{"contentlets":[{"hubLiveInProduction":false,"useDestinationHub":false,"publishDate":"2024-03-26 21:09:26.634","headerImageDesktopMetaData":{"modDate":1702703440410,"sha256":"f12f6d0bd4297c757eaeefc8b95017770b093130185c9421a74e511387a1fc90","length":233855,"title":"desktop-manitoba.jpg","editableAsText":false,"version":20220201,"isImage":true,"fileSize":233855,"name":"desktop-manitoba.jpg","width":1440,"contentType":"image/jpeg","height":260},"metaDescription":"Our Manitoba luxury travel guide includes the best hotels in Manitoba, Manitoba tours, Manitoba cruises, Virtuoso travel advisors that specialize in Manitoba, and more.","headerImageDesktop":"/dA/6bb4e7f225477a14d7e2cde6b05f750f/headerImageDesktop/desktop-manitoba.jpg","inode":"c6dbeca5-5900-43e4-ac7d-3919991530f8","showDestinationHubProductMap":false,"headerImage":"/dA/6bb4e7f225477a14d7e2cde6b05f750f/headerImage/mobile-manitoba.jpg","gridImageVersion":"/dA/c6dbeca5-5900-43e4-ac7d-3919991530f8/gridImage/grid-manitoba.jpg","randomizeHubSections":false,"host":"3053335a-056e-4426-8931-6296d6f02e6b","headerImageCropFocus":"center","locked":false,"gridImageContentAsset":"6bb4e7f225477a14d7e2cde6b05f750f/gridImage","stInode":"9deffa26-bd18-4ed9-bfa8-d8cb250a7aae","contentType":"Destination","headerImageMetaData":{"modDate":1702703435344,"sha256":"bf8c107e35dc9790e6725b48edb04a9dbbd57653cfa6cd99440094d8785d4195","length":152408,"title":"mobile-manitoba.jpg","editableAsText":false,"version":20220201,"isImage":true,"fileSize":152408,"name":"mobile-manitoba.jpg","width":768,"contentType":"image/jpeg","height":300},"showDestinationHubChildDestinations":true,"identifier":"6bb4e7f225477a14d7e2cde6b05f750f","publishUserName":"Adam Lyon","publishUser":"alyon@virtuoso.com","headerImageDesktopContentAsset":"6bb4e7f225477a14d7e2cde6b05f750f/headerImageDesktop","gridImage":"/dA/6bb4e7f225477a14d7e2cde6b05f750f/gridImage/grid-manitoba.jpg","creationDate":"2023-12-12 15:13:15.425","headerImageDesktopVersion":"/dA/c6dbeca5-5900-43e4-ac7d-3919991530f8/headerImageDesktop/desktop-manitoba.jpg","headerImageVersion":"/dA/c6dbeca5-5900-43e4-ac7d-3919991530f8/headerImage/mobile-manitoba.jpg","folder":"SYSTEM_FOLDER","hasTitleImage":true,"sortOrder":0,"gridImageMetaData":{"modDate":1702703428887,"sha256":"42d426545859c821b91ff83b181d2452f658e7c68159254f614c543c11bdfa54","length":74446,"title":"grid-manitoba.jpg","editableAsText":false,"version":20220201,"isImage":true,"fileSize":74446,"name":"grid-manitoba.jpg","width":285,"contentType":"image/jpeg","height":428},"tagline":"Polar bears, beluga whales, and miles of trails make this province an adventure capital.","hostName":"consumer.virtuoso.com","modDate":"2024-03-26 15:28:00.766","destinationTag":"|north-america|canada|manitoba","title":"Manitoba","baseType":"CONTENT","archived":false,"metaKeywords":"Virtuoso travel, Manitoba travel, Manitoba hotels, Manitoba tours, Manitoba cruises, luxury travel, travel advisors, why travel to Manitoba","ownerUserName":"Adam Lyon","working":true,"live":true,"owner":"alyon@virtuoso.com","isArbitraryDestination":true,"languageId":1,"shortyId":"6bb4e7f225","url":"/content.30e1859c-0715-4113-bd61-06da28525e78","titleImage":"gridImage","modUserName":"Adam Lyon","hasLiveVersion":true,"headerImageDesktopCropFocus":"center","modUser":"alyon@virtuoso.com","headerImageContentAsset":"6bb4e7f225477a14d7e2cde6b05f750f/headerImage","__icon__":"contentIcon","contentTypeIcon":"event_note","variant":"DEFAULT","featuredArticles":[{"heroImage1Version":"/dA/23c0c10e-4fb6-4cf8-9a0d-0c0b5877259c/heroImage1/Dog_Sled_2_Entree_Canada-HERO.jpg","publishDate":"2024-02-14 09:21:58.852","useWideHeroImage":false,"inode":"23c0c10e-4fb6-4cf8-9a0d-0c0b5877259c","verticalPreviewImage":"/dA/a4949cd68939c8cb961e00fb4c7321e6/verticalPreviewImage/Dog_Sled_2_Entree_Canada-VPREVIEW.jpg","heroImage1Caption":"

