Meanwhile in Canada... we pick up the scent of elk urine

There’s no one else in the world like Celes Davar. Not even close.

No one else has his passion. No one else has his enthusiasm. No one else has his sense of thrill at moments and occurrences that to everyone else can appear so utterly mundane or, shall we say, even off-putting.

Celes Davar, Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba, Canada — Your enthusiastic and passionate guide through Riding Mountain National Park, Celes Davar is a one of a kind. He has an exceptional sense of smell, particularly the scents left by elk. (Image: Ben Groundwater)

Case in point: elk urine. There’s a heady whiff of it in the air today in Riding Mountain National Park, way out in the prairies of Manitoba. It’s that time of year, according to Celes. Mating season, maybe? He doesn’t specify.

Anyway, whatever the reason, Celes has stopped dead in his tracks, calling our group of hikers to a halt in the long grass, pausing to breathe deep and to recognise what it is in the clear prairie air.

Bull elk courting a doe Mountain Riding National Park Manitoba Canada — A bull elks courts a doe in Mountain Riding National Park

“You smell that?" Celes asks, his face breaking into a grin. “That’s elk urine."

The rest of us smile awkwardly, a little confused. “Wow," Celes continues. “I just love this time of year, it’s such a sensory experience."

Celes Davar guided walk Riding Mountain National Park Manitoba — On the scent of elk with Celes Davar in Riding Mountain National Park.

The presence of that scent, of course, means the presence of an elk, which is what has got Celes excited. Even after all these years, after visiting Riding Mountain National Park again and again and again from his base in Winnipeg, Celes can’t believe his luck at the thought of spotting elk in the wild.

And the feeling is infectious. You can’t help but be swept up in Celes’s enthusiasm. It’s like watching a David Attenborough documentary: any subject presented with such passion is immediately fascinating. Tiny bugs. Insignificant plants. And of course, the rich scents of the Canadian great outdoors.

Celes Davar, Elk Skull, Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba, Canada — Celes has forgotten more about elk than most people will ever know. Here he is holding an elk skull in Riding Mountain National Park. (Image: Ben Groundwater)

This day out is as much a journey into the mind of one of Canada’s most passionate naturalists as it is an experience in one of the country’s oft-overlooked national parks. To spend the day with Celes Davar is to appreciate just how exciting the natural world can be. It’s also to see a grown man pull a small plastic baseball bat out of his rucksack and bring it up to his mouth to blow, to realise it’s been made into a homemade elk-caller, and that the hoot it lets out will soon be answered by the real thing way off in the distance. Incredible.

Celes Davar, Elk Call, Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba, Canada — Celes Davar blows his improvised elk-caller; a modified toy baseball bat. (Image: Ben Groundwater)

What am I doing in Riding Mountain National Park? I’ve asked myself this question a few times today. Even Canadians seem a little surprised at my presence in the Manitoba heartland. I told the customs guy at Vancouver airport that I was transferring over to Winnipeg and he raised an eyebrow: “Really? Why?"

Gate, Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba, Canada — Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba is rarely visited by international visitors.

International tourists don’t come to Winnipeg, and they certainly don’t continue on to modest Riding Mountain (elevation, 756 metres). At least, they don’t come here in the sort of numbers that make it to the Rocky Mountains or to Montreal or Niagara Falls. Winnipeg just isn’t one of those places.

Museum of Human Rights, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada — The Museum of Human Rights Winnipeg is an icon on the city skyline and one of the most important public institutions in North America.

As a result it can feel like you have this wonderful area to yourself. Just you and the elks and the guy with the plastic baseball bat. Even the city is a revelation. Turns out Winnipeg is a hub for arts and creative culture, with galleries, museums, architecture, local fashion, street art, and an incredible live music scene. This is Neil Young’s hometown. The legendary Canadian punk band Propagandhi hail from Winnipeg. This city also has Confusion Corner, otherwise known as Osborne Junction, the meeting point of several major roads that is notoriously and hilariously difficult to navigate.

North End Murals, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada — North End is an eclectic artsy neighbourhood of Winnipeg. (Image: Travel Manitoba)

Back at Riding Mountain, Celes is in his element. He’s spotted a family of beavers in a pond near the track. He points out native plants that appear to the naked eye to be quite plain and uninteresting, and yet viewed through Celes’s loving gaze they become so fascinating and important.

Beaver Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba, Canada — A beaver collects building material in Riding Mountain National Park, (Image: Travel Manitoba)

That elk is still out there, somewhere, evading our search. Celes brings the plastic baseball bat up to his lips and lets out another hooting call. It’s answered, somewhere far off in the trees. “Incredible," Celes breathes, even though he’s heard it so many times before.

We never do spot the animal. We spend all day tramping around Riding Mountain, taking in the scenery, breathing in the clean air that’s so occasionally spiced with the tang of something primal.

Bison Riding Mountain National Park Manitoba Canada — Bison also call Riding Mountain National Park home. (Image: Travel Manitoba)

We soak up not the joy of a seeing but the pleasure of searching, watching someone, an expert, a professional, so perfectly content. That is an experience; that is a story.

These days, Celes has actually moved on from Riding Mountain. He’s taken Earth Rhythms, his eco-tourism collective, and shifted it to the Bay of Fundy, another incredible natural attraction, this time over on Canada’s east coast. There, Celes applies his unique passion in all new ways, though there’s no doubt he’s still on the lookout for elk.

Canada, of course, is all about these characters. It’s all about people. It’s the interactions here that make the holiday, not simply the places themselves.

Next week I’m meeting another character: Nancy Greene Raine, septuagenarian, former Canadian senator and former winter Olympian, who is going to take me on a tour of her local ski slopes and absolutely school me in the art of downhill racing. Come along for the ride.

Want more? Check out our Meanwhile in Canada collection

Or our essential guide to Manitoba and what to do in Winnipeg.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.

Meanwhile in Canada… we pick up the scent of elk urine

There’s no one else in the world like Celes Davar. Not even close.

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