Duration: 13 Days
Mornin’ sunshine! Not only are the residents of Newfoundland and Labrador the first to see the sunrise in North America, they’re also lucky enough to see floating icebergs, spouting whales, and plunging puffins on a regular basis. Pack your shades for the quaint lighthouses, rainbow- coloured houses, and other bright sights this tour of Newfoundland and Labrador has to offer, including three UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Witness the exceptional beauty and unique geological features of Gros Morne National Park, walk in the footsteps of Vikings at L’Anse Aux Meadows National Historic Site Red Bay, and immerse yourself in the life of a 16th-century whaler at the Red Bay Basque Whaling Station. A ferry crossing between Newfoundland and Labrador – plus a scenic cruise around the wondrous Witless Bay Islands – offer additional vantage points of this windswept, wondrous land. Don’t forget to toast the stunning sunset with a local iceberg beer or a shot of Screech. In most parts of North America, budding daffodils are the first sign that spring has sprung. In Newfoundland and Labrador, floating icebergs are the cue to break out the pastels. This special Newfoundland and Labrador departure includes time at the annual Iceberg Festival in St. Anthony to celebrate the season and the arrival of the icebergs. Enjoy a scenic cruise in search for wildlife and icebergs, a delicious Viking feast, and many other tasty cultural events the festival has to offer.
Traveller Notes
- We’ve packed everything you need for the perfect holiday—from hand-selected hotels and dining to the friendly expertise of Globus Tour Directors and Local Guides (with headsets to hear every word); to seamless transportation between destinations and VIP access to the world’s most iconic sites! Touring by private, first-class, airconditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi.
- This tour visits remote, unspoiled regions of Northern Newfoundland & Labrador, where some accommodations may be rustic. However, we have selected the very best available hotels that satisfy our high standards of cleanliness and comfort.
- All ferries and boat cruises are subject to weather conditions. The scenic cruise on day 6 in St. Anthony is subject to weather conditions. Should the cruise not operate, your Tour Director will provide a refund and alternative sightseeing.
Please note: Itinerary is based on 2024, and is subject to change. Full details will be confirmed in 2024.
Welcome to Corner Brook!
The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore the town or relax at your hotel.
Newfoundland Wonders
This morning, meet your travel companions and Tour Director during a welcome breakfast. Then, enjoy an orientation tour of Corner Brook. Travel along Humber Arm to the Bay of Islands, with excellent photo opportunities on the way to Frenchman's Cove. Enjoy a stop at Lark Harbour. Soak in the great views of Guernsey, Tweed, and the Pearl Islands on the return to Corner Brook. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
PICTURE PERFECT The garden city of Corner Brook on the western shores of Newfoundland lies at the mouth of the Bay of Islands -a spectacular mix of mountain landscapes and seascapes. Travel along Humber Arm to the Bay of Islands, with excellent photo opportunities on the way to Frenchman's Cove. Enjoy a stop at Lark Harbour. Soak in the great views of Guernsey, Tweed, and the Pearl Islands on the return to Corner Brook.
National Treasures
Skirt the shores of Deer Lake and head north to Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its exceptional beauty and unique geological features. At the Lobster Cove Head, visit the lighthouse and the fascinating marine displays. Next is Broom Point, highlighting the history of Canada's earliest fishing settlements. Depart for St. Barbe, visiting a few important sites along the way. View glacier-carved gorges on the way to Port Au Choix National Historic Site to see fascinating exhibits highlighting archaeological finds of Maritime Archaic and Dorset peoples who settled here before 2000 BC. (B,L,D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
NATURAL WONDERS Mother Nature knows you can't rush a good thing, taking 485 million years to create the wonders of Gros Morne National Park. A UNESCO World Heritage Site covering over 1110 square miles, the park is a paradise of raw beauty and geological wonders with stunning fjords carved by glaciers amid towering cliffs and roaring waterfalls.
Sea Treasures Across the Strait
Board your ferry to cross the Strait of Belle Isle. Then, to Red Bay National Historic Site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognised as the first major industrial complex of the New World and home to a 16th-century Basque whaling station exhibit. Continue to L'Anse-au- Clair. (B,D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
ARCHAEOLOGICAL TREASURES Explore remarkable Red Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognised as the first major industrial complex of the New World and home to a 16th-century Basque whaling station exhibit. This historic fishing village in Labrador holds one of the most precious underwater archaeological sites in the Americas. Relics from ancient whaling ships lie below the surface, and even pieces of whale bone believed to be from the Basque era can be found on the shores of Red Bay.
Norsemen Sites & Nature Sights
This morning, take the ferry back to St. Barbe. Visit L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site for a look at Viking settlers here. Return to St. Anthony where your afternoon is free. Perhaps a walk along the Bottom Brook Trail, a waterfowl sanctuary where a variety of birds may be spotted. This evening, enjoy dinner with lively entertainment. (B,L,D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORY & HERITAGE Visit L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site to explore the only known Viking settlement in North America and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A Local Guide shows you the reconstructed sod huts, explains how the Vikings lived, and you will see Norse artifacts dating back to 1000 AD.
Iceberg Ahead!
