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C ANADA, ALASKA<br />
& THE A RCTIC<br />
TAILOR- MADE J OURNEYS FOR THE D ISCERNING T RAVELLER
Dear <strong>Travel</strong>ler<br />
Canada is the world’s second largest<br />
country by land area while by population<br />
it is a long way down the tables - this,<br />
for me, is one of its great draws.<br />
Together with its neighbour Alaska, it<br />
offers open spaces and pristine<br />
environments that we can only dream<br />
of on our crammed little island.<br />
If it’s isolation you crave there’s plenty<br />
to be found, but this isn’t the only draw.<br />
There are cosmopolitan cities, First<br />
Nations culture and wildlife galore,<br />
and for those who venture further north,<br />
the awe-inspiring Arctic.<br />
The resourceful and hospitable<br />
Canadians and Alaskans have invented<br />
all manner of ways of enjoying their<br />
countries, from remote lodges devoted<br />
entirely to bear watching, heli-hiking in<br />
their immense mountain ranges, sailing<br />
to remote islands or riding the range with<br />
authentic cowboys. The outdoors can be<br />
more sedate, be it painting, fly-fishing<br />
or just enjoying a relaxed al fresco meal.<br />
There are wonderful places to stay too,<br />
from simple log cabins and delightful<br />
B&Bs to luxurious boutique hotels, and<br />
even five star camping.<br />
Our specialists know this region<br />
exceptionally well and can help you plan<br />
your trip in detail, including those side<br />
trips and details that even the guide<br />
books don‘t mention. I hope this brochure<br />
provides plenty of inspiration and we<br />
look forward to showing you Canada,<br />
Alaska and the Arctic, we don’t think<br />
you’ll be disappointed.<br />
Craig Burkinshaw<br />
Managing Director<br />
Sitka<br />
<strong>Audley</strong> <strong>Travel</strong><br />
<strong>Audley</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> was founded by Craig Burkinshaw<br />
with the simple philosophy of offering clients the<br />
best possible travel experiences. Craig recognised<br />
that the only way of achieving this was to have<br />
specialists with detailed, in-depth knowledge of<br />
the countries we visit backed by a no-compromise<br />
attitude to quality and service. <strong>Audley</strong> now offers<br />
a comprehensive range of programmes<br />
throughout Asia, Africa, Latin America, Australasia,<br />
Antarctica, Canada, Alaska and the Arctic.<br />
Careful Planning<br />
Our Canada, Alaska and Arctic specialists have<br />
all travelled extensively throughout the region<br />
and in some cases have lived there, so you can<br />
rely on their knowledge. They have boundless<br />
enthusiasm and take an honest “tell it how it is”<br />
approach to planning an itinerary, suggesting<br />
sights, selecting accommodation and discussing<br />
the practicalities of travel. We also insist that they<br />
regularly revisit the region, inspect hotels and<br />
lodges, and keep up to date with all travel-related<br />
issues. We believe this approach is unique to<br />
<strong>Audley</strong> and ultimately ensures that you will have<br />
the best possible travel experience.<br />
A Journey to Suit You<br />
You may wish to travel for all sorts of reasons,<br />
whether to explore the culture and history of a<br />
region, view wildlife, discover spectacular scenery<br />
or simply to relax. For many <strong>Audley</strong> clients it is<br />
a combination of all these, while others have<br />
more specialised interests such as photography,<br />
rail journeys or walking in magnificent landscapes.<br />
Whatever you want from your trip, we can<br />
use our detailed knowledge to plan your<br />
ideal itinerary.<br />
Tailor-made <strong>Travel</strong><br />
The joy of tailor-made travel is that your<br />
complete trip is designed around your own<br />
requirements, so you are not tied to the set<br />
itinerary of a group. This allows you to explore<br />
at your own pace and select accommodation that<br />
suits your needs, with our specialist knowledge<br />
at your disposal to perfect your travel plans.<br />
Throughout the brochure you will find suggested<br />
itineraries designed by our specialists to suit<br />
the needs of most travellers. Each one can be<br />
adjusted to accommodate your specific tastes<br />
and interests, or we can plan a completely new<br />
trip to match your own requirements.<br />
2
How to plan your journey<br />
with <strong>Audley</strong><br />
We suggest you read through the brochure to<br />
obtain a feel for this region’s unique and<br />
fascinating travel possibilities. Once you have an<br />
idea of the type of trip you want to take, or want<br />
some general guidance, call one of our specialists<br />
on 01993 838 700. They will answer any<br />
questions you have and discuss your travel plans<br />
and ideas in detail, making suggestions where<br />
appropriate. We will then send you a detailed<br />
itinerary complete with maps, accommodation<br />
information, colour photographs and a price.<br />
Once you have read through the itinerary we will<br />
answer any further questions and refine the tour<br />
until you are totally satisfied. The booking process<br />
starts when we receive your deposit and booking<br />
form, at which point we can start to confirm your<br />
travel arrangements. The same <strong>Audley</strong> specialist<br />
will be handling your trip from start to finish:<br />
please feel free to call them at any time.<br />
Contents<br />
Introduction 2-13<br />
British Columbia 14-29<br />
Alberta 30-37<br />
Saskatchewan 38-39<br />
Manitoba 40-45<br />
Ontario 46-55<br />
Québec 56-65<br />
The Maritime Provinces 66-79<br />
Arctic Expedition Cruising 80-85<br />
Nunavut 86-89<br />
Northwest Territories 90-93<br />
Yukon 94-97<br />
Alaska 98-115<br />
Financial Security<br />
You can book with us confident in the knowledge<br />
that we are fully bonded with the Civil Aviation<br />
Authority and hold an Air Tour Operators’ License<br />
(ATOL 4817). This fully covers all holiday<br />
arrangements which begin in the UK. If your<br />
arrangements do not begin in the UK, you are<br />
protected by our Association of British <strong>Travel</strong> Agents<br />
(ABTA) membership. Our ABTA number is W8501.<br />
Totem house, Ketchikan<br />
Arctic Ocean<br />
Anchorage<br />
ALASKA<br />
Fairbanks<br />
Beaufort<br />
Sea<br />
Baffin<br />
Bay<br />
Davis Strait<br />
Gulf of<br />
Alaska<br />
YUKON<br />
Dawson<br />
Whitehorse<br />
Juneau<br />
NORTHWEST<br />
TERRITORIES<br />
Yellowknife<br />
NUNAVUT<br />
Iqaluit<br />
Labrador<br />
Sea<br />
Prince Rupert<br />
Atlantic Ocean<br />
Pacific<br />
Ocean<br />
BRITISH<br />
COLUMBIA<br />
Vancouver<br />
Victoria<br />
Banff<br />
Jasper<br />
ALBERTA<br />
Calgary<br />
Edmonton<br />
SASKATCHEWAN<br />
Regina<br />
Saskatoon<br />
MANITOBA<br />
Winnipeg<br />
Churchill<br />
Hudson<br />
Bay<br />
ONTARIO<br />
QUÉBEC<br />
Québec<br />
NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR<br />
PRINCE<br />
EDWARD<br />
ISLAND<br />
NEW<br />
BRUNSWICK<br />
NOVA<br />
SCOTIA<br />
Halifax<br />
St John’s<br />
0 300 miles<br />
OTTAWA<br />
Montréal<br />
0 483 kilometres<br />
Toronto<br />
3
A friendly First Nations greeting<br />
History<br />
Canada and Alaska’s first inhabitants were native<br />
Americans, thought to have arrived across ice<br />
bridges over the Bering Strait from Eurasia many<br />
thousands of years ago. There is also evidence of<br />
Viking settlement, but it was the arrival of the<br />
Europeans, most notably the French and British,<br />
searching for whale-oil and furs in the 16th and<br />
17th centuries, that forced the rate of change.<br />
The French colony, known as ‘New France’, was<br />
officially ceded to the British in 1763 and the<br />
country that is now Canada was formed in 1867<br />
by the confederation of four British North<br />
American colonies. In the early days it was<br />
Canada’s natural resources, its furs from the<br />
hinterland and fish from the sea, that laid the<br />
foundations of its wealth, but as the second largest<br />
country in the world it is perhaps unsurprising that<br />
other assets were just waiting to be uncovered.<br />
Canada and Alaska struck the headlines with the<br />
discovery of gold in the Klondike and substantial<br />
oil deposits were later to be found. Over the<br />
years Canada has gained independence from the<br />
UK but is still a constitutional monarchy with<br />
Queen Elizabeth II as Head of State. With small<br />
populations spread thinly over a huge landscape<br />
both Canada and Alaska remain pioneer<br />
destinations - independently minded and forward<br />
looking, and as any visitor will attest, many parts<br />
still feel barely explored: truly a new world.<br />
First Nations<br />
There are approximately one million First Nations<br />
Canadians today. This includes 200,000 Métis<br />
(aboriginal and French mixed race) and 50,000 Inuit.<br />
Their origins stem from the end of the last Ice Age,<br />
about 20,000 years ago, when nomadic tribes<br />
followed herds of mammoth and bison across the<br />
land bridge joining Siberia and Alaska. The people<br />
were misnamed firstly as ‘Indians’ by 16th century<br />
Spanish traders who mistakenly believed that they<br />
had reached India, and later ‘Red’ by the British who<br />
encountered Newfoundland’s Beothuks smeared in<br />
red ochre to repel insects. The natives of the<br />
extreme north were named ‘Eskimos’ which<br />
translates as ‘eaters of raw meat’. Unsurprisingly<br />
these names have been rejected by the aboriginal<br />
peoples in favour of ‘First Nations’ and, in the north,<br />
‘Inuit’ meaning ‘the people’. Visitors today can<br />
experience a resurgent First Nations culture<br />
including the abandoned seaboard villages and totem<br />
poles of British Columbia, archaeological heritage<br />
sites in Alberta and Saskatchewan, modern day<br />
‘pow-wows’ (singing, dancing, storytelling) in Ontario<br />
and Inuit communities in the north of the country.<br />
Accommodation<br />
The range of accommodation in Canada and Alaska<br />
is as diverse as the landscape itself. In the big cities<br />
you can stay in stylish boutique properties, often in<br />
restored historic buildings, luxury hotels with<br />
magnificent views or delightful bed and breakfasts<br />
tucked away from the hustle and bustle. In rural areas<br />
there are charming log cabins, often overlooking<br />
wilderness lakes, whilst ranch stays offer a chance<br />
to live the life of a cowboy. All the accommodation<br />
options detailed in this brochure have been carefully<br />
selected to offer you a range of alternatives but some<br />
of our favourite properties, for reasons of space, are<br />
not detailed in the following pages. Please call to<br />
discuss your requirements with our Canada and<br />
Alaska specialists: they have visited a huge range of<br />
properties and will have more suggestions to match<br />
your preferences and budget. Wherever you stay,<br />
friendly North American hospitality is bound<br />
to ensure your stay is a memorable one.<br />
Food & Drink<br />
In an area as large as Canada and Alaska the cuisine<br />
varies widely from region to region. Cities are hugely<br />
cosmopolitan, with all the cuisines of the world<br />
represented in urban centres such as Montréal with<br />
plenty of restaurants putting a North American twist<br />
on their Gallic heritage. The west coast has<br />
developed its own Pacific Rim fusion cuisine, while<br />
the Atlantic regions have access to some of the<br />
world’s freshest and largest lobsters amongst a<br />
wealth of other seafood. Inland, meals are more<br />
likely to be made up of locally-raised meats, with<br />
barbeques and steaks a traditional favourite: servings<br />
are often huge and North American breakfasts can<br />
be a real highlight of your stay.<br />
4
Autumnal vineyards<br />
Market traders in Montréal<br />
Panning for gold<br />
Climate<br />
In general the east and west coasts are<br />
temperate while the central provinces of Alberta,<br />
Saskatchewan and Manitoba experience fine<br />
summers but very cold winters. The Northwest<br />
Territories, Yukon and Alaska are delightful<br />
during the summer months between June and<br />
September but during the rest of the year<br />
temperatures are mostly well below zero. <strong>Travel</strong><br />
to Nunavut and the high Arctic is best during the<br />
brief summer months of July and August when<br />
the sun only briefly dips below the horizon, whilst<br />
on the eastern seaboard the Maritime Provinces<br />
experience four distinct seasons with a mild<br />
spring, lovely summer, crisp autumn and a snowy<br />
winter. Ontario and Québec usually have hot<br />
summers and very cold winters but are also<br />
delightful in the brief spring and autumn seasons –<br />
May and September. British Columbia and<br />
Alberta’s Rocky Mountains are wonderful to visit<br />
in the summer while the winter provides some of<br />
the world’s best skiing and a wide range of snow<br />
sports. As a general rule of thumb, travel<br />
conditions are good from the beginning of May<br />
through to mid-September, with the shoulder<br />
seasons offering some lovely scenery and<br />
fewer visitors.<br />
Bear watching in Clayoquot Sound<br />
Guides<br />
Canada and Alaska are home to many natural<br />
wonders and local curiosities: a knowledgeable<br />
and enthusiastic guide can add immeasurably<br />
to your experience. We pride ourselves on<br />
using only the best guides, all highly trained<br />
and aware of ecological, environmental and<br />
cultural sensitivities.<br />
Responsible <strong>Travel</strong><br />
We are passionate about the countries we<br />
specialise in, and have always been firmly<br />
committed to the principles of ethical travel and<br />
sustainability. Our Responsible <strong>Travel</strong> policy has<br />
been awarded three stars – the maximum<br />
possible – by AITO, and we have drawn up a<br />
<strong>Travel</strong>lers’ Code which will help you to ensure<br />
your trip does not threaten the sustainability of<br />
the places you visit. <strong>Audley</strong> supports the Friends<br />
of Conservation carbon offsetting scheme. For<br />
further details on how to offset the carbon<br />
emissions from your flight, please visit our website<br />
or talk to the country specialist arranging your<br />
trip. Throughout Canada and Alaska we make<br />
every effort to use properties and local operators<br />
that operate in a sustainable manner. <strong>Audley</strong><br />
supports a number of good causes through<br />
the <strong>Audley</strong> Charity Portfolio – please refer<br />
to www.audleytravel.com/rt for more details.<br />
Musk ox<br />
Group <strong>Travel</strong><br />
If you wish to travel with a group of friends –<br />
maybe with a special interest in common – we<br />
can make all the arrangements. For larger groups<br />
we may be able to offer a free place to the<br />
organiser. Please call us to discuss your plans.<br />
www.audleytravel.com<br />
If you are looking for travel inspiration, <strong>Audley</strong>’s<br />
website is full of journey ideas, month-by-month<br />
suggestions, destination guides, slideshows, articles<br />
and special features, responsible tourism details<br />
and a useful travel information section.<br />
Terms & Conditions<br />
and Insurance<br />
Your booking is subject to the Terms and<br />
Conditions of <strong>Audley</strong> <strong>Travel</strong>, which are detailed<br />
in a separate leaflet. It is vital that you have<br />
adequate travel insurance and we are able to<br />
offer a number of policies either for the duration<br />
of your trip or on an annual basis.<br />
Introduction<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
5
<strong>Audley</strong> in Canada and Alaska<br />
6<br />
Almost unimaginably large, Canada<br />
stretches from the Pacific Ocean in the<br />
west to the Atlantic Ocean in the east and<br />
borders the Arctic Circle. It is a land of rugged<br />
mountains and giant lakes, dense forests and<br />
rolling prairies; home to bears, wolves and<br />
herds of caribou that roam the great swathes<br />
of northern wilderness tundra. Impossible to<br />
see all in one trip, the following pages include<br />
brief guides to the provinces and territories<br />
that are designed to give you a flavour of<br />
what there is to see and do in each.<br />
Wild flowers in the Rockies<br />
British Columbia<br />
Gateway to the Pacific and Asia, British Columbia<br />
is perhaps best known for its coast. A chain of<br />
islands protects the Inside Passage where the<br />
Coastal Mountains rear 2,000 metres above<br />
spectacular fjords, calving icebergs into the sea<br />
from countless glaciers in a dramatic and wild<br />
landscape. These are some of the world’s greatest<br />
whale-watching waters, rich in marine life of all<br />
kinds. The city of Vancouver is beautifully set<br />
amongst these mountains and is consistently<br />
judged one of the world’s most liveable cities:<br />
with an average age of 38 it is dynamic, exciting<br />
and cosmopolitan. Head inland and BC shelters<br />
some of Canada’s most beautiful and untouched<br />
wilderness regions: it is one of North America’s<br />
most mountainous areas and the interior is a<br />
paradise for grizzly and black bears, moose, elk<br />
and wolves. BC is rich in First Nations history;<br />
along the temperate coastal regions totem poles<br />
still attest to ancient civilisations.<br />
Alberta<br />
Banff National Park, Lake Louise and the Rocky<br />
Mountains form the strongest images of Alberta, a<br />
huge and thinly-populated province that stretches<br />
from southern mountains and foothills and fades,<br />
to the north, into vast forested plains. Once<br />
home to Blackfoot, Cree, Gros Ventre and<br />
Kootenay Indians, change came slowly to this<br />
unspoiled region. It still has some of Canada’s<br />
most important UNESCO Heritage Sites of First<br />
Nations culture, including Head Smashed-in<br />
Buffalo Jump and Writing-on-Stone Provincial<br />
Park. The largest city is Calgary, an oil-rich highrise<br />
settlement whose veneer of sophistication<br />
falls away, each year, with the Calgary Stampede.<br />
At this time it plays host to the year’s largest<br />
rodeo and the cowboy culture rules supreme.<br />
Saskatchewan & Manitoba<br />
Canada’s prairie heartlands extend across<br />
Saskatchewan and Manitoba, rolling wheat<br />
landscapes, dotted with grain elevators, that<br />
stretch endlessly into the distance. Few tour<br />
operators feature this region but there are plenty<br />
of reasons to visit. Its remote wilderness regions<br />
were home to some of the great conflicts<br />
between native peoples and settlers: the Big<br />
Muddy Badlands were the resting place to which<br />
Sitting Bull retreated after his battle with General
The prairies of Saskatchewan and Manitoba<br />
Custer. Later the town of Moose Jaw grew rich<br />
smuggling alcohol into Prohibition America, and<br />
the Royal Canadian Mounties were established to<br />
calm a lawless region: their training centre is at<br />
Regina. Across the border in Manitoba, the<br />
provincial capital is Winnipeg, a friendly and<br />
approachable city that takes great pride in its<br />
independent refinement, while to the north the<br />
province reaches up to the great Canadian Shield,<br />
ice-scraped rock that leads onto the Hudson Bay<br />
where beluga whales frolic in the chilly waters and<br />
polar bears pace the shore.<br />
Ontario<br />
Niagara Falls are unquestionably Ontario’s bestknown<br />
attraction, a post-card perfect image of<br />
Canada to send back home, but this is just a<br />
foretaste of the province’s many attractions.<br />
Ontario is home to Canada’s capital city, Ottawa,<br />
and its largest metropolis, Toronto - a cultural<br />
melting pot alive with the dynamism of this young<br />
nation. One sixth of the province is covered with<br />
water and the Great Lakes dominate the<br />
southern lowlands, including the largest freshwater<br />
surface area in the world, Lake Superior. This is a<br />
beautiful region for exploring by car, from the<br />
pretty town of Goderich on the shores of Lake<br />
Huron to Algonquin Provincial Park with its<br />
canoeing, hiking and wolves. In this province the<br />
First Nations culture lives on: on Manitoulin Island<br />
the local tribes hold pow-wows every summer<br />
and in the northern regions visitors can explore<br />
with Cree guides. Although part of Canada’s most<br />
populous province, the shores of Hudson Bay can<br />
even now, rarely be reached by road; sea and air<br />
are still your only travel options, enabling you to<br />
discover a whole new world.<br />
Niagara Falls, Ontario<br />
Québec<br />
The province of Québec is proudly Francophone,<br />
with very Gallic traditions of fine restaurants and<br />
pavement cafés. This is strongest in the southern<br />
cities, the arty and refined Montréal and the<br />
atmospherically walled city of Québec. Head out<br />
from the urban centres and the province changes<br />
in character. To the west, vast unvisited tracts of<br />
tundra reach out to the distant shores of Hudson<br />
Bay. The St Lawrence River was the original<br />
lifeline that allowed travel into the Québec<br />
hinterland and this mighty river is home to<br />
migrating whales during the summer, including<br />
the world’s largest, the blue whale. On the south<br />
bank of the river exquisite forests drop down to<br />
the water’s edge on the Gaspésie Peninsula, while<br />
the north shore is home to the thriving arts of<br />
the Charlevoix region, and the beautiful natural<br />
landscapes of the Saguenay Fjord.<br />
Yukon delphiniums in bloom<br />
The Maritime Provinces<br />
The seaboard provinces of Nova Scotia, Prince<br />
Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland<br />
and Labrador make up Canada’s eastern<br />
seaboard. Mighty cliffs descend from the Torngat<br />
Mountains in Labrador and the precipitous fjords<br />
of Newfoundland’s Gros Morne National Park<br />
while, in iceberg season, huge white leviathans<br />
drift slowly along the shoreline in the direction<br />
of warmer waters. The Bay of Fundy experiences<br />
the world’s highest tidal range, creating raging<br />
torrents and tidal bores. The salmon-rich rivers<br />
of New Brunswick lie alongside the pastoral<br />
idyll of historic Acadia while the strong Celtic<br />
heritage of Nova Scotia is home to ceilidhs,<br />
sea-shanties, quaint fishing villages and a rich<br />
maritime culture. Beautiful scenery combined<br />
with abundant marine and terrestrial wildlife<br />
makes the Maritime Provinces an excellent region<br />
for exploring by road.<br />
Yukon<br />
Rich with the romance of the Klondike gold rush,<br />
the Yukon presents the classic face of Canada:<br />
a wilderness region where narrow ribbons of<br />
civilisation have been laid down by pioneers but<br />
much of the country still awaits exploration. Many<br />
of the gold rush towns are still largely unchanged:<br />
step into Dawson for streets lined with wooden<br />
clapperboard houses evoking the ghosts of a bygone<br />
age. Most of the land is made up of forested<br />
mountains riven by rivers and scattered with lakes.<br />
Bears, wolves and moose vastly outnumber the<br />
population, with trappers’ log cabins forming<br />
toehold settlements in a truly wild environment.<br />
This is a great place to encounter First Nations<br />
cultures and this is where you'll find Canada’s only<br />
road that crosses the Arctic Circle, the unsealed<br />
Dempster Highway.<br />
Iceberg Alley, Newfoundland<br />
Nunavut<br />
Nunavut is an immense territory of tundra,<br />
plateaux and mountains that includes the Arctic<br />
archipelago: a hidden world until the age of air<br />
travel. This beautiful land is Canada’s newest<br />
territory, splitting from the Northwest Territories<br />
in 1999 to provide self-rule for the Inuit. Nunavut<br />
covers about one fifth of Canada’s land mass and<br />
stretches from Hudson Bay in the south to the<br />
Arctic islands in the north. The famed Northwest<br />
Passage wends its way through the northern<br />
islands making it the theatre for many historic<br />
arctic voyages. Nunavut, meaning ‘our land’ in<br />
the Inuktitut language, is home to 28 Inuit<br />
communities, the largest of which is Iqaluit with<br />
a population of 6,500. Accessible only by air and<br />
sea, this region is a cradle of Inuit cultures, the<br />
flowers of the Arctic tundra and the dancing<br />
celestial phenomenon of the Aurora Borealis.<br />
A plethora of wildlife inhabits these desolate<br />
lands, with polar bears, arctic foxes, whales,<br />
narwhals, walrus, musk oxen and herds of caribou<br />
often seen. To visit in the summer is to discover<br />
a unique mix of culture, wilderness and wildlife..<br />
Alaska<br />
Crossing over the border from British Colombia<br />
or the Yukon, Alaska is a vast outpost of the USA<br />
in the Arctic world, an astounding region of<br />
untouched natural beauty and hidden mineral<br />
wealth. Along the coast some of North America’s<br />
highest mountains feed more than half the world’s<br />
glaciers, an epic sight as they calve icebergs into<br />
chill waters. Expedition cruises operate in these<br />
waters using zodiacs to discover breathtaking<br />
coastlines and the plethora of wildlife. The interior<br />
is just as beautiful, ideal for discovering by car or<br />
train, with good road and rail systems linking<br />
Canada’s Yukon to make circular, round-trip<br />
routes possible and rewarding.<br />
Introduction<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
7
Getting Around<br />
8<br />
There are many options for the traveller<br />
to explore Canada and Alaska, and<br />
very often it makes sense to use a variety of<br />
transport arrangements to link the many<br />
sights. The following sections may help you<br />
make your decisions; however, the best thing<br />
to do is call one of our Canada and Alaska<br />
specialists, who have all travelled extensively<br />
around these regions using a variety of<br />
different modes of transport. They will be able<br />
to discuss the options and tailor-make an<br />
itinerary most suited to your requirements.<br />
Glacier landing flight<br />
Flights<br />
At <strong>Audley</strong> we can provide you a choice of airlines<br />
and routes, though Air Canada and British Airways<br />
have the greatest variety of direct flights. We can help<br />
you reduce your travel time by arranging regional U.K.<br />
departures, whilst on the international flights you may<br />
want to consider upgrading to a premium economy<br />
or business class service, for which we obtain very<br />
favourable rates. Seeing Canada and Alaska from the<br />
air is a truly stunning experience and helicopters,<br />
float-planes and fixed-wing aircraft offer wonderful<br />
alternatives to travelling overland. Many remote<br />
wilderness lodges can only be accessed by air,<br />
providing a thrilling start to your stay. Flights can be<br />
used strategically to link distant sights, or can be<br />
combined in a more substantial touring itinerary.<br />
Self-Drive<br />
Canada and Alaska have wonderful roads – scenic,<br />
safe and largely empty. You may not wish to start<br />
driving immediately after an international flight as<br />
driving is on the right side of the road, so we can<br />
arrange to have you met at the airport and taken to<br />
your hotel. Alternatively, there are car rental depots<br />
at most airports and we can ensure a car is waiting for<br />
those who wish to be on the road within minutes<br />
of landing. We will book all your accommodation in<br />
advance and provide you with clear and detailed<br />
driving instructions leaving you free to relax and enjoy<br />
the many scenic delights that you will pass on the way.<br />
Motor-homes<br />
Hiring a motor-home is a superb way of exploring<br />
at your own pace without packing and unpacking.<br />
Campgrounds are often found amidst wonderful<br />
scenery with excellent facilities at very reasonable<br />
prices, not to mention the camaraderie of fellow<br />
campers. A range of well-equipped vehicles is<br />
available, depending on the space you require, and<br />
there are depots in all the principal gateway cities.<br />
Float-planes<br />
An iconic symbol of Canada is the float-plane, or<br />
seaplane. In a vast and rugged country where the<br />
only flat areas are often the waters of rivers and<br />
lakes, float-planes are the perfect mode of<br />
transport. Any flight on these light aircraft is a<br />
thrilling experience, whether your destination is a<br />
wilderness lake or if you are simply using a coastal<br />
city harbour to explore the skyline from the air.
Lyubov Orlova<br />
Cruises<br />
Canada, Alaska and the Arctic offer some truly<br />
wonderful cruising opportunities on a wide variety<br />
of ships. Our preference leans towards expedition<br />
cruising on smaller vessels because this offers a<br />
more personal and experience-focused trip. On<br />
the smaller vessels the on-board wildlife, geology<br />
and photography experts are more approachable<br />
and inflatable zodiac landing craft make it easy to<br />
explore on land. You can expect to see an<br />
abundance of wildlife such as bears, whales and<br />
birds as well as some truly grand scenery.<br />
Whether you wish to cruise the Atlantic coast’s<br />
Maritime Provinces, the Pacific coast of British<br />
Columbia and Alaska or stray well within the<br />
Arctic Circle, we can help choose the vessel<br />
most appropriate to your specific requirements.<br />
Ferries<br />
Canada and Alaska have some stunning<br />
coastlines and these are often best explored by<br />
ferry. The famous Inside Passage route explores<br />
western British Columbia and the Alaska<br />
Panhandle whilst the Alaska Marine Highway<br />
serves a broad network of remote communities<br />
throughout Alaska. In eastern Canada ferries link<br />
parts of Québec to Prince Edward Island while<br />
there are many ferry routes throughout the<br />
Maritime Provinces. The vessels operating the<br />
longer crossings are modern and well-equipped<br />
with a wide range of facilities.<br />
A float-plane flight to the remote wilderness<br />
Rail Journeys<br />
The vast wilds of Canada and Alaska were tamed<br />
by rail, and even now the land is crossed by some<br />
of the world’s most iconic rail journeys. Possibly the<br />
best known of these is the Canadian, the great<br />
transcontinental journey that links Toronto and<br />
Vancouver. Other great routes include the Rocky<br />
Mountaineer and the Alaska Railroad. No visit to<br />
the region is complete without experiencing one of<br />
these magnificent journeys on which you can relax<br />
with a good book, socialise with fellow passengers<br />
or just sit back and enjoy the timeless rhythm of<br />
the tracks as you watch the landscape unfold from<br />
your window. Many of the trains offer a choice of<br />
seating: comfortable reclining seats are the standard<br />
option but it is highly recommended to up-grade to<br />
premium accommodation where you’ll find all the<br />
romance and sophistication of a classic rail journey,<br />
along with the best Canadian cuisine served in the<br />
stylish dining car with china, silverware and linen,<br />
and accompanied by a selection of Canadian wines.<br />
Many of the trains have observation domes for a<br />
360 degree view of your surroundings while<br />
sleeper routes mean you can fall asleep to the<br />
rhythm of the rails in a cosy private bedroom,<br />
covering the miles in total comfort.<br />
THE CANADIAN<br />
Considered one of the world’s great rail journeys,<br />
the Canadian offers the ultimate transcontinental<br />
train trip. It travels between Toronto and<br />
Vancouver, crossing the scenic lakelands of northern<br />
Ontario, touring the western plains of the prairies<br />
and climbing through the splendid Canadian Rockies<br />
before finishing its epic journey three days later on<br />
the Pacific coast of British Columbia.<br />
THE HUDSON BAY<br />
For a total change of scene, head north on<br />
board the Hudson Bay train for a 1,700 kilometre<br />
journey to northern Manitoba. Leaving Winnipeg<br />
in the heart of the southern prairies, you travel to<br />
Churchill, a city in the vast sub-arctic region on<br />
the shores of Hudson Bay.<br />
THE OCEAN<br />
A journey on the Ocean between Montréal and<br />
Halifax provides a wonderful glimpse of Canada’s<br />
past. <strong>Travel</strong> past the early settlements of eastern<br />
Québec, along the wooded coast of New<br />
Brunswick and past the fields and towns of vibrant<br />
old French and English communities before<br />
arriving in the port city of Halifax.<br />
THE SKEENA<br />
Plunging deep into the wilds of British Columbia,<br />
the Skeena takes you on a 1,160 kilometre journey<br />
past the highest peaks of the Rockies, countless<br />
lakes, waterfalls, frontier settlements and forested<br />
mountain slopes. This breathtaking route transports<br />
you between Prince Rupert on the Pacific coast<br />
and Jasper in the heart of the Rocky Mountains.<br />
Lasting two days, the journey necessitates an<br />
overnight stay in Prince George en route, where<br />
we can arrange hotel accommodation.<br />
THE ROCKY MOUNTAINEER<br />
The Rocky Mountaineer is one of Canada’s<br />
best-known trains, operating during the summer<br />
months between Jasper, Banff, Calgary and<br />
Vancouver. This two-day journey includes an<br />
overnight stay in Kamloops en route so you can<br />
travel the entire spectacular course in daylight.<br />
<strong>Travel</strong> through the arid grasslands and canyons<br />
of the central Cariboo, pass thundering waterfalls,<br />
burrow through mountain tunnels and skirt the<br />
mighty snow-capped peaks of the Rocky<br />
Mountains. Two classes of service are available -<br />
Red and Gold Leaf - both with guided<br />
commentary. Red Leaf provides reclining seats<br />
and meals served at your seat. Gold Leaf<br />
passengers are seated in the superb bi-level<br />
glass-dome coach, which provides a wonderful<br />
viewing platform, while gourmet meals are served<br />
below in the dining car. Other routes offered by<br />
Rocky Mountaineer include a daily summer<br />
service between Vancouver and Whistler and<br />
onward services from Whistler to Jasper via the<br />
charming rural town of Quesnel.<br />
The Rocky Mountaineer<br />
THE ALASKA RAILROAD<br />
It took eight years and 4,500 men to build the<br />
Alaska Railroad, a 756 kilometre railway from the<br />
ice-free port of Seward to the town of Fairbanks.<br />
The Alaska Railroad still runs through some of the<br />
state’s most breathtaking scenery, including Denali<br />
National Park, making it a perfect form of transport<br />
for lovers of wilderness and awe-inspiring vistas.<br />
Please see page 104 for further information.<br />
YUKON & WHITE PASS RAILROAD<br />
Built in 1898 during the Klondike gold rush, the<br />
Yukon and White Pass Railroad that links<br />
Whitehorse in the Yukon with Skagway in Alaska<br />
encompasses some of the world’s steepest gradients<br />
and greatest feats of engineering as it travels through<br />
some of the most dramatic scenery imaginable.<br />
Please see page 108 for further information.<br />
Getting Around<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
9
Wildlife<br />
Canada and Alaska are known for their<br />
huge tracts of pristine wilderness, the<br />
sheer scale of which has done much to protect<br />
the abundant concentrations of animals.<br />
Close encounters with wildlife are frequently<br />
superb. The nutrient-rich seas attract some of<br />
the world’s greatest concentrations of seabirds<br />
but also support countless marine mammals:<br />
Canada’s coast can offer some of the world’s<br />
best whale sightings. On land the large<br />
mammals comfortably outnumber the<br />
human population. Here it is possible to see<br />
polar bears hunt from ice floes, black bears<br />
slouch through the woods and grizzly bears<br />
fish salmon out of fast-flowing rivers.<br />
Bison still congregate in herds while elk,<br />
moose, caribou and musk oxen provide<br />
thrilling encounters.<br />
Bears<br />
One of the delights of travelling in Canada and<br />
Alaska is the very real chance that you will see a<br />
bear. The two species that you are likely to<br />
encounter are grizzly and black bears. Black bears<br />
are smaller than the grizzly and lack the distinctive<br />
hump on the back of the neck. In the spring,<br />
bears emerge from hibernation to mate and to<br />
feed. Their diet consists of all kinds of vegetable<br />
matter including berries, flowers, grasses and<br />
sedges as well as fish, insects, honey and even<br />
elk and moose. The largest populations of grizzly<br />
bears are in Alaska, British Columbia and the<br />
Northwest Territories. Kodiak Island in Alaska<br />
is renowned for being home to the largest<br />
grizzlies in the world while nearby Brooks Falls<br />
in Katmai National Park is home to the thrilling<br />
spectacle of grizzlies catching salmon as they<br />
leap up the falls. The rare kermode, or spirit bear,<br />
is unique to remote parts of coastal British<br />
Columbia and due to a recessive gene has a<br />
distinctive white coat. These bears, related to<br />
black bears, are agile salmon catchers and are<br />
a thrill to see in their natural setting.<br />
Polar Bears<br />
One of the most thrilling sights in the Arctic is to<br />
see Ursus Maritimus, the world’s largest bear, in<br />
its native environment. In the autumn bears<br />
congregate near the small northern Manitoba town<br />
of Churchill waiting for the ice to freeze in order<br />
to hunt for seals. During the summer months polar<br />
bears are seen at the mouth of the Seal River on<br />
Hudson Bay and in the vast and untamed lands of<br />
the northern tundra where small ship cruises and<br />
specialist lodges offer thrilling opportunities to see<br />
these magnificent bears in their natural habitat –<br />
often swimming or foraging amongst the fireweed.<br />
Wolves<br />
Often vilified and hunted almost to extinction, there<br />
are now estimated to be over 50,000 wolves across<br />
Canada and Alaska, occupying over 80 percent of<br />
their original range. The grey wolf is also known as<br />
the timber wolf and prefers the open tundra and<br />
forest habitat where it will live in packs of five to<br />
twenty animals, depending on the abundance of<br />
prey. Their main food sources are moose and elk<br />
which they hunt in teams, primarily at night. You are<br />
most likely to see wolves at dawn or sunset but<br />
10
Big horn sheep<br />
Atlantic puffins<br />
Orcas cruising<br />
Bald eagle in flight<br />
they are extremely elusive and you’re more likely<br />
to hear their calls than get direct sightings. They’re<br />
most often seen in Alaska’s Denali National Park,<br />
on the Bow Valley Parkway near Lake Louise, and<br />
in Ontario’s Algonquin Provincial Park.<br />
Caribou<br />
To see a family of caribou in their tundra home<br />
is an impressive sight. Imagine then what it must<br />
be like to see one of North America’s last true<br />
migrations - the great herds of caribou, hundreds<br />
of thousands strong, that traverse thousands of<br />
kilometres across the barren tundra, following<br />
the fresh grass growth and harried by packs of<br />
wolves. A journey to the north is bound to bring<br />
you close to these magnificent animals and will<br />
surely be a highlight of your trip.<br />
Moose<br />
The moose is the largest member of the deer<br />
family and is found in forests from Alaska all the<br />
way across to the eastern tip of Newfoundland.<br />
The bulls of these imposing animals can grow larger<br />
than the tallest horse and have a rack of antlers<br />
spanning over one and a half metres in width. They<br />
have poor eyesight, skinny legs under a bulky body<br />
and a long, mournful-looking snout giving them an<br />
almost comic appearance. Some of the best places<br />
to see moose include New Brunswick, Algonquin<br />
Provincial Park and Banff and Jasper National Parks.<br />
Grizzly bears catching salmon<br />
Musk Oxen<br />
Natives of Arctic Canada, Greenland and Alaska,<br />
musk oxen are neither oxen, nor do they have<br />
musk glands; being closely related to sheep or<br />
goats. They are noted for their thick shaggy coats,<br />
long curved horns and for the strong odour<br />
emitted by the males. Their thick coats enable<br />
them to survive bitterly cold winter temperatures.<br />
Sociable animals, they usually live in herds of<br />
between ten to twenty animals but sometimes<br />
the herd can number several hundred. Musk<br />
oxen, or their ancestors, are believed to have<br />
migrated to North America between 90,000 and<br />
200,000 years ago making them a contemporary<br />
of the woolly mammoth. The largest population is<br />
on Banks Island in the Northwest Territories but<br />
herds can be found all over the northern tundra.<br />
Whales<br />
Canada and Alaska are two of the best places in<br />
the world to watch a wide variety of whales<br />
during the summer months. Humpbacks, minke<br />
and finback whales are found off the coast of<br />
Newfoundland while northern right whales and<br />
humpbacks are found slightly to the south in the<br />
Bay of Fundy. The St. Lawrence River is home to<br />
13 species of whale, including the world’s largest,<br />
the blue whale, and a large number of white<br />
beluga whales, which are also to be found<br />
Bull caribou<br />
gathering in Hudson Bay and Arctic waters. Rare<br />
narwhal can be spotted in the Arctic whilst orcas<br />
and grey whales can be found in abundance off<br />
the coasts of Vancouver Island and Alaska.<br />
Birds<br />
This vast region has an incredible variety of bird<br />
species, both resident and migratory. Alaska and<br />
western British Columbia are renowned for huge<br />
populations of bald eagles whilst the cliffs of the<br />
Maritime Provinces echo to the enthralling<br />
cacophony of shrieks and calls of some of the<br />
world’s largest seabird colonies, providing ideal<br />
nesting conditions for thousands of kittiwakes,<br />
murres and razorbills. The Queen Charlotte Islands<br />
are known as the ‘Canadian Galapagos’ and a third<br />
of the world’s population of murrelets nest here<br />
along with horned puffins and Peales peregrine<br />
falcons. Oak Hammock Marsh in southern Manitoba<br />
is one of the finest bird sanctuaries on the continent<br />
where each autumn up to half a million geese arrive<br />
on their way south. Other notable places to see<br />
birds are the remarkable Point Pelee National Park<br />
in Ontario, and the Île Bonaventure in Québec<br />
which, with 60,000 birds, is home to North<br />
America’s largest gannet colony.<br />
Wildlife<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
11
Outdoor Activities<br />
As a vast region that is blessed with some<br />
of the world’s most dramatic and<br />
beautiful scenery, Canada and Alaska is a<br />
mecca for the outdoor enthusiast. Stunning<br />
wilderness drives are yours alone and whether<br />
you’re travelling by car or motor-home, once<br />
you are mobile you can choose where to go and<br />
what activities you want to include in your<br />
tailor-made trip. Each province offers a<br />
diversity of year-round activities; here are<br />
some of the most popular ones.<br />
Walking<br />
For those who love walking, Canada is<br />
unsurpassable in its variety. Memorable day walks<br />
can be found in abundance, but there are also<br />
many renowned hikes lasting several days, such as<br />
Vancouver Island’s West Coast Trail. The Rockies<br />
have more than their fair share of stunning trails<br />
in the forests and meadows above the tree line<br />
that burst into colour each spring. As a special<br />
treat, it is possible to enjoy guided walking while<br />
staying in the mountains at a remote lodge and<br />
heli-hiking near mountain peaks. The hikes in<br />
British Columbia’s Wells Gray Provincial Park<br />
give you a particularly good chance of excellent<br />
wildlife viewing while in Ontario’s Algonquin<br />
Provincial Park you can howl with the wolves.<br />
Nahanni National Park in the Northwest<br />
Territories is a pristine wilderness rich in waterfalls<br />
and fast flowing rivers. Québec’s Laurentians are<br />
delightful, particularly during the autumn when the<br />
deciduous trees are a riot of colour, whilst in<br />
Newfoundland Gros Morne National Park’s<br />
dramatic fjords have been dubbed the ‘Galapagos<br />
of Geology’ with their ancient rocks telling the<br />
story of the formation of our planet. Canada and<br />
Alaska truly offer some of the most exhilarating<br />
and diverse walking terrain anywhere.<br />
Float Trips &<br />
White-Water Rafting<br />
Though many of Canada’s rivers can be navigated<br />
by canoe, more tranquil journeys are offered on<br />
floating pontoons or inflatable boats: gently<br />
drifting through forested rivers where wildlife is<br />
unconcerned at the waters’ edge and the<br />
humdrum world of road traffic and other<br />
visitors seems far away. For adrenaline seekers,<br />
white-water rafting is the big attraction. Generally,<br />
whether you are a novice, have children with you<br />
or are looking for a big thrill then professional raft<br />
companies can cater to your needs.<br />
Canoeing & Kayaking<br />
With just under 250,000 kilometres of coastline,<br />
well over 100,000 kilometres of navigable river<br />
and countless lakes, Canada and Alaska have<br />
innumerable opportunities for canoeing and<br />
kayaking along pristine shores or sparkling rivers.<br />
The possibilities are virtually limitless: you can take<br />
an easy peaceful paddle or hurl yourself into a<br />
torrent of white water. Sea kayaking is growing in<br />
popularity, so whether you want to kayak in the<br />
tidal races of the Bay of Fundy or paddle amongst<br />
orcas off the coast of Vancouver Island your<br />
choices are endless.<br />
Horse Riding<br />
Horse riding is a great way to reach backcountry<br />
trails with the minimum of effort and can be<br />
arranged in most of Canada’s provinces for all<br />
levels of experience and fitness. Whether you<br />
want a one hour ride or a backcountry tour<br />
12
Fly fishing<br />
Heli-hiking mountain lodge<br />
Mountain biking<br />
White-water rafting<br />
lasting several days, the western-style saddle lends<br />
itself to comfortable and easy trail riding where<br />
you can experience the wilderness in much the<br />
same way as the original settlers.<br />
Fishing<br />
It is hard to think of a region of the world that<br />
offers better fishing than Canada and Alaska,<br />
where the sport is a national pastime. Freshwater<br />
fishing for huge lake trout, char, carp, grayling or<br />
pike is available in many places and if you are a<br />
winter visitor then perhaps ice fishing will take<br />
your fancy. Sea fishing takes things to another<br />
level: you can catch halibut of up to 45<br />
kilogrammes off the shores of Homer in Alaska<br />
or fly fish for sharks in Nova Scotia. For many<br />
people, the highlight of fishing in Canada has to<br />
be for salmon of which there are six varieties;<br />
Atlantic, sockeye, coho, chum, pink and the<br />
mighty chinook. Newfoundland offers the majority<br />
of Atlantic salmon fishing but British Columbia’s<br />
Clayoquot Sound, during the August salmon run,<br />
is arguably the best of the best.<br />
Aurora Borealis<br />
The dramatic Aurora Borealis, or the Northern<br />
Lights, are thought to be the result of particles in<br />
solar winds emanating from the sun in the region<br />
of the magnetic north pole. They can be seen as<br />
Joining the cattle drive<br />
undulating ribbons of light shimmering in the night<br />
sky in a show that can last for hours or just a few<br />
minutes. One Inuit tale describes the lights as<br />
spirits playing ball in the sky with a walrus skull<br />
while another says that they are flaming torches<br />
carried by departed souls guiding travellers to the<br />
afterlife. The lights are on display two out of<br />
every three nights, but in the summer months the<br />
ambient light often makes it impossible to see<br />
them. Long winter nights with clear skies offer the<br />
best viewing, but the conditions are also good in<br />
late August, September and March in the Yukon<br />
and similar northern latitudes.<br />
Winter Activities<br />
Although most visitors arrive in Canada and<br />
Alaska between the months of May and October,<br />
there is actually a wide range of activities<br />
geared towards the winter weather. The cities<br />
remain vibrant throughout the year, many with<br />
life carrying on as normal in kilometres of covered<br />
walkways that connect shops and restaurants in<br />
defiance of the often inhospitable conditions<br />
outside. Visitors to Québec can stay at the Ice<br />
Hotel, lying on animal furs in a property sculpted<br />
from ice each autumn. The main attraction for<br />
many winter visitors though is the marvellous<br />
skiing to be had in Whistler, the Rockies,<br />
Mont-Tremblant and many other superb winter<br />
ski resorts found across the country. You can<br />
also try your hand at a wide range of other<br />
winter activities as well, including snow-mobiling,<br />
dog-sledding, snow-shoeing, ice-skating and<br />
even ice-fishing.<br />
Canoe at sunset<br />
Outdoor Activities<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
13
British Columbia<br />
14<br />
Beautiful British Columbia’ is boldly<br />
written on all the province’s car licence<br />
plates and BC, as it is commonly known, is<br />
where you’ll find many of Canada’s most<br />
fabulous natural features. A good place to<br />
begin is BC’s largest city, Vancouver, a young<br />
and vibrant metropolis that is consistently<br />
voted one of the world’s most attractive<br />
cities to live. This is easy to believe as it is<br />
overflowing with rich cultural experiences,<br />
‘<br />
exceptional wildlife viewing and plenty of<br />
outdoor activities for everyone. On Vancouver<br />
Island the provincial capital, Victoria, is a<br />
colonial gem, with an old-world charm and a<br />
mild Pacific climate. The province’s spectacular<br />
scenery includes the famed coastal Inside<br />
Passage, the old-growth rainforests and big<br />
surf beaches of Vancouver Island, the vast<br />
cowboy country of the Cariboo, the orchards<br />
and vineyards of the Okanagan Valley and the<br />
Kootenay Rockies with their bears, elk<br />
and eagles. The First Nations of the Pacific<br />
seaboard are renowned for their totem poles<br />
and longhouses and after many years of<br />
oppression the native cultures and arts are<br />
now resurgent. BC is four times the size<br />
of Great Britain and its northern half,<br />
bordered by Alaska and the Yukon, is a largely<br />
pristine wilderness of glaciers, fjords, lakes<br />
and waterfalls.
