NEW Trip for Summer 2024Magdalen Islands Haven WalkView Trip Details
Duration
8 days
Activities
  • Day walking
  • Scenic Boat Tour
  • Food Tour
Accommodation
  • Boutique Inn
  • Historic lighthouse
Meals
  • 7 Dinners
  • 7 Lunches
  • 7 Breakfasts

Price

$3890USD

* All prices subject to applicable taxes

Trip Code: CGL

Can-Geo-Adv-+-Travel-Partners-1

 

Overview

Trip highlights


  • Can Geo Collection Adventure
  • Escorted by David Gray - Journalist, former CBC Radio Host & Fellow of the RCGS
  • Enjoy guided hikes in Gros Morne National Park
  • Cruise the waters of dramatic Western Brook Pond Fjord
  • Visit UNESCO World Heritage site L'Anse aux Meadows
  • Get the best views of the Iceberg Alley around Quirpon Island
  • Sample incredible local cuisine, including food tour dinners
  • Keep an eye out for whales, moose, bald eagles, and much more

This exceptional experience of Western Newfoundland features Gros Morne National Park's natural wonders, a visit to the Norse Viking settlement at l'Anse aux Meadows and a stay at a historic lighthouse along the Iceberg Alley. Your journey of discovery will be filled with walking, cultural immersion, breathtaking scenery, wildlife, fine dining experiences and evenings to remember. We've selected the top day hikes in Gros Morne National Park and combined them with delicious Newfoundland cuisine, comfortable lodging, and cultural experiences. Newfoundlanders are renowned for being excellent storytellers and we will have the chance to hear tales from the Vikings during our visit to L'Anse aux Meadows, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the only Viking site in North America. Before concluding this adventure, we make our way to the northernmost tip of Newfoundland, where we will stay at the base of a still-operating lighthouse. Quirpon Island boasts the most extended iceberg viewing season in Newfoundland and an impressive number of whales off its shores.

Activities:
Grading:
2

Adventure touring

More info about grading system


Rating: 


You will be met at the Deer Lake Airport today and transferred to your accommodation on the north side of the park via the stunning 'Viking Trail' highway which provides your first glimpse of Gros Morne's dramatic coastal landscapes. After about an hour, we arrive at a pretty seaside village and settle into our comfortable accommodation, which will be home for the next four nights. The group will meet around 6:30pm for an evening orientation and dinner.

Meals:  L,D

Your day begins with a hike up Patridge Hill the start of Little Look Out Tail. As you climb the switch back trail you will be offered marvelous views of Woody Point, Bonne Bay and the Tablelands. At the top of the hike reward yourself by relaxing in a pair of iconic Parks Canada red chairs. This is one of the very best views in the entire park. From here you can see a panoramic view of all of the National Park from Gros Morne Mountain to the Tablelands. After this hike we will conquer the Tablelands. An incredible and rare spectacle of mountainous mantle rock. Dating back almost 500 million years ago when the tectonic plates were shifting and colliding, the Tablelands were thrust to the earth's surface. Usually far below the earth's crust, this is one of the few places in the world to see mantle rock. Your guide will lead you on the 4km walk across the peridotite ancient rock and will disclose to you why it is so rare. You will then be led off trail as you hike up the peridotite rock along the waterfall to the bowl of the Tablelands. Sit perched on the edge of the Tablelands while taking in the beauty of the park below. We end this memorable day with an evening food tour showcasing authentic Newfoundland cuisine with fresh and local ingredients.

Meals:  B,L,D

Today we are heading north to L'Anse aux Meadows. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is the only Viking site in North America. Meet a Viking (perhaps self-titled but questionably named 'Bjorn the Beautiful') in this 1000 year old village that has been brought to life. L'Anse aux Meadows shows where European Vikings first set foot in North America, 500 years before Columbus. At 4pm, we meet the ferry at the dock for our transfer through 'Iceberg Alley' to Quirpon Island. Choose to either walk the great 5.5km trail (1.5-2.5hrs) along the cliffs to the Lighthouse Inn, or take the boat transfer. You will be drawn into the life of an isolated lightkeeper as we enjoy a delicious dinner and spend the night at the northern tip of Newfoundland.

