We believe that tourism is an agent for peace and cultural understanding. We value the importance of delivering authentic Canadian experiences and enhancing travelers’ knowledge of the rich Indigenous culture across Western Canada through visiting attractions, museums and indigenous owned and operated hotels and shops.
Canada has several holidays and events honoring First Nations. June is the National Indigenous History Month, and the 21st is National Indigenous Peoples Day. Canadians celebrate not only the arrival of summer but also the history, joy, art and culture of Indigenous Peoples. September 30 is another significant event: Truth and Reconciliation Day. Several cultural events and festivals occur year-round, including traditional Pow Wows and family community events held on ancestral lands from coast to coast to coast.
Indigenous Experiences and Attractions
There are numerous Indigenous attractions and sites across Western Canada. Discover Canada Tours showcases several of them on our new daily tours, such as the Stanley Park Totem Poles on our Discover Vancouver Tour, and Capilano Suspension Bridge on our Discover North Vancouver Tour. Both attractions are the most visited sites in and around Vancouver. The Discover Whistler Tour offers a visit to the spectacular Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Center.
Further afield in Osoyoos, located in the Okanagan Valley, BC’s premier wine region, we stop at the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Center and winery. On BC’s coast and northern Vancouver island, we also visit the U’Mista Cultural Center, which is home to the world’s tallest Totem Pole. In the neighboring province of Alberta, we tour the designated Historic UNESCO Site of Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump and several most interesting sites.
Indigenous Sites on our Discover Canada Tours
These Indigenous attractions are included in Discover Canada Tours’ guided and self-guided itineraries:
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Hidden Gems of the West – Vancouver to Calgary:
- Head-smashed-in Buffalo Jump
- Nk’Mip desert cultural center
Discover Vancouver and Discover North Vancouver Tours:
- Stanley Park Totem Poles Park
- Capilano Suspension Bridge
Discover Whistler & Sea to Sky Gondola:
- Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre
ALBERTA
Hidden Gems & Western Highlights Tour:
- Head-smashed-in Buffalo Jump
Inside Passage & Rockies Tour:
- Kwakwaka’wakw First Nations
- Alert Bay
- U’Mista Cultural Centre
Ready to embark on an Indigenous adventure? Check out our full itineraries of our tours.
Written by Lucas Coldwell. Photos courtesy of Lisanne Smeele and Squamish Lil’Wat Cultural Centre.
