NEW for 2023!Canadian Badlands and Rocky Mountains> View Trip Details
Duration
3 days
Activities
  • Adventure Touring
  • Wildlife Viewing
  • Zodiac Excursion
  • Self-guided Walking
Accommodation
  • 2 nights double occupancy accom with private facilities
Meals
  • 2 Dinners
  • 1 Lunch
  • 2 Breakfasts

Price

$1290USD

* All prices subject to applicable taxes

Trip Code: VIK

Overview

Trip highlights


  • Spend your nights in a working lighthouse
  • Explore the island on foot and by zodiac
  • Visit UNESCO World Heritage site L'Anse aux Meadows
  • Listen to tales of vikings, villains, and heroes
  • Attempt a photo with both a whale and an iceberg in the same shot
  • Look out for moose, kittiwake, seals, otters, dolphins, humpbacks, minkes, and orcas

Quirpon (pronounced kar-poon) offers a unique island experience at a 1922 light-keeper's home on the shores of Iceberg Alley. Fully restored, the Lighthouse Inn features ten beautiful rooms at the base of a still-operating lighthouse and is a Registered Heritage Building. Located off the northernmost tip of Newfoundland, this is the province's best location for viewing icebergs as the Labrador Current carries them south. Quirpon Island has never failed to have icebergs in July and boasts the longest iceberg-viewing season in Newfoundland, with most years seeing icebergs into late August and the last melting in the fall during a good year. Whales are constant companions off its shores, often coming close enough to the rocks to be touched. Whale experts ascribe this phenomenon to the underwater topography and ample food supply. In addition to Humpbacks and Minke - the presence of which is virtually inevitable - you may spot as many as 27 more species, including Orca, which are being spotted with increasing frequency around the Island despite becoming a rarer sight elsewhere in Newfoundland. Located just north of the only viking site in North America, your stay includes a visit to L'Anse aux Meadows UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as road and boat transfers to and from St. Anthony. Accessed by regular flights from St. John's and by road via the Viking Trail highway from Deer Lake/Gros Morne, this is a fantastic way to top off your trip to 'The Rock'.

Activities:
Grading:
1

Discovery and Cruising

More info about grading system


Upon arrival in St. Anthony you will be met by a local host and transferred north to tour 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 light keeper as we enjoy a delicious dinner and spend the night at the northern tip of Newfoundland.

Meals:  D

Wake up early to discover the island and visit its unique sites and delicate biology. Don't forget to ask about Tuckamore and the story of the mass murder that took place on the island. 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 has a back drop. 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 in search of wildlife, within 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 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 whale bone 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. Services end in St. Anthony where you can either rent a car and continue your Newfoundland travels or fly to St. John's for onward travel.

Meals:  B


Map

Elevation

The map and elevation chart are for illustrative purposes only and meant to provide general guidelines.


Inclusions

  • 2 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 2 dinners
  • 2 nights accommodations at double occupancy with private facilities
  • Local hosts to guide day trips
  • Ground transfers in St. Anthony
  • Ferry to/from Quirpon Island
  • Zodiac tour
  • Entry fees to L'Anse aux Meadows and Grenfell Historic Site
  • Navigation APP inclusive of detailed route notes and points of interest (available offline while walking)

  • Travel to/from St. Anthony
  • Meals not mentioned in itinerary
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Travel insurance (mandatory)
  • Kayaking tour (inquire at inn)
  • Applicable taxes

Suitability

Discovery and Cruising

1


Departure dates

Daily from end of May through mid-September

Notes

Note:
Ask about our Solo Traveller Sign-Up dates to avoid paying a Solo Traveller Supplement

Dates or itinerary don't fit?

Create a custom made itinerary for the perfect adventure. Choose when you travel, what you see and where you go.

Total Priceper person from

$1290USD

* All prices subject to applicable taxes

Options & Supplements*
  • Single SupplementUSD$440
  • Single SupplementUSD$440
* Prices listed are per person. All prices subject to applicable taxes.

Trip reviews


Why travel with us

Our Expertise

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.

Great Value

Quality services at the best price make our adventures great value for money. Having essential items included like National Park fees, charming accommodations, most meals, bikes for cycling trips, maps and support for peace of mind. Our inclusions allow you to better budget for your big adventure.

Innovative Itineraries

We look beyond the horizon to find new and exciting adventures. We’re passionate about shaping the next generation of outdoor travel in Canada, and constantly seek different ways, routes and alternatives to exceed our clients’ dreams.

ECO Friendly

We are committed to responsible travel and true sustainability, formed when the company was established, and in the face of a multitude of threats to the environment, our commitment is stronger than ever. We aim to "leave no trace" in both an environmental and cultural sense.