YUKON<br />
Atlin<br />
NORTHWEST<br />
TERRITORIES<br />
Fort Nelson<br />
Vancouver’s famous steam clock<br />
Vancouver<br />
Masset<br />
ALASKA<br />
Prince<br />
Rupert<br />
Stewart<br />
BRITISH<br />
COLUMBIA<br />
Khutzeymateen<br />
Provincial<br />
Park<br />
Smithers<br />
Fort<br />
St John<br />
This cosmopolitan city basks in a glorious natural<br />
setting, set on the water yet surrounded by the<br />
Coast Mountains. Downtown Vancouver,<br />
including historic Gastown, Chinatown and<br />
Granville Island, is compact and easily explored<br />
on foot. On the edge of the city you’ll find the<br />
huge expanse of Stanley Park with its ancient<br />
cedars and totem poles, the beaches of English<br />
Bay and Kitsilano, Grouse Mountain and the<br />
Capilano Suspension Bridge. A multi-cultural hub<br />
of the Pacific world, it has some of Canada’s finest<br />
and most varied restaurants, shops and most lively<br />
entertainment. Countless highlights include the<br />
Museum of Anthropology, renowned for its<br />
insights into First Nations culture, and the<br />
spectacular float-plane flight to Bowen Island.<br />
Queen<br />
Charlotte<br />
Islands<br />
Gwaii Hanaas<br />
National Park<br />
Sandspit<br />
Pacific Ocean<br />
Princess<br />
Royal<br />
Island<br />
Bella Bella<br />
Klemtu<br />
Port Hardy<br />
Telegraph<br />
Cove<br />
Vancouver<br />
Island<br />
0 100 miles<br />
0 160 kilometres<br />
Great Bear<br />
Rainforest<br />
Bella<br />
Coola<br />
Campbell<br />
River<br />
Tofino<br />
Knight<br />
Inlet<br />
VICTORIA<br />
Prince<br />
George<br />
Williams<br />
Lake 100 Mile<br />
House<br />
Lillooet<br />
Powell<br />
River Whistler<br />
Squamish<br />
Nanaimo<br />
Quesnel<br />
Vancouver<br />
Wells Gray<br />
Provincial<br />
Park<br />
Rocky Mountains<br />
Clearwater<br />
Revelstoke Golden<br />
Kamloops<br />
Kelowna<br />
Penticton<br />
Jasper<br />
Mount Robson<br />
Provincial Park<br />
Glacier<br />
NP<br />
Lake<br />
Okanagan<br />
ALBERTA<br />
Yoho<br />
NP<br />
Banff<br />
Kootenay<br />
National Park<br />
Purcell Wilderness<br />
Conservancy<br />
Fernie<br />
WEDGEWOOD HOTEL,<br />
VANCOUVER<br />
This award-winning Relais & Château hotel has<br />
a distinctly European sophistication and charm.<br />
Ideally located on Robson Square in the heart of<br />
downtown Vancouver, the privately-owned hotel<br />
has 89 luxuriously decorated rooms and suites, all<br />
elegantly furnished with antiques and original<br />
works of art. Rich fabrics, plush carpets and<br />
marble bathrooms are Wedgewood hallmarks,<br />
along with exemplary service. Bacchus, the<br />
renowned restaurant and bar, offers a truly<br />
epicurean dining experience whilst the hotel’s<br />
latest addition is a full-service spa.<br />
Penthouse Suite, Wedgewood Hotel<br />
British Columbia: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
Totem poles in British Columbia<br />
15
Aerial view of Vancouver<br />
SUTTON PLACE HOTEL,<br />
VANCOUVER<br />
Few hotels can rival the elegance, European<br />
charm and hospitality of the award-winning<br />
Sutton Place Hotel in the heart of downtown<br />
Vancouver. Luxury abounds, from the 397 lavishly<br />
appointed guest rooms, complete with marble<br />
bathrooms, to the English “club” style lounge and<br />
the full-service spa. The Fleuri restaurant provides<br />
innovative French cuisine and is a delightful<br />
venue for afternoon tea, whilst chocolate lovers<br />
shouldn’t miss the decadent chocoholic<br />
dessert buffet.<br />
The Listel Hotel<br />
BARCLAY HOUSE, VANCOUVER<br />
This charming bed and breakfast property, built in<br />
1904, is centrally located in the heart of the city’s<br />
West End, a delightful residential area that is still<br />
firmly downtown. There are just six rooms, many<br />
with claw-foot baths, hand-made furnishings and<br />
original local artwork. All rooms feature a DVD<br />
and CD player, wireless internet connection,<br />
mini-fridge, bathrobes and coffee maker. Breakfast<br />
is taken seriously here – there is a breakfast chef,<br />
his name is Art and he’s from Newfoundland –<br />
and each day starts with a classic Canadian feast.<br />
Sutton Place Hotel<br />
LISTEL HOTEL, VANCOUVER<br />
The Listel Hotel is a dynamic and interesting<br />
property that blends art with hospitality. There are<br />
129 rooms of various distinct styles: some feature<br />
original works of contemporary Canadian art<br />
whilst others showcase the work of the province’s<br />
coastal First Nations communities. The wide range<br />
of facilities includes a lounge, fitness room,<br />
underground car park and the renowned O’Doul’s<br />
restaurant and bar which has live jazz every night.<br />
Located on Robson Street, the hotel is just a short<br />
stroll away from most of the city’s major attractions.<br />
16<br />
Barclay House
Grand Canadian<br />
For those who wish to explore the myriad<br />
delights and charms of this huge country, the<br />
Grand Canadian is ideal. This itinerary uses rail<br />
to explore the historic charms of the eastern<br />
provinces, the natural wonders of Niagara Falls and<br />
the grandeur of the Rocky Mountain landscapes.<br />
Day 1<br />
Arrive in Halifax, the capital of<br />
Nova Scotia.<br />
Day 2<br />
Spend a full day exploring Halifax.<br />
Day 3<br />
Collect your hire car and drive south<br />
to the old fishing port of Lunenburg.<br />
Day 4<br />
Return to Halifax and board your<br />
onward flight to Montréal.<br />
Capilano Suspension Bridge, Vancouver<br />
Vancouver’s historic Gastown<br />
Day 5<br />
Explore Québec’s largest city,<br />
and perhaps take a cruise on the<br />
St. Lawrence River.<br />
Day 6<br />
Take the train from Montréal to<br />
Toronto for a three night stay.<br />
Day 7<br />
Enjoy a full day exploring Canada’s<br />
largest city.<br />
Day 8<br />
Take a full day tour to Niagara Falls.<br />
Day 9<br />
Board the Canadian train at<br />
the start of your epic journey<br />
across Canada.<br />
Day 10<br />
Continue your journey westwards<br />
across the vast prairie provinces.<br />
Museum of Anthropology, Vancouver<br />
Harbour Air Seaplanes<br />
Day 11<br />
Arrive in Jasper in the Rocky<br />
Mountains for a two night stay.<br />
Coastal Rainforest Adventure<br />
Harbour Air Seaplanes<br />
Day 12<br />
Spend a full day exploring Jasper<br />
National Park.<br />
<strong>Travel</strong>ling from the hubbub of downtown<br />
Vancouver you will arrive at the Lynn Canyon<br />
suspension bridge to experience a walk in the<br />
Capilano Canyon which affords captivating views<br />
of this magnificent rainforest. Here your<br />
experienced guide will explain all about the lichen,<br />
moss, ferns and flowering plants which grow<br />
under the mantle of some of the west coast’s<br />
oldest and largest trees. The giant cedars,<br />
hemlock and towering Douglas firs are truly<br />
magnificent. You will also visit British Columbia’s<br />
oldest known yew tree to learn all about the<br />
significant medical importance of these marvellous<br />
trees. This is one of the world’s most primitive<br />
ecosystems where you will learn and observe the<br />
life cycle of the Pacific salmon. Snacks and drinks<br />
are included in this sylvan setting before your<br />
return to the city.<br />
Vancouver to Victoria<br />
Whale Watching Cruise<br />
There really is nothing quite like seeing British<br />
Columbia through the window of a small<br />
float-plane. Harbour Air Seaplanes, operating<br />
out of Vancouver, Victoria and many of the<br />
Gulf Islands, offer a full scheduled service for<br />
commuters and those on holiday alike. Not only<br />
can passengers take a scenic flight instead of a<br />
long ferry journey, but they can also enjoy some<br />
of the quirkier options such as an evening fly and<br />
dine package or the two hour post run to deliver<br />
mail to tiny coastal villages.<br />
Day 13<br />
Day 14<br />
Day 15<br />
Day 16<br />
Day 17<br />
Day 18<br />
Day 19<br />
Day 20<br />
Take a guided coach tour along<br />
Icefields Parkway, one of Canada’s<br />
most scenic highways, to Banff.<br />
Enjoy a full day in the mountain<br />
town of Banff.<br />
Board the Rocky Mountaineer train<br />
for your journey from Banff to<br />
Kamloops.<br />
Continue on board the Rocky<br />
Mountaineer to Vancouver.<br />
Vancouver’s many sights and shops<br />
beckon you to explore today.<br />
Board a float-plane for a thrilling<br />
flight to Victoria. Enjoy a whale<br />
watching trip before the return<br />
flight to Vancouver.<br />
Spend your last day exploring<br />
Vancouver.<br />
Depart Vancouver at the end<br />
of your stay.<br />
A marvellous way of getting from Vancouver to<br />
Victoria in just four hours is by a 20 metre<br />
cruiser. Passing through the Gulf and San Juan<br />
islands the boat searches for marine mammals<br />
including resident orcas. A heated inside cabin<br />
and two outdoor viewing decks ensure wildlife<br />
viewing in comfort.<br />
British Columbia: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
Stanley Park totem poles<br />
17
Whale watching from Victoria<br />
Victoria<br />
Named for Queen Victoria, this garden city is<br />
situated in the south of Vancouver Island and is<br />
the capital of British Columbia. Compact and easily<br />
navigated, it lends itself to discovery on foot, in a<br />
horse-drawn carriage or, thrillingly, from a lowflying<br />
float-plane. Victoria is adorned with some<br />
lovely colonial architecture such as the Parliament<br />
Buildings while the Empress Hotel is an historic<br />
gem, an excellent place to take afternoon tea. The<br />
nearby Butchart Gardens are world-renowned, as<br />
is the Royal British Columbia Museum while other<br />
attractions include Craigdarroch Castle, the home<br />
of artist Emily Carr, and orca whales which visit the<br />
waters off the island in the summer.<br />
Laurel Point Inn<br />
Ambrosia B&B<br />
LAUREL POINT INN, VICTORIA<br />
Nestled in Victoria’s Inner Harbour on a two<br />
hectare peninsula, the Laurel Point Inn is surrounded<br />
by the ocean and a lush Japanese garden but is still<br />
just ten minutes walk from the city’s trendy bistros,<br />
shops, museums and art galleries. Each of the 200<br />
guest rooms has a delightful water view and a<br />
private balcony, with the best being the south<br />
wing studio suites featuring huge marble bathrooms<br />
and large balconies with patio furniture. The Café<br />
Laurel serves breakfast and dinner whilst Cooks<br />
Landing Lounge is the perfect water-front venue for<br />
lunch, dinner or cocktails. In addition, there is an<br />
indoor swimming pool, hot tub and complimentary<br />
valet parking.<br />
AMBROSIA B&B, VICTORIA<br />
This intimate 1897 heritage bed and breakfast<br />
offers romance and relaxation. Ambrosia is<br />
located right in the heart of downtown Victoria,<br />
just three blocks from the inner harbour and an<br />
easy stroll to Beacon Hill Park. There are just<br />
four charming rooms, all individually decorated<br />
to the highest standard in a mix of classic and<br />
contemporary designs. Each room has down<br />
feather beds and duvets, large jetted baths and<br />
heated tile floors. A four-course gourmet<br />
breakfast is included daily and your charming<br />
hosts, Gae and Gavin, will help make the most<br />
of your time in Victoria.<br />
Whale watching from Victoria<br />
The waters around Victoria are home to<br />
three resident pods of orcas, or killer whales.<br />
Famously savage but graceful, these magnificent<br />
sea mammals can be seen from 14-metre ocean<br />
cruisers or inflatable zodiacs, both fast and<br />
stable, on trips that also often sight minke and<br />
grey whales, porpoises and harbour seals, with<br />
a commentary provided by on board<br />
marine biologists.<br />
18
Victoria Harbour Red Crow on the Waterfront Butchart Gardens<br />
Chesterman Beach and the Wickaninnish Inn<br />
Tofino<br />
The small town of Tofino lies at the centre of<br />
Clayoquot Sound on Vancouver Island’s Pacific<br />
coast, poised between the crashing surf of Pacific<br />
rollers and towering rainforests inland. Recently<br />
designated British Columbia’s first UNESCO<br />
Biosphere Reserve, the surrounding Pacific Rim<br />
National Park is a naturalist’s paradise. The annual<br />
Pacific Rim Whale Festival takes place in March<br />
and for the two months that follow nearly 20,000<br />
grey whales pass within five kilometres of the<br />
shore on their migration north from Mexico.<br />
Black bears forage along the shoreline in giant<br />
cedar and ancient Sitka spruce rainforests while<br />
eagles swoop overhead: magical hiking country.<br />
RED CROW ON THE<br />
WATERFRONT, TOFINO<br />
Set in almost three hectares of private old<br />
growth rainforest on the edge of an intertidal<br />
waterway, guests at the Red Crow look out over<br />
a landscape shared with river otters, racoons,<br />
black bears and wolves, as well as many of the<br />
150 wild bird species of Clayoquot Sound. There<br />
are just two guest rooms in the main house and<br />
a cottage in the garden where you may be joined<br />
briefly by the local black bear who frequently<br />
forages along the shore. Rowing boats, canoes<br />
and bicycles are available and the lovely Tofino<br />
Botanical Gardens are a five minute walk along<br />
the shore, with complimentary admission for<br />
Red Crow guests.<br />
The Wickaninnish Inn<br />
THE OUTPOST AT BEDWELL RIVER,<br />
CLAYOQUOT SOUND<br />
Clayoquot Sound is a fragile and breathtaking<br />
temperate rainforest surrounded by calming rivers<br />
and wild coastal beaches. At the heart of this<br />
stunning setting lies a very special retreat: the<br />
Outpost at Bedwell River, which consists of 23<br />
deluxe en suite canvas guest tents decked out<br />
with opulent rugs, antique furnishings, down<br />
duvets, propane stoves and Aveda toiletries.<br />
Other tents serve as dining room, lounge and fullservice<br />
spa. Treading lightly on this pristine<br />
environment this tranquil retreat is a very civilised<br />
way of going back to nature.<br />
THE WICKANINNISH INN, TOFINO<br />
This is one of our favourite hotels, combining<br />
comfort and sophistication with a beautiful ocean<br />
setting, a Relais & Château property that has been<br />
frequently recognised in international awards. A<br />
further annexe, “Wickaninnish on the Beach”<br />
opened four years ago and these additional 30<br />
rooms complement the existing 48 rooms and<br />
suites of the Pointe building. The Pointe<br />
restaurant is the only four diamond restaurant<br />
north of Victoria and offers renowned cuisine -<br />
reservations are highly recommended.<br />
The Outpost at Bedwell River<br />
British Columbia: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
Black bear<br />
19
20<br />
Chasing salmon<br />
Northern Vancouver Island<br />
The north of Vancouver Island is wonderful for<br />
lovers of nature and wildlife. Much of this region<br />
consists of rugged unspoilt wilderness such as the<br />
huge Strathcona Provincial Park, honeycombed<br />
by an extensive network of underground caves.<br />
The region’s largest town is Campbell River,<br />
particularly renowned for its chinook salmon<br />
fishing and for the views over the Strait of<br />
Georgia. Nearby Quadra Island has fine sandy<br />
beaches and a distinct flavour of its First Nations’<br />
heritage, well represented in the Kwagiulth<br />
Museum and Cultural Centre, whilst nearby<br />
Cortes Island has some of North America’s finest<br />
sailing and kayaking areas. The small village of<br />
Telegraph Cove, raised on wooden stilts over<br />
the water, is the start point for whale watching<br />
trips in the Johnstone Strait while at the northern<br />
tip of the island Port Hardy is the terminal for<br />
ferries to and from Prince Rupert: Canada’s most<br />
awe-inspiring bear watching trips start from here<br />
or from Campbell River.<br />
SILKY’S B&B, CAMPBELL RIVER<br />
Silky’s bed and breakfast is your perfect home in<br />
Campbell River, with a friendly and courteous<br />
welcome assured by your charming – and<br />
eponymous – hostess. Her lovely home is set right<br />
on the waters’ edge and all rooms have views of<br />
the ocean and Quadra Island. Here in the Pacific<br />
northwest the rest of the world seems far away,<br />
especially when you walk through the rainforest to<br />
the spectacular private beach. Sophistication<br />
returns at each mealtime: Silky is an excellent cook.<br />
APRIL POINT RESORT & SPA,<br />
QUADRA ISLAND<br />
Located on beautiful Quadra Island, just a ten<br />
minute water taxi ride from Campbell River,<br />
April Point Resort & Spa is a charming west coast<br />
property set away from the crowds. Offering a<br />
mix of adventure and relaxation for couples and<br />
families alike, it provides great wildlife viewing,<br />
guided salmon fishing and a variety of other<br />
activities. Accommodation is in a mixture of lodge<br />
rooms, suites and cabins, all of which have sea<br />
views. The main lodge has a light airy feel and the<br />
spacious dining room has full length windows, an<br />
outdoor patio and a sushi bar. For those wanting<br />
to spoil themselves, the spa offers a variety of<br />
Aveda treatments, ideal for relaxing at the end of<br />
an activity-filled day.<br />
April Point Resort & Spa<br />
KNIGHT INLET LODGE<br />
The longest fjord on the British Columbia coast,<br />
Knight Inlet enjoys a breathtaking backdrop as<br />
mountain peaks 2,000 metres in height plunge<br />
dramatically into the Pacific Ocean. In the calm of<br />
the temperate rainforest nature’s immense power<br />
is shown by countless thundering glacier-fed<br />
waterfalls. Knight Inlet Lodge is at the heart of this<br />
natural paradise, 60 kilometres from the mouth of<br />
the inlet and reached by a spectacular float-plane<br />
flight from Campbell River. Located on the site of<br />
a historic salmon cannery whose only remains are<br />
the many supporting wooden posts protruding<br />
from the water, the rustic lodge rests, floating<br />
close to the shore. Accommodating just ten<br />
people, the lodge not only offers bear watching,<br />
but also walking, sea kayaking and fishing before<br />
guests enjoy a communal dinner with the lodge<br />
staff. The area is home to one of the province’s<br />
greatest concentrations of grizzly bears, and it is<br />
not uncommon for there to be up to 50 bears<br />
within ten kilometres of the lodge. During spring<br />
the tiny cubs emerge with their ever-cautious<br />
mothers, whilst in summer the heavy berry crop<br />
entices bears of all ages to the area. Sightings can<br />
be from boats and tree stands, while the staff<br />
strive to show bears in their natural environment<br />
without a negative impact. Knight Inlet’s naturalist<br />
guides are excellent and expand your experience<br />
beyond the star attraction to include all the other<br />
wildlife in the area.
Beautiful British Columbia<br />
Home to some of the most diverse and beautiful<br />
scenery in the world, British Columbia is a joy to<br />
visit and a destination in its own right. Pristine<br />
havens for wildlife and vast rolling forests compete<br />
with dynamic cities and a plethora of activities.<br />
This itinerary includes them all.<br />
Orcas in the Johnstone Strait<br />
Day 1<br />
Day 2<br />
Day 3<br />
Day 4<br />
Day 5<br />
Day 6<br />
Day 7<br />
Day 8<br />
Day 9<br />
From Vancouver travel with your hire<br />
car on the ferry to Vancouver Island.<br />
Spend a full day exploring Victoria.<br />
Drive north to Campbell River,<br />
famous for its salmon fishing.<br />
Depart by float-plane for Knight Inlet,<br />
a coastal wilderness fjord.<br />
Spend the whole day watching<br />
grizzly bears and other wildlife in this<br />
pristine natural environment.<br />
Return to Campbell River by floatplane,<br />
then drive north to Port Hardy.<br />
Board the Inside Passage ferry from<br />
Port Hardy to Prince Rupert.<br />
Take a full day trip to<br />
Khutzeymateen Park to see grizzly<br />
bears and other wildlife.<br />
Drive from Prince Rupert to<br />
Smithers for your overnight stay.<br />
Great Bear Lodge<br />
GREAT BEAR LODGE,<br />
GREAT BEAR RAINFOREST<br />
Accessed by float-plane or water-taxi from Port<br />
Hardy, Great Bear Lodge offers one of the most<br />
unique and personal bear viewing experiences in<br />
Canada. Surrounded by the Great Bear Rainforest<br />
of western British Columbia, this is a quiet<br />
sanctuary where you can view, photograph and<br />
understand bears in the wild. A significant grizzly<br />
bear population lives here, feeding on coastal<br />
sedges and grasses. Guest numbers are limited to<br />
just ten at any one time, making the experience<br />
highly personal and very informative with the<br />
chance to feel truly at one with nature. Guides<br />
are trained biologists and experts on grizzly bears<br />
and the other flora and fauna of the Nekite<br />
Valley. Each day two bear viewing sessions are<br />
tailored to nature’s schedule, observing grizzlies<br />
when they are most active but also seeing black<br />
bears, otters, pine martins, mink and bald eagles.<br />
Optional activities include interpretive hikes<br />
with a naturalist, boat cruises or sea kayaking.<br />
Cuisine is of the highest standard with fresh<br />
organic ingredients. Accommodation is in a<br />
two-storey floating lodge with just five bedrooms,<br />
each with a private bathroom, whilst hot showers<br />
are located on the main floor along with a<br />
congenial sitting room with a fireplace, a library,<br />
and natural wood decks: perfect to sip a glass of<br />
wine in this natural Eden.<br />
Quarterdeck Inn<br />
Whale Watching<br />
at Telegraph Cove<br />
The calm, protected waters of Johnstone Strait<br />
on the northeast coast of Vancouver Island are<br />
widely acknowledged as the most accessible and<br />
predictable location to see orcas (killer whales) in<br />
the world. Comfortable 20 metre vessels, fitted<br />
with heated seating areas and toilets, cruise these<br />
waters using hydrophones to track the larger<br />
pods – and allow guests to listen to their ethereal<br />
song. Trained naturalists are on hand to explain<br />
the life of orcas as well as the porpoises, Pacific<br />
white-sided dolphins, sealions and seals that are<br />
also often seen.<br />
QUARTERDECK INN,<br />
PORT HARDY<br />
This modern hotel with 40 deluxe ocean-view<br />
rooms and suites is just minutes away from the<br />
B.C. Ferries Inside Passage ferry terminal, with<br />
views of Port Hardy’s inner harbour. The hotel<br />
offers a sauna, hot tub, fitness centre and the<br />
popular Quarterdeck Pub. The marina is situated<br />
directly in front of the hotel – sheltered waters<br />
that are a popular haven for many Pacific<br />
mariners travelling between California and Alaska.<br />
Day 10<br />
Day 11<br />
Day 12<br />
Day 13<br />
Day 14<br />
Day 15<br />
Day 16<br />
Continue your drive eastwards to<br />
Prince George past wilderness<br />
forests and lakes.<br />
Head south following the Fraser River<br />
valley for a three night stay on a ranch.<br />
Spend a full day taking part in the<br />
many activities such as horse riding,<br />
walking and fishing.<br />
Enjoy another full day at the ranch.<br />
Your drive today takes you to the<br />
mountain village of Whistler.<br />
The day is yours to explore<br />
Whistler – try the many activities<br />
or visit the shops and restaurants.<br />
A short but scenic drive takes you<br />
along the Sea to Sky Highway back<br />
to Vancouver.<br />
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL<br />
Our private tailor-made journeys offer<br />
complete freedom of choice. The itineraries and<br />
accommodation shown are designed to give you a<br />
flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit<br />
your preferences. Prices vary according to selected<br />
accommodation and season, please telephone us<br />
to discuss your individual requirements.<br />
British Columbia: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
21
22<br />
Hiking in northern British Columbia<br />
Prince Rupert<br />
Beautifully set on the northern Pacific coast of<br />
British Columbia within easy reach of the Queen<br />
Charlotte Islands and Alaska’s Ketchikan, Prince<br />
Rupert is the terminus of the Skeena railway, and<br />
is a uniquely accessible outpost in the natural<br />
world. This is a place where eagles, bears, and<br />
whales outnumber people and the area has over<br />
10,000 years of First Nations history, clearly<br />
Cruising the Inside Passage<br />
evoked in the Museum of Northern British<br />
Columbia. Nearby the Khuzeymateen Provincial<br />
Park occupies a beautiful and remote valley that<br />
has earned world-wide fame for its prolific<br />
population of grizzly bears.<br />
CREST HOTEL, PRINCE RUPERT<br />
Situated on a high promontory overlooking the<br />
inner harbour, the Crest Hotel enjoys one of<br />
the most scenic vantage points over Kaien Island.<br />
The hotel is located just minutes from downtown<br />
Prince Rupert and has 102 comfortable rooms,<br />
many with sea views. The Waterfront restaurant,<br />
overlooking Prince Rupert harbour and the<br />
nearby islands, specialises in fresh local seafood<br />
and award-winning, locally produced wines. There<br />
is a lounge where the casual dining is popular with<br />
residents and locals alike, a fitness centre, steam<br />
room and outdoor hot tub.<br />
INSIDE PASSAGE FERRY<br />
The famed Inside Passage runs up the coast of<br />
British Columbia and on to Alaska: panoramas<br />
of unsurpassed natural beauty with snow-capped<br />
mountains, jagged fjords and glistening glaciers.<br />
The best way to appreciate this dramatic coastal<br />
landscape is on board the 15 hour ferry that plies<br />
between Prince Rupert on the mainland and Port<br />
Hardy at the northern tip of Vancouver Island,<br />
with plenty of amenities on board and orcas, seals<br />
and bald eagles to be watched for on every side.<br />
Crest Hotel<br />
The Bears of Khutzeymateen<br />
Bring your binoculars for this truly memorable<br />
experience, a thrilling six hour adventure tour<br />
from Prince Rupert to a beautiful, remote<br />
rainforest. <strong>Travel</strong> north by catamaran through<br />
Chatham Sound before continuing into rugged<br />
fjords and the pristine wilderness of the<br />
Khutzeymateen, home to one of the earth’s<br />
largest populations of grizzly bears. The area is<br />
also home to a large variety of other wildlife<br />
including orca whales, eagles, seals, mountain<br />
goats and black bears which your naturalist<br />
guide will point out to you.<br />
SKEENA TRAIN<br />
A two-day rail journey between Prince Rupert and<br />
Jasper in the Rocky Mountains, the Skeena is famed<br />
for its spectacular views as it passes through some<br />
of British Columbia’s most stunning mountain<br />
landscapes. Please see page 9 for more information.
Western Wonders<br />
The charming combination of coastal cities,<br />
small arts and crafts communities and rugged<br />
wave-battered beaches give this itinerary a true<br />
flavour of the best of Canada’s west.<br />
Day 1<br />
Arrive in Vancouver, British<br />
Columbia’s largest city.<br />
Spend a full day to discover the<br />
city at your own pace.<br />
Collect your hire car and board the<br />
BC Ferry to Vancouver Island,<br />
keeping a watch for whales en route.<br />
Enjoy a full day exploring British<br />
Columbia’s charming capital. You may<br />
wish to go whale watching or visit<br />
nearby Butchart Gardens.<br />
The Skeena train<br />
West Coast Wilderness Lodge<br />
Day 2<br />
Day 3<br />
Day 4<br />
Day 5<br />
Drive through stunning mountain<br />
scenery to Tofino on the Pacific coast.<br />
Day 6<br />
Explore the delightful little town<br />
of Tofino and nearby Pacific Rim<br />
National Park or perhaps go looking<br />
for bears along the coast.<br />
Day 7<br />
Drive to Comox to board the BC<br />
ferry to Powell River. Continue<br />
north to the little town of Lund.<br />
Under the Salmon Glacier<br />
The Sunshine Coast<br />
and Desolation Sound<br />
Studded with rugged headlands, sandy beaches and<br />
quiet lagoons, British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast is<br />
reached by a delightful drive from Horseshoe Bay<br />
in North Vancouver to the little village of Lund,<br />
crossing two rivers by ferry and with plenty of<br />
opportunities to explore en route. The Vancouver<br />
ferry arrives at Saltery Bay, where the Provincial<br />
Park protects a forested area first exploited by<br />
trappers. The pristine waters of Desolation Sound,<br />
just ten kilometres north of Lund, are surrounded<br />
by steep evergreen mountains that teem with<br />
wildlife. Through the summer months these waters<br />
are easily warm enough for swimming and<br />
snorkelling. The scenery is less severe – but just as<br />
dramatic – as many of the other sheer-sided<br />
waterways along the central coast, framed by the<br />
snow-capped peaks of the Coast Mountains that<br />
soar to heights of 2,400 metres above the tideline.<br />
WEST COAST WILDERNESS<br />
LODGE, EGMONT, SUNSHINE COAST<br />
West Coast Wilderness Lodge is tucked<br />
amongst the cedars and firs of Canada’s west<br />
coast, 145 kilometres north of Vancouver and<br />
with spectacular views of the Pacific coast. There<br />
are 20 newly-refurbished rooms and suites, all<br />
overlooking the ocean, and the lodge offers<br />
exceptional dining using local and organic<br />
ingredients. The many activities include kayaking,<br />
wildlife tours and marine excursions to nearby<br />
Princess Louisa Inlet, while the more adventurous<br />
can fly to a mountain lake for a canoe trip or helihike<br />
amongst alpine meadows. The lodge is<br />
reached by a scenic three-hour journey by car<br />
and ferry from Vancouver.<br />
LUND HOTEL, LUND<br />
Dating back to 1905, the historic Lund Hotel has<br />
a stunning ocean-front location at the gateway<br />
to Desolation Sound. Recently restored, it has<br />
31 guest rooms as well as a pub, restaurant, and<br />
decks with open views across the Pacific Ocean.<br />
Most tables in the waterfront restaurant have<br />
panoramic views of Lund Harbour and Savary<br />
Island, perfectly complementing the meals of<br />
fresh local seafood, prepared with west coast<br />
flair. Historic photographs, antiques and regional<br />
art contribute to an ambience of antiquity and<br />
local culture.<br />
Day 8<br />
Day 9<br />
The day is yours to relax and enjoy<br />
the historic town of Lund or perhaps<br />
visit nearby Desolation Sound or<br />
Savary Island.<br />
Today your drive takes you along the<br />
lovely Sunshine Coast and back to<br />
Vancouver at the end of your tour.<br />
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL<br />
Our private tailor-made journeys offer<br />
complete freedom of choice. The itineraries and<br />
accommodation shown are designed to give you a<br />
flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit<br />
your preferences. Prices vary according to selected<br />
accommodation and season, please telephone us<br />
to discuss your individual requirements.<br />
Spirit bear<br />
British Columbia: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
Lund Hotel<br />
23
Ocean Light II and grizzly<br />
Humpback whale watching<br />
King Pacific Lodge<br />
Haida Gwaii totems<br />
whales and other marine mammals are frequently<br />
seen. You can simply enjoy the experience of<br />
gliding through the water being powered by the<br />
ocean breeze, but are also encouraged to try<br />
your hand at the helm and help trim the sails.<br />
Ocean Light II is proud to operate a low impact<br />
policy, leaving areas just as they were found.<br />
Skipper and guide Chris Tulloch has more than<br />
15 years of experience in guiding coastal<br />
adventure tours along British Columbia’s coast<br />
and has a passion for its diverse wildlife. Assisting<br />
Chris as crew, guide and cook is Jenn Broom,<br />
who will make sure that your stay is enjoyable<br />
and memorable with the delicious, nutritious food<br />
that flows freely from her galley.<br />
The Great Bear Rainforest<br />
and Princess Royal Island<br />
Situated south of Alaska along the coast of British<br />
Columbia, the Great Bear Rainforest is one of the<br />
most bio-diverse ecosystems found on the planet.<br />
It is home to the rare spirit, or kermode, bear –<br />
the world’s only white-coated variation of the<br />
black bear. First Nations legend tells how the<br />
Raven, the creator, made the spirit bear as a<br />
reminder of the last Ice Age. Today there are<br />
fewer than 400 spirit bears, principally living within<br />
the Great Bear Rainforest and adjacent Princess<br />
Royal Island. This wonderful wilderness is also<br />
Spirit bear<br />
home to grizzly bears, black bears, mountain<br />
goats, eagles and grey wolves who live amongst<br />
cedar, fir and spruce trees that are often more<br />
than 1,000 years in age. In the heart of this<br />
rainforest the small, remote village of Klemtu<br />
is home to Kitasoo and Xaixais people, tribes<br />
that have thrived here since before the Ice Age.<br />
Reached only by boat or float-plane, this is a<br />
remote and magical part of British Columbia.<br />
Klemtu Great Bear Explorer<br />
The Great Bear Explorer tour is run by a<br />
community-based eco tourism venture owned by<br />
the local Kitasoo and Xaixais tribes. It focuses on<br />
the white spirit, or kermode, bears of Princess<br />
Royal Island as well as the large grizzly bears that<br />
roam the coastal estuaries. It offers a wonderful<br />
opportunity to view and learn about these<br />
fascinating creatures in their natural environment.<br />
Spirit bears are most often seen from late August<br />
to October, whilst grizzly bear viewing is excellent<br />
throughout the summer from May to October.<br />
These three or six night tours based at Klemtu<br />
Lodge include bear viewing trips, visits to historic<br />
First Nations’ sites with interpretive walks led by<br />
naturalist guides, evening interpretive and cultural<br />
programmes, a scenic cruise through the inlets of<br />
the rainforest and walks to spot other wildlife such<br />
as wolves, seals, whales and birds.<br />
KLEMTU LODGE,<br />
GREAT BEAR RAINFOREST<br />
This recently constructed lodge lies amidst the<br />
spectacular natural beauty of the Great Bear<br />
Rainforest in the small village of Klemtu.<br />
Comfortable accommodation includes rooms<br />
with private bathrooms – something of a luxury<br />
in such a remote location – a dining area, lounge<br />
and modern kitchen facilities where the chefs<br />
prepare hearty and nutritious meals that are<br />
included in your stay.<br />
KING PACIFIC LODGE,<br />
PRINCESS ROYAL ISLAND<br />
Moored in the shelter of Barnard Harbour on<br />
Princess Royal Island, this luxury floating lodge<br />
is in the heart of old-growth rainforest, with<br />
wrap-around decks equipped with high-powered<br />
telescopes for star-gazing and watching wildlife,<br />
and a full-service spa. The many guided activities<br />
include hiking, fishing, kayaking and wildlife<br />
viewing. After a sumptuous evening meal, relax<br />
by a roaring fire in the Great Room or curl up<br />
with a book in the library: bliss.<br />
British Columbia: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
25
The Fraser River<br />
The Cariboo<br />
The rolling ranching country and immense forests<br />
of British Columbia’s interior plateau extends north<br />
from Lillooet between the Coast Mountains to the<br />
west and the Cariboo Mountains in the east: it is<br />
known as the Cariboo. The region became<br />
prominent with the discovery of gold and, between<br />
1862 and 1870, over 100,000 people travelled from<br />
Lillooet along the Cariboo wagon road to the gold<br />
fields. A number of roadhouses were built to supply<br />
this human tide, 100 Mile House was originally one<br />
of these stopping points, so named because it was<br />
located 100 miles from Lillooet. Other settlements<br />
established at this time include Clinton, Williams<br />
Lake, Quesnel and Barkerville which, as a restored<br />
gold rush town, is the most atmospheric. As the<br />
gold rush subsided some prospectors stayed to<br />
farm the land: today this is prime ranching country,<br />
criss–crossed by the canyons and ravines of the<br />
Fraser and Thompson rivers.<br />
ARCONA HOUSE, 108 MILE HOUSE<br />
Owned by an erudite German count and set on<br />
a small peninsula jutting out into 108 Mile Lake,<br />
Arcona House is one of our quirkier properties. It<br />
has two tastefully decorated en suite guest rooms,<br />
the Butterfly room and the Cavalry room, both<br />
accessed through a separate guest entrance. The<br />
property is almost completely surrounded by water<br />
and so both guest rooms have splendid lake views.<br />
ECHO VALLEY RANCH & SPA,<br />
NEAR CLINTON<br />
At Echo Valley Ranch & Spa, luxury and comfort<br />
go hand in hand with the rugged outdoors.<br />
Spectacular landscapes envelop this beautiful<br />
ranch where healthy gourmet cuisine is served<br />
up alongside hearty cowboy cookouts. With just<br />
18 guest bedrooms, the ranch is set amidst four<br />
distinct geographical biomes and offers an<br />
exceptional range of adventures. From here you<br />
can hike or horse-ride, take 4WD safaris through<br />
forested trails, desert canyons or across open<br />
plains or even enjoy scenic flights over majestic<br />
glaciers. Other activities include fishing for trout in<br />
crystal lakes or trying your hand at gold panning.<br />
After a day outdoors, rejuvenate yourself in the<br />
wonderful Thai spa.<br />
Wells Gray Provincial Park<br />
Wells Gray Provincial Park is one of Canada’s<br />
most beautiful parks and is renowned for its<br />
wildlife viewing, its many thundering waterfalls and<br />
remarkable white water rafting. Set in the Caribou<br />
Mountains about halfway between Kamloops and<br />
Jasper, the park was established in 1939 across an<br />
enormous 541,000 hectares. Most people enter<br />
the park via the town of Clearwater and travel to<br />
the heart of the park on the Wells Gray Corridor,<br />
with extensive interpretive guiding available from<br />
Parks Canada to introduce the flora and fauna.<br />
Black bears are commonly seen in May and<br />
June as they visit the valley floors to feed on<br />
new shoots while deer and moose are frequent<br />
sightings throughout the summer and wolves are<br />
also commonly seen. From June onwards alpine<br />
flower meadows transform the landscape above<br />
the treeline, with some of the finest found on<br />
Trophy Mountain, and provide a stunning<br />
backdrop to excursions on horseback, canoe<br />
and on foot. The many stunning waterfalls<br />
include Dawson and Spahats Falls, but the most<br />
impressive of all is Helmcken Falls which plunges<br />
140 metres into an abyss and, through the winter,<br />
freezes into a great tower of ice.<br />
NAKISKA RANCH,<br />
WELLS GRAY PROVINCIAL PARK<br />
Nakiska Ranch sits amongst towering forests and<br />
flowering meadows: cattle graze in the paddocks<br />
and, as the lodge is in the park boundaries, black<br />
bears and deer are often seen in the grounds. The<br />
main building has some guest rooms, and is where<br />
breakfast is served, but most accommodation is in<br />
simple and charming individual log cabins with<br />
bedroom, kitchenette, balcony and barbeque,<br />
often warmed by a wood-burning stove. There<br />
are a few restaurants in the area but most guests<br />
pick up their own supplies in Clearwater: it’s best<br />
to stay two nights or more to settle in.<br />
26
Gems of the West<br />
This itinerary leads you from the coastal cities<br />
and mountains into the rolling grasslands and<br />
river canyons of BC’s interior. Entering Alberta,<br />
you will discover the magic of the snow-capped<br />
mountains, a sight which will be forever<br />
afterwards etched in your memory.<br />
Sundial Hotel<br />
Echo Valley Ranch & Spa<br />
Day 1<br />
Depart from Vancouver to drive<br />
along the Sea to Sky Highway<br />
to Whistler.<br />
Explore the mountain village or try<br />
some of the many activities.<br />
Drive from Whistler through Lillooet<br />
and along the edge of huge canyons<br />
to 108 Mile Ranch.<br />
Continue from the Cariboo region to<br />
Wells Gray Provincial Park.<br />
A full day to see the wonderful<br />
waterfalls and explore the lovely<br />
walking trails in the park.<br />
Pass Mount Robson, the highest<br />
peak in the Canadian Rockies to<br />
Jasper in Alberta.<br />
The day is yours to discover the<br />
beauty of Jasper National Park,<br />
including Spirit Island and Maligne Lake.<br />
Day 2<br />
Day 3<br />
Day 4<br />
Day 5<br />
Day 6<br />
Day 7<br />
The Rocky Mountaineer train<br />
ALPINE MEADOWS, CLEARWATER<br />
Just an hour’s drive south of Wells Gray Provincial<br />
Park, Alpine Meadows lies on the edge of Dunn<br />
Lake between Clearwater and 100 Mile House<br />
and consists of a small selection of recently<br />
constructed chalets and log homes. Each is<br />
beautifully appointed with living room, kitchen and<br />
private deck. There are plenty of amenities here<br />
including a restaurant, barbeques and an outdoor<br />
fire-pit. Activities available include cruising on the<br />
lake in a quiet electric boat, fishing, walking, cycling,<br />
horse riding and canoeing.<br />
Whistler<br />
Whistler has earned a reputation for being<br />
Canada’s finest year-round resort, a collection of<br />
villages two hours out of Vancouver along the Sea<br />
to Sky Highway: it offers easy access to the<br />
mountains and a plethora of year-round activities.<br />
Whistler village is largely pedestrianised and has a<br />
great selection of shops and restaurants but the<br />
greatest attractions are found on the slopes of<br />
both Whistler and Blackcomb mountains that<br />
dominate the landscape. In the winter these<br />
provide exemplary ski conditions and are also used<br />
for snow-mobiling, dog-sledding and snowboarding,<br />
while in summer they become a play-ground for<br />
hikers and mountain bikers, with jet-boating, 4WD<br />
expeditions, white-water rafting, horse riding and<br />
heli-hiking providing the entertainment.<br />
Cowboys with cattle<br />
On one great trip you can travel by 4WD along<br />
the track to the summit of Blackcomb Mountain,<br />
passing through cedar-forested alpine valleys and<br />
stopping en route to take in breathtaking views of<br />
the glacier-capped peaks and the valley and village<br />
below. At the height of 1,981 metres above sea<br />
level the literal highlight of the day is a salmon<br />
bake barbeque at a mountain hut, complete with<br />
hot tub.<br />
SUNDIAL HOTEL, WHISTLER<br />
This delightful hotel is located right at the foot<br />
of both Whistler and Blackcomb mountains in the<br />
heart of Whistler village. There are just 49 one<br />
and two-bedroom suites finished to a very high<br />
standard with stylish contemporary furnishings.<br />
All have full kitchens complete with dishwasher<br />
and oven whilst the sitting room area has a gas<br />
fireplace and convertible sofa. The hotel has a<br />
spa, web café, pub and Chinese and Japanese<br />
restaurants as well as a roof-top hot tub,<br />
surrounded by magnificent mountain views.<br />
ROCKY MOUNTAINEER<br />
This well-known train is a delightful way of<br />
travelling between Vancouver and either Calgary<br />
or the Rockies, spending two days on the rails<br />
and stopping overnight in Kamloops.<br />
Please see page 9 for further information.<br />
Day 8<br />
Drive south along the epic Icefields<br />
Parkway to Lake Louise, stopping at<br />
the Columbia Icefields and the many<br />
famous lakes en route.<br />
Day 9 A leisurely day in the mountains –<br />
perhaps trying the many activities<br />
or looking for wildlife.<br />
Day 10<br />
Day 11<br />
Day 12<br />
From Lake Louise it is a short and<br />
scenic drive south to Banff.<br />
Banff is a bustling town set against a<br />
sensational mountain backdrop.<br />
Drive to Calgary at the end of<br />
your trip.<br />
EXTENSIONS<br />
You may wish to extend this tour by returning<br />
to Vancouver on the Rocky Mountaineer train.<br />
Departing from both Calgary and Banff, this two<br />
day trip is a great way to complete your holiday.<br />
Nakiska Ranch<br />
British Columbia: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
27
28<br />
The Kootenay Rockies<br />
Naramata and the<br />
Okanagan Valley<br />
Located in southern British Columbia, the<br />
Okanagan Valley is one of the warmest regions in<br />
all of Canada and the prime holiday destination for<br />
British Columbians. The main centres are Kelowna,<br />
Penticton and Osoyoos, but charming Naramata is<br />
located close to the Okanagan Mountain Park and<br />
is a quieter base. Through the summer months a<br />
hot sun transforms the countless sandy beaches<br />
of its lakes as a variety of outdoor and water<br />
activities spring into action. The climate also suits<br />
grape cultivation: the Okanagan is the country’s<br />
premier wine region, fast gaining international<br />
recognition for its variety of grapes and particularly<br />
for its excellent ice-wine. Any wine-tasting tour<br />
will be spectacular here, with the backdrop of<br />
Lake Okanagan with its golf courses and ski<br />
resorts set amongst rolling hills.<br />
Naramata Inn<br />
NARAMATA INN<br />
This beautiful heritage inn is nestled in the small<br />
town of Naramata overlooking Lake Okanagan,<br />
just a 15 minute drive north of Penticton. Built in<br />
1908, the inn has been lovingly restored to<br />
preserve the genteel charm of the Edwardian era.<br />
The 12 guest bedrooms are fitted with turn-ofthe-century<br />
furniture, luxurious linens, the original<br />
sash windows and claw-foot baths. Bathrooms<br />
have heated tile floors and separate showers<br />
while all rooms have a semi-private balcony or<br />
deck. The restaurant is renowned locally and the<br />
wine bar offers a large selection of Okanagan<br />
vintages. The inn offers free bicycle rental to<br />
guests and after a day in the saddle its full-service<br />
spa comes into its own.<br />
The Kootenays<br />
The Kootenay Rockies are British Columbia’s<br />
answer to Alberta’s famed Rocky Mountains and<br />
hold the same UNESCO World Heritage Site<br />
status. Just as big and beautiful, they are far less<br />
visited and offer visitors the chance to have the<br />
really big open scenery to themselves. Wedged<br />
between the mountains are sparsely populated<br />
valleys with large numbers of grizzly and black<br />
bears, deer, moose and elk: you have an excellent<br />
chance of seeing the large mammals. Located in<br />
the south-eastern corner of the province, between<br />
the Okanagan and Banff, the region includes several<br />
different mountain ranges, including the Rockies,<br />
Cross River Cabins<br />
Purcells, Selkirks and Monashees. The area does<br />
not get the same level of publicity as its Alberta<br />
counterpart but it should: it’s an undiscovered gem.<br />
CROSS RIVER CABINS, NEAR<br />
KOOTENAY NATIONAL PARK<br />
Cross River Cabins are located in a spectacular<br />
area that offers both adventure and the<br />
opportunity to completely relax. This small,<br />
family-run property has distinct environmental<br />
policies to help preserve the beauty of the natural<br />
landscape. Just eight cabins are surrounded by<br />
beautiful pine trees and breathtaking views of the<br />
Rocky Mountains. The main lodge is spacious,<br />
providing a kitchen, dining area, and a large living<br />
room. Personal service and great food are<br />
hallmarks here and three buffet-style meals a<br />
day are included.
