Compare Ontario & French Canada by Cosmos vs High Arctic Explorer - Greenland to Canada (Ocean Endeavour) by Intrepid Travel

Day 1: TORONTO

Welcome to Ontario’s capital and the largest city in Canada. Your Tour Director is on hand late this afternoon to answer any questions.

Day 2: TORONTO. EXCURSION TO NIAGARA FALLS

Skirt the shores of Lake Ontario to Niagara Falls, one of the most loved landmarks in the world. Board your Niagara Falls sightseeing cruise for a thrilling ride to view the thundering falls up close. Return to Toronto, where sightseeing includes the city’s major landmarks, such as the banking district, City Hall, the CN Tower, and the University of Toronto. This evening, enjoy an optional outing to the top of the CN Tower for dinner and spectacular views.

NOTE:
Operation of the Niagara Falls sightseeing cruise is subject to favorable, ice-free weather and/or river conditions. Favorable conditions usually exist from May to October. When conditions are unfavorable, a visit to the Journey Behind the Falls will be substituted.

Day 3: TORONTO–KINGSTON–THOUSAND ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK–OTTAWA

Leave Ontario’s capital and stop in Kingston, a city with an exciting history dating back more than 300 years. Proceed along the St. Lawrence River with splendid vistas of Thousand Islands National Park. At Rockport, board your boat for a cruise that takes a scenic route through the many islands that are sprinkled with charmingly simple to opulent summer homes. Next, head to Ottawa, Canada’s beautiful capital.

Day 4: OTTAWA

This morning, enjoy a sightseeing tour of this lovely city on the banks of the Ottawa River and the Rideau Canal. See the Canadian Mint, the embassy district, and stately Parliament Hill. Suggestions for this afternoon include a visit to the magnificent Canadian Museum of History or the array of restaurants and shops at lively Byward Market.

Day 5: OTTAWA–QUÉBEC CITY AREA

Drive into the French-Canadian province of Québec for a sudden change in language and tradition. Follow the historical King’s Highway along the north shore of the mighty St. Lawrence River. Visit the Basilica of Notre-Dame-du-Cap de la Madeleine before arriving in Québec City, the heart of French Canada and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tonight, join a unique optional excursion to the Érablière le Chemin du Roy Sugar Shack. Visitors to the sugar cabin will enjoy a typical Québec dinner, along with a guided visit and presentation to explain the process of maple extraction.

Day 6: QUÉBEC CITY AREA

Enjoy a guided tour of Canada’s only walled city, crowned by the turrets of Château Frontenac. Until the British victory of 1759, Old Québec was the center of New France; today, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Within the walls reside Place d’Armes, Laval Seminary, the star-plan Citadelle, and ancient Place Royale. Also, see the stone houses crowding the narrow streets of Lower Town by the St. Lawrence River. The afternoon and evening are free—your Tour Director will have suggestions for sightseeing, shopping, and dining.

Day 7: QUÉBEC CITY AREA–MONTRÉAL

This morning head south for ultra-modern Montréal, named a UNESCO City of Design in 2006. Major attractions on this afternoon’s guided tour include once-walled Old Montréal, the Seminary of St. Sulpice, and majestic views of the city from the top of Mount Royal.

Day 8: MONTRÉAL

Your vacation ends this morning.

Day 1 Toronto, Canada to Kangerlussuaq,Greenland

Your Arctic adventure begins in Toronto, Canada, from where you’ll hop aboard an included early morning charter flight to Kangerlussuaq in Greenland, a tiny town with a population of just 500. Here you’ll find the Ocean Endeavour ship, your home for the next 13 days. Board a Zodiac boat which will take you to the Ocean Endeavour – these sturdy inflatable vessels will get you on and off the ship throughout your journey. Then it’s time to set sail! Cruise down the Kangerlussuaq Fjord for your first dose of epic scenery as you cross the Arctic Circle. The 190-kilometre-long fjord is flanked by snow-dusted mountains and dramatic glaciers, ensuring your first day in the Arctic will be one to remember.

Day 2 Sisimiut Coast

Wake up aboard the Ocean Endeavour – be sure to gaze out the windows over breakfast, as views don’t get much better than this! Today will be spent exploring western Greenland along the Sisimiut Coast. You’re going to want to have your camera ready for this journey – prepare to pass by glaciers, fjords and islands against a staggering backdrop of mountains. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to get off the ship and hike through the inspiring landscape, or set off on a Zodiac cruise for a closer look at these natural wonders. As you traverse the complex waterways, learn the stories of the Saqqaq, Dorset, Thule and modern Inuit people who have called the Sisimiut region home for 4500 years.

