On the north bank of the North Saskatchewan river (or Kisiskâciwanisîpiy — “swift-flowing river” in Cree), 14 kilometres south as the crow flies from Smoky Lake, Alta., a thick blanket of snow cloaks a land covered in a riot of ancestral footprints. Footprints of all the people who have crossed here, gathered here, harvested here, over the past 10,000 years. Hoofprints of the bison that was king in this ancient landscape. Scamperings of hare and squirrels, soft-padding prints of lynx, stomps of bark-grazing moose.

Bison have shaped the landscape here. Or, they did. We look across the river that has been a crossing place for thousands of years. For diverse peoples from the Cree to the Inuit to the Dene and, later, European settlers and Métis. It was a place to trade goods. A place to meet. A place to cross the river.

And it still is. Now, the river can be crossed by car, across the Smoky Lake AB-855 Bridge. And instead of traffic made up of thousands of Red River carts (a Métis cart pulled by oxen, horses or mules), here we are: a group of visitors with snowshoes on our feet and capotes (Métis coats, traditionally sewn out of Hudson’s Bay Company blankets) on our backs. We’re here to visit Métis Crossing, a cultural gathering centre and tourist destination on the banks of a river rich with history. A place for Métis people to tell Métis stories.

Never pass up an opportunity to let locals guide you into their world and cook you a meal in their house. Especially if you’re visiting Newfoundland, and those locals happen to be Chef Alexandra Blagdon and her cousin, cookbook author and culinary ambassador Lori McCarthy. It’s super fun to have Alex’s Nan at the table too.

Located about a 40-minute drive from St John’s, The Alder Cottage Cookery School offers in-person and online classes, dining experiences, and foraging excursions to nearby forests and beaches. We park at a trailhead not far from Alex’s cottage in Tor’s Cove and don’t get 20 steps in before she stops by an alder tree to explain how the buds can be ground into a lemony, peppery spice. A few steps later, she invites me to crush larch needles between my fingers to release an earthy, citrusy aroma, which Alex recommends for fish and chicken. Another few steps later, she hunches over some creeping snowberries, raving about their minty, wintergreen flavour. We pick juniper berries and chat about toxic rhododendrons, discuss fiddleheads, and the futility of baking with tart, tiny crowberries. The lush coastal forest of Newfoundland offers a bounty of unique and natural cooking ingredients, and thanks to the efforts of foragers like Alex and Lori, these ingredients now find their way into local restaurants and kitchens.

This exceptional experience of Western Newfoundland features Gros Morne National Park’s natural wonders, a visit to the Norse Viking settlement at l’Anse aux Meadows and a stay at a historic lighthouse along the Iceberg Alley. Your journey of discovery will be filled with walking, cultural immersion, breathtaking scenery, wildlife, fine dining experiences and evenings to remember.

We’ve selected the top day hikes in Gros Morne National Park and combined them with delicious Newfoundland cuisine, comfortable lodging, and cultural experiences. Newfoundlanders are renowned for being excellent storytellers and we will have the chance to hear tales from the Vikings during our visit to L’Anse aux Meadows, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the only Viking site in North America. Before concluding this adventure, we make our way to the northernmost tip of Newfoundland, where we will stay at the base of a still-operating lighthouse. Quirpon Island boasts the most extended iceberg viewing season in Newfoundland and an impressive number of whales off its shores

My hands squeeze my trekking poles as I try to keep myself upright while maneuvering down a gorge along the Dürrenstein ridge. The sun is blazing and the limestone below my feet crumbles as I take baby steps down the scree. Our group leader, Rob Mason, is in front, reminding us to keep our feet facing forward and to avoid the temptation to descend on our behinds. But my foot slips, and I skid a few feet, falling on my behind anyway. I’m fine but eager to return to flat ground. 

We reach the bottom and immediately face another challenge: a 50-foot trek back up another scree slope. I try not to think about the daunting ascent ahead and instead focus on putting one foot in front of the other. In less than half an hour, we’re back at the top, admiring the incredible peaks all around us. “It’s amazing what you can do when you don’t put your mind to it,” says Martha Parker, one of 13 group members on this Exodus Adventure Travels experience through the Italian Dolomites.