Mountain Magic<br />
This delightful tour gets off the beaten track to<br />
relatively undiscovered mountain regions. From<br />
the Rockies, travel through the Purcell and Selkirk<br />
Mountains to discover the delights of lakeside<br />
villages and historic towns.<br />
Day 1<br />
Depart Calgary for the mountain<br />
town of Banff in the heart of the<br />
Rocky Mountains.<br />
A day to discover the charms of<br />
Banff and Banff National Park.<br />
Enter British Columbia and Kootenay<br />
National Park for a two night stay in<br />
the heart of the wilderness.<br />
Enjoy the fresh mountain air, the<br />
mind-blowing vistas and the many<br />
activities available.<br />
Drive south past Radium Hot Springs<br />
and Windermere to Kimberley.<br />
A day to discover Kimberley, a small<br />
former mining town remodelled to<br />
look like a Bavarian alpine village.<br />
Drive to Creston and along the<br />
edge of Lake Kootenay which you<br />
cross by ferry before continuing<br />
to Nelson.<br />
Day 2<br />
Day 3<br />
Lake Okanagan<br />
Okanagan wine region<br />
Day 4<br />
Day 5<br />
Day 6<br />
Day 7<br />
Purcell Mountain Lodge<br />
The Purcell Mountains<br />
These spectacular mountains, which lie between<br />
the Rocky Mountains and Glacier National Park,<br />
contain some of North America’s most rugged<br />
and dramatic mountain landscapes. Imagine over<br />
1,200 hectares of rolling alpine meadows, fields<br />
of vibrant wildflowers swaying in the breeze and<br />
countless peaks and ridges rising to touch the sky.<br />
Against the backdrop of tumbling glaciers and<br />
alpine vistas the fauna is intoxicating in its variety:<br />
eagles, grizzly bears, humming birds, deer and elk<br />
are all frequently seen.<br />
PURCELL MOUNTAIN LODGE,<br />
PURCELL MOUNTAINS<br />
Reached only by helicopter, this fly-in lodge is an<br />
oasis of comfort in the midst of some of North<br />
America’s most rugged and spectacular mountain<br />
scenery. Reached by a thrilling flight through the<br />
mountains, the lodge has ten guest bedrooms,<br />
each with mountain views that are guaranteed<br />
to inspire your mind and refresh your soul.<br />
The cost of your stay includes all meals, snacks,<br />
professionally guided hikes and return helicopter<br />
transfers from Golden.<br />
Walking amidst the mountains<br />
Flight-seeing over the Kootenay Rockies<br />
Fernie<br />
Tucked away in a narrow valley in the rugged<br />
Rocky Mountains, the town of Fernie has a unique<br />
and colourful history. The town was born when a<br />
prospector noticed black and shiny stones in a<br />
necklace worn by an Indian Chief’s daughter: it was<br />
coal. The chief agreed to reveal the source of these<br />
stones if the prospector agreed to marry his<br />
daughter. When the prospector reneged on his<br />
wedding proposal the angered chief put a curse of<br />
fire, flood and famine on the valley but this didn’t<br />
stop Fernie from prospering: from coal, and through<br />
the 1920s it added to its wealth by smuggling<br />
whiskey into prohibition America. The curse was<br />
finally lifted in 1964 and today it is an atmospheric<br />
town rich in history, with abandoned mines,<br />
museums and heritage sites letting visitors step<br />
back in time to the beautiful Elk Valley’s past.<br />
LIZARD CREEK LODGE, FERNIE<br />
This comfortable lodge is set amongst wonderful<br />
mountain scenery in the pretty town of Fernie.<br />
Each of the 92 air-conditioned suites has a fullyequipped<br />
kitchen, working fireplace and a balcony<br />
with magnificent mountain views. The licensed<br />
Great Room has a grand stone fireplace creating<br />
a warm and inviting welcome. Superb dining<br />
awaits in the restaurant with service that is<br />
friendly yet refined. The lodge also offers a health<br />
club with heated outdoor swimming pool, hot<br />
tub, steam room, fitness centre and a spa.<br />
Day 8<br />
Day 9<br />
Day 10<br />
Day 11<br />
Day 12<br />
Day 13<br />
Today is at leisure to explore this<br />
pretty heritage town at the heart<br />
of the Selkirk Mountains.<br />
Pass the pretty historic towns of<br />
Kaslo, home to the old stern-wheeler<br />
SS Moyie, and Nakusp. Cross Upper<br />
Arrow Lake by ferry at Galena Bay<br />
before arriving in Revelstoke.<br />
Enjoy a day at leisure to discover<br />
this pretty mountain town.<br />
<strong>Travel</strong> east through Glacier National<br />
Park and Golden to Field in Yoho<br />
National Park.<br />
The day is yours to relax and<br />
discover the delights of the lakes,<br />
mountains and breathtaking roads<br />
around Lake Louise.<br />
Return to Calgary at the end of<br />
your trip.<br />
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL<br />
Our private tailor-made journeys offer<br />
complete freedom of choice. The itineraries and<br />
accommodation shown are designed to give you a<br />
flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit<br />
your preferences. Prices vary according to selected<br />
accommodation and season, please telephone us<br />
to discuss your individual requirements.<br />
British Columbia: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
29
Alberta<br />
Alberta is home to some of Canada’s most<br />
iconic images, including Banff and<br />
Jasper National Parks, Lake Louise and the<br />
Columbia Icefields. The Canadian Rockies<br />
offer the ultimate range of outdoor activities<br />
with horse riding, white-water rafting,<br />
canoeing and guided walking just some of the<br />
exhilarating options. As the dizzying heights<br />
of the Rockies recede, the land extends into the<br />
vastness of the prairies, punctuated by looming<br />
grain elevators. This is home to dynamic<br />
young cities such as Edmonton and Calgary,<br />
glittering with tower blocks financed by the<br />
oil industry. Northern Alberta is an untamed<br />
wilderness of boreal forest whose highlight<br />
is Wood Buffalo National Park, one of the<br />
few places where herds of plains bison still<br />
roam. Meanwhile southern Alberta is home<br />
to the Cowboy Trail with rustic homestay<br />
ranches and the enchanting Waterton Lakes<br />
National Park. The UNESCO World<br />
Heritage Site of Dinosaur Provincial Park<br />
yields countless fossils and the millennia-old<br />
First Nations cultural site at Head Smashedin<br />
Buffalo Jump is reason enough to explore<br />
beyond the Rockies. For those prepared to<br />
scratch beneath the surface Alberta has far<br />
more to offer than just the incredible wildlife<br />
and its reputation as a Rocky Mountains<br />
adventure playground.<br />
30
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES<br />
Wood Buffalo<br />
National Park<br />
Lake<br />
Athabasca<br />
Fort Chipewyan<br />
Fort McMurray<br />
Big horn sheep<br />
Jasper<br />
At the heart of the towering mountains and<br />
turquoise lakes of Jasper National Park, the small<br />
town of Jasper lies at the confluence of the<br />
Athabasca and Miette rivers. This pleasant place<br />
can be reached by car or by rail from Prince<br />
George, Vancouver or Edmonton and is ideally<br />
located for exploring the northern regions of the<br />
Rockies and still retains a frontier feel. Though it<br />
is small enough to walk around, it offers every<br />
amenity with plenty of restaurants, bars and<br />
shops. These man-made attractions pale into<br />
insignificance against the stupendous beauty of<br />
the surrounding national park where nature is<br />
revealed in all her might and majesty. Spirit Island,<br />
situated in Maligne Lake, is an icon of the Rockies,<br />
as is nearby Maligne Canyon. Other highlights<br />
include Miette Hot Springs, Medicine Lake, and<br />
rafting along the Athabasca River. The region<br />
abounds in wildlife: elk, moose, mountain goats<br />
and bears are just some of the animals frequently<br />
seen. Active options include guided walks in the<br />
mountains, 4WD expeditions into the nearby<br />
Columbia Icefields and thrilling helicopter flights<br />
over the mountains.<br />
BRITISH COLUMBIA<br />
Grande<br />
Prairie<br />
Jasper<br />
National Park<br />
Jasper<br />
Columbia<br />
Icefields<br />
Rocky Mountains<br />
0 75 miles<br />
0 120 kilometres<br />
Icefields<br />
Parkway<br />
Lake<br />
Louise<br />
Field<br />
JASPER INN ALPINE RESORT<br />
Set within walking distance of downtown Jasper,<br />
this well-established hotel is perfectly located to<br />
explore both the town and its surroundings. The<br />
143 guest rooms offer a variety of room types<br />
and the restaurant is popular with both locals and<br />
guests. During the summer months dining is on<br />
the outdoor terrace and facilities include an indoor<br />
swimming pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and steam room.<br />
Banff<br />
Canmore<br />
ALBERTA<br />
EDMONTON<br />
Banff<br />
National<br />
Park<br />
The<br />
Cowboy<br />
Trail<br />
Head Smashed-in<br />
Buffalo Jump<br />
Waterton Lakes<br />
National Park<br />
Calgary<br />
Claresholm<br />
Elk Island<br />
National Park<br />
Drumheller<br />
Fort Lethbridge<br />
Macleod<br />
SASKATCHEWAN<br />
Dinosaur<br />
Provincial<br />
Park<br />
Writing-on-Stone<br />
Provincial Park<br />
Cypress Hills<br />
Inter-Provincial<br />
Park<br />
Mount Edith Cavell<br />
PARK PLACE INN, JASPER<br />
This small boutique hotel is nestled in the heart<br />
of downtown Jasper amidst restaurants, shops<br />
and nightlife. Each of the 14 rooms is furnished<br />
with oriental carpets, goose-down duvets, thick<br />
bathrobes, and some rooms are equipped with<br />
a Jacuzzi bath.<br />
Path of the Glacier Walk<br />
Explore the stunning beauty of Mount Edith<br />
Cavell on a guided walking tour. Your guide will<br />
show you a variety of glaciers, icebergs, ice caves,<br />
waterfalls, and emerald green lakes in one of<br />
Jasper’s most scenic areas.<br />
Spirit Island, Maligne Lake<br />
Jasper Inn Alpine Resort<br />
Alberta: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
31
Moraine Lake, Banff National Park<br />
Lake Louise<br />
Known worldwide as the “Jewel of the Rockies”,<br />
this is a picture-perfect lake of iconic beauty with<br />
the Victoria Glacier perfectly reflected in the still<br />
blue waters. One end of the lake is dominated by<br />
the huge structure of the Château Lake Louise<br />
hotel, but a short walk in any direction enables<br />
you to reach pristine mountain wilderness. There<br />
are many walking, horse riding and mountain<br />
biking trails on land while canoes are available to<br />
explore the lakeshore. Lake Louise village is set<br />
several kilometres from the lake and has a handful<br />
of facilities including a supermarket, petrol station<br />
and some restaurants. The village is close to<br />
several national and provincial parks, making it a<br />
great base for those who wish to explore some<br />
of the most awe-inspiring scenery in the Rocky<br />
Mountains. In 1882 Tom Wilson was the first<br />
white Canadian to see Lake Louise and wrote<br />
‘I never, in all my explorations of these five chains<br />
of mountains throughout western Canada, saw<br />
such a matchless scene... I felt puny in body but<br />
glorified in spirit and soul.’<br />
Lake-side deer<br />
Emerald Lake Lodge<br />
Yoho National Park<br />
Reached from Lake Louise by traversing the aweinspiring<br />
Kicking Horse Pass, Yoho National Park<br />
is named after a Cree word meaning ‘wonder’: a<br />
fitting description for the breathtaking scale of its<br />
mountain scenery. Despite its proximity to Lake<br />
Louise, Yoho lies on the opposite side of the<br />
Continental Divide, entirely within British<br />
Columbia. The park is renowned for the Burgess<br />
Shales, a very rare sedimentary rock up to 530<br />
million years old, and also for the overwhelming<br />
beauty of Lake O’Hara, Takakkaw Falls and<br />
Emerald Lake. The tiny town of Field is the park’s<br />
only settlement and its history is intrinsically<br />
entwined with the early days when the<br />
spectacular landscape was conquered by rail, built<br />
through magnificent feats of engineering such as<br />
the famous Spiral Tunnels.<br />
CATHEDRAL MOUNTAIN LODGE,<br />
YOHO NATIONAL PARK<br />
This charming lodge lies just outside Field on the<br />
road to beautiful Takakkaw Falls. Constructed<br />
entirely from timber, its rooms are filled with natural<br />
light and magnificent views of the omni-present<br />
mountains. The main building has a spacious dining<br />
room and a lounge with a huge stone fireplace<br />
opening onto a sun deck with views of the Kicking<br />
Horse River. Accommodation is in cabins simply<br />
furnished to match its surroundings. Guests have<br />
access to all amenities at Moraine Lake Lodge<br />
including canoes, guided hikes and evening lectures,<br />
all free of charge, whilst nearby Takakkaw Falls<br />
offers some of the best walking in the Rockies.<br />
EMERALD LAKE LODGE,<br />
YOHO NATIONAL PARK<br />
Emerald Lake’s vivid aquamarine colour frames this<br />
beautiful lodge in its picturesque setting. Reached<br />
across a short wooden bridge, the main lodge<br />
houses the sitting room, a bar with outside terrace<br />
and the Mount Burgess dining room. More casual<br />
fare is on offer at Cilantro on the Lake and the<br />
Yoho Lounge. Each of the 85 rooms has a woodburning<br />
fieldstone fireplace, a beautifully fitted<br />
bathroom, plantation blinds and a balcony but no<br />
television: entirely appropriate in this tranquil<br />
setting. The area has some stunning trails whilst<br />
canoeing, fishing, jet-boating and white-water<br />
rafting are also available.<br />
32
Banff and surrounding mountains<br />
Log cabin, Cathedral Mountain Lodge<br />
Buffalo Mountain Lodge<br />
Hiking in the Rocky Mountains<br />
Banff<br />
The small town of Banff is dominated by the<br />
towering mountains of Banff National Park. The<br />
town itself has plenty of shops and restaurants<br />
and is small enough to walk around, but it is the<br />
stunning beauty of the surrounding national park<br />
that captivates visitors. Created in 1887, this is<br />
Canada’s oldest national park and encompasses<br />
some of the finest scenery in North America, if<br />
not the world. For an overall view of the<br />
mountain landscape take the gondola to the top<br />
of Sulphur Mountain before visiting the Cave and<br />
Basin, Lake Minnewanka and bathing in the Upper<br />
Hot Springs. Active options include walking,<br />
horse riding, mountain biking, canoeing and rafting,<br />
all of which may well provide a close sighting of<br />
the region’s abundant wildlife.<br />
Pension Tannenhof<br />
BUFFALO MOUNTAIN LODGE,<br />
BANFF<br />
Located on the slopes of Tunnel Mountain just<br />
a few minutes drive from the centre of Banff,<br />
Buffalo Mountain Lodge is an oasis amongst<br />
the mountains. Built of timber and fieldstone,<br />
the delightful main lodge features wooden<br />
cathedral post and beam ceilings and a huge<br />
stone fireplace. The adjacent dining room offers<br />
mouth-watering local cuisine and an awardwinning<br />
wine selection, whilst there is also a café<br />
serving more casual fare. In total there are 108<br />
rooms located in two-storey annexes and all<br />
have a balcony or patio and a wood-burning<br />
fieldstone fireplace.<br />
PENSION TANNENHOF,<br />
BANFF<br />
Pension Tannenhof, set in the spruce trees at the<br />
foot of Sulphur Mountain away from the hustle<br />
and bustle of central Banff, has been welcoming<br />
guests from around the world since 1985. With<br />
all the cosy comfort of a charming country home,<br />
guests meet around the open fireplace of the<br />
large high-ceilinged living room, while<br />
accommodation is provided in ten spacious guest<br />
bedrooms. A buffet breakfast is the perfect start<br />
to each morning in the mountains.<br />
Banff Gondola<br />
Sulphur Mountain Gondola,<br />
Banff<br />
The UNESCO World Heritage site of Sulphur<br />
Mountain provides fabulous 360-degree views of<br />
the surrounding snow-capped peaks. It is said that<br />
from this peak you can see more mountains in<br />
a moment than most will see in a lifetime: six<br />
mountain ranges dominate the view. There’s no<br />
need to be a mountaineer as gondolas whisk you<br />
from Banff to the summit, where boardwalks lead<br />
along the ridge and there are two restaurants.<br />
Canmore<br />
Located just a few kilometres from Banff,<br />
Canmore is a charming quiet town just<br />
outside the national park limits that has not<br />
yet succumbed to souvenir shops and the busy<br />
pace of life which comes with tourism. It has<br />
some lovely restaurants and bed and breakfasts<br />
and can be a better alternative base to explore<br />
the national park, especially during the peak<br />
summer months.<br />
Alberta: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
33
Heli-hiking in the mountains<br />
Heli-hiking<br />
You don’t need to be super-fit to reach alpine<br />
meadows ablaze with wild flowers, mountain<br />
tops high above the tree-line and ancient blue<br />
glaciers – you need a helicopter. These multi-day<br />
heli-hikes, which allow guests to experience the<br />
full diversity of alpine terrain in a short space of<br />
time, are based at remote mountain lodges, easily<br />
accessed by helicopter from both Jasper and<br />
Banff. Twice each day you will be flown to<br />
remote parts of the mountains that can otherwise<br />
only be reached by experienced rock climbers<br />
and the sure-footed mountain sheep. Expert<br />
guides point out the marvels of a diverse range of<br />
flora and fauna on hikes that can be tailored to<br />
any levels of fitness before returning to your<br />
comfortable lodge for a delicious dinner and a<br />
chat with new friends around the fire.<br />
BOBBIE BURNS LODGE,<br />
NEAR BANFF<br />
Easily reached from Banff, the Bobbie Burns Lodge<br />
has a magnificent mountain setting and a warm and<br />
friendly ambience. The lodge has 24 guest rooms,<br />
an outdoor whirlpool with the most wonderful<br />
views, a sauna, games room and a comfortable<br />
lounge with a large welcoming fireplace. Renowned<br />
for offering excellent food, the lodge also has an<br />
extensive wine cellar, reputedly one of the best in<br />
the Canadian wilderness.<br />
BUGABOO LODGE, NEAR BANFF<br />
From the entrance to this lodge views are of the<br />
spires of the Bugaboo Mountains and the great<br />
glaciers that gather amongst them. Newly renovated,<br />
this remote mountain lodge is set at a height of<br />
1,600 metres, over a kilometre above sea level, and<br />
has 35 rooms with private bathrooms. There is a<br />
bar and lounge, a spa, games room and a roof-top<br />
hot tub with sensational views. There is also a<br />
marvellous little museum with maps, pictures and<br />
natural history exhibits.<br />
Edmonton<br />
Set on the northern shores of the Saskatchewan<br />
River, Edmonton is the capital of Alberta. Its<br />
abundant quartzite was used by First Nations<br />
peoples to fashion tools and weapons and it was<br />
later at the heart of Canada’s richest fur<br />
producing lands, but today its wealth is built on<br />
‘black gold’: oil. Fuelled by this underground asset<br />
Edmonton has boomed into a super-modern,<br />
climate-defying phenomenon. It is home to the<br />
world’s largest shopping centre, West Edmonton<br />
Mall, which numbers the world’s largest<br />
amusement park amongst its attractions. The<br />
remarkable Muttart Conservatory uses distinctive<br />
glass pyramids to reproduce a variety of diverse<br />
ecosystems for visitors to experience, while in the<br />
late Victorian suburb of Old Strathcona they can<br />
stroll through the summer Farmers’ Market.<br />
UNION BANK INN, EDMONTON<br />
Situated in the heart of downtown Edmonton,<br />
and built as a bank in 1911, this boutique hotel<br />
has been restored to the highest quality and<br />
offers understated elegance through its modern<br />
renaissance architecture. There are 34 individually<br />
decorated rooms in both traditional and<br />
contemporary styles, all finished to the highest<br />
standards. Other facilities include a dining room<br />
and a fitness room but the hallmark of the inn is<br />
the warmth and professionalism of the staff.<br />
Elk Island National Park<br />
Elk Island National Park is an island of small<br />
hills and depressions surrounded by flat plains<br />
that is home to one of the world’s highest<br />
concentrations of plains bison. Set in the Beaver<br />
Hills, 45 kilometres east of Edmonton, the park is<br />
an oasis of boreal forest and aspen-studded hills.<br />
First Nations people relied on this area for winter<br />
food and shelter and survived through the<br />
summer on the bison that roam the surrounding<br />
plains. It has always been an excellent habitat for<br />
elk, moose, deer, bears and game birds but today<br />
the park is renowned for its role in saving the<br />
wood buffalo, plains bison and trumpeter swan<br />
from the brink of extinction.<br />
34
Calgary, Helicopters<br />
and Mountains<br />
This itinerary starts in the vibrant city of Calgary<br />
where you have time to soak up the western<br />
flavour and discover the excellent shops and<br />
restaurants. You then head into the mountains<br />
for a two night stay in the Rockies town of Banff.<br />
From here you will be taken by helicopter into<br />
road-less mountains for three nights exploring a<br />
pristine wilderness region.<br />
Bobbie Burns Lodge<br />
Fairmont Palliser Hotel<br />
Day 1<br />
Arrive in Calgary at the start of<br />
your trip.<br />
Today is yours to explore Calgary,<br />
with the Glenbow Museum, Calgary<br />
Tower and the Canada Olympic Park.<br />
Transfer by coach to Banff for a two<br />
night stay.<br />
Spend a full day to uncover the<br />
delights of Banff including the<br />
Hoodoos, Sulphur Mountain and<br />
the Bow River.<br />
Day 2<br />
Day 3<br />
Day 4<br />
Day 5<br />
Today you will be met and<br />
transferred by helicopter to your<br />
mountain top lodge for a three<br />
night stay.<br />
Chuck-wagon racing<br />
Calgary<br />
A 90 minute drive from the Rocky Mountains,<br />
Calgary is a vibrant city of a million people.<br />
Dynamic and rapidly growing, it boasts great<br />
shopping and dining and a wide range of<br />
attractions. These include Calgary Tower,<br />
the Canada Olympic Park, Eau Claire Market,<br />
Glenbow Museum and St. George’s Island which<br />
is home to Calgary Zoo, the Botanical Gardens<br />
and the Prehistoric Park. Calgary is famous for its<br />
Stampede which takes place every year in July.<br />
During this time the entire city is gripped in the<br />
party atmosphere of ‘Stampede Fever’ – don’t<br />
forget your boots and Stetson!<br />
FAIRMONT PALLISER HOTEL,<br />
CALGARY<br />
The Palliser has been a Calgary landmark since it<br />
opened in 1914, with its magnificent lobby of<br />
marble pillars, adorned with potted palms. In total<br />
there are 405 rooms, all with high ceilings and<br />
large windows. The Rimrock Restaurant opens for<br />
breakfast, lunch and dinner whilst the Oak Room,<br />
a popular meeting place for visitors and locals<br />
alike, offers lighter cuisine. There is a fullyequipped<br />
health club and an indoor swimming<br />
pool. The hotel is ideally located next to the<br />
railway station with a covered walkway that<br />
crosses to the Calgary Tower.<br />
Bull riding at the Calgary Stampede<br />
HOTEL ARTS, CALGARY<br />
Located in the heart of Calgary just two blocks<br />
from the railway station, Hotel Arts is the<br />
city’s newest contemporary hotel. Recently<br />
renovated, this stylish hotel offers 188 luxurious<br />
contemporary rooms and suites, each featuring<br />
plasma screen televisions, elegant furnishings and<br />
luxurious linens. For meals there is a French bistro<br />
serving fine Gallic cuisine and the fun and funky<br />
Raw Bar at the Arts, a casual bar and restaurant.<br />
In addition, there is a complimentary fitness room<br />
and a delightful outdoor swimming pool.<br />
Calgary Stampede<br />
The Calgary Stampede was inaugurated in 1912<br />
as a top class rodeo event and Wild West show<br />
to attract the best cowboys from across the<br />
continent. The first Stampede was the richest<br />
rodeo competition in North America, drawing<br />
more than 100,000 spectators. Still the richest,<br />
it is now also the world’s largest rodeo with<br />
chuck-wagon races, bull riding and steer wrestling<br />
competitions along with agricultural and stage<br />
shows and even an ‘Indian’ village. During<br />
Stampede week, in early July, the city is flooded<br />
with visitors who join locals in western attire,<br />
revelling in the spirited atmosphere. <strong>Audley</strong> can<br />
arrange your tickets but early bookings are highly<br />
recommended!<br />
Days 6 - 7 Enjoy two full days hiking in the<br />
mountains. Each morning and<br />
afternoon take a thrilling helicopter<br />
flight to hike far above the tree line<br />
amidst glaciers and alpine meadows.<br />
Day 8<br />
Your helicopter will return you<br />
to Banff where you will board the<br />
coach transfer back to Calgary at<br />
the end of your trip.<br />
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL<br />
Our private tailor-made journeys offer<br />
complete freedom of choice. The itineraries and<br />
accommodation shown are designed to give you a<br />
flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit<br />
your preferences. Prices vary according to selected<br />
accommodation and season, please telephone us<br />
to discuss your individual requirements.<br />
Calgary skyline<br />
Alberta: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
35
36<br />
Boots and spurs<br />
Cowboy Country<br />
More than a century ago pioneer adventurers<br />
headed west to uncharted territory to claim land<br />
and start new lives. Their rich agricultural heritage of<br />
living life in harmony with the land flourishes today<br />
and the undulating grasslands of Alberta are<br />
studded with sturdy beef cattle and trusty steeds.<br />
The best way to experience this hard-working way<br />
of life is to stay with the cowboys at an authentic<br />
working ranch, where you will have the opportunity<br />
not only to ride the open range but to take part in<br />
branding, roping, pack trips, fence-mending and<br />
cattle drives. Your hosts are cowboys who know<br />
the country, their cattle and their horses: to share<br />
their experience and traditional way of life is an<br />
unforgettable insight into life in rural Canada.<br />
WILLOW LANE RANCH,<br />
NEAR CLARESHOLM<br />
Situated 90 minutes drive south of Calgary,<br />
Willow Lane is an authentic working cattle ranch<br />
owned and run by the Lane family, who invite a<br />
few guests to join in their daily tasks. You can<br />
count on gentle horses and delicious home food,<br />
grown and reared on the farm. The ranch house<br />
feels warm and welcoming with a large front<br />
porch looking across the powerful prairie<br />
landscape. There are just four simple rooms,<br />
making your stay a friendly and personal<br />
experience in a vast landscape of stark and<br />
diverse beauty.<br />
Lucasia Creek Ranch<br />
LUCASIA CREEK RANCH,<br />
NEAR CLARESHOLM<br />
Lucasia Ranch is a prime example of a traditional<br />
working ranch, set amidst 1,600 hectares in the<br />
Porcupine Hills of southern Alberta. Established in<br />
1881, the ranch stands as a testament to a bygone<br />
era where herds of elk and deer mingle with Texas<br />
Longhorns and cross-bred cattle, corralled by<br />
cowboys on percheron, appaloosa and quarter<br />
horses. Lucasia is owned and run by the Lucas<br />
family who invite guests to share in their daily<br />
activities that include cattle drives, branding, seasonal<br />
round-ups and regular checks on cattle and horses.<br />
Other options include team roping practice, walking<br />
the hills and watching for birds and other wildlife.<br />
After a day in the saddle, you can spend the<br />
evening relaxing beside a crackling campfire or on<br />
the deck. Accommodation is in either the main<br />
ranch house or an historic log bunkhouse and all<br />
meals are included, home-cooked feasts of ranchraised<br />
beef and farm-fresh vegetables.<br />
Head Smashed-in<br />
Buffalo Jump<br />
This remarkable testament to the native peoples of<br />
the North American plains was awarded UNESCO<br />
World Heritage status in 1981 after archaeological<br />
evidence showed that the site was used repeatedly<br />
for traditional buffalo hunts for nearly 6,000 years.<br />
The plains people would dress as wolves or foxes<br />
and spend days carefully herding the buffalo, finally<br />
stampeding them over a ten metre high cliff. This<br />
age-old practice was stopped almost overnight in<br />
the 19th century when horses were introduced,<br />
making it easy for individuals to hunt without<br />
involving the entire tribe. The site’s name doesn’t<br />
quite mean what you might expect. It comes from<br />
the tale of a brave who waited below the cliff to<br />
get a different view of the buffalos as they flew into<br />
the air: not, in retrospect, such a good idea. While<br />
in the area it is also worth visiting Fort Macleod, a<br />
historic outpost of the North West Mounted Police<br />
who were despatched in 1874 to bring order to<br />
the west.<br />
Buffalo skulls
The Blackfoot Trail<br />
Southern Alberta has a rich history dating back to<br />
prehistoric times and this varied itinerary gives you<br />
a real flavour of the heritage of the Blackfoot<br />
people and the landscapes they called home.<br />
Day 1<br />
Drive from Calgary to Lethbridge for<br />
a three night stay.<br />
Explore Waterton Lakes National<br />
Park. Don’t miss Cameron Falls or<br />
the Red Rock Parkway.<br />
Visit Fort MacLeod and nearby Head<br />
Smashed-in Buffalo Jump.<br />
<strong>Travel</strong> to Writing-on-Stone<br />
Provincial Park before continuing to<br />
Cypress Hills Inter-provincial Park.<br />
Embark on a nature trail in the heart<br />
of Canada’s great plains.<br />
Drive to Val Marie in Saskatchewan<br />
for a two night stay on the border<br />
of Grasslands National Park.<br />
A full day to explore Grasslands<br />
National Park near the site of the<br />
Battle of the Little Big Horn.<br />
<strong>Travel</strong> west to Brooks for a two night<br />
stay to visit Dinosaur Provincial Park.<br />
Enjoy a full day discovering the<br />
fossils of Dinosaur Provincial Park.<br />
Return to Calgary at the end of<br />
your trip.<br />
Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology<br />
Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park<br />
Day 2<br />
Day 3<br />
Day 4<br />
Day 5<br />
Day 6<br />
Day 7<br />
Day 8<br />
Day 9<br />
Stock judging cowboys<br />
Dinosaur Provincial Park<br />
Day 10<br />
Dinosaur Provincial Park<br />
Dinosaur Provincial Park is a UNESCO World<br />
Heritage Site located about two hours’ drive east of<br />
Calgary amidst striking badland topography. Known<br />
for being one of the greatest dinosaur fossil beds in<br />
the world, thirty-nine dinosaur species, dating back<br />
more than 75 million years, have been discovered<br />
here and more than 500 specimens have been<br />
removed for exhibition in museums worldwide. The<br />
park boasts a very complex ecosystem, including<br />
cottonwoods surrounded by prairies and some of<br />
the world’s most northerly cactus species.<br />
Jackrabbits, deer, pronghorn antelope, rattle and<br />
garter snakes are found in the park, while at dusk<br />
coyotes and nighthawks are commonly seen.<br />
Writing-on-Stone<br />
Provincial Park<br />
Writing-on-Stone is a sacred landscape: a place of<br />
special spiritual significance to the Blackfoot people<br />
who hunted and travelled these great plains for<br />
thousands of years. The Blackfoot’s long and<br />
intimate relationship with the land is revealed by<br />
an inspiring wealth of First Nations carvings,<br />
petroglyphs, paintings and pictographs that cover<br />
the faces of sheer sandstone cliffs. First created<br />
as a Provincial Park in 1957, the archaeological<br />
preserve was established in 1977 to ensure the<br />
protection of the largest concentration of rock<br />
art on the North American plains.<br />
Waterton Lakes National Park<br />
Waterton Lakes National Park is a rare gem<br />
tucked into the south-western corner of Alberta.<br />
In this breathtaking part of the world the majestic<br />
Rocky Mountains rise suddenly out of the rolling<br />
prairies, an ancient landscape where ice-age<br />
glaciers have carved out valleys now filled by<br />
crystal-clear lakes. To the south, the park borders<br />
Glacier National Park in Montana and together<br />
they make up the Waterton-Glacier International<br />
Peace Park, the first of its kind in the world. What<br />
makes Waterton Park unique is its blend of<br />
unusual geology, a mild climate, rare wild flowers,<br />
and an abundance of wildlife.<br />
KILMOREY LODGE,<br />
WATERTON LAKES NATIONAL PARK<br />
Nestled between the mountain peaks on<br />
Waterton village’s lake-shore, this charming<br />
historic lodge, opened in the late 1920s, has<br />
plenty of character. The log style building is<br />
reminiscent of a country inn, furnished with<br />
antiques and photographs evoking the history<br />
of the park. The 23 guest rooms are individually<br />
decorated and many have views of the lake.<br />
The lodge’s award-winning restaurant, the Lamp<br />
Post, is popular with guests and locals alike whilst<br />
during the summer months the delightful Gazebo<br />
Café is the perfect spot to enjoy a glass of wine<br />
whilst drinking in the intoxicating beauty of<br />
Emerald Bay.<br />
EXTENSIONS<br />
Why not extend your trip to include a stay at one<br />
of the nearby working cattle ranches, giving you a<br />
taste of a true western itinerary<br />
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL<br />
Our private tailor-made journeys offer<br />
complete freedom of choice. The itineraries and<br />
accommodation shown are designed to give you a<br />
flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit<br />
your preferences. Prices vary according to selected<br />
accommodation and season, please telephone us<br />
to discuss your individual requirements.<br />
Kilmorey Lodge<br />
Alberta: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
37
Saskatchewan<br />
Saskatchewan offers a wealth of experiences,<br />
some quirky, for those who wish to scratch<br />
beneath the surface and discover the heartbeat<br />
of western Canada. The rich wheat belt of the<br />
prairies that supplies half of all Canada’s export<br />
crops is studded with natural gems such as the<br />
border region of Big Muddy Badlands, named<br />
after Big Muddy Valley, resting place of Sitting<br />
Bull after the defeat of General Custer and also<br />
a hideout of Butch Cassidy. The immense skies<br />
and rolling fields of Grasslands National Park<br />
to the south of Regina are dotted with grain<br />
elevators, while to the west Cypress Hills<br />
Interprovincial Park holds some of Canada’s<br />
highest elevations east of the Rockies. North<br />
and the waves of wheat fields meet boreal forest<br />
in Prince Albert National Park, home to a herd<br />
of wild bison. The town of Moose Jaw was<br />
nicknamed ‘Little Chicago’ from the days of Al<br />
Capone’s booze running but the largest city is<br />
Saskatoon, known for its summer festivals and<br />
Saskatoon Berry Pie. Regina is the provincial<br />
capital, home to the Royal Canadian Mounted<br />
Police. Near Saskatoon lies Wanuskewin<br />
Heritage Park, a hands-on and slickly run<br />
interpretive centre for the province’s native<br />
peoples. Don’t fly past on the trans-Canada<br />
highway: Saskatchewan has plenty to offer.<br />
38
ALBERTA<br />
SASKATCHEWAN<br />
Île-à-la-<br />
Crosse<br />
La Ronge<br />
Reindeer<br />
Lake<br />
MANITOBA<br />
Saskatchewan Splendours<br />
This varied itinerary enables you to explore the<br />
richness of the flora and fauna of Saskatchewan’s<br />
prairies as well as discovering the history and cities<br />
of the province. Saskatchewan offers great<br />
rewards to those that take the time to visit.<br />
Prince Albert<br />
National Park<br />
Day 1<br />
Drive from Calgary to Cypress Hills<br />
Interprovincial Park on the<br />
Alberta/Saskatchewan border.<br />
Maple<br />
Creek<br />
Cypress Hills<br />
Inter-Provincial<br />
Park<br />
Kyle<br />
North<br />
Battleford<br />
Wanuskewin<br />
Heritage Park<br />
Lake<br />
Diefenbaker<br />
Swift<br />
Current<br />
Grasslands<br />
National Park<br />
Saskatoon<br />
Prince Albert<br />
Watrous<br />
Moose<br />
Jaw<br />
Big Muddy<br />
Badlands<br />
REGINA<br />
Day 2<br />
Day 3<br />
Day 4<br />
Day 5<br />
Explore the park, perhaps joining<br />
an interpretive walk to discover the<br />
unique ecological features.<br />
<strong>Travel</strong> to Grasslands National Park<br />
for a two night stay.<br />
The day is yours to explore<br />
Grasslands National Park, home to<br />
many of the prairies’ endangered<br />
species of flora and fauna.<br />
Drive to Kyle for a three night stay<br />
at La Reata ranch on the shores of<br />
Lake Diefenbaker.<br />
Days 6 - 7 Discover life on a traditional working<br />
ranch, spending your time riding,<br />
helping with ranch activities, looking<br />
for wildlife or relaxing.<br />
Regina<br />
Moose Jaw<br />
Day 8<br />
Today you drive to Regina, the<br />
home of the Royal Canadian<br />
Mounted Police.<br />
Originally a tent village called ‘Pile o’ Bones’, the<br />
bustling and friendly town of Regina was renamed<br />
for Queen Victoria. The city’s modern central<br />
business district is gleaming, modern and high-rise<br />
but contrasts with a vast central park, set around<br />
a lake. Regina is the original headquarters for the<br />
North West Mounted Police, the precursor to<br />
the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, affectionately<br />
known as ‘Mounties’: the RCMP Centennial<br />
Museum is fascinating and you can still see cadets<br />
parade, with a ritual Sunset Retreat Ceremony<br />
taking place on every Tuesday throughout the<br />
summer months. The interpretive centre tells the<br />
story of their creation to combat the lawlessness<br />
of the west’s whiskey traders. Another highlight is<br />
the Royal Saskatchewan Museum which focuses<br />
on the local First Nations’ history.<br />
LA REATA RANCH, KYLE<br />
In rolling prairies reminiscent of an old western<br />
film, La Reata Ranch lies in a landscape of open<br />
range and canyons, broken by the sandy beaches<br />
of Lake Diefenbaker. La Reata is a working cattle<br />
ranch offering an authentic cowboy experience<br />
from the saddle of a horse. Accommodation is in<br />
charming western-style wooden cabins whilst all<br />
meals, eaten together with the family, are included.<br />
Beginners can have western riding lessons whilst<br />
everyone will have the chance to learn how to<br />
rope and work with cattle or try their first barrel<br />
race. Whilst there is a lot to do every day, there is<br />
always a good lunch break with coffee, beans and<br />
sausages cooked over an open fire with time for<br />
an afternoon snooze in the sun.<br />
The quirky town of Moose Jaw was named after<br />
the Cree word meaning ‘warm breeze’. It was a<br />
major 19th century terminal for the Canadian<br />
Pacific Railway and many downtown buildings date<br />
from this era. In the 1920s, during prohibition, the<br />
town was nicknamed ‘Little Chicago’ and used by<br />
gangster Al Capone to smuggle alcohol into the<br />
USA from a myriad of underground storage<br />
tunnels. The same tunnels were also used by<br />
wretched Chinese immigrants while they struggled<br />
to raise enough money to become citizens. There<br />
are more than thirty murals depicting the story of<br />
Moose Jaw’s history dotted around the town<br />
which makes for a great walking tour.<br />
Day 9<br />
Day 10<br />
Day 11<br />
Day 12<br />
Spend the day exploring<br />
Saskatchewan’s capital city.<br />
Head for Saskatoon, the province’s<br />
largest city which is rich in<br />
Canadian history.<br />
A full day to explore Saskatoon, the<br />
city where the wheat belt meets the<br />
Canadian Shield.<br />
Your tour concludes today<br />
in Saskatoon.<br />
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL<br />
Our private tailor-made journeys offer<br />
complete freedom of choice. The itineraries and<br />
accommodation shown are designed to give you a<br />
flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit<br />
your preferences. Prices vary according to selected<br />
accommodation and season, please telephone us<br />
to discuss your individual requirements.<br />
The RCMP Sunset Ceremony<br />
La Reata Ranch<br />
A prairies grain processing plant<br />
Saskatchewan: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
39
Manitoba<br />
Geographically in the centre of Canada,<br />
Manitoba’s southern agricultural<br />
pastures give way to green forested hills on<br />
whose northern fringes lie the post ice-age<br />
Canadian Shield, a land of ice-scraped rock,<br />
boreal forest and lakes, reaching to the waters<br />
of the vast Hudson Bay. Wildlife is abundant<br />
and in any part of the region visitors may<br />
encounter moose, wolves, black bears, beavers<br />
and herds of caribou. Wildlife lovers are<br />
particularly drawn to Churchill, where tundra,<br />
taiga, and boreal forest meet on the shores of<br />
Hudson Bay, and in the summer months<br />
beluga whales and migratory birds gather in<br />
their thousands. Polar bears converge here in<br />
the autumn as the seas freeze over whilst black<br />
bears are most easily seen in Riding Mountain<br />
National Park and this is also one of the best<br />
places to learn about First Nations culture.<br />
The beaches of Lake Winnipeg, Hecla and<br />
Whiteshell Provincial Parks are also well<br />
worth a visit. Though European explorers only<br />
discovered the region that is now Manitoba in<br />
the 17th century, its history is much older:<br />
archaeological remains of early settlers dating<br />
back 6,000 years have been found at The Forks<br />
National Historic Site. The provincial capital,<br />
Winnipeg, is the major urban centre, with the<br />
Royal Winnipeg Ballet and the Manitoba<br />
Opera among its attractions.<br />
40
SASKATCHEWAN<br />
0 80 miles<br />
0 129 kilometres<br />
NUNAVUT<br />
Churchill<br />
Hudson Bay<br />
Reindeer<br />
Lake<br />
MANITOBA<br />
Thompson<br />
Flin Flon<br />
ONTARIO<br />
The Pas<br />
Norway<br />
House<br />
Ukranian dancing<br />
Winnipeg<br />
Lake<br />
Winnipegosis<br />
Lake<br />
Winnipeg<br />
The largest city in Manitoba and known<br />
affectionately as ‘The Peg’, Winnipeg may have<br />
begun as a fur-trade centre but is now a vibrant<br />
and cosmopolitan city in the heart of Canada’s<br />
prairies. Set at the confluence of the Red and<br />
Assiniboine rivers, its attractions include the<br />
Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature, Winnipeg<br />
Art Gallery, the Exchange District with its examples<br />
of early 20th century architecture and the historic<br />
districts of The Forks and Lower Fort Garry.<br />
The city is very multi-cultural and has large<br />
Ukrainian, Chinese and Italian communities,<br />
resulting in a very diverse and interesting cultural<br />
blend. There is no shortage of entertainment<br />
options with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra,<br />
Manitoba Opera, Royal Winnipeg Ballet as well as<br />
a variety of summer festivals. No visit is complete<br />
without a trip along the Red River to Lake<br />
Winnipeg, where you’ll find some of Manitoba’s<br />
finest sandy beaches.<br />
Turtle Mountain<br />
Provincial Park<br />
Souris<br />
Manitoba Legislative Building<br />
Dauphin<br />
Riding Mountain<br />
National Park<br />
Brandon<br />
Boissevain<br />
Lake<br />
Manitoba<br />
WINNIPEG<br />
Hecla<br />
Provincial<br />
Park<br />
Gimli<br />
Oak Hammock<br />
Marsh<br />
Oak Hammock Marsh<br />
Oak Hammock Marsh is a 36 square kilometre<br />
Wildlife Management Area that is one of North<br />
America’s birding hotspots. It includes a restored<br />
prairie marsh, aspen-oak bluff, waterfowl lure<br />
crops, artesian springs, 30 kilometres of trails, and<br />
some of Manitoba’s last remaining expanses of the<br />
highly endangered tall-grass prairie. Each season at<br />
the marsh offers unique opportunities: it is home<br />
to 25 species of mammal, 296 species of bird,<br />
numerous amphibians, reptiles, fish and countless<br />
invertebrates. The number of waterfowl using the<br />
marsh during migration can exceed 400,000 at any<br />
one time: for these reasons Oak Hammock Marsh<br />
has been designated as a Ramsar Site, a wetland of<br />
international importance.<br />
International Peace Gardens, Boissevain<br />
Manitoba: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
Oak Hammock Marsh<br />
41
42<br />
Manitoba wheat fields<br />
Riding Mountain<br />
National Park<br />
Situated amidst a sea of agricultural land, Riding<br />
Mountain rises dramatically from the prairie<br />
landscape. Forming part of the Manitoba<br />
Escarpment, this ‘island’ reserve is best known for<br />
its black bear sightings but also protects a wide<br />
variety of wildlife and vegetation areas. The<br />
eastern perimeter is formed by a high ridge<br />
studded with dense evergreen forests of spruce,<br />
pine, balsam fir and tamarack and is the best place<br />
to spot black bears. This gives way to a highland<br />
plateau of mixed forests and lakes while elsewhere<br />
open meadows and grasslands provide perfect<br />
habitats for moose, elk and a herd of plains bison.<br />
This vast expanse of wilderness is approximately<br />
50 kilometres long by 100 wide and has some of<br />
Manitoba’s most beautiful scenery as well as its<br />
finest walking and biking trails.<br />
Riding Mountain Guest Ranch<br />
Chuck-wagon racing<br />
RIDING MOUNTAIN<br />
GUEST RANCH<br />
Riding Mountain Guest Ranch is the charming<br />
lakeside three-storey farmhouse of the Irwin<br />
family, located in the rolling aspen woodlands just<br />
south of the national park. Guests enjoy a relaxed<br />
friendly atmosphere in a beautiful natural setting,<br />
with four comfortable bedrooms and scrumptious<br />
meals prepared by Candy – an excellent cook.<br />
The ranch house has a delightful veranda and<br />
sunroom overlooking the secluded lake, a hot tub,<br />
winter sauna, billiards room and a natural history<br />
library. Outside there are wildlife viewing blinds,<br />
canoes, kayaks, and walking trails.<br />
WALKINSHAW PLACE,<br />
NEAR BOISSEVAIN<br />
Just next to Turtle Mountain Provincial Park in<br />
southwest Manitoba, Walkinshaw Place is a<br />
beautifully restored Victorian farmhouse that<br />
offers bed and breakfast accommodation. With<br />
just four en suite guest rooms, it is an intimate<br />
property where guests are well cared for by<br />
hosts, Peter and Linda Albrecht. A sumptuous<br />
breakfast buffet, served in the dining room<br />
amongst antique furnishings and local art works,<br />
consists of seasonal fruits and juices, muffins,<br />
scones, breads, cereals, and yogurts.
