Canada: At the Heart of Authentic Travel
Many people increasingly want something more meaningful from their holidays, seeking out authentic experiences in the places they visit. Three National Geographic photographers share their favorite moments from their travels around Canada.
Escaping the tourist trap
There’s something of the explorer in everyone: most humans have an innate curiosity to see what’s over the horizon and seek new experiences there. This has inspired people to travel for their holidays, increasingly abroad and to destinations that offer what is “exotic” to them—from climate to scenery to culture. Traditionally, for most holidaymakers, our interactions with a destination have been necessarily superficial, restricted to resorts, organized activities, or a well-trodden tourist trail. But as the world becomes ever more accessible, there is a shift away from merely “going abroad” to actively exploring a destination in depth: today, 75 percent of people say they seek authentic experiences that are representative of the local culture.
What is authentic travel?
There are many definitions of authentic, and everyone must make their own interpretation of what it is for them: Eating a Big Mac in New York might feel as genuine as roasting mushrooms foraged from a forest. But most agree that it’s not passive travel where you are content to switch off and follow the crowds. Instead, authentic travel might mean heading off the beaten track, exploring lesser-known places, immersing yourself in local life from crafts to food to culture and, most often, making human connections with the places you go to and the people you meet. It’s a more mindful, engaging, and meaningful life experience that leaves a long-lasting impression.
Where to find authenticity
And while anywhere has authenticity if you look for it, some places wear it on their sleeve—like Canada. The vast, open spaces of this cosmopolitan country mean there are still many places that are relatively untouched by tourism, where everyday life immersed in age-old traditions is the norm. With its famously open, warm, and welcoming people, and nearly four million square miles of wildly diverse landscapes ranging from epic mountains, forests, and lakes to prairies, tundra, and ice sheets—Canada is a country made for authentic exploration.
Assignment Canada
This was certainly the experience of National Geographic photographers Ami Vitale, Kiliii Yuyan, and Matthieu Paley on their recent assignments traveling around Canada. National Geographic photographers are renowned for seeking out authenticity in the images they capture, accurately and meaningfully telling the stories of the places they visit and people they meet through unfiltered photographs rooted in the real essence of a place. In Canada, they found authenticity in abundance, and here they share some of their favorite moments.
Ami’s Yukon trek
“I love how I felt when traveling in Canada,” reflects Ami. “You get this totally different sense of time; it changes when you’re in these landscapes, surrounded by majestic mountains that were created over millions of years by time and weather. I’m really interested in how nature shapes us, and I take photographs to show how interconnected we are with the world.
“One of my favorite moments was photographing Deb Wild. She is a backcountry mountain guide in Yukon, and we went out on horseback and camped with the wildlife under the stars. And who she was, was part of that experience. This is a woman who spends a lot of time on her own and is so comfortable with herself and so confident in these quiet, tough, truly wild places. There was so much to learn from her.
“I think we’ve created this world where a lot of people feel very disconnected from what’s around them, from themselves. So it’s wonderfully powerful to be around people like Deb; somebody who has a deep connection with their home, with the landscape around them, with the wild. For me, that is real; that is authenticity. It really was one of the most soul-filling experiences. And that’s what Canada can offer: a reconnection to not just the world around us but to who we really are.”
Kiliii’s Iceberg Alley
“I try to look at the world the way my ancestors did,” explains Kiliii. “Which is to see the land as a living thing that we are part of and deeply connected to. I’m always looking for wonder, and Canada has a lot of natural wonder! It’s so raw and real: it’s incredibly beautiful.
“There is a tour you can do where you fly in a helicopter over Iceberg Alley in Newfoundland. I’ve seen a lot of icebergs in my career, but on this particular day I looked out, and off in the distance I could see there was this one beautiful berg sculpted by the water, sculpted by the wind. It just had these beautiful swoops and curves that appealed to me in a way that was very deep. It was around sunset, so the sun was shining off of it and passing through it, changing the colors—all the different blues and whites, the translucence. It reminded me how much I love ice.
“I think wonder happens when you open yourself up to surprise, and the great thing about Canada is that people and places surprise you. People are living their lives in these big, wide-open spaces: they’re not living in the fast world, the digital world. They’re not shaped by the expectations of other people: they’re grounded in reality. I love that.”
Matthieu’s woodland forage
“I take photographs to broaden people’s horizons,” explains Matthieu. “To enlighten people to the wonders that are out there and to hopefully enlighten myself a bit on the way. I’m always excited to meet somebody who will give me that deeper understanding of an environment, of a landscape. And Sean Watson was a perfect example of my experience with the Canadian people.
“I met Sean through our shared passion for food and foraging, and we instantly connected—I felt this contagious energy. I wanted to walk with him, so we went into the forest, which is his food temple. And I was excited because I’m in a very different environment to my home, and I know I’m going to learn a lot of stuff. Suddenly Sean sat down and was quiet for a second, looking at all these fiddleheads around him. He had his hands out over them. For me, that was the authenticity of his connection to this forest, to this environment he loved.
“I appreciate it so much when people put aside their time for me, because it will often lead to something profound. Sean was like, ‘Dude, you’re here, I’m with you, and I’m going to spend my time with you today.’ That really sums up the warmth and the generosity of the people I encountered in Canada.”
Authentic Canada
As travelers look beyond holiday snaps or their next Instagram post, the authentic experiences that countries like Canada can offer have a genuine appeal. Canada is an inspirational place to explore because it is naturally, effortlessly authentic. “Canada captured my heart,” says Ami. “It was fun. I think we all need more joy in our lives.” Kiliii agrees. “Traveling around Canada, I could see people just reveling in the wonder of the world. It reminded me to slow down, to pay attention, to observe,” he adds. “There’s a sense of realness in people and landscape,” reflects Matthieu. “The Canadian people welcomed me into their hearts and their homes—I’d go back in a heartbeat.”
