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World Bound Canada: 21-Day Youth Outdoor Leadership Adventure in BC & Yukon
Wild Roots 2027 | Ages 13–18 | Vancouver, Sunshine Coast & Yukon River
Join Fireside's 21-day youth adventure in BC and Yukon. Ages 13–18. Learn canoeing, wilderness skills, leadership and climate education.
Three Weeks. British Columbia and Yukon. One Extraordinary Adventure!
Canada is more than hockey and maple syrup. What defines Canada are its stunning, sweeping landscapes and the dynamic character of the people who call it home. From the lush, endless rainforests of British Columbia to the expansive, untamed valleys and tundras of the Yukon, this is a life-shaping experience.
Spend 21 days exploring British Columbia and the Yukon through an outdoor leadership expedition designed for youth aged 13–18. Begin in Vancouver, discover the forests and coastal waters of the Sunshine Coast, and travel north to paddle the historic Yukon River. Along the way, learn river canoeing, wilderness navigation, outdoor cooking, expedition planning and leadership while connecting with local communities and exploring how climate change is affecting Canada's landscapes. This is an adventure where young people don't just visit incredible places—they learn how to travel through them, understand them and take responsibility for themselves and one another.
The Adventure at a Glance
We begin this adventure surrounded by the glass towers of Vancouver (one overnight/2 full days) before heading to the famous Sunshine Coast, where we’ll build our canoe and outdoor skills while exploring the coastal temperate rainforests. The Sunshine Coast is Fireside’s home base location as it offers incredible paddling, hiking, foraging, and camping.
Then, we head north to Whitehorse as we begin an epic canoe trip down a part of the Yukon River. The river will bring us into contact with the ruins of the Gold Rush, sweep us through landscapes that feel larger than life, allow us to encounter iconic Canadian wildlife, and - most importantly - give us the opportunity to connect with like minded peers.
The surface of the Earth itself is an immense loom upon which the sun weaves the fabric of existence. Wade Davis
THIS IS A BIG, AWESOME DECISION! You are 15 minutes away from having your tough questions answered. Click here to book a quick Zoom or phone chat with Fireside Adventures’ leadership team (Willy & Barnsy).
Itinerary
DATES:
July 03 –Jul 23, 2027 (21-day)
Jul 24–Aug 13, 2027 (21-day)
AGES
13–18 (co-ed)
LOCATIONS
BC Locations: Vancouver • Sechelt
Yukon Locations: Whitehorse • Carmacks • Yukon/Teslin Rivers
STANDARD PRICES
8 to 12 participants per group
21-day: $5,599 + GST (CAD)
Earlybird offering: Save $400 if you book before November 15, 2026.
Non-refundable deposit: $1,000 CAD + GST
Registration: Through WeTravel
Includes:
– 24/7 instruction/support and pre-course check-in
- One night accommodation in Vancouver (2 full days exploring the best of Vancouver)
– Return flight (Vancouver – Whitehorse)
– Accommodation (tent and hostel) and meals
– Canoes, PFDs, and canoe skill training
– Ground transportation
– Climate Change and outdoor leadership training workshop
– Post-course follow-up
Does not include: Transportation costs outside of the above, Vancouver Airport pick-up and drop-off outside of the preferred arrival and departure times, medical insurance, and anything not mentioned above.
More info: office@firesideadventures.ca
FAQ
Is World Bound Canada suitable for first-time campers? Yes
Does my teenager need canoeing experience? No
How physically demanding is the expedition? All levels
What is the instructor-to-student ratio? 2:12
How do you manage safety on the water? Constant training outdoor skills, risk management and 24/7 supervision of participants
Can international students participate? Yes
Are flights included? Return trips between Vancouver and Whitehorse
What happens if my child needs additional support? We adjust and support accordingly as well as interview parents and interested youth before hand.
Experiences you won’t want to miss:
Follow the wake of history during a back-country canoe journey down the Yukon and Teslin Rivers that have carried Indigenous nations and gold prospectors on their water
Canoe through bioluminescent water in the Sechelt Inlet
Safely encounter wildlife you’ve only seen on TV, like orca whales, moose, seals, bears, and so much more
Become more competent in the outdoors by learning critical outdoor skills like camp set-up, outdoor cooking, plant and animal identification, and Leave-No-Trace principles
Experience endless day and find out why the Yukon is called ‘the Land of the Midnight Sun’
See first-hand the effects of climate change, including rising sea levels, river erosion, and the ‘drunken forests’ that mark melting permafrost
Immerse yourselves in Canadian arts and culture through the stories, songs, and artwork of the Yukoners and British Columbians
We are working towards adopting UN Sustainable Development Goals in everything we do and experience.
outdoor cooking with Fireside adventures
Our Journey Story
Chapter 1: Vancouver’s Urban Adventure & Cultural Discovery
Explore Vancouver through cycling, cultural learning, neighbourhood discovery and group challenges.
Chapter 2: Sunshine Coast — Paddling & Outdoor Skills
Learn canoeing, coastal navigation, campcraft, outdoor cooking and teamwork while exploring British Columbia's coastal environment.
Chapter 3: Yukon — Wilderness River Expedition
Travel north to Whitehorse, prepare for a multi-day canoe expedition and develop navigation, river safety, wilderness camping and leadership skills.
The places we’ll go and you are invited.
The Fireside Way: Challenge. Strive. Learn.
