carbon Reduction
We encourage our clients to cycle and hike when possible, including details of hikes to viewpoints (rather than driving), and cycling to see a region or city.

We also provide details about shared public transport when appropriate, such as in Vancouver, Lake Louise (shuttles) and Banff (public buses), to avoid overuse of private vehicles and congestion.

Canada offers an impressive variety of vegetarian and vegan food, and we are constantly adding to our list of recommended restaurants.

Environment & Wildlife

The aquarium in Ucluelet partners with local projects to support the preservation of the eelgrass beds in this area, researching microplastic pollution, and surveying sea star populations. The aquarium has a responsible ‘catch and release’ model and is run by local students and volunteers.

The glacier tour we include at the Columbia Icefields promotes education about climate change, and the tours are guided by qualified geologists who can give meaningful answers to questions about glacier run-off and the local landscapes and rock formations.

All the entrance fees and National Park passes aid conservation in the area, protecting and promoting how to visit responsibly and preserve the pristine conditions around the lakes and hiking trails. We would encourage our customers to heed advice about not feeding local wildlife and keeping themselves and the animals safe as they explore.

We urge people to bring refillable water bottles and avoid buying single-use plastic.

People

Local Economy

All of our tours in Canada are run in conjunction with local partners that have been chosen partly because they provide a fantastic service but also because they share our environmental and social goals.

Our horse-riding operators are long-established Canadian families who have lived in the area for generations, and our whale watching operator is small and family run, ensuring the personal touch and that our visits have a positive impact on communities.

The company with which we book our kayaking in Vancouver Island is locally owned and operated and have a company initiative to undertake regular litter-picks and beach clean-ups. Our kayak operators also support other local projects including the aquarium in Ucluelet on Vancouver Island.

Most of our groups will use local guides throughout their visit. The guides are from the local area and will be pleased to answer questions (such as on correct pronunciation of First Nations place names) and give an excellent insight into the way of life in the region.

As much as possible, we work with locally owned hotels and lodges, promoting relationships with hoteliers who offer refillable toiletries rather than single-use sachets or minis. We recommend that our clients eat in independent establishments and visit independently owned shops and markets.

Employment, Inclusivity & Diversity

Our programmes in Canada are run together with partners that are owned and run by local people and who share our belief in the importance of operating in a socially responsible way, paying staff fairly and offering appropriate working hours and conditions.

Across Canada, people are becoming more aware of historic impact on First Nations communities, and we encourage our clients to visit local sites and landmarks where appropriate, such as totem poles, learn some of the history and support traditional craftspeople and artists by purchasing some local books or art, however small.

This trip is LGBTQ+ friendly and we welcome families of all types on our trips.