Compare Whale Tales: Adventures in Québec With Your Family by Road Scholar vs Rockies Trail by Omega Tours

Day 1

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel Palace Royale

Check-In, Program Registration, Welcome Dinner, Orientation

Activity note: Hotel check-in available from 4:00 p.m.

Afternoon: Program Registration. After you have your room assignment, come to the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing your name-tag, up-to-date schedule that reflects any changes, other important information, and to confirm when and where the Orientation session will take place. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in.

Dinner: At the hotel in Quebec City, we’ll enjoy a tasty Welcome Dinner together.

Evening: Orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the full day ahead. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Day 2

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel Tadoussac

Quebec Aquarium, Transfer to Tadoussac

Activity note: Driving approx. 3.5 hours total for the day; about 1.5 hours to Baie-Saint-Paul in the morning and 2 hours to Tadoussac in the afternoon.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Once checked out of the hotel, we’ll make our way to the Quebec City Aquarium for an educational and fun field trip as we see some of the animal residents. We’ll then begin our transfer to Tadoussac with a stop for lunch in Baie-Saint-Paul.

Lunch: In Baie St. Paul.

Afternoon: After completing our transfer in the late afternoon, we’ll arrive in Tadoussac and check into the hotel with some time to relax before dinner.

Dinner: At the hotel.

Evening: We'll then settle in for a video on "The Mighty River."

Day 3

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel Tadoussac

Whale Watching & CIMM Museum, Saguenay Fjord

Activity note: Getting on/off a boat; enclosed and open decks.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We’ll embark on a whale watching safari to look out for fin, minke, and beluga whales in St. Lawrence Estuary. A sort of haven kingdom for whales, the estuary has been an extremely popular destination since the 1980’s for those hoping to encounter these gentle giants. If we’re lucky, we may even see a humpback, or even a blue whale. Expert naturalists will provide insightful commentary while aboard this comfortable boat with multiple covered and uncovered panoramic decks, terraces, and an observation platform. They are like an open air laboratory for biologists fascinated by these giants. We'll then return to the hotel.

Lunch: At the hotel.

Afternoon: Next, we’ll go to the CIMM Museum (Centre for Interpretation of Marine Mammals) for a field trip led by on-site specialists. We’ll learn about the fascinating and mysterious world of the St. Lawrence whales including where can one expect to spot them and when as well as how to accurately identify the species. The museum’s exhibitions include a skeleton collection, reconstitutions of sea-mammals, films, slide-shows, stunning photographs, and a cache of underwater sounds of the Saguenay River that one can listen to. The Group Leader will then lead an elective walk to the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord behind the wharf. Our student assistant and a lifeguard will be happy to supervise any children who wish to remain at the hotel and enjoy the pool.

Dinner: At Le Bateau restaurant, a local favorite, in Tadoussac.

Evening: We’ll then relax and enjoy an award-winning Canadian animated short film.

Day 4

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel Tadoussac

Cap-de-Bon-Desir, Essipit Innu Reserve, Marine Center

Activity note: Walking about 2 miles; approx. 4 hours. Driving about 40 miles; approx. 1 hour.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Cap-de-Bon-Désir is another excellent place from which to admire the St. Lawrence Estuary and the many species of marine mammals there such as minke, common, blue, and beluga whales along with many species of seals and seabirds. While here, divers in wet suits will bring up a variety of sea animals (sea urchins, sea stars, sea cucumbers, crabs, etc.) from about 40 feet below the surface. The animals will be put in small wading pools while a student biologist tells us about each animal. At the end of the activity, we’ll all be invited to touch the various animals before the divers return them to the sea! Then we’ll board a bus for an expert-led bus field trip through the Innu Reserve at Essipit. Established where traditional shipping routes intersected, it took advantage of its enviable location to do business with travelers. Reserve residents have developed new economies based on trade and crafts.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: After seeing how peat moss is harvested, we will visit the Marine Discovery Centre where we will learn how ships’ captains conquered the St. Lawrence over the years in an exhibition on navigation on the river. We’ll also see examples of how tiny the food is that whales consume. Our final stop of the day will be to Archo-Topo at Bergeronnes for a field trip during which grandchildren will make pottery just as the aboriginal peoples did thousands of years ago. There is also an interesting collection of local stuffed animals, birds and fish.

