Circle Newfoundland & Labrador

Day 1: Arrive Halifax, NS
Arrive in Halifax and check in to your accommodations which are ideally located in the downtown core of this vibrant and cosmopolitan urban centre on the Atlantic Ocean.  Meet our Tour Director or Driver/Guide and fellow travelers this evening at a Meet & Greet. 
Option: You may wish to add additional nights in Halifax to your vacation package.  Bursting with culture and rich history, Nova Scotia’s capital city has much to offer. 

Ask us about starting your tour in Newfoundland.

Day 2: Halifax, NS to Port aux Basques, NL
Travel via Truro and Antigonish to cross over the Canso Causeway to Cape Breton Island. At North Sydney, board the Marine Atlantic ferry for a relaxing crossing* to Port aux Basques, your port of entry on the island of Newfoundland. (Continental Breakfast, Dinner)
*Note: The Marine Atlantic Ferry schedule changes yearly. As such, an overnight crossing including cabin accommodation may be necessary or a day crossing where we would overnight in Port aux Basques.

Day 3: Port aux Basques to Port au Choix, NL
Drive through the Codroy Valley and through Gros Morne National Park – to be enjoyed later on during your 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. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 4: Port au Choix to L’Anse au Clair, NL
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 16^th century. This mystical place takes the essence of Labrador coastal living and transposes it onto a tapestry of rich culture and history. Spend the night in Labrador. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 5: L’Anse au Clair to St. Anthony, NL
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 before continuing on to your St. Anthony accommodations for the night. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 6: St. Anthony to Cow Head, NL*
Enjoy a morning whale watching boat tour (weather permitting) in St. Anthony before traveling to Cow Head in Gros Morne National Park for a two-night stay. (Breakfast, Dinner)
*June and early July are the best time to see Titanic-size icebergs!

Day 7: Gros Morne Local 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 look-out for the 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. (Breakfast, Boxed Lunch, Dinner)
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 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 (3 km/2 miles) from the parking lot to the dock and a 45-minute walk back.  This option must be requested on booking.

Day 8: Cow Head to Gander, NL
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.  (Breakfast)

Day 9: Gander to Clarenville
A scenic drive along the rocky coast of Notre Dame Bay leads to the beautiful outport of Twilingate where you will visit 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. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

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 1497. Learn about the hard life of the light keepers at Cape Bonavista Lighthouse Provincial Historic Site before continuing on to charming Trinity.  Stroll the lanes and explore the many historic buildings preserved from the 18th century. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 11: Clarenville to St. John’s, NL
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. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 12: St. John’s Area Touring
This morning, visit Bay Bulls for one of the highlights of your trip, a boat tour (weather permitting) 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. (Breakfast)

Day 13: Depart St. John’s
Depart St. John’s for your flight home. Atlantic Tours’ arrangements end on check-out from the hotel. (Breakfast)