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Time Difference:
Canada Eastern time zone is 5 hours behind GMT and Canada
Pacific time zone is 8 hours behind GMT.
Communications:
With many clients taking mobile phones to Canada as a means to
keep in touch with family and friends at home, you should be aware
that reception is still patchy, especially in the wilderness
locations away from major cities. Hotel charges for overseas call
are as you would expect expensive and should be avoided if
possible. Most post including postcards will take about a week to
reach the UK/Europe.
Electricity:
Canada like the US operates on 110V, 60-cycle electric power; some
sensitive equipment will need a surge protector at the remote
wilderness lodges. Sockets here except either a 2 or 3 pronged
plug so European visitors will require a universal plug adaptor.
Money:
Cash in the form of Canadian dollars is the most important
currency to carry and given some of the more remote locations you
may visit you should make sure you have enough, as credit cards
and travellers cheques will only be acceptable at towns and major
lodges/hotels. Having said that there is a wide ATM network
throughout Canada and credit cards are a must, not only for paying
for accommodation/meals but also to allow you to hire a vehicle.
Tipping:
Normal tipping is 10-15% of the bill and is usually paid to
waitstaff, cabbies, and hotel attendants. Some restaurants
cheekily add a service charge to the bill, so obviously you will
not pay a tip if that is the case. Although wildlife guides may
not expect tips, we feel if you have been well looked after and
educated about the area and it’s resident wildlife then a tip is
well deserved.
Clothing:
The main season for wildlife viewing in Canada is between May and
November and due to the huge geographic area and changeable
weather you have to pack appropriately. Layered clothing is the
way to go, with breathable inner tea shirts, long sleeved
shirts/jumpers and fleeces forming you main insulation. On top of
this you should have a complete lightweight waterproof layer
(jacket and trousers) and a sturdy waterproof pair of hiking
boots.
Travel to both the Arctic and Canada in the winter requires
additional warmth provided by down jackets and trousers (full
immersion suits are provided at some locations), good quality hats
and gloves and the option to purchase some ‘Kamiks’ in Canada.
Kamiks are like a combination of wellie boots and gators and are
insulated inside to keep your feet warm, even when observing
wildlife outside for long period. Clients may also want to look
into hiring or buying second hand insulated clothing in Canada to
avoid lugging over or buying all the extra gear required.
Wildlife Viewing:
Always follow the instructions of guides. Keep noise to a minimum
and encourage others to do likewise. Flash photography should be
avoided at all times. Don’t crowd the animals; respect their
privacy as well as other people’s enjoyment of the wildlife by
moving on.
Useful Items:
• neutral coloured clothing
• hat to protect head and neck from sun
• good quality ‘wraparound’ sunglasses with retainer
• small ruck-sack to keep belongings together and dust/rain out of
camera etc
Animals:
The best advice is not to handle them at all, aside from other
risks they may carry a variety of parasites and skin disease.
Don’t feed wildlife it can encourage unnatural dependency and
disease. This is especially true for bears; you feed them and
eventually they will become fearless of people and a problem bear;
result, the park wardens will shoot them.
Shopping:
Many of our clients visit fairly remote locations either by
self-drive or connecting with internal flights. All items in
shops, especially food, are much more expensive to buy here due to
their remoteness so a bit of forward planning is important to
stock up on provisions. For example, if you are driving from
Vancouver to a small village in NE Vancouver Island, buy some
provisions in Vancouver before departing. Having said that, we
would encourage you to buy local ‘ethical’ handicrafts that
support the local population.
Responsible Tourism:
Please use as little water and power as possible. Carry rubbish
away with you and decline plastic bags (buy or bring
fabric/recyclable ‘shoppers’), apart from being unsightly wildlife
can be injured or poisoned. Common sense and common courtesy
should prevail in all your interactions with local people and
indigenous populations. Don’t buy animal products, and satisfy
yourself that wooden items are from a sustainable source. Please
view our company policy on Responsible Travel by visiting
www.wildlifetrails.co.uk/responsible_travel.htm
First Aid and Medical Treatment:
If in doubt concerning any medical issue you should always seek
expert advice from a Doctor. It is sensible to carry with you an
adequate supply of any regular medication in your cabin baggage,
also antiseptic cream or wipes, plasters, a sealed bandage,
diarrhoea treatment (always read instructions), re-hydration
sachets, insect repellent and bite soothing cream, aspirin or
paracetemol.
Cameras:
People looking to get a reasonable close up of wildlife should be
looking at taken a minimum lens size of 300 with their SLR, but a
range of lenses will allow you to capture landscape, people and
wildlife shots. Most accommodation options will have power but it
is always wise to take a spare battery and plenty of memory cards
for your digital. A tripod or monopod is not essential but will
give you greater stability for photographs in poor light levels.
Useful Things to Take:
Mosquito repellent, torch and batteries, insulated water bottle,
mosquito net (if visiting more ‘basic’ camps), adhesive tape,
alarm clock, wet-wipes, small ruck-sack, universal sink plug,
fabric shopping bags, bags for laundry.
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