Itinerary
Just off the eastern edge of Newfoundland, the Atlantic is the habitat for some of the world's most tremendous coastal experiences; millions of seabirds, rites of passage for Humpback whales and a parade of towering icebergs in the final days of their million-year existence. The Great Northern Peninsula, home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site- Gros Morne National Park is a world away from space and time as we know it. We will stand where Vikings stood and experience an unique cultural journey as we travel throughout the Maritime islands of eastern Canada- whose people share an overwhelming desire to welcome all visitors to their respective shores.
Day 1 - Saturday 8 August
Sydney - Vancouver
Depart Sydney on our flight to Canada. As we cross the International Dateline we gain a day and arrive Vancouver on Saturday morning. Upon arrival and after clearing airport formalities we will be met and transferred to our hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure. D
Day 2- Sunday 9 August
Vancouver, Butchart Gardens Victoria Island
This morning we transfer to the wharf to join our car-ferry for the 95 minute crossing of the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver Island. On arrival we drive to magnificent Butchart Gardens. In 1904, Jennie Butchart began to beautify a worked-out quarry site and her venture remains a family commitment to horticulture and hospitality spanning over 100 years. After our visit we continue on and enjoy a short tour of Victoria. Later this afternoon we re-join the ferry for our journey back to Vancouver and our hotel. This evening is at leisure.B
Day 3 - Monday 10 August
Vancouver - Quebec City
An early transfer to the airport to join our trans - Canada flight to Quebec City with a transit stop in Toronto. On arrival we are met and transferred to our hotel, situated in Old Quebec. The balance of today is at leisure.B
Day 4 - Tuesday 11 August
Quebec City
This morning, our guide takes us on a tour of Quebec City, the only fortified city north of Mexico and an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Experience the European charm of the first French settlement in North America. We visit the upper and lower cities - with their cobblestone streets lined with boutiques and cafes. We also visit the Plains of Abraham, where in 1759 the future of a continent was decided. This afternoon and evening are free to discover this delightful city on your own. B
Day 5 - Wednesday 12 August
Quebec City - Newfoundland
Transfer to the airport this morning to join our flight to St. John's. On arrival, we meet our Newfoundland driver and local guide for an intriguing tour of the old seaport city of St. John's. Enjoy the Victorian architecture of the downtown area, the busy modern waterfront, the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Confederation building, Quidi Vidi and the panoramic view from Signal Hill before arriving at our hotel. This evening is at leisure.B
Day 6 - Thursday 13 August
St John's, Witless Bay, Cape Spear
Our tour of Newfoundland commences with a visit to Witless Bay Ecological Reserve where we take an entertaining boat tour (weather permitting) to view whales and seabirds, including Atlantic puffins, the official bird of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Witless Bay Ecological Reserve contains North America's largest Atlantic puffin colony. More than 260,000 pairs of birds nest here. We then drive to the most easterly point in North America, Cape Spear National Historic Site. The majestic and graceful Humpback is the most commonly sighted whale at Cape Spear. Their acrobatic displays always captivate and excite those privileged to catch a glimpse of them. We return to St. John's for the balance of today at leisure. Be sure to visit George Street, which houses more pubs than any other street in North America! BL
Day 7 - Friday 14 August
St John's - Port Rexton
This morning we are off to explore the Baccalieu Trail on the peninsula between Conception Bay and Trinity Bay. We visit Heart's Content Cable Station Provincial Historic Site where the first successful transatlantic cable was received in 1866. We'll stop in the charming village of Brigus and visit Hawthorne Cottage National Historic Site, home of Captain Bob Bartlett the ice pilot who guided Robert Peary on his polar expedition in 1908. We then drive to nearby Harbour Grace, where Amelia Earhart began her solo flight across the Atlantic in 1932. After a thrilling day, we arrive at our hotel.BD
Day 8 - Saturday 15 August
Port Rexton, Skerwink Trail