Day 3 Ilulissat

After travelling north overnight, disembark the ship and head out to explore the town of Ilulissat and its surrounds – the name Ilulissat directly translates to ‘icebergs’ in Kalaallisut, Greenland’s official language, and you’ll soon find out why! Neatly organised colourful houses make the town postcard-pretty, but it’s the nearby icefjord that really puts this place on the map. A walk along a boardwalk will lead you to this UNESCO World Heritage Site, where towering white ice formations dwarf the buildings of the nearby town. Spend some time soaking up this memorable sight, and perhaps have a wander around Ilulissat’s charming shops and museums, then set out on a Zodiac cruise to admire the icefjord from a different perspective. Weave and bob your way around impressive icebergs – this really has to be experienced to be believed!

Day 4 Western Greenland

An expedition landing on Greenland’s wild and wonderful west coast means the day is yours to enjoy as you wish. You may like to get active with a rewarding hike, or stretch your legs with a more easygoing stroll through the everchanging landscapes. There’s plenty of unbelievable photography opportunities here, or you may prefer just to sit back and take it all in. However you choose to spend the day, the sights of soaring mountains and vibrant tundra flowers are sure to stick with you long after your adventure is over.

Day 5 At Sea, Davis Strait

Cross the Davis Straight today on your way towards Nunavut, Canada. This day at sea is the perfect opportunity to add a deeper layer to your discoveries of the Arctic. Enriching workshops and presentations delivered by experts on board the Ocean Endeavour paint an in-depth picture of the region’s fascinating history, geology, wildlife and cultural heritage. There’s even a workshop on how to best use your binoculars, so put your new skills into practice and get out on deck in search of whales, seabirds and other marine life.

Day 6 Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet), Canada

A world away from Toronto where your adventure began, see a different side of Canada in the beautiful Arctic community of Mittimatalik. With a population of just 1600, this place may be small, but there’s so much Inuit culture and history to uncover here. Dive straight in with a performance by the Tununiq Arsarniit Theatre Group, where they will take you on a journey with their drum dancing, throat singing and storytelling. After the performance, enjoy some time to explore the town and soak in the spectacular views of nearby Bylot Island. There are often gorgeous handcrafted goods for sale if you want to pick up a keepsake to remember your time in this unique corner of the world.

Day 7-11 Tallurutiup Imanga (Lancaster Sound) & Devon Island

The next five days will be spent exploring the rugged landscapes of the Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area (Lancaster Sound). The area is home to narwhal, beluga, and bowhead whales who feed in this area – set out in search of them by ship and Zodiac. Stop by Devon Island, the world’s largest uninhabited island. The vast, barren landscape is dotted with glacial valleys, flat-topped mountains and ice caps, and while it may not be a place you’d want to live, it’s certainly a joy to explore. Hike over tundra, cruise a glacier face and keep a lookout for polar bears and other wildlife from ship and shore. Let expert guides show you ancient archaeological sites that unearth the history of the Inuit people and their ancestors who once laid roots on this now abandoned island. Visit the eerie remains of a Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Hudson's Bay Company site at Dundas Harbour.

Day 12 Beechey Island

Make a sobering visit to the Franklin Expedition historic site on Beechey Island, a memorial to the failed expedition of British explorer Sir John Franklin in 1845. Attempting to cross the Northwest Passage, the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror vanished – searches for the wrecks were unsuccessful for 170 years, only to be both be discovered in 2014 and 2016. Pay your respects while learning the stories of the men who are buried here as you visit their graves and the nearby ruins of Northumberland House.

Day 13 Qausuittuq (Resolute) to Ottawa

It’s time to say goodbye to the Arctic after a final day in Qausuittuq (Resolute). With a name meaning ‘place with no dawn’, Qausuittuq experiences long, dark winters, but your visit in the peak of summer means day-round sunlight. The unique topography of the landscape is characterized by shoreline gravel flats, rocky coastal bluffs, and deposits of glacial moraine. First established in 1953, the community began under false pretenses, as the Canadian government relocated Inuit families from Inukjuak, Québec and Mittimatalik, in an attempt to assert Canadian sovereignty. Learn about this dark chapter in Canadian history and how the community lives on today. Qausuittuq now serves as an important staging post for High Arctic research, tourism and military activities. Bid farewell to the Ocean Endeavour as you disembark and take a Zodiac transfer for your included charter flight to Ottawa, Ontario. Your Arctic adventure comes to an end upon your arrival at Ottawa airport – prepare to leave with memories to last a lifetime.