If you like the majesty of Niagara Falls, you’ll love…

Berry Island, British Columbia For finding grizzlies in the forest

To get to Farewell Harbour Lodge (farewellharbour.com), you’ll board a water taxi from Vancouver Island for the half-hour trip across Johnstone Strait to Berry Island. Expect it to take longer in summer, though, due to traffic. “Sometimes there are so many orca and humpbacks, we have to cut the engines and wait for them to move on,” says managing partner and guide Tim McGrady. Marine life is a bonus – most people come for the bears. Between June and mid-October, grizzlies and black bears are out in force, with cubs in tow. “We take Zodiacs through the Norwegian-style fjords then walk into the Great Bear Rainforest,” says McGrady. “There’s nothing like seeing such powerful animals in their natural home.”

Local tip: Two First Nations villages are minutes away from the lodge. You can visit ‘Mimkwamlis and Tsatsinukwomi to learn about tribal culture and its profound connection to nature.

Yellowknife, Northwest Territories For front row seats to the Northern Lights

Be prepared to stay up late – you’ll see the magnificent coloured lights of the aurora borealis streaking across the clear, dark skies of Canada’s remote north-west. In the forest outside the small city of Yellowknife, a cluster of glowing teepees sits under the Northern Lights for 240 nights every year. Marvel as the sky above Aurora Village (auroravillage. com) is transformed into a giant moving canvas and with Indigenous owners as your guides, deepen your understanding of the phenomenon. Inside the teepees, log fires and hot drinks will keep you cosy. Packages include aurora-viewing from the teepees and accommodation in a Yellowknife hotel.

Local tip: The lights aren’t just a winter experience. Visit from August to October when summer and autumn lights are active and the nights are milder.

Churchill, Manitoba For spotting polar bears and beluga whales

Wildlife activity ramps up in the summer months in Churchill. Kayak, paddleboard or head out on a Zodiac to meet friendly white beluga whales in the Churchill River in July and August with Sea

North Tours (seanorthtours.com). On a Churchill Wild (churchillwild.com) safari, you’ll stay in remote rustic-luxe lodges where polar bears are regularly seen ambling past. You’ll also go on walking and ATV adventures to spot them in their natural habitat. If ecology and photography are your thing, explore the diverse flora and fauna of the tundra on a Frontiers North (frontiersnorth.com) day trip aboard a Tundra Buggy®.

Local tip: Head to the Tundra Inn (tundrainn. com) for a meal in the summertime-only pub. Nikki Clace of Frontiers North says the Borealis Burger (wild rice, beans and vegies) hits the spot.