7d9935e5

10 Fun Facts about Canada's Maritimes

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Tue, 09 May 2023 18:35:58 GMT

‘All Aboard!’ for Fall Foliage

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 19:43:30 GMT

‘All Aboard!’ for Fall Foliage

Escape this fall and enjoy a relaxing trip by train through Canada’s majestic northern landscapes.

A one-day train tour of the Agawa Canyon will take you 114 miles north of Sault Ste Marie, over majestic trestles, skirting along northern lakes and rivers and through the awesome granite of the Canadian Shield. You will see the same sights that inspired the Group of Seven to create Canada’s most notable landscape art.

So what and where is the Agawa Canyon?

The Agawa Canyon is located 183 kilometres northwest of Sault Ste Marie in Algoma County. The Canyon was created 1.2 billion years ago by faults along the Canadian Shield and was enlarged by erosion of the Agawa River. The granite bedrock of the area was formed over 2.5 billion years ago and is among the oldest rock in the world.

The Canyon got its name from the native Ojibway word for "shelter." The name makes sense since the Agawa Canyon’s walls are 575 feet at their highest point, offering early visitors some shelter from the cold winter winds.

In 1911, the first track of the Agawa Canyon railway was laid. The Algoma Central Railway began developing the Agawa Canyon Wilderness Park in 1952 by clearing a picnic area. Since then, millions of people have visited, most of them arriving on the Tour Train.

In fact, the Agawa Canyon Tour Train is the absolute best way to experience the rugged beauty of northern Ontario. This full day train excursion boards in Sault Ste Marie and travels northward through the Canadian Shield and offers the chance to explore the Canyon.

Your journey takes you over majestic train trestles, and along northern lakes and rivers. Through the window, you will see the sights that inspired the Group of Seven to create Canada’s most notable landscape art.

The train stops at the floor of the Canyon. There you’ll find walking trails, four waterfalls and 300 stairs to a lookout platform where you can take in the beauty of the area. The Lookout is 250 feet up the Canyon wall and a return trip hike takes 40 minutes.

The peak time for fall colours is generally during the last two weeks of September and the first week of October. This is when you’ll find the most spectacular landscapes - and the most tourists - so you’ll want to plan ahead!

How to Shop for a Packaged Tour

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 15:19:00 GMT

How to Shop for a Packaged Tour

Have you ever saved, budgeted, and booked a tour, packed with anticipation, excitedly departed, and then had the feeling that your hands were constantly reaching for your wallet to pay for additional trip expenses?

We know that in today’s marketplace, you're overwhelmed with the latest information about the best places to vacation, the top ten things to see and do, and of course, it’s all at the "best prices". This can be confusing and can make it hard to know how to pick the perfect vacation without the “fear of missing out”. The number one tip we have when shopping around is to compare apples-to-apples. Don’t be disappointed the next time you travel. Pay attention to the following tour components:

Prices & Details
Hotels
Attractions
Meals

PRICES & DETAILS

The lowest price does not mean the best . Look carefully at what is included, the number of days, tour highlights, and the accommodation choices.

Pay attention to the details – they matter! If the tour involves a flight, does the price include the air or is it based on land only? Are you visiting a destination during peak season? Know that it will cost more than touring in the shoulder season.

BONUS: To make your vacation stress-free from the start, we include our Connections Program and will make arrangements to get you to the closest pick-up point.

HOTELS

While to some guests, hotels are “just a place to sleep,” there are certain things you should look at.

Compare the property types included in the tour. The establishments with higher property ratings usually mean better levels of services and amenities like baggage handling. While staying at a Fairmont property costs more than a 3-star, the experience of staying at such an esteemed hotel can be worth the extra cost.

Be sure to look at hotel locations. A centrally located hotel provides access to many attractions and restaurants within walking distance whereas a hotel on the outskirts will involve transportation. Especially if your visit to the destination is short, time spent waiting for rides plus shuttle travel time might be better spent exploring.

ATTRACTIONS

The most exciting thing to look forward to during the trip planning stage is what you are going to see and do.

Weigh your two options carefully. Two companies may have the same attraction listed but the experience may be vastly different. For example, a Broadway performance may include just the show or it could be the performance plus a backstage tour.

Is the attraction guided or self-guided? If guided, the ticket will cost more but the price you pay for the guide pays for itself with the wealth of knowledge gained.

Does the company have a lot of add-ons or optional excursions? Having a choice is great, but be prepared with a realistic, on-tour spending budget.

MEALS

When looking at food options, compare the number of meals included. The fewer meals included, the more you will have to pay during your vacation. Take a look at the value of the meal – a lobster dinner vs a pasta dish for example. The lobster is going to cost more. In addition, understand that meals are sometimes included for logistical reasons, and providing box lunches works well when sightseeing in a remote location.

BONUS: Daily breakfast is always included. When meals are included in the tour price, the gratuity is also.