Today we have the opportunity for some light-hiking and bird watching on the Skerwink Trail. Skerwink is know as one of the top 3 trails in Canada. The intriguing features of Skerwink have assumed names corresponding to their shape. Sea stacks, particularly on the Port Rexton side, have names such as 'Music Box' for the music created when the wind blows around them and 'Flat Fish' given its resemblance to a Flounder. We may be lucky and spot eagles, ospreys, whales, foxes, moose and icebergs. Distinctive wildflowers and berries abound along these coastal paths.We return to our hotel mid-afternoon.BLD
Day 9 - Sunday 16 August
Port Rexton - Twillingate
Our journey today takes us to beautiful Terra Nova National Park. The Park is a place where long fingers of the North Atlantic Ocean touch the island boreal forest of eastern Newfoundland, and rocky headlands provide shelter from the awesome power of the open ocean. Here, we will enjoy a brief orientation film about the park and take a tour of the marine exhibits with a Park's Canada local guide. We then drive on to Twillingate and our hotel.BD
Day 10 - Monday 17 August
Twillingate, Long Point Lighthouse
We set out today to explore the charming outport of Twillingate, positioned at the entrance to Notre Dame Bay. It is one of Newfoundland's oldest seaports and during the 1800's was the most active and prosperous community in northern Newfoundland. We will learn about the area's history, the great seal hunt and its famous 'daughter', opera singer, Georgina Stirling during our visit to the local museum. We will also learn about Newfoundland and Labrador's fishing heritage on a guided tour of an historic fishing premises, complete with a traditional fisherman's wharf, bark pots, puncheons and splittin' table for the once abundant northern cod. On the drive back to our hotel, we make a pleasurable stop at Auk Island Winery (an unusual sight in Newfoundland). The winery is named in remembrance of the Great Auk that became extinct in 1844. It was the original Penguin and was found in great numbers around Notre Dame Bay and the Funk Islands. This evening we enjoy the experience of a local dinner-theatre show. BD
Day 11 - Tuesday 18 August
Twillingate - Gros Morne National Park - Cow Head
Today we drive through the harsh interior wilderness to Gros Morne National Park, one of the highlights of our trip. Situated on the west coast of the island, the park provides a rare example of the process of continental drift, where deep ocean crust and the rocks of the earth's mantle lie exposed. Most recent glacial action has resulted in some spectacular scenery, with coastal lowland, alpine plateau, fjords, glacial valleys, sheer cliffs, waterfalls and many pristine lakes. We will see the famous Tableland and Discovery Centre, before driving to our hotel in Cow Head. BD
Day 12 - Wednesday 19 August
Cow Head, Gros Morne National Park
A day of beauty and wonder as we delve further into Gros Morne National Park. We'll enjoy a walk into Western Brook Pond and embark on a boat tour along the incredible inland fjord and visit the Broom Point fishing exhibit, to discover how the marine mammals, birds and fish of the cold Gulf waters have attracted people to this site for more than 2,300 years. We continue to Rocky Harbour and visit Lobster Cove Head lighthouse which has marked the marine approach to Rocky Harbour and Bonne Bay since 1897. This evening we become honorary Newfoundlanders at a 'Screech In'. Named for a Jamaican rum brought back by sailors in the 1700s, Screech soon became a Newfoundland favourite and has remained so for generations.BD
Day 13 - Thursday 20 August
Cow Head - Port aux Choix - L'Anse aux Meadows - St Anthony
Our journey takes us north along the coast, stopping at Arches Provincial Park en-route to Port aux Choix National Historic Site. For over 5500 years, this small peninsula has been the crossroads of various native North American and European cultures. L'Anse aux Meadows Historic Site, an UNESCO World Heritage Site is our next stop. The reconstructions of three Norse buildings are the focal point of this archaeological site, the earliest known European settlement in the New World. We continue to Dark Tickle Economuseum where our guide takes us along an interpretive trail to a typical Newfoundland bog where wild berries, such as bakeapple, partridge and squash berries thrive in their native habitat. Afterwards, relish a sampling of products made with local berries before driving to our hotel in St. Anthony.BD
Day 14 - Friday 21 August
St Anthony - Plum Point
