Tour NE05: Quebec City, Whale Watching and Montreal

     Day 1: Ottawa - Quebec City

Leaving Ottawa in the morning at 7:00 AM, we arrive in Quebec City at noon. We start our tour by taking a 90 minutes cruise of Louis Jolliet's to enjoy the beauty of the St. Lawrence River. From the river, you will have so different view of the oldest city in North America. After the romantic cruise, Observatoire de la Capitale will be our next stop, we will discover the magnificent view of the capital and its surrounding areas. Then we make our way to the Historic District of Old Quebec, the only fortified city in Canada. We spend the rest of the day sightseeing and shopping in the charming city, exploring such historical treasures as Battlefields Park, the Quebec Parliament, Chateau Frontenac, Place d'Armes, and the Citadel. After dinner, we will check in at the hotel Chateau Mont-St.-Anne  (or similar) at 8:30 PM.

    Day 2:  Charlevoix - Whale Watching 

We leave our hotel at 8:00 AM and drive one more hour to Charlevoix, one of the most beautiful landscapes in Quebec including rolling terrain, fjords, headlands, and bays. This region was designated a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1989. After two hours of exploration in Charlevoix, we will drive another one hour to Tadoussac, a quaint village at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River established in 1599 as France's first trading post in North America. We embark on a three-hour more whale-watching cruise to discover the diverse collection of marine life that thrives in this unique maritime estuary. Experienced onboard guides help us identify the many different species of whales that come to feed here, including Humpback, Finback, Minke, and Beluga Whales. At around 4:30 PM, we head back east to Quebec City and check in at hotel Auberge La Camarine (or a similar) at 8:00 PM.

    Day 3: Canyon - Montmorency Falls - Montreal - Ottawa

Leaving our hotel at 8:00 AM, we will visit Canyon Sainte-Anne first, a spectacular canyon carved out by the Sainte-Anne-du-Nord River and highlighted by the 242-foot Sainte-Anne Falls. We continue our exploration of Quebec’s amazing water resources by visiting Montmorency Falls, a 272-foot waterfall that trumps even the famous Niagara Falls by 98 feet. From the top of the falls, we enjoy a sprawling view of the expansive St. Lawrence River. Then we make a two-hour drive to Montreal, a modern metropolis with a distinctly European flair. After lunch downtown, we will visit the Olympic Stadium and Biodome, featuring an exhibition of the diverse ecosystems of the Americas. We will continue to visit the old Montreal, the old port, and Montreal Notre-Dame Church. We conclude our day by visiting the largest church in North America: Saint Joseph's Oratory, situated at the top of Mount Royal, it also affords us an aerial view of the entire city. At around 6:30 PM, we will leave Montreal for home. We will be in Ottawa around 9:00 PM.

Departure Time and Place
7:00 AM, 670 Bronson Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1S 4E9 (McDonald's parking lots)

Hotel Information
Chateau Mont-St.-Anne or similar