“I believe that ever since I was very young, my dreams have followed me everywhere! There were certainly many times when I thought I had forgotten them, but life’s path has always led me back to them, or even to develop them further—whether I expected it or not. I learned to live with nature through the small villages where I grew up. I discovered water in all its movements, and now it is a companion in my life, keeping me in balance. I need wide open spaces; that is why the North, which is still undeveloped and little coveted, has always attracted and intrigued me. I love helping and defending all living things that cannot express themselves. I need fresh air and to embrace what life gives us.”
Karine Genest, a graduate in Tourism from the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, is an expedition guide with more than 25 years of experience. A rafting, trekking, and polar bear observation guide, she has many strings to her bow. She has been a Yukon resident for over 20 years and is a key member of the tourism industry.
Her love of nature, however, precedes her career and dates back to her early childhood. Through this special connection, Karine shares her passion and environmentalist outlook in conferences on various subjects, including “Leave No Trace” ethics during excursions, the protection of wild rivers, and proper behavior in “bear country.”
Publications such as Géo Plein Air, Espace Magazine, and the Aurore Boréale newspaper regularly seek her expertise in outdoor activities, expedition management, and appropriate behavior when venturing into bear country. An occasional photographer, her images have illustrated numerous articles about the North, wildlife, and bears. She has also written a series of articles on Churchill’s polar bears for Aurore Boréale, a Yukon newspaper.
Karine has extensive television experience. She took part in the En quête d’aventure series in 2005 during the expedition 4 Girls, One River, where she served as the leader on a 25-day rafting trip. This adventure was carried out in collaboration with the Rivière Foundation to promote Quebec’s wild rivers. Karine and her team filmed and documented the journey, while the Vic Pelletier production company created a feature report.
Also in the television field, Karine has worked as a location scout. Since starting her career as a polar bear viewing guide in Churchill (Manitoba) in 2010, she has participated in seasons 1 and 2 of Polar Bear Town, a series broadcast on OLN and the Smithsonian Channel. In addition, the series Guides d’aventures, aired on Unis, featured her in one of its episodes.
Karine is now a producer of nature documentaries. She produced, directed, and hosted several films, including L’Esprit des Ours on Unis TV; Arctic Oasis, about Arctic polynyas, aired on Radio-Canada’s Explora channel; Ecosystem Engineer; My Food Forest… She also hosts the documentary Frontière verte, broadcast on Unis TV.
In addition to her work in film and guiding, Karine hosts the radio show Rencontre on Radio-Canada North since 2024, where she continues to share her passion for people, stories, and the natural world.