Dinner: At the hotel.

Evening: We’ll then gather to take part in a fun quiz on whales.

Day 5

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel Tadoussac

Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park, Sand Dunes, Whale Safari

Activity note: Walking about 1 mile; approx. 1 hour Getting on/off boat; ride is about 30 miles; approx. 2 hours.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We'll begin with a presentation of the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park. Originally established to protect the local declining beluga population, we will learn about the total picture and responsibilities of this huge marine park. Next, we’ll travel to the sand dunes where we can run, jump, roll, slide and somersault down the sand dunes descending 200 feet to the shore. This is a highlight for the grandchildren. We’ll then return to the hotel.

Lunch: At the hotel.

Afternoon: Setting out on second whale watching safari, we’ll get another chance to get a glimpse of these magnificent creatures. The onboard museum will also provide us with more insight on these majestic animals.

Dinner: At a local restaurant in Tadoussac.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 6

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel Palace Royale

Whale Watching Point-Noire, Montmorency, Farewell Dinner

Activity note: Driving about 140 miles; approx. 3.5 hours throughout the day. Walking approximately 1/2 mile; about 1 hour.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Once checked out of the hotel, we’ll set out for return trip to Quebec City. Along the way, we’ll stop at Pointe-Noire for an impressive panoramic view of the Saguenay Fjord and the St. Lawrence Estuary. From its strategic geographic location, we may be able to see whales and other marine mammals, as well as other oceanic phenomena indigenous to the confluence of the Saguenay and St. Lawrence rivers.

Lunch: Picnic lunch.

Afternoon: Continuing, we’ll make another stop, this time for a visit at Montmorency Falls which towers approximately 272 feet (83 meters) above the St. Lawrence River. The view from the bridge over the top of the falls is unforgettable. We’ll then complete our transfer to Quebec City.

Dinner: In Quebec City, we'll enjoy a delicious farewell dinner together.

Evening: At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and departures in the morning.

Day 7

Meals: Breakfast

Program Concludes

Activity note: Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m.

Breakfast: At the hotel. This concludes our program.

Morning: If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!

DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN CALGARY

Arrive at Calgary International Airport. Individual transfer to your centrally located hotel. After check-in the remainder of the day is free. The tour director will contact you in the late afternoon to give details about joining the tour. Explore the Old West at the Glenbow Museum or Fort Calgary on your own, browse through the Eau Claire Market, ride up the Calgary Tower for a great view and savor the great restaurants and dynamic nightlife. Overnight in Calgary.

Accommodation at the Delta Hotels by Marriott, Calgary, or similar

DAY 2: CALGARY TO BANFF NATIONAL PARK

We begin the day with a city tour of Calgary. Leaving the city, we travel west on the Trans-Canada Highway into the rolling foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The majestic peaks of the Canadian Rockies soon fill the horizon as we approach Banff National Park, our first of several in the Canadian national parks system. We soon arrive in the charming resort town of Banff. Overnight in Banff. Meals: B

Accommodation at the Mount Royal Hotel or Banff Aspen Lodge, Banff, or similar

DAY 3: BANFF NATIONAL PARK

Today we will enjoy a tour of the region around Banff. The area became Canada’s first national park in 1885 to protect its natural hot springs. An optional Helicopter Sightseeing Tour will give you the chance to see the eastern ranges of the Rocky Mountains. Alternatively, you can take an optional gondola ride to spectacular Sulphur Mountain. Bring your camera! The rest of the day is at leisure to explore the surroundings of Banff, stroll along Banff Avenue, or relax and enjoy the scenery. Meals: B

