Eastern Canada Contrasts

Day 1
Toronto Arrival

Depart London Heathrow – 18:15
Arrive Montreal – 20:20
Journey Time – 7 hours 5 minutes

On arrival at Toronto we suggest taking a standard metered cab from the airport to your downtown hotel. The approximate charge is $40.00. Alternatively, we can arrange for a representative to meet you on arrival and for a private car to take you to your hotel. Please ask us for details and costs for this service.

We do not recommend collection of your rental vehicle as it will not be required during your stay in Toronto and the vehicle would be subject to hotel parking charges. We will arrange for collection of your vehicle to be from a convenient downtown location on the day you leave Toronto.

Overnight – Toronto

Hotel:
Standard – Eaton Chelsea Hotel
Superior – Sheraton Centre Hotel

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Day 2
Toronto

As the world’s most ethnically diverse city, Toronto also has distinctive shopping districts and markets that offer a wide range of unique shopping experiences. These vibrant retail areas include Queen Street West, Kensington Market, St. Lawrence Market, five Chinatowns, Little Italy along St. Clair West, the Greek community along “The Danforth,” Little Portugal at Dundas and Bathurst Streets, and Gerrard India Bazaar at Gerrard and Greenwood.

Overnight – Toronto

Hotel:
Standard – Eaton Chelsea Hotel
Superior – Sheraton Centre Hotel

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Day 3
Niagara Falls Excursion from Toronto

This morning board your motor coach excursion outside your hotel for a day at one of the wonders of the world – Niagara Falls. This full day excursion to the falls is fully narrated by your experienced driver guide and includes lunch and a journey to the base of the falls on the Maid of the Mist.

Overnight – Toronto

Hotel:
Standard – Eaton Chelsea Hotel
Superior – Sheraton Centre Hotel

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Day 4
Toronto to Muskoka Lakes/Huntsville
182 miles

Today, after collecting your car from a location downtown, travel north to the magnificent Muskoka Country, sparkling clean lakes shimmering under brilliant blue skies, the whisper of warm breezes in majestic white pines, the haunting cry of loons – the essence of the north. This area has long been a favourite for the people of southern Ontario for vacations and weekend getaways to the cottage by the lake.

Overnight – Huntsville

Hotel:
Standard – Deerhurst Resort
Superior – Deerhurst Resort

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Day 5
Muskoka Lakes/Huntsville

Spend a relaxing day in Ontario’s beloved “cottage country” filled with sparkling lakes, dense forests and the rugged beauty of the Canadian Shield. Take a cruise past palatial estates lining the Muskoka Lakes on the Lady Muskoka or the R.M.S. Segwun – an elegantly restored 19th-century steam ship. Discover the beauty of Georgian Bay Islands National Park – home to wildlife, waterfowl, woodlands and plenty of game fish in the surrounding waters near Honey Harbour. Return to life in the late 1800s at Muskoka Heritage Place Steam Train and Pioneer Village in Huntsville where you can ride the Portage Flyer – a restored 1928 steamer. Whatever you choose to do you are sure to delight in the natural beauty and serenity of this treasured Canadian region.

Overnight – Huntsville

Hotel:
Standard – Deerhurst Resort
Superior – Deerhurst Resort

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Day 6
Huntsville to Ottawa
185 miles

Take to the road again, heading east into Algonquin Provincial Park. Take your time and enjoy the beautiful surroundings and be sure to visit the interpretation centre, as well as keeping an eye out for the bears and moose whose homeland you travel through. Your destination today is Ottawa, Canada’s capital. With unique history, geography and lifestyle, it offers a wide variety of urban attractions: many of Canada’s best museums and cultural facilities, as well as the Parliament Buildings and other historical structures and major institutions located in the Capital area.

