Two people and a black and tan dog pose for a selfie in front of a turquoise alpine lake, with a dramatic jagged mountain peak and forested slopes in the background under cloudy skies

Bohdan Dryhval

Co-founder · Routes & Logistics

Bull elk with large antlers standing beside a cow elk grazing near a lake surrounded by coniferous forest

Anna Dryhval

Co-founder · Stories & Photography

About Bohdan

I’m Bohdan, a Ukrainian-Canadian travel writer and the co-founder of Explorer Canada. Together with my wife Anna and our dachshund Nika, I’ve driven over 23,000 km across Canada and through 12 countries in Eastern Europe — and I write about every kilometer of it.

My obsession with road trips started long before Canada. Back in Ukraine, my favorite weekends were spent driving between small towns with Anna — no hotels booked, no plans beyond the next coffee stop, just music, road, and the slow unfolding of places we’d never seen. When we moved to Winnipeg in 2023, I expected to lose that feeling. Instead, I found a country built for it.

Canada turned out to be a road trip in itself. Endless prairie highways, mountain passes that change weather every twenty minutes, lakes you find by accident on a side road. Most travel guides tell you about Banff and Niagara Falls. I write about the parts in between — the parking lot in Saskatchewan where we watched a thunderstorm roll in, the picnic spot in Birds Hill Park 30 minutes from Winnipeg that locals take for granted, the gas station coffee on the way to Riding Mountain that I still remember.

On Explorer Canada, I cover routes I’ve actually driven, costs I’ve actually paid, and stops worth the detour. No AI-generated itineraries. No “10 best places” lists written from a desk. Just real roads, real distances, and honest notes on what was worth it and what wasn’t.

If you’re planning a road trip across Canada — or a 4-day drive from Riga to the Transfăgărășan — start with the routes section. If you have a question about a specific province, border, or pet-friendly stop, get in touch. I read every email.

Why trust my routes

My favorite journey

Canada Strong Pass 2026: What’s Actually Free This Summer

June 19 to September 7, 2026, national parks are free across Canada. Here is exactly what is included, what is not, and one detail most posts get wrong.

Bohdan's stories

Yellow and black aircraft numbered 228 mounted on a pole in a park, with bare trees and clear blue sky in the background
Canada's largest outdoor military aircraft display, a Tim Hortons under the flight path, and a quiet Sunday evening to wind down. Right in Winnipeg.
Clear turquoise river flowing through a dense forest valley, with a sandy beach and driftwood log in the foreground, surrounded by tall evergreen trees and rocky cliffs
June 19 to September 7, 2026, national parks are free across Canada. Here is exactly what is included, what is not, and one detail most posts get wrong.
Half Moon retro diner with neon signage lit at dusk, featuring vintage cars parked in front and menu boards advertising burgers, hot dogs, and chips
Most Winnipeggers know Lockport as a fishing spot. It turns out to be much more — a 1938 retro diner, a hundred-year-old engineering wonder, and a Stanley Cup story you would not expect.
A winding mountain road with numerous switchbacks descends through a green valley flanked by rocky peaks
From Riga to Romania in four days — through Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and finally the curves of the Transfăgărășan. Day-by-day route, real costs, and everything we wish we'd known before we left.
Riga skyline across the Daugava River, with historic spires and church towers on the left bank under a cloudy sky
A spontaneous work trip to Riga turned into a 4,200 km drive through 7 countries to one of the world's greatest roads. This is how it all started.
A dirt path runs through a tall pine forest with grass and undergrowth on both sides, leading toward a distant horizon with sunlight breaking through the trees
We are Bohdan, Anna, and Nika — a young family from Ukraine now calling Canada home. In this first post, we share how our love for the road began, what inspired us to travel more intentionally, and how that journey led to Explorer Canada.

Share your Canada story

Tell us briefly about your trip. If your story inspires us, we'll reach out by email to hear the full version — and feature it on Explorer Canada.

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