ESSENTIALS

Before you go All UK citizens and other Canadian visa-exempt foreign nationals (except US citizens) must obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) – similar to the US ESTA – if transiting or travelling to Canada. The cost is Can$7 (£4.25). Visit the official cic.gc.ca website to apply. Beware other sites, which charge fees for what is, the $7 charge aside, a free service. Most eTAs are granted in minutes. A valid passport is still required for entry to Canada.

Getting there British Airways (ba.com) and Air Canada (aircanada.com) have year-round flights from Heathrow to hubs such as Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver and Calgary. Charter and low-cost airlines such as Air Transat (airtransat.com) offer flights to the same and other cities such as Quebec (with Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham departures), usually at keener prices, but generally only from May or June to September. Use skyscanner.net to compare fares.

When to go With the obvious exception of ski and other winter holidays, the best – but also the busiest and most expensive time – to visit is July and August, when weather across the southern half of the country is generally warm and reliable. September and early October can still be pleasant, and this is a quieter period for most trips, though the

arrange tailor-made driving trips around the most celebrated areas – Algonquin Park, the Laurentians, the Bruce Peninsula, Cabot Trail, the Fundy coast and Prince Edward Island. Alternatively, book an escorted New England & Canada in the Fall tour with Travelsphere (0800 987 5110; travelsphere.co.uk), which has multiple 10-night departures between September 12 and October 9 2017, from London or Manchester, from £2,149 per person, including flights.

Cruising the Canadian Arctic

A Mari Usque Ad Mare – From Sea to Sea – is Canada’s motto; from the Atlantic to the Pacific, overlooking the fact that a third ocean overarches weather will be turning in many regions, and sights, visitor centres and accommodation in more remote areas often close after Labour Day (the first Monday in September).

Information

National, provincial, park and local visitor centres are excellent across Canada.

Destination Canada (canada. travel) is the official visitor body; Visit Canada 2017 (visit-canada. com) offers links to the 13 main provincial visitor websites and the official sites for 15 major cities.

Parks Canada (pc.gc.ca) has information on national and other parks and many key historic monuments. As part of the 150th anniversary celebrations, entry to Parks Canada parks and monuments is free in 2017 with a Discovery Pass, which can be obtained online or from participating parks and sites.

The Canadian government site (canada. pch.gc.ca) offers wide-ranging practical information, including links to 150th events (search “Canada 150th”).

the country to the north. Visiting the Arctic Ocean is time consuming and expensive, but this is a sublime destination, full of unique flora and fauna, pristine landscapes on an immense scale, fascinating fragments of history and Inuit life and culture. Small-ship cruising is a growing trend across Canada as well as being the most practical way to visit the region. Discover the World (01737 214250; discoverthe-world.co.uk) offers three High Arctic itineraries, including the 10-day Northwest Passage Express, departing August 14 2017, aboard the 92-berth Akademik Sergey Vavilov (from £8,304 per person, excluding return flight to Edmonton). Among other things, the trip includes sites associated with Sir John Franklin’s doomed 1845 expedition to find the Northwest Passage.