Let these dogs take you through the Yukon.<\/p>","useTopAdZone":false,"articleImage3ContentAsset":"a4949cd68939c8cb961e00fb4c7321e6/articleImage3","identifier":"a4949cd68939c8cb961e00fb4c7321e6","publishUserName":"system user system user","articleImage2ContentAsset":"a4949cd68939c8cb961e00fb4c7321e6/articleImage2","publishUser":"system","tags":"active,national parks,nature & wildlife,retreats,skiing & snowboarding,unesco,winter travel,|north-america|canada|toronto,|north-america|canada|quebec-city,|north-america|canada|mont-tremblant,|north-america|canada|montreal,|north-america|canada|winnipeg,|north-america|canada|churchill,|north-america|canada|dawson-city,destination-hub:|north-america|canada","verticalPreviewImageContentAsset":"a4949cd68939c8cb961e00fb4c7321e6/verticalPreviewImage","folder":"SYSTEM_FOLDER","hasTitleImage":true,"sortOrder":0,"isSponsoredContent":"0","articleImage1":"/dA/a4949cd68939c8cb961e00fb4c7321e6/articleImage1/Manitoba_Polar_Bears_Destination_Canada-CROP.jpg","articleImage2":"/dA/a4949cd68939c8cb961e00fb4c7321e6/articleImage2/Fairmont-Tremblant-Winter-Shoot_1-CROP.jpg","hostName":"consumer.virtuoso.com","articleImage3":"/dA/a4949cd68939c8cb961e00fb4c7321e6/articleImage3/Winterlude_Rideau_Canal_Getty-CROP.jpg","articleUrl":"best-winter-activities-canada","archived":false,"categories":[{"category-hotels":"Hotels"},{"category-tours":"Tours"},{"category-travel-tips":"Travel Tips"}],"articleImage1ContentAsset":"a4949cd68939c8cb961e00fb4c7321e6/articleImage1","headline":"How to Have a Quintessentially Canadian Winter","articleImage1Info":"{\"orientation\":\"h\",\"photoCredit\":\"Destination Canada\"}","verticalPreviewImageVersion":"/dA/23c0c10e-4fb6-4cf8-9a0d-0c0b5877259c/verticalPreviewImage/Dog_Sled_2_Entree_Canada-VPREVIEW.jpg","url":"/content.c1b092ce-9866-49e7-a1fc-90b2fecff7fa","hasLiveVersion":true,"previewImageVersion":"/dA/23c0c10e-4fb6-4cf8-9a0d-0c0b5877259c/previewImage/Dog_Sled_2_Entree_Canada-HERO.jpg","articleImage1MetaData":{"modDate":1702334713901,"sha256":"7e1f27f95dda00b173e20cc8a7be88534ab4876d57f5fe3e1509ac199e636bb2","length":26691,"title":"Manitoba_Polar_Bears_Destination_Canada-CROP.jpg","editableAsText":false,"version":20220201,"isImage":true,"fileSize":26691,"name":"Manitoba_Polar_Bears_Destination_Canada-CROP.jpg","width":760,"contentType":"image/jpeg","height":400},"articleDate":"December 18, 2023","heroImage1CropFocus":"left","articleImage3Info":"{\"orientation\":\"h\",\"photoCredit\":\"Getty Images\"}","heroImage1":"/dA/a4949cd68939c8cb961e00fb4c7321e6/heroImage1/Dog_Sled_2_Entree_Canada-HERO.jpg","heroImage1PhotoCredit":"Entree Canada","heroImage1AltText":"Four dogs pull a sled down a snowy path in the Yukon.","heroImage1ContentAsset":"a4949cd68939c8cb961e00fb4c7321e6/heroImage1","articleImage1Version":"/dA/23c0c10e-4fb6-4cf8-9a0d-0c0b5877259c/articleImage1/Manitoba_Polar_Bears_Destination_Canada-CROP.jpg","verticalPreviewImageMetaData":{"modDate":1702335202819,"sha256":"318b886370a411e4d833f9f6529b8066ae8b53714f7992da8a6af909eec8a9fe","length":91512,"title":"Dog_Sled_2_Entree_Canada-VPREVIEW.jpg","editableAsText":false,"version":20220201,"isImage":true,"fileSize":91512,"name":"Dog_Sled_2_Entree_Canada-VPREVIEW.jpg","width":500,"contentType":"image/jpeg","height":650},"articleImage2Version":"/dA/23c0c10e-4fb6-4cf8-9a0d-0c0b5877259c/articleImage2/Fairmont-Tremblant-Winter-Shoot_1-CROP.jpg","subhead":"Bundle up for these cold-weather escapes from fall\u2019s end through the spring thaw.","metaDescription":"The best cold-weather activities from Tremblant to Winnipeg to Dawson City.","articleText3":"

