Nova Scotia to Newfoundland (Small Group) - 13 Days

Upon arriving in Halifax, check in to your accommodation, ideally located in the downtown of this city on the Atlantic Ocean. As the capital of Nova Scotia, Halifax is rich in culture and history, and tonight is free for you to head out and explore.

There is also a welcome meeting with our tour guide this evening, so you can get to know the rest of the group.

Halifax - North Sydney - Port aux Basques. We travel through Truro and Antigonish, crossing over the Canso Causeway to reach Cape Breton Island.

In North Sydney, we board the ferry for a relaxing overnight crossing to Port aux Basques, our port of entry for 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.

Please note: Some members of the tour may have started their tour in Corner Brook, instead of Halifax. The whole group will link up today, but the maximum group size of the tour will never be exceeded.

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 time in Gros Morne National Park comes to an end, we’ll journey through Central Newfoundland to Gander, famously known as the inspiration for the hit Broadway musical, "Come From Away". While in Gander, we’ll learn about the incredible hospitality and generosity shown by the local residents during the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, when 38 planes were unexpectedly diverted there.

We will also visit the North Atlantic Aviation Museum, which houses a fascinating collection of artifacts and exhibits detailing Gander’s pivotal role in the history of transatlantic aviation.

Gander - Clarenville. We take a scenic drive along the rugged coast of Notre Dame Bay to the beautiful outport of Twillingate, where we’ll visit the Long Point Lighthouse and the Prime Berth Fishery & Heritage Centre.

Keeping our cameras ready for potential wildlife sightings, we’ll continue through Terra Nova National Park before arriving in Clarenville, where we’ll stay for the next two nights.

Today, we’ll explore two quaint and historic towns in the area. Our journey begins in Bonavista, where John Cabot made his first landing in North America in 1497. At the Cape Bonavista Lighthouse Provincial Historic Site, we’ll learn about the challenging lives of the lighthouse keepers.

We will then continue to the charming town of Trinity, where we can stroll through its lanes and explore the many historic buildings preserved from the 18th century. Then we head back to Clarenville for the night.

Clarenville - St John's. We continue to the fascinating old seaport of St. John's, where we’ll stay for the next two nights. As the oldest city in North America and the capital of Newfoundland, St. John's is set against the striking granite cliffs and slopes of the Avalon Peninsula.

We’ll enjoy an included city tour showcasing the Victorian architecture of the downtown area, the bustling modern waterfront, the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, and the Confederation Building. To finish, we will take in the 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.