Newfoundland and Labrador Explorer, 14 Days

ITINERARY:

1. ARRIVE IN ST. JOHN’S
   Arrive at St. John’s International Airport, transfer independently to your centrally-located hotel. The Roadbook you received will have all the information needed for your journey. The remainder of the day is at leisure to enjoy some of the local sights of Newfoundland and Labrador’s largest city. Overnight in St. John’s.
2. ST. JOHN’S
   A full day is yours to explore this city that blends a proud Canadian Maritimes heritage with the amenities of a modern city. Perhaps you made choose to visit Signal Hill National Historic Park at the entrance to the city’s deep natural harbour, featuring preserved battlements from the earliest colonial days of Canada. Overnight in St. John’s.
3. ST. JOHN’S TO TRINTY (269 km)
   The road northward today travels through Iconic inlet villages of Clarenville and North West Brook, boasting the classic colours and architecture of the Canadian Maritimes. Take some time to stop and visit some of these towns for quick break, or perhaps a delicious lunch of local fare. Overnight in Trinity.
4. TRINITY
   Local towns and villages offer a glimpse of the island’s past, such as the weather-beaten fishing houses of the small town site of New Bonaventure. The echoes of the 19th century still ring in the steeple of St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Trinity, just as the English Arts Harbour Centre celebrates crafts, traditional art and music of the island. Overnight in Trinity.
5. TRINITY TO TWILLINGATE (309 km)
   Today’s journey travels through Terra Nova National Park on the way to the northern shores of the island. Photo opportunities abound at this small, but spectacular park. You may wish to stop for lunch in Gander at approximately the half way point to your destination of the waterside community of Twillingate. Overnight in Twillingate.
6. TWILLINGATE
   Embark on a two-hour narrated tour in search of icebergs and whales on a true Newfoundland cultural adventure. Explore Iceberg Alley and marvel at 12,000 year old Greenland icebergs on their epic journey from the Arctic Circle to Newfoundland and beyond. Hear the ice crack under the Newfoundland sun. Observe majestic humpback whales as they feed in Twillingate’s coastal waters and watch elegant seabirds frolic along the coastlines. Overnight in Twillingate.
7. TWILLINGATE TO ROCKY HARBOUR (425 km)
   Crossing the top of the island, the road travels through small communities that live in close connection with the bountiful natural resources of the province. Perhaps plan to stop in the village of South Brook, its multi-coloured houses adorning the steep hillsides. Pass through the gates of Grose Morne National Park to reach the coast and your overnight destination. Overnight in Rocky Harbour.
8. ROCKY HABOUR TO L'ANSE AU CLAIRE (240 km, land only)
   Today the road leads up the north coast of the island’s "finger" peninsula where it narrows against the Labrador coast, creating the Gulf of St. Lawrence. A short ferry ride across the mouth of the bay reveals the untamed beauty of the eastward Atlantic Ocean as it continuously carves the shoreline. Overnight in L’Anse au Claire.
9. L'ANSE AU CLAIRE
   The shores of Labrador are some of the most untamed, open-water shorelines in North America. Once a centre for whaling in the 19th century, the area is now a centre for historical and eco-tourism. Perhaps take a trip to Red Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that preserves some of the buildings and equipment essential to the European whaling industry at its height. Overnight in L’Anse au Claire.
10. L'ANSE AU CLAIRE TO ST. ANTHONY (133 km, land only)
    A short ferry ride across to the island begins the day before crossing the tip of the island en route to St. Anthony. An early arrival gives you a chance to explore the local amenities of this small village at the northern edge of Newfoundland. Overnight in St. Anthony.
11. ST. ANTHONY
    No trip to St. Anthony is complete without an afternoon at Fishing Point Municipal Park! This coastline park is famous for iceberg watching into the early summer, its iconic square lighthouse overlooking the waters. Local restaurants serve up local fare, making it the perfect place to spend the day. Overnight in St. Anthony.
12. ST. ANTHONY TO COW HEAD (304 km)
    A return trip along the southern shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence gives you a second chance to visit the small coastal villages that populate the route. In Cow Head, take some time and lounge on Shallow Bay Beach – the white sands and clear waters inviting all visitors to spend some time under the sun. Overnight in Cow Head.
13. COW HEAD TO GANDER (418 km)
    A return trip across the heart of the island to the riverside small city of Gander – a community celebrating its rich aviation history and ideal, central location in the province. The airport museum displays the town’s relation both to the earliest days of Canadian aviation, and later its importance as a flight staging area during World War 2. Overnight in Gander.
14. GANDER TO ST. JOHN’S / END OF PACKAGE (333 km)
    Today your Newfoundland and Labrador experience comes to an end as you drive back to St. John’s International Airport for your flight home.

INCLUSIONS:

• Day 6. Twillingate: Iceberg Quest Whale, Iceberg and Boat Tour - 2-hour
• Day 7. Rocky Harbour: Admission To Gros Morne National Park
• Day 8. L'Anse au Claire: Ferry- St Barbe To Blanc Sablon
• Day 10. St. Anthony: Ferry- Blanc Sablon To St Barbe

OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS ($):

• Day 2. St. John's: Historical Saint John’s and Cape Spear Tour
  This is a great orientation of St. John's, as well as the most Easterly point in North America. You will be driven to the National Historic site of Cape Spear; where you may walk to thru a World War II gun battery, look for whales at the most Easterly point in North America, while having a chance to visit to oldest standing light house in North America. Then we will head back into the city to see the beautiful view on top of Signal Hill while hearing the historic tales of North America's oldest colony. Other stops include Quidi Vidi Village, Government House, the Roman Catholic Cathedral and an orientation of the shops and restaurants of downtown St. John's.
  Adult - $68
• Day 12. Cow Head: Rocky Harbour - Western Brook Pond Boat or 2-hour Bonne Bay Boat Cruise
  Western Brook Pond fjord in Gros Morne National Park provides a dramatic setting for a boat tour. The Long Range Mountains, the northernmost extent of the Appalachians, contain numerous glacially-carved fjords. One of the most spectacular is the Park’s largest lake, Western Brook Pond. This 16 kilometre lake with a depth of 165 metres is home to Atlantic Salmon, Brook Trout, and Arctic Char, as well as an unusual colony of cliff nesting gulls. On board, behold the spectacular glacier-carved land-locked fjord, waterfalls cascading from 2000 feet that often turn to mist before reaching the pond, billion year-old cliffs, and frequent wildlife sightings.
  Adult - $78, Child (12-16) - $37, Child (0-11) - $26