The second largest country in the world is known for its first class beauty and natural wonders than anything else. Occupying an area of around 10 million square kilometers, Canada is one big bundle of treasures waiting to be opened. The gems of this stunning country extend far and wide, ranging from the dense green forests and cabins in Canada to the coastal regions of Labrador and Newfoundland, where each territory and province is rich in breathtaking scenery and cultural splendor.
Traveling to Canada is becoming more and more popular every year. The ease of travel and excellent infrastructure available attracts tourists to explore the gems and attractions scattered around the region. No matter how long your intended vacation, the country has something to cater for every type of traveler.
Canada is very diverse that one can create and plan handful ways to explore the vast landscapes of the country. On your planning stage, the first thing is to determine where to begin. With tons of entry points, you can tailor your itineraries in traversing the country. To assist you in getting off the blocks, here are ten must-see sights to include on your future Canadian sojourn.
The Canadian Rockies
The Canadian Rockies is located on the border between British Columbia and Alberta. It extends in the southwest direction for nearly 1,600 kilometers from BC. There are around 50 peaks with an altitude in excess of 3350 meters, and the region, as a whole, is an incredible amalgamation of lush forests and freshwater lakes. Wildlife, in the form of deer, moose, and bears, is flourishing in this nature destination.
Dinosaur Provincial Park
Speaking of Alberta, on the southeast of the province about 48 kilometers from Brooks, is another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Dinosaur Provincial Park is Canada’s own version of the famous sci-fi theme park Jurassic Park. The park is known to hold fossil remains of 35 different species of Dinosaur, apart from other animals. The perpetual colored rock formations are the showpiece of this epic region.
The Crooked Bush
This unique growth of aspen trees is located within Redberry Lake and Biosphere Reserve, north-west of Hafford. The trees are all twisted into different shapes. It can be viewed closely by visitors on a wooden boardwalk around the three-acre reserve. The reasons behind this contorted cluster of trees have remained a mystery till this very day.
Niagara Falls
This water flowing from Lake Ontario to Lake Erie that ends in the Niagara River is the element behind the 11,000-year-old waterfall. The Goat Island separates the waterfall that straddles the borders of New York State and Ontario. The 900-meter curved portion of the famous waterfall is popularly called the Horseshoe Falls.
Manicouagan Crater
The outer rim of the Manicouagan Crater spreads almost 100 kilometers across, making it the largest and best-preserved impact crater in the world. From outer space, the inner water-filled ring of the crater is nearly a perfect circle. The crater lies in Ile Rene – Levasseur, Quebec, and is said to have been formed 210 million years back. This may have resulted in the disappearance of many forms of life from the planet.
Clearwater Lake National Park
In The Pas, Manitoba, Clearwater Lake National Park has a beautiful lakeside with around 60 camping sites. It is said that the waters of the lake are so lucid that one can easily see its bottom at 11-meter deep. The high point of this park is the naturally formed caves, which came into being as a result of rocks splitting away from the cliffs around the shore. The entire lake has an area of 595 square kilometers and is home to a large variety of species of fish.
Kluane National Park and Reserve
Near Yukon is Kluane National Park, home to 17 of the top twenty highest peaks in Canada. Mount Logan at 5,959 meters is considered as the tallest peak in the national park. This is the only place in the world where there are more than 2000 glaciers making it the largest concentration of ice anywhere.
Nahanni National Park
The Nahanni Park is another UNESCO World Heritage Site and rightly so because of the many unique wonders to be seen here. First, the waterfalls here drop from a height more than twice of Niagara. Secondly, the granite spires that climb vertically from the ground presents an astonishing sight. The park is replete with diverse wildlife, river canyons, and cave systems.
Ellesmere Island
In the Baffin region of Nunavut, Ellesmere is the largest islands of the Queen Elizabeth group of isles. Covering an area of about 196,000 square kilometers, the visual offerings here include mountains, ice fields, and clear blue seas. The landscape extends up to the northernmost portion of Canada, namely Cape Columbia.
Hopewell Rocks
Along the Bay of Fundy, just off New Brunswick, the Hopewell Rock region is known to have the highest tides in the world. As a result, more than 2 kilometers of sandstone formations have been created, once the tide has ebbed. The surrounding cliffs are said to have evolved millions of years ago and were thought to be a part of a mighty mountain range. These cliffs, at one time, were bigger than the Canadian Rockies, but with the passage of time has shrunk to their present size.
The Canadian region stretches across from Manitoba to Alberta with each province having its own distinct landscape and plenty of surprises up its sleeve. When it comes to natural wonders of Canada, this guide will go a long way to dig deep in experiencing all of them.
** All photos, except for the last one, are from Pixabay.
