Atlantic Canada Encompassed

Arrive in Halifax and check into your accommodation, ideally located in the heart of this vibrant and cosmopolitan city on the Atlantic Ocean. This evening, meet your tour guide and fellow travellers at a welcome meeting. The rest of the day is at your leisure.

Please note: This is a modular tour, meaning it is comprised of several shorter tours. This means that some members of your tour group may not accompany you for the whole tour, and other travellers may join the group part way through. Your tour guide and vehicle may also change. However, the maximum group size will never be exceeded.

Halifax - Bay of Fundy - Moncton. Discover the Bay of Fundy and witness the world's highest tides as we journey along its vibrant coastline to New Brunswick. Along the way, we visit the Joggins Fossil Cliffs, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, featuring remarkably exposed rock layers that display the most comprehensive fossil record of life from the "Coal Age" of 300 million years ago.

Upon arriving in New Brunswick, enjoy a delectable lobster dinner aboard a lobster boat. Then, proceed to Moncton and settle into your downtown hotel for the night.

Moncton - Saint John. This morning, we explore the remarkable natural wonder of the Hopewell Rocks, situated along the coastline of the Bay of Fundy. We admire the towering flowerpot-shaped formations, sculpted by the world's highest tides. Travelling through Fundy National Park, we make our way to Saint John, Canada's first incorporated city, located on the southern coast of New Brunswick.

Here, we take part in an included city tour, a highlight being the fascinating Reversing Falls, where the powerful tides of the Bay of Fundy cause the Saint John River to change direction twice daily. We then settle into our accommodation in Saint John for a two-night stay.

Saint John - St. Andrews - Saint John. We are embarking on a day trip to the picturesque town of St. Andrews by-the-Sea. You will have free time to explore the area and we will also enjoy an included sightseeing and whale watching boat tour (weather permitting). We will enjoy wonderful views of the coastline and hope to spot species including minke whales, humpbacks and white-sided dolphins. If we are exceedingly lucky, and depending on the season, we may even spot a North Atlantic right whale - this is the most endangered whale in the world, with just a few hundred animals remaining. We return to Saint John for the night.

Saint John - Digby. This morning, we take the ferry back to Nova Scotia and arrive in Digby, renowned as the scallop capital of the world. This enchanting town, rich in history, offers us a blend of fresh sea air and vibrant Acadian culture. We check into our hotel, which boasts stunning views of the Annapolis Basin on the Bay of Fundy. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Digby - Annapolis Valley - Halifax. We explore the lush Annapolis Valley, the site of the French Acadians' first settlement at Grand Pre in the early 1600s. Here, we uncover the history that led to this region’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where fact and legend combine to reveal the romance of the Land of Evangeline. We enjoy a tour and tasting at a local winery before returning to Halifax for a two-night stay.

Halifax - Peggy's Cove - Lunenburg - Halifax. We experience the rustic charm of Peggy’s Cove, a renowned fishing village where we can enjoy breakfast with a view of one of the world’s most photographed lighthouses.

We then journey along the South Shore to the UNESCO World Heritage Town of Lunenburg, famous for its Grand Banks fishing schooner fleets. Exploring this well-preserved colonial settlement on a walking tour, we also visit the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic to delve into the town’s rich maritime history.

Halifax - Prince Edward Island - Charlottetown. We discover the Mi'kmaq people at the Millbrook Cultural & Heritage Centre before travelling across the Confederation Bridge, the world's longest continuous multi-span bridge, to reach Prince Edward Island.

We check into our accommodation in Charlottetown for a two-night stay, where we can enjoy a theatre performance by local entertainers at the Confederation Centre of the Arts (please note that substitutions may be necessary depending on the theatre schedule).

Charlottetown - Prince Edward Island National Park - Charlottetown. Enjoy a leisurely morning in Charlottetown, the birthplace of Canada, or take part in a complimentary walking tour of the city. In the afternoon, we explore the picturesque North Shore of the island, passing by the red cliffs, white beaches, gently sloping sand dunes, and green fields of Prince Edward Island National Park.

We also visit the Anne of Green Gables Heritage Place, the delightful setting that inspired Lucy Maud Montgomery’s famous novels. In the evening, we experience true Maritime hospitality with a traditional hall-style lobster supper.

Charlottetown - Baddeck. We take the ferry across the Northumberland Strait back to Nova Scotia and continue to Cape Breton Island, often called the Scotland of North America, via the Canso Causeway.

Upon arrival, we enjoy an included sightseeing boat tour on the the beautiful Bras d’Or Lake. We are staying in the charming village of Baddeck for the next two nights.

Baddeck - Cape Breton Highlands National Park - Baddeck. Today, we embark on one of North America’s most breathtaking drives as we explore the Cabot Trail. This route winds around the rocky beauty of Cape Breton’s northern shore and ascends to the remarkable plateaus of Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Scenic lookouts offer unforgettable views of the island’s rugged coastline, so we’ll keep our cameras ready. We also visit the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site, where we can learn of the many accomplishments of the genius who made his home on the island.

