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

Winnipeg to Banff: An Honest 4-Day Rocky Mountains Road Trip

A 2 a.m. start, a long prairie haul, and then the impossibly blue lakes of the Rockies. Here’s our honest 4-day Winnipeg-to-Banff road trip — and everything you need to do it yourself.

Bohdan's stories

Black dog wading in a shallow river surrounded by rocky shores, coniferous forest, and a suspension bridge spanning the water under a clear blue sky
We finally caught one dry, sunny day between weeks of rain and drove out to Pinawa: a bridge, a channel loop, a few too many ticks, and a hydro station where we'd expected a waterfall.
Trail parking area with Canadian flags, parked vehicle, and wooded surroundings
A short trail along the Red River with 45 birdhouses, wooden carvings, picnic firepits and a story that started during the pandemic. Half an hour from Winnipeg.
Entrance to Friendship Trail, a forest path lined with wooden carved sculptures and a yellow sign on a fallen log overhead, surrounded by dense green trees
We thought rain killed our Sunday plan. It stopped before noon — and we ended up on a tiny trail that felt like a movie set.
Vibrant sunset over a calm Manitoba lake with orange, red, and yellow clouds reflected in the water, dark sand beach in the foreground
A centuries-old cottonwood, a sandy beach on Lake Manitoba, and a Métis community that still speaks Michif French. An hour from Winnipeg, and unlike anywhere else nearby.
Pebble beach at sunset with dramatic storm clouds and golden light breaking through over calm water
We didn't plan it. We just chased a red sunset to the nearest west-facing shore — and found a place we keep coming back to.
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.

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.

Thanks! 🍁 We read every submission. If your story fits Explorer Canada, we'll email you within a few days to hear more.