Circle Newfoundland & Labrador

DAY 1 – Arrive Halifax, NS
Arrive in Halifax and check in to your accommodations. Your hotel is ideally located in the downtown core of this vibrant and cosmopolitan urban centre on the Atlantic Ocean. Meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers this evening at a Welcome Reception. Cambridge Suites Hotel or similar – Halifax, NS 

Option: You may wish to add additional nights in Halifax or a city tour to your vacation package. Bursting with culture and rich history, Nova Scotia’s capital city has much to offer.

DAY 2 – Halifax – Port-aux-Basques
Travel via Truro and Antigonish to cross over the Canso Causeway to Cape Breton Island. At North Sydney, board a Marine Atlantic ferry for a relaxing overnight crossing to Port aux Basques, your port of entry on the island of Newfoundland. Marine Atlantic Ferry – Port-aux-Basques, NL (CB, D)

*The Marine Atlantic ferry schedule changes from year to year. As such, a day crossing may be necessary and we would overnight in Port-aux-Basques.

DAY 3 – Port-aux-Basques – Port au Choix
Drive through the Codroy Valley and through Gros Morne National Park (to be enjoyed later on during this 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 or similar – Port au Choix, NL (B, L, D)

DAY 4 – Port au Choix – L’Anse au Clair
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 into a rich culture and history. Spend the night in Labrador. Northern Light Inn or similar – L’Anse au Clair, NL (B, D)

DAY 5 – L’Anse au Clair – St. Anthony
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. Haven Inn or similar – St. Anthony, NL (B, D)

DAY 6 – St. Anthony – Cow Head
Enjoy a morning whale watching boat tour in St. Anthony (weather permitting) * before traveling to Cow Head for a two-night stay.  Shallow Bay Motel or similar – Cow Head, NL (B, D)

*June and early July are the best time to see Titanic-size icebergs!

DAY 7 – Gros Morne Touring
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 lookout for 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 or similar – Cow Head, NL (B, BL, 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 to 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 (3km / 2 miles) from the parking lot to the dock and a 45-minute walk. This option must be requested on booking.

DAY 8 – Cow Head – Gander
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 or similar – Gander, NL (B)

DAY 9 – Gander – Clarenville
A scenic drive along the rocky coast of Notre Dame Bay leads to the beautiful outport 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, your home for the next two nights.  Quality Hotel or similar – Clarenville, NL (B, L, D)

DAY 10 – Bonavista & Trinity Touring 
Today, you will experience two quaint, historic towns. First, visit Bonavista, where John Cabot first arrived in North America in 1947. Learn about the hard life of the light keepers at Cape Bonavista Lighthouse Provincial Historic Site before continuing on to charming Trinity. Stroll the lane and explore the many historic buildings preserved from the 18th century. Quality Hotel or similar – Clarenville, NL (B, L, D)

DAY 11 – Clarenville – St. John’s
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 boosts 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. Delta Hotels by Marriott St. John’s Conference Centre or similar – St. John’s, NL (B, D)

DAY 12 – St. John’s touring
This morning, visit Bay Bulls for one of the highlights of your trip, a boat tour 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. Delta Hotel by Marriott St. John’s Conference Centre or similar – St. John’s, NL (B)

DAY 13 – Depart St. John’s
Depart St. John’s today on your flight home. (B)