Ski Mont-Tremblant <\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/h3>\n
Last season was a banner year at Tremblant<\/a>, two hours northwest of Montréal<\/a>, where a record-high 257 inches of snow fell. This year, skiers and snowboarders are pleading with Ullr (the Norse god associated with winter and snow sports) for similar conditions to schuss down its 102 trails and 755 acres of terrain. <\/span>“Tremblant is both a great mountain and a really fun village,” says Rick Reichsfeld, president of Virtuoso tour operator Alpine Adventures<\/a>. “It’s reminiscent of a European ski village,\" he adds, noting Tremblant's pedestrian street lined with shops, restaurants, and nightlife.<\/p>\n
Among the colorful village châteaus, <\/span>Fairmont Tremblant<\/span><\/a> is a 312-room, ski-in, ski-out hideaway that places skiers right by the mountain chairlift each morning and beckons them back with a thermal circuit and spa treatments after the day’s runs. DJs get the après-ski scene going at the hotel's (very heated) pool; otherwise, step into town for <\/span>hand-rolled <\/span>maple taffy at a sugar shack – try <\/span>Cabane à Sucre de la Montagne<\/span><\/a> – or take a five-minute drive to dip in hot springs at the evergreen-studded <\/span>Scandinave Spa<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>","metaHeadline":"What to Do in Canada in Winter","articleText4":"
Skate Ottawa’s Rideau Canal<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\nAmong Canada’s most picturesque ice-skating spots are Alberta<\/a>’s frozen Lake Louise, backdropped by the Rockies (with an Instagram-famous ice castle constructed each winter on the rink), and the figure-eight-shaped trail at Toronto<\/a>’s Colonel Samuel Smith Park. But skating the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage site, feels like a live-action fairy tale – especially when it’s snowing. Each winter from January to late February or March, the canal transforms into the Rideau Canal Skateway, aka the world’s largest skating rink, with nearly five miles of ice attracting couples, toboggan-toting families, even locals commuting to work. <\/span><\/p>\n
Plan to glide across a section or two while on American Excursionist’s nine-day <\/span>eastern Canada tour<\/span><\/a> from Toronto to Québec City<\/a>. <\/span>Better yet, sync your skating with the Winterlude Festival in February, when ice sculptors from around the world chisel and chip at their frozen masterpieces. Stop along the canal for hot cocoa or a Northern Spike, <\/span>Dunrobin Distilleries<\/span><\/a>’ riff on a hot toddy, made with maple sap and a shot of Canadian whisky. <\/span>For an après-skate snack, Virtuoso travel advisor Sheila Gallant-Halloran recommends an Ottawa Beavertail: “It’s deep-fried dough that’s long and flat and decorated with cinnamon sugar.”<\/p>","articleText1":"
This story is part of <\/span>our guide to traveling in Canada<\/a>, created with support from Canada.<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Canada <\/span><\/a>wint<\/span>e<\/span>r<\/span>s exceptionally well. <\/span>Ahead of<\/span> the holidays, and sometimes straight into spring, much of the country <\/span>becomes<\/span> <\/span>a real-life wonderland – <\/span>there’s <\/span>scenic slopes to ski, frozen lakes to glide<\/span> <\/span>across, and warming beverages to sip after a day embracing the elements. <\/span>B<\/span>eyond <\/span>this<\/span> <\/span>standard<\/span> seasonal fare<\/span>,<\/span> though, some Canadian pastimes parallel their extreme settings more than others. To wit: After a day <\/span>searching for<\/span> <\/span>A<\/span>rctic wildlife, <\/span>travelers welcome