In our last blog post, we introduced our Canadian Geographic expeditions and dove into why they are so successful with our guests year after year.
Handpicked by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, our hosts herald from a variety of professional backgrounds and each will provide a unique and inspiring perspective on Canada’s great wilderness rivers.
Read on to be introduced to our 2025 Canadian Geographic hosts!
Liz Beatty – Nahanni River
Liz Beatty is a Society of American Travel Writers and North America Travel Writers Association
award winner for feature writing, broadcasting and podcasting. She’s now host and producer of the award-winning “North Americana” podcast — unearthing surprising stories that connect Americans and Canadians.
Liz been a regular contributor to National Geographic Travel magazine, books and blogs for years. She writes too for The Guardian, T+L, AARP, The Walrus, Canadian Geographic, Toronto Life and others. She’s an alumna of the revered Transom Radio Documentary Workshop. In a previous life, she headed up communications for some of travel’s most enviable brands. A few years ago, Liz launched Native Traveler as host and executive producer. Native Traveler won top honours in radio broadcasting/podcasting from both the Society of American Travel Writers and the North American Travel Journalists Association. Liz’s contribution to SiriusXM continues today on her weekly national travel segment for Canada Now on Canada Talks, Channel 167.
This year, Liz will be joining us on our 12 Day Nahanni Rafting Expedition, July 27 – August 8.
Journeying through the wonders of Nailicho (Virginia Falls) and the Canyon Kingdom – the deepest in Canada! – Liz will offer unique perspectives on the history and geography of the Nahanni in addition to the profound expertise of our world class guide team.
David Gray
With more than three decades of experience as a journalist, former CBC Radio host David Gray has filed stories from around the world, focusing on Europe and North America. Based in Calgary, David is an avid adventurer, diver, skier, and cyclist.
David, a Fellow of the RCGS, has travelled by sea with the RCGS in the Eastern Arctic and Atlantic Canada, (including a particularly memorable excursion to Sable Island). On the West Coast he has explored the islands of Haida Gwaii and continues to serve as a guest lecturer aboard Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth II to Alaska. He also hosted a conversation with a prestigious panel of Indigenous leaders at the 2018 Fellows Dinner at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, and a more informal gathering of Western-based Fellows at McDougall Centre in Calgary.
Whether it’s skiing from the heights of the Chic-Choc Mountains down to the shores of Gaspe,
kayaking Johnstone Strait with the orcas of Robson Bight, or hiking the ridges of the Bugaboos
above the glaciers of the Purcells, David has a deep passion for Canada’s wild spaces. He is an
amateur ornithologist and former park naturalist, with a growing passion for photography. He has also launched a new Canada-wide podcast, GraydioCanada.
His documentary work has won numerous national and international awards and he is a frequent guest host on well-known CBC radio programs such as “As it Happens”, “Sunday Edition” and “Cross Country Checkup”. His daily morning program “The Calgary Eyeopener” was one of Canada’s top-rated local radio shows for over a decade.
In his spare time, he performs with Calgary band Sweet Potato.
David will be joining us on our Taseko and Chilcotin Rafting Expedition, August 23 – 31, 2025.
As we paddle through some of British Columbia’s rawest nature the Chilcotin Plateau- including desert badlands, alpine vistas and awe-inspiring canyons! – David will be providing stories and insights gained from a lifetime dedicated to documenting human stories from across Canada.
We have just a few seats left on these expeditions – get in touch with our friendly Expedition Planning Team to start planning your river trip of a lifetime!