Farm and Wildlife Trail<br />
Southern Manitoba has a diverse range of rural<br />
and wilderness scenery to explore and this<br />
delightful self-drive itinerary highlights the best of<br />
the region, exploring the beaches and islands of<br />
Manitoba’s lakes, encountering the bears and<br />
wildlife of Riding Mountain National Park and<br />
tasting traditional ranch life on a prairie farm.<br />
Sunflowers in southern Manitoba<br />
Pisew Falls, Manitoba<br />
Day 1<br />
Drive from Winnipeg to Oak<br />
Hammock Marsh before continuing<br />
via the Icelandic heritage village of<br />
Gimli to Hecla Island Provincial Park.<br />
Day 2<br />
Having discovered the delights of<br />
Hecla, drive across the narrows of<br />
Lake Manitoba to Riding Mountain<br />
National Park for a two night stay.<br />
Upon arrival join a four hour black<br />
bear watching trip.<br />
Day 3<br />
Join an early morning wildlife safari<br />
in the national park, followed by<br />
another evening of bear viewing.<br />
Day 4<br />
Head south through Brandon to the<br />
small rural town of Boissevain for a<br />
stay on a small working farm.<br />
Day 5<br />
After a full farm breakfast return to<br />
Winnipeg at the end of your tour.<br />
Bears in Riding Mountain National Park<br />
Hecla Island<br />
In the heart of Lake Winnipeg, Hecla Island<br />
measures just six by twenty-six kilometres.<br />
The island is a paradise for wildlife and nature<br />
enthusiasts, forming part of Hecla Provincial Park,<br />
created in 1969 that also protects four separate<br />
islands: Black, Goose, Deer and Punk. Settled in<br />
the 1870s by Icelandic people, Hecla village has<br />
now been restored and provides a fascinating<br />
insight into the lives of the original settlers. You<br />
can follow a trail through Grassy Narrows Marsh<br />
or relax on a sandy beach: whichever you choose<br />
you’re likely to see moose, white-tailed deer and<br />
black bears, as well as some of the 180 bird<br />
species found in the park.<br />
HECLA OASIS RESORT,<br />
HECLA ISLAND<br />
Surrounded by the spectacular natural beauty<br />
and the clear waters of Lake Winnipeg, Hecla<br />
Oasis Resort is located within Hecla Provincial<br />
Park. The resort has been recently refurbished<br />
to provide modern comfortable rooms and the<br />
extensive range of amenities includes several<br />
restaurants, a spa and wellness centre, a superb<br />
golf course and a water park with three indoor<br />
swimming pools and another in the open air.<br />
Manitoba’s Icelandic heritage<br />
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL<br />
Our private tailor-made journeys offer<br />
complete freedom of choice. The itineraries and<br />
accommodation shown are designed to give you a<br />
flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit<br />
your preferences. Prices vary according to selected<br />
accommodation and season, please telephone us<br />
to discuss your individual requirements.<br />
Manitoba: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
First Nations dancer<br />
Historic grain elevators<br />
43
Sunset on the tundra<br />
Churchill and Hudson Bay<br />
The little town of Churchill is situated in northern<br />
Manitoba on the edge of Hudson Bay, an area of<br />
unique diversity where taiga, tundra, boreal forest<br />
and coastal estuary meet. Established early in the<br />
1700s the town grew into a prosperous trading<br />
post but declined in the 19th century when it was<br />
bypassed by faster overland routes. Even today<br />
this is a rather dishevelled community, made up<br />
of Inuit, Cree and white settlers, that has only<br />
recently found a new role as the ‘Polar Bear<br />
Capital of the World’. Each autumn the area’s<br />
polar bears venture onto the newly-frozen pack<br />
ice to hunt for seals, but there are good reasons<br />
to visit in the summer months too: beluga whales<br />
and birds abound. Sights to see in town include<br />
the Polar Bear Compound which houses orphan<br />
cubs and anti-social adults, an excellent Eskimo<br />
Museum and Cape Merry National Historic Site.<br />
Other places to see nearby include Prince of<br />
Wales Fort and York Factory, site of the Hudson<br />
Bay Company’s first trading post.<br />
General store in Churchill<br />
AURORA INN, CHURCHILL<br />
The Aurora Inn offers comfortable lodgings in this<br />
remote outpost. Spacious two-storey suites are<br />
equipped with a loft bedroom containing either a<br />
queen or two double beds: ideal for couples or<br />
families. Private bathroom facilities, fully-equipped<br />
kitchens and wheelchair access make the inn one<br />
of the best in the region, and guests are also<br />
within walking distance of Churchill’s restaurants,<br />
bars and railway station.<br />
44<br />
Aurora Inn<br />
Polar bear and cubs
Birds, Bears & Belugas<br />
Mike Reimer with curious beluga whales<br />
Wild flowers on the tundra<br />
This unique itinerary flies you north to the shores<br />
of the Hudson Bay where, with enthusiastic<br />
expert guides, you can swim and snorkel with<br />
beluga whales and marvel at relaxed and well-fed<br />
polar bears swimming and foraging on the shore.<br />
Seal River is the only lodge in the region, giving<br />
you a unique opportunity for intimate encounters<br />
with the wildlife of this special place.<br />
Day 1<br />
Fly from Winnipeg to Churchill and<br />
then onwards by light aircraft to Seal<br />
River Heritage Lodge, your home for<br />
the following six nights.<br />
Days 2 - 5 During these days you will join at<br />
least three expeditions by zodiac<br />
to observe beluga whales, seals, sea<br />
birds and polar bears. Daily walking<br />
tours are also part of the<br />
programme to discover other<br />
wildlife and lovely wild flowers.<br />
Day 6<br />
After breakfast enjoy one last walk<br />
on the coast before leaving the<br />
lodge for your return flights to<br />
Winnipeg at the end of your tour.<br />
Snowy owl and chicks<br />
The Wildlife of<br />
Northern Manitoba<br />
In northern Manitoba the lake-studded boreal<br />
forests of the interior plains converge with the<br />
endless tundra of the Canadian Shield. This<br />
remote wilderness spawns native wildlife that is<br />
some of the most thrilling on the continent. The<br />
Seal River and the southern shores of Hudson<br />
Bay are the summer haunts of polar bears and<br />
thousands of beluga whales, whilst caribou and<br />
countless migratory birds flock to the flowerstrewn<br />
tundra landscape. October sees the<br />
gathering of polar bears on the shores of the<br />
Hudson Bay as they wait for the winter pack-ice<br />
to form into seal-hunting platforms. To encounter<br />
these magnificent animals, the largest of all bears,<br />
at such close quarters is truly awe-inspiring.<br />
SEAL RIVER HERITAGE LODGE<br />
Through the months of July and August Mike<br />
Reimer’s Seal River Heritage Lodge is the only place<br />
where you can go for a wilderness walk, capturing<br />
both polar bears and beluga whales in the same<br />
picture frame. You can also take to the water and<br />
kayak or snorkel with the belugas. With just the one<br />
fly-in lodge on the entire Hudson Bay coast, the<br />
area is so remote that wildlife has little fear of man.<br />
Just getting to Seal River Heritage Lodge is a scenic<br />
highlight, as your group of up to sixteen guests is<br />
flown to a little haven with a comfortable sitting<br />
room, cosy fireplaces, expansive picture windows<br />
and modern amenities. The meals are so good here<br />
that Seal River have even produced their own<br />
cookbook, with favourite dishes including almondcrusted<br />
Arctic char and jalapeno goose breasts. The<br />
Seal River guides include photographers, biologists<br />
and polar bear specialists who are all experts in<br />
their field: you won’t just observe, but also learn<br />
about this spectacular wilderness.<br />
Watching a polar bear from the tundra buggy<br />
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL<br />
Our private tailor-made journeys offer<br />
complete freedom of choice. The itineraries and<br />
accommodation shown are designed to give you a<br />
flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit<br />
your preferences. Prices vary according to selected<br />
accommodation and season, please telephone us<br />
to discuss your individual requirements.<br />
Manitoba: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
Guests at Seal River Heritage Lodge<br />
Wildlife watching<br />
45
Ontario<br />
This huge province stretches all the way<br />
from the Great Lakes on the USA border<br />
to the frozen shores of Hudson Bay, covering<br />
more than one million square kilometres.<br />
Home to Canada’s largest city, Toronto, and<br />
its capital, Ottawa, the province also boasts<br />
one of the world’s great natural wonders,<br />
Niagara Falls. Charming villages such as<br />
Niagara-on-the-Lake and Goderich can be<br />
combined with the wineries and birdlife of<br />
Pelee Island, the thriving art scene of Prince<br />
Edward County and Manitoulin Island’s<br />
large First Nations population who hold<br />
pow-wows of traditional dancing and<br />
singing throughout the summer months.<br />
Killarney and Algonquin Provincial Parks<br />
are accessible gems that offer wonderful<br />
wildlife viewing, canoeing and fishing.<br />
Meanwhile, the remote north and west is<br />
a land of forest and tundra, with a vibrant<br />
Cree culture and important settler history<br />
including the Hudson Bay Company’s first<br />
outpost at Moosonee. Polar Bear Provincial<br />
Park covers thousands of square kilometres<br />
and visiting these remote areas by plane, train<br />
and boat opens up the possibility of excellent<br />
wildlife viewing on both land and sea. With<br />
its modern cities, grand landscapes and prolific<br />
wildlife, the great expanses of Ontario are a<br />
joy to explore.<br />
46
Toronto<br />
With almost 2.5 million residents, this multi-cultural<br />
city is the largest in Canada. The shopping and<br />
nightlife here are unsurpassed and this is where<br />
you’ll find the country’s most varied and rewarding<br />
restaurants. The city has theatres to rival London<br />
and New York and of course no visit is complete<br />
without a trip to the top of the C.N. Tower.<br />
At 553 metres this is one of the world’s tallest<br />
buildings and affords stunning views over the city<br />
and Lake Ontario. There are some excellent<br />
museums, including the Royal Ontario Museum<br />
and the Art Gallery of Ontario. Toronto’s Rogers<br />
Centre is the perfect venue for watching a baseball<br />
or ice hockey game whilst those in search of<br />
escapism need travel no further than the islands<br />
just offshore in Lake Ontario. Nearby lies<br />
thunderous Niagara Falls, a spectacular must-see<br />
icon of Canada that can easily be visited as a day<br />
trip from Toronto.<br />
MANITOBA<br />
Kenora<br />
Lake of the<br />
Woods<br />
ONTARIO<br />
Peawanuck<br />
Thunder Bay<br />
Lake<br />
Superior<br />
Sault Ste<br />
Marie<br />
0 125 miles<br />
0 201 kilometres<br />
Hudson Bay<br />
Polar Bear<br />
Provincial<br />
Park<br />
James<br />
Bay<br />
Hearst<br />
Timmins<br />
Espanola<br />
Manitoulin<br />
Island<br />
Bruce<br />
Peninsula<br />
Moosonee<br />
Cochrane<br />
Killarney<br />
Provincial<br />
Park<br />
Owen<br />
Sound<br />
Algonquin<br />
Provincial<br />
Park<br />
QUÉBEC ´<br />
OTTAWA<br />
Haliburton<br />
Port Severn<br />
Kingston<br />
Lake<br />
Huron TORONTO Lake<br />
Goderich<br />
Ontario<br />
Niagara on the Lake<br />
Niagara Falls<br />
Prince<br />
Edward<br />
County<br />
Windsor<br />
Pelee<br />
Island<br />
Lake Erie<br />
Toronto skyline<br />
FAIRMONT ROYAL YORK,<br />
TORONTO<br />
At the heart of Toronto, this magnificent hotel<br />
was once the tallest structure in the British<br />
Empire. Generations of the Royal Family have<br />
stayed here, most recently the Queen and<br />
Prince Philip in 1997. The lobby is stunning with<br />
distinctive clocks, enormous chandeliers and an<br />
elaborately painted ceiling. Each of the 1,600<br />
traditionally furnished guest rooms has modern<br />
amenities and the hotel offers an unrivalled<br />
selection of facilities including several restaurants,<br />
the sumptuous Library Bar, gym, spa and<br />
basement boutique shopping parade.<br />
COSMOPOLITAN, TORONTO<br />
Poised in the heart of downtown Toronto, this<br />
chic and trendy hotel appeals to guests of all ages.<br />
The hotel has a total of 97 suites, each featuring<br />
floor to ceiling windows, a private balcony,<br />
kitchen, large flat screen television in the sitting<br />
room area, CD players and a small fountain. All<br />
are stunningly designed with natural wood and<br />
use state-of-the-art technology to save energy.<br />
The Doku 15 restaurant excels in modern<br />
Japanese cuisine with a pan-Asian twist whilst<br />
the Shizen Spa and Solarium offers a full range<br />
of treatments.<br />
Gloucester Square Inns<br />
Fairmont Royal York<br />
GLOUCESTER SQUARE INNS,<br />
TORONTO<br />
Set in the only remaining block of one of<br />
Toronto’s most exclusive 19th century streets<br />
lie three historic homes, now restored to offer<br />
27 guest rooms and suites. The Edward Gallow<br />
Mansion, Charles Rundle Mansion and the<br />
Cawthra House offer guests a chance to<br />
experience the flavour and style of the past<br />
updated with all the comforts of the modern<br />
age. Each of the elegant rooms has been<br />
individually decorated, there is a full-service spa<br />
and continental breakfast is served each morning.<br />
These heritage properties are only five minutes<br />
walk from the heart of downtown Toronto.<br />
The big game<br />
Ontario: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
47
A birds-eye view of the falls<br />
Niagara Falls<br />
One of the natural wonders of the world, Niagara<br />
Falls never fails to impress by the sheer scale and<br />
volume of thundering water. The famous<br />
Horseshoe Falls are divided from the American<br />
Falls by tiny Goat Island, and the whole sight is a<br />
dizzying spectacle of nature at its most powerful.<br />
There are several ways to see the falls: a whiteknuckle<br />
jetboat ride through the Niagara Gorge<br />
or the leisurely ‘Maid of the Mist’ cruise to the<br />
foot of the falls, the ‘Journey Behind the Falls’ is<br />
a short walk which takes you literally behind the<br />
massive wall of water and a helicopter flight will<br />
give you a breathtaking perspective of the region.<br />
Niagara-on-the-Lake<br />
Set on Lake Ontario and the Niagara River,<br />
historic Niagara-on-the-Lake is a small but<br />
captivating town of historic buildings, festooned<br />
with flowers. The town was once the capital<br />
of the colony of Upper Canada and the<br />
reconstructed Fort George National Historic Site<br />
was the British military headquarters. Many come<br />
to Niagara-on-the-Lake for the well-regarded<br />
Shaw Festival Theatre and the area is known<br />
for its wineries, many of which offer tours and<br />
tastings. Excursions include thrilling jet-boat rides<br />
on the Niagara River or gentle bike rides along<br />
scenic trails that follow the river.<br />
SHAW CLUB HOTEL,<br />
NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE<br />
Perfectly located just across the main street from<br />
the Shaw Festival Theatre, the Shaw Club feels<br />
more like a private club than a hotel. Rooms are<br />
fitted with the latest technology, including i-pod<br />
stations and plasma televisions, and are adorned<br />
with original photographs by local artists. Each<br />
room features a king size feather-top bed and a<br />
luxurious contemporary bathroom. Zees Patio<br />
and Grill offers both gourmet and casual dining<br />
with the largest patio in town, perfect for al<br />
fresco dining. In addition there is an exercise<br />
room and a lobby lounge with complimentary<br />
coffee and a DVD library.<br />
CECILE’S HOUSE,<br />
NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE<br />
This gem of a bed and breakfast is in the heart<br />
of the town but quietly set away from the main<br />
street. Your host Chris is a retired top chef and<br />
will ensure a truly memorable stay. The house,<br />
dating from the 1890s, is named after his<br />
grandmother and is crammed with period<br />
antiques. There are just three rooms, the Master’s<br />
Suite, the French Room and the Country Room,<br />
each with a private bathroom and cable television.<br />
Enjoy an aperitif on the front terrace or in the<br />
charming sitting room. Breakfast is a treat to be<br />
savoured – don’t miss the chocolate bread or<br />
the hot fruit clafoutis.<br />
Niagara Helicopters<br />
From the moment of take-off awe-inspiring<br />
views begin, so make sure your camera is handy.<br />
The flight follows the Niagara River from the<br />
Whirlpool area, over the Whirlpool Rapids and<br />
the Rainbow Bridge. The green grass and floral<br />
beauty of Queen Victoria Park stretch below as<br />
the helicopter passes over the American Falls and<br />
the Skylon Tower. The highlight comes next: the<br />
Canadian Horseshoe Falls where rainbows appear<br />
and disappear from all directions. Finally the<br />
helicopter begins to level off for the descent<br />
back to base.<br />
Pelee Island<br />
Pelee Island is Canada’s most southerly inhabited<br />
point and shares the 42nd parallel with cities such<br />
as Barcelona. This small flat island, approximately<br />
six by thirteen kilometres in size, lies at the<br />
western end of Lake Erie and is reached by ferry<br />
from either Leamington or Kingsville. The mild<br />
climate is ideal for vineyards, and the Pelee Island<br />
Winery is a well-known attraction. The pace of<br />
life here is slower so there is plenty of time to<br />
enjoy the beaches, cycle around the island, enjoy<br />
really fantastic bird watching or visit the winery<br />
for a tour and tasting.<br />
48
Water and Wine Trail<br />
Cecile’s House<br />
Highland Manor<br />
Leaving the cities behind, discover the villages,<br />
lakes, sandy beaches and little islands that form a<br />
charming and idyllic landscape in the south of the<br />
province. This is a part of Ontario that remains<br />
relatively unknown outside local circles and yet<br />
has lots to offer the traveller seeking an escape<br />
‘off the beaten track’. From the Great Lakes to<br />
the vineyards of Niagara and Pelee Island the<br />
area is fresh and intoxicating.<br />
Day 1<br />
Collect your hire car in Toronto and<br />
drive south along the shore of Lake<br />
Ontario to Niagara-on-the-Lake.<br />
Day 2<br />
Day 3<br />
Day 4<br />
Day 5<br />
Spend a whole day discovering<br />
historic Niagara-on-the-Lake and<br />
nearby Niagara Falls.<br />
Your drive today takes you along<br />
the shoreline of Lake Erie to<br />
Leamington. You may wish to<br />
break your journey at the lovely<br />
little village of Port Stanley. Upon<br />
arrival take the car ferry over to<br />
Pelee Island.<br />
Today you have a full day to<br />
discover the delights of Pelee Island.<br />
Take the ferry back to Leamington<br />
and then continue your drive<br />
northwards to Goderich on the<br />
shore of Lake Huron.<br />
Fathom Five National Marine Park<br />
Goderich<br />
and Lake Huron<br />
Steeped in historic charm, the town of Goderich<br />
on Lake Huron is frequently described as ‘the<br />
prettiest town in Canada’ and it is well worth<br />
basing yourself here for a couple of days. It has<br />
several distinctive buildings including an octagonal<br />
town square, court house, Huron Historic Gaol,<br />
the Governor’s House and Huron County<br />
Museum. There are three excellent sandy beaches<br />
on the lakeshore that are great for swimming,<br />
sailing and windsurfing and are often blessed with<br />
spectacular sunsets. Nearby Bayfield is another<br />
pretty historic village worthy of exploration.<br />
BENMILLER INN AND SPA,<br />
GODERICH<br />
This beautifully restored former wool mill<br />
occupies a delightful sylvan dell east of Goderich.<br />
The various mill buildings have been transformed<br />
to provide 57 individually themed guest rooms,<br />
each furnished with feather-top beds and<br />
sumptuous linens and some come<br />
with their own sauna, fireplace, or Jacuzzi. The<br />
Woollen Mill houses a fireside lounge, dining<br />
room and a pub whilst the striking River Mill<br />
contains a patio, indoor swimming pool, sauna,<br />
hot tub and the Benmiller Spa.<br />
Bruce Peninsula and Fathom<br />
Five National Marine Park<br />
The Bruce Peninsula separates Lake Huron from<br />
Georgian Bay and is renowned for the magnificent<br />
coastal walking along the Bruce Trail. At the<br />
northern tip of the peninsula lies Fathom Five<br />
National Marine Park which protects curious rock<br />
formations such as Flowerpot island. In this area<br />
twenty shipwrecks lie in shallow crystal-clear<br />
waters, popular with divers but also perfectly<br />
visible from glass-bottomed boats. The little town<br />
of Tobermory is the departure point for the ferry<br />
over to Manitoulin Island whilst the old port of<br />
Owen Sound, the town at the foot of the<br />
peninsula, is a great place to stay while exploring<br />
the region.<br />
HIGHLAND MANOR, OWEN SOUND<br />
Hidden amongst ancient maples in the town of<br />
Owen Sound, Highland Manor is a lovely Victorian<br />
house that has evolved into a delightful bed and<br />
breakfast. Guests are delighted by the high ceilings,<br />
hardwood floors and library, dining and music<br />
rooms. Owners Linda and Paul pride themselves on<br />
attention to detail, such as the flowers in each of<br />
the four guest rooms, and their scrumptious<br />
breakfasts. Often you will be enchanted as music<br />
played by Linda on the grand piano tinkles softly<br />
through the French windows, adding a particularly<br />
memorable charm to your stay.<br />
Day 6<br />
Day 7<br />
The pretty little town of Goderich<br />
awaits your discovery today, or you<br />
may wish to relax on one of the<br />
many lovely sandy beaches.<br />
Drive back to Toronto to drop<br />
off your hire car at the end of<br />
your tour.<br />
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL<br />
Our private tailor-made journeys offer<br />
complete freedom of choice. The itineraries and<br />
accommodation shown are designed to give you a<br />
flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit<br />
your preferences. Prices vary according to selected<br />
accommodation and season, please telephone us<br />
to discuss your individual requirements.<br />
Shaw Festival Theatre, Niagara-on-the-Lake<br />
Ontario: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
49
A moose in Algonquin Provincial Park<br />
Manitoulin Island<br />
A continuation of the Niagara Escarpment,<br />
Manitoulin Island is strikingly different from the<br />
harsh grey rocks of the Canadian Shield, with white<br />
cliffs, more than 100 freshwater lakes, gentle woods<br />
and open farmland. Manitoulin means ‘spirit island’<br />
in the Ojibwe language and today a quarter of the<br />
inhabitants are First Nations belonging to the<br />
Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi peoples. Every<br />
August, Manitoulin Island hosts Canada's largest<br />
pow-wow, a splendid celebration of native culture.<br />
Smaller pow-wows take place throughout the<br />
summer and First Nations guided touring is a<br />
highlight for any visitor. The island attracts not<br />
only summer sailors, fishermen and water sports<br />
enthusiasts but also archaeologists who have<br />
discovered a 10,000 year old Paleo-Indian site.<br />
At any time of year the ‘Cup and Saucer’ walking<br />
trail provides spectacular views over the island.<br />
Killarney Provincial Park<br />
One of Ontario’s jewels, Killarney Provincial Park<br />
is a wilderness of sapphire lakes, jack pine ridges<br />
and birch forests that include some of Ontario’s<br />
most outstanding landscapes. Established in 1964<br />
and extending to 341 square kilometres, the<br />
park’s massive white quartzite hills and clear<br />
deep lakes offer an unparalleled environment<br />
for canoeing, fishing and walking.<br />
KILLARNEY MOUNTAIN LODGE,<br />
KILLARNEY PROVINCIAL PARK<br />
Killarney Mountain Lodge is a casual, comfortable<br />
property on the north shore of Georgian Bay.<br />
Family owned and operated for 45 years, the<br />
lodge is well-known for its friendly ambience, a<br />
distinctive cuisine and its exciting programme of<br />
outdoor wilderness adventures. The lodge has a<br />
range of accommodation from rooms in the main<br />
lodge to cabins in the grounds. Dining is a delight,<br />
with a strong emphasis on using the freshest and<br />
most wholesome ingredients, and there is also a<br />
waterside barbeque. The lodge has a heated<br />
swimming pool, a sauna, tennis courts and a<br />
marina offering a range of water-based activities<br />
including sailing, fishing and sea-kayaking.<br />
Port Severn<br />
The tiny settlement of Port Severn lies on the<br />
shore of Severn Sound in the southeast corner<br />
of Georgian Bay and is the gateway to the<br />
Trent-Severn Waterway. The village, originally<br />
named Severn Mills, was founded with the<br />
creation of a saw mill in 1830. Today it is<br />
perfectly positioned for exploring Georgian Bay<br />
Islands National Park, Big Chute Marine Railway<br />
and the pretty lakeside inlets by boat or canoe.<br />
INN AT CHRISTIE’S MILL,<br />
PORT SEVERN<br />
Surrounded by fragrant pine trees on a crystal<br />
clear lake-front, this European-style inn offers a<br />
sophisticated blend of old world charm and<br />
contemporary luxuries. Tastefully appointed,<br />
each of the 43 guest rooms has feather-top beds,<br />
a fireplace and a balcony overlooking the lake.<br />
The dining room has a mouth-watering menu<br />
and splendid views of shimmering Gloucester<br />
Pool and the surrounding woods. After a day of<br />
exploring you may wish to treat yourself to the<br />
pleasures of the Avalon spa.<br />
50<br />
Canoeing in Algonquin Provincial Park
The Jewels of Ontario<br />
Ontario’s near north offers a captivating variety<br />
of terrain and experiences. This itinerary has been<br />
carefully planned to ensure that each day brings<br />
a new and exciting adventure.<br />
Day 1<br />
Having collected your hire car, drive<br />
north from Toronto to the small<br />
town of Owen Sound.<br />
Your drive today takes you along<br />
the Bruce Peninsula to the tiny port<br />
of Tobermory. From here take the<br />
ferry to Manitoulin Island.<br />
Beaver<br />
Killarney Mountain Lodge<br />
Day 2<br />
Day 3<br />
Spend a full day exploring Manitoulin<br />
Island, well known for its First<br />
Nations culture. You may wish to go<br />
to an authentic pow-wow if one is<br />
taking place.<br />
Day 4<br />
Drive north from Manitoulin to<br />
Killarney Provincial Park.<br />
Day 5<br />
Enjoy a full day in this delightful<br />
provincial park, perhaps going hiking<br />
or experiencing some of the many<br />
other activities.<br />
Day 6<br />
Your drive today takes you past<br />
the small towns of Parry Sound<br />
and Huntsville to Algonquin<br />
Provincial Park.<br />
First Nations’ guides<br />
Algonquin Provincial Park<br />
Algonquin Provincial Park is a magnificent natural<br />
paradise of lush maple and fir woodlands, spring<br />
wildflower meadows, sparkling lakes and plentiful<br />
wildlife: to many Canadians it is as much a symbol<br />
of Canada as Niagara Falls. Located just two and<br />
a half hours drive north of Toronto, you can go<br />
walking, fishing and canoeing for hours without<br />
seeing a soul. Algonquin was the first of Ontario’s<br />
parks, founded in 1893 and with almost eight<br />
thousand square kilometres it offers many<br />
chances to see moose, deer, beaver and black<br />
bears in their natural habitat. The park authorities<br />
have been at the forefront of wolf research since<br />
the 1950s and on Thursdays in August they<br />
arrange communal ‘wolf howls’ that elicit ready<br />
responses from wolves in the area: a spine<br />
tingling way to interact with nature.<br />
KILLARNEY LODGE,<br />
ALGONQUIN PROVINCIAL PARK<br />
The award-winning Killarney Lodge is set well<br />
inside Algonquin Provincial Park by the Lake of<br />
Two Rivers. The rustic and beautifully decorated<br />
cabins have been a favourite of Canadians for<br />
over 70 years and offer comfortable and<br />
charming accommodation. As a family-run<br />
property it has many personal touches such as a<br />
cosy wood stove in the guest lounge where tea,<br />
coffee, fresh fruit and snacks are always available.<br />
Grey wolf<br />
One-bedroom cabins have a bed-sitting room,<br />
while the two-bedroom option has a separate<br />
bedroom: both types of room face the water<br />
and include the use of a canoe that is waiting just<br />
outside the door. Hearty Canadian meals are<br />
included in your stay (bring your own wine) with<br />
packed lunches to allow you to head off, each<br />
day, by car or canoe.<br />
Pathways of the Algonquin<br />
A few specialist operators run small-group<br />
wilderness adventures in Algonquin Provincial<br />
Park, staying in lakeside log cabins. <strong>Travel</strong> from<br />
Toronto to the shores of Lake Surprise for three<br />
days of ‘back to basics’, with knowledgeable<br />
wilderness guides taking you out on adventures<br />
that can include early morning canoe trips in<br />
search of moose and scenic twilight walks to<br />
listen to the wolves. While these activities form<br />
the backbone of the trip, there are also bushcraft<br />
workshops, hearty meals by the campfire or in<br />
the lodge and of course each day starts with a<br />
grand breakfast with lashings of maple syrup.<br />
Killarney Lodge<br />
Day 7<br />
Day 8<br />
Spend a full day experiencing the<br />
magic of this dense woodland.<br />
There are some great walking trails<br />
and canoeing or you may wish to<br />
take part in a wolf howl.<br />
Return to Toronto at the end of<br />
your trip and drop off your hire<br />
car upon arrival.<br />
EXTENSION<br />
A perfect addition to this tour is a two night stay<br />
at Sault Ste. Marie, known locally as ‘the Soo’. A<br />
visit here can be made after a stay on Manitoulin<br />
Island and before staying at Killarney Provincial<br />
Park. The town lies on the edge of both Lake<br />
Huron and Lake Superior and is famous for its<br />
locks that span the St. Lawrence Seaway. The<br />
highlight of a stay is likely to be the day trip on<br />
the Algoma Railway that leads through the<br />
magnificent Agawa Canyon.<br />
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL<br />
Our private tailor-made journeys offer complete<br />
freedom of choice. The itineraries and<br />
accommodation shown are designed to give you a<br />
flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit<br />
your preferences. Prices vary according to selected<br />
accommodation and season, please telephone us to<br />
discuss your individual requirements.<br />
Ontario: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
51
Ottawa’s Parliament buildings<br />
Haliburton<br />
The village of Haliburton lies just south of<br />
Algonquin and two hours to the north of<br />
Toronto. It is a likeable place with a selection of<br />
restaurants, art studios and antique shops. Its main<br />
attractions to the international visitor are its<br />
proximity to the park and a Wolf Centre with<br />
displays and interpretation of wolf behaviour. If<br />
you want to experience the activities and wildlife<br />
of the park but don’t want to immerse yourself<br />
fully by staying in rustic log cabins, then<br />
Haliburton offers you the ideal alternative.<br />
SIR SAM’S INN, HALIBURTON<br />
Situated just outside Haliburton, Sir Sam’s Inn is<br />
on the edge of Eagle Lake. Formerly the home of<br />
Sir Samuel Hughes, the property is set in lovely<br />
countryside and offers 26 rooms, some in the<br />
original lodge and others along the edge of the<br />
lake. The inn is renowned for its superb dining<br />
and recently a new spa has been added. During<br />
your stay you can stroll through the forests of<br />
the Haliburton Highlands, cruise on the lake, try<br />
a variety of water sports from water-skiing to<br />
swimming or simply relax with a book whilst<br />
listening to the lapping waters of the lake.<br />
Prince Edward County<br />
Jutting into the deep blue waters of Lake Ontario<br />
between Toronto and Ottawa, Prince Edward<br />
County is a mecca for artists, nature lovers and<br />
anyone looking for an island-style adventure.<br />
Renowned for its sailing, fishing and giant sand<br />
dunes, it is also known for its live theatre, artists’<br />
studios and galleries, delicious local food and a<br />
growing wine industry. The historic towns of<br />
Kingston and Gananoque are easily accessible<br />
and from here cruises head out to the beautiful<br />
Thousand Islands on the St. Lawrence Seaway<br />
formed, according to Iroquois legend, by a battle<br />
between two giants who hurled great granite<br />
boulders into the river.<br />
MERRILL INN,<br />
PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY<br />
The Merrill Inn was built in 1878 for Sir Edward<br />
Merrill, a local attorney and friend of Sir John A.<br />
MacDonald, Canada’s first Prime Minister. A<br />
historically significant building for its unique<br />
architectural style, Merrill House was converted<br />
into a charming inn in the 1980s. There are just<br />
13 comfortable guest rooms, each with a<br />
luxurious bathroom, and a superb restaurant and<br />
wine bar. The gardens are a delight and have a<br />
lovely patio – the perfect place to relax with a<br />
book and a glass of local wine. The current<br />
owners, Edward and Amy Shubert, have over 40<br />
years of combined hospitality expertise and assure<br />
you of a warm and friendly welcome.<br />
52<br />
Sir Sam’s Inn<br />
Merrill Inn
Ontario’s Heartland<br />
There is much more to Ontario besides Toronto<br />
and Niagara Falls and this route leads you through<br />
the heart of the province, from Georgian Bay to<br />
the Haliburton Highlands, and from the shores<br />
of Lake Ontario and the historic towns of the<br />
St. Lawrence Seaway, to the capital of the<br />
country, Ottawa.<br />
First Nations experience on Victoria Island<br />
Museum of Civilisation, Ottowa<br />
Day 1<br />
Collect your hire car in Toronto and,<br />
heading north, drive to Port Severn<br />
in the most easterly corner of<br />
Georgian Bay.<br />
Day 2<br />
Enjoy a full day exploring delightful<br />
Port Severn or visiting the nearby<br />
recreated Jesuit and First Nations<br />
settlement of Ste. Marie among<br />
the Hurons.<br />
Day 3<br />
Your journey today takes you inland<br />
through Muskoka, Ontario’s ‘cottage<br />
country’ to Haliburton.<br />
Day 4<br />
Spend a day exploring Haliburton’s<br />
lovely lakes and wooded hillsides<br />
or perhaps visit nearby Algonquin<br />
Provincial Park.<br />
Day 5<br />
Leaving Haliburton behind, your<br />
drive today takes you south to<br />
Prince Edward County, jutting into<br />
Lake Ontario.<br />
The Rideau Canal<br />
Ottawa<br />
Canada’s delightful capital city occupies an<br />
enviable location high on the Ottawa River on<br />
the Ontario/Québec provincial border. This is<br />
a city steeped in tradition which manifests itself<br />
in the magnificent Parliament buildings, the<br />
Governor-General’s residence and the many<br />
parks and gardens. The Parliament buildings, in<br />
particular the Peace Tower and library, are well<br />
worth a visit, especially during mid-summer when<br />
the Changing of the Guards ceremonies take<br />
place. Another principal attraction is the Rideau<br />
Canal which freezes over in winter to form the<br />
world’s largest ice-skating rink. As capital, the<br />
city is home to the National Gallery of Canada,<br />
the Canadian War Museum and the Royal<br />
Canadian Mint. The Museum of Civilisation is<br />
particularly impressive, with its insights into<br />
First Nations culture.<br />
HOTEL INDIGO, OTTAWA<br />
In this newly-opened and contemporary<br />
boutique hotel the focus is on impeccable<br />
service with a large range of facilities being<br />
available including a fitness centre, swimming<br />
pool and a restaurant. Conveniently located in<br />
downtown Ottawa, it has 106 rooms decorated<br />
in a smart modern style, offering a relaxing base<br />
for your stay in Canada’s capital.<br />
FAIRMONT CHÂTEAU LAURIER,<br />
OTTAWA<br />
Originally opened in 1912 as a railway hotel and<br />
reminiscent of a French château, the Fairmont<br />
Château Laurier was named after Sir Wilfred<br />
Laurier, one of Canada’s Prime Ministers, and is<br />
now Ottawa’s most famous hotel. Located in<br />
the heart of the city next to the Parliament<br />
buildings and the Rideau Canal, the hotel offers<br />
429 well-appointed rooms with views of the city<br />
or Parliament Hill. The many leisure facilities<br />
include a swimming pool, spa, gym, and several<br />
bars and restaurants.<br />
Day 6<br />
Day 7<br />
Day 8<br />
Day 9<br />
A day to relax in this unspoilt and<br />
bucolic land of rolling countryside,<br />
beaches and vineyards.<br />
Drive to Ottawa, perhaps stopping<br />
to explore the lovely old towns of<br />
Kingston, Gananoque, and Brockville<br />
en route. You may also wish to<br />
visit Upper Canada Village at<br />
Morrisburg, a detailed re-creation<br />
of an 1860s village.<br />
Canada’s capital, with its parks,<br />
museums and art galleries vies for<br />
your attention today. Don’t miss<br />
the wonderful Parliament buildings.<br />
Drop off your hire car in Ottawa<br />
at the end of your journey.<br />
EXTENSIONS<br />
There are two excellent additions to this tour which<br />
you may wish to consider. One is a stay in the<br />
wonderful Laurentian Mountains north of Montréal,<br />
while the other is a stay in Montréal itself. Please<br />
see pages 57 and 58 for further details.<br />
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL<br />
Our private tailor-made journeys offer<br />
complete freedom of choice. The itineraries and<br />
accommodation shown are designed to give you a<br />
flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit<br />
your preferences. Prices vary according to selected<br />
accommodation and season, please telephone us<br />
to discuss your individual requirements.<br />
Ontario: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
Fairmont Château Laurier<br />
53
54<br />
A polar bear foraging on the shore, Polar Bear Provincial Park<br />
Backcountry Ontario<br />
Ontario’s far-flung western and northern regions<br />
are little-known and rarely visited parts of the<br />
province, but are amongst the most captivating<br />
parts of the country with a varied terrain, plentiful<br />
wildlife and a thriving First Nations heritage<br />
steeped in timeless traditions. These small group<br />
tours, led by an expert guide, enable you to<br />
explore these fascinating regions for a few days.<br />
This is more than a destination: it is an<br />
opportunity to learn about Ontario’s remote<br />
regions and be absorbed by a culture that has<br />
existed since the last Ice Age.<br />
First Nations, Hudson Bay<br />
& Polar Bear Adventure<br />
Your six day long adventure starts with a flight<br />
from Timmins to Moosonee where you will be<br />
met by your Cree host, Clarence Trapper, and<br />
taken by a motorised freighter canoe to Moose<br />
Factory, an island in the Moose River. The<br />
Hudson Bay Company established a trading post<br />
at this ancient First Nations site in 1673 and it<br />
played a key role in the early fur trade. As one<br />
of Ontario’s oldest English-speaking communities<br />
it is redolent with history: a highlight is St Thomas’<br />
Church, built in 1850, with its altar decorated<br />
with hides. During your two night stay you will<br />
travel by freighter canoe to observe beluga<br />
whales feeding in the river and travel to the<br />
Shipsands Bird Sanctuary in James Bay, known<br />
for its concentration of over 300 species of birds.<br />
From Moosonee you fly nearly three hours north<br />
to the remote Cree community of Peawanuck<br />
where your host is Sam Hunter, who will take<br />
you by plane to a tented camp on the shores of<br />
Hudson Bay in Polar Bear Provincial Park.<br />
Covering an area of 62,000 square kilometres this<br />
park is virtually undisturbed and is home to 292<br />
documented bird species as well as caribou and a<br />
large population of polar bears. During your three<br />
Aurora Borealis<br />
night stay you will hopefully see bears swimming<br />
or feeding amongst the park’s grasses and sedges.<br />
Boat excursions to the coast follow in the<br />
footsteps of Henry Hudson in his 1610 search for<br />
the Northwest Passage whilst your Cree guides<br />
explain the history, mythology, beliefs and culture<br />
of their nation: a magical experience for historians,<br />
naturalists and outdoor enthusiasts alike.<br />
CREE VILLAGE ECOLODGE,<br />
MOOSONEE<br />
The Cree Village Ecolodge is Canada’s first<br />
indigenous-owned eco lodge. This new building<br />
is operated by the MoCreebec people in<br />
accordance with traditional values and with a<br />
focus on Cree cultural and ecological<br />
sustainability. The lodge is modelled on a<br />
traditional Cree dwelling and features 20 guest<br />
rooms that are designed for maximum comfort<br />
and minimal environmental impact, with triple<br />
glazed windows, natural wool carpets, organic<br />
cotton bed linen and biodegradable soaps and<br />
shampoos. The lodge’s restaurant serves a<br />
delicious range of traditional Cree organic food<br />
including trout, buffalo, pickerel (a member of<br />
the pike family) and salmon. Surrounded by the<br />
rugged beauty of the Canadian sub-Arctic and<br />
steeped in Cree culture and history, the Cree<br />
Village Ecolodge is the perfect place to<br />
experience the timeless values of the<br />
MoCreebec people.
