Embrace Canada's First Nations with Amazing Indigenous Tourism Experiences

Indigenous cultures across Canada are offering up distinct experiences you didn’t know were right in your backyard

By Charnel Anderson

Posted: June 30, 2021 02:58 PM ET

Interest in learning more about Indigenous cultures has lead to a boom in this tourism sector. Here are six beautiful destinations that allow visitors to authentically and respectfully experience First Nations, Métis and Inuit nations first-hand.

Visit historic Inuit settlements
Embrace Mi’kmaq culture
Enjoy far-north hospitality
See the wonders of nature
Experience Indigenous eco-tourism
Get a taste of First Nations food

Visit historic Inuit settlements

The Torngat Mountains, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador

A destination for researchers and adventurers alike, the Torngat Mountains base camp, located 525 kilometres from Labrador City, offers excursions to historic Inuit settlements, where you can learn about sod-house villages and visit ancient burial sites and hunting grounds.

Embrace Mi’kmaq culture

A woman wearing a yellow shirt with a red design on the front holds a feather in one hand and a bowl in the other hand with some smoke around it performs a smudging ceremony.

Eskasoni Cultural Journeys, Eskasoni, Nova Scotia

Take part in a smudging ceremony, join in the Koju’a (a traditional dance) or bake a four cent cake over an open fire on Eskasoni First Nation, the largest Mi’kmaq community in the world, nestled on the beautiful Bras d’Or Lake.

Enjoy far-north hospitality

Tundra North Tours, Inuvik, Northwest Territories

Experience Inuit culture at a traditional whaling camp or observe herds of reindeer at Tundra North Tours, an Inuit company that offers nearly two dozen authentic Arctic experiences in Canada’s far north. If the holiday you’re looking for isn’t listed, ask about a custom tour.

See the wonders of nature

A tent made of cream-coloured fabric and thick tree branches is pitched in a snowy field against a blue and grey sky with the northern lights jutting out from behind.

Wat’Chee Expeditions, Chesnaye, Manitoba

A former navy communications base turned full-service wilderness lodge, Wat’Chee Expeditions’ subarctic locale is home to caribou, ptarmigan, Arctic foxes and the world’s largest polar bear denning area. Be sure to stay awake long enough to witness the bright, dancing lights of the aurora borealis.

Experience Indigenous eco-tourism

Two people wearing red vests sitting in a boat with their backs to the camera looking at the mountains behind them.

Spirit Bear Lodge, Klemtu, British Columbia

Catch a glimpse of the elusive spirit bear—an off-white subspecies of the coastal black bear—at this world-class ecotourism destination nestled in the Great Bear Rainforest. Owned by the Kitasoo/Xai’xais people, Spirit Bear Lodge offers hiking, kayaking and canoeing experiences.

Get a taste of First Nations food

A table set with a fork rolled up in a white tissue next to a plate of bannock pizza, which is topped with green onions and a white sauce. A plant in a white pot and chili flakes can be seen in the background.

Feast Café Bistro, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Feast Café Bistro, opened in 2015 by home cook turned restaurateur Christa Bruneau-Guenther of Peguis First Nation, features a smattering of Indigenous-fusion dishes, like bannock pizza, bison chili and pickerel sliders. Try the coconut squash curry, served with green beans and wild rice.

Discover more

Speak with a CAA Travel Consultant who can provide expert advice when planning your trip to help you learn more about Canada’s Indigenous culture.

Image credit: Spirit Bear Lodge, Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada, Wat’Chee Expeditions, Feast Café Bistro