Northern exposure: From heli-fishing to polar safaris, heres how to unlock Canadas most exclusive experiences

Heading north? Don’t act like a clueless European who plans to visit LA, NY, Miami and Chicago in the same week-long trip.Canada is massive — roughly the same size as the US, depending on how you want to define things.

To make the most of it, you’ll want to tap the experts at top tour companies who will do the daunting grunt work of planning your perfect Canadian adventure for you.They’ll ensure you have the finest experiences moose country has to offer — from hiking in the Canadian Rockies to crab fishing from a helicopter cabin — without the stress of rushing between airports.Below are some of the best tours and guides in the business.Starting and ending in Vancouver, this trip for travelers ages 18 to 35 weaves its way through British Columbia and Alberta, including stops in the alpine village of Whistler, the Lillooet Mountain Range, Jasper National Park and the mountain mecca that is Banff.

Excursions run the gamut from canoeing along the River of Golden Dreams and oohing and ahhing at trains traveling through the Spiral Tunnels to walking across the Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver and white-water rafting on the Fraser River.“Jasper gets a lot of attention for its landscapes, but the fireside chat with the Warrior Women is an experience that catches people off guard,” said Julia McPhail, Contiki’s operations director, of the Indigenous ladies who have called this land home for thousands of years.“Hearing their stories firsthand is so inspiring.”To scope out some of the best landscapes in Banff, visit from mid-September to early October for golden larch season, said McPhail, referring to a type of pine tree that transforms its needles from green to a golden hue during this time.11 days; from $2,825 per person; departures run June through October.Arctic in the summer? Oh yah.

Marvel as the frozen tundra melts into a landscape of wildflowers and greenery as animals frolic freely.On this trip, globetrotters will get up close — an...