This morning, take a scenic cruise in search of Icebergs and marine wildlife (whether dependent). The afternoon is free to attend the Iceberg Festival, celebrating the coming of spring in the north and the annual arrival of icebergs. The festival features music, food, entertainment, history, culture, great hospitality, and of course icebergs. End the day with a [LF] Great Viking Feast & Theatre Experience. (B,D)
LOCAL FAVOURITE
HISTORY & HERITAGE Great Viking Feast & Theatre Experience. Enjoy an evening of food, fun, and feuds at the Great Viking Feast! Come to Leifsburdir and be part of a Viking court of law while feasting on the food that the Vikings may have enjoyed. Listen to the Vikings and customers make their case to the Lawspeaker and then decide on their fate and punishment. Become an honourary Viking and take away a certificate to prove it.
A Bonny Day on Bonne Bay
Travel along the Viking Trail, with a stop at Arches Provincial Park to photograph the two large arches carved by the pounding sea. Then, board a boat for a [LF] scenic cruise on Bonne Bay. Tonight, enjoy a seasonal seafood dinner. (B,D)
LOCAL FAVOURITE
EPIC RIDE A scenic cruise on Bonne Bay reveals a pristine world of two fjords and the deep waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Enjoy live commentary throughout your cruise to learn about Gros Morne Mountain, the geology of the Tablelands, the whales that frequent the deep waters of this fjord. Keep an eye across the water's surface as well as the sky above to spy an array of bird life and bald eagles.
Historic Airships & Honoured Friendships
After breakfast, depart for Gander, once the international aviation crossroads of the world for a visit to the North Atlantic Aviation Museum to learn the history of North Atlantic aviation from the 1930s to its unexpected role in the days following the 9/11 tragedy. Join the [LF] Beyond Words Tour to learn of the role that Gander played days after the tragic event. (B)
LOCAL FAVOURITE
HISTORIC FIGURES Take a moving Beyond Words Tour in the historic aviation city of Gander, where nearly all its streets are named for legendary fearless flyers such as the Wright brothers, Lindbergh, and Earhart. Here, you'll learn about how, following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Gander and surrounding communities welcomed, housed, and fed nearly 6,700 unexpected guests for up to five days, when all North American airspace was ordered closed. Ten years later, Gander was presented with two pieces of steel recovered from New York's World Trade centre buildings in appreciation of the Town's extraordinary compassion and generosity.
Fish Stories & Whale Tails
Drive along the Road to the Isles, the local predilection for colourful language comes across with place names, such as "Too Good Arm," "Virgin Arm," and "Crow Head." On the way to Twillingate, visit the Granville Centre. With luck, you might spot whales along the coast en route to Terra Nova National Park. Continue to Clarenville, situated in beautiful Trinity Bay. (B,D)
Reliving History on the Harbour
Travel to Cape Bonavista to admire the beautiful cliffs and coastlines. In Bonavista, learn how modern North America began when John Cabot made landfall here in 1497. A visit to Ryan Premises National Historic Site commemorates the prosperous fishing industry from the early 1500s to today. Later, continue to historic Trinity, one of the oldest communities in North America, with its scenic harbour. Enjoy a [LF] regional lunch at a local restaurant followed by a walking tour with a Local Guide to hear stories that bring this picturesque village alive. (B,L)
LOCAL FAVOURITE
LOCAL TASTES Meander down narrow lanes lined with 19th-century merchant homes in one of the best-preserved historic communities in the province. Get a multi-sensory snapshot of Trinity's 300-year history as a mercantile hub of a thriving salt fish trade for 150 years. Discover the life and times of Emma Hiscock at Hiscock House to learn about the widow who raised her family in a genteel life despite family tragedy. Try your hand at netting twine, measuring out goods for sale, and trading your fish for supplies to judge your skills in surviving the next fishing season. Enjoy a regional seafood lunch and try your hand at knitting, rug hooking, or embroidery reminiscent of the old days in Newfoundland.
For the Birds in Witless Bay
Today, travel to Witless Bay, where whales and puffins abound. Board your boat for a narrated cruise around the three islands in the renowned Witless Bay Ecological Reserve. Then, visit Cape Spear National Historic Site, the most easterly point in North America. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
THE WILD PLACES Newfoundland has the largest concentration of humpback whales in the world and is also known as the "Seabird Capital of North America," with the largest Atlantic puffin sanctuary in North America. Discover their stunning habitat on a Witless Bay cruise through the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve - home to over 2 million seabirds, including 500,000 Atlantic Puffins, nesting in one of Newfoundland's best whale-watching sites.
Toasts on the Coast
Tour the oldest settlement in North America with a Local Guide. Visit Signal Hill National Historic Site, Cabot Tower, the Old Town, and the Basilica of St. John the Baptist. This afternoon is free to explore on your own. You may wish to visit The Rooms, where you can immerse yourself in the local culture through history, heritage, and artistic expression or spend time browsing the many boutiques and galleries of St. John's. This evening, your Tour Director hosts a special farewell dinner that includes a traditional [LF] Screech-In ceremony. Wonderful conversation and cuisine make the perfect finale for your tour. (B,D)
LOCAL FAVOURITE
LOCAL TASTES & TRADITIONS Even if you have 'come from away', you can become an honourary Newfoundlander with a shot of screech, a short recitation, and the kissing of a cod! Screech is the local rum that, while packing a punch at 40% alcohol, is an important part of the screech-in ceremony - especially when kissing the cod! Yes, b'y!
Safe travels until we meet again!
Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning. Want to explore more of St. John's, extra nights are available for purchase. (B)