Accommodation at the Mount Royal Hotel or Banff Aspen Lodge, Banff, or similar

DAY 4: BANFF NATIONAL PARK TO JASPER NATIONAL PARK

Today’s journey through Banff and Jasper national parks promises to be a highlight of our Rockies Trail program. Shortly after leaving Banff, we visit the famous scenery of Lake Louise, one of the most photographed lakes in Canada. Afterward, we travel north on the famed Icefields Parkway through a rugged wilderness flanked by dramatic mountain ranges. At the Columbia Icefield, we board a specially constructed Ice Explorer to ride on the surface of the ancient Athabasca Glacier. Close to Jasper, you have the chance to go on an optional raft trip on the Athabasca River. Your experienced guide will point out the natural and human history as you raft through short rapids and stretches of calm waters. Overnight in Jasper. Meals: B

Accommodation at the Lobstick Lodge, Jasper, or similar

DAY 5: JASPER NATIONAL PARK TO SUN PEAKS

Before leaving Jasper National Park this morning, you can take part in an optional Spirit Island Cruise on Maligne Lake, the most picturesque and largest glacier-fed lake in the park. You may alternately take an optional motorcycle tour of Jasper, riding in the comfortable sidecar with an unmatched view of the forests and mountains. Then, we travel west along the Yellowhead Highway and into the heartland of British Columbia. Breathtaking, unspoiled vistas await visitors in every season of the year. The route takes us along the Thompson River through the picturesque Shuswap Highlands. Overnight in Sun Peaks. Meals: B

Accommodation at Sun Peaks Grand, Sun Peaks, or similar

DAY 6: SUN PEAKS TO WHISTLER

We can expect a day of dramatic scenery changes when we drive through the ranch lands and head for the coastal mountains. A journey along the Duffey Lake Road exposes new vistas at every turn. An optional Floatplane Sightseeing Tour over Garibaldi Park gives you an inspiring view of a natural preserve of volcanic peaks, alpine lakes, and meadows. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in Whistler. Meals: B

Accommodation at Delta Hotels by Marriott Whistler Village Suites, Whistler, or similar

DAY 7: WHISTLER TO VICTORIA

The Sea-to-Sky Highway leads us south through spectacular coastal scenery today. You will visit the Capilano Suspension Bridge suspended high above a magnificent canyon. From Horseshoe Bay, we cruise by ferry across the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver Island and continue by coach to Victoria, British Columbia’s capital city. Arriving in Victoria, we embark on a city tour of this former British enclave. Overnight in Victoria. Meals: B

Accommodation at the Coast Victoria Hotel & Marina by APA, Victoria, or similar

DAY 8: VICTORIA

Proud of her maritime heritage, Victoria has retained a quaint, colonial demeanor evident in the many 19th-century landmarks throughout the city. Today we treat ourselves to a tour of the world-famous Butchart Gardens, one of the world’s great floral displays set in a reclaimed stone quarry. Time will be allocated here for browsing through the regal gardens. You can take part in an optional Floatplane Sightseeing Tour over downtown Victoria and the Strait of Juan de Fuca with the Olympic Mountains in the distance. You can also go on an optional Whalewatching Excursion aboard a Zodiac or a regular vessel. Watch for the magnificent orcas and the abundance of marine wildlife. The remainder of the day is at leisurely exploring the city’s delights. Overnight in Victoria. Meals: B

Accommodation at the Coast Victoria Hotel & Marina by APA, Victoria, or similar

DAY 9: VICTORIA TO VANCOUVER

We continue through the resort region of the Gulf Islands to the oceanside city of Vancouver. Upon arrival in Vancouver, we enjoy an interesting tour of the city, including Stanley Park, English Bay, Gastown, Chinatown, and much more. The remainder of the day is free for independent exploration or simple relaxation. This evening features our farewell dinner. Meals: B, D

Accommodation at the Sutton Place Hotel, Vancouver, or similar

DAY 10: VANCOUVER DEPARTURE

A time for last-minute shopping and sad farewells. Individual transfer to Vancouver International Airport in time to check in for your return flight. Meals: B