Making traditional bannock over the fire<br />
St. Thomas’ Church, Moose Factory<br />
First Nations’<br />
Culture Cruise<br />
Your eight day journey starts in Winnipeg where<br />
you will be met by your host and transferred by<br />
road to Kenora on the Lake of the Woods for a<br />
two night stay. Here you will be able to explore<br />
Kenora’s harbour front, experience an authentic<br />
pow-wow and tour a traditional round-house.<br />
Board the 190-passenger M.S. Kenora and cruise<br />
the Lake of the Woods, exploring a maze of<br />
channels and islands where you will see bald<br />
eagles, shore-side wildlife and unspoiled<br />
wilderness. Disembark and check into the Totem<br />
Beluga whale<br />
Lodge, nestled amongst majestic pine trees at the<br />
lake’s edge, for a two night stay. The next day<br />
you travel to an ancient aboriginal burial site<br />
which has deep cultural and spiritual meaning to<br />
indigenous people throughout North America.<br />
People would gather to trade, share, celebrate<br />
and mourn in this area, a heritage manifested in<br />
the many artefacts uncovered here. Re-board<br />
the M.S. Kenora for a journey to Wiley Point<br />
Wilderness Lodge, overlooking Lake of the<br />
Woods, for a two night stay. Here you have time<br />
to explore at your own pace: walking, canoeing,<br />
fishing or hiring a guide to show you aboriginal<br />
pictographs. From Wiley Point you return to<br />
Kenora for a final night with time to visit Kenora<br />
Museum, one of Canada’s finest small museums,<br />
before returning to Winnipeg.<br />
TOTEM LODGE,<br />
LAKE OF THEWOODS<br />
Totem Lodge is tucked along the eastern shore of<br />
western Ontario’s Lake of the Woods. The lodge<br />
has a variety of accommodation, from log cabins<br />
to chalets, each with a screened porch or<br />
outdoor deck, full kitchen, and either a fireplace<br />
or a wood burning stove. The restaurant has a<br />
distinguished reputation and the staff are friendly<br />
and professional. Although primarily a fishing<br />
lodge, the lodge also provides many other<br />
activities such as waterskiing and hiking through<br />
the pristine wilderness.<br />
WILEY POINT WILDERNESS<br />
LODGE, LAKE OF THE WOODS<br />
Situated in the midst of the Lake of the Woods,<br />
Wiley Point Wilderness Lodge basks in nature’s<br />
solitary magnificence amidst an abundance of<br />
wildlife including eagles, bears, deer and<br />
waterfowl. The main lodge has a comfortable<br />
lounge and dining room, and eight suites which<br />
have a walkout to the lower deck and delightful<br />
views. There are also two- or three-bedroomed<br />
cabins in the grounds, each with screened<br />
porches facing the water. There is a small beach<br />
and guests can take a paddle boat or canoe on<br />
leisurely trips on the lake, take a dip in the hot<br />
tub or explore the walking trails.<br />
Cree Village Ecolodge<br />
Ontario: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
MS Kenora<br />
55
Québec<br />
As the largest French-speaking region<br />
outside France and Canada’s largest<br />
province, Québec offers a Gallic charm all of<br />
its own. This manifests itself in a great<br />
culinary heritage of sublime restaurants and<br />
delightful pavement cafés. Québec City is<br />
North America’s only walled city and<br />
Montréal is a sleek and buzzing metropolis,<br />
but away from the urban centres Québec<br />
Province spreads out across the vast unvisited<br />
tracts of tundra on the shores of Hudson Bay<br />
to the pastoral and idyllic Eastern Townships.<br />
The Laurentian Mountains are the<br />
playground of the Québecois throughout the<br />
year, while the St. Lawrence River is the<br />
beating heart around which European settlers<br />
gained a foothold. On the south shore the<br />
Gaspé Peninsula’s mountains are draped in<br />
dense forests that grow down to the water’s<br />
edge. The north shore is home to the thriving<br />
arts scene, the charming villages of Charlevoix<br />
and the grand Saguenay Fjord. In the far<br />
north, expedition cruising departs from<br />
Kuujjuaq into the Arctic Circle to see polar<br />
bears, narwhal and Inuit culture while the<br />
Gulf of St. Lawrence is the seasonal home to<br />
blue, fin, humpback and beluga whales.<br />
Québec offers perhaps the most complete mix<br />
of culture, scenery and wildlife of any of<br />
Canada’s provinces.<br />
56
Quaqtaq<br />
Akpatok<br />
Island<br />
Hudson<br />
Bay<br />
Kuujjuaq<br />
Kangiqsualujjuaq<br />
James<br />
Bay<br />
LABRADOR<br />
Place Jacques-Cartier, Montréal<br />
Montréal<br />
The world’s second largest French-speaking city,<br />
Montréal is a dynamic metropolis that offers an<br />
eclectic range of experiences and attractions. In<br />
the charming cobbled streets of old Montréal<br />
you will find treasures such as the Basilica of<br />
Notre-Dame, the Place Jacques-Cartier and the<br />
Vieux Port. The rue Sherbrooke, to the south of<br />
the plateau of Mont Royal, is home to exclusive<br />
shops, art galleries and the Musée des Beaux-Arts.<br />
Montréalers are renowned for their joie de vivre:<br />
this is Canada’s party capital, which plays host<br />
to several world-renowned summer festivals.<br />
In addition, there is a vast array of fabulous<br />
restaurants, bistros and pavement cafés offering<br />
every type of cuisine, with delicious smoked meats<br />
the local speciality. Amongst the many sights the<br />
Jardin Botanique rivals England’s Kew Gardens<br />
and other attractions include the Olympic Park,<br />
Biodôme and Biosphère. Explore the city on<br />
Bâteau Mouche cruises on the St. Lawrence<br />
River or discover the underground city, packed<br />
with boutiques, shops and restaurants.<br />
HOTEL NELLIGAN, MONTRÉAL<br />
Situated in rue St. Paul in the heart of old<br />
Montréal, the Nelligan is a delightful boutique<br />
hotel. There are 63 spacious rooms with exposed<br />
brick and stone walls and lots of natural wood.<br />
Each room is beautifully furnished with plantation<br />
blinds and contemporary fabrics. Amenities<br />
include a fitness centre, library, a roof-top terrace<br />
and Verses restaurant for the finest French<br />
cuisine. Breakfast is served in the garden atrium<br />
which also doubles, each afternoon, as a tearoom.<br />
Hotel Nelligan<br />
ONTARIO<br />
Hotel le St. James<br />
Laurentides<br />
Wildlife Reserve<br />
Mastigouche<br />
Wildlife<br />
Reserve<br />
Mont Tremblant<br />
Provincial Park<br />
Montréal<br />
Ottawa<br />
Lac<br />
St-Jean<br />
QUÉBEC ´<br />
Saguenay<br />
Fjord<br />
Charlevoix<br />
QUÉBEC<br />
Havre-St-Pierre<br />
Rimouski<br />
Tadoussac<br />
La Malbaie<br />
Charny<br />
Easter n<br />
T ownships<br />
North<br />
Hatley<br />
HOTEL LE ST. JAMES, MONTRÉAL<br />
Grand and opulent, this venerable hotel is one<br />
of the most prestigious addresses in old Montréal.<br />
All 23 rooms and 38 suites meticulously<br />
preserve their historic character but have been<br />
transformed by plush interior design and cutting<br />
edge technology to offer unashamed luxury.<br />
The magnificent library is the perfect place for an<br />
aperitif before dinner whilst XO, the grand salon,<br />
serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. This is also a<br />
delightful venue for afternoon tea with, on<br />
Sundays, a harpist to set a refined tone. With a<br />
full-service spa and fitness centre, the St. James is<br />
Montréal’s most refined and elegant choice.<br />
Gaspé<br />
Peninsula<br />
Gaspé<br />
Anticosti<br />
Island<br />
^<br />
Iles de la<br />
Madeleine<br />
0 140 miles<br />
0 225 kilometres<br />
Hostellerie Pierre du Calvet<br />
Gulf of St<br />
Lawrence<br />
HOSTELLERIE PIERRE DU CALVET,<br />
MONTRÉAL<br />
Built in 1725, this captivating hotel is one of the<br />
oldest surviving buildings in Montréal, furnished<br />
with sumptuous antiques in 17th century style.<br />
There are just nine rooms and suites, each<br />
featuring exposed stone walls, wood panelling,<br />
beams, and either a gas or wood-burning<br />
fireplace. Most have four-poster beds, whilst all<br />
have a private bathroom and air-conditioning.<br />
There is a delightful terrace at the back and a<br />
conservatory with exotic caged birds, including a<br />
parrot that talks. The hotel has two restaurants,<br />
Les Filles du Roy and Pierre du Calvet, and both<br />
are highly recommended.<br />
Québec: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
57
58<br />
Knowlton in the Eastern Townships<br />
Laurentian Mountains<br />
The gentle, unhurried panoramas of the Laurentian<br />
Mountains unfold to the north of Montréal, a vast<br />
landscape of majestic slopes clad in conifers and<br />
sprinkled with lakes and picturesque villages.<br />
Despite the recent blossoming of ski resorts such<br />
as Mont St. Sauveur and Mont Tremblant the<br />
land has remained generally untouched. The<br />
magnificent scenery makes a perfect backdrop<br />
for many outdoor pursuits, including hiking, fishing,<br />
kayaking and swimming. For cyclists, the 200<br />
kilometre-long P’tit Train du Nord Linear Park<br />
is the perfect trail along the route of a former<br />
railway line. We have discovered some wonderful<br />
places to stay that make great bases from which<br />
to explore this sublime landscape.<br />
The Laurentian Mountains<br />
L’Eau à la Bouche<br />
L’EAU À LA BOUCHE,<br />
SAINTE ADÈLE<br />
Nestled amidst the pine and maple-strewn<br />
slopes of the Laurentian Mountains, this is a<br />
gastronomic gem. The 25 tastefully decorated<br />
rooms combine luxury and a sense of space with<br />
views of the mountains or the lush Laurentian<br />
forest. A member of Relais & Châteaux, L’Eau<br />
à la Bouche has for many years been winning<br />
worldwide awards for its cuisine. The owners,<br />
Anne Desjardins and Pierre Audette, share a<br />
passion for food and a pride in regional produce<br />
which even shows in the casual café-lounge.<br />
The hotel also has an outdoor swimming pool<br />
and a full-service spa.<br />
LA BELLE AU BOIS DORMANT,<br />
NEAR MONT-TREMBLANT<br />
La Belle au Bois Dormant is gloriously set in a<br />
forest of maple and spruce overlooking Lac<br />
Mercier and Mont Johannsen. Though just a ten<br />
minute drive from Mont Tremblant Resort this<br />
log-built lodge offers ultimate peace and seclusion.<br />
The interior is decorated with antique furniture<br />
that reflects the French heritage of your charming<br />
hosts, Isabelle and Didier. There are just five guest<br />
rooms, each with exposed timber walls and<br />
floors. Whilst enjoying a delicious breakfast in this<br />
peaceful haven you can often see deer, racoons<br />
or black squirrels trying to reach the bird feeders.<br />
Belle au Bois Dormant
Quintessential Québec<br />
The essence and joie de vivre that permeates life<br />
in Québec will be evident as you explore this<br />
enormous and varied province. This trip captures<br />
all that is best in the historic cities, the almost<br />
endless wilderness regions and pastoral villages,<br />
all spiced with the delicious food and friendly<br />
hospitality encountered en route.<br />
The Abbaye St. Benoit, Eastern Townships<br />
Day 1<br />
Day 2<br />
Day 3<br />
Day 4<br />
Day 5<br />
Having collected your hire car<br />
depart Montréal, driving southeast to<br />
North Hatley near the USA border.<br />
A day to explore the antique and<br />
craft shops in the villages or visit<br />
some of the grand old mansions that<br />
dot the rolling parkland landscape.<br />
Departing the Eastern Townships,<br />
your route takes you north to the<br />
Mastigouche Wildlife Reserve for a<br />
two night stay.<br />
Spend a day relaxing in this<br />
spectacular wilderness setting,<br />
perhaps try some of the water<br />
sports on the lake or search for<br />
wildlife in the expansive forest.<br />
Drive along the edge of the St.<br />
Lawrence River to Québec City.<br />
Manoir Hovey<br />
Eastern Townships<br />
The Eastern Townships, or les Cantons de l’Est,<br />
lie on Québec’s southern border with Vermont<br />
and New Hampshire and were settled by United<br />
Empire Loyalists who were hounded out of the<br />
United States after the American Revolution.<br />
Their loyalty to the crown was rewarded by the<br />
British with freehold land grants which led to<br />
many towns being given firmly English names.<br />
Today most residents are francophone although<br />
the towns and villages around Knowlton and<br />
North Hatley remain staunchly tied to their<br />
British roots. This is a region of prosperous farms,<br />
splendid old mansions, antique and craft shops<br />
and pretty lake-studded hills.<br />
MANOIR HOVEY, NORTH HATLEY<br />
Arriving at Manoir Hovey you will be taken aback<br />
by the beauty of it all: the house, the gardens and<br />
the glorious view of Lake Massawippi. Hovey is<br />
the archetypal country house hotel, grand but<br />
with touches of quaintness. The genteel<br />
hospitality is reminiscent of a bygone age, with<br />
exceptional service and an award-winning<br />
restaurant with excellent cuisine. There is a lovely<br />
old library and the 40 guest rooms are all<br />
individually appointed and most have lake views.<br />
Outside the delightfully pretty gardens are the<br />
perfect place to sip a glass of wine as the sun<br />
goes down over the lake.<br />
Hotel Sacacomie<br />
Mastigouche<br />
Wildlife Reserve<br />
Mastigouche Wildlife Reserve is an enchanting<br />
region of winding rivers and myriad lakes, set<br />
amongst the mountains between Montréal and<br />
Québec. The reserve was established in 1971 to<br />
increase public access to the region but initially<br />
was operated solely for hunting and fishing. Now<br />
it provides an ideal habitat for a wide variety of<br />
animals and birds including moose, black bears,<br />
beavers and loons. The reserve can be visited on<br />
day trips or by staying in one of the superbly<br />
located log cabins.<br />
HOTEL SACACOMIE,<br />
MASTIGOUCHE WILDLIFE RESERVE<br />
Known also as ‘the house on the lake’, Hotel<br />
Sacacomie lies in the midst of a forest bordering<br />
the Mastigouche Wildlife Reserve, overlooking a<br />
lake whose shores extend for more than 40<br />
kilometres. In this enchanting site the log-built<br />
hotel blends harmoniously with the scenery, with<br />
109 comfortable guest rooms and suites. The<br />
hotel has a restaurant, health spa and its own<br />
private beach with canoes and kayaks. Other<br />
activities available include hiking, trout fishing,<br />
horse riding, bear and beaver observation tours<br />
and float-plane flights over the wilderness.<br />
In winter this is a superb and romantic place for<br />
tobogganing, snow-mobiling and dog-sledding.<br />
Day 6<br />
Day 7<br />
The day is yours to explore the<br />
charming cobbled streets of old<br />
Québec and to savour some of the<br />
excellent bistros and restaurants.<br />
Your tour ends this morning after<br />
dropping off your hire car in Québec.<br />
EXTENSIONS<br />
You may wish to extend this tour to include a stay<br />
in Ottawa at the beginning or to include a visit to<br />
the delightful Charlevoix region at the end. Please<br />
see page 61 for further information about this region.<br />
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL<br />
Our private tailor-made journeys offer<br />
complete freedom of choice. The itineraries and<br />
accommodation shown are designed to give you a<br />
flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit<br />
your preferences. Prices vary according to selected<br />
accommodation and season, please telephone us<br />
to discuss your individual requirements.<br />
Canoeing in the Laurentian Mountains<br />
Québec: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
59
60<br />
Québec City and the St Lawrence River<br />
Québec City<br />
Unique in North America, Québec is the<br />
continent’s only walled city. Built by the French<br />
during the 17th century, Québec was the backdrop<br />
for the Anglo-French wars that culminated in<br />
General Wolfe’s victory in 1759 and the expulsion<br />
of the French from Canada. Now a UNESCO<br />
World Heritage Site, the narrow cobbled streets<br />
wind steeply between Basse-Ville and Haute-Ville,<br />
which is crowned by the magnificent Château<br />
Frontenac. The city is a treasure trove of historic<br />
sites, including the Vieux Port, Battlefields Park,<br />
the Citadelle, Artillery Park and the Place Royale.<br />
The Rue du Trésor is famous for its artists, whilst<br />
the Terrasse Dufferin affords magnificent river<br />
views. Military history comes alive on the Plains of<br />
Abraham while Québec’s ecclesiastical heritage is<br />
evident in its beautiful churches. Filled with<br />
romantic restaurants and unusual boutiques, this is<br />
a city to explore through river cruises, horse-drawn<br />
carriage rides and walking tours. These leisurely<br />
guided walks are particularly good and will help<br />
you get your bearings in Canada’s Gallic heartland.<br />
Rural Charlevoix<br />
LE CLOS ST. LOUIS, QUÉBEC<br />
Occupying two early Victorian homes, this<br />
welcoming bed and breakfast property is just<br />
steps away from the Château Frontenac and<br />
many of the city’s leading attractions in Haute<br />
Ville. The 18 individually decorated rooms are<br />
charmingly furnished with period antiques; some<br />
have exposed stone walls and beams and all have<br />
en suite bathrooms with spa bath. The rooms<br />
are set over four floors and access is by the<br />
magnificent, if steep, original staircases. A delicious<br />
continental breakfast is included.<br />
AUBERGE SAINT ANTOINE, QUÉBEC<br />
The Auberge Saint Antoine is in the heart of the old<br />
port, facing the mighty St. Lawrence River and just a<br />
few steps away from the ramparts, the museums and<br />
the bustling streets of Le Petit Champlain. Beautifully<br />
restored, it retains the charm of its past with all the<br />
luxuries of contemporary living, displaying historic<br />
artefacts recovered from the earth beneath the inn<br />
creating a vivid reminder of the city’s early history.<br />
There are 94 rooms and suites, each with fine linens,<br />
goose-down duvets and pillows, large opening<br />
windows, and luxurious bathrooms. A member of<br />
Relais & Châteaux, the auberge is proud of its<br />
widely-acclaimed restaurant, Panache. This magnificent<br />
stone-walled and timber roofed room has wonderful<br />
river views and serves French-Canadian food with a<br />
twist. Lighter fare is available from the Café Artefact,<br />
adjacent to the lobby.<br />
The Huron People<br />
of Wendake<br />
Located on the Huron reservation at Wendake<br />
near Québec City, this reconstructed settlement<br />
is a tasteful re-creation of a traditional Huron<br />
village, with staff in traditional dress giving an<br />
insight into the way of life of the Huron and other<br />
First Nations of Québec. A guide will lead you<br />
around the site, visiting the traditional long house,<br />
the smokehouse and drying tents, all the while<br />
explaining the way of life and social organisation<br />
that the first Europeans would have encountered.<br />
Lunch is traditional fare of buffalo, caribou or<br />
salmon and is followed by a performance of<br />
storytelling and folkloric dancing that follows<br />
the rhythm of the tam-tam drum.<br />
Auberge Saint Antoine
Enchanting Charlevoix<br />
The Charlevoix region of Québec has some of<br />
the province’s most dramatic scenery and prettiest<br />
villages, along with a reputation for offering many<br />
superb restaurants. A few days devoted to<br />
exploring this part of the province will surely be<br />
a highlight of your holiday.<br />
A Charlevoix artist<br />
The Auberge des 3 Canards<br />
Day 1<br />
Collect your hire car in Québec<br />
City and follow the ever broadening<br />
St. Lawrence River to La Malbaie.<br />
La Malbaie is an historic village of<br />
artists’ galleries and crafts shops set<br />
high on cliffs overlooking the river.<br />
Spend a day discovering this<br />
delightful area.<br />
Day 2<br />
Day 3<br />
<strong>Travel</strong> north to Tadoussac at the<br />
confluence of the St. Lawrence and<br />
Saguenay rivers to enjoy a whale<br />
watching trip before returning to<br />
La Malbaie.<br />
Day 4<br />
Drive to La Baie on the southern<br />
bank of the Saguenay Fjord, stopping<br />
en route to admire the stunning<br />
views at Rivière Eternité.<br />
Day 5<br />
Today enjoy a boat cruise on the<br />
Saguenay Fjord, admiring the huge<br />
cliffs and looking out for whales.<br />
A cabin in Charlevoix<br />
Charlevoix and<br />
Saguenay - Lac St. Jean<br />
From the eastern edge of Québec City the<br />
Charlevoix region stretches two hundred<br />
kilometres along the north shore of the St.<br />
Lawrence River to Tadoussac at the mouth of the<br />
Saguenay Fjord. At its heart is a vast meteorite<br />
crater, 50 kilometres across and draped in boreal<br />
forest, now listed as a UNESCO World<br />
Biosphere Reserve. Gentle valleys and tall cliffs<br />
protect impossibly pretty villages where arts and<br />
crafts thrive in a beautiful setting, along with a<br />
range of wonderful restaurants. Whale watching<br />
trips head out from Tadoussac between June and<br />
October, with the rare opportunity of sighting the<br />
mighty blue whale. The Saguenay Fjord is one of<br />
the world’s longest inlets and stretches for over<br />
100 kilometres inland towards Lac St. Jean,<br />
hemmed in, for much of its length, by cliffs 400<br />
metres high. The lower half of the fjord is a<br />
marine reserve and the summer home to a<br />
colony of 1,000 beluga whales. Lac St. Jean is a<br />
large lake in a sleepy region of dairy farms,<br />
charming villages and sandy beaches. To the south<br />
towards Québec the Laurentides Wildlife Reserve<br />
is a maze of mountains and valleys, riven by<br />
countless lakes and rivers.<br />
Cruising on the Saguenay Fjord<br />
AUBERGE DES 3 CANARDS,<br />
LA MALBAIE<br />
This landmark property on the banks of the<br />
St. Lawrence River evokes a sense of warmth<br />
and well-being. Each of the 49 guest bedrooms<br />
have been designed for comfort: all have views<br />
of the river and most have private balconies.<br />
Many activities are available nearby including<br />
whale watching, sea-kayaking, horse riding and<br />
golf. The auberge has a heated outdoor<br />
swimming pool, a croquet lawn, tennis courts<br />
and extensive gardens, but it is the cuisine that<br />
has made the inn famous and advance dinner<br />
reservations are highly recommended.<br />
AUBERGE DES 21, LA BAIE<br />
On the shores of the grand Saguenay Fjord,<br />
Auberge des 21 is perfectly placed to explore<br />
the area by land or sea with glorious sunrise<br />
views across the water. Named after the original<br />
21 settlers who founded the town of La Baie in<br />
1838 this boutique hotel has a friendly, intimate<br />
atmosphere. Owner, manager and chef, Marcel<br />
Bouchard is innovative and charismatic, with his<br />
kitchen bringing gourmet diners flocking from<br />
Québec City. The 30 guest rooms have views of<br />
the fjord or the swimming pool and some are<br />
made that little bit cosier with their own fireplace.<br />
Day 6<br />
Return to Québec by travelling<br />
through the Laurentides Wildlife<br />
Reserve, watching out for moose<br />
and bears. Drop off your hire car<br />
upon arrival at the end of your tour.<br />
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL<br />
Our private tailor-made journeys offer<br />
complete freedom of choice. The itineraries and<br />
accommodation shown are designed to give you a<br />
flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit<br />
your preferences. Prices vary according to selected<br />
accommodation and season, please telephone us<br />
to discuss your individual requirements.<br />
Pastoral life in Charlevoix<br />
Québec: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
61
Fishing boats at the Rock of Percé<br />
The Gaspé Peninsula<br />
This peninsula stretches northeast of Québec into<br />
the Gulf of St. Lawrence and is made up of some<br />
of the province’s wildest and most attractive<br />
scenery. Popularly known as the Gaspésie, it is<br />
geologically the northernmost tip of the grand<br />
Appalachian Mountains, which come to a<br />
dramatic end at the Rocher Percé, otherwise<br />
known as Percé Rock. Dense pine forests cover a<br />
varied terrain that reaches up to the 1,300 metre<br />
peaks of the Chic-Chocs mountains: excellent<br />
for walking. On the eastern tip of the peninsula<br />
Bonaventure Island is home to North America’s<br />
largest gannet colony and the southern coast is<br />
dotted with 18th century fishing villages,<br />
beautiful gardens and fruit farms. A good road<br />
circles the peninsula and allows easy access to<br />
all the highlights.<br />
LA SOLAILLERIE,<br />
SAINT ANDRÉ DE KAMOURASKA<br />
Auberge La Solaillerie is beautifully set in the<br />
village of Saint André, just a stone’s throw from<br />
the cliffs of Kamouraska. In this enchanting setting<br />
guest rooms and public areas are beautifully<br />
furnished with antiques and works of art, each<br />
space a haven of peace soothed by the sound of<br />
waves from the river below. Despite this beauty it<br />
is the award-winning cuisine and service that has<br />
earned the auberge its pre-eminent reputation.<br />
CHIC-CHOCS MOUNTAIN LODGE,<br />
CHIC-CHOCS MOUNTAINS<br />
Chic-Chocs Mountain Lodge offers a friendly<br />
welcome in the heart of an untamed natural<br />
setting. The lodge accommodates 36 guests in<br />
comfortable rooms whilst common areas such as<br />
the dining room and lounge invite exchanges and<br />
discussions with your fellow guests. The balconies<br />
and large windows are filled with superb views of<br />
the surrounding mountain peaks, Chute Hélène<br />
waterfall, and the forest. The lodge also has a<br />
sauna, outdoor spa bath and a shop.<br />
The Auberge du Mange Grenouille<br />
AUBERGE DU MANGE<br />
GRENOUILLE, LE BIC<br />
Magnificently positioned in the heart of one of<br />
Québec’s prettiest villages, this former general store<br />
has been creatively transformed into a truly delightful<br />
auberge. Set amidst lovely gardens, the auberge<br />
overlooks the islands in the Parc du Bic. There are<br />
just 22 rooms and each has been individually<br />
designed to offer an exquisite ambience of intimacy<br />
and charm. The restaurant here is renowned for<br />
being one of the best in the Lower St. Lawrence<br />
region, offering attentive service and an extensive<br />
menu. A delicious breakfast is included daily.<br />
62<br />
Chic-Chocs Mountain Lodge
Gaspésie<br />
The Gaspé Peninsula is a ribbon of forested<br />
mountain slopes encircled by one of North<br />
America’s most magnificent coastal drives.<br />
Stunning national parks are interspersed with<br />
bewitchingly beautiful fishing villages whilst the<br />
Rock of Percé and the île Bonaventure are<br />
lauded landscapes jutting into the Atlantic Ocean.<br />
Gaspésie is a region to escape to, a place where<br />
the pace of life is slower and where you can<br />
discover the adventurer in you.<br />
A colourful fishing village<br />
Day 1<br />
Day 2<br />
Collect your hire car in Québec<br />
City and drive along the southern<br />
shore of the St. Lawrence River<br />
to the little village of St. André<br />
de Kamouraska.<br />
Continue your journey along the<br />
ever widening St. Lawrence to the<br />
small village of Le Bic where there is<br />
time to see the magnificent Jardins<br />
de Métis or the Parc du Bic.<br />
Day 3<br />
Drive into the heart of Gaspésie<br />
for a three night stay in the<br />
Chic-Chocs Mountains.<br />
Days 4 - 5<br />
Spend two days in Gaspésie’s<br />
magnificent Chic-Chocs Mountains.<br />
The hiking and wildlife viewing here<br />
are superb.<br />
Local fisherman<br />
Gîte des Tilleuls<br />
Day 6<br />
The drive today takes you along the<br />
northern coast of the peninsula to<br />
the small town of Gaspé for a two<br />
night stay.<br />
GASPÉ<br />
MAISON WILLIAM WAKEHAM,<br />
Built around 1860, and situated in the very heart<br />
of the town of Gaspé, Maison William Wakeham<br />
is one of the town’s principal buildings and is the<br />
only one constructed of cut stone. Each of the<br />
four rooms is furnished with period antiques that<br />
emphasise the building’s history and heritage. In<br />
addition, the property has an excellent restaurant<br />
where you can expect personal, friendly service.<br />
Outside, the terrace has lovely views of the<br />
mouth of the York River and Gaspé Bay and is<br />
the perfect place to relax with a glass of wine.<br />
GÎTE DES TILLEULS, CAUSAPSCAL<br />
The Gîte des Tilleuls is also known as the Linden<br />
Tree B&B. Whichever name you use it occupies an<br />
enviable position in the heart of Causapscal village,<br />
between the north and south coast and charms<br />
guests with its calm and cosy ambience. Each of<br />
the five rooms has its own individual personality,<br />
reflecting the charm of the building’s past whilst at<br />
the same time offering all the amenities of modern<br />
living. The gîte is owned and run by Claude and<br />
Lise Rivard and their daughter Jessica, well-known<br />
figures in the local community, and you can be sure<br />
of a warm and friendly welcome.<br />
Day 7<br />
Day 8<br />
Day 9<br />
Day 10<br />
The day is yours to see the highlights<br />
of Gaspésie, the nearby Rock of<br />
Percé, the île Bonaventure and<br />
Forillon National Park.<br />
Drive along the southern shore of<br />
the peninsula through Port Daniel<br />
to Carleton for your overnight stay.<br />
Today you head inland for an easy<br />
drive through small farming villages<br />
to Causapscal.<br />
Your drive today takes you back<br />
along the southern shore of the<br />
St. Lawrence River for a further<br />
stay at St. André de Kamouraska.<br />
Day 11<br />
Drive back to Québec City to<br />
return your hire car at the end<br />
of your tour.<br />
EXTENSIONS<br />
This lovely self-drive tour can easily be combined<br />
with the delights of Charlevoix and the Saguenay<br />
Fjord. Please see page 61 for more information.<br />
Alternatively you may wish to extend this tour by<br />
including a stay in a lighthouse on a tiny island in<br />
the middle of the St. Lawrence River – please ask<br />
one of our Canada specialists for further details.<br />
Québec: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
Gaspésie Peninsula<br />
Colourful buildings<br />
63
64<br />
Charming sea views<br />
Îles de la Madeleine<br />
These bewitchingly idyllic islands were ‘rediscovered’<br />
in the 1960s by the travel-minded people of<br />
francophone Québec and have now been settled<br />
by an intriguing mix of artists and watersports<br />
enthusiasts, giving a paradoxically vibrant vibe for<br />
visitors in the summer. Iron-rich red cliffs and quaint<br />
fishing villages painted charmingly in mauves, yellows<br />
and reds give the place an ethereal charm, whilst<br />
magnificent golden sandy beaches stretch as far as the<br />
eye can see and and are great for beach-combing.<br />
Waters here are surprisingly warm and people come<br />
from far afield to wind-surf, kite-board and kayak.<br />
Gloriously isolated, being spread over 100 kilometres<br />
in the middle of the huge Gulf of St Lawrence, the<br />
heart of the community is a set of five islands, 60<br />
kilometres in length, linked by sand spits and a road.<br />
Each island has its own distinct culture, which is<br />
surprisingly diverse for such a relatively small<br />
archipelago. In the north there are Anglophone<br />
communities who speak very little French and there is<br />
almost an inter-island rivalry where locals will assure<br />
you that their island is much nicer than the next.<br />
The islanders are extremely friendly and hospitable<br />
and are only too happy to share their little bit of<br />
paradise with visitors. They have some wonderful<br />
stories to tell and in the small bars that dot the islands<br />
they will often burst into song, quite spontaneously,<br />
with old Acadian songs illuminating their rich heritage.<br />
Food here is heavily influenced by French cuisine,<br />
and of course, seafood – fruits de la mer – features<br />
on every menu. The start of the lobster season in<br />
June is a major event in the islands when it’s possible<br />
for visitors to see the fishermen return to the docks<br />
with their catch and perhaps pick up dinner from the<br />
quayside. The archipelago is easily explored by car<br />
but many of the locals prefer to cycle. It is possible<br />
to reach the islands by air but perhaps the most<br />
charming way is to arrive at Cap aux Meules by<br />
ferry from Prince Edward Island, before continuing<br />
by boat to Québec’s Gaspésie Peninsula or<br />
Québec City itself.<br />
Harp Seal Viewing<br />
In late February and early March tens of thousands<br />
of harp seals congregate near the Îles de la<br />
Madeleine to whelp on the ice floes surrounding<br />
the archipelago. Day trips by helicopter from the<br />
islands provide a superb opportunity to observe<br />
Artists on the islands<br />
Domaine du Vieux Couvent<br />
the baby seals, called whitecoats. Seeing the<br />
immensity of the ice-field scattered with seal pups<br />
is an enthralling experience for winter visitors.<br />
DOMAINE DU VIEUX COUVENT,<br />
ÎLES DE LA MADELEINE<br />
A former convent built between 1914 and 1916,<br />
the Domaine du Vieux Couvent enjoys a<br />
magnificent seaside setting. The property was<br />
refurbished in 2006 to provide ten unique and<br />
stylish rooms, each named after an aspect of the<br />
area’s history, folklore and poetry. From the<br />
bathrobes to the décor, every item has been<br />
carefully selected. Le Réfectoire is a bistro style<br />
restaurant offering the best of the islands’ produce<br />
including mussels, lobster, herring, mackerel, clams,<br />
bouillabaisse, veal, home-bred boars, wild fruit and<br />
berries, as well as local cheeses. This is the perfect<br />
base from which to take boat trips, cycle around<br />
the islands or take walks along the beach.
Island Idyll<br />
This charming itinerary combines Gaspésie with<br />
a stay on the idyllic Îles de la Madeleine and the<br />
delights of Prince Edward Island. More than linking<br />
islands, this itinerary combines the Gallic culture<br />
of Québec with the British influence of Prince<br />
Edward Island. Both are off the beaten track<br />
destinations with charms all of their own.<br />
White-tailed deer<br />
Catch of the day<br />
Day 1<br />
Having collected your hire car drive<br />
out of Québec City to the village of<br />
La Malbaie in Charlevoix.<br />
Today, take the ferry from St. Siméon<br />
to Rivière du Loup on the south bank<br />
of the St. Lawrence River and then<br />
continue your drive to Le Bic.<br />
Day 2<br />
Day 3<br />
Your drive today takes you along<br />
the enchanting north shore of<br />
Gaspésie until you head inland to<br />
Gaspésie Conservation Park for your<br />
overnight stay.<br />
Day 4<br />
Drive to Gaspé at the head of the<br />
peninsula for a two night stay.<br />
Day 5<br />
The day is yours to discover the<br />
area - don’t miss the Rock of Percé<br />
and the Île Bonaventure.<br />
Day 6<br />
<strong>Travel</strong> south to Chandler where you<br />
board the evening ferry service to<br />
the Îles de la Madeleine.<br />
Anticosti shipwreck<br />
Anticosti Island<br />
Located in the mouth of the St. Lawrence<br />
River, Anticosti Island is over 200 kilometres<br />
long and 50 wide. Its deep forests, high cliffs,<br />
dramatic canyons, caves and waterfalls have only<br />
recently come to the attention of a few wildlife<br />
enthusiasts. Originally used as hunting grounds for<br />
the indigenous peoples of mainland Québec, it<br />
became the private shooting reserve of Henri<br />
Ménier, a famous French chocolate maker whose<br />
business empire was to grow into Nestlé.<br />
Ironically, this protected the island from any<br />
form of development other than the small<br />
village of Port Ménier and there are now great<br />
areas of wildlife reserves where animals, including<br />
vast herds of white-tailed deer, have little fear<br />
of man. Access is via plane from the Gaspésie<br />
Peninsula, though the lack of infrastructure<br />
necessitates the assistance of a guide and<br />
transport to appreciate the highlights of Vauréal<br />
Falls and the abundant wildlife.<br />
Day 7<br />
Days8-9<br />
Day 10<br />
Day 11<br />
Arrive in Cap aux Meules for a three<br />
night stay in the Îles de la Madeleine.<br />
Spend two full days exploring these<br />
bewitching islands or relaxing on the<br />
miles of sandy beaches.<br />
Board the ferry from Cap aux<br />
Meules to Souris on Prince Edward<br />
Island, a pleasant five hour crossing.<br />
<strong>Travel</strong> to Charlottetown for a two<br />
night stay.<br />
Enjoy a full final day exploring<br />
PEI’s charming small capital city<br />
of Charlottetown.<br />
EXTENSIONS<br />
Having arrived in the Maritime Provinces, the<br />
perfect extension is to the nearby province of<br />
Nova Scotia, alternatively you may wish to travel<br />
through New Brunswick visiting the Acadian<br />
region around Caraquet before returning to<br />
Québec City.<br />
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL<br />
Our private tailor-made journeys offer<br />
complete freedom of choice. The itineraries and<br />
accommodation shown are designed to give you a<br />
flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit<br />
your preferences. Prices vary according to selected<br />
accommodation and season, please telephone us<br />
to discuss your individual requirements.<br />
Québec: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
Vauréal Canyon<br />
Gannets<br />
65
The Maritime Provinces<br />
The Maritime Provinces are where<br />
Canada first met the wider world.<br />
The Vikings are known to have visited in<br />
the 8th century; British contact began in the<br />
late 15th century with the red-faced Beothuk<br />
tribes, while French Acadian settlers<br />
arrived in 1604. Later, the 1867 Act of<br />
Confederation, uniting several provinces as<br />
the Dominion of Canada, was signed in<br />
Prince Edward Island. The region is awash<br />
with fascinating sites of historical significance.<br />
It is also magnificently diverse in its scenery,<br />
flora and fauna. In the fjords of Gros Morne<br />
National Park, Newfoundland has perhaps<br />
some of the most dramatic scenery east of the<br />
Rockies, made even more striking by the<br />
huge icebergs that drift down the east coast<br />
on the Labrador Current. New Brunswick is<br />
home to the idyllic pastoral lands of Acadia,<br />
world-beating salmon fishing on the<br />
Mirimichi River and the ruggedly beautiful<br />
Bay of Fundy. Sleepy Prince Edward Island<br />
inspired ‘Anne of Green Gables’ and even<br />
now is a land of green fields, white beaches<br />
and rich red soils. Nova Scotia, with its<br />
brightly coloured fishing villages, stacked<br />
lobster pots and strong maritime history still<br />
embodies the romance of the sea more than<br />
any other province.<br />
66
Nova Scotia<br />
Nova Scotia is a land of lobsters and<br />
lighthouses: maritime influences dominate this<br />
pretty, historic peninsula. On the northern tip<br />
of the province is Cape Breton Island and the<br />
Cabot Trail, one of North America’s most<br />
dramatically beautiful coastal roads, that<br />
passes through Acadian settlements where<br />
Celtic folk music still forms a living link with<br />
the Europe of old. Cape Breton has been called<br />
the most scenic island in the world and was<br />
also famously chosen by Marconi for his first<br />
trans-Atlantic broadcast. Highlights include<br />
the 18th century French fortress at<br />
Louisbourg, Kejimkujik National Park, the<br />
UNESCO World Heritage Site at Lunenburg<br />
and the much-photographed Peggy’s Cove.<br />
Digby<br />
Bay of Fundy<br />
Kejimkujik<br />
National Park<br />
Annapolis<br />
Royal<br />
Tatamagouche<br />
Amherst<br />
Minas<br />
Basin<br />
Wolfville<br />
Lunenburg<br />
Truro<br />
NOVA SCOTIA<br />
HALIFAX<br />
Pictou<br />
Atlantic Ocean<br />
Port<br />
Hawkesbury<br />
Baddeck<br />
Liscomb Mills<br />
Cape<br />
Breton<br />
Island<br />
Bras<br />
d’Or<br />
Lake<br />
Charlos Cove<br />
0 37 miles<br />
0 60 kilometres<br />
Cape Breton Highlands<br />
National Park<br />
Ingonish<br />
Sydney Mines<br />
Louisbourg<br />
Halifax<br />
The capital of Nova Scotia, Halifax is the largest<br />
city in the Atlantic provinces and set on the<br />
world’s second-largest natural harbour: even<br />
now it is steeped in sea-faring history and naval<br />
tradition. The compact city centre, dominated by<br />
the Citadel and its adjacent clock tower, is easy<br />
to navigate on foot. Along the waterfront you’ll<br />
find plenty of excellent seafood restaurants and<br />
several micro-breweries as well as the Historic<br />
Properties, a collection of boutique shops in<br />
restored maritime warehouses. The harbour is<br />
always busy with ferries that ply across to<br />
Dartmouth on the other side, and during the<br />
summer season the schooner Bluenose II, a<br />
symbol of the province, is often moored here.<br />
In 1912 the Titanic sank to the east of here and<br />
memorabilia from the wreck is on display at the<br />
city’s superb Maritime Museum of the Atlantic,<br />
along with a collection of brightly-coloured ships’<br />
figureheads. Many local cemeteries bear testimony<br />
to the disaster but these days Halifax is very<br />
much a living society, with plenty of live music<br />
bars and a thriving theatre scene.<br />
Halifax Historic Properties<br />
Yarmouth<br />
Argyle Street, Halifax<br />
HALLIBURTON HOUSE,<br />
HALIFAX<br />
The Halliburton, located in downtown Halifax,<br />
consists of a trio of heritage town houses that<br />
have been joined to provide 29 individually<br />
appointed guest rooms. Each room is unique<br />
in size, layout and décor - some have wood<br />
burning fireplaces whilst others have a private<br />
balcony overlooking the garden courtyard. A<br />
complimentary buffet breakfast is included. The<br />
shops, restaurants and sights of Halifax are just<br />
a short walk away.<br />
TALL SHIP SILVA<br />
A traditional sailing ship built in 1939, Tall Ship<br />
Silva provides a chance to experience this<br />
maritime city from the sea. From the deck you<br />
can take in the glorious views of the seafront,<br />
with miles of shoreline guarded by Georges Island<br />
and its graceful lighthouse, while watching out for<br />
whales, harbour seals and seabirds. You can also<br />
take the opportunity to become part of the crew:<br />
taking the helm, learning navigation and helping<br />
raise and furl the sails. Carrying up to 150<br />
passengers, the ship has been completely<br />
re-furbished to offer a licensed bar and plenty<br />
of indoor and outdoor seating.<br />
Halifax harbour sailing<br />
Nova Scotia: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
67
Lunenburg waterfront<br />
Lunenburg<br />
Lunenburg is one of Nova Scotia’s most historic<br />
towns, captivating visitors with its colourful<br />
waterfront, narrow streets and old wooden<br />
buildings. This pretty town, lying on a narrow<br />
peninsula, was established by the British in 1753<br />
as their first and only colonial settlement in Nova<br />
Scotia outside Halifax. The early settlers, from<br />
various parts of Europe, created a vibrant and<br />
stable economy built on farming, fishing, ship<br />
building and ocean-based commerce. Even now<br />
Lunenburg combines a healthy economy with a<br />
rich historical legacy, manifesting itself in brightlypainted<br />
wooden buildings that clamber up from<br />
the main harbour, ringed by an eclectic mix of<br />
old wooden churches and mansions. Today the<br />
town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its<br />
principal attraction is the Fisheries Museum of<br />
the Atlantic which houses a great aquarium, the<br />
record-breaking schooner Bluenose, and Theresa<br />
E. Connor, the last salt-bank schooner to fish<br />
from Lunenburg. Visitors can relive past glories<br />
by sailing on Bluenose II, a replica of the original<br />
vessel. There are some excellent craft shops,<br />
art galleries and restaurants here: be sure to try<br />
the two local specialities, Solomon Grundy –<br />
marinated herrings with sour cream – and<br />
Lunenburg Sausage.<br />
LUNENBURG ARMS HOTEL AND SPA<br />
The Lunenburg Arms Hotel and Spa is a boutique<br />
hotel with just 24 guest rooms located in the<br />
historic heart of the old town of Lunenburg.<br />
The property is surrounded by art shops and<br />
restaurants and is just a stone’s throw from the<br />
superb Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic. Guest<br />
rooms are spacious, with wide wooden<br />
floorboards, king or queen beds, a sofa, armchairs<br />
and many have harbour views. There is a high<br />
quality spa, a fine dining restaurant and a popular<br />
bar with outside seating.<br />
Lunenburg Arms Hotel<br />
Buoys hanging from a lobster pot<br />
Kejimkujik National Park<br />
A visit to this magnificent tract of rolling<br />
wilderness is a superb way to experience the<br />
peace and natural beauty of southern Nova<br />
Scotia. Lush forests shade rivers and lakes,<br />
forming a diverse habitat for porcupines,<br />
white-tailed deer, turtles and beavers. The park<br />
has lovely walking trails and canoe routes and in<br />
the southeast coastal part you can find the rare<br />
piping plover amongst tidal flats, lagoons and<br />
wild headlands.<br />
68
Lighthouses and<br />
Lobsters Trail<br />
The close proximity of the Maritime Provinces<br />
allows visitors to dip into the diversity that makes<br />
each region so unique. This lovely itinerary<br />
enables you to visit the highlights of Canada’s<br />
spell-binding Atlantic sea-board.<br />
Kejimkujik National Park<br />
Day 1<br />
Day 2<br />
Day 3<br />
Day 4<br />
Day 5<br />
Day 6<br />
Day 7<br />
Day 8<br />
Day 9<br />
Day 10<br />
Arrive in Halifax for a two night stay.<br />
The day is yours to explore this<br />
delightful city for yourself.<br />
Drive south along the rugged<br />
Atlantic coast to Lunenburg.<br />
Spend a full day exploring this<br />
charming old fishing port.<br />
Head inland to Kejimkujik National<br />
Park before continuing to Annapolis<br />
Royal for a two night stay.<br />
Enjoy a full day exploring the<br />
Annapolis Valley.<br />
Take the ferry from Digby across the<br />
Bay of Fundy to Saint John.<br />
A day free to explore Saint John.<br />
Drive today through Fundy National<br />
Park to the Hopewell Rocks.<br />
Spend a full day in Fundy National<br />
Park marvelling at the tides that<br />
sweep the bay.<br />
Queen Anne Inn<br />
Annapolis Royal<br />
Annapolis Royal, named after Queen Anne, is an<br />
historic town of splendid Victorian mansions nestled<br />
between the Annapolis and Allain rivers. Originally<br />
inhabited by a strong Mi’kmaq community, in 1605<br />
the area was settled by some of the first Europeans:<br />
it was controlled by France until peninsula Nova<br />
Scotia was handed over to the British by the treaty<br />
of Utrecht in 1713. Today there are substantial<br />
remains of 18th century Fort Anne with lovely river<br />
views. Other sights include the Bay of Fundy, just<br />
ten kilometres away, the Historic Gardens, Port<br />
Royal National Historic Site and the apple orchards<br />
of the fertile Annapolis Valley.<br />
QUEEN ANNE INN,<br />
ANNAPOLIS ROYAL<br />
The Queen Anne Inn is one of our favourite bed<br />
and breakfast properties, located on the Evangeline<br />
Trail in Annapolis Royal. The house was fully<br />
restored in 1989 with beautifully crafted ash, oak,<br />
and mahogany. The grand staircase takes you to<br />
the well-appointed guest rooms, furnished with<br />
period antiques. There are ten rooms in the main<br />
inn and four rooms in the Carriage House located<br />
directly behind. All rooms have air conditioning,<br />
satellite television, custom-made feather beds and<br />
some also have Jacuzzi baths. The Queen Anne is<br />
famous for its three-course breakfasts and also<br />
offers excellent fine dining in the evenings.<br />
Blomidon Inn<br />
Wolfville<br />
Wolfville lies on the edge of the Bay of Fundy<br />
amidst distinctive tidal mud flats which are home<br />
to hundreds of herons and waders. This affluent<br />
little town has many lovely old Victorian buildings<br />
and is home to Acadia University. Visitors should<br />
not miss Robie Tufts Nature Centre where, on<br />
summer evenings, enormous flocks of chimney<br />
swifts give amazing aerobatic performances before<br />
swooping en masse to roost for the night. The<br />
rugged nearby peninsulas of Capes Blomidon and<br />
Split provide spectacular views and wonderful<br />
coastal walking trails.<br />
BLOMIDON INN,<br />
WOLFVILLE<br />
Set on Main Street in the heart of Wolfville,<br />
the Blomidon Inn is a 19th century sea captain’s<br />
mansion which has been tastefully restored to<br />
offer 29 guest rooms. Each is individually<br />
decorated and furnished with period antiques.<br />
Continental breakfast and afternoon tea is<br />
complimentary, while in the evenings the Laceby<br />
family is proud to offer gourmet dining and an<br />
award-winning wine list. Outside, the Victorianinspired<br />
gardens are filled with rhododendrons,<br />
azaleas, roses and lupins.<br />
Day 11<br />
Day 12<br />
Day 13<br />
Day 14<br />
Day 15<br />
Day 16<br />
Day 17<br />
Day 18<br />
Day 19<br />
Day 20<br />
Day 21<br />
Cross the Confederation Bridge to<br />
Prince Edward Island for a two night<br />
stay in Charlottetown.<br />
PEI’s delightful little capital is yours<br />
to explore.<br />
Head to Spry Point for a two<br />
night stay.<br />
Enjoy a day at leisure at Spry Point.<br />
Take the ferry to Nova Scotia;<br />
continue your drive to Port<br />
Hawkesbury for an overnight stay.<br />
Enjoy a wonderfully scenic drive<br />
along the Cabot Trail.<br />
Explore the magnificent scenery<br />
of Cape Breton Highlands<br />
National Park.<br />
Today drive southeast to Louisbourg.<br />
Immerse yourself in the history of<br />
18th century France at the fortress<br />
of Louisbourg.<br />
Head to Charlos Cove on Nova<br />
Scotia’s Atlantic Coast.<br />
Drive along the rugged Atlantic<br />
coast to end your tour in Halifax.<br />
Nova Scotia: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
69
70<br />
The Cabot Trail<br />
Liscomb Mills<br />
The Liscomb region of Nova Scotia’s Atlantic<br />
coast is one of the wildest and most rugged<br />
parts of the province. The Ice Age left a diverse<br />
landscape of drumlin fields, erratic boulders and<br />
the land of wild rivers and lakes that is seen<br />
today. Spruce forests emerge from channel fens<br />
and lakeshore swamps, whilst rich hardwoods<br />
and mixed forest are wedged between rolling<br />
hills and glacial deposits. This is superb hiking and<br />
wildlife country where the salty tang of the sea<br />
is never far away.<br />
Liscombe Lodge<br />
LISCOMBE LODGE<br />
Nestled amongst the evergreens on Marina Drive,<br />
Liscombe Lodge enjoys a beautiful river-side setting.<br />
Wake to the sounds of early morning birdsong and<br />
be lulled to sleep by the mystical call of the loon -<br />
this is life at Liscombe Lodge. Each of the 30 guest<br />
bedrooms in the main lodge has a river view and<br />
a private balcony, while further accommodation is<br />
provided by a selection of cottages and chalets in<br />
the grounds. Days can be spent canoeing or taking<br />
boat trips on the Liscomb River while nature trails<br />
lead to local beauty spots and nearby Sherbrooke<br />
Village which is a living museum of life in the 1800s.<br />
After activities, unwind on the veranda with views<br />
of kingfishers, ospreys and eagles while the house<br />
speciality, planked salmon, is prepared.<br />
SEAWIND LANDING,<br />
CHARLOS COVE<br />
This romantic seaside inn has a true flavour of<br />
ocean living at its finest. The living room, library,<br />
and music room are tastefully furnished with<br />
antiques and fine art whilst the dining room offers<br />
gourmet meals and an extensive wine cellar. Most<br />
of the rooms have balconies right on the ocean,<br />
filled with the sounds of the waves. The inn<br />
keepers, Lorraine and Jim Colvin, invite you to<br />
join them on their ten metre sailing sloop to<br />
observe marine wildlife amongst the Barrier<br />
Islands, and lunch – or even breakfast – can<br />
be provided on board.<br />
Acadian colours<br />
Charlos Cove<br />
The small village of Charlos Cove lies on the<br />
Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia near Cape Breton<br />
Island. Many Acadians settled here at the end of<br />
the 18th century and several early 19th century<br />
buildings remain. The area has many secluded<br />
sandy beaches and extensive peaceful coastal<br />
walking trails with stunning ocean views.<br />
Seawind Landing
Treasures of Nova Scotia<br />
Nova Scotia captures the essence of coastal<br />
Canada and this comprehensive tour takes you<br />
from the wild and sea-battered Atlantic coast to<br />
the sheltered waters of the Northumberland<br />
Strait. ‘New Scotland’, is a treasure chest<br />
of delights.<br />
Day 1<br />
Collect your hire car in Halifax and<br />
head inland to the small university<br />
town of Wolfville.<br />
Explore this lovely small town with<br />
its avenues of elm trees and the<br />
old Acadian villages around the<br />
Minas Basin.<br />
Day 2<br />
Highland dancers<br />
Louisbourg Fortress<br />
Day 3<br />
Day 4<br />
<strong>Travel</strong> through the fertile Annapolis<br />
Valley to the historic town of<br />
Annapolis Royal.<br />
Enjoy a day exploring the town with<br />
its grand old houses and nearby<br />
orchards and farmers’ markets.<br />
Day 5<br />
Drive past Kejimkujik National Park<br />
and onwards to Lunenburg.<br />
Day 6<br />
Wander at leisure around the old<br />
fishing village of Lunenburg.<br />
Day 7<br />
Pass through the heart of Nova<br />
Scotia via Halifax and Truro to the<br />
little town of Tatamagouche.<br />
Keltic Lodge<br />
Louisbourg Harbour Inn<br />
Day 8<br />
Spend a day exploring the small<br />
charming towns along the<br />
Northumberland Strait.<br />
Cape Breton Highlands<br />
National Park and<br />
the Cabot Trail<br />
This park was established in 1936 when the<br />
government set aside 950 square kilometres of<br />
the northern tip of Cape Breton Island to protect<br />
some of Canada’s most famous scenery, a land<br />
of mountains, forest wilderness, windswept<br />
coastal beauty and charming fishing villages.<br />
The best-known feature of the park is the Cabot<br />
Trail that draws thousands of visitors every year<br />
and is renowned for being one of the most<br />
spectacular coastal drives in North America.<br />
Visitors stay on the outskirts of the park at<br />
Ingonish, a collection of small villages around<br />
two bays on the southeast corner.<br />
Louisbourg<br />
Famed for its fortress, Louisbourg offers summer<br />
visitors a taste of life in 1744 as costumed<br />
animators re-enact history. Recognising the<br />
economic and military potential of the harbour<br />
and fishery, Louis XIV secured it for France in<br />
1713 by constructing a well-fortified, walled city.<br />
During the 18th century Louisbourg was the third<br />
busiest seaport on the American continent but<br />
was successfully besieged by New England troops<br />
in 1745 and by British troops in 1758. In the<br />
1960s reconstruction began on the fortress ruins,<br />
and it became the largest project of its kind in<br />
North America. Today it is the flagship of Parks<br />
Canada’s restored properties. The town has a<br />
theatre and railway museum and is surrounded<br />
by sandy beaches.<br />
Day 9<br />
Day 10<br />
Day 11<br />
Day 12<br />
Day 13<br />
Day 14<br />
Day 15<br />
Drive eastwards to Port Hawkesbury<br />
at the southern tip of Cape Breton<br />
Island for your overnight stay.<br />
<strong>Travel</strong> along the beautiful Cabot<br />
Trail to Cape Breton Highlands<br />
National Park.<br />
Take a full day to enjoy the National<br />
Park, with its many hiking trails and<br />
wonderful ocean vistas.<br />
Head through St. Ann’s and North<br />
Sydney to Louisbourg.<br />
Explore the reconstructed former<br />
French fortress of Louisbourg.<br />
Today you cross the Canso<br />
Causeway and head around<br />
Chedabucto Bay to Charlos Cove.<br />
Heading south, arrive at Liscomb<br />
for your overnight stay.<br />
KELTIC LODGE, INGONISH BEACH<br />
High on a cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean,<br />
Keltic Lodge commands magnificent views of<br />
Cape Breton Highlands National Park and Cape<br />
Smokey. Accommodation is in the main lodge,<br />
the Inn at Keltic or one of the cottages: at each<br />
your comfort is assured. There is a choice of<br />
restaurants and nightly entertainment, a tennis<br />
court and heated outdoor swimming pool. From<br />
here you can also tour the world-famous Cabot<br />
Trail, walk along wilderness trails through ancient<br />
forests, play golf on the Highland Links course or<br />
take a boat trip out to see whales.<br />
LOUISBOURG HARBOUR INN<br />
This century-old sea captain’s house is situated<br />
on the harbour, just off Main Street and next<br />
to a working fishing wharf and the Louisbourg<br />
Playhouse. There are eight beautifully decorated<br />
guest rooms, six of which overlook the historic<br />
harbour. Each has a queen bed, en suite<br />
bathroom, hardwood floors and high ceilings.<br />
A balcony for guests overlooks the water with<br />
excellent views of the fishing boats, wharves and<br />
the fortress with the ocean beyond.<br />
Day 16<br />
Continue your drive south to Halifax<br />
where your tour ends upon arrival.<br />
Nova Scotia: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
71
The Hopewell Rocks at low tide<br />
New Brunswick<br />
New Brunswick is renowned for being home<br />
to the Bay of Fundy, washed each day by the<br />
world’s highest tides. Along this dramatic<br />
coastline you will also find Fundy National<br />
Park, the Hopewell Rocks, the vibrant city of<br />
Saint John, and charming Passamaquoddy<br />
Bay. The nearby islands of Grand Manan and<br />
Campobello are enchanting retreats from the<br />
modern world. The provincial capital is<br />
Fredericton, a city of genteel villas and art<br />
galleries whilst the pretty nearby village of<br />
Gagetown is famed for its old riverside houses.<br />
To the east are the wonderful sand dunes and<br />
lagoons of Kouchibouguac National Park and<br />
the world-famous salmon fishing river, the<br />
Mirimichi. The Caraquet region is home to<br />
many Acadian settlers and is an area where<br />
the 20th century has yet to gain a foothold.<br />
Other attractions include the leafy resort<br />
town of St. Andrews, Tidal Bore Park and<br />
Magnetic Hill in Moncton, Grand Falls<br />
Gorge and Fort Beausejour historic site.<br />
The Bay of Fundy<br />
Home to the highest tides in the world, the Bay<br />
of Fundy stretches 270 kilometres between the<br />
provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.<br />
Each day 100 billion tonnes of seawater flows in<br />
and out of the bay during each tide cycle – more<br />
than the combined flow of all the world’s<br />
freshwater rivers. Fundy National Park, bordering<br />
the bay, has wild and rugged sea cliffs, tidal mud<br />
flats and forested hills which are home to<br />
exhilarating walking trails. East of here lies the<br />
dramatic Cape Enrage whilst further on at the<br />
Hopewell Rocks you can walk on the ocean<br />
floor during low tide and kayak around the<br />
rocks when the tide is in.<br />
FLORENTINE MANOR, FUNDY<br />
NATIONAL PARK<br />
A warm maritime welcome awaits you at this<br />
heritage inn, built in the 1860s by a local<br />
shipbuilder on the pristine coast of the Bay of<br />
Fundy. There are just nine guest bedrooms,<br />
furnished with antiques and hand-made quilts.<br />
Breakfast is served in the Victorian dining room<br />
whilst the sitting room has a television and a<br />
selection of books making it the perfect place to<br />
meet your fellow guests. Miles of beaches, hiking<br />
trails, bird watching, golfing and horse riding are<br />
all within easy reach.<br />
Saint John<br />
Saint John (not St. John and not to be confused<br />
with St. John’s, Newfoundland) is situated on the<br />
south coast of New Brunswick on the edge of the<br />
Bay of Fundy. Following a devastating fire in 1877,<br />
much of the town was re-built and many of the<br />
Victorian buildings have since been lovingly<br />
restored, especially along Prince William Street.<br />
Two principal attractions are the New Brunswick<br />
Museum and the Reversing Falls Rapids which is a<br />
good place to see the effects of the Fundy tides.<br />
Fundy National Park is nearby, where visitors can<br />
marvel at the highest tides in the world. The city<br />
also offers some great restaurants and pubs<br />
where seafood is a frequent highlight.<br />
LES CHALETS DU HAVRE, NEAR<br />
KOUCHIBOUGUAC NATIONAL PARK<br />
Situated in Richibucto, close to Kouchibouguac<br />
National Park, les Chalets du Havre enjoy a<br />
magnificent coastal setting. There are 24 single and<br />
duplex cottages, each well equipped with sitting<br />
room, full kitchen, and patio with a gas barbeque.<br />
There is a hot tub and heated swimming pool in<br />
the grounds where paddle-boats, canoes, kayaks,<br />
bicycles and tennis equipment are also available<br />
free of charge.<br />
72
Maritime Contrasts<br />
0 37 miles<br />
0 60 kilometres<br />
Edmundston<br />
Grand Falls<br />
Saint<br />
John River<br />
FREDERICTON<br />
Miramichi<br />
St Andrews<br />
Bathurst<br />
Miramichi<br />
River<br />
Doaktown<br />
NEW<br />
BRUNSWICK<br />
Saint<br />
John<br />
QUÉBEC ´<br />
Bay of Fundy<br />
Richibucto<br />
Fundy<br />
National<br />
Park<br />
Chaleur Bay<br />
Caraquet<br />
Bouctouche<br />
Hopewell Rocks<br />
Provincial Park<br />
Kouchibouguac<br />
National<br />
Park<br />
Alma<br />
NOVA<br />
SCOTIA<br />
Northumberland Strait<br />
Moncton<br />
Riverside<br />
Albert<br />
Gulf of St<br />
Lawrence<br />
PRINCE<br />
EDWARD<br />
ISLAND<br />
This lovely trip gets well away from the well-worn<br />
tourist trail. Particular delights include the salmonfilled<br />
Miramichi River and the quaint villages along<br />
its banks, the breathtaking Dune of Bouctouche<br />
and Kouchibouguac National Park.<br />
Day 1<br />
Day 2<br />
Day 3<br />
Day 4<br />
Day 5<br />
