DESTINATIONS THRILL V CHILL CANADA C


anada is the stuff of dreams for thrill-seekers the world over,


but it’s not only adrenaline junkies who’ll find something to please here. From watching the aurora borealis colour the sky green to culinary tours, cowboy cookouts and cultural experiences, there’s plenty in the way of relaxing activities, too. We’ve put these two sides head to head in key destinations across the country to give you a hook to sell its glorious landscapes and cities.


 QUEBEC CITY Thrill: Quebec City is something of a haven for thrill-seekers, with a string of adventurous activities on hand come summer or winter. For those heading here in the colder months, suggest Au 1884, a traditional toboggan slide where visitors haul a wooden sled up the ramp before tumbling down an icy track at up to 40mph, views over the snow-covered streets below unfolding as they descend (£1.70 per slide). Clients coming in February will find plenty more where that came from as the annual Winter Carnival comes to town, bringing ice canoeing, night parades, snow sculptures and more to these historic streets. But for the ultimate adventure, head 15 minutes out of the city to Montmorency Falls National Park. Hiking, cycling and rock climbing are key draws, but the centrepiece is the 83m frozen-over waterfall, which invites intrepid ice climbers from far and wide to scale its craggy, slippery cliff-face.


Chill: It’s not all about the adrenaline here, though. Quebec City’s historic quarter makes the perfect backdrop for chilled-out ambles among its stone-built, 17th-century fortifications. Highlights include the Citadelle, a 19th-century fortress, and Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, the city’s most iconic hotel, defined by castle-like turrets and tall, pointy spires. Beyond that there’s the Morrin


Centre, a former prison now focused on the history of English speakers in Quebec; guests on Luxury Gold’s Indulgence in Eastern Canada trip get early-morning access to the cultural centre before it opens to the public.


 THE ROCKIES Thrill: It’s western Canada that’s best known for thrills, though. Hiking among the aqua-blue lakes and jagged, snow-dusted peaks near Banff is a no-brainer, but to see these landscapes in a different light, suggest Rat Nest’s Cave, just outside the town. Premier Holidays offers a hiking and caving excursion that involves clients abseiling, climbing and crawling through passages deep underground (from £119, departing from Canmore). Above ground, there are plenty


more adventures at the Athabasca Glacier in Jasper National Park, part of the Columbia Icefield. Ice Explorer vehicles take intrepid types out to bump their way along this humungous block of ice, which APT combines with a visit to the Skywalk – a glass-floored, cliff-edge lookout platform – on its 16-day Rockies Odyssey itinerary.


If all this doesn’t satisfy, there’s only one thing for it – a Harley-Davidson motorcycle tour. APT offers one as an add-on to the above trip, as does Newmarket Holidays on its Rocky Mountaineer tour (from £119 per person), taking daredevils hurtling past bottle-green pine trees and shimmering lakes. Chill: Banff has plenty to offer on the chill front too – not least horse-riding trails and regular cowboy cookouts. Canadian Affair offers both on its 13-night Western Delights Holiday, taking guests plodding peacefully along the Bow River before they tuck into an authentic Rockies barbecue. Back in Jasper, you’ll find a host of other relaxing activities, including cruises on Maligne Lake and wildlife- spotting opportunities aplenty; Gold Medal offers a three-hour Wildlife Discovery Tour with bears, elk, deer and big-horned sheep on the agenda (prices from £50). But it’s not only about Jasper and


LEFT: Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, Quebec City


ABOVE: Ice climbing, Montmorency Falls National Park


64travelweekly.co.uk18 April 2019


Banff. The scenic Thompson Okanagan is the Rockies’ premier wine-producing region. Emerald valleys, glacier-fed lakes and rushing waterfalls make up the scenery, making it ideal for laid-back strolls in silent surrounds and tipples fresh from the vineyards. Premier Holidays offers a three-night self-drive in the region from £369, including vineyard visits and wine tasting.


 TORONTO Thrill: Back east, Toronto beckons. First and foremost, there’s the CN Tower, whose futuristic elevators


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