There are so many reasons to visit Canada and the United States yet on the backpacker trail they are often overlooked. It’s no wonder that people are intimidated by backpacking Canada it’s huge! Canada is the second largest country in the world and its population is the same as Uganda. It has a total area of 9.9 million square kilometers so this population is quite spread out across the country. But to pass over Canada because of its size could almost be considered discriminative.

Canada has so much to offer backpackers and those with perseverance can cross the country in a summer. To travel the country on a budget you will need to take the bus or book your flights in advance. There is a budget airline, WestJet, you can use to further ease your budget belt. If you plan on traveling by bus there are passes that you can buy for a specified amount of days that will allow you to travel anywhere in Canada or the United States. The pass can be purchased from Greyhound or Greyhound Canada. Traveling by bus is economical in North America but you should be prepared for long bus rides, especially in Canada.

While the United States is not as large in landmass as Canada it is still a huge country to tackle. The population is denser in the U.S. and there are seemingly more attractions to see. The United States of America covers 9.8 million square kilometers (just slightly smaller than Canada) and has a population of over 300 million people. Instead of trying to see it all it would be wise to pick a region when you are backpacking the United States and expand your journey as time allows. Of course, if your budget can withstand multiple flights then perhaps a whirlwind tour of the U.S. could be achieved in one summer.