middle-of-the-night wake-up calls from <\/span>a<\/span> celestial watch team <\/span>to <\/span>bundle up <\/span>and step outside under <\/span>the<\/span> <\/span>a<\/span>urora <\/span>b<\/span>orealis. From<\/span> <\/span>these <\/span>predawn <\/span>n<\/span>orthern <\/span>l<\/span>ights to <\/span>powderhound<\/span> snow chariots and <\/span>ice<\/span>-<\/span>skating as commuter transportation, <\/span>wint<\/span>e<\/span>r<\/span> <\/span>hits <\/span>different up north<\/span>. Here<\/span>, four only-in-Canada <\/span>activities<\/span> to <\/span>put on your list<\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Dogsled in the Yukon<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\nLarger in area than California, the Yukon<\/a> territory’s population of around 40,000 makes it a small town in spirit, albeit with plenty of room to roam. Break tracks in snowshoes, returning to home base in the pink alpenglow, or spend an afternoon zooming across the frozen tundra on a snowmobile during Entrée Canada’s seven-day <\/span>Yukon winter trek<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u202f<\/span>Learn to dogsled with <\/span>professional musher Michelle Phillips on a four-hour outing that includes a meet and greet with the huskies, who leap and howl as “go time” approaches. Later, helicopter into Tombstone Territorial Park, and spend a day in historic Dawson City<\/a>, site of the late 1890s Klondike Gold Rush. <\/span>Departures: Multiple dates, December through March 2024.<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>","articleImage2Caption":"
The Fairmont Tremblant, perched between lake and sky in Québec.<\/span><\/p>","articleText2":"
Spot Manitoba’s Polar Bears<\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/h3>\nChurchill<\/a>’s massive marine mammals occasionally outnumber its residents (population: 900), making it the “polar bear capital of the world” and one of the Canadian Arctic’s most accessible wildlife-spotting destinations. By late fall, the bears congregate here before setting off to hunt seals on icy Hudson Bay, where photographers and enthusiasts try to spot them from “polar rover” vehicles, boats, or helicopters.\u202f<\/span><\/p>\n
Ahead of winter, Canada by Design leads a seven-day <\/span>polar bear tour<\/span><\/a> that travels from Winnipeg<\/a> to Churchill, then another 155 miles by private charter flight to a remote eco-lodge in prime bear-viewing territory. Itineraries allow for flexibility, with all-terrain vehicles venturing out to the river delta or coast, where bears, wolves, and moose are known to make cameos. Finally, check visitation hours at the “polar bear jail” in Churchill, a holding tank for any wayward animals who wander into town and too close to humans. (Don’t worry, they’re returned to the wild via helicopter.) <\/span>Departures: Multiple dates, August through November 2024.<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>","articleImage1Caption":"
Manitoba's polar bears roam the Canadian Arctic.<\/p>","articleImage3Caption":"
Pop on your skates and glide across the Rideau Canal (provided it's frozen over).<\/p>","host":"3053335a-056e-4426-8931-6296d6f02e6b","articleImage3Version":"/dA/23c0c10e-4fb6-4cf8-9a0d-0c0b5877259c/articleImage3/Winterlude_Rideau_Canal_Getty-CROP.jpg","locked":false,"stInode":"47d3aa06-8ebb-4a97-9c13-2af5c3aab67e","contentType":"ConsumerArticleBasic","author":"Brittany Anas","creationDate":"2023-12-15 20:57:28.115","articleImage2MetaData":{"modDate":1702334790722,"sha256":"b22c681c804941ee38a52ee50093243602670c35367349435c6c4c32465d6297","length":99598,"title":"Fairmont-Tremblant-Winter-Shoot_1-CROP.jpg","editableAsText":false,"version":20220201,"isImage":true,"fileSize":99598,"name":"Fairmont-Tremblant-Winter-Shoot_1-CROP.jpg","width":760,"contentType":"image/jpeg","height":400},"useWideHeroHeadlineOverlay":false,"modDate":"2024-02-14 