How Azure Horizons Began
In 2018, Maya Okonkwo and James Liu were working in Toronto hospitality — she managed a boutique hotel in the Entertainment District, he guided part-time canoe trips in Algonquin — when they kept hearing the same complaint from guests: "We saw the CN Tower and Niagara Falls, but we didn't really see Canada."
They started leading informal food walks for hotel guests on weekends. Those walks sold out through word of mouth. Azure Horizons Tours launched officially in 2019 from a small desk on Queen Street West, with a commitment to never putting more than twelve people on a departure and never using a script written by someone who hadn't walked the route that week.
Our Travel Philosophy
We believe the best travel happens at human pace. Our guides live in the neighbourhoods, parks, and towns they lead — they're not flown in from a central office with a binder of talking points. Itineraries include structured highlights and unstructured wandering time, because the best discoveries rarely appear on a schedule.
We partner with farms and producers in the Okanagan, Prince Edward County, and Niagara for our food and wine tours. Our Indigenous Storytelling Walk is co-led with partner guides from Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. Traceability and respect for local communities aren't marketing lines for us — they're how we decide which routes to run.
The Space
Our Queen Street West storefront is part booking office, part traveller lounge. Floor-to-ceiling windows, plants everywhere, a gear hire counter for canoe weekends, and a wall map covered in pins marking every departure we've run since 2019. Drop in before your trip for a coffee and a route briefing — or just to plan your next adventure.
Our Values
Sustainability
Rail over fly, reusable bottles on every trip, and carbon offset on all multi-day departures.
Inclusion
Accessible routes marked clearly, vegan options on every food tour, and sliding-scale community walks.
Curiosity
Itineraries built around questions, not photo stops. We encourage you to put the phone down sometimes.
Community
Local hiring, local purchasing, and monthly free walks co-led with neighbourhood partners.
Meet the Team
Maya Okonkwo
Co-Founder & Head of Experiences
Maya designs every itinerary and still leads the Toronto street food tour twice a month. Fifteen years in hospitality across Toronto and Montreal.
James Liu
Co-Founder & Lead Outdoor Guide
James runs all Algonquin and Bruce Peninsula departures. ORCKA-certified canoe instructor and former Ontario Parks interpreter.
Claire Beaumont
Operations & Community Manager
Claire manages departures, partner relations, and our monthly community events. Quebec City native who knows every cobblestone in Vieux-Québec.