La Recreation aux Îles

Canada's Maritime Magic

Wildlife & Nature Culture & History + 1 more + 2 more

Big skies, coastal charm & Canadian hospitality.

18 days

from £3,990 pp

including flights

Canadian Cowboy Adventure

Go Local Off-the-beaten-track + 3 more + 3 more

Exploring the cowboy ranches & wheat fields of Alberta.

15 days

from £3,390 pp

including flights

Alaskan Cruise & Rocky Mountaineer

Wildlife & Nature Luxury + 2 more + 3 more

Two epic journeys, one unforgettable holiday by rail and sea.

15 days

from £6,995 pp

including flights

The Cultures of Québec

Wildlife & Nature Culture & History + 1 more + 2 more

Whales & riverside towns from Montréal to Saguenay.

14 days

from £3,495 pp

including flights

West Coast Wildlife Explorer

Wildlife & Nature Adventure + 1 more + 2 more

Spot grizzly bears, orcas, and explore Canada's rugged west coast.

12 days

from £6,490 pp

including flights

Rocky Mountain Express

Classic Luxury + 2 more + 3 more

Canada’s mountains, glaciers & iconic railways.

8 days

from £4,990 pp

including flights

Quirky excursions

View all excursions in Canada

Village Historique de Val Jalbert

The Village Historique Val Jalbert is a genuine company town, replicating the life of those who worked in the pulp mills in the 1920s. At the time this was a booming industry and Val Jalbert was a very progressive model – one of the first in the province to have electricity and full running water. There are around forty original period buildings, including houses, a convent-school, a general store and the pulp mill set amongst leafy forest and presided over by the impressive Ouiatchouan Falls. Here you can get a real feel for what life must have been like in the pulp mill heyday, with numerous exhibits, interactive displays and informative staff in period dress occasionally breaking in to theatrical performances. Guided tours on the trolleybus run regularly, or you can take yourself off and enjoy the various attractions and scenic surrounds at your own pace, with maps and audio-guides available. There are several nature trails that weave through the grounds and a cable car runs to the top of the falls for splendid views of Lac Saint-Jean. There is also a restaurant, café and gift shop here so you can really make a day of it. For a wonderfully unique experience it is possible to overnight in one of the replica houses, in more modern and comfortable accommodation than perhaps the 1920s residents were accustomed to!

Charlevoix & Saguenay – Ideas for Free Time

Baie St. Paul is a popular weekend spot for residents of Quebec City, and despite its small size, it boasts a good selection of cafés, restaurants, galleries, and boutique shops. If you’re staying here, allow an afternoon to wander, or if you’re passing through, it’s a great place to stop for lunch. Further on, Baie St. Catherine and Tadoussac offer picturesque views of white weatherboard buildings with bright red roofs. These towns can feel disproportionately busy due to their main attraction: the whales. However, if you take the time to wander the streets, you’ll find charming souvenir shops and friendly locals who seem refreshingly unfazed by the hustle and bustle. Up the hill from the ferry landing in Baie St. Catherine, the Pointe-Noire Observation Centre (open mid-June to early September) serves as a whale study post. It features informative exhibits about these incredible creatures, along with an observation deck and telescope. In Tadoussac, the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre is well worth a visit, and several short walking trails provide excellent viewpoints to spot whales frolicking in the waves. In La Baie, the Musée du Fjord offers a fascinating look at the colonisation and industrial development of the area, as well as the ecology of the fjord. Highlights include a giant saltwater aquarium and a vivarium that bring the fjord’s unique ecosystem to life. Meanwhile, the Village Historique de Val-Jalbert in Chambord is a reconstructed 1920s company town that offers insight into the lives of workers during the paper mill heyday. For those travelling between Baie St. Catherine and Tadoussac, there is a free roll-on/roll-off ferry that operates continuously, with departures roughly every 15 minutes. No pre-booking is required.

Scenic Saguenay Fjord Criuse

The beautiful Saguenay Fjord is best appreciated by boat – cruising along the deep waters and gazing up at the towering cliffs gives you a sense of the real scale of this natural wonder, as well as an opportunity to view the many pretty villages that line the banks . This three-hour discovery tour is led by a naturalist guide who will give interesting commentary on the geology, ecology and cultural history of the Fjord and you can enjoy panoramic views from either inside the boat or on the upper deck.

Five Line ZipTrek Adventure

Get your zip on with this thrilling adventure! You take a gondola ride to the summit of Mont Tremblant, 875 metres high, whereupon you descend via five different zip-lines of varying length and speed. The two longest sections, around one kilometre each, feature peak speeds of up to 100 kilometres per hour – not for the faint-hearted! You will experience a number of breath-taking views of the mountains along the way and in the safe hands of an accredited guide you will also learn about the ecology and environment of the area. This tour requires moderate physical exertion and at times reaches heights of about 80 metres above ground.