Newfoundland & Labrador to Battle Harbour

Halifax - North Sydney - Port aux Basques. Once you have arrived in Halifax, make your way to meet your Tour Director and driver as you begin your Newfoundland and Labrador adventure.

We travel to North Sydney, where we board the overnight ferry to Port aux Basques - your port of entry to the island of Newfoundland. After boarding, we enjoy dinner on board before settling in for a relaxing overnight crossing across the Cabot Strait.

Please note: You will have the option of starting in Halifax on Day 1 and ending in Halifax on Day 10, or starting in Corner Brook on Day 2 and ending in Corner Brook on Day 9; this option includes 7 nights’ accommodation and 17 meals.

Port aux Basques - Corner Brook - Port au Choix / Corner Brook - Port au Choix. This morning, we depart Port aux Basques and travel north through the Codroy Valley, known for its fertile farmland and coastal scenery. We continue through Corner Brook, where we pick up passengers joining the tour, before making our way further north.

Drawn by its rich marine resources, the Port au Choix area has been a crossroads of Indigenous and European cultures for over 5,500 years. We visit the Port au Choix National Historic Site to learn more about its history.

We end our day in this small fishing community, where we stay overnight and enjoy dinner.

Port au Choix - St. Anthony. After breakfast, we continue our journey north along the Great Northern Peninsula to St. Anthony. This remote stretch of coastline has long been shaped by the North Atlantic, with communities connected by fishing and seafaring traditions.

We visit L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site, where Vikings once established a settlement over 1,000 years ago. This archaeological site marks the earliest known European presence in the New World. Reconstructions of three Norse buildings form the centrepiece, while exhibits highlight Viking life, artefacts, and the discovery of the site.

Later, we learn about the legacy of medical missionary Sir Wilfred Grenfell in St. Anthony, whose work brought vital healthcare services to coastal communities in northern Newfoundland.

St. Anthony - St. Barbe - Blanc Sablon - Battle Harbour. Today, we travel to St. Barbe to board the ferry to Blanc Sablon. After the crossing, we continue into Labrador, Canada’s Last Frontier, and make our way to Battle Harbour.

A living commemoration of life in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, Battle Harbour reflects the society created here by Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. Set on a small island just offshore, it served for two centuries as the economic and social centre of the southeastern Labrador coast. Today, it is one of the most magical tourist destinations to be found anywhere.

Restoration, not rebuilding, defines Battle Harbour and preserves its original character. As we step onto the dock, we experience a sense of stepping back in time. Our stay is at the restored Battle Harbour Heritage Properties, which offer fabulous views of the island.

Please note: To reach Battle Harbour, we travel by a fishing type boat from Mary’s Harbour. The vessel accommodates our group and offers both indoor and outdoor seating. Our motorcoach remains in Mary’s Harbour, and we explore Battle Harbour on foot during our stay.

We begin the day with a guided walking tour of the settlement, learning about the fascinating history of Battle Harbour and its role along the Labrador coast.

We then enjoy a leisurely boat tour through the waters around the Battle Islands. Cruising along the rugged coastline, we pass a number of smaller fishing villages that remain active today. This offers a deeper insight into life in the region, as we observe neighbouring communities that continue traditions shaped by earlier generations, much like those who once lived on Battle Harbour.

Battle Harbour - Mary’s Harbour - Red Bay - L’Anse au Clair. This morning, we say farewell to Battle Harbour as we return to the Labrador mainland.

We visit Red Bay National Historic Site, once a Basque whaling station and now recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where we learn about its important role in early transatlantic industry. We also stop at Point Amour Lighthouse. Standing 33 metres above the Labrador Straits, it is the tallest lighthouse in Atlantic Canada and the second highest in the country.

We continue along the coast to L’Anse au Clair, where we spend another night in Labrador.

L’Anse au Clair - Cow Head. After breakfast, we return to the island of Newfoundland.

In Torrent River, we visit the Salmon Interpretation Centre and Fishway, where we learn about the province’s most successful salmon enhancement project. We then continue to the community of Cow Head, which will be our home for the next two nights.

Cow Head - Gros Morne National Park - Cow Head. Today, we explore Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that spans over 400,000 acres along the western coast of Newfoundland within the Long Range Mountains.

Surrounded by small seaside communities, the park features a diverse landscape of forests, freshwater fjords, bogs, barren lowlands, dramatic cliffs and rugged shorelines. It is also recognised worldwide for its complex geology, as it was here that geologists confirmed the theory of plate tectonics.

We experience Gros Morne from the waters of Bonne Bay on a boat cruise, with live commentary highlighting the park’s geological features, cultural history and the diversity of the bay, located in the heart of the park. We also visit the Tablelands, where flat-topped rock, usually found deep within the earth’s mantle, creates a striking and memorable landscape.

Cow Head - Deer Lake - Corner Brook - Port aux Basques - North Sydney. We venture to Deer Lake for a visit to the Newfoundland Insectarium, a world-class attraction showcasing thousands of live and mounted insects, arachnids and arthropods from around the world. We also enjoy the indoor garden, home to live tropical butterflies.

In Corner Brook, we visit the Railway Society of Newfoundland Museum, where we learn about the railroad that once connected communities and transported goods across the island.

We then continue to Port aux Basques to board the overnight ferry to North Sydney, your port of entry to the province of Nova Scotia.

Please note: If you choose to end in Corner Brook, your tour will conclude after your visit in Corner Brook.

North Sydney - Halifax. After your final breakfast, we will arrive in North Sydney, Nova Scotia. We then continue to Halifax, bringing our journey to a close.