Baddeck - North Sydney - Port aux Basques. This morning, we explore the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site, which stands today as an impressive reconstruction, representing one-fifth of the 1744 New France settlement. Then it's on to North Sydney, from where we embark on the Marine Atlantic ferry for a comfortable overnight journey to Port aux Basques, which serves as our gateway to the island of Newfoundland.

Please note: The Marine Atlantic ferry schedule varies annually, so a daytime crossing may be required, which could necessitate an overnight stay in Port aux Basques. This accommodation will be included in your tour price, if required.

Port aux Basques - Port au Choix. Disembarking the ferry in Newfoundland this morning, we head through the Codroy Valley and the stunning Gros Morne National Park, which we will have the opportunity to explore later on during our tour.

Our destination today is the fishing community of Port au Choix, where we will learn about the ancient cultures that have inhabited the Port au Choix Peninsula. This area, which juts slightly into the Gulf of St. Lawrence on Newfoundland’s northwest coast, has been home to people for 5,500 years.

Port au Choix - L'Anse au Clair. We board the ferry from St. Barbe across the Strait of Belle Isle to reach Labrador this morning. Our next stop is Red Bay National Historic Site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the Basques operated a whaling station in the 16th century. We're spending the night in Labrador.

L'Anse au Clair - St Anthony. We return to Newfoundland and travel to L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site, the first cultural discovery in the world to be recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, we will learn about the Vikings who roamed this area over a thousand years ago. After our visit, we will proceed to our accommodation in St. Anthony for the night.

St Anthony - Cow Head. We begin our day with a morning whale-watching boat tour off the coast of St. Anthony (weather permitting). We will enjoy wonderful views of the coastline and hope to spot species including minke whales, humpbacks and white-sided dolphins.

Afterwards, we will head to Cow Head in Gros Morne National Park, where we will stay for two nights. The months of June and early July offer the best opportunities to see icebergs as large as the Titanic!

Today we are exploring UNESCO-listed Gros Morne National Park, beginning with a scenic boat tour on Bonne Bay. We’ll be on the lookout for bald eagles that are frequently spotted near the deep waters of the fjord.

Additionally, we will visit the Tablelands, an impressive flat-topped mountain made of rock typically found deep within the Earth’s mantle, which offers a truly awe-inspiring sight. Today promises to be unforgettable, as many believe the scenery in Gros Morne is unparalleled in Eastern Canada. We spend a second night in Cow Head.

Please note: You may request when booking that instead of today's included Bonne Bay boat tour and Tablelands visit, you take a scenic boat tour on Western Brook Pond and visit the Broom Point Fishing Premises instead. There is a 45-minute walk (3 km/2 miles) from the parking lot to the dock and a 45-minute walk back. This option must be requested on booking.

Cow Head - Gander. As our visit to Gros Morne National Park comes to an end, we keep our cameras at the ready. We journey through Central Newfoundland to Gander, a town renowned as the inspiration for the hit Broadway musical "Come From Away."

We can discover the remarkable hospitality and kindness shown by local residents in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks, when 38 airplanes made unexpected landings in the town. We also make sure to explore the North Atlantic Aviation Museum, which features a variety of artefacts and exhibits highlighting Gander's significant role in the evolution of transatlantic aviation.

Gander - Terra Nova National Park - Clarenville. A picturesque drive along the rugged coast of Notre Dame Bay takes us to Twillingate, where we explore the Long Point Lighthouse and the Prime Berth Fishery & Heritage Centre. Keep your camera ready for wildlife sightings as we pass through Terra Nova National Park on our way to Clarenville.

Clarenville - Bonavista - Trinity - Clarenville. Today, we explore two charming and historic towns on a day trip from Clarenville. We begin our journey in Bonavista, the site where John Cabot first landed in North America in 1497. Learn about the challenging lives of the lighthouse keepers at the Cape Bonavista Lighthouse Provincial Historic Site. Afterwards, we head to Trinity, where there is free time to wander the streets and admire the numerous 18th-century buildings that have been meticulously preserved. Then it's back to Clarenville for the night.

Clarenville - St. Johns. We proceed to the historic seaport of St. John's, where we will stay for the next two nights. As North America’s oldest city and the capital of Newfoundland, St. John's is beautifully situated among the granite cliffs and slopes of the Avalon Peninsula. We take an included city tour to explore the Victorian architecture of the downtown area, the bustling modern waterfront, the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, the Confederation Building, and the breathtaking panoramic views from Signal Hill.

This morning, we head to Bay Bulls for a memorable highlight of our trip: a boat tour (weather permitting) through the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve, where we can look for puffins and other seabirds. Afterwards, we visit Cape Spear National Historic Site, the most easterly point in North America. The afternoon is free for you to further explore St. John's at your own pace.

Our tour comes to an end today, after a final breakfast at the hotel and check out.