09:21:58.026","previewImageCropFocus":"left","articleImage2Info":"{\"orientation\":\"h\",\"photoCredit\":\"Fairmont Tremblant\"}","title":"How to Have a Quintessentially Canadian Winter","previewImageContentAsset":"a4949cd68939c8cb961e00fb4c7321e6/previewImage","baseType":"CONTENT","previewImageMetaData":{"modDate":1702335199701,"sha256":"49c75f752df335451b62a94166ab5d2cfed3a3595b995721f8aad17eb82e4c3c","length":196127,"title":"Dog_Sled_2_Entree_Canada-HERO.jpg","editableAsText":false,"version":20220201,"isImage":true,"fileSize":196127,"name":"Dog_Sled_2_Entree_Canada-HERO.jpg","width":1200,"contentType":"image/jpeg","height":675},"ownerUserName":"N/A","working":true,"live":true,"owner":"arosenberg@virtuoso.com","languageId":1,"shortyId":"a4949cd689","titleImage":"previewImage","modUserName":"system user system user","articleImage3MetaData":{"modDate":1702334851408,"sha256":"d1d7f5bb717904715606cda002d6777170652fdef1a1b6729a2a93f5fa851fd3","length":147007,"title":"Winterlude_Rideau_Canal_Getty-CROP.jpg","editableAsText":false,"version":20220201,"isImage":true,"fileSize":147007,"name":"Winterlude_Rideau_Canal_Getty-CROP.jpg","width":760,"contentType":"image/jpeg","height":500},"modUser":"system","publish":"2023-12-11 14:30:00.0","heroImage1MetaData":{"modDate":1702335175033,"sha256":"49c75f752df335451b62a94166ab5d2cfed3a3595b995721f8aad17eb82e4c3c","length":196127,"title":"Dog_Sled_2_Entree_Canada-HERO.jpg","editableAsText":false,"version":20220201,"isImage":true,"fileSize":196127,"name":"Dog_Sled_2_Entree_Canada-HERO.jpg","width":1200,"contentType":"image/jpeg","height":675},"previewImage":"/dA/a4949cd68939c8cb961e00fb4c7321e6/previewImage/Dog_Sled_2_Entree_Canada-HERO.jpg","icon":"contentIcon","contentTypeIcon":"event_note","variant":"DEFAULT"},{"heroImage1Version":"/dA/e321d39a-3763-464f-ad0c-89fb0ba7961f/heroImage1/ITAC_Bastien-Industries-2-HERO.jpg","publishDate":"2023-12-15 09:31:26.246","useWideHeroImage":false,"inode":"e321d39a-3763-464f-ad0c-89fb0ba7961f","verticalPreviewImage":"/dA/b05e28402b854b9221f08daa81e99b61/verticalPreviewImage/ITAC-Indigenous-Winter.jpg","heroImage1Caption":"
Sharing the love in traditional moccasins from Bastien Industries in Wendake, Québec. <\/span><\/span><\/p>","useTopAdZone":false,"articleImage3ContentAsset":"b05e28402b854b9221f08daa81e99b61/articleImage3","identifier":"b05e28402b854b9221f08daa81e99b61","publishUserName":"system user system user","articleImage2ContentAsset":"b05e28402b854b9221f08daa81e99b61/articleImage2","publishUser":"system","tags":"history,meet locals,nature & wildlife,|north-america|canada|quebec-city,|north-america|canada|churchill,|north-america|canada|manitoba,|north-america|canada|alberta","verticalPreviewImageContentAsset":"b05e28402b854b9221f08daa81e99b61/verticalPreviewImage","folder":"SYSTEM_FOLDER","hasTitleImage":true,"sortOrder":0,"isSponsoredContent":"1","articleImage1":"/dA/b05e28402b854b9221f08daa81e99b61/articleImage1/ITAC-Metis-Crossing-SmokyLake-BODY.jpg","articleImage2":"/dA/b05e28402b854b9221f08daa81e99b61/articleImage2/ITAC_northern-lights-Churchill-BODY.jpg","hostName":"consumer.virtuoso.com","articleImage3":"/dA/b05e28402b854b9221f08daa81e99b61/articleImage3/ITAC_Wendake-BODY.jpg","articleUrl":"experience-winter-through-the-eyes-of-indigenous-communities-across-canada","archived":false,"categories":[{"category-adventure":"Adventure"},{"category-arts-culture":"Arts & Culture"}],"articleImage1ContentAsset":"b05e28402b854b9221f08daa81e99b61/articleImage1","headline":"Experience Winter through