This comprehensive tour begins in Newfoundland & Labrador and features the best of "the Far East of the Western World". Travel from the northernmost tip of the island of Newfoundland to the most easterly point in North America through national parks - including Gros Morne, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Learn of ancient peoples - the Maritime Archaic, Vikings, and Basques - as you travel to coastal fishing communities to meet the friendly and hospitable people of today. Boat tours provide the opportunity to see whales, thousands of seabirds, and, depending on the time of the year, icebergs! Sample local food and drink to become an honorary "Newfoundlander"!
Day 1 After our transfer from Waterloo Region to Toronto Airport, we will arrive in Deer Lake and make your way to the Holiday Inn Express via your included transfer.
Day 2 After breakfast, transfer to your accommodations in Corner Brook at the Glynmill Inn. (B)
Day 3 Meet your Tour Director or Driver/Guide and other traveling companions this morning at your hotel and travel through Gros Morne National Park - to be enjoyed later on during your tour - to the fishing community of Port au Choix to learn of ancient cultures. The Port au Choix Peninsula juts slightly out into the Gulf of St. Lawrence on Newfoundland's northwest coast and people have lived here for 5,500 years. Sea Echo Motel, Port au Choix (B,L,D)
Day 4 Board the ferry from St. Barbe to cross the Strait of Belle Isle to Labrador. Continue to Red Bay National Historic Site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the Basques had a whaling station in the 16th century. This mystical place takes the essence of Labrador coastal living and transposes it onto a tapestry of rich culture and history. Spend the night in Labrador. Northern Light Inn, L’Anse au Clair (B,D)
Day 5 Return to Newfoundland and travel to L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site, the first cultural discovery in the world to receive recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hear of the Vikings who walked here over a thousand years ago before continuing on to your St. Anthony accommodations for the night. Haven Inn, St. Anthony (B,D)
Day 6 Enjoy a morning whale watching boat tour (weather permitting) in St. Anthony before travelling to Cow Head in Gros Morne National Park. Shallow Bay Motel, Cow Head (B,D)
Day 7 Discover why Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is truly one of the highlights of your trip with a scenic boat tour on Bonne Bay; be on the look-out for the bald eagles that frequent the deep waters of the fjord. Also, visit the Tablelands; this mountain of flat-topped rock of a kind usually found only deep in the earth’s mantle is an awe-inspiring sight. Today will be an unforgettable experience; some say the scenery that Gros Morne offers is unequaled in Eastern Canada. Shallow Bay Motel, Cow Head (B, Box L, D)
Option: Passengers may request on booking to take a scenic boat tour on Western Brook Pond and visit the Broom Point Fishing Premises in lieu of the scenic boat tour on Bonne Bay and visit the Tablelands. While some may consider the boat tour on Western Brook Pond to be a superior outing, please note that 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.
Day 8 Have your camera ready as your time in Gros Morne National Park draws to a close. Travel through Central Newfoundland on to Gander, famous as the basis of the hit Broadway Musical, Come From Away; learn about the hospitality and generosity of the local residents during the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks when 38 airplanes unexpectedly landed there. Also visit the North Atlantic Aviation Museum which hosts a variety of artifacts and displays chronicling Gander's role in the development of transatlantic aviation. Sinbad’s Hotel & Suites, Gander (B)
Day 9 A scenic drive along the rocky coast of Notre Dame Bay leads to the beautiful out port of Twillingate where you will visit Long Point Lighthouse and the Prime Berth Fishery & Heritage Centre. Keep your camera close at hand for wildlife as you drive through Terra Nova National Park and on to Clarenville for 2 nights. Quality Hotel, Clarenville (B,L,D)
Day 10 Today you will experience two quaint, historic towns. First, visit Bonavista, where John Cabot first arrived in North America in 1497. Learn about the hard life of the light keepers at Cape Bonavista Lighthouse Provincial Historic Site before continuing on to charming Trinity. Stroll the lanes and explore the many historic buildings preserved from the 18th century. (B,L,D)
Day 11 Continue on to the intriguing old seaport of St. John's, your home for the next two nights. North America's oldest city and Newfoundland's capital boasts a stunning location in the granite cliffs and slopes of the Avalon Peninsula. Enjoy a city tour featuring the Victorian architecture of the downtown area, the busy modern waterfront, the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Confederation Building, and the panoramic view from Signal Hill. (B,D) Delta Hotel, St. John’s
Day 12 This morning, visit Bay Bulls for one of the highlights of your trip, a boat tour (weather permitting) in the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve to search for puffins and other seabirds. Next is a visit to the most easterly point in North America, Cape Spear National Historic Site. The afternoon is yours to explore St. John's at your leisure. (B)
Day 13 Depart St. John's for your flight home. Atlantic Tours' arrangements end on check-out from the hotel. (B)
INCLUDES Airfare from Toronto to Deer Lake, and Airfare from St John’s to Toronto, Motor Coach Transportation, Airport Transfers, 12 Nights’ Accommodation, 24 Meals (12 Breakfasts (B), 4 Lunches (L), 8 Dinners (D), Sightseeing as Described, Services of Tour Director, & Taxes.
PRICE PER PERSON Twin $6,350 Triple $5,975 Quad $5,825 Single $7,700
Tour Arrangements in Newfoundland have been contracted through Atlantic Tours