Fireside courses are built around experience, challenge, service and reflection... helping young people expand their comfort zones, discover what they are capable of and carry that learning back into their schools, relationships and communities. Inspired in part by educator Kurt Hahn, we intentionally create opportunities for curiosity, initiative, physical engagement, self-discipline, compassion and meaningful responsibility... qualities young people need opportunities to practise, not simply be told about. Our youth and young-adult programs are phone- and technology-free. For some, that feels like a digital detox; for others, it is a chance to reclaim a piece of childhood and adolescence... to be fully present, build real friendships and experience adventure without a screen between themselves and the moment. This practice comes from more than 20 years of working with young people and hearing, again and again, how valuable it is to have a place where everyone disconnects together.
Wherever we travel, we are grateful visitors... our hosts are “the spectrum of experts”. We strive to work alongside local and Indigenous guides, knowledge keepers, storytellers, educators, families and service providers, recognizing that knowledge comes from many people and that those who live within a place carry perspectives, histories and relationships to the land and community that are not ours to speak for. We welcome participants from different social and economic backgrounds, cultures, identities, beliefs and perspectives. We ask everyone to arrive with curiosity, respect and a willingness to listen, question assumptions and consider another point of view... because just because we say it, think it or have heard it before doesn’t necessarily make it right. Our leaders don't tell participants what to think. Our responsibility is to connect experience with learning, provide credible context, ask good questions and create space for thoughtful conversation, disagreement and reflection. Across our programs, climate change, conservation, culture and our changing relationship with the natural world are explored at a depth appropriate to each journey.
Ultimately, Challenge. Strive. Learn. is about creating value-based experiences that matter beyond the trip... helping participants expand their comfort zones, better understand themselves and others, and return home with greater confidence, perspective and responsibility for the communities they are part of.
World Bound Canada Wild Roots: Become a Climate Adventurer
10 Skills You'll Develop on World Bound Canada
Canoeing and paddle techniques
River and ocean safety
Wilderness navigation
Camp setup and shelter systems
Outdoor cooking and food planning
Weather awareness and risk management
Team communication
Expedition planning
Environmental stewardship
Leadership and decision-making
Bc and yukon outdoor youth leadership courses summer 2027
Our World Bound Climate Change Curriculum
World Bound approaches climate change through experience, skills and the realities of everyday life. Rather than treating climate change as a separate classroom topic, participants explore how a changing climate connects to the way we travel, eat, consume, lead, work together and make decisions.
What does that actually look like?
Learn from the land: Discover how coastal forests, rivers and northern environments are changing.
Build practical outdoor skills: Connect paddling, navigation, cooking and resource management to everyday decisions.
Rethink convenience. What happens when you carry what you need, cook your own food, travel under your own power and live with less? Youth explore the difference between what we need and what we have simply become accustomed to.
Understand Communities: Learn how environmental change affects people, livelihoods and cultural relationships.
Explore food and consumption: From meal planning and food waste to local food systems and packaging, participants look at how everyday choices can reduce impact without turning sustainability into an unrealistic pursuit of perfection.
Separate fact from fear: Youth are encouraged to ask questions, challenge assumptions and examine credible information. Our role isn't to tell them what to think, but to help them better understand what is happening and develop the skills to make informed decisions.
Practice leadership: Take responsibility for group decisions, safety, resources and one another.
Bring it home: Identify practical ways to apply the experience in school, family and community life.
Every outdoor skill has a life skill behind it and many of those same skills will help young people navigate a changing climate.
Pillar 1: Integrating Climate Change Principles and Perspectives
Two-eyed Seeing: Combine Western science and local climate science to create a holistic understanding of climate change
Local/Regional: Compare southern British Columbian and northern Yukon experiences of climate change
Rural-urban: Learn what both urban and rural communities are doing to adapt to climat
Pillar 2: Exploring Real-world Environments
Ocean and coastal environments: The Sunshine Coast/Sechelt Inlet of BC
River environments: Yukon River
Urban environments: Whitehorse and Vancouver
Pillar 3: Learning from the People Who Know These Places Best
Connect with BC’s coastal Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and the Yukon’s Northern Indigenous communities
Meet local activists, artisans, and entrepreneurs in Vancouver, Whitehorse and along the journey
Help preserve nature through low impact travel and Leave-No-Trace practices
Pillar 4: Strengthening Life, Social, and Leadership Skills
Wilderness survival skills (ie. camp set-up, fire-building, plant and animal identification, navigation)
Leave-No-Trace principles
Outdoor leadership and teamwork skills through canoeing, camp maintenance, and outdoor meal preparation
Canoe paddle and safety skills
Expressive arts development
Social-emotional learning and reflection through journalling and an intensive 24-hour solo experience
Pillar 5: Sustaining Climate Action through Solution-focused Approaches
Membership in the World Bound Adventures: Climate Ambassador community
Year-round participation in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (which supports climate action)
Membership in the Vancouver Outdoor School Youth Network
Internships as a climate ambassador and mentor in local sustainable businesses and future expeditions
Discover Vancouver: 3-Day Urban & Cultural Experience
vancouver, canada
Discover Vancouver is a dynamic two-day immersion designed for international youth to experience the natural beauty, cultural depth, and creative energy of one of Canada’s most iconic cities. Based in private, dorm-style accommodations, participants enjoy a safe, social home base while exploring Vancouver’s neighbourhoods, campuses, and coastlines. The journey includes:
University of British Columbia: explore and learn about student life at the world’s most scenic campus and learn about student life here
Indigenous cultural museum tour (Museum of Anthropology)
Stanley Park bike tour along the iconic Sea Wall
Sample flavours, street culture, and creativity at Granville Island and explore the vibrant, community-driven energy of Commercial Drive.
Balanced, inspiring, and unforgettable, Discover Vancouver offers a perfect blend of city exploration, cultural learning, and west-coast adventure.
University of british columbia (UBC) in vancouver
Museum of anthropology
stanley park bike tour