Meals:  B,L,D

Wake up early to discover the island and visit its unique sites and delicate biology. Take a walk along the cliff-top trails or explore the island following only your whims. Kittiwake colonies and eider ducks nesting in tiny coves where there used to be a fishing village are favourite spots. Watch for humpback, minke and orca whales and try to get a photo of a tail in front of a passing iceberg or a breaching whale with the lighthouse as a backdrop. Some of the best viewing and photos are from the land surrounding the inn, but this afternoon you have the chance to explore by zodiac. The water-based adventure takes you searching for wildlife, within a safe distance of icebergs and through tiny coves along the coast. While the humpbacks treat the zodiac as if it doesn't exist, feeding and swimming nearby, the orcas and dolphins will often make a point of visiting and potentially even touch the boat!

Meals:  B,L,D

Leaving the island around 10am today, we return through Iceberg Alley to the mainland. By now, you may be able to take your attention away from whales to watch for seals and otters. On the mainland, we visit the town of St. Anthony and learn the story of the British medical missionary, Sir Wilfred Grenfell. His remarkable perseverance and enthusiasm saved countless lives at the turn of the century, and his legacy still lives on. During your visit, you can enjoy the works of local artists, including whalebone carvings, paintings and clothing that evoke cultures that have survived for centuries. A visit to the Jordi Bonet murals in the rotunda of the hospital recounts Bonet's childhood in Spain, marked by civil war before migrating and creating works of art famous around the world, including the Titanic Memorial. We make our way back on the Viking Trail to Gros Morne for the night.

Meals:  B,L,D

This morning, a short drive takes us to the Green Gardens trailhead. This trail is one of the most diverse and magical hikes in the park. The route descends from the earth's mantle of the Tablelands, traverses Arctic alpine rock gardens, and continues down into the boreal forest valley featuring some of the oldest and largest trees in the park. At the coast, we explore the grassy meadows, rock pillars, ancient volcanic sea-stacks and rugged cliffs left behind from an ancient volcanic island. We say hi to the resident sheep who seem to defy gravity on the hillsides, and head to the shoreline to find hidden waterfalls and sea caves. Tonight, we enjoy a cultural immersion in local cuisine with an exquisite three-course dinner from Gros Morne's top-rated restaurants.

Meals:  B,L,D

Today starts with a picturesque water taxi ride from Woody Point across Bonne Bay. Once in Norris Point we take it easy with a boat tour, leisurely walks, and some sightseeing. En route to the fjord, we will stop at Lobster Cove Head Lighthouse to learn about the area's local history. Next, we walk through time at the Green Point geological site, discovering fossils at our feet. We then take a leisurely walk across coastal lowlands and boardwalk-covered bogs and barrens to the wharf at Western Brook Pond fjord. Lunch is served overlooking 2000ft cliffs of granite before our boat tour takes us 16km into the heart of this scene, where we watch spectacular waterfalls tumble from the alpine plateau. After the boat tour, we head back across Bonne Bay to Woody Point. Share your highlights of this unforgettable experience in Newfoundland with your fellow travellers at the farewell dinner.

Meals:  B,L,D

Transfer to Deer Lake airport for your return flight. End of tour.

Meals:  B


Inclusions

  • 7 nights accommodation, double occupancy
  • 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, and 7 dinners including two gourmet food tours
  • Services of a local guide
  • Private transportation
  • Return airport group transfers
  • Westernbrook Fjord Boat Tour
  • Park fees

  • Flights
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Tips and gratuities
  • Travel insurance (compulsory)
  • Applicable taxes

About Your Leader

Your professional guide is familiar with the area, history and most important the changing weather. All of our guides are trained in wilderness first aid and are lots of fun to keep the days interactive and informative. Many of our Gros Morne guides have teaching backgrounds and offer great experiences for those with a healthy interest in learning.


Leaders in the field


Accommodation


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Adventure touring

2


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Priceper person from

$3890USD

* All prices subject to applicable taxes

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Everyone who works with us, from our office staff, ground staff and guides is the ‘’real deal’’. Our team is comprised of actual hikers and cyclists who have explored or live in the region in which you will be travelling. Our entire network is highly-specialised in active travel.

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