Itinerary

Arrive at Montreal airport and take your private transfer to your hotel.

Begin by exploring this fascinating French-Canadian city. Take an optional walking tour of Old Montreal or hire e-bikes to explore the “city of a hundred bell towers”, famous for churches such as Christ Church Cathedral and Notre Dame Basilica.

Montreal also has fantastic cuisine so head to Quartier Latin or Le Village in the evening to sample delicious specialities.

Continue to explore Montreal. Top attractions include Montreal Museum of Fine Art with 43,000 artworks and relics, The Canadian Centre for Architecture, and Montreal Biodome with its Botanical Garden.

The 230-metre peak of Mount Royal has great views, while Rue St Catherine is popular for shopping or explore the 20 miles of Underground City, the largest underground complex in the world.

Another beautiful way to experience Montreal is to opt for a scenic St. Lawrence River cruise.

Pick up your hire car and drive about three hours east to Quebec City, one of Canada’s most beautiful, historic destinations and the only walled city in North America.

French-Canadian heritage is very strong here with cobblestone streets, murals and statues of French heroes. The city’s walled upper town is dominated by Fairmont Château Frontenac, one of the world’s most spectacular city hotels with fantastic views.

Included in your tour is a 1.5-hour cruise on the St. Lawrence River, passing many of the city’s landmarks.

Continue to explore historic Quebec City. The cuisine in the city is excellent – from traditional snacks like ‘poutine’ to gourmet food in bistros and restaurants.
Delve into the city’s wonderful food on an optional gourmet tour.

Explore the lower town centred around Place Royale, including Notre Dame Basilica and Musée de la Civilisation, as well as Le Grand Allée (Quebec City’s version of Champs Elysées) with its restaurants and patio bars, then visit the museums and original defence towers of Battlefields Park. Consider hiring an e-bike for half a day to cover more of the city.

This morning, you drive north-east of Quebec City along the southern shore of St. Lawrence River to the rugged coastline, verdant forests and tranquil lakes of the Bas-Saint-Laurent region.

You will be staying in the attractive port town of Rivière du Loup. Explore the town’s natural attractions such as Parc des Chutes (Waterfall Park) and the coastal Parc del Pointe on the edge of town.

A great option is to go whale-watching in the nearby Saguenay−St.Lawrence Marine Park (May to October), inhabited by some 13 species of whales including blue whales, humpbacks and belugas. Note that you can also go whale-watching from other towns on the St. Lawrence River later in your tour.

Other excursions of interest in the region include the capes, coves islands and mountains of Parc National du Bic, hiking, biking and boating on Lake Temiscouta, and trips to nearby lighthouses.

This morning, drive east into the Gaspé Peninsula, a wild region of rocky coastline, dramatic seascapes, forests and mountains.

Drive along the southern coast of the peninsula to Chaleur Bay. One of the top attractions in the town of Bonaventure is Bioparc de la Gaspésie, home to 40 animal species indigenous to Québec, including bears, moose and cougars. Follow the trail through various ecosystems and enjoy encounters with wildlife from a safe distance.

This morning, drive to the eastern edge of the peninsula to the fishing town of Gaspé, renowned for its seafood, particularly trout and Atlantic salmon.

Don’t miss the most photographed site in the Gaspésie region, Percé Rock. This 88-metre-high monolith is pierced with a hole sculpted by the sea. It can be viewed from a platform on a nearby headland or on a boat trip including Bonaventure Island. This island has the largest colony of northern gannets in the world, best viewed between April and October.

Seven species of whales inhabit the waters off Gaspé so a whale-watching tour here is highly recommended.

Today you round the Gaspé peninsula back to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This is your base for exploring the most spectacular landscapes in the region in Gaspésie National Park.

The park has over 25 forested peaks over 1,000m in the Chic-Choc mountains, of which Mount Jacques Cartier is the highest in the Canadian Appalachians. The park is inhabited by caribou, moose, black bears and birds including colonies of northern gannets.

Spend another day exploring the dramatic scenery of Gaspésie National Park.

The best way to explore the park is by taking a guided hike or rent a canoe to enjoy the scenery at a leisurely pace on some of the 1,400km of rivers.

In winter, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are popular in this region.

Drive down the coast this morning to the town of Matane. Enjoy a stroll along the Promenade des Capitaine boardwalk, following the Matane Salmon River.

One of the main attractions in this region is nearby Réserve Faunique de Matane (Matane Wildlife Reserve), which has a large population of moose as well as lakes offering great trout fishing.

There is good hiking in this region on the Appalachian Trail and kayaking is also popular.

This morning, cross the St. Lawrence River by ferry to Baie Comeau (about 2.5 hours) on Quebec’s Côte Nord. Keep an eye out for whales in the waters en route.

It is then about 3.5 hours’ drive to Saguenay. A good stop on the way is the harbour town of Tadoussac, renowned for its whale-watching and birdwatching. There are two whale observation points in the town itself and a bird observatory. The Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre is worth visiting for its collection of whale skeletons.

Arrive in Saguenay and rest after a busy day of travel. The town of Saguenay has some interesting museums, in particular Musée La Pulperie de Chicoutimi on the site of the old pulp mill.

Today, it’s time to explore the biggest draw of this region – the spectacular Saguenay Fjord, which stretches over 100km from Saguenay to the St. Lawrence River.

Framed by steep cliffs, the fjord is so deep that whales are attracted to the mouth of the river. The surrounding national park offers adventures from kayaking and hiking to ziplining and via ferrata climbing.

The most relaxing way to take in the wonderful scenery is on a cruise through the fjord between Sainte-Rose-du Nord and L’Anse-Saint-Jean.

If you haven’t already done a whale-watching tour earlier in your holiday, it’s well worth taking an excursion from Saguenay or Tadoussac.

It’s also worth extending your stay to explore Lake Saint-Jean, the largest inhabited lake in Quebec. Here you’ll find a variety of watersports and beaches ideal for swimming in summer. The nearby ghost town of Val Jalbert is also worth visiting, easily combined with a trip to Ouiatchouan waterfall.

You deserve some indulgence after your travels so it’s time to head south to the coast of the Charlevoix, a region famous for its food and drink.

Arrive in La Malbaie, an historic port overlooked by the chateau-like Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu. Take time to relax and perhaps opt for a treatment at the spa.

Foodies can enjoy tasting delicacies of the Route des Saveurs (Flavour Trail), which runs for about 70km south from Malbaie, including wineries, breweries, cafés, restaurants and farms.

Continue to explore the beautiful Charlevoix region. Some of this area’s most stunning scenery can be found in nearby Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie with the highest rock faces in eastern Canada.

Tackle challenging hikes or explore the valley on a cruise or canoeing trip before returning to La Malbaie for more pampering and fine dining.

Continue to explore the beautiful Mauricie region. Lake Sacacomie is one of the largest lakes in the region, ideal for kayaking, boating and relaxing on beaches.

You may choose to extend your stay in Quebec by visiting one of the provinces most beautiful national parks – Mont Tremblant in the Laurentians, about 2.5 hours’ drive from Mauricie.

Overlooked by the highest peak in the Laurentians, Mont Tremblant National Park is a popular summer retreat, famous for its rivers, lakes, forested peaks, waterfalls and beaches. The park has wildlife including moose, deer, beavers and bears, and offers great canoeing, hiking and climbing. You could opt to stay in the charming village of Mont Tremblant or the colourful alpine resort of the same name at the foot of the mountain.

Return to either Montreal or Quebec City (both about two hours from St-Alexis-des-Monts), drop off your hire car and take your flight home.