the Eyes of Indigenous Communities across Canada","articleImage1Info":"{\"orientation\":\"h\",\"photoCredit\":\" Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada\"}","verticalPreviewImageVersion":"/dA/e321d39a-3763-464f-ad0c-89fb0ba7961f/verticalPreviewImage/ITAC-Indigenous-Winter.jpg","url":"/content.31091b6e-1f78-4678-9b19-7f8e7011339a","hasLiveVersion":true,"previewImageVersion":"/dA/e321d39a-3763-464f-ad0c-89fb0ba7961f/previewImage/ITAC_Bastien-Industries-2-HERO.jpg","articleImage1MetaData":{"modDate":1702587007327,"sha256":"8581e025cbf323b481f53b52b3ce4955ebad9d3e12babbbb6876c6395056c6f5","length":68686,"title":"ITAC-Metis-Crossing-SmokyLake-BODY.jpg","editableAsText":false,"version":20220201,"isImage":true,"fileSize":68686,"name":"ITAC-Metis-Crossing-SmokyLake-BODY.jpg","width":760,"contentType":"image/jpeg","height":400},"articleDate":"December 15, 2023","heroImage1CropFocus":"center","articleImage3Info":"{\"orientation\":\"h\",\"photoCredit\":\" Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada\"}","heroImage1":"/dA/b05e28402b854b9221f08daa81e99b61/heroImage1/ITAC_Bastien-Industries-2-HERO.jpg","heroImage1PhotoCredit":"Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada","heroImage1AltText":"A woman bends down towards a young girl and the two pucker their lips for a kiss.","heroImage1ContentAsset":"b05e28402b854b9221f08daa81e99b61/heroImage1","articleImage1Version":"/dA/e321d39a-3763-464f-ad0c-89fb0ba7961f/articleImage1/ITAC-Metis-Crossing-SmokyLake-BODY.jpg","verticalPreviewImageMetaData":{"modDate":1702661482413,"sha256":"1fa8eec67b35e7408e5687d658db49ee229db4983cd9e3cced4cdacc531019f0","length":152898,"title":"ITAC-Indigenous-Winter.jpg","editableAsText":false,"version":20220201,"isImage":true,"fileSize":152898,"name":"ITAC-Indigenous-Winter.jpg","width":500,"contentType":"image/jpeg","height":649},"articleImage2Version":"/dA/e321d39a-3763-464f-ad0c-89fb0ba7961f/articleImage2/ITAC_northern-lights-Churchill-BODY.jpg","subhead":"Travelers are invited to witness tradition, spy wildlife and the northern lights, and bring a piece of culture home.","metaDescription":"Sleep under the stars at Alberta\u2019s Métis Crossing, search for polar bears and the northern lights in Churchill, and shop for handmade goods in Wendake in Québec.","articleText3":"
Spy Polar Bears and the Northern Lights in Manitoba<\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/h3>\nChurchill<\/span><\/a>, a far-northern Manitoba<\/a> town along the shores of Hudson Bay, has long been home to many Indigenous communities. From the first Dorset Peoples to the Inuit, Athabascan Dene, and Chipewyan Dene communities, the land is rich in history and tradition. Before European contact in 1763, trade among the Cree, Dene, and Inuit made up an important part of life in northern Manitoba – their networks were later used in the fur trade and to move European goods and technology across the North American continent.<\/span><\/p>\n
Churchill is best known as the “polar bear capital of the world,” but its Hudson Bay wildlife offers way more to see than just those powerful creatures. That beauty – plus Churchill’s high frequency of northern lights sightings – makes the destination well worth putting on a parka for.<\/span> Virtuoso advisors can connect you with several Indigenous-owned operators who lead tours across Manitoba in winter weather, including one that only operates for five weeks every February and March, whisking travelers into the wilderness to see polar bear cubs and their mothers in their natural habitat. (You might also spot ptarmigans, arctic foxes, wolves, and herds of caribou along the way.) And between February 1 and March 31, Indigenous guides take travelers to locations handpicked for their peak aurora borealis viewing conditions, while explaining the aurora’s history and significance to Indigenous communities. <\/span><\/p>","metaHeadline":"Winter Travel Experiences Led by Indigenous Communities in Canada","articleText4":"
