Enjoy your own Race Across The World in Canada

An elk in Jasper National Park. Pic: PA Photo/Luxtripper.

Planes, trains and automobiles have made travel easier, but imagine going back to basics and having to plot a journey over long distances day by day.

That’s the premise of Race Across The World, which sees competitors aim to reach a destination with a meagre budget and a lot of help from kind locals.

A new series on BBC One challenges teams to cross Canada from coast to coast – an epic undertaking that will highlight not only skills of ingenuity but also the beautiful backdrop of a country so vast and varied it spans six time zones.

The Rocky Mountaineer train. Pic: PA Photo/Newmarket.

If you’re inspired to follow in the footsteps of the intrepid contestants and visit Canada for yourself, here a few of the holidays to choose.

Canoes, natural pools and fine food

Fries mixed with cheese curds doesn’t sound like the most appetising dish, but poutine is a guilty pleasure across the French-speaking province of Quebec. Take time to stop and try it at several stands and cafes along the charming, cobbled streets of Quebec City to build up strength before venturing further afield into the wilds. Adventure activities are high on the agenda in Canada; canoe on Lake Sacacomie and bathe sore muscles in its natural pools. Between May and October, observe whales from Tadoussac, the first French settlement in North America, founded in 1600. Black bears and wolves can be found in the Saguenay Fjord region on a kayaking cruise.

How: Trailfinders (020 7084 6500) offers a 14-night trip from £2,278pp (two sharing), including car hire. Excludes flights.

A polar bear in the Canadian Arctic. Pic: PA Photo/Luxtripper.

A blow-out to see bears

Bears of all shapes, sizes and species roam Canada – from polar bears on ice floes in the frozen north, to grizzlies catching salmon in temperate rainforests. See three of the most famous on this new tour from Luxtripper. Starting in the Arctic, spot polar bears on the shores of Hudson Bay in Manitoba, while also keeping an eye out for beluga whales. Continue to the Great Bear Rainforest and Tweedsmuir Park Lodge, which is home to one of the world’s largest concentrations of grizzly bears during autumn. Then round off your trip with a stay at the Spirit Bear Lodge, searching for the rare Kermode, or spirit bear, on foot and by boat. Orcas, humpbacks, sea lions and bald eagles are also possibilities.

How: Luxtripper (020 4538 2013) offers a 12-night trip from £34,995 per person, including flights.

A maritime adventure

Whale watching in Quebec. Pic: PA Photo/Trailfinders.

Only a short seven-hour flight from the UK, the Canadian Atlantic coast is within easy reach. Whale-watching, wine-drinking and hiking are all on offer in the offbeat, quirky Maritime Provinces, which can be explored on a two-week tour. With colourful harbours and sweeping coastlines, recharge by the sea as you take in some of Canada's iconic maritime history. Learn about the tradition of fabric milling in Baddeck, discover the picturesque village of Peggy's Cove and drive the Cabot Trail, flanked by highlands scenery. New Brunswick’s rivers, pine forests and mountains provide many sanctuaries for wildlife, including the Bay of Fundy, known for its extreme tides and whale-watching opportunities. At the Reversing Falls, its possible to watch the phenomenon of the rapids flowing backwards at high tide. Although better suited to bracing strolls than sunbathing, Prince Edward Island’s beautiful red sand beaches are the ideal setting for a seafood supper of lobster and mussels, wrapped up warm against the elements.

How: Bon-voyage (0800 316 0194) offers a 14-day Atlantic Canada fly-drive of the Maritime Provinces from £2,595pp, including car hire and flights from London, Manchester or Glasgow.

The Rockies and great lakes

One of the world’s most spectacular train journeys, the Rocky Mountaineer passes through turquoise lakes, steep mountain walls and tumbling waterfalls. Combine the trip with a few days in Banff and Jasper – the two gateway towns to the Rockies – and drive along the scenic Icefields Parkway, a highway lined with glaciers. Following this, take a boat trip to Spirit Island on the Maligne Lake and ride the Jasper Skytram before boarding the luxury train for two days of indulgence, overnighting in a hotel on the way. After reaching Vancouver, take a ferry to Vancouver Island to visit Butchart Gardens in Victoria and join a whale watching tour.

Grizzlies in the Great Bear rainforest, Canada. Pic: PA Photo/Luxtripper.

How: Newmarket Holidays (0330 160 7700) offers an 11-day Canada’s Rocky Mountaineer escorted tour from £3,699 per person, including flights. Departures in September and October.

Venturing off-track up north

This year, the northern Yukon territory celebrates the 125th anniversary of the Klondike Gold Rush. Based on Jack London’s classic novel written in 1903 and set in this late 19th-century period of prosperity, Call Of The Wild, starring Harrison Ford, was shot in the region. Visit locations featured in the film, such as Dawson and Whitehorse and discover their historic past then following in the footsteps of the frontier’s men and try your luck panning for gold in the shallows of the great Klondike River. A ‘flightseeing’ trip over the Kluane National Park’s glaciers, the world’s largest nonpolar icefields, gives a rare insight into an area of the world few people get to see. You’ll also have the opportunity to paddle along the Yukon River in a canoe, and to round it all off, you might be lucky to get a glimpse of the Northern Lights dancing over the Yukon sky.

How: Original Travel (020 3582 4990) offers a 12-day Call Of The Wild Yukon trip from £3,100pp, including flights.

Enjoy your own Race Across The World in Canada - Scotland on Sunday Travel