Caving in the Canadian Rockies 

An unforgettable spelunking adventure through Alberta’s Rat’s Nest Cave, Canada’s fourth-largest cave system

By Madigan Cotterill 

I'm holding my hands inches away from my face but can’t see anything. I wiggle my fingers (protected by two layers of gloves), thinking I might be able to distinguish their shapes in the darkness, but still nothing. It doesn’t matter if my eyes are open or closed because pitch black surrounds me without the artificial light of my headlamp. In the distance, I hear a symphony of water droplets falling into a pool below, creating a rhythmic song that evokes a sense of calm. “It’s almost like the cave is playing a concert just for us,” says our guide, Jaimie McMahon.

We are 256 metres below the Earth’s surface in Rat’s Nest Cave, Canada’s fourth-largest cave system. It’s cold, damp, dark and musty, but my inner explorer has been unleashed and I am fully embracing the thrill of caving.

We launched a travel podcast! 

Subscribe to Here & There, our new travel podcast hosted and produced by award-winning feature writer, broadcaster and podcaster, Liz Beatty. You can find these episodes wherever you get your podcasts for more deep-dive documentaries that will change the way you see places in Canada and around the world.

The Essential Itinerary: Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

Experiencing “pura vida” in one of the world’s five Blue Zones — plus surfing, yoga and the ultimate fairytale ending

Story and photography by Madigan Cotterill 

Calm your mind, paddle with your chest up and don’t look down. I reflect on my surf instructor Shaka’s wise words as I wait patiently for my next victim: the perfect wave. 

It’s just after 6:30 a.m., an ideal time to surf as the sun has yet to peak, and only a handful of people are on the beach. My legs dangle in the water as I straddle my bright blue surfboard and take in the moment, enjoying the stillness and admiring the rosy glow of the sunrise. I think about what I plan to do later: yoga, search for shells, maybe a hike through the nearby nature reserve of Cabo Blanco. Then I see it: my wave.

Highlights from The Great Western Canada Bucket List

With the second edition of his national bestseller, Bucket Listed columnist Robin Esrock adds new adventures to timeless experiences in British Columbia and Alberta

By Robin Esrock

“I thought I lived in God’s Country, and then I came here.” These are not my words, but those belonging to an Australian tourist sharing the carriage with me on our way up the Sea to Sky Gondola outside of Squamish, British Columbia. The Howe Sound put on a show that morning: glowing teal waters, snow-capped mountains, a crisp blue sky. Regardless of your relationship with the Almighty, we can all understand the sentiment: God’s Country is a location of such incredible beauty that it surely belongs in a higher realm. Canada is quintessential God’s Country, and yet I’d argue that the dense coastal forests, sweeping Pacific, soaring Rockies and vibrant cities elevate B.C. and Alberta to an even higher plain. Updated, expanded, and beautifully re-designed, the second edition of my Great Western Canada Bucket List explores memorable activities and destinations you won’t find anywhere else. It’s a personal journey – packed with history, trivia and characters – written to inspire visitors, newcomers, retirees, graduates, and the locals too. Nobody needs an excuse to explore the wonders of B.C. and Alta., but I decided to give them one anyway. Below are some of my favourite new entries.