Overnight – Ottawa

Hotel:
Standard – Delta Ottawa City Centre
Superior – Hotel Indigo

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Day 7
Ottawa

There are many different sites for you to visit in the Capital Region, perhaps you will take a cruise on the Rideau Canal – one of the oldest landmarks in Ottawa and filled with boats in summer or maybe take a journey on the Hull – Wakefield Steam Train. Consider taking lunch at Byward Market – This traditional farmers’ market surrounds a two-floor building of boutiques and features some fine restaurants as well as numerous places to grab a snack or a glass of wine or beer. Another must see would be the training centre for the Musical Ride of the Royal Canadian Mountain Police and the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau across the river from Ottawa. Other daytime visits worth considering are Parliament Hill, Canadian War Museum, National Gallery of Canada, Dows Lake Pavilion and much, much more.

Overnight – Ottawa

Hotel:
Standard – Delta Ottawa City Centre
Superior – Hotel Indigo

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Day 8
Ottawa to Quebec City
300 miles

Take the day to drive north and through the beautiful Laurentian Mountain region. Extending from southern Quebec to the shores of the St. Lawrence River, the Laurentian Mountains are a majestic presence on the Quebec landscape. In addition to this mighty mountain range and its highest peak, Mont Tremblant, the region is also home to an abundance of immense lakes, wandering rivers, dense forests, rich agricultural plains, and foothills dotted with picturesque villages. Continue your journey on to the capital city of La Belle Provence, Quebec City.

Overnight – Quebec City

Hotel:
Standard – Delta Quebec
Superior – Manoir Victoria

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Day 9
Quebec City

You now have a full day to discover Quebec City and perhaps take our exciting whale watching excursion. As you explore the winding side streets, on foot or in a horse-drawn carriage, the romance of the city will enrapture you. It’s the only fortified city in North America, and history comes alive as you stroll through its oldest neighbourhoods and tour its museums and historical sites. On the city’s doorstep lay natural wonders and gorgeous parks, be sure to visit breath-taking Montmorency Falls. Other sites around the city worth visiting include the Plains of Abraham – This grassy field was the site of a famous battle between the French and the English in 1759. Place Royale – This famous town plaza is the heart of historic Lower Town and has been an important social centre since the city’s founding. Citadel – Constructed by the Duke of Wellington to fortify the city following the War of 1812, this huge old fort can be toured. Basilique Cathedrale – Notre-Dame-de-Quebec – This famous 17th-century cathedral has been restored several times but still provides visitors with an ambiance of centuries past.

Optional Excursion – Tadoussac Whale Watching – From £79
If you would like to try something totally different take this spectacular full day trip to see the whales. The tour to discover the whale’s kingdom takes one of the most beautiful roads of the province towards Charlevoix and its enchanting sites and landscapes. Board a ship designed specially for marine mammal watching as a naturalist guide invites you to discover the Beluga and Finback whale environment. We recommend you take warm clothes. The cruise lasts 2 hours and thirty minutes. The return to Québec City is scheduled at the end of the day with an approximate return time to you Quebec City hotel of 7pm.

Overnight – Quebec City

Hotel:
Standard – Delta Quebec
Superior – Manoir Victoria

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Day 10
Quebec City to Montreal
185 miles

Today, continue on to Montreal, where it began in 1642 with the first French settlers. Montreal showcases its history and its future in architecture with graceful gray stones, sultry red bricks, shiny aluminium, and dazzling green-blue-tinted glass. These building materials were wielded by some of the brightest architectural minds of the past two centuries; as a result Montréal’s urban landscape is nothing short of fascinating.

Overnight – Montreal

Hotel:
Standard – Delta Montreal Hotel
Superior – Le Westin Montreal

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Day 11 & 12
Montreal

Montréal is a fascinating mix of urban thrills and natural wonders, neatly contained in one pristine island setting. Which means that there’s something for everyone, from the adventure-seeker to the cultural purist. Take, for example, the grand museums: the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts, the Musée d’art contemporain, the Pointe-à-Callière Museum of Archaeology and History and the Canadian Centre for Architecture regularly inspire with international-calibre exhibitions devoted to art, architecture and history.

Downtown Montréal, an attraction in itself, is everyone’s preferred place to be. Montrealers live and love their centre-ville, where chic boutiques, galleries and trends converge amidst an eclectic architectural medley of soaring skyscrapers, church spires and the Quartier international’s futuristic spaces.