We hope that the next time you get the “travel bug”, you will use these helpful tips to make the best decision for you.

Top 5 Reasons to Travel with Us to the Agawa Canyon

jessicabullock@denuretours.com — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 13:16:18 GMT

Top 5 Reasons to Take our Agawa Canyon Tour

Percé Rock in Quebec’s Famous Gaspé

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 17:52:59 GMT

Percé Rock in Quebec’s Famous Gaspé

In 2009, National Geographic Traveler ranked the Gaspé Peninsula third on its list of the world’s must-see places. Why? Visitors to this region are soon awestruck by Percé Rock and the natural inhabitants of nearby Bonaventure Island.

Rising dramatically from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Percé Rock is a monolith off the Gaspé Peninsula. Located 750km east of Québec City, this limestone island-peninsula is 450m long, 90m wide and 85m high.

It is one of the world's largest natural arches and is considered a geologically and historically-rich natural icon of Quebec . In fact, it was recently nominated as one of the Seven Wonders of Canada by the CBC.

Percé Rock, translated to English as Pierced Rock, was given its name by the explorer Samuel de Champlain in 1607. He felt that the arch on its seaward end looked as though a needle had cut through the rock.

From May 28 to October 12 each year, brave visitors to the rock can cross the sandbar that appears at low tide - a mere four hour window. During these times, park guides provide information on the geology of Percé Rock, however, the top is not accessible as many birds perch there.

Next to the rock is Bonaventure Island , and together the two form Bonaventure Island and Percé Rock National Park. An interpretation centre in the town of Percé features an exhibition entitled "one rock, one island, one national park," which details the wildlife, geology and history of the area.

The Park extends over a 2km stretch of the coastline, and exhibits a wide variety of flora and fauna. It is also one of the largest and most accessible bird sanctuaries in the world, with more than 280,000 birds. In fact, 293 different species of birds have been recorded here. The most common of these is the Northern Gannet, and the island is home to the largest colony of gannets in the world, with over 121,000 birds.

For those who would prefer to see the rock from the water, a cruise from Percé is a 75-minute trip. And if you’re lucky, you may spot some of the many species of whale that can be seen along the coast.

Enigmatic and fascinating, immortalized by artists, poets and writers, the Gaspé’s Percé Rock is definitely a must see attraction.

St. Johns, Newfoundland's friendly capital

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Wed, 26 May 2021 21:57:12 GMT

No trip to Newfoundland is complete without visiting its capital St. John’s. This inviting city is the perfect combination of big-city luxury and small-town charm. And as the oldest and most easterly city in North America, it is also where history lives. Visitors will delight in wandering the narrow, criss-crossing streets carved by horse and carriage over 100 years ago. Many pictures have been snapped of the colourful jellybean row houses wedged together in hidden alleyways and along the city’s steep hills.

You’ll be amazed by the famous Battery, where tiny wooden homes still cling valiantly to cliffs ravaged by ocean waves. And hovering over the Battery is Signal Hill and the unmistakable Cabot Tower that guards the summit. It was here in 1901 that Marconi famously received his first wireless transmission across the Atlantic. But in addition to the museums, shops and attractions that you would expect to find in a capital city, St. John’s is located on the water. In fact, the province features over 29,000 kilometres of pristine coastline, enough to stretch back and forth across Canada four times. And there's no better way to enjoy it than by boat.

Sail along the shore enjoying its rugged beauty, and encounter natural wonders like whales, icebergs, and seabirds. In fact, many visitors have caught a glimpse of a humpback playfully frolicking or breaching high into the air. Friendly and curious creatures, whales are known to surface just a few metres from tour boats. During spring and early summer, you might also cross paths with a 10,000-year-old iceberg drifting down Iceberg Alley on a southerly migration from Greenland. And keep an eye out for the puffins, kittiwakes, and gannets that reside in the many cliffs, crags, inlets, and islands around the coast, and on the ocean itself.

For the nature lover, a trip out to the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve is a must. Comprised of four small islands, this reserve is one of nature's greatest wonders anywhere on earth. In summer, it is home to millions of seabirds that come to shore to nest and raise their young on the four islands.

Of course, despite all of this, what you’ll remember most about your trip to Newfoundland, is the people. Friendly faces greet you at every turn, people proud of their history, and eager to make you one of their own.

7d9935e5

10 Fun Facts about Canada's Maritimes

‘All Aboard!’ for Fall Foliage

‘All Aboard!’ for Fall Foliage ﻿

How to Shop for a Packaged Tour

How to Shop for a Packaged Tour

Top 5 Reasons to Travel with Us to the Agawa Canyon

Top 5 Reasons to Take our Agawa Canyon Tour

Percé Rock in Quebec’s Famous Gaspé

Percé Rock in Quebec’s Famous Gaspé

St. Johns, Newfoundland's friendly capital

‘All Aboard!’ for Fall Foliage