Day 6<br />
Drive from Saint John to<br />
Fredericton, New Brunswick’s<br />
capital. Spend time exploring this<br />
historic old town before continuing<br />
to Doaktown.<br />
Delightful Doaktown nestles in a<br />
sylvan setting beside the Miramichi<br />
River, famous for salmon fishing.<br />
Drive through the town of Miramichi<br />
to Richibucto on the<br />
Northumberland Strait.<br />
Spend the day exploring<br />
Kouchibouguac National Park and<br />
the nearby Dune of Bouctouche.<br />
From Richibucto head south past<br />
Moncton to the Bay of Fundy.<br />
Learn all about the world’s highest<br />
tides at Hopewell Rocks and Fundy<br />
National Park.<br />
Day 7<br />
Drive back to Saint John to return<br />
your hire car at the end of your trip.<br />
Kouchibouguac National Park<br />
and the Dune of Bouctouche<br />
On the eastern coast of New Brunswick is the<br />
Kouchibouguac National Park, a wonderful region of<br />
coastal forests, bogs, salt marshes, lagoons and sandy<br />
beaches. A fragile ecosystem has evolved over the<br />
millennia, creating a startling diversity of rare flora and<br />
fauna. Kellys Beach is one of the principal attractions,<br />
boasting some of the warmest waters north of<br />
Virginia and a variety of nearby coastal walking trails.<br />
The Dune of Bouctouche, home to the rare piping<br />
plover, is some 50 kilometres to the south, with a<br />
fascinating interpretive centre and an extensive<br />
boardwalk to protect the fragile environment.<br />
Doaktown and<br />
the Miramichi River<br />
Built on a fabled history of heroic lumberjacks<br />
and mighty log drives, this area is best known<br />
for the legendary fly fishing on the Miramichi,<br />
one of New Brunswick’s premier salmon rivers.<br />
The small village of Doaktown lies on the banks<br />
of the river in the heart of New Brunswick: it is<br />
home to the famous fishing tackle shop of W.W.<br />
Doak and the Atlantic Museum of the Salmon,<br />
while the Central Woodsmen Museum is close<br />
by. The beauty of the Miramichi River can also be<br />
enjoyed by canoe or kayak and the nearby New<br />
Brunswick Trail, the bed of a former railway, is<br />
great for walking and cycling and provides<br />
stunning views and wildlife sightings.<br />
EXTENSIONS<br />
Some delightful extensions to consider to this<br />
tour are Nova Scotia, accessible by ferry across<br />
the Bay of Fundy, or Prince Edward Island which<br />
lies nearby just across the Confederation Bridge.<br />
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL<br />
Our private tailor-made journeys offer<br />
complete freedom of choice. The itineraries and<br />
accommodation shown are designed to give you a<br />
flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit<br />
your preferences. Prices vary according to selected<br />
accommodation and season, please telephone us<br />
to discuss your individual requirements.<br />
LEDGES INN, DOAKTOWN<br />
Set in two hectares on the shores of the<br />
Miramichi River in Doaktown, this beautiful inn<br />
is tastefully decorated to reflect the surrounding<br />
natural beauty. There are 11 guest rooms, all<br />
with river views, a fine dining restaurant and a bar.<br />
The inn is owned and operated by Caroline<br />
Taylor and her husband Everett, a 6th generation<br />
guide who has been fishing and hunting the region<br />
all his life. Caroline’s love for cooking and people<br />
make an ideal combination for a wonderful stay.<br />
One for the table<br />
New Brunswick: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
Fishing on the Miramichi River<br />
73
West Point Lighthouse<br />
Prince Edward Island<br />
Prince Edward Island, Canada’s smallest<br />
province, is a land of rich, rolling, red<br />
farmland, verdant valleys, stunning seascapes<br />
and bustling harbours. This is Canada’s<br />
birthplace - confederation was signed here<br />
in 1867 - and was home to Lucy Maud<br />
Montgomery, author of ‘Anne of Green<br />
Gables’. The island has a cornucopia of natural<br />
treasures such as Brudenall, Linkletter and<br />
Souris Beach Provincial Parks, the ‘singing’<br />
sands of Basin Head and countless lighthouses<br />
that evoke the region’s maritime heritage.<br />
The recently-constructed Confederation Bridge<br />
allows easy access from New Brunswick to<br />
some of Canada’s finest beaches, best golf<br />
courses, friendliest locals and, of course, the<br />
delectable Prince Edward Island lobsters.<br />
Inns on Great George<br />
Charlottetown<br />
The small city of Charlottetown is the capital of the<br />
province of Prince Edward Island. This charming city<br />
is full of leafy avenues of Victorian clapboard houses,<br />
evoking a tangible sense of yesteryear. It was here,<br />
in Province House in 1867, that the colonies of<br />
British North America convened in federation to<br />
form the nation that today is Canada. The city’s<br />
compact size lends itself to exploration on foot;<br />
the Confederation Centre of the Arts, St. Dunstan’s<br />
Basilica, Victoria Park, Founders Hall Museum and<br />
the delightful harbour front are all within easy reach.<br />
The principal thoroughfares are Grafton and Kent<br />
streets, housing a collection of historic buildings and<br />
a good selection of restaurants and shops. Don’t<br />
miss a visit to ‘Cows’, something of an island<br />
institution, renowned for their delicious ice-cream.<br />
INNS ON GREAT GEORGE,<br />
CHARLOTTETOWN<br />
The Inns on Great George are a unique cluster<br />
of 13 award-winning heritage properties located<br />
in the heart of Charlottetown’s historic district.<br />
Lovingly restored, each building has a character and<br />
story of its own. Each property has been restored<br />
to create a small luxury hotel, whilst preserving the<br />
historic charm, elegance and inn-keeping spirit of<br />
the 1800s. Every one of the 54 guest rooms is<br />
unique, being furnished with antiques and all the<br />
comforts and amenities of contemporary living.<br />
Green Gables<br />
Cavendish<br />
Cavendish and the Dune Shores lie on the<br />
northern coast of Prince Edward Island amidst red<br />
sandstone cliffs, sandy dunes and the crystal blue<br />
water warmed by the Gulf Stream. Cavendish is<br />
surrounded by small farming communities and<br />
fishing villages, each with their own particular<br />
character. Shop for antiques and unique locallycrafted<br />
art or explore botanical gardens. This is<br />
the home of ‘Anne of Green Gables’, Lucy Maud<br />
Montgomery’s famous red-haired little girl that<br />
captured the heart of three generations. Step<br />
back to a simpler time as you explore the place<br />
that inspired the book.<br />
74
Prince Edward Island<br />
Discovery<br />
West Point<br />
Gulf of St Lawrence<br />
Prince Edward Island’s charm is in its quiet<br />
beaches, lighthouses, sand dunes and fertile<br />
farmland. This itinerary encapsulates all of<br />
these and introduces the very best of this<br />
island province.<br />
Linkletter<br />
Provincial<br />
Park<br />
Confederation<br />
Bridge<br />
NEW<br />
BRUNSWICK<br />
Summerside<br />
Cavendish<br />
Prince Edward<br />
CHARLOTTETOWN<br />
Island National Park<br />
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND<br />
Brudenell River<br />
Provincial Park<br />
Souris<br />
Spry Point<br />
Day 1<br />
Day 2<br />
Collect your hire car and head west<br />
from Charlottetown to West Point<br />
on the island’s west coast.<br />
Enjoy a day at West Point, perhaps<br />
hire a bicycle to explore the quiet<br />
lanes along the long sandy beaches<br />
beside the lighthouse.<br />
0 14 miles<br />
0 22 kilometres<br />
Northumberland Strait<br />
Wood Islands<br />
Day 3<br />
Day 4<br />
Today your route takes you to<br />
Brackley Beach on the north shore<br />
of the island.<br />
The day is yours to enjoy Prince<br />
Edward Island National Park or<br />
nearby Cavendish.<br />
Day 5<br />
Drive to Spry Point on the eastern<br />
coast of the island, for a two<br />
night stay.<br />
Day 6<br />
Spend a day at leisure to relax<br />
and enjoy the wonderful seascape<br />
or explore Brudenell River<br />
Provincial Park.<br />
Day 7<br />
Return to Charlottetown to drop<br />
off your hire car at the end of<br />
your tour.<br />
Lobsters<br />
WEST POINT LIGHTHOUSE,<br />
WEST POINT<br />
West Point Lighthouse was constructed in<br />
1875 and is the tallest and most pleasing of the<br />
square-design lighthouses that are characteristic of<br />
the island. Located on the western tip of Prince<br />
Edward Island, the lighthouse towers over the fine<br />
red sand beach, busy with locals and visitors<br />
clamming, horse riding and fishing, while walking<br />
and cycling trails head through the woods. The<br />
nine cosy guest rooms are all thoughtfully furnished<br />
to recreate the era of the light-keepers and there<br />
is a superb licensed dining room specialising in<br />
charbroiled steak, lobster, scallops, PEI blue mussels<br />
and home-made lighthouse chowder.<br />
Collecting seaweed<br />
THE INN AT SPRY POINT<br />
Spry Point is a feast for the eyes: a 45 hectare<br />
peninsula of red cliffs and white sandy beaches,<br />
all surrounded by water. Each of the 15 luxurious<br />
rooms has either a balcony or a garden terrace -<br />
perfect to enjoy a glass of wine and listen to the<br />
crash of the waves – while the elegant dining<br />
room serves the freshest ingredients from local<br />
suppliers, with organic vegetables and herbs<br />
being especially grown for the inn. This private<br />
and luxurious inn is an ideal base for bird<br />
watching and day walking on many easy trails.<br />
EXTENSIONS<br />
It is simple to combine Prince Edward Island<br />
with a stay in other parts of Atlantic Canada,<br />
or you may wish to visit the delightful Îles de<br />
la Madeleine, accessible by ferry from Souris.<br />
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL<br />
Our private tailor-made journeys offer<br />
complete freedom of choice. The itineraries and<br />
accommodation shown are designed to give you a<br />
flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit<br />
your preferences. Prices vary according to selected<br />
accommodation and season, please telephone us<br />
to discuss your individual requirements.<br />
Confederation Bridge<br />
Prince Edward Island: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
The Inn at Spry Point<br />
75
The Northern Peninsula<br />
Newfoundland<br />
and Labrador<br />
Newfoundland and Labrador evoke images<br />
of majestic mountains and rugged ocean shores.<br />
In early summer icebergs, shorn from 10,000<br />
year old glaciers, glide along Iceberg Alley<br />
through seas rich with whales and sealions.<br />
The seabird colonies here are the largest in the<br />
northern hemisphere, attracting over 35 million<br />
seabirds annually. In the interior, moose and<br />
herds of caribou trek through primeval forests<br />
whilst the very northern tip of the island is<br />
home to L’Anse aux Meadows, the only<br />
authenticated Viking site in North America.<br />
St. John’s is the pretty historic capital with more<br />
pubs per square kilometre than any other city on<br />
the continent: island hospitality is renowned<br />
and will surely be a lasting memory of your stay.<br />
The cuisine here is as diverse as the province’s<br />
heritage. From jiggs dinner to toutons and<br />
molasses to the mug-up, Newfoundland dishes<br />
have been handed down for generations and are<br />
a feature of this province’s distinctive appeal.<br />
St. John’s<br />
The small city of St John’s is the capital of<br />
Newfoundland and is set on this diverse<br />
province’s east coast. The harbour area is the<br />
heart of the city: in days gone by this was the<br />
focus of an important maritime trade and fishing<br />
fleet. The houses at the harbour mouth gleam<br />
brightly with all the paints the fishermen had left<br />
over from their boats: reds, greens, yellows,<br />
whites and blues make them look like jelly beans<br />
scattered around the base of Signal Hill. This lively<br />
waterfront is now better known for its nightlife,<br />
with countless restaurants, historic pubs and some<br />
great folk music. The summer brings a host of<br />
activities, from whale watching and iceberg<br />
spotting to exploring excellent museums<br />
highlighting more than 500 years of history.<br />
Don’t miss a climb to the top of Signal Hill for<br />
spectacular views over the city and nearby<br />
coastline, and be sure to visit the most easterly<br />
point in North America, Cape Spear, close to<br />
the historic village of Quidi Vidi.<br />
St. John’s harbour<br />
LEASIDE MANOR, ST JOHN’S<br />
Leaside Manor is a gracious and carefully restored<br />
manor house that, in the 1920s, belonged to one<br />
of Newfoundland’s most prominent families.<br />
Today this bed and breakfast property retains<br />
much of its period charm and has eleven light and<br />
airy rooms and suites with hardwood floors and<br />
luxury bathrooms and bed linens. A highlight of<br />
your stay will surely be the scrumptious<br />
breakfasts. Ideally located, St Johns’ many<br />
attractions are just a 20 minute walk away.<br />
Terra Nova National Park<br />
Terra Nova National Park was established in<br />
1957 to protect the Atlantic uplands and boreal<br />
forest of eastern Newfoundland. Covering 400<br />
square kilometres, the park includes spruce<br />
forests, rolling hills, bogs, streams and glacial<br />
features, fringed by a rugged coastline broken<br />
with sheltered inlets. The area has supported an<br />
impressive array of marine and terrestrial life for<br />
thousands of years: salmon, moose, bears, lynx<br />
and bald eagles are just some of the wildlife you<br />
may see. For millennia the Beothuk found refuge<br />
here and the brief incursion of European settlers<br />
is marked by a scattering of now-abandoned<br />
ruins along the coast.<br />
76
Newfoundland Uncovered<br />
Torngat<br />
Mountains<br />
Hebron<br />
Nain<br />
This tour not only takes you through dramatic and<br />
rugged landscapes to stunning national parks and<br />
beautiful bays, but also to half-forgotten fishing<br />
villages where the locals speak with broad and<br />
diverse accents. This tour showcases<br />
Newfoundland at its best.<br />
Labrador<br />
City<br />
Churchill<br />
Falls<br />
0 100 miles<br />
0 160 kilometres<br />
LABRADOR<br />
QUÉBEC ´<br />
Hopedale<br />
Happy Valley-<br />
Goose Bay<br />
Port au<br />
Choix<br />
Gros Morne<br />
National Park<br />
Corner Brook<br />
Cabot Strait<br />
Atlantic Ocean<br />
Red Bay<br />
Channel-Portaux<br />
Basques<br />
Cartwright<br />
Strait of Belle Isle<br />
Deer<br />
Lake<br />
Battle Harbour<br />
L’Anse aux Meadows<br />
St Anthony<br />
Notre<br />
Dame<br />
Bay<br />
Grand<br />
Falls-<br />
Windsor<br />
Twillingate<br />
Terra<br />
Nova<br />
NP<br />
NEWFOUNDLAND<br />
Cape St Mary’s<br />
Ecological Reserve<br />
Bonavista<br />
Port Rexton<br />
Trinity Bay<br />
ST<br />
JOHN’S<br />
Day 1<br />
Day 2<br />
Day 3<br />
Day 4<br />
Day 5<br />
Day 6<br />
Day 7<br />
Day 8<br />
Drive south from St. John’s to the<br />
pretty village of Colinet on the<br />
Avalon Peninsula.<br />
Arrive in Cape St. Mary’s to see the<br />
massive seabird colonies before<br />
heading north to Trinity Bay.<br />
Spend a day exploring the delightful<br />
fishing villages around Trinity Bay.<br />
Head through Terra Nova National<br />
Park to Twillingate.<br />
Enjoy a day at leisure in Twillingate,<br />
keeping a look out for passing<br />
icebergs in the bay.<br />
Today’s journey takes you west to<br />
the spectacular Gros Morne<br />
National Park.<br />
Cruise the awe-inspiring Western<br />
Brook Pond Fjord.<br />
Drive along the western coast of the<br />
Northern Peninsula past historic Port<br />
au Choix to L’Anse aux Meadows.<br />
Twillingate<br />
Twillingate is an historic fishing village situated on<br />
the shore of Notre Dame Bay, a superb vantage<br />
point for watching icebergs older than our<br />
western civilisation as they float by, through the<br />
summer months, on the Greenland Current.<br />
These waters are also home to a vast number of<br />
marine mammals, and whales can usually be seen<br />
by boat or from the shore at Long Point.<br />
Cape Bonavista lighthouse<br />
HARBOUR LIGHTS INN,<br />
TWILLINGATE<br />
Located on the waterfront in the idyllic old<br />
harbour at Twillingate, lies the recently restored<br />
19th century Harbour Lights Inn. There are nine<br />
en suite bedrooms, several of which have sea and<br />
harbour views. Guests can relax in the lounge,<br />
watching fishing boats arriving in and departing<br />
from the harbour or explore the local area,<br />
keeping an eye out for whales and icebergs.<br />
Trinity Bay<br />
Trinity Bay is a delightful region of clapboard<br />
villages dotted around a crescent of hills that hem<br />
in a deep and intricate bay. Whales and icebergs<br />
are thrilling summer sights and there are several<br />
museums to visit. Between New Bonaventure and<br />
English Harbour on Trinity Bay the rugged<br />
coastline is dotted with 12 picturesque fishing<br />
ports, of which Port Rexton is perhaps the<br />
prettiest. Trinity Bay itself is known for its pageant<br />
and theatre festival, restaurants and boat trips,<br />
while close to Ship Cove the former fortification<br />
of Fox Island surveys a dramatic landscape of<br />
icebergs and ospreys.<br />
FISHERS’ LOFT INN, TRINITY BAY<br />
Nestled in the hills on a quiet winding lane,<br />
Fishers’ Loft Inn overlooks the old fishing and<br />
boat-building harbour of Ship Cove in Port<br />
Rexton. The inn is a collection of local Victorian<br />
buildings scattered closely over a hillside where<br />
forest meets meadow. Winding paths connect<br />
the houses of the inn that provide 20 casually<br />
elegant rooms and suites, most with sea views,<br />
and all bright and spacious, with hand-crafted<br />
furniture and original works of art. The licensed<br />
dining room serves delicious seasonal food<br />
harvested from the ocean, seaside meadows<br />
and the inn’s kitchen garden.<br />
Day 9<br />
Day 10<br />
Day 11<br />
Leaside Manor<br />
Today discover the fascinating<br />
recreated Viking village at L’Anse<br />
aux Meadows.<br />
Take the ferry from St. Anthony<br />
to Red Bay in Labrador, the world’s<br />
largest whaling port in the<br />
16th century.<br />
Drive back along the Northern<br />
Peninsula to Deer Lake to drop off<br />
your hire car at the end of your tour.<br />
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL<br />
Our private tailor-made journeys offer<br />
complete freedom of choice. The itineraries and<br />
accommodation shown are designed to give you a<br />
flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit<br />
your preferences. Prices vary according to selected<br />
accommodation and season, please telephone us<br />
to discuss your individual requirements.<br />
Newfoundland & Labrador: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
77
Western Brook Pond Fjord, Gros Morne National Park<br />
The Northern Peninsula<br />
Approximately 300 kilometres long and rich in<br />
history, the Northern Peninsula is a highlight of<br />
any visit to Newfoundland. It is overflowing with<br />
stunning natural features, pre-historic sites and<br />
fishing villages dating back to the early days of<br />
colonisation. Every year the coastal waters<br />
welcome countless whales and from spring into<br />
early summer the sea is transformed by the<br />
annual parade of icebergs, fragments of millenniaold<br />
glaciers. The land is filled with healthy<br />
populations of moose, caribou and black bears,<br />
while the rivers and lakes teem with salmon. In<br />
the south, Deer Lake is a good starting point to<br />
load up with fuel and provisions before heading<br />
to the fjords of Gros Morne National Park, widely<br />
acclaimed as one of the most beautiful parks in all<br />
Canada. Heading north, Hawkes Bay is an early<br />
20th century whaling station and Port au Choix is<br />
a historic site dedicated to exhibitions of Maritime<br />
Archaic Indians and the Dorset Eskimos who lived<br />
here in 2,000BC and AD500 respectively. At the<br />
northern tip of the peninsula lies L’Anse aux<br />
Meadows, thought to be the original landing site<br />
of Viking settlers over 1,000 years ago, while<br />
nearby Ship Cove is the isolated Canadian<br />
community where Annie Proulx wrote and set<br />
her award-winning book, ‘The Shipping News’.<br />
CANADIAN SAILING EXPEDITIONS<br />
Experience the thrill of sailing the coasts of<br />
Newfoundland and Nova Scotia on classic<br />
windjammer tall ships, with the wind filling the sails<br />
and the tang of salt in the air. Typically, cruises last<br />
for about a week and visit small remote villages,<br />
wonderful sounding hideaways such as Man o’ War<br />
Cove and magnificent natural phenomena like Gros<br />
Morne National Park. Re-live the great age<br />
of sail whilst enjoying the modern-day comforts of<br />
private cabins with en suite showers and hearty<br />
wholesome meals in a spacious dining room. The<br />
Caledonia, the vessel that usually sails these waters,<br />
is a 75 metre square-rigged barquentine, a majestic<br />
and traditional tall ship with a large salon, long<br />
mahogany bar and library where guests can mingle<br />
in comfort. Guests can also sign up for the daily<br />
sailing activities, including historical lectures, sailing<br />
theory, climbing the rigging or taking the wheel: the<br />
choice is geared towards all ages and fitness levels.<br />
Gros Morne National Park<br />
This landscape of bays, beaches, sea stacks and<br />
bare-topped mountains cut through by fjords has<br />
an irresistible, intoxicating beauty. Nestled in the<br />
Long Range Mountains, the Gros Morne National<br />
Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that offers<br />
unparalleled walking through wild uninhabited<br />
mountains and boat tours under towering cliffs. This<br />
is a place to see geology in action, with a thin<br />
veneer of the living world clinging to the hard rock.<br />
NEDDIES HARBOUR INN,<br />
GROS MORNE NATIONAL PARK<br />
Neddies Harbour Inn is a luxurious, waterfront inn<br />
located in Norris Point, right in the heart of Gros<br />
Morne National Park. This tranquil location provides<br />
magnificent views of the bay, the Long Range<br />
Mountains and the Tablelands. The inn has 15<br />
spacious and tastefully furnished rooms, a restaurant<br />
serving the freshest local ingredients, an exercise<br />
room, sauna, and hot tub. Emphasis is placed on<br />
environmentally-friendly energy systems and the use<br />
of authentic local craftsmanship and products.<br />
78<br />
The square-rigged barquentine Caledonia
Colourful fishing boats<br />
The Torngat Mountains, Labrador<br />
Quirpon Lighthouse Inn<br />
QUIRPON LIGHTHOUSE INN,<br />
QUIRPON ISLAND<br />
This restored light-keeper’s home on the shores<br />
of ‘Iceberg Alley’ is one of Newfoundland’s most<br />
unusual bed and breakfasts. Located on a<br />
deserted island at the northernmost point in<br />
Newfoundland, overlooking the Viking site at<br />
L’Anse aux Meadows, Quirpon has the longest<br />
season in Newfoundland for iceberg viewing. As<br />
you drift off to sleep in one of the ten wellappointed<br />
rooms, let the powerful North Atlantic<br />
surf remind you of the hardiness of the<br />
generations of light-keepers who lived in this<br />
isolated spot: here your nearest neighbours may<br />
be the whales migrating past your door. The<br />
island has a beautiful walk to an abandoned fishing<br />
village and another follows the cliffs to the<br />
unexcavated remains of ancient sod huts, the last<br />
traces of an ancient culture.<br />
TICKLE INN, CAPE ONION<br />
The Tickle Inn at Cape Onion is one of the<br />
most northerly homes in the province, a typical<br />
old Newfoundland property that has been<br />
restored by David Adams, a fourth generation<br />
member of the original owner’s family. The ocean<br />
is on the doorstep and the house is surrounded<br />
by nearly four hectares of meadows and hills:<br />
great for leisurely beachcombing and walking.<br />
The four bedrooms are original to the house<br />
and have been occupied by the Adams family<br />
Tuckamore Lodge<br />
for almost 100 years: though small and with<br />
shared bathrooms they are attractive and are<br />
traditionally decorated. Evening meals are<br />
delicious and home-cooked, seasoned with lively<br />
conversation and perhaps, if you are keen,<br />
followed by David’s rendition of a traditional<br />
eastern seaboard song or two.<br />
TUCKAMORE LODGE, MAIN BROOK<br />
Tuckamore Lodge is a place to unwind and<br />
reconnect with nature. The heart of Tuckamore<br />
Lodge is your host, Barb Genge and her friendly,<br />
local staff, all of whom take great pride in sharing<br />
their knowledge of the region’s heritage, flora and<br />
fauna. Spend your days whale watching, canoeing,<br />
walking, fishing or merely exploring the area.<br />
Lobster pots<br />
Neddies Harbour Inn<br />
The property offers Scandinavian-style<br />
accommodation in the midst of northern<br />
Newfoundland’s spectacular wilderness. The two<br />
wooden lodges are each decorated with local<br />
artwork and have spectacular lake views. Facilities<br />
include a sauna, hot tub, library and a living room,<br />
while meals are served in communal dining<br />
rooms and include such Newfoundland favourites<br />
as Atlantic salmon and bakeapples. Wildlife<br />
abounds - millions of seabirds return annually<br />
and there are large populations of moose,<br />
caribou and black bears.<br />
Red Bay<br />
Red Bay is one of the oldest occupied ports<br />
along the Labrador Straits, established by Breton<br />
fishermen and Basque whalers during the 16th<br />
century to refine whale oil for export back to<br />
Europe. The sheltered harbour of Red Bay was<br />
at the heart of this hazardous and pioneering<br />
industry and is now a UNESCO Historical Site<br />
with important archeological finds, including<br />
sunken Basque whaling galleons. Local legends<br />
of Red Bay make reference to hidden treasure<br />
buried in a body of water known as Pond<br />
on the Hill.<br />
Newfoundland & Labrador: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
79
Arctic Expedition Cruising<br />
Beyond the tree-line at the earth’s northern<br />
extremity lies the Arctic. By turns serene,<br />
majestic, wild and ferocious, these chill lands<br />
and waters frame some of the world’s most<br />
hardy and enchanting flora and fauna, clinging<br />
to a precarious knife-edge of survival. Icebound<br />
through the winter, in the summer the rocky<br />
tundra is carpeted with delicate wildflowers<br />
and supports a surprising abundance of wildlife.<br />
For 4,000 years successive generations have<br />
adapted to the harsh Arctic environment,<br />
developing distinctive cultures that left traces<br />
on the land, and in our language. Kayak,<br />
parka, husky, anorak, and igloo are words we<br />
adopted from early attempts to map the region,<br />
borrowed from the Arctic people in hazardous –<br />
and often tragic – voyages of exploration. Much<br />
of the Arctic is also only accessible in the summer<br />
months of July and August, when the frozen<br />
seas melt briefly to reveal enormous, barren<br />
islands, some the size of small countries.<br />
Temperatures at this time average nine degrees<br />
Celsius but can reach as high as 18 degrees on<br />
sunny days. It is in these seasonally accessible<br />
areas that those with an adventurous spirit and<br />
an enquiring mind can experience unique<br />
expedition cruises that visit Inuit settlements,<br />
sites of European explorer history and a<br />
wonderful variety of wildlife, all set amongst<br />
fantastically remote scenery on a truly epic scale.<br />
80
<strong>Audley</strong> in the Arctic<br />
We work with a number of carefully selected<br />
cruise companies whose journeys of adventure<br />
include, amongst other places, the infamous<br />
Northwest Passage, the Inuit capital – Iqaluit – on<br />
Baffin Island, a Viking route that combines<br />
Greenland and Newfoundland as well as dedicated<br />
cruises to the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen.<br />
Accommodation on these ships is simple but this<br />
is compensated for by the smaller, more intimate<br />
size of the vessels. Fascinating expert guest<br />
speakers bring natural history and anthropology<br />
to life and also conduct shore-based activities to<br />
some of the planet’s most fascinating and remote<br />
regions. Most days will see you getting off the ship<br />
once and often twice a day in small, guided groups.<br />
Cruises, lasting seven nights or more, can be<br />
seamlessly woven into tailor-made journeys<br />
through Canada and Alaska.<br />
History and Culture<br />
The Inuit have been in the Arctic region for<br />
millennia, having arrived, it is thought, when<br />
their ancestors followed herds of game across<br />
an ice bridge that crossed the Bering Sea.<br />
Expedition cruises reveal how the different<br />
cultures fished, hunted, sang, danced, and carved<br />
exquisite sculptures during your visits to the<br />
small settlements that dot the remote coastlines.<br />
In some locations Nordic culture prevails,<br />
particularly in Spitsbergen and Greenland where<br />
you may encounter brightly coloured houses,<br />
fascinating museums and a quiet appreciation of<br />
the significance of the early exploits by Viking<br />
navigators in the 8th century. It wasn’t until the<br />
early 19th century that European expeditions set<br />
out in search of the famous Northwest Passage,<br />
the seasonal route that connects the Atlantic<br />
and the Pacific oceans. Sir William Edward Parry<br />
led several expeditions, but success had to wait<br />
for Amundsen’s voyage in 1905. Hopes that the<br />
route could provide speedier trade between<br />
Europe and Asia proved impractical, due to the<br />
sea being frozen over for most of the year, but<br />
the inspirational spirit of adventure can still be<br />
felt in this remote and hazardous part of the<br />
world. The final resting place of several of Sir<br />
John Franklin’s crew, near Resolute, is a solemn<br />
reminder that this is truly an untamed wilderness.<br />
Musk oxen<br />
Beaufort<br />
Sea<br />
Cambridge Bay<br />
Bathurst<br />
Inlet<br />
Spitsbergen shoreline<br />
Wildlife<br />
Magnetic<br />
North Pole<br />
Victoria<br />
Island<br />
Arctic<br />
Ocean<br />
Resolute<br />
King<br />
Elu<br />
William<br />
Island<br />
Inlet<br />
NUNAVUT<br />
North Pole<br />
Ellesmere<br />
Island<br />
Devon<br />
Island<br />
Lancaster Sound<br />
Somerset<br />
Island<br />
Igloolik<br />
Cape Dorset<br />
SPITSBERGEN<br />
Baffin Island<br />
Diverse and highly adapted to their environment,<br />
the wildlife of the Arctic is a major attraction.<br />
On any Arctic cruise you are likely to see a<br />
mixture of marine and terrestrial wildlife in<br />
abundance. Marine animals include a variety of<br />
seals and walrus as well as many types of whales<br />
including the beluga – meaning ‘white one’ in<br />
Russian, humpback whales or even the rare<br />
narwhal. A likely sighting is of polar bears, adapted<br />
for a marine lifestyle and officially classed as a<br />
marine mammal. On land musk oxen, which are<br />
neither oxen nor possessors of musk glands, can<br />
be seen sharing territory with huge herds of<br />
caribou that calve in the spring. Seabirds are<br />
found in fantastic numbers: ornithologists are kept<br />
in seventh heaven for the duration of the trip.<br />
Davis Strait<br />
IQALUIT<br />
Kuujjuaq<br />
Longyearbyen<br />
GREENLAND<br />
LABRADOR<br />
Qaqortoq<br />
Labrador<br />
Sea<br />
0 350 miles<br />
0 563 kilometres<br />
Scenery<br />
Inuit children<br />
Arctic Expedition Cruising<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
ICELAND<br />
REYKJAVIK<br />
L’Anse aux Meadows<br />
Bonavista<br />
ST JOHN’S<br />
NEWFOUNDLAND<br />
There are steep sided fjords and cliffs that are<br />
home to great bird colonies, but these in turn<br />
can be dwarfed by some of the coastal mountain<br />
ranges that are topped by icefields. Low lying<br />
tundra is blanketed with fields of blooming wild<br />
flowers in the summer while glaciers and sea ice<br />
can be blindingly bright as you land to explore.<br />
On the sea, ice floes can cover hundreds of<br />
square kilometres while vast icebergs make their<br />
solitary journeys along the great ocean currents.<br />
The joy of the region is the overwhelming feeling<br />
of being in a true wilderness at the dawn of time.<br />
81
Nordic village<br />
82<br />
Polar Star<br />
Polar Star Expeditions operate a series of cruises,<br />
following the seasons from South to North poles.<br />
The intent of each voyage is to experience the<br />
magic of the Arctic, combining adventure and<br />
comfort with wonderful ocean and land based<br />
wildlife experiences as well as some truly fascinating<br />
cultural and heritage sites. On most days guests<br />
explore using a fleet of ten tough and stable<br />
inflatable zodiac landing craft. When not on zodiac<br />
excursions the on-board programme includes a<br />
series of lectures, presentations and films relating<br />
to the expedition itinerary, presented by the<br />
resident team of experts.<br />
MV Polar Star<br />
Viking Trail to the Americas<br />
This inspirational 18-day cruise sets out each<br />
September to follow in the wake of the Vikings<br />
who sailed in their longboats to Newfoundland<br />
1,000 years ago, keeping a permanent watch for<br />
polar bears, whales, seals, musk oxen and<br />
abundant birdlife. From Reykjavik in Iceland the<br />
Polar Star makes its way to Greenland’s Prins<br />
Christian Sund Fjord with its wonderful glaciers<br />
and icebergs. Visit local markets, ancient Viking<br />
ruins and museums of Nordic and Inuit history;<br />
including Brattahild where Erik the Red’s wife<br />
established the first Christian church in Greenland<br />
and the village of Qaqortoq with sculpture-lined<br />
streets and charming brightly painted houses.<br />
Polar Star then passes through ‘Iceberg Alley’ to<br />
Iqaluit, Inuit capital of Canadian Nunavut, where<br />
you can see beautiful displays of native art before<br />
continuing to Labrador’s Torngat Mountains,<br />
known to the Inuit people as ‘land of the spirits’.<br />
The final stages lead you to Newfoundland and<br />
L’Anse aux Meadows, thought to be Leif<br />
Eriksson’s settlement, before making land at<br />
Bonavista where John Cabot first sighted North<br />
America in 1497. The voyage ends when you<br />
disembark in St Johns.<br />
Exploring by zodiac<br />
MV POLAR STAR<br />
Polar Star was built as an ice-breaker to keep<br />
frozen shipping lanes clear of ice; as such she is<br />
able to embark on expedition cruises even in the<br />
most challenging conditions. The 86 metre vessel<br />
accommodates a maximum of 105 passengers in<br />
comfortable cabins that all have a window or<br />
porthole exterior view and all but the most<br />
modest cabins have private bathrooms. The dress<br />
code is casual and the dining room, with space for<br />
all passengers to eat in one sitting, is a sociable<br />
environment. The observation lounge is open-plan<br />
with panoramic views and excellent lecture<br />
facilities. There is also a library, a cosy bar, mini<br />
gym and the captain’s bridge, with 360 degree<br />
views, that is open to passengers at all times.
Traditional Inuit weaving<br />
Caribou<br />
Cruise North Expeditions<br />
Cruise North Expeditions are owned wholly by<br />
the Inuit and all their cruises are designed to<br />
maximize time spent ashore taking in Inuit villages,<br />
the region’s wildlife colonies and the breathtaking<br />
landscapes. Expeditions are hosted by a mixture<br />
of Inuit and Canadian guides with expertise on<br />
topics such as natural history, anthropology,<br />
zoology and ornithology. Cruise North<br />
Expeditions pride themselves on providing<br />
excellent value while maintaining exceptional<br />
quality, making them the price leaders in Arctic<br />
expedition cruising.<br />
Arctic ice cap<br />
Baffin Adventure<br />
The 8 day Baffin Adventure in July and August has<br />
a particular focus on spending time at uninhabited<br />
landing sites known for their extraordinary wildlife,<br />
and visits national and territorial parks around the<br />
southern part of Baffin Island by zodiac speed<br />
boats. A flight from Montréal reaches Kuujjuaq<br />
but the exact itinerary remains flexible and is<br />
governed by the state of the weather and the<br />
movements of the ice. Natural highlights of the<br />
cruise include finding polar bears summering on<br />
Akpatok Island and tracking herds of musk oxen<br />
across the islands of Quaqtaq and Diana. Cultural<br />
experiences include the scrimshaw bone carving<br />
of Cape Dorset, known as the world centre for<br />
Inuit art, and Iqaluit, the capital of the territory of<br />
Nunavut, while geological wonders include the<br />
Penny Ice Cap, dating back to the Ice Age.<br />
LYUBOV ORLOVA<br />
This 100 metre ship, renovated in 2006, has a<br />
crew of 63 and can carry up to 122 passengers.<br />
The atmosphere is casual on board, typified by<br />
the ‘open bridge’ policy which means that unless<br />
otherwise advised guests are welcome to visit the<br />
captain’s bridge, day or night to learn about the ship<br />
and talk to the officers. All cabins feature two beds,<br />
private washroom facilities and an external window.<br />
Meals are served three times a day in the restaurant<br />
and refreshments are available at any time. The<br />
well-stocked library offers you a place of relaxation<br />
and a chance to brush up on what to expect at<br />
your next destination, talks on the culture, flora and<br />
fauna of the region are given in the lecture theatre<br />
and there is also a friendly and relaxing bar.<br />
Putting the kettle on<br />
Arctic Expedition Cruising<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
At the Arctic Circle<br />
Lyubov Orlova<br />
83
Breaching bowhead whale<br />
Quark Expeditions<br />
Quark Expeditions are the premier operator in<br />
Arctic expedition cruising. Their ice-breaker ships<br />
are impressive, their evening meals five course,<br />
and they even have a helicopter for expeditions<br />
beyond even zodiac reach. Quark were first to<br />
cruise to the North Pole in 1991, the first to<br />
transit Russia’s North-East Passage in 1993 and<br />
the first to circumnavigate the Arctic in 1999.<br />
Their impressive polar experts on board share a<br />
passion for exploration and adventure, leading<br />
expeditions on shore between lectures. Amongst<br />
their staff you’ll find members of the Explorer’s<br />
and Arctic clubs, Fellows of the Royal Geographic<br />
Society and several explorers who have had<br />
mountains named in their honour.<br />
Arctic Quest<br />
Quark’s 18-day cruise leaves Resolute on<br />
Cornwallis Island in late August to cruise to the<br />
Inuit capital of Iqaluit, taking in key elements of<br />
the infamous Northwest Passage, the remotest<br />
parts of northern Greenland, Ellesmere Island<br />
and Baffin Island. You will visit prehistoric winter<br />
houses of Thule peoples – the original native<br />
Americans who crossed the ice bridge from<br />
Siberia – smash through Arctic ice and see grand<br />
fjords and wonderful wildlife. Your ultimate goal,<br />
often impassable due to pack ice, is the Lincoln<br />
Sea at the top of Greenland. If, after passing the<br />
northernmost town of Qaanaaq through narwhal<br />
territory, you cannot reach your destination then<br />
you will certainly crunch some ice trying! A last<br />
stop to see herds of caribou grazing on tundra is<br />
at Pangnirtung, an Inuit community where you can<br />
also meet local artists, before disembarking in<br />
Iqaluit for your flight back to Ottawa.<br />
triple cabins, all with private bathrooms, opening<br />
external windows, desk and chair. The suites have<br />
a separate sitting room with TV/DVD. Guests<br />
assemble in the dining room for a buffet breakfast,<br />
hearty lunch, afternoon tea and a five course<br />
dinner with daily changing menu. There is a<br />
lounge bar, a heated indoor swimming pool,<br />
exercise room and sauna. You will also find a<br />
theatre auditorium for expert presentations and<br />
a library packed with books relating to the<br />
surrounding area. Last, but not least, are the<br />
zodiac inflatables and helicopter to take you<br />
on daily expeditions ashore.<br />
84<br />
Whale watching in the Arctic<br />
KAPITAN KHLEBNIKOV<br />
Quark’s Kapitan Khlebnikov is a polar ice-breaker,<br />
capable of taking you places most other vessels<br />
cannot reach. Despite these impressive<br />
credentials, you will be travelling in a level of<br />
comfort not found anywhere else in Arctic<br />
cruising. This is ensured by there being 70 crew<br />
to look after 108 passengers. The choice of<br />
accommodation includes simple suites, twin and<br />
Polar bears amongst the sea-ice
Akademik Ioffe<br />
Wild flowers<br />
The Adventure Fleet<br />
As a recent acquisition of Quark, the Adventure<br />
Fleet’s specialist vessels conduct a programme of<br />
cruises that includes Arctic Canada, Greenland and<br />
the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen, focusing on<br />
wildlife, local culture, walking and even specialist<br />
photography cruises. The company prides itself on<br />
its minimal impact on the environment, going<br />
beyond established best practice and setting new<br />
standards for others to follow. Guests spend as<br />
much time off the ship as possible, using a fleet of<br />
sturdy, inflatable zodiacs that are used to take<br />
them on excursions to match their special interests.<br />
Flexibility is the byword here, with specialist –<br />
and often award-winning – guides to focus on<br />
ornithology, geology, history, marine biology, botany,<br />
astronomy, anthropology, hiking and photography.<br />
Sea kayaking spaces are limited and so an interest<br />
must be expressed at the time of booking.<br />
Spitsbergen Explorer<br />
From June to August this 11-day cruise focuses<br />
on the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago, a remote<br />
cluster of islands set high above the Arctic Circle.<br />
The voyage circumnavigates the major island of<br />
Spitsbergen and sails as far north as 81 degrees,<br />
meeting polar bears, walrus and beluga whales.<br />
Glaciers, colossal fjords and ice-capped mountains<br />
rise from the sea whilst the tundra blazes with a<br />
Inuit hunters<br />
plethora of wildflowers. Specific highlights<br />
include the walrus sanctuary of Moffen Island,<br />
Hornsund’s 14 glaciers flowing into the sea, the<br />
birdlife of Fuglesangen cliffs, a 16th century<br />
whaling station, the world’s most northerly post<br />
office and Virgohamna, staging point for many<br />
expeditions to the North Pole by explorers<br />
including Roald Amundsen.<br />
Northwest Passage Cruise<br />
This journey aims, over 13 days, to follow the<br />
journey completed by Roald Amundsen, who first<br />
successfully navigated the Northwest Passage in<br />
1905. Along a route that is littered with evidence<br />
of ill-fated expeditions your journey will visit Inuit<br />
communities and provide wonderful wildlife<br />
viewing. South of Resolute, Peel Sound is a likely<br />
place to find the narwhal and beluga, while King<br />
William Island, is where Franklin died after his<br />
ships Erebus and Terror became stuck in pack ice.<br />
The Inuit community of Cambridge Bay, where<br />
Amundsen over-wintered is a great area for<br />
sighting polar bears. Although it is said that the<br />
fastest way through ice is around it, the captain<br />
will ensure that you experience the thrill of icebreaking<br />
before heading back to Cambridge Bay.<br />
AKADEMIK IOFFE<br />
Built in Scandinavia in the late 1980s by the Russian<br />
Academy of Science, the 117 metre Akademik<br />
Ioffe is exceptionally well prepared for cruising in<br />
the Arctic. She has a crew of 53 and can take up<br />
to 110 guests. All the simple but tastefully furnished<br />
cabins have an outside view through porthole or<br />
window and have either shared or en suite<br />
facilities. There is a lounge/bar, restaurant, gym,<br />
sauna, swimming pool, and a theatre-style<br />
presentation room where the ships resident<br />
experts give lectures. The ‘open bridge’ policy<br />
means passengers can, at any time, visit the bridge<br />
to enjoy the views and glean insights from the<br />
officers of the watch. The ship carries inflatable<br />
zodiacs for viewing wildlife and excursions ashore,<br />
as well as a small number of sea kayaks.<br />
Ringed plover<br />
Arctic Expedition Cruising<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
85
Nunavut<br />
Nunavut is an immense territory of<br />
tundra, plateaux and mountains that<br />
includes the Arctic archipelago: a hidden<br />
world until the advent of air travel. This<br />
beautiful land is Canada’s newest territory,<br />
splitting from the Northwest Territories in<br />
1999 as a self-ruling Inuit community. The<br />
territory covers about one fifth of Canada’s<br />
land mass and stretches from Hudson Bay<br />
in the south to the Arctic islands in the north.<br />
The famed Northwest Passage wends its<br />
way through the northern islands and<br />
consequently this was the theatre for many<br />
historic Arctic voyages. Nunavut, meaning<br />
“our land” in the Inuktitut language, is<br />
home to 28 Inuit communities, of which the<br />
largest, with a population of 6,500, is Iqaluit.<br />
Accessible only by air and sea, this region is<br />
rich with the fascinating culture of the Inuit<br />
communities, the flowers of the arctic tundra<br />
and the dancing celestial phenomenon of<br />
the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights.<br />
A plethora of wildlife inhabits these desolate<br />
lands, with polar bears, arctic foxes, whales,<br />
narwhals, walrus, musk oxen and herds of<br />
caribou in abundance. Bathed through the<br />
summer, by the light of a midnight sun,<br />
Nunavut is a unique blend of culture,<br />
wilderness and wildlife.<br />
86
Arctic<br />
Ocean<br />
Ellesmere<br />
Island<br />
Beaufort<br />
Sea<br />
Magnetic<br />
North Pole<br />
Bathurst Inlet Lodge<br />
BATHURST INLET LODGE<br />
On the northernmost edges of the North<br />
American continent, Bathurst Inlet is home to<br />
the Kingaunmiut Inuit, a remote community who<br />
first opened their doors in 1969 to visitors,<br />
introducing their world of cliffs, waterfalls, deep<br />
gorges and flower-covered tundra. The lodge is<br />
a partnership between the Inuit and Glen and<br />
Trish Warner who came to know the extreme<br />
north during their 25 years serving in the Royal<br />
Canadian Mounted Police. The property is<br />
open to guests for only five weeks a year from<br />
the end of June to early August and can<br />
accommodate just 20 visitors in simple but<br />
comfortable accommodation for a week at a<br />
time. Having arrived by float-plane from<br />
Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories, guests<br />
stay at the lodge which is an old Hudson Bay<br />
Company trading post. A cooked breakfast and<br />
evening buffet meal is served in the main lodge<br />
building, while packed lunches are provided for<br />
picnics in breathtaking settings. Bedrooms are<br />
comfortable and in most cases bathrooms are<br />
shared. The thing that makes Bathurst Inlet Lodge<br />
really special is the opportunity to interact with<br />
the Inuit guides on their terms, sharing their<br />
knowledge and terrain. This is borne out by the<br />
fact that about 25% of their guests are repeat<br />
customers: not bad for a destination quite<br />
literally at the end of the earth.<br />
0 350 miles<br />
0 563 kilometres<br />
Cambridge Bay<br />
Bathurst<br />
Inlet<br />
Activities at Bathurst<br />
Inlet Lodge<br />
Victoria<br />
Island<br />
Elu<br />
Inlet<br />
NUNAVUT<br />
Guided exploration takes place by a stable<br />
pontoon boat that is used for viewing wildlife<br />
and for transporting guests to other parts of the<br />
inlet for independent hikes. Wildlife to look out<br />
for includes grizzly bears, musk oxen, lemmings,<br />
caribou and a terrific variety of birdlife. There are<br />
also ancient archaeological remains in the region.<br />
Resolute<br />
King<br />
William<br />
Island<br />
Somerset<br />
Island<br />
Devon<br />
Island<br />
Lancaster Sound<br />
Igloolik<br />
Baffin Island<br />
Cape Dorset<br />
Davis Strait<br />
IQALUIT<br />
A highlight of each week’s stay is the cultural<br />
evening in which the entire community takes part,<br />
including the children who model traditional<br />
clothing and a grandfather who demonstrates<br />
how hunting tools were used. Guests are invited<br />
to reciprocate by telling a story, reciting a poem,<br />
dancing or even performing a magic trick. This<br />
cross-cultural sharing epitomises what makes a<br />
stay at Bathurst Inlet Lodge such a wonderful<br />
eco-tourism experience.<br />
Doris Kingnektak<br />
Nunavut: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
Bathurst Inlet<br />
87
Arctic Watch Lodge<br />
88<br />
ARCTIC WATCH LODGE<br />
At the northern tip of Nunavut’s Somerset<br />
Island, and already well north of the continental<br />
mainland, Arctic Watch Lodge overlooks the<br />
fabled Northwest Passage (Lancaster Sound).<br />
Renowned polar trekker Richard Webber and<br />
his wife Josée established this lodge in 2000 on<br />
the site of a former whaling station. Along with<br />
their children, Tessum and Nansen, they have an<br />
irrepressible enthusiasm for the region and have<br />
created an Arctic visitor’s dream destination for<br />
July and August. The lodge offers comfortable<br />
accommodation, safely guided and well<br />
researched trips amongst amazing scenery,<br />
abundant wildlife and ancient historical sites. From<br />
the air the lodge resembles a futuristic outpost on<br />
a distant planet – a well ordered collection of<br />
pristine white domed structures, including a<br />
central lodge and 16 permanent cabins that<br />
contain duvet-covered beds and running-water<br />
toilets. The main lodge houses a kitchen, dining<br />
room, lounge, audio visual room and lecture<br />
theatre. Food is fresh and high quality, arriving<br />
with each plane. Lancaster Sound has a large<br />
polar bear population and is home to walrus,<br />
seals and narwhals. The land has musk oxen,<br />
Peary caribou, arctic fox and many birds, including<br />
the peregrine falcon and snowy owl. There is<br />
great char fishing and a number of exceptionally<br />
well preserved Thule (ancient Inuit) and early<br />
European archaeological sites in the area.<br />
Arctic Watch Lodge<br />
Activities at Arctic<br />
Watch Lodge<br />
Activities at Arctic Watch Lodge are tailored to the<br />
ability and personal interest of the guests and can<br />
include hiking, raft float trips, nature observation<br />
walks, photography excursions, exposure to Inuit<br />
culture and exploration by 4WD, quad bikes or<br />
even light aircraft. The energetic can try the<br />
world’s most northern mountain biking and sea<br />
kayak expeditions. The lodge is child friendly and<br />
a typical day’s programme for younger guests<br />
would included short walks, picnics and searches<br />
for lemmings. The warm, shallow waters of<br />
Cunningham Inlet are the summer home to 2,000<br />
beluga whales and guests at the lodge can wander<br />
along the shoreline within metres of these<br />
inquisitive mammals.<br />
ELU INLET LODGE<br />
Elu Inlet Lodge is an eco-lodge at the mouth of<br />
the Itibiak River, set amongst barren tundra, lakes,<br />
waterways and great rock monoliths. The area<br />
has been used extensively by the Inuit way back<br />
into the mists of time due to its extremely rich<br />
natural resources that include abundant fish,<br />
musk oxen and massive herds of caribou. The<br />
local Inuit have a majority interest in this lodge<br />
that has been operating as an eco-lodge since<br />
1999, welcoming summer guests who arrive by<br />
float-plane from Cambridge Bay 69 kilometres to<br />
the north. With a central lodge building and three<br />
separate sleeping cabins housing up to 12 guests,<br />
this is a small and intimate property. Facilities<br />
are simple and clean with luxuries such as the<br />
outdoor hot-tub helping you unwind after an<br />
energetic day with your Inuit guides.<br />
Elu Inlet Lodge
Exploring at Arctic Watch Lodge<br />
Beluga whales<br />
Drying salmon<br />
Husky<br />
Activities at Elu Inlet Lodge<br />
The region around Elu Inlet Lodge is a pristine,<br />
unexplored wilderness and it is this environment<br />
that you can explore by kayak, foot and boat.<br />
The brief but intense Arctic summer transforms<br />
the tundra, with meadows of wild flowers: a<br />
naturalist’s paradise that is shared with caribou,<br />
musk oxen and a massive variety of birdlife. There<br />
is always the chance of sighting larger predators,<br />
such as wolverines, wolves or grizzly bears.<br />
Culturally, this region is rich in Inuit archaeological<br />
sites, giving visitors a chance to stand at ancient<br />
stone fox traps or fire rings and look out over the<br />
same vistas as Inuit hunters and their families have<br />
for hundreds and even thousands of years.<br />
Inuit ladies taking a stroll<br />
Igloolik<br />
Set on a small island northwest of Baffin Island,<br />
the town of Igloolik is one of Canada’s oldest<br />
and most traditional Inuit communities. It has<br />
fiercely resisted many of the changes of the<br />
modern age with television only permitted in<br />
1980 and there are few other places where you’ll<br />
catch so clear a sense of the Inuit’s indomitable<br />
nature. Whales, walrus and seals share this<br />
remote and often ice-bound settlement and life<br />
still revolves around hunting marine mammals<br />
along the water’s edge and amongst the ice floes<br />
of the surrounding seas.<br />
Walrus Photography<br />
in Arctic Igloolik<br />
This week long trip operates for just one week in<br />
July: a truly unique experience. Guests are hosted<br />
by a local Inuit family and stay in a rustic camp<br />
near the water’s edge. You will spend most of<br />
your days on a boat floating amongst the ice floes<br />
with the chance to see a magnificent bowhead<br />
whale rise amidst colonies of walrus. Bowhead<br />
whales can grow up to 18 metres in length and<br />
have been known to swim both around and<br />
under boats, a captivating and also daunting<br />
experience. Walrus, often weighing more than a<br />
tonne, are found on the pack ice in large numbers<br />
and the boat can get to within about 30 metres<br />
of them. Spending much of your days afloat gives<br />
you the chance to take some unique photographs<br />
of the wildlife, and as the tundra springs to life<br />
you’ll also have the chance to hike around the<br />
camp, learning more about the area’s birdlife,<br />
flowers and culture.<br />
Nunavut: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
Walrus at Igloolik<br />
89
The Northwest Territories<br />
Stretching from the 60th parallel up to the<br />
Beaufort Sea in the north, the Northwest<br />
Territories offer the adventurous traveller a<br />
deeply rewarding experience. The capital city,<br />
Yellowknife, is situated on the Great Slave<br />
Lake, at the heart of Canada’s diamond<br />
mines. To the north, across a landscape of lakes<br />
and stunted forests, lies the Great Bear Lake<br />
whilst westwards the Mackenzie Mountains<br />
form a natural border with the Yukon.<br />
Perhaps the greatest jewel is Nahanni<br />
National Park, where the challenging rapids<br />
of the South Nahanni River have dug gorges<br />
deeper than the Grand Canyon and created<br />
waterfalls twice as high as Niagara Falls<br />
through a wild and dramatic landscape:<br />
surely one of the finest wilderness areas in<br />
North America. The territory has excellent,<br />
accessible wildlife viewing that includes herds<br />
of wild bison in Wood Buffalo National Park<br />
and caribou, moose and bears as well as<br />
nights that dance with the lights of the Aurora<br />
Borealis. Running northwards flows the<br />
mighty Mackenzie River, in whose delta lies<br />
the settlement of Inuvik which is home to the<br />
famous igloo church, July’s Great Northern<br />
(Inuit) Arts Festival and the town that marks<br />
the end of the epic Dempster Highway.<br />
90
Arctic<br />
Ocean<br />
Prince<br />
Patrick<br />
Island<br />
Banks<br />
Island<br />
Beaufort Sea<br />
Victoria<br />
Island<br />
Aurora Borealis<br />
Yellowknife<br />
Named after the copper blades used by the<br />
native Tetsot’ine people, Yellowknife occupies a<br />
dramatic site on the northern edge of the Great<br />
Slave Lake. Gold was discovered here in 1934,<br />
at just the same time as bush planes made this<br />
remote region accessible. In 1967 the city became<br />
the capital of the Northwest Territories and now,<br />
diamond mining has taken over as the mainstay of<br />
the booming economy. The Old Town’s winding<br />
streets are lined with houses dating back to the<br />
1930s and 1940s whilst the Woodyard area is<br />
known for eccentric cabins and log dwellings: the<br />
most modest are on Ragged Ass Road, named<br />
after the early prospectors whose luck had run<br />
badly. The city is dwarfed by the Great Slave Lake;<br />
the size of a sea with countless uncharted bays<br />
hugged by seemingly endless wilderness areas.<br />
YUKON<br />
Inuvik<br />
Tuktoyaktuk<br />
A R C T I C C I R C<br />
L E<br />
Mackenzie River<br />
Nahanni<br />
National<br />
Park<br />
BRITISH COLUMBIA<br />
Great<br />
Bear<br />
Lake<br />
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES<br />
Fort Simpson<br />
Hay River<br />
YELLOWKNIFE<br />
Great<br />
Slave<br />
Lake<br />
ALBERTA<br />
Wood Buffalo<br />
National Park<br />
Fort Smith<br />
0 125 miles<br />
0 201 kilometres<br />
NUNAVUT<br />
SASKATCHEWAN<br />
EXPLORER HOTEL, YELLOWKNIFE<br />
Modern and recently renovated, the Explorer<br />
Hotel has been a prominent local landmark for<br />
over 30 years, within easy strolling distance of<br />
Back Bay and Old Town. With 187 rooms this is<br />
the largest hotel in the Northwest Territories and<br />
has enjoyed a celebrated past: in the 1970s it<br />
was home to the Legislative Assembly of the<br />
Northwest Territories and has played host to such<br />
prominent guests as Her Majesty the Queen and<br />
Prince Phillip. There is an excellent grill and lounge<br />
offering a variety of local and contemporary cuisine.<br />
Explorer Hotel<br />
BLACHFORD LAKE LODGE,<br />
BLACHFORD LAKE<br />
Located near the Great Slave Lake, the lodge is<br />
reached by an exhilarating twenty minute bush<br />
plane flight from Yellowknife. The main lodge<br />
offers comfortable rooms with en suite bathrooms,<br />
lounge with telescope, library, and a dining room<br />
where sumptuous meals are served. The clean air<br />
and peace of the wilderness are conducive to<br />
adventure: in the summer activities include fishing,<br />
hiking, canoeing, kayaking and mountain biking,<br />
while the deep snows of winter bring dog-sledding,<br />
ice-fishing, tobogganing on seal skins and skating.<br />
Blachford’s native Dene cultural experience<br />
continues year round, with traditional hand games,<br />
drumming, and the story of the Dogrib people.<br />
Blachford Lake Lodge<br />
The Northwest Territories: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
Yellowknife<br />
91
Virginia Falls, Nahanni National Park<br />
92<br />
Nahanni National Park<br />
With gorges deeper than the Grand Canyon and<br />
waterfalls twice the height of Niagara, the vast<br />
Nahanni National Park is one of the finest national<br />
parks in North America and one of the world’s<br />
most rugged wilderness areas. The ultimate thrill<br />
for canoeists is to ride the untamed South<br />
Nahanni River as it rushes between the towering<br />
peaks of the Mackenzie Mountains, but even the<br />
bravest wouldn’t attempt to canoe the stunning<br />
Virginia Falls, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.<br />
There are no roads in this spectacular park so<br />
sightseeing is generally by float-plane, a thrilling<br />
way to explore this remote, and otherwise largely<br />
inaccessible, wilderness.<br />
Little Doc Lake, Nahanni National Park<br />
Nahanni by Float-plane<br />
This exciting Cessna 206 float-plane trip leaves<br />
Fort Simpson and flies into the heart of Nahanni<br />
National Park. The aircraft, seating a maximum<br />
of four passengers, takes you through the first,<br />
second and third canyons of the South Nahanni<br />
River to land at the top of Virginia Falls, as your<br />
pilot shares the legends associated with Deadmen<br />
Valley, Headless Range, Funeral Range, Death<br />
Lake and Crash Lake. At Virginia Falls you can<br />
walk along the top of the falls to a perfect photo<br />
location or follow the trail to the bottom of the<br />
falls to experience the force of this natural<br />
wonder. On the return trip you fly over the<br />
Nahanni Plateau and Ram River canyons to make<br />
a short stop at Little Doctor Lake and Nahanni<br />
Mountain Lodge, with the chance to relax on the<br />
sand beach, swim in the lake or photograph the<br />
scenery, birds and wildlife.<br />
BANNOCKLAND B&B,<br />
FORT SIMPSON<br />
Susan and Glen Sibbeston run their charming bed<br />
and breakfast with a great degree of professionalism<br />
and extend a warm welcome to all their guests.<br />
Light, modern and scrupulously clean, the property<br />
has five guest bedrooms with private bathrooms<br />
and a Great Room which has delightful views over<br />
the confluence of the rivers. The town of Fort<br />
Simpson is just five minutes drive away.<br />
Bannockland B&B<br />
Fort Simpson<br />
Located in the southwest corner of the territory,<br />
Fort Simpson lies at the confluence of two great<br />
rivers, the Mackenzie and the Liard. An important<br />
gathering place for centuries, the Dene Nation<br />
calls the region ‘Liidli Kue’, meaning ‘the place<br />
where the rivers come together’. The town was<br />
established in 1803 as a fur trading post called<br />
‘Fort of the Forks’, when it became a significant<br />
transport hub for river traffic, and even now it<br />
is an ideal base for exploring nearby Nahanni<br />
National Park. Historic McPherson House and<br />
the cabin of eccentric trapper Albert Faille are<br />
also worth a visit.