A later start this morning allows time to walk to Fishing Point at the end of town to perhaps sight passing whales. We then explore The Grenfell Historic Properties, which celebrate the legacy of a great man - Sir Wilfred Grenfell, who practiced medicine, built hospitals and established schools and orphanages in the region. As we drive through pristine wilderness towards Plum Point keep your eyes open for moose and even black bear!BD
Day 15 - Saturday 22 August
Plum Point - Corner brook - Port aux Basques
We continue south following the coast to Corner Brook, the second largest city in Newfoundland. Capitan James Cook, the famous British cartographer and explorer, was the first to survey and record the geography of the Bay of Islands. Throughout the summer of 1767 he surveyed most of the area and copies of the maps he created are displayed at the Captain James Cook Monument in Corner Brook. After our tour of the city we drive through the Codroy Valley to Port aux Basques and our hotel. A natural, deep water port, it was named in the 1500's by the Basques fishermen and used as a haven in storms and a base for fishing and exploration on the north east coast of North America.BD
Day 16 - Sunday 23 August
Port aux Basques - Baddeck, Nova Scotia
This morning we join our Marine Atlantic ferry for the 6-hour crossing to North Sydney, Nova Scotia. We disembark and drive to Baddeck in the heart of Nova Scotia's world famous Cabot Trail, firmly planted in the centre of Cape Breton Island along the shores of the mighty Bras d'Or Lakes. The town's most famous resident was the illustrious Alexander Graham Bell, who moved to the area in 1885 shortly after inventing the telephone. This evening is at leisure.B
Day 17 - Monday 24 August
Baddeck - Cavendish, Prince Edward Island
Today we cross the Canso Causeway and travel to Caribou to board our ferry for the 75-minute journey across the Northumberland Strait to Canada's smallest province - Prince Edward Island. You will be captivated during your visit to this island shaped by the sea. We stop at the Greenwich Interpretation Centre on the scenic North Shore and view a state-of-the-art presentation about one of Canada's unique ecosystems. We continue to Cavendish, in the heart of 'Anne's Land' and onto our hotel. This evening is at leisure. B
Day 18 - Tuesday 25 August
Cavendish, Prince Edward Island National Park
Our day commences with a visit to Green Gables, made famous around the world as the inspiration for the setting in Lucy Maud Montgomery's classic tale of fiction, 'Anne of Green Gables'. Dip our toes in the ocean at Cavendish Beach in Prince Edward Island National Park, renowned for its red sandstone cliffs, fine white sand beaches and rolling sand dunes. We return to our hotel to relax before tonight's true Maritime experience, the Lobster Dinner, a fitting finale to our time on the Maritime Islands. After dinner we return to our hotel. BD
Day 19 - Wednesday 26 August
Cavendish - Charlottetown - Montreal
Transfer to Charlottetown Airport where we say farewell to our Newfoundland driver and join our flight to Montreal. Upon arrival we are met and transferred to our hotel. En-route to the hotel we have an overview tour of the city including Mont Royal. This evening is free to relax or explore Montreal at your leisure. B
Day 20 - Thursday 27 August
Montreal
Our guide will call this morning and escort us on a two-hour walking tour of downtown and Old Montreal. Our tour includes the underground city, Dorchester Square, the monuments, cobblestone streets and fortified walls of Old Montreal, Notre Dame Basilica, farmer's market, the old fort where artisans sell their wares and onto Sailor's Chapel. At the end of our tour we will be guided to the nearest metro station and provided with a ticket to return to our hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure. You may wish to stay in Old Montreal to further explore and enjoy lunch at one of the many restaurants in the area. All restaurants must post their menu in a location that is easily seen from the street. There are also museums and excellent shopping located close by our hotel.B
Day 21 - Friday 28 August
Montreal - Vancouver - Sydney
This morning is free for last minute sightseeing prior to check-out. This afternoon we transfer to the airport to join our flight to Vancouver where we have a transit stop prior to boarding our onward flight to Sydney.B
Day 22 - Saturday 29 August
In flight
Cross International dateline.
Day 23 - Sunday 30 August
Sydney
Arrive Sydney this morning with wonderful memories of our extraordinary tour of Maritime Canada.