Collect Souvenirs in Wendake’s Winter Markets<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\nA 25-minute drive east of <\/span>Québec City<\/span><\/a>, the tiny community of Wendake<\/a> is known for its strong artisan scene, largely the work of the Huron-Wendat people who call the area home. Wendake day trips can include a combo of culture, history, and shopping: Sign up for traditional crafting workshops to make talking sticks or porcupine quill necklaces, learn about the Huron-Wendat community’s connection to the area on a guided walking tour, <\/span>or listen to the Wendat story of winter thunder while perusing the town’s indoor crafts market as snow falls outside.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n
Save room in your suitcase for a pair of traditional moccasins from <\/span>Bastien Industries<\/span><\/a>. Ever since Marguerite Lawinonkie Vincent started handcrafting the intricate, colorfully beaded shoes in 1830, the workshop has not only provided employment but has been a source of pride and resilience for the community. Over at <\/span>Onquata<\/span><\/a>, Wendat mother-daughter duo Lise and Lara Siouï sell hand-painted paddles inspired by First Nations culture. Beyond preserving the cultural practices of various Indigenous communities, Onquata’s pieces include intricate displays of symbolism and inspiration, which spur conversations about their meaning and the Huron-Wendat people. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>","articleText1":"
For many Indigenous communities – each with its own unique connection to Mother Earth – every season of the year holds immense significance.<\/span> Indigenous communities deeply honor and acknowledge the patterns of the natural world, and while winter and its harsh climates have historically represented hardship and necessity for the Métis, Inuit, and First Nations peoples of <\/span>Canada<\/span><\/a>, it has always remained an important time for ceremony and celebration. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n
<\/span>Today, travelers to Canada are invited to respectfully take part in and witness these Indigenous communities’ reclamation of their culture, practices, and traditions. (Your Virtuoso travel advisor can arrange visits to Indigenous-owned cultural sites and businesses, along with multiday adventures with Indigenous-owned tour companies.) Each of the following experiences provides a distinct glimpse into how the First Peoples survived in the winter, while immersing travelers in Canada’s captivating, snowy, and often frigid but always beautiful environments.<\/span><\/p>","articleImage2Caption":"
Pitch a tent in Churchill for some of the best northern lights views.<\/p>","articleText2":"
Sleep under the Stars at Alberta’s Métis Crossing<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\nThe Métis people originally settled in the western province of <\/span>Alberta<\/span><\/a> in the late 1800s. Métis Crossing, which opened in 2022 in Smoky Lake, is the first major Métis cultural interpretive center in Alberta. The 512 acres of land, comprising river-lot titles from original Métis settlers, offer travelers the chance to explore an array of cultural experiences. (A stop at Métis Crossing is part of Virtuoso on-site tour connection Entrée Canada’s eight-day <\/span>trip to the region<\/span><\/a>.)<\/span><\/p>\n