The Great<br />
Northern Adventure<br />
Combine some of the Northwest Territories’<br />
most spectacular wilderness sights on this<br />
northern adventure.<br />
Day 1<br />
Arrive in Yellowknife with the<br />
remainder of the day free to enjoy<br />
the town.<br />
Your route today takes you south<br />
to the small town of Hay River on<br />
the southern shore of the Great<br />
Slave Lake.<br />
Local transport<br />
The Ram Plateau, Nahanni National Park<br />
Day 2<br />
Day 3<br />
Continue your drive to Fort Smith<br />
for a three night stay. This former<br />
territorial capital is famous for being<br />
home to the most northern colony<br />
of pelicans in the world.<br />
Day 4<br />
Spend a full day exploring Wood<br />
Buffalo National Park, the home<br />
of the last great free-roaming<br />
buffalo herds.<br />
Day 5<br />
Enjoy a further full day in Wood<br />
Buffalo National Park, a World<br />
Heritage Site, and home to the<br />
rare whooping cranes.<br />
Day 6<br />
Depart Fort Smith and return to<br />
Hay River for an overnight stay.<br />
Day 7<br />
Your route takes you north back<br />
to Yellowknife where your tour<br />
ends upon arrival.<br />
Salt plains, Wood Buffalo National Park<br />
Wood Buffalo National Park<br />
Wood Buffalo, covering almost 45,000 square<br />
kilometres, is the largest national park in Canada<br />
and continues across the border into Alberta.<br />
The park was established in 1922 to protect the<br />
world’s largest free-roaming herd of bison whose<br />
population had dramatically decreased from an<br />
estimated 40 million in 1830 to just over 1,000<br />
in 1900. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site,<br />
the park continues the long-standing tradition of<br />
native subsistence use by people who continue<br />
to live, hunt, trap and fish within its boundaries.<br />
The park’s diverse ecosystems support and<br />
protect many unique natural resources, including<br />
rare species like the whooping crane and other<br />
summer visitors such as bald eagles and peregrine<br />
falcons. This is a land of boreal forest, swamps,<br />
salt plains, streams and rivers: ideal habitats for<br />
moose, caribou, bears, lynx and wolves.<br />
MV NORWETA<br />
The MV Norweta is a one-of-a-kind cruise ship that<br />
sails from Hay River, on the south shore of the Great<br />
Slave Lake, to Inuvik at the northern end of the<br />
Mackenzie River: a distance of more than 1600<br />
kilometres. This relaxing voyage encapsulates the<br />
beauty and remoteness of the Deh Cho, or Big<br />
River, visiting local Dene communities and joining in<br />
with their cultural events. Back on board a family<br />
atmosphere soon develops as guests, captain and crew<br />
dine together and plan each day. Shore excursions<br />
provide daily opportunities to make landfall on beaches<br />
where few have gone before to explore the history,<br />
archaeology, flora and fauna of this largely untouched<br />
region. As with many marine adventures, sleeping<br />
accommodation in the ten cabins is compact, but the<br />
ship has a large lounge, sundeck, and dining room.<br />
A combination of the scenic beauty of the north and<br />
an abundance of native culture and hospitality will<br />
ensure this is an adventure that will never be forgotten.<br />
EXTENSIONS<br />
It is highly recommended that you extend this trip<br />
to include a stay in Fort Simpson to discover the<br />
awe-inspiring beauty of Nahanni National Park.<br />
The highlights of the park are best seen on a light<br />
aircraft flight – please see the Nahanni by Float-plane<br />
details on page 92 for further information.<br />
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL<br />
Our private tailor-made journeys offer<br />
complete freedom of choice. The itineraries and<br />
accommodation shown are designed to give you a<br />
flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit<br />
your preferences. Prices vary according to selected<br />
accommodation and season, please telephone us<br />
to discuss your individual requirements.<br />
Bison in Wood Buffalo National Park<br />
The Northwest Territories: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
Welcome to the Arctic Circle<br />
MV Norweta<br />
93
The Yukon<br />
The Yukon is a magical land which<br />
captivates and charms every sense.<br />
Predominantly mountain wilderness, the<br />
grandeur of the landscape defies description:<br />
Kluane National Park is home to the highest<br />
mountains in Canada, while the historic<br />
Chilkoot Trail wends its way from Skagway<br />
through seemingly impenetrable mountains to<br />
reach the iridescent blue lakes of the interior.<br />
The unsealed Dempster Highway is the only<br />
road in Canada to cross the Arctic Circle as it<br />
heads towards Inuvik and the Beaufort Sea.<br />
In this wild, unspoilt frontier, history seems<br />
almost tangible with constant reminders of<br />
the Klondike gold rush. The earthen streets<br />
and wooden buildings of Dawson City evoke<br />
memories of many colourful characters and<br />
their eccentric traditions live on, with many of<br />
today’s residents still earning their inclusion in<br />
the ‘colourful 5%’. The land immortalised in<br />
the poetry of Robert Service and Jack London<br />
retains its wild appeal: even now you can<br />
pan a few specks of gold from Yukon rivers.<br />
The capital, Whitehorse, is a busy small town<br />
but elsewhere the population is hugely<br />
outnumbered by the wildlife. From late<br />
August onwards the Aurora Borealis is<br />
visible even from as far south as Whitehorse,<br />
casting its magical spell over Yukon’s<br />
natural wonders.<br />
94
Beaufort Sea<br />
0 90 miles<br />
0 145 kilometres<br />
SS Klondike, Whitehorse<br />
ALASKA<br />
Old Crow<br />
Whitehorse<br />
A R C T I C C I R C L E<br />
Named after the rapids on the Yukon River that<br />
reminded gold prospectors of the ‘flowing manes<br />
of albino Appaloosas’, Whitehorse was built by<br />
prospectors who flooded into the region at the<br />
height of the Klondike gold rush. This is where<br />
they set up camp after surviving the arduous<br />
Chilkoot Trail from Skagway and before<br />
negotiating the perilous waters of the Yukon<br />
River and Miles Canyon that still blocked their<br />
route to the goldfields. Today Whitehorse is an<br />
easier place to reach and, with 23,000 inhabitants,<br />
is by far the largest town in the Yukon. Urban<br />
highlights include tours of the SS Klondike, one<br />
of only two surviving paddle steamers, Old Log<br />
Church Museum, the MacBride Museum and the<br />
Yukon Brewing Company. The area’s mineral<br />
wealth might be exhausted, but the surrounding<br />
mountain wilderness, speckled with tranquil lakes,<br />
is beautiful and wholly unspoiled: it will make you<br />
want to put on your boots and explore.<br />
Beaver<br />
Creek<br />
St Elias<br />
Mountains<br />
Dempster<br />
Highway<br />
Dawson City<br />
Yukon River<br />
Tincup<br />
Lake<br />
Haines<br />
Junction<br />
Kluane<br />
National<br />
Park<br />
Mayo<br />
Keno<br />
YUKON<br />
WHITEHORSE<br />
Skagway<br />
Marsh Lake<br />
Carcross<br />
Ross River<br />
BRITISH COLUMBIA<br />
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES<br />
Watson Lake<br />
HIGH COUNTRY INN, WHITEHORSE<br />
One of Whitehorse’s greatest attractions is its<br />
historic waterfront and nearby you’ll find the<br />
High Country Inn. Offering the easiest access of<br />
any hotel in town, it is locally owned and extends<br />
a warm and friendly welcome. The rustic décor<br />
of the Yukon Mining Company Saloon creates a<br />
warm ambience where you can try northern<br />
cuisine and even pan for gold. With a 13 metre<br />
high wooden mountie guarding the entrance<br />
there is an air of eccentricity. Outside, the largest<br />
heated deck in town is the perfect spot to enjoy<br />
a locally-produced beer with the residents, or<br />
watch, on long summer evenings from late<br />
August onwards, as the Northern Lights play<br />
across the sky.<br />
Sunset canoeing<br />
Yukon fishing<br />
INN ON THE LAKE, MARSH LAKE<br />
Reached by a scenic 40 minute drive south of<br />
Whitehorse, the Inn on the Lake has been<br />
beautifully constructed from logs to provide 16<br />
comfortably furnished rooms and suites. The inn<br />
enjoys a magnificent location overlooking Marsh<br />
Lake in the heart of pristine countryside, at its<br />
best when seen from the spacious deck. Many<br />
guests come here from late August onwards to<br />
see the Aurora Borealis. The library and great<br />
room are perfect places to relax whilst the inn<br />
also boasts solariums, a hot tub, sauna and a<br />
well-appointed fitness centre. The inn’s sister<br />
property, the eight bedroom Inn on the River,<br />
is a delightful alternative.<br />
TINCUP WILDERNESS LODGE,<br />
ST ELIAS MOUNTAINS<br />
Tincup Wilderness Lodge is a luxury fly-in lodge<br />
nestled at the foot of Yukon’s St. Elias Mountains,<br />
home to some of the tallest peaks and most<br />
breathtaking glaciers in North America. This<br />
dramatic landscape offers guests a huge variety of<br />
activities such as exceptional fishing, especially for<br />
lake trout and arctic grayling, guided hikes, canoeing<br />
and kayaking. Each guest cabin has a wood-burning<br />
stove, private bathroom and a covered veranda<br />
with views over the crystal blue waters of Tincup<br />
Lake. José, your hostess, is also a renowned chef so<br />
meals here are a perpetual delight and can be<br />
followed by a sauna or a soak in the hot tub, with<br />
the chance to listen to the tales of old recounted<br />
by a local First Nations storyteller.<br />
Inn on the Lake<br />
The Yukon: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
95
96<br />
Dawson City<br />
Dawson City<br />
Few places in Canada evoke such a strong sense<br />
of history as Dawson City, now registered as a<br />
National Historic Site. For a few short years from<br />
1896 Dawson City had the richest gold mine of<br />
all time, and was at the heart of the Klondike gold<br />
rush. Nearly 100,000 people struggled across<br />
almost impenetrable mountains and huge tracts<br />
of wilderness to seek their fortunes. Today the<br />
town’s wooden boardwalks, historic saloons, falsefronted<br />
wooden houses and rutted dirt streets<br />
retain that frontier atmosphere. The ghosts of<br />
legendary characters such as Skookum Jim, Tagish<br />
Charley and Soapy Smith echo throughout the<br />
poetry of Robert Service and Jack London and can<br />
still be felt in this perfectly-preserved time-warp<br />
gem. There are many places to visit here, including<br />
the Palace Grand Theatre, Diamond Tooth<br />
Silver Creek<br />
Gertie’s Gambling House, the Robert Service and<br />
Jack London cabins and the Dawson City Museum.<br />
Nearby are the famous goldfields of Bonanza<br />
Creek and the Klondike River where it is<br />
possible to tour Dredge No. 4 or try panning<br />
for gold yourself.<br />
BOMBAY PEGGY’S, DAWSON CITY<br />
Still bearing the name of its former madame, this<br />
recently restored gold rush-era brothel has an<br />
intriguing history, having also served as a mining<br />
company’s headquarters, a family home, boarding<br />
house and an art gallery. Now an historic inn and<br />
pub, Bombay Peggy’s has nine uniquely and<br />
exuberantly decorated rooms, furnished with<br />
antiques and many with claw-foot baths. With its<br />
colourful past it is hard to imagine a better place<br />
to appreciate the living history of the Klondike’s<br />
gold rush years.<br />
No. 4 Gold Dredge<br />
Ten miles from Dawson City, No. 4 Dredge is the<br />
biggest wooden-hull, bucket-line gold dredge in<br />
North America, resting on Claim No. 17BD on one<br />
of the Klondike’s richest gold rivers, Bonanza Creek.<br />
Constructed in 1912 and used right up until 1966,<br />
this extraordinary piece of industrial history would<br />
dig up as much as 25kg of gold per day. A visit here<br />
provides a fascinating insight into the sheer scale of<br />
gold mining in the Klondike’s heyday.<br />
Palace Grand Theatre, Dawson City<br />
Kluane National Park<br />
Established in 1972, this gem of a park covers<br />
21,980 square kilometres in the southwest corner<br />
of the Yukon. It is a land of precipitous<br />
mountains, the world’s largest non-polar icefields<br />
and lush valleys where Dall’s sheep, grizzly bears,<br />
moose, lynx, wolves, and wolverines thrive, under<br />
a sky filled with golden and bald eagles, Arctic<br />
terns and peregrine falcons. The park is home to<br />
Mount Logan (5959m), Canada’s highest peak,<br />
and glaciers more than one and a half kilometres<br />
deep. The icefields are largely inaccessible but the<br />
green valleys offer a variety of walking trails for<br />
experienced hikers. Stunning Kluane Lake is much<br />
more accessible, lying along the edge of the<br />
Alaska Highway just outside the park, and is<br />
framed by snow-capped mountains whose<br />
glaciers feed its ice-blue waters.
Yukon Gems<br />
This tour packs in all the highlights of the Yukon<br />
but also includes visits to the delightful small<br />
settlements of Mayo and Keno to offer a true<br />
flavour of the territory’s distinctive character.<br />
Day 1<br />
Arrive in Whitehorse and spend<br />
the day exploring Yukon’s capital.<br />
Drive north along the Klondike<br />
Highway to Mayo, passing through<br />
the tiny settlements of Minto and<br />
Pelly Crossing en route.<br />
Day 2<br />
Day 3<br />
Explore the fascinating small former<br />
mining towns of Mayo and Keno<br />
before continuing your journey<br />
north to Dawson City.<br />
Glacier in Kluane National Park<br />
Diamond Tooth Gerties Girls<br />
Day 4<br />
Spend a whole day exploring the<br />
historic town of Dawson City.<br />
Day 5<br />
Drive over the lovely Top of the<br />
World Highway into Alaska. From<br />
Tok travel back into Canada for a<br />
stay at Beaver Creek.<br />
Day 6<br />
Pass Kluane National Park en route<br />
to Haines Junction.<br />
Day 7<br />
A full day at leisure to experience all<br />
that Kluane National Park has to offer.<br />
Day 8<br />
Head south to the small scenic<br />
settlement of Haines in Alaska.<br />
Lake Laberge Lodge<br />
The Dempster Highway<br />
Begun in 1959 to service the northern oilfields,<br />
the Dempster Highway is the only road in Canada<br />
to cross the Arctic Circle. Un-sealed, it leads<br />
from Dawson City to Inuvik in the Northwest<br />
Territories, cutting through an ever-changing<br />
landscape of superb mountain scenery and across<br />
miles of tundra, flecked with flowers in season.<br />
There’s only one place on the road to break the<br />
741 kilometre journey, and that’s at Eagle Plains,<br />
accentuating the experience of driving through an<br />
unparalleled wilderness of unprecedented scale.<br />
Stay two nights in the small town of Inuvik for<br />
the chance to take a light aircraft flight further on<br />
to the remote Inuit community of Tuktoyaktuk<br />
on the Beaufort Sea.<br />
The Shakat, Great River Journey<br />
GREAT RIVER JOURNEY<br />
The Great River Journey is a unique voyage of<br />
discovery, offering an insight into the era of the<br />
Klondike gold rush and paddle steamers, unfolding<br />
over eight days and 600 kilometres on a journey<br />
north along the Yukon River. <strong>Travel</strong>ling from<br />
Whitehorse to Dawson City this wilderness<br />
adventure passes through the traditional lands of<br />
four First Nations tribal groups, whose guides will<br />
give you unparalleled access to cultural activities,<br />
sites and people. The group size is limited to a<br />
maximum of ten passengers, allowing you to<br />
make the most of any special interests such as<br />
wildlife viewing, bird watching, hiking, canoeing<br />
and interpretive programmes this cruise allows.<br />
<strong>Travel</strong> is by river boat with a pilot and an<br />
experienced guide and frequent landings are<br />
made to explore the wilderness and historic sites.<br />
Accommodation is in stylish and comfortable<br />
lodges with two-night stays at both Lake Laberge<br />
and Homestead Lodge, and a one night stay at<br />
Wilderness Outpost. Highlights include a thrilling<br />
float-plane flight to explore the historic settlement<br />
of Fort Selkirk, a visit to see the abandoned<br />
steamships at Hootalinqua and a two-night stay<br />
in historic Dawson City at the end of the trip.<br />
Day 9<br />
Day 10<br />
Day 11<br />
Day 12<br />
Day 13<br />
Day 14<br />
Explore the small town of Haines<br />
set between the Chilkoot and<br />
Chilkat mountains.<br />
Board the Alaska Marine Highway<br />
Service ferry to Skagway.<br />
Drive north through stunning<br />
mountain passes to Inn on the Lake<br />
in Yukon’s lakes district.<br />
Spend a full day relaxing at Inn on<br />
the Lake.<br />
Today it is a short drive back to<br />
Whitehorse where there is plenty of<br />
time to browse the shops or enjoy<br />
some of the many sights.<br />
Return your hire car in Whitehorse<br />
at the end of your tour.<br />
EXTENSIONS<br />
You may wish to extend your stay with an<br />
adventurous drive along the Dempster Highway<br />
to Inuvik in the Northwest Territories. You need<br />
to allow at least four additional nights to include<br />
this, departing from, and returning to, Dawson<br />
City. For further suggestions about travelling<br />
around the Northwest Territories, please see<br />
pages 90 to 93.<br />
The Yukon: Canada<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
An abandoned steamship at Hootalinqua<br />
97
Alaska<br />
Alaska is a land of innumerable glaciers,<br />
raging rivers, towering mountains,<br />
dense forests, endless tundra, countless islands<br />
and great tracts of Arctic coast. But it is so<br />
much more than this. It is a land of summer<br />
festivals, diverse cultural influences and<br />
fascinating history and architecture.<br />
Where else will you find Russian Orthodox<br />
churches rubbing shoulders with brightlycoloured<br />
Norwegian houses and 19th century<br />
gold rush towns The USA’s largest state,<br />
it has a population of 627,000, greatly<br />
outnumbered by the caribou. Between May<br />
and September, visitors can join Alaskans in<br />
Petersburg’s ‘Little Norway Festival’ or<br />
Kodiak Island’s ‘Crab Festival’ or even the<br />
‘Nalukataq Festival’ on Barrow’s Arctic shores.<br />
Alaska offers some of the best bear watching in<br />
the world, while whale watching and fishing<br />
are often without peer. The road system<br />
seamlessly links to Canada’s Yukon and lends<br />
itself to wonderful circular drives through<br />
awe-inspiring scenery. Many remote towns,<br />
villages and islands can often only be reached<br />
by ferry or cruise ship, giving them a mystique<br />
all of their own. The sheer scale of the<br />
landscape is rarely equalled anywhere in the<br />
world, but it is the friendliness of the Alaskans<br />
that makes a visit here a truly never to be<br />
forgotten experience.<br />
98
St Lawrence<br />
Island<br />
Nunivak<br />
Island<br />
St Paul Island<br />
Pribilof<br />
Islands<br />
Bering Sea<br />
Dutch<br />
Harbour<br />
Little<br />
Diomede<br />
Aleutian Islands<br />
Chukchi<br />
Sea<br />
A R C T I C C<br />
Teller<br />
Nome<br />
I R C L E<br />
Taylor<br />
Council<br />
ALASKA<br />
Dillingham<br />
King<br />
Salmon<br />
Katmai<br />
National Park<br />
& Preserve<br />
Beaufort Sea<br />
Kantishna<br />
Talkeetna<br />
Anchorage<br />
Kenai<br />
Homer<br />
Hallo<br />
Bay<br />
Kodiak<br />
Barrow<br />
Anaktuvuk<br />
Pass<br />
Denali National<br />
Park & Preserve<br />
Kodiak Island<br />
Prudhoe Bay<br />
Fairbanks<br />
Tok<br />
Glenallen<br />
Whittier<br />
Valdez McCarthy<br />
Seward<br />
Kenai<br />
Fjords<br />
National<br />
Park<br />
Prince<br />
William<br />
Sound<br />
Gulf of<br />
Alaska<br />
Pacific Ocean<br />
YUKON<br />
Chicken<br />
Wrangell St Elias<br />
National Park<br />
& Preserve<br />
Glacier Bay<br />
National Park<br />
& Preserve<br />
Haines<br />
Sitka<br />
Whitehorse<br />
Skagway<br />
JUNEAU<br />
Admiralty<br />
Island<br />
Ketchikan<br />
Petersburg<br />
Wrangell<br />
Misty Fjords<br />
National<br />
Monument<br />
Panning for gold<br />
0 180 miles<br />
0 290 kilometres<br />
<strong>Audley</strong> in Alaska<br />
The majority of visitors to Alaska will see it from<br />
the decks of one of the huge cruise ships that<br />
head up its western coast. We prefer a more<br />
intimate view of this state and have researched<br />
a host of accommodation options and<br />
experiences that enable you to explore this<br />
remarkable northern state in detail. Due to the<br />
remoteness and limited size of most communities,<br />
accommodation choices can be limited. However<br />
we have researched some delightful lodges, bed<br />
and breakfast properties and wilderness retreats<br />
to ensure you have a never to be forgotten trip.<br />
<strong>Travel</strong> here lends itself to a variety of modes of<br />
transport. Whilst driving is a delight, travelling by<br />
train, light aircraft, ferry and cruise ship is a<br />
pleasure amidst such inspiring scenery.<br />
Climate<br />
Alaska has an extremely variable climate with<br />
weather famous for its unpredictability. The<br />
favoured time to travel is from June to September<br />
when the state enjoys long periods of daylight<br />
and often surprisingly warm temperatures.<br />
However, May and late September are also<br />
months to consider visiting as there are fewer<br />
visitors and costs are lower. Rain can fall heavily<br />
in coastal regions during summer months so<br />
waterproofs are always a good idea.<br />
Accommodation<br />
With such a short summer season and so many<br />
small communities, early reservations are highly<br />
recommended. The state offers a variety of<br />
hotels, motels, character bed and breakfasts and<br />
delightful lodges often set amidst the most<br />
stunning scenery. Our Alaska specialists have<br />
visited a huge range of properties to find those<br />
that best match your preferences and budget.<br />
Sockeye salmon<br />
Alaska’s Russian heritage<br />
Wildlife<br />
With a relatively small human population<br />
concentrated in a handful of cities, Alaska is one<br />
of the few places in the USA where entire<br />
ecosystems are still intact and ancient migratory<br />
routes uninterrupted. This is a state that abounds<br />
with wildlife – more caribou live here than people,<br />
pods of humpback whales spend summers in<br />
Alaska’s icy straits and in August the rivers are<br />
choked with millions of spawning salmon. The state<br />
is home to more than 40,000 grizzlies and has<br />
some of the best bear viewing anywhere in the<br />
world. Moose, mountain goats, Dall sheep, wolves<br />
and bald eagles are also frequently seen so do<br />
keep your camera and binoculars close to hand.<br />
Aleut people<br />
Alaska<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
99
Grizzly bears catching salmon at Brooks Falls<br />
Anchorage<br />
Situated on the shores of Cook Inlet with a<br />
panoramic backdrop of the Chugach Mountains,<br />
Anchorage is the largest city in Alaska and home to<br />
approximately 260,000 people - nearly half the state’s<br />
population. There are some excellent museums, such<br />
as the Anchorage Museum of History and Art, the<br />
Alaska Heritage Museum and the Alaska Native<br />
Heritage Centre. Thanks in part to the oil industry<br />
the city has the broadest variety of entertainment,<br />
restaurants and shops in Alaska but between the<br />
salmon-rich waters of Cook Inlet and the mighty<br />
peaks of the Chugach Mountains its apparent<br />
sophistication is paper-thin. Here you can often see<br />
moose grazing on suburban flower gardens - this is<br />
truly a city on the edge of the wilderness.<br />
THE CAPTAIN COOK HOTEL,<br />
ANCHORAGE<br />
The Captain Cook Hotel is one of Anchorage’s<br />
most luxurious properties and is situated in the<br />
bustling heart of the city. This award-winning<br />
hotel has a total of 547 rooms and suites, many<br />
with a view of either the Chugach Mountains or<br />
Cook Inlet. The Crow’s Nest restaurant is one of<br />
the finest restaurants in the city and the hotel also<br />
offers an English pub, an Italian restaurant and a<br />
coffee shop. Downstairs there is a collection of<br />
pictures charting the life of Captain Cook who<br />
explored Alaska’s coastline in 1778.<br />
THE HISTORIC ANCHORAGE<br />
HOTEL, ANCHORAGE<br />
Situated in the heart of downtown Anchorage,<br />
this hotel was built in 1916 when the city was<br />
in its infancy: now it is listed on the National<br />
Register of Historic Places and is the most<br />
atmospheric of the city’s hotels. For many years<br />
the hotel was the only place in town you could<br />
be served a meal on china with linen and silver:<br />
it has always served as Anchorage’s primary<br />
meeting and gathering place. Today the hotel has<br />
26 comfortable rooms and suites. A gift shop, bar<br />
and restaurant are situated just a few steps away<br />
across the street.<br />
Chugach Mountains & Knik<br />
Glacier Float-plane Trip<br />
Discover the Chugach Mountain range and its<br />
secluded valleys on this sensational float-plane<br />
trip. Soar over Captain Cook’s Turnagain Arm<br />
in search of beluga whales and get a new<br />
perspective of the bustling metropolis of<br />
Anchorage in its setting between mountains and<br />
water whilst being given a full commentary by<br />
your experienced pilot. The flight will take you<br />
over the expansive Knik Glacier, rimmed with<br />
magnificent hanging glaciers, where you can sense<br />
the motion of the ice and see how it has shaped<br />
the land whilst scanning the ground for mountain<br />
goats and moose.<br />
Kenai Peninsula<br />
The huge Kenai Peninsula, stretches out into the<br />
sea immediately south of Anchorage. Small by<br />
Alaska standards, it encompasses a taste of all<br />
the state has to offer including whale watching,<br />
outstanding fishing, tidewater glaciers and<br />
character small towns. Homer is a bustling<br />
community known for its halibut fishing and the<br />
stunning views from the ‘spit’ that juts into<br />
Kachemak Bay. Girdwood, set on Turnagain Arm,<br />
is famed for its tidal bore and its proximity to the<br />
Portage Glacier whilst Soldotna is renowned for<br />
its king salmon fishing. Nearby Kenai has a tangible<br />
sense of history exemplified by its Russian<br />
Orthodox church. Other highlights include the<br />
lovely town of Seldovia, just a short ferry trip away<br />
from Homer and Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.<br />
LANDS END RESORT, HOMER<br />
With a spectacular beachfront location at the<br />
tip of the Homer Spit, the Lands End Resort is<br />
situated over six kilometres out into the middle<br />
of Kachemak Bay, with 180 degree views of the<br />
Kenai Mountains and its glaciers. Many of the 108<br />
rooms have a private deck where you can enjoy a<br />
glass of wine and look out for otters, seals, whales<br />
and eagles. After a day of sightseeing you can<br />
relax in the health and fitness spa with its outdoor<br />
hot tub overlooking the bay, or enjoy dinner at<br />
the Chart Room restaurant.<br />
100
Landing the catch<br />
Katmai National Park<br />
Crow Creek Mine, Girdwood<br />
Halibut Fishing<br />
No visit to Homer is complete without trying<br />
your hand at halibut fishing and the fish in these<br />
waters are often enormous and make for hugely<br />
exciting sport. Your guides are very experienced<br />
to ensure you have a safe and comfortable day<br />
on the water while they teach you the techniques<br />
of bottom fishing, baiting your hooks and landing<br />
your fish. The average halibut brought in to<br />
Homer weighs around 28 pounds. Along with<br />
great fishing and beautiful scenery you are likely to<br />
spot seals, sea otters, sealions, puffins and whales.<br />
Katmai National Park<br />
In June 1912 a violent eruption of the Novarupta<br />
Volcano turned a huge track of wilderness into a<br />
landscape of ash-covered mountains, smoking valleys<br />
and thousands of steam vents. The valley floor<br />
became known as the Valley of 10,000 Smokes and<br />
subsequently became the national monument now<br />
known as Katmai National Park and Preserve. This<br />
remote wilderness has a deserved reputation for<br />
its truly spectacular mountain scenery and for the<br />
richness and diversity of its wildlife. Katmai has the<br />
world’s largest population - more than 2,000 - of<br />
protected grizzly bears. At Brooks Falls they<br />
congregate at the rivers edge to fish for salmon<br />
while at Hallo Bay they are frequently seen feeding<br />
on sedges along the shoreline.<br />
The Bears of Hallo Bay,<br />
Katmai National Park<br />
Grizzly bear viewing in Alaska is renowned, but<br />
Hallo Bay offers a wonderful opportunity to get<br />
close to these magnificent creatures at any time<br />
of the summer season. Reached by a thrilling light<br />
aircraft flight from Homer, Hallo Bay is located on<br />
the wild, remote and volcanic Pacific coast of the<br />
Alaska Peninsula. There are no roads within nearly<br />
500 kilometres of Hallo Bay which is surrounded<br />
by nearly 17,000 square kilometres of the pristine<br />
wilderness of Katmai National Park. The beaches<br />
here are stunning but it is the superb coastal bear<br />
viewing for which the area is renowned. Hallo Bay<br />
offers a diversity of food habitats and has one of<br />
the highest concentrations of bears in Alaska.<br />
From May to early July they are engaged in<br />
complex and fascinating mating behaviour, digging<br />
clams in the inter-tidal areas and grazing on the<br />
coastal sedges. In mid-July the first of the salmon<br />
arrive, providing a feast and a change in diet. Bear<br />
viewing takes place on foot in groups of four or<br />
five guests, with experienced naturalist guides<br />
making the experience highly personal and<br />
informative, as well as safe. Accommodation here<br />
is in simple weather-port tents but hot showers<br />
are available and plenty of hearty nutritious food<br />
is included. Guests should be reasonably fit and<br />
prepared for some wilderness walking to make<br />
the most of a stay in this exceptional place.<br />
Catch of the day in Seward<br />
The Bears of Brooks Falls,<br />
Katmai National Park<br />
Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park is world<br />
renowned for its large population of grizzly bears,<br />
attracted by the prolific numbers of salmon found in<br />
the Brooks River. Special platforms overlooking the<br />
river offer guests superb independent bear viewing<br />
and park rangers are on hand to answer questions<br />
and ensure your safety. Bears are typically seen from<br />
mid June until the end of the summer, apart from<br />
August when they forage for berries in the woods.<br />
They stand at the top of the falls to catch the<br />
leaping, spawning salmon whilst in September they<br />
gorge themselves on dead fish, fattening themselves<br />
up before winter hibernation. Accommodation here<br />
is basic but the wildlife sightings are superb.<br />
Salty Dawg Saloon in Homer<br />
Alaska<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
101
Stellar sealions<br />
Seward<br />
The coastal town of Seward is set on beautiful<br />
Resurrection Bay on the Kenai Peninsula and is<br />
named after the man who arranged for the<br />
purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867. This<br />
strategic spot is the southern terminus for the<br />
Alaska Railroad and is one of the state’s principal<br />
ports. Surrounded by abrupt snow-capped<br />
mountains, the town is the gateway to beautiful<br />
Kenai Fjords National Park and home to the vast<br />
Harding Icefield and a number of tidewater<br />
glaciers. The park is one of Alaska’s jewels, where<br />
abundant wildlife and sensational glacier scenery<br />
competes with whales, sea otters and seabirds.<br />
KIM’S FOREST B&B, SEWARD<br />
Kim’s Forest is a hidden jewel, offering a<br />
warm welcome to all who stay. Situated just<br />
11 kilometres north of Seward in a secluded<br />
wooded spot, this is the perfect place to base<br />
yourself, with countless hiking trails in the vicinity,<br />
Kenai Fjords National Park close by and easy<br />
access to whale watching trips, glacier tours and<br />
the chance to explore pristine Resurrection Bay.<br />
There are just six guest rooms, ensuring privacy<br />
and personal, friendly service. A delicious<br />
breakfast is served every morning with seasonal<br />
fruits and reindeer sausages just some of the<br />
items on the menu – the perfect way to start<br />
your day.<br />
KENAI FJORDS WILDERNESS LODGE,<br />
NEAR SEWARD<br />
In the deep U-shaped valley between two of<br />
Fox Island’s peaks, this remote wilderness lodge<br />
is set on the pebbled shores of Resurrection Bay.<br />
Reached by boat from Seward, this exclusive lodge<br />
offers accommodation in eight private seaside<br />
cabins where guests can listen to the ocean lapping<br />
on the beach and feel the breeze wafting down<br />
from the nearby peaks. An overnight stay is a<br />
wonderful way to experience the remote beauty<br />
of this special place. The main lodge has a wood<br />
burning stove, comfortable sofas and books to<br />
complement this peaceful retreat. Dinner includes<br />
delicious gourmet dishes prepared by the island<br />
chef. There is a resident naturalist, a natural<br />
history library, and sea kayaking is available.<br />
A nine hour guided boat trip of Kenai Fjords<br />
National Park is included.<br />
Prince William Sound<br />
The classic image of Alaska is of huge chunks of<br />
ice crashing into deep blue fjords, breathtaking<br />
coastlines and down to earth locals at one with<br />
their environment. Prince William Sound has all<br />
this and more with rain-forested mountains and<br />
an abundance of wildlife such as whales, sealions,<br />
harbour seals, Dall sheep, mountain goats and, of<br />
course, bears. There are three towns on Prince<br />
William Sound, all very different. Valdez has a<br />
remarkably picturesque setting amidst some of the<br />
world’s tallest mountains and is the terminal for<br />
the trans-Alaska oil pipeline. Cordova is a working<br />
fishing and canning port that remains somewhat<br />
off the beaten track, whilst the tiny port of<br />
Whittier is hemmed in by glaciated mountains<br />
with access through the recently-converted<br />
Whittier Tunnel.<br />
PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND CRUISE<br />
<strong>Travel</strong> deep into Prince William Sound to see<br />
dozens of alpine, piedmont and tidewater glaciers<br />
at close proximity. You can hear these towering<br />
masses of blue-veined ice creak and often crash<br />
as great chunks of ice calve into the icy waters<br />
below. During your cruise keep a look out for sea<br />
otters, seals, porpoises and sealions. Passengers<br />
may also see bears, mountain goats, bald eagles<br />
and thousands of kittiwakes.<br />
102<br />
Glacier cruise in Prince William Sound
Alaska Highlights<br />
For those with limited time, or wish to combine<br />
some time on the ground with an Alaska cruise,<br />
this is the perfect itinerary. Encapsulating some of<br />
Alaska’s grandest scenery and most spell-binding<br />
national parks, this is an ideal introduction to this<br />
northern state.<br />
Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge<br />
Fisherwoman<br />
Day 1<br />
Day 2<br />
Arrive in Anchorage at the start of<br />
your trip.<br />
Collect your hire car and drive north<br />
along the splendid George Parks<br />
Highway to Denali National Park.<br />
Enjoy a day to explore the wild<br />
delights of Denali National Park.<br />
Coach transfers to the park are<br />
included. After your tour, drive<br />
north to Fairbanks.<br />
Day 3<br />
Day 4<br />
Spend a full day exploring Fairbanks.<br />
Day 5<br />
Drive south along the spectacular<br />
Richardson Highway through the<br />
Chugach Mountains to Valdez.<br />
Day 6<br />
Enjoy a full day to explore Valdez.<br />
Day 7<br />
Take the ferry across beautiful Prince<br />
William Sound to Whittier and then<br />
continue your drive south to Seward.<br />
Old cannery<br />
THE INN AT WHITTIER<br />
At the mouth of the harbour in Whittier stands<br />
the timber-framed Inn at Whittier. At the centre<br />
of the four storey structure is a lighthouse tower<br />
boasting spectacular views of Prince William<br />
Sound and the surrounding mountains. The inn<br />
has 25 well-appointed guest rooms and suites, all<br />
with crisp bed linens and down comforters. The<br />
restaurant specialises in the freshest local seafood<br />
whilst the lounge is the perfect place to enjoy a<br />
drink overlooking the delightful harbour.<br />
ZACHAR BAY LODGE,<br />
KODIAK ISLAND<br />
After retiring in 1985, Marty and Linda Eaton<br />
wanted a retirement project so along with their<br />
son Andy, acquired a derelict cannery on the<br />
shores of Zachar Bay. Zachar Bay Lodge was<br />
born and 15 years on it continues to prosper.<br />
The lodge has a perfect setting within the Kodiak<br />
Island Wildlife Refuge and the 11 guest rooms set<br />
around the property reflect the personality and<br />
history of the bay. Meals are home-cooked and<br />
served buffet style in the dining room whilst all<br />
the activities here are guided and include hiking,<br />
wildlife observation and superb fishing. Powerful<br />
boats and float-planes reach remote beaches and<br />
into the wilderness. The lodge is particularly<br />
renowned for its sensational bear viewing,<br />
especially during the July salmon run.<br />
Day 8<br />
Day 9<br />
Whilst in Seward you may wish to<br />
discover the beauty of nearby Kenai<br />
Fjords National Park. Afterwards,<br />
drive north back to Anchorage.<br />
Your tour concludes this morning<br />
with the return of your hire car.<br />
Kodiak Island<br />
Lying in the Gulf of Alaska, Kodiak is the largest of<br />
the USA’s islands and is frequently called Alaska’s<br />
‘Emerald Isle’. Kodiak town was once the capital<br />
of Russian Alaska and this heritage lives on in the<br />
Baranof Museum, Erskine House and the Holy<br />
Resurrection Church. Fishing is the dominant<br />
industry on the island, leaving the mountainous<br />
interior largely untouched: two thirds is set aside<br />
as a wildlife refuge, home to as many as 3,000 of<br />
the largest grizzly bears in the world: weighing in<br />
at between 800 and 1,500 pounds they are<br />
known, respectfully, as Kodiak bears. The salmon<br />
here are so abundant that the bears only eat the<br />
most nutritious parts, the skin and the roe, and<br />
discard the rest. Other animals frequently found<br />
are Sitka black-tailed deer, mountain goats, foxes,<br />
elk, otters and bald eagles.<br />
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL<br />
Our private tailor-made journeys offer<br />
complete freedom of choice. The itineraries and<br />
accommodation shown are designed to give you a<br />
flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit<br />
your preferences. Prices vary according to selected<br />
accommodation and season, please telephone us<br />
to discuss your individual requirements.<br />
A Kodiak Island grizzly<br />
Alaska<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
Zachar Bay Lodge<br />
103
Mount McKinley, Denali National Park<br />
THE ALASKA RAILROAD<br />
In a remote corner of the Alaska wilderness you<br />
stand by a railway track as a small train appears.<br />
Waving a white flag, the engineer acknowledges<br />
you with the whistle and the train stops. You hop<br />
on board to join others from the bush, the<br />
fishermen, backpackers, a hunter with his quarry<br />
and locals whose homesteads can only be reached<br />
on this, one of America’s last flag-stop trains.<br />
Most overseas visitors opt for the Gold Star Service<br />
where you can relax in luxurious leather seats in<br />
glass-domed carriages while waiter-service leaves<br />
you free to take in the breathtaking scenery.<br />
Whichever way you choose to travel, the Alaska<br />
Railroad is a thrilling journey of adventure from<br />
Seward to Denali and Fairbanks that passes through<br />
some of the most spectacular scenery in Alaska.<br />
Talkeetna<br />
Talkeetna is a quintessential Alaskan gold mining<br />
town dating back to the early 20th century that has<br />
retained much of its character with dirt roads, log<br />
cabins and old clapboard shop-fronts. There is<br />
tremendous community spirit here and locals can<br />
often be seen playing fiddles or guitars and mixing<br />
with visitors and mountaineers who come to climb<br />
Mount McKinley in nearby Denali National Park.<br />
This is the perfect place to try fishing, glacier trekking<br />
or take a light aircraft flight around the mountain.<br />
TALKEETNA ALASKAN LODGE<br />
This charming lodge offers a warm and<br />
welcoming ambience. Consisting of several<br />
beautiful log buildings housing both the main<br />
lodge and the 201 guest rooms, the lodge has<br />
wonderful views of the Alaska Range and Mount<br />
McKinley. The main lodge has a spacious lobby<br />
with high cathedral ceilings and a beautiful stone<br />
fireplace and there is also a café, bar and an<br />
award-winning restaurant.<br />
Denali National Park<br />
Denali National Park’s almost two and a half million<br />
hectares have been carved out of the heartland of<br />
Alaska to create a wilderness area of epic scale.<br />
An entire ecosystem is preserved here providing<br />
unparalleled wildlife viewing: it’s common to see<br />
bears grazing on lake-front sedges, a herd of caribou<br />
disappearing into a deep valley or a lone wolf loping<br />
along a river bar. The highlight of the park is Mount<br />
McKinley, the ‘Great One’ that at 6,193 metres is<br />
the highest mountain in North America and<br />
dominates the park and the surrounding region.<br />
Access to the park is by shuttle bus along the 148<br />
kilometre Park Road whilst accommodation within<br />
the park is limited to campgrounds and several<br />
lodges around Kantishna. The Denali region also<br />
encompasses lowland boreal forest and alpine<br />
tundra, providing a perfect setting for a variety of<br />
activities including rafting, cycling and guided walking.<br />
KANTISHNA ROADHOUSE,<br />
DENALI NATIONAL PARK<br />
This full service lodge, owned and operated by<br />
native Alaskans, is deep in the heart of Denali<br />
National Park. The original house dating back to<br />
the early 20th century still stands, but the lodge<br />
itself is a more recent construction, built in<br />
traditional style but comfortable and proof against<br />
the elements. The main lodge contains the dining<br />
rooms, saloon, library and gift shop, whilst guest<br />
rooms are housed in two and four-roomed cabins<br />
in the grounds. These exude a rustic Alaskan charm<br />
with private bathrooms and showers, hand-crafted<br />
furniture and warm quilts. All meals and snacks are<br />
included during your stay along with daily guided<br />
and self-guided activities and hosted evening<br />
presentations about the area’s natural wonders.<br />
CAMP DENALI & NORTH FACE<br />
LODGE, DENALI NATIONAL PARK<br />
Camp Denali and North Face Lodge are the only<br />
two lodges that have views of Mount McKinley and<br />
the Alaska Range. Both are owned and managed<br />
by the Cole family and these lodges alone have<br />
permits to lead guided activities in the higher alpine<br />
valleys of the park past Wonder Lake. Resident<br />
naturalists assist guests to search for wildlife and<br />
wildflowers and conduct evening lectures about the<br />
park’s flora and fauna. Mountain bikes, canoes and<br />
fishing tackle are also available and both lodges<br />
have comprehensive libraries. The kitchens grow<br />
104
Alaska & Yukon Highlights<br />
Linking the highlights of Alaska with the best of<br />
neighbouring Yukon, this tour provides a detailed<br />