Proof that Montrealers are as passionate about nature as they are about their urban experiences is Mount Royal, the city’s magnificent centerpiece. The mountain is everyone’s favorite spot for sports and leisure, with Saint-Joseph’s Oratory and two gorgeous hillside cemeteries great for quiet contemplation.

Step onto Old Montréal’s cobblestone streets and feel time shift, as every turn reveals a cachet of history, like the breath-taking Notre-Dame Basilica and the silver-domed Bonsecours Market. Still popular since colonial times, Place Jacque-Cartier’s summer spoils include flowered sidewalk cafés, street entertainers and artists.

Steps away, the Old Port brings you back to where it all began, at the shores of the majestic St. Lawrence River. People come here for panoramic cruises, lazy quayside promenades, and further upriver, white water rafting. A ferry ride takes you to Parc Jean-Drapeau where you can enjoy an amusement park, exquisite gardens and the Casino de Montréal, not mention the striking city skyline.

Overnight – Montreal

Hotel:
Standard – Delta Montreal Hotel
Superior – Le Westin Montreal

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Day 13
Montreal to Montebello
80 miles

Driving along the Ottawa River today, you are off to the unique Fairmont Chateau Montebello. Located on the shores of the Ottawa River, the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello is the largest log structure in the world.

Below are a few examples of what you can see or do within 10 minutes of the resort:

Omega Park – Take a drive along ten kilometers of roads winding through 1,500 acres full of free-roaming wildlife throughout the seasons: bison, elk, black bear, bighorn sheep, ibex, fallow deer, white-tailed deer, moose, wolves, boars and small native species. Located on Highway 323, the park is located 10 minutes away from Fairmont Le Château Montebello.

Kenauk, The Seigniory at Montebello – Fairmont Kenauk is one of North America’s largest and longest established private reserves.  There are more than 70 lakes and over 65,000 acres of carefully protected wildlife habitat, virtually unchanged since its years as the Papineau Seigniory. Entrance fee applies.

Whitefish Lake Picnic Area – Whitefish Lake, one of the largest lakes on Fairmont Kenauk with more than 160 acres of clean, clear water has over 2.5 miles of wooded shoreline and is easily accessed by canoe (1.9 miles) to the Kinonge River. Located on the western shore of the lake and easily accessed by car or bus from Fairmont Le Château Montebello, is a picnic area that offers an ideal setting for family picnics or for corporate barbecues. Picnic tables, barbecues and a dock from which you can boat, canoe or swim are available on-site.

Bear Observation – An authentic safari-bus will drive you to the viewing site where, in the safety of a fully enclosed, insect free observation platform 7 feet above the ground, you will have the opportunity to glimpse bears. A professional guide will inform you about these exceptional animals, their life in their natural habitat. Along the trail, deer, moose and many species of birds can be observed. This is a safe, educational and exciting experience for all to enjoy.

Overnight – Montebello

Hotel:
Standard – Fairmont Chateau Montebello
Superior – Fairmont Chateau Montebello

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Day 14
Montebello

Today is at leisure to explore. Some of the facilities at your hotel include the classic Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello Golf Club which has been ranked as the 2nd best public course in Quebec – designed in 1929 by Stanley Thompson. Alternatively, spa facilities and indoor & outdoor pools are sure to help you relax.

Overnight – Montebello

Hotel:
Standard – Fairmont Chateau Montebello
Superior – Fairmont Chateau Montebello

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Day 15
Montebello to Montreal
80 miles

After breakfast this morning a short drive (allow approximately 1.5 hours depending on time) back to Montréal where you will drop your rental car at the airport and depart for the U.K.

Depart Montreal – 21:40
Arrive London Heathrow – 09:05 (Next Day)
Journey time – 6 hours 25 minutes

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Your holiday includes

• Scheduled Flights
• UK & US Airport taxes
• Accommodation – 14 nights
• Compact car rental based on Hertz – 14 day rental
• Exclusive travel documentation portfolio including personalised maps, itinerary and driver directions along with all applicable tickets and vouchers.

Additional Experiences

Our holidays are completely tailored to suit you. We would be happy to help you choose from a vast array of additional experiences that will enhance your North America holiday adventure.

These might include:

There are many more, often quite unique to your chosen destination so please do ask.