With frosty river views and snow-covered landscapes grazed by bison, winter at Métis Crossing is nothing short of magical. Ten new glass-domed accommodations give travelers a chance to overnight beneath unobstructed views of constellations. Métis ancestors shared a strong connection to the land and sky, using the night sky and stars as their guiding lights. The sky served as both a clock and a calendar, and the Métis looked to its patterns for critical instructions on when to plant, hunt, and work the land.<\/span><\/p>\n
During a stay or a visit to the center, travelers can join a Métis guide for a three-hour immersive experience exploring the community’s traditional winter activities. Strap on a set of snowshoes to learn how to set up a snare and build a survival shelter out of moss and tree limbs before heading inside to make traditional art to take home.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>","articleImage1Caption":"
Bundle up for winter at Alberta's Métis Crossing.<\/span><\/p>","articleImage3Caption":"
The quaint and lush community of Wendake.<\/p>","host":"3053335a-056e-4426-8931-6296d6f02e6b","articleImage3Version":"/dA/e321d39a-3763-464f-ad0c-89fb0ba7961f/articleImage3/ITAC_Wendake-BODY.jpg","locked":false,"stInode":"47d3aa06-8ebb-4a97-9c13-2af5c3aab67e","contentType":"ConsumerArticleBasic","author":"Produced by Virtuoso with the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada","creationDate":"2023-12-15 04:00:11.112","articleImage2MetaData":{"modDate":1702586930843,"sha256":"61503e8a23e1e0838d01cda5986d2dda9c0b188d1c57fb2c0113677b93868500","length":93434,"title":"ITAC_northern-lights-Churchill-BODY.jpg","editableAsText":false,"version":20220201,"isImage":true,"fileSize":93434,"name":"ITAC_northern-lights-Churchill-BODY.jpg","width":760,"contentType":"image/jpeg","height":501},"useWideHeroHeadlineOverlay":false,"modDate":"2023-12-15 09:31:25.513","previewImageCropFocus":"center","articleImage2Info":"{\"orientation\":\"h\",\"photoCredit\":\" Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada\"}","title":"Experience Winter through the Eyes of Indigenous Communities across Canada","previewImageContentAsset":"b05e28402b854b9221f08daa81e99b61/previewImage","baseType":"CONTENT","previewImageMetaData":{"modDate":1702587576976,"sha256":"b60e437386d8d5f8e1c1a5ef25f3b1c53e7ee2976d6122bce7534f920960f3fb","length":337559,"title":"ITAC_Bastien-Industries-2-HERO.jpg","editableAsText":false,"version":20220201,"isImage":true,"fileSize":337559,"name":"ITAC_Bastien-Industries-2-HERO.jpg","width":1200,"contentType":"image/jpeg","height":675},"ownerUserName":"N/A","working":true,"live":true,"owner":"arosenberg@virtuoso.com","languageId":1,"shortyId":"b05e28402b","titleImage":"previewImage","modUserName":"system user system user","articleImage3MetaData":{"modDate":1702586850808,"sha256":"2d77f6ef8c54c63c85f4c8b90325ae207b78bc3d52c704a6df7572ec00aae5c2","length":142228,"title":"ITAC_Wendake-BODY.jpg","editableAsText":false,"version":20220201,"isImage":true,"fileSize":142228,"name":"ITAC_Wendake-BODY.jpg","width":760,"contentType":"image/jpeg","height":501},"modUser":"system","publish":"2023-12-14 12:45:00.0","heroImage1MetaData":{"modDate":1702587583072,"sha256":"b60e437386d8d5f8e1c1a5ef25f3b1c53e7ee2976d6122bce7534f920960f3fb","length":337559,"title":"ITAC_Bastien-Industries-2-HERO.jpg","editableAsText":false,"version":20220201,"isImage":true,"fileSize":337559,"name":"ITAC_Bastien-Industries-2-HERO.jpg","width":1200,"contentType":"image/jpeg","height":675},"previewImage":"/dA/b05e28402b854b9221f08daa81e99b61/previewImage/ITAC_Bastien-Industries-2-HERO.jpg","icon":"contentIcon","contentTypeIcon":"event_note","variant":"DEFAULT"}],"featuredDestinations":[]}]}

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