exploration of these scenic northern regions and<br />
their most magnificent national parks.<br />
Day 1<br />
Arrive in Anchorage for your stay<br />
in Alaska’s largest city.<br />
Collect your hire car and drive along<br />
the beautiful George Parks Highway<br />
to Denali National Park.<br />
A full day tour of Denali<br />
National Park.<br />
Drive north passing Nenana on<br />
a scenic drive to Fairbanks.<br />
Pass the settlements of North Pole<br />
and Richardson along the Alaska<br />
Highway to Tok.<br />
<strong>Travel</strong> along the Taylor Highway to<br />
the Canadian border. Once in the<br />
Yukon, drive along the spectacular<br />
Top of the World Highway to<br />
Dawson City.<br />
Day 2<br />
Day 3<br />
Camp Denali<br />
Day 4<br />
Day 5<br />
Day 6<br />
Day 7<br />
Spend a whole day exploring this<br />
historic gold mining town.<br />
Day 8<br />
Drive south along the Klondike<br />
Highway to Whitehorse.<br />
Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge<br />
Black wolf<br />
Day 9<br />
Leaving Whitehorse, travel to the<br />
old gold rush port of Skagway<br />
before taking the picturesque ferry<br />
crossing to Haines.<br />
their own fruit and vegetables and serve food made<br />
from the finest fresh ingredients. Camp Denali is<br />
Alaska’s original lodge and nature centre whose<br />
individual cabins have wood-burning stoves and<br />
Alaskan artwork, with a central shower block just a<br />
short walk away. Meanwhile, North Face Lodge is a<br />
rustic log cabin on a tundra meadow in the Moose<br />
Creek valley with 15 small but well appointed guest<br />
rooms, each with a private bathroom.<br />
McKinley Run Float Trip<br />
Incredible views of Mount McKinley form a backdrop<br />
to a leisurely float down the Nenana River. This two<br />
hour scenic rafting trip down the river gives the<br />
chance to see the wildlife that lives in and around<br />
the water and a knowledgeable river guide is on<br />
hand to point out the sights and share this very<br />
different perspective of a spectacular region.<br />
Fairbanks<br />
Alaska’s second largest city is cradled in the<br />
Tanana Valley, at the end of the Alaska Highway<br />
and some 300 kilometres south of the Arctic<br />
Circle. During the summer months Fairbanks<br />
enjoys as much as 21 hours of natural light and<br />
temperatures that rise as high as 40 degrees<br />
Celsius. Founded by a gold prospector in 1901,<br />
the town – like many others in Alaska – struggled<br />
until the construction of the trans-Alaska pipeline<br />
in the mid 1970s. Now this eclectic mix of log<br />
cabins, modern office buildings and a university<br />
campus is recognised as Alaska’s gateway to the<br />
Arctic. Several tours are available from Fairbanks,<br />
including trips to the Arctic Circle, Gold Dredge<br />
No. 8, the Botanical Gardens and the Large<br />
Animal Research Station.<br />
RIVER’S EDGE RESORT, FAIRBANKS<br />
Situated minutes from the airport and the<br />
highway, River’s Edge Resort is easy to reach but<br />
in a tranquil and scenic setting along the banks of<br />
the Chena River. Steve and Linda Franks are the<br />
owners: third generation Alaskans who offer a<br />
warm and friendly welcome and pride themselves<br />
on their local knowledge. There are 86 private<br />
cottages, some with river views, and a restaurant<br />
specialising in delicious Alaska fusion cuisine.<br />
Arctic Circle Native<br />
Adventure Trip<br />
This thrilling day trip starts with an early morning<br />
mini-coach journey beyond the Arctic Circle<br />
where you board a light aircraft flight to the<br />
native village of Anaktuvuk Pass: ‘the place of<br />
caribou droppings’. This village lies far to the<br />
north in the central Brooks Range and is the last<br />
remaining settlement of the Nunamiut and the<br />
inland northern Inupiat people. Here you learn<br />
about the culture and lifestyle of the local people<br />
before the return journey to Fairbanks.<br />
Day 10<br />
Day 11<br />
Day 12<br />
Day 13<br />
Day 14<br />
Day 15<br />
After spending a night in Haines,<br />
drive back into Canada to spend<br />
the night in the small village of<br />
Haines Junction.<br />
Pass spectacular Kluane National<br />
Park on the drive to Tok.<br />
Depart for the stunning drive<br />
through the Alaska Range and<br />
Chugach Mountains to Wasilla.<br />
Arrive in Seward on the Kenai<br />
Peninsula where there is time for a<br />
cruise in Kenai Fjords National Park.<br />
Return to Anchorage for your final<br />
night, with time for shopping and<br />
exploring the city.<br />
Drop off your hire car at the end<br />
of your tour.<br />
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL<br />
Our private tailor-made journeys offer<br />
complete freedom of choice. The itineraries and<br />
accommodation shown are designed to give you a<br />
flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit<br />
your preferences. Prices vary according to selected<br />
accommodation and season, please telephone us<br />
to discuss your individual requirements.<br />
Alaska<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
105
106<br />
Glaciers in Wrangell St. Elias National Park<br />
Wrangell St. Elias<br />
National Park<br />
Created in 1980 and extending to over five<br />
million hectares, Wrangell St. Elias is the largest<br />
national park in the USA and a place that defies<br />
superlatives. It encompasses several mountain<br />
ranges and boasts nine of the sixteen highest<br />
peaks in North America, including the second<br />
and third highest. Bordered by Canada’s Kluane<br />
National Park the two parks together make up<br />
over eight million hectares of canyons, valleys,<br />
towering mountains and ice-fields. The 204<br />
kilometre-long Bagley Icefield is the largest<br />
non-polar ice sheet in North America, whilst<br />
the Malaspina Glacier alone is larger than Rhode<br />
Island state. Wildlife here transcends all other<br />
Alaskan parks in its abundance and diversity, with<br />
healthy populations of moose, grizzly and black<br />
bears, Dall sheep, wolverines, mountain goats<br />
and three herds of caribou.<br />
McCarthy and Kennicott<br />
Reached by the unpaved 95 kilometre-long<br />
McCarthy Road, this historic former ghost town<br />
has one of America’s most spectacular settings.<br />
At its doorstep are rugged peaks and raging rivers<br />
fed by massive glaciers. This tiny town of old<br />
wooden cabins and restored boomtown era<br />
buildings is car-free and provides a fascinating<br />
glimpse into the past. McCarthy faces the<br />
Kennicott Glacier’s terminal moraine and the<br />
abandoned former copper mining town of the<br />
same name is not far away. In 1900 ‘Tarantula<br />
Jack’ Smith and Clarence Warner discovered one<br />
of the richest copper deposits ever found here.<br />
When it was exhausted in 1938 almost everything<br />
was left behind and today the mine makes a<br />
haunting ruin to wander around.<br />
Kennecott Mine<br />
MA JOHNSON’S HOTEL, MCCARTHY<br />
Built in 1923 by Pete and Ma Johnson as a<br />
boarding house, Ma Johnson’s was a modern<br />
hotel for its day with steam heat, electricity, and<br />
fresh eggs – all luxuries in any city at the time.<br />
McCarthy was a boom town and Ma Johnson<br />
was an integral part of the community. While<br />
the town was mostly abandoned from the early<br />
1940s to the early 1970s, there was always at<br />
least one person living in McCarthy. A full<br />
restoration of the property began in 2001 to<br />
create an authentic experience that is true to the<br />
town’s past. Each room is unique and decorated<br />
with interesting artefacts from the town as well<br />
as custom bathrobes, handmade soaps and spa<br />
slippers. Most of the friendly staff lives in<br />
McCarthy all year - something that is quite<br />
unusual in small Alaskan towns.<br />
ALASKA MARINE HIGHWAY FERRY<br />
Alaska’s state ferry system carries passengers<br />
and vehicles from Bellingham in Washington<br />
State to southeast Alaska, Prince William Sound,<br />
Kodiak Island, the Alaska Peninsula and the<br />
Aleutian Islands. The routes are mostly<br />
wonderfully scenic, giving a fascinating glimpse into<br />
many of Alaska’s small waterfront communities.<br />
Vessels have a restaurant, a glass-covered viewing<br />
area and passenger cabins.
Horse riding in the mountains<br />
Flying into Wrangell St. Elias National Park<br />
Gustavus Inn<br />
Ma Johnson’s Hotel<br />
Sitka<br />
Sitka, formerly New Archangel, is flanked by<br />
majestic snow-capped mountains and the Pacific<br />
Ocean. Dating back to 1700 it was once the<br />
capital of Russian America when it was chosen<br />
by the Russian trader and coloniser Alexander<br />
Baranof for his headquarters. Today this interesting<br />
city is a pleasant blend of Tlingit, Russian and<br />
American cultures. The Russian Orthodox<br />
Cathedral of St. Michael holds priceless icons and<br />
other religious treasures, and the nearby Russian<br />
Bishop’s House is a rare example of Russian<br />
colonial architecture. The Sitka National Historical<br />
Park has an excellent collection of totem poles as<br />
well as walking trails through old-growth coastal<br />
forest and a museum that tells of the battles<br />
between the Tlingits and Russians.<br />
Glacier Bay<br />
Glacier Bay National Park<br />
Encompassing more than one million hectares,<br />
Glacier Bay is 144 kilometres northwest of Juneau<br />
in a land comprising three distinct micro-climates<br />
and seven different ecosystems that support a wide<br />
variety of plant and animal life. From endangered<br />
humpback whales and Arctic peregrine falcons to<br />
mountain goats, seals, eagles and black and grizzly<br />
bears, the bay is home to a rich diversity of Alaska’s<br />
wildlife. Earthquakes and climatic fluctuations have<br />
caused the 16 tidewater glaciers to retreat in<br />
recent years and the park is perhaps most famous<br />
for prolific glacier calving. Visitors often hear a<br />
tremendous thundering as great walls of ice come<br />
crashing down into the bay, a magical and<br />
humbling sight.<br />
GLACIER BAY LODGE,<br />
GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK<br />
Nestled between the trees of Bartlett Cove,<br />
Glacier Bay Lodge offers the only accommodation<br />
within Glacier Bay National Park. The lodge basks<br />
in stunning views of the Fairweather Mountains<br />
and is the embarkation point for cruises of the<br />
bay. The guest rooms are dotted amongst the<br />
Sitka spruce trees of the Tongass National Forest,<br />
just a short walk from the main lodge. The lobby<br />
has a massive stone fireplace and lies next to the<br />
excellent Fairweather restaurant.<br />
INNS OF GUSTAVUS,<br />
NEAR GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK<br />
Both the Gustavus Inn and Bear Track Inn are<br />
located in the small community of Gustavus,<br />
gateway to Glacier Bay National Park. Gustavus<br />
Inn is an historic homestead dating from 1928.<br />
Overlooking Icy Strait, it is owned and run by the<br />
charming Lesh family who provide comfortable<br />
lodging and delicious home-grown food. Bear<br />
Track Inn is a unique two-storey log building with<br />
14 large rooms. The central sitting room has a<br />
massive fireplace and is the focal point of the inn,<br />
with lovely views of the mountains, forests and<br />
lush meadows. The inn is renowned for serving<br />
mouth-watering halibut, Alaskan spotted prawns<br />
and Dungeness crab. Both lodges offer superb<br />
fishing and hiking, kayaking, whale watching and<br />
glacier cruises in the national park.<br />
Humpback whale<br />
Alaska<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
Bear Track Inn, Inns of Gustavus<br />
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108<br />
Humpback whale<br />
Skagway<br />
No town in Alaska is quite like Skagway with its<br />
blend of history and outstanding natural beauty.<br />
Lying at the head of the Lynn Canal at the<br />
northern end of Alaska’s Inside Passage, much of<br />
the town is situated within the Klondike Gold Rush<br />
National Historical Park. The town was founded in<br />
1897 when more than 40,000 prospectors arrived<br />
on their way across the hazardous Chilkoot Trail to<br />
seek their fortunes in the goldfields of the Yukon’s<br />
Klondike. The building of the White Pass and<br />
Yukon Railroad enabled many more to make this<br />
arduous journey and established Skagway as the<br />
principal port to the interior. Many of the original<br />
wooden cabins and buildings remain today, making<br />
the town a popular destination for cruise ships and<br />
evoking characters of the past such as William<br />
Moore and ‘Soapy’ Smith.<br />
Skagway<br />
MILE ZERO B&B, SKAGWAY<br />
Mile Zero was planned, designed and built as a<br />
bed and breakfast in 1995. The seven spacious<br />
guest rooms are reached by a separate entrance<br />
and all have private bathrooms and a porch with<br />
mountain views. It is centrally located in a quiet<br />
residential area yet is just a short walk to<br />
everything in town. Your host, Tara Mallory, is<br />
Alaskan born and bred and can give lots of<br />
information about the area: she also serves a<br />
delicious continental buffet breakfast.<br />
YUKON & WHITE PASS RAILROAD<br />
Without a doubt this is the most spectacular trip<br />
you can take from Skagway. Built in 1898 during<br />
the Klondike gold rush, this narrow gauge railway<br />
is an engineering marvel. Your journey takes you<br />
through a breathtaking panorama of mountains,<br />
glaciers, gorges, waterfalls, tunnels, trestle bridges<br />
and switch-backs in the comfort of vintage parlour<br />
cars. En route you will pass Glacier Gorge, Dead<br />
Horse Gulch and Bridal Veil Falls and climb 880<br />
metres up White Pass before arriving at Lake<br />
Bennett or Whitehorse.<br />
Yukon & White Pass Railroad<br />
Juneau<br />
Juneau is Alaska’s small but busy capital, a haven<br />
of narrow streets, museums, bars and art galleries.<br />
The city was founded in 1880 by Joe Juneau and<br />
Richard Harris as they prospected for gold in the<br />
wilderness. Today the buildings here seem to rise<br />
with the mountains from the sea, and hardly<br />
seem to have changed in the last 100 years.<br />
Visitors to this scenic city arrive by air or cruise<br />
ship as there are no roads in or out. No tour of<br />
Juneau is complete without a visit to the Alaska<br />
State Museum, St. Nicholas’ Russian Orthodox<br />
Church and the State Capitol Building.<br />
Surrounding the city are the omnipresent<br />
mountains but Juneau is best known for the<br />
impressive Mendenhall Glacier, its wealth of<br />
stunning hiking trails and for its proximity to<br />
Glacier Bay National Park and Tracy Arm Fjord.
Bears, Whales & Glaciers<br />
The magical fjords of Glacier Bay and Admiralty<br />
Island offer some of the most stupendous scenery<br />
in Alaska and this lovely short trip encapsulates<br />
the best of this along with offering some of the<br />
most superb wildlife viewing in the state.<br />
Bald eagle<br />
Day 1<br />
Day 2<br />
Arrive in Juneau for your<br />
overnight stay.<br />
Enjoy a sightseeing tour of Alaska’s<br />
capital including a visit to the massive<br />
Mendenhall Glacier.<br />
Juneau crab harvesting<br />
Day 3<br />
Day 4<br />
Day 5<br />
Today you will be taken on a three<br />
hour light aircraft tour to Admiralty<br />
Island, the “fortress of the bears”.<br />
Your skilled pilot/guide will take you<br />
to the best areas of the island for<br />
viewing the grizzly bears.<br />
This morning take a light aircraft<br />
flight to Gustavus and check in to<br />
the Gustavus Inn. After lunch take a<br />
three-hour whale watch tour of Icy<br />
Strait, the summer feeding ground<br />
for humpback whales. Upon<br />
returning, dinner is included.<br />
Take a full day catamaran cruise of<br />
magnificent Glacier Bay where you<br />
should see brilliant blue glaciers<br />
calving into the icy waters. Lunch is<br />
included on board and dinner is<br />
included back at the inn.<br />
The Mendenhall Glacier<br />
GOLDBELT HOTEL, JUNEAU<br />
Close to the State Capitol in a privileged downtown<br />
location facing the waterfront, the Goldbelt Hotel<br />
offers comfortable accommodation in the heart of<br />
the city. There is a restaurant, lounge and a spacious<br />
lobby decorated with native Alaskan art. Many of<br />
the 105 rooms have stunning views of the cruise<br />
ships as they negotiate the harbour.<br />
Four Glacier Heli Adventure<br />
This hour-long adventure takes you on a<br />
breathtaking helicopter flight over the Juneau<br />
Icefields. The highlight is a thrilling glacier landing<br />
in this spectacular icy wilderness before once<br />
more taking to the skies for the return flight<br />
back to Juneau.<br />
Glacier heli adventure<br />
Alaskan wild flowers<br />
Whale Watching and<br />
the Mendenhall Glacier<br />
The Mendenhall Glacier is Juneau’s biggest<br />
attraction and a humbling sight: an enormous<br />
river of ice wedged between two mountains and<br />
reaching down to the tranquil waters of an icy<br />
lake. The glacier is, however, in rapid retreat: in<br />
2004 it shrank by 180 metres, more than ten<br />
times the rate of a decade ago. After exploring the<br />
glacier, join a thrilling whale watching trip to search<br />
for humpbacks before returning to your hotel.<br />
The Bears of<br />
Admiralty Island<br />
Off the coast of Juneau, Admiralty Island is home<br />
to over 1,600 grizzly bears, one of the highest<br />
concentrations in the world. The island became a<br />
National Monument in 1979 to protect this pristine<br />
environment which supports a variety of other<br />
wildlife including bald eagles and seals while whales,<br />
especially humpbacks, can be seen off its shores.<br />
The prime bear viewing season is from mid-July to<br />
mid-August when the salmon are spawning: at this<br />
time bears can often be seen gorging themselves<br />
on salmon carcasses or grazing on the sedge grass.<br />
Access to the island is by a breathtaking float-plane<br />
flight from Juneau but to reach the bears you’ll<br />
need to hike for several kilometres, accompanied<br />
by a naturalist pilot and guide.<br />
Day 6<br />
Depart Gustavus after breakfast for<br />
the light aircraft flight back to Juneau<br />
where your tour ends on arrival.<br />
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL<br />
Our private tailor-made journeys offer<br />
complete freedom of choice. The itineraries and<br />
accommodation shown are designed to give you a<br />
flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit<br />
your preferences. Prices vary according to selected<br />
accommodation and season, please telephone us<br />
to discuss your individual requirements.<br />
Alaska’s gold mining heritage<br />
Alaska<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
109
Tlingit totems and fireweed<br />
Anan Creek Bear Viewing<br />
Your journey to Anan Creek in the Tongass<br />
National Forest starts with a 45 minute jet boat<br />
trip from Wrangell. En route seals, stellar sealions,<br />
dolphins and the occasional orca whale appear,<br />
feeding on herring and smelt. Upon arrival, take a<br />
ten minute walk through the rainforest to the<br />
observation platform which provides superb<br />
opportunities to see both black and grizzly bears<br />
fishing: some may be a few metres below the<br />
platform while others may be across the river,<br />
45 metres away. The best bear viewing is from<br />
early July to late August and time at the platform<br />
is determined by your guide: based on local<br />
conditions it is usually between four and six hours.<br />
Wrangell<br />
Strategically located near the mouth of the Stikine<br />
River, Wrangell is one of Alaska’s oldest towns and<br />
has been ruled by four nations – Tlingit, Russia, Great<br />
Britain and the USA. The town’s heyday was during<br />
the late 19th century gold rush when a strike on the<br />
Stikine River turned the town into a lawless and<br />
ruthless place. Eventually Wrangell calmed into a<br />
fishing and lumber town and now makes a living<br />
harvesting sea urchins and sea cucumbers. The town<br />
has plenty of interesting local sights such as the<br />
Wrangell Museum, Chief Shakes Island with its totem<br />
poles, and Petroglyph Beach where rock carvings can<br />
be seen that are believed to date back 8,000 years.<br />
HARDINGS OLD SOURDOUGH<br />
LODGE, WRANGELL<br />
Bruce Harding’s Old Sourdough Lodge is a<br />
family-built lodge that has been in operation since<br />
1984. This simple Alaskan red cedar-pole building<br />
is situated just a short walk from the centre of<br />
Wrangell. There are 16 guest rooms as well as a<br />
restaurant, bar, sauna and steam bath. A courtesy<br />
shuttle operates between the lodge and both ferry<br />
and airport and continental breakfast is included.<br />
Misty Fjords National<br />
Monument, near Ketchikan<br />
Misty Fjords National Monument covers more<br />
than 800,000 hectares of wilderness on the<br />
southern tip of the Alaska Panhandle, part of a<br />
vast coastal rainforest which can receive over<br />
400 centimetres of rain each year. The region is<br />
marked by deep valleys, massive sea cliffs,<br />
tumbling waterfalls and sharp ridges formed by<br />
volcanic activity and glaciation. The lower slopes<br />
appear to be an unbroken carpet of cedar, spruce<br />
and hemlock whilst above the timberline alpine<br />
heaths burst into colour in the spring. Numerous<br />
fjords chisel narrow passages into the granite<br />
edges of this dramatic wilderness, the perfect<br />
setting for breathtaking journeys by ship amongst<br />
old lava flows and glaciers calving into the water.<br />
A cruise is the perfect way to discover this<br />
dramatic seascape.<br />
Petersburg<br />
At the end of the achingly beautiful Wrangell<br />
Narrows lies one of Alaska’s gems, the small town<br />
of Petersburg. The Norwegian Peter Buschmann<br />
arrived here in 1897 and found a fine harbour,<br />
abundant fish and a ready supply of ice from the<br />
nearby LeConte glacier. He built a cannery and<br />
enticed his Norwegian friends to follow him, thus<br />
establishing the town that bears his name. This<br />
busy little fishing port has a distinct Norwegian<br />
influence today with pretty Norwegian rosemaling<br />
decorating the tidy homes. The town has the<br />
largest halibut fishing fleet in Alaska and fish<br />
canning remains the dominant industry. Just across<br />
Frederick Sound there is a spectacular glaciated<br />
wall of alpine peaks whilst the LeConte Glacier<br />
regularly launches new icebergs into the sea<br />
which is a wonderful sight to behold.<br />
SCANDIA HOUSE, PETERSBURG<br />
This simple Alaskan hotel has a friendly ambience<br />
and enjoys a convenient location in downtown<br />
Petersburg, within easy reach of the city centre<br />
and the waterfront. This modern building has 33<br />
comfortable guest rooms, all en suite, and<br />
continental breakfast is included. Courtesy<br />
transfers to the ferry and airports are willingly<br />
supplied if required.<br />
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Alaska’s Scenic Byways<br />
This delightful tour offers a comprehensive<br />
taste of Alaska’s highlights and gives you the<br />
opportunity of driving along some of the state’s<br />
most scenic roads.<br />
Day 1<br />
Arrive in Anchorage for your<br />
overnight stay.<br />
Collect your hire car and drive along<br />
the Glenn Highway to Glennallen.<br />
Continue your drive to Chitina<br />
where you board a light aircraft for<br />
the sensational flight to the small<br />
town of McCarthy.<br />
Day 2<br />
Alaska’s Inside Passage<br />
Creek Street, Ketchikan<br />
Day 3<br />
Day 4<br />
Spend a whole day exploring<br />
McCarthy and the fascinating<br />
former mining town of Kennicott.<br />
Day 5<br />
You will be taken back to Chitina by<br />
plane or minivan. Return to your car<br />
and drive south to Valdez.<br />
Day 6<br />
The day is yours to explore Valdez<br />
at your leisure.<br />
Day 7<br />
Your drive today leads you north,<br />
back across the Chugach Mountains<br />
to Glennallen.<br />
Day 8<br />
Today you head north along<br />
the scenic Richardson Highway<br />
to Fairbanks.<br />
Sealions<br />
Ketchikan<br />
Clinging to a narrow ledge of land between the<br />
water and the striking steep-sided mountains is<br />
the port city of Ketchikan. Once known as the<br />
‘canned salmon capital of the world’, this was<br />
the city’s ambition when it was founded in 1885<br />
and fishing is still an important industry. Today it<br />
is a principal port for visiting cruise ships and the<br />
Alaska Marine Highway. The town’s Totem<br />
Heritage Centre exhibits a display of totem poles<br />
salvaged from deserted Tlingit villages whilst the<br />
Deer Mountain Tribal Hatchery and Eagle Centre<br />
raises 350,000 salmon and trout every year and<br />
is a great place to learn all about their life-cycle.<br />
All over the city there are wooden stairways<br />
leading somewhere higher, especially on Edmond<br />
Street, known as the ‘Street of Stairs’. Picturesque<br />
Creek Street is the former red light district and<br />
Thomas Basin is particularly photogenic, being<br />
home to Ketchikan’s fishing fleet and you can<br />
watch the fishermen unload their catch before<br />
following them in to the nearby Potlatch Bar, a<br />
classic fisherman’s pub. Although you may wish<br />
to spend a day or two in Ketchikan itself, there<br />
are plenty of intriguing destinations just a short<br />
flight or ferry trip away. One of the highlights of<br />
the region is the vast Misty Fiords National<br />
Monument, an awe-inspiring series of sheer,<br />
glacially-scarred granite fjords draped in<br />
dense rainforest.<br />
CAPE FOX LODGE, KETCHIKAN<br />
Located in Ketchikan in the midst of the Tongass<br />
National Forest, Cape Fox Lodge is built on a<br />
mountain and accessed by a scenic tram ride.<br />
Inside it is a classic cosy mountain lodge, with a<br />
river rock fireplace, pine-beamed ceilings and<br />
overstuffed furniture. The lodge reflects the area’s<br />
First Nations heritage from the totem poles at<br />
the hotel entrance to a stunning carved screen<br />
and other artefacts on display throughout the<br />
hotel. There are 70 rooms with views of either<br />
the mountains or the harbour, and the Heen<br />
Kahidi restaurant and lounge specialises in<br />
delicious local seafood.<br />
Day 9<br />
Day 10<br />
Day 11<br />
Day 12<br />
Day 13<br />
Day 14<br />
Day 15<br />
After a night in Fairbanks, drive<br />
south on George Parks Highway<br />
to Denali National Park.<br />
Included today you have a full day<br />
in Denali National Park.<br />
From Denali your drive takes you<br />
south along the spectacular George<br />
Parks Highway, arriving at the Knik<br />
Glacier for your overnight stay.<br />
Drive south along the Seward<br />
Highway to Seward.<br />
Enjoy a whole day to explore<br />
delightful Seward.<br />
Drive north back to Anchorage for<br />
the last night of your tour.<br />
Your tour ends today in Anchorage.<br />
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL<br />
Our private tailor-made journeys offer<br />
complete freedom of choice. The itineraries and<br />
accommodation shown are designed to give you a<br />
flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit<br />
your preferences. Prices vary according to selected<br />
accommodation and season, please telephone us<br />
to discuss your individual requirements.<br />
Alaska<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
Wild flowers<br />
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112<br />
Snow Goose<br />
Alaska Cruises<br />
In a pristine land with few roads a small ship<br />
cruise is the perfect – and sometimes the only –<br />
way to explore the dazzling beauty of Alaska’s<br />
coastline. The vivid blue glaciers calving icebergs<br />
into crystal waters and pretty little fishing ports<br />
backed by immense coastal rainforests are easily<br />
explored without the hassle of packing and<br />
unpacking each day. Small ships are best: they can<br />
access regions and obtain close-up views that<br />
none of the large cruise ships can offer and there<br />
is a friendly conviviality on board amongst<br />
passengers who tend to be more motivated to<br />
take in the surrounding beauty than be distracted<br />
by entertainments on board. We have chosen our<br />
travel partners carefully to offer you the best in<br />
small ship cruises to this unforgettable destination.<br />
Fossicking on the seashore<br />
Cruise West<br />
Cruise West is a family-run business that has<br />
specialised in Alaska cruises for more than 60<br />
years. Operating seven small ships that<br />
accommodate no more than 138 passengers,<br />
they concentrate on providing the most personal<br />
service, the best naturalist guides, the finest food<br />
and most comfortable cabins. The atmosphere<br />
on board is casual and each ship has been<br />
extremely well planned to offer comfortable<br />
dining and lounge areas as well as spacious decks<br />
to let guests make the most of the wonderful<br />
views. Each day brings a new adventure as you<br />
leisurely explore Alaska’s pristine coastal waters,<br />
keeping a look out for whales, seals, bears, sea<br />
otters and bald eagles.<br />
SPIRIT OF OCEANUS<br />
Spirit of Oceanus is Cruise West’s flagship and is<br />
also their most spacious and luxurious vessel, with<br />
stabilizers fitted to ensure a smooth cruise even<br />
in changeable conditions. The ship accommodates<br />
just 120 passengers in comfortable outside suites,<br />
each with a sliding door, picture window or<br />
porthole, a marble bathroom, walk-in wardrobe<br />
and a lounge area. The comfortable public areas<br />
include a lounge, dining room, games room/library<br />
and a sports and sun deck.<br />
Voyage to the Bering Sea<br />
This exceptional 14 day voyage takes you in<br />
comfort from Anchorage through the Bering Sea<br />
and into Russia. Your cruise begins in Whittier as<br />
you pass through glacier-clad Prince William<br />
Sound before travelling along the rugged coastline<br />
of Kenai Fjords National Park. A stop is made at<br />
Kodiak Island where you can visit the Baranof and<br />
Alutiiq museums. At Katmai National Park look<br />
out for grizzly bears digging for clams as you<br />
explore the remote shoreline of Geographic<br />
Harbour. Weather permitting your next stop will<br />
be the Shumagin Islands to explore tidal pools, the<br />
tundra and the Pavlov Volcano as well as looking<br />
for seabirds, seals and sealions on Haystack Rocks.<br />
Your cruise continues along the Aleutian Islands to<br />
Dutch Harbor on Unalaska Island before arriving<br />
at St. George in the Pribilof Islands, a prime<br />
viewing site for fur seals, reindeer and many<br />
species of seabirds. The adventure continues with<br />
stops at remote islands such as Nunivak, where<br />
you may be able to spot musk oxen and caribou.<br />
Having crossed the Bering Sea you arrive in Russia<br />
where you take a tour of Provideniya and explore<br />
the rugged Chukotka Peninsula. In three days of<br />
exploring the region you may also visit Little<br />
Diomede Island, separated by less than three<br />
kilometres from Russia’s Big Diomede, the Yupik<br />
village of Novoye Chaplino, and Yanrakynnot<br />
where Chukchi subsistence hunters go after
A sea otter at play<br />
A spectacular northern sunset<br />
Grizzly bear<br />
Thriving native culture<br />
walrus, whales and other sea creatures. Savoonga<br />
on St. Lawrence Island is hailed as the ‘Walrus<br />
Capital of the World’: the bits of the animals the<br />
natives can’t eat they carve. Continue north as far<br />
as the Arctic Circle with sightings of minke,<br />
humpback and bowhead whales a constant<br />
possibility. Upon arrival in Nome, explore this<br />
colourful little town before leaving on a flight to<br />
Anchorage at the end of your tour.<br />
SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY<br />
The first thing many guests notice when stepping<br />
on board the Spirit of Discovery is the light and<br />
airy Discovery Lounge with a wall of floor-toceiling<br />
windows on three sides. Nearby is the bar<br />
and a library with lovely detailed woodwork. The<br />
ship accommodates a maximum of 84 passengers<br />
and each stateroom has a large picture window,<br />
many of which open. The ship has ample outside<br />
deck space, especially in the bow which is a great<br />
spot to look out for wildlife.<br />
Wilderness Inside Passage<br />
This wilderness cruise takes you to many of<br />
Alaska’s most stunning natural highlights. Set sail<br />
from Juneau to Tracy Arm where sheer cliffs<br />
rise thousands of feet from the waterline to<br />
snow-capped peaks, their sides studded with<br />
stunning waterfalls. Subject to weather conditions,<br />
you can explore this wilderness by zodiac before<br />
the cruise continues to Frederick Sound. These<br />
waters teem with humpback whales, so keep<br />
your binoculars handy. Spirit of Discovery is small<br />
enough to negotiate beautiful Peril Strait to dock<br />
close to the heart of Sitka, your next stop, a jewel<br />
of the Inside Passage with a breathtaking setting<br />
and Russian history. In Icy Strait you may see<br />
humpback whales spouting, sounding and<br />
breaching. Passing the tiny Inian Islands you<br />
arrive at the World Heritage Site of Glacier Bay<br />
National Park, where receding glaciers are<br />
leaving in their wake scoured cliffs and deep<br />
fjords. The most impressive sights here are 4,572<br />
metre-high Mount Fairweather, massive glaciers of<br />
all varieties – hanging, tidewater, valley – and the<br />
birds and Stellar sealions of South Marble Island.<br />
Visits will be made to some remote Alaska<br />
villages to experience life in these isolated<br />
communities before returning to Juneau at the<br />
end of your voyage.<br />
Cruising amidst glaciers<br />
SNOW GOOSE<br />
The 20 metre steel motor vessel Snow Goose was<br />
built in Alaska in 1973 as a private yacht. She sleeps<br />
12 passengers in six private double bedded cabins<br />
sharing three lavatories and two showers. The main<br />
deck features a spacious, airy salon, a library of<br />
natural history books, the galley and a dining area.<br />
Large windows provide great viewing on all sides<br />
and easy access to the deck. The upper bridge deck<br />
provides a lovely vantage point for spotting wildlife<br />
and comfortable seating for passengers who wish<br />
to get involved with the navigation of the ship.<br />
Snow Goose will enable you to explore the natural<br />
history and native American heritage of southeast<br />
Alaska. Highlights include watching humpback<br />
whales, seeing native totem poles, sighting bears<br />
on beaches and travelling up spectacular mountain<br />
fjords to find icebergs and glaciers. Most of the<br />
voyages will be in the Tongass National Forest –<br />
the largest in North America. Daily shore<br />
excursions discover beautiful forest walks, tumbling<br />
waterfalls and walks in alpine meadows. With a<br />
naturalist on board, you will be able to observe the<br />
fascinating wildlife and explore the shoreline for<br />
larger mammals. The itinerary is intentionally flexible<br />
to meet individual interests, weather patterns, and<br />
of course, to take full advantage of wildlife sightings.<br />
Alaska<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
Spirit of Discovery<br />
113
Fur seals on the Pribilof Islands<br />
114<br />
The Pribilof Islands<br />
Lying in the midst of the Bering Sea, the islands<br />
of St. Paul and St. George are together known as<br />
the Pribilof Islands. These desolate, foggy and<br />
windswept islands are overrun with wildlife and<br />
each summer a million fur seals, the largest<br />
gathering of sea mammals in the world, swim<br />
ashore to breed on the dark sand beaches. The<br />
islands’ dizzying ocean cliffs are also home to one<br />
of the largest seabird colonies in the northern<br />
hemisphere, with well over two million birds<br />
ranging from common murres and crested auklets<br />
to tufted puffins and cormorants. The cliffs are<br />
easy to reach and during the summer breeding<br />
months more than 230 species of birds have<br />
been sighted. Two tiny communities here<br />
comprise the world’s largest indigenous Aleut<br />
villages which, along with a rich Russian heritage,<br />
make these islands fascinating to explore.<br />
Prospecting for gold on Nome’s golden beaches<br />
Nome<br />
In many ways Nome is the archetypal Alaskan<br />
town – rough-hewn, fun-loving, a wild west ghost<br />
town that refuses to die. Situated on the rugged<br />
Bering Sea coast and cut off from the continental<br />
road system, Nome is closer to Siberia than to<br />
Anchorage. It was here in 1898 that three<br />
Scandinavians discovered gold at Anvil Creek and<br />
the following year gold was discovered on the<br />
beaches. News of the ‘golden beaches’ spread and<br />
soon 20,000 prospectors flocked to the town that<br />
is now Nome. Wyatt Earp and his wife arrived<br />
here by steamship in 1899 to open the Dexter,<br />
Nome’s largest and most luxurious saloon. He left<br />
two years later with $80,000 – a fortune at that<br />
time. Although much of the original architecture<br />
has been lost and gold mining is no longer a<br />
prominent industry, Nome retains its colourful<br />
character. The town enjoys a scenic setting beside<br />
the Bering Sea and is watched over by Anvil<br />
Mountain. Beside the sea wall lies the Donald<br />
Perkins Memorial Plaza featuring a collection of<br />
old mining detritus including dredge buckets left<br />
over from the 100 or more gold dredges that<br />
once operated here. Each year a variety of events<br />
takes places in this fascinating town, the best<br />
known of which is likely to be the gruelling<br />
Iditarod dog-sled race which ends here<br />
in March. Participants mush their teams across<br />
1,688 kilometres of inhospitable terrain, in freezing<br />
Traditional dress on the Pribilof Islands<br />
temperatures, from Anchorage to this little town<br />
beside the Bering Sea coast. Summer visitors are<br />
more likely to encounter reindeer and musk oxen<br />
which can often be seen grazing on the tundra<br />
outside town. The region is also considered prime<br />
bird-watching territory. There are roads here –<br />
something of a novelty in this part of the world –<br />
and so no trip to Nome is complete without<br />
hiring a pick-up truck to explore.<br />
AURORA INN, NOME<br />
This modern hotel, situated on Front Street, lies<br />
just a short walk from the centre of town. There<br />
are 68 light and spacious guest rooms in a variety<br />
of room types, some with kitchenettes, and<br />
facilities include guest laundry and a sauna.
Drive the<br />
Bering Sea Coast<br />
We invite you to spend three days exploring<br />
one of the most off the beaten track locations<br />
anywhere. The small sub-Arctic communities of<br />
the Seward Peninsula are connected by a series<br />
of well-maintained gravel roads, providing a true<br />
last-frontier adventure for intrepid explorers.<br />
Your base for this trip is Nome, to which you<br />
return each day.<br />
Arctic fox<br />
Day 1<br />
Day 2<br />
Day 3<br />
Fly from Anchorage to Nome<br />
where you collect your 4WD crew<br />
cab pick up truck and drive through<br />
the Kigluaik Mountains to Teller, a<br />
fascinating traditional village.<br />
Today enjoy driving the Nome<br />
to Council Highway which follows<br />
the coastline of the Bering Sea.<br />
The highway ends at the Niukluk<br />
River near the tiny settlement<br />
of Council.<br />
Summer in these latitudes brings<br />
round the clock daylight. <strong>Travel</strong><br />
the Nome to Taylor highway to<br />
Kougarok. Be sure to visit Salmon<br />
Lake or Pilgrim Hot Springs for a<br />
picnic en route. The raw beauty of<br />
the land has to be seen to be<br />
believed and is a delight for bird<br />
and nature lovers.<br />
Abandoned gold dredge<br />
Bering Sea Coast<br />
Radiating around Nome are three gravel roads,<br />
each offering access to very different worlds and<br />
each providing three distinct full-day adventures.<br />
The country here is stunning with sweeping<br />
tundra, crystal clear rivers, rugged mountains and<br />
some of the best chances in Alaska to see caribou,<br />
bears, musk oxen and waterfowl. <strong>Travel</strong>ling in this<br />
remote region does require a degree of planning –<br />
although the roads are well maintained, gravel can<br />
strip tyres so slow going is advised. There are also<br />
no petrol stations outside Nome so do be sure to<br />
fill up each day before your day’s adventure.<br />
Barrow<br />
Close to North America’s most northerly point,<br />
and over 500 kilometres beyond the Arctic Circle,<br />
Puffin<br />
lies the Inuit settlement of Barrow. With about<br />
4,000 residents, mostly the Inupiat people who<br />
have lived here for at least two millennia, the town<br />
is a paradoxical mix of old and new, resulting from<br />
it being the HQ of the corporation that manages<br />
the huge sums of money and land deeded to the<br />
Inuit by the Alaska Native Claims Settlement of<br />
1971. The ancient Inupiat culture thrives here, with<br />
skin whaling boats still used for the spring hunt,<br />
while modern aluminium vessels are used during<br />
the autumn hunt when whalers need to travel<br />
further from home. Traditional whaling secrets are<br />
passed down through the generations, more to<br />
preserve cultural tradition rather than for financial<br />
necessity. Visitors to Barrow, best reached on a<br />
day trip by light aircraft from Fairbanks, will<br />
experience this fascinating culture as well as,<br />
between mid-may and early August, the midnight<br />
sun whilst standing at the continent’s final frontier.<br />
Day 4<br />
Spend the morning touring Nome<br />
and exploring the nearby goldfields.<br />
Drop off your rental car before<br />
boarding the return flight back<br />
to Anchorage.<br />
TAILOR-MADE TRAVEL<br />
Our private tailor-made journeys offer<br />
complete freedom of choice. The itineraries and<br />
accommodation shown are designed to give you a<br />
flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit<br />
your preferences. Prices vary according to selected<br />
accommodation and season, please telephone us<br />
to discuss your individual requirements.<br />
Bull caribou in velvet<br />
Alaska<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
Remote, uninhabited islands<br />
115
New Mill, New Mill Lane, Witney, Oxfordshire OX29 9SX, United Kingdom<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700 • Fax: 01993 838 010<br />
Email: canada@audleytravel.com • Website: www.audleytravel.com<br />
W8501<br />
All of our brochures are printed on paper produced from sustainable resources.<br />
Should you wish to dispose of your brochure, we kindly request that you recycle it.<br />
With special thanks to the following photographers:<br />
A1 Pix, Alamy.co.uk, Alaska <strong>Travel</strong> Industry Association, Canadian Tourism Commission, Churchill Wild, Cruise North Expeditions, Dave Knowles, istockphoto.com,<br />
Ministere du Tourisme de Québec, New Brunswick Tourism and Parks, Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism, Northwest Territories Tourism, Nova Scotia Department of Tourism,<br />
Culture & Heritage, Nunavut Tourism, Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation, Photographersdirect.com, Polar Star Expeditions, Quark Expeditions,<br />
Shutterstock.com, Steve Allen, The Adventure Fleet, Tipsimages.com, Tourism British Columbia, Tourism Prince Edward Island, <strong>Travel</strong> Alberta,<br />
<strong>Travel</strong> Manitoba, Tourism Saskatchewan, Wanderlust Images and members of the <strong>Audley</strong> Canada, Alaska & Arctic team.