Bucket List Trips from Canada: 6 Wonders and How to Go

Some trips are worth planning for years. This list covers six bucket-list wonders that work well from Canada, including Halifax. For each one we give the season, how access works, any permits or timed tickets, and the entry rules for Canadians. Every fact comes from an official park, tourism or government source, checked October 20, 2026. We don’t quote prices or fees; they change, and the official pages are linked.

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Bucket-list trips at a glance

1. Northern lights in Iceland

Visit Iceland, the official tourism board, says the northern lights season runs from late August to late April, when nights are dark enough. You need dark, clear skies and some aurora activity, and Visit Iceland suggests checking the forecast and being outside late in the evening.

Ready to plan it? See our Iceland northern lights trip from Halifax guide for tours, timing, where to stay and winter driving rules.

• Getting there from Halifax: there’s no non-stop for 2027, so you’ll connect. Our Halifax to Iceland flights guide covers the routes through Toronto, Montréal, Boston and New York.
• Entry: Iceland is in the Schengen area. The EU says ETIAS will apply to Canadians, but it isn’t in operation yet. Check the official ETIAS site and travel.gc.ca before you go.

Browse Iceland tours and attraction tickets on Tiqets.

You can also chase the aurora without a passport — see our guide to northern lights tours in Canada.

2. Moraine Lake and Lake Louise, Banff

The view of Moraine Lake below the Valley of the Ten Peaks is one of Canada’s most famous, and access is tightly managed. According to Parks Canada:

• Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles year-round. Access is by Parks Canada shuttle, licensed commercial operators, or as a guest of Moraine Lake Lodge.
• In 2026 the Moraine Lake shuttle ran June 1 to October 12 (weather permitting), and the Lake Louise Lakeshore shuttle May 15 to October 12. Reservations were required. They opened April 15, with more seats released two days before each departure.
• Parks Canada says parking at the Lake Louise Lakeshore often fills before sunrise.

General guidance: watch Parks Canada’s page in early spring for the 2027 reservation date, and book as soon as seats open. Fly to Calgary and search Halifax–Calgary fares.

3. Gros Morne, Newfoundland

Closer to home, Gros Morne National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with fjords and the exposed Earth’s mantle of the Tablelands. Parks Canada says the park is open year-round, with peak season from May to October and guided programs from June to the end of September. Halifax Stanfield lists year-round non-stops to Deer Lake, the closest airport. Our Newfoundland road trip itinerary has a full 7-day plan.

Pick your trail with our Gros Morne hikes guide.

4. Machu Picchu, Peru

• Tickets: Peru’s Ministry of Culture sells Machu Picchu entry through its official platform, Tuboleto.cultura.pe. You choose a circuit, route, date and entry time, and need your passport to register. The Ministry says Inca Trail tickets are linked to Machu Picchu’s Circuit 3-B.
• Inca Trail season: SERNANP, Peru’s protected-areas service, closes the Inca Trail network every February for maintenance. In 2026 it reopened March 1.
• Entry for Canadians: travel.gc.ca says Canadians don’t need a tourist visa. Check that page for passport validity and the length of stay you’ll be granted.

General guidance: if the Inca Trail is your goal, avoid February and book your trek and Circuit 3-B ticket together through a licensed operator. Search fares from Halifax to Lima on Aviasales.

5. Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

Ecuador’s Galápagos government council (CGREG) sets the island-entry rules:

• Every visitor needs a Transit Control Card (TCT), bought at the CGREG counter at Quito or Guayaquil airport. You can pre-register online to speed it up. Keep it until you leave the islands.
• You also need a valid passport and a round-trip ticket between the mainland and the islands.
• Tourists can stay up to 60 days a year in the Galápagos.
• On arrival you pay the Galápagos National Park entry fee, with a lower rate for children under 12. The Galápagos National Park also checks bags for biosecurity.
• Mainland Ecuador: check travel.gc.ca for entry rules and the current advisory before booking.

6. Cherry blossoms in Japan

• Season: JNTO, Japan’s tourism organization, says sakura season runs from the second half of March to early May, starting in Kyushu and moving north. The Japan Weather Association publishes forecasts each spring. In 2026, Tokyo’s full bloom was forecast for March 25 and Hokkaido’s for late April into early May.
• Entry for Canadians: Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists Canada among its visa-exemption countries, with stays of up to 90 days. The Consulate-General of Japan in Toronto confirms that’s for tourism or short-term business, not paid work.

General guidance: bloom dates shift every year, so book flexible hotels and watch the forecasts from February. Northern Japan blooms later, which gives you a second chance if you miss Tokyo. Search fares from Halifax to Tokyo on Aviasales.

Before you go: documents and insurance

• Passports: check each country’s validity rules on travel.gc.ca, and check the advisory before you book.
• Children: every Canadian child needs their own passport. Bring a consent letter if a parent isn’t travelling (see travel.gc.ca’s consent letter page).
• Insurance: provincial health plans cover little abroad, and remote trips like the Galápagos or the Inca Trail make evacuation cover worth checking. Compare travel insurance with VisitorsCoverage.
• Flights: compare fares from Halifax on Aviasales or use our flight search.

More from Halifax

• Our cheapest routes: cheapest places to fly from Halifax and cheap flights to Europe.
• Staying connected abroad: best eSIM for Canadians.

More trips from Atlantic Canada: all Moonlight Travel guides.

FAQ: bucket-list trips from Canada

Sources: Visit Iceland, European Union (ETIAS), Parks Canada, Halifax Stanfield, Peru’s Ministry of Culture and SERNANP, Galápagos Government Council (CGREG), Galápagos National Park, JNTO, Japan Weather Association, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Consulate-General of Japan in Toronto and the Government of Canada (travel.gc.ca), checked October 20, 2026. Seasons, rules and advisories change; confirm before you book.

Featured photo: Machu Picchu, Peru. Photo: Martin St-Amant (S23678) via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence).

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