Apps and websites that make it easier to book travel
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As Canadians begin to plan for their return, two platforms aim to facilitate the tour of the country.
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Hipcamp and Yervana both open the door to new travel and adventure experiences in their own way.
Yervana is a Vancouver-based app that aims to support the resumption of local tourism and Indigenous operators in Alberta and British Columbia by connecting travelers with local guides who know all of the best hidden spots in their area. There are nearly 200 experiences listed on the app and website, from forest hikes in Vancouver to fondue tasting under a full moon in the mountains of Alberta.
Each trip is designed by a local guide for groups usually solo or in small groups, which will ease people’s minds in this era of COVID.
“We offer adventurers the kind of experiences you only get when you’re a local,†says Jim McGovern, Founder and CEO of Yervana. “Our locals know the perfect route to hike for scenic mountain views, or the best spots on the lake to flyboard and enjoy crystal-clear water conditions.
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“This knowledge allows Western Canadians to safely tackle their summer bucket lists without hiking with large herds of people or spending half the trip researching and navigating an excursion.” alone.”
The app also shows tour operators what interests potential customers, allowing them to tailor their experiences to demand. It also includes more indigenous experiences such as tours of marine and terrestrial wildlife.
The app details the tour, available dates and times, where to meet, reviews and introduces the guide that hosts it.
Yervana is having a contest this summer in Alberta. Create an account, sign up for the adventure that interests you this summer and each week, a name will be drawn to win two places in a preselected adventure. Register here : https://explore.yervana.com/backyard-adventure-contest-alberta/
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To verify yervana.com
More global in nature, Hipcamp operates in Canada, the United States and Australia and is a more private and economical option for Air BnB and other hosting websites.
Hipcamp focuses on getting back to nature with things like farm stays, cottages, glamping, and camping by the water. In Canada, you can find campsites on the West Coast for $ 30 a night or a small two-story house in Ontario’s Thousand Islands National Park for $ 175 a night.
The website was launched in 2013 when its founder, Alyssa Ravasio, was frustrated trying to find a beach to set up a camp in California. It has become a full featured website for booking outdoor stays which are generally ignored by other travel websites such as tent camping, RV parks, small off-grid cabins, cabins in trees and glamping. It covers both public and private lands and regional, provincial and state parks as well as national parks.
Check it out at hipcamp.com
