Newfoundland Active Adventure

Welcome to “The Rock”!

Meet your expert and energetic Wild Women guides and fellow group members at Deer Lake Airport (YDF) by 2:30 p.m. We travel one hour north into the scenic jawdropper known as Gros Morne National Park to our basecamp. Before our first dinner and orientation session at Gros Morne Adventures boathouse (5:30 p.m.), we have time to unpack in our fully kitted out cottages and relax into the arresting views that surround the seaside community of Norris Point.

Included Meals

Dinner

Accommodations

Gros Morne Basecamp (Burnt Hill Cabins and Harbourside Suites)

Hiking on the Earth’s Mantle

After a filling breakfast we catch the 15-minute ferry from Norris Point to Woody Point where we crack off on the easy terrain of the Tablelands trail for one to two hours. The rusted, exposed Earth’s mantle serves as the open geological history book telling the story of North America and Africa’s collision.

We picnic at the Discovery Centre, Gros Morne National Park’s main interpretation center that showcases the area’s endemic species and anomalies that we may witness on our afternoon hike along The Lookout Trail. Expect 360 degree views (and 360 meters of elevation!) as we take in the Tablelands, Gulf of St. Lawrence, Gros Mountain and Bonne Bay from above!

For those who wish to opt out of the hike, the afternoon can be spent poking along the waterfront and shops of Woody Point before we drive to the charming-as-all-get-out town of Trout River for a seaside dinner.

This evening, we have a private Zodiac ride from Woody Point back to our accommodations in Norris Point.

Included Meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodations

Gros Morne Basecamp

The Hike

Tablelands Trail: 2.5 miles long (4 km) with a 289 foot (88m) elevation gain/loss, approx. 1–2 hours

The Lookout Trail: 3.6 miles (5.8km) with a 1,191 foot (363m) elevation gain, approximately 2–3 hours

Sea Kayaking & Fjord Fun

This morning, we explore the biodiverse marine environment in the sheltered glacier-scraped fjord of Bonne Bay by tandem sea kayak. Minke whales, bald eagles, kingfishers, common terns, Arctic terns and Caspian terns are regular visitors and jellyfish lurk below.

The uninterrupted views of Gros Morne Mountain and the Tablelands are simply mesmerizing by kayak! We will spend up to two hours on the water today (with breaks).

After our panoramic paddle we have a 30 minute drive north to the Western Brook Pond trailhead where we’ll stretch our legs and minds on an easy one to two hour hike to the dock. We can truly kick back on a two-hour interpretive boat tour of the freshwater lake sandwiched by billion year old granite cliffs that rise 2,133 feet out (650m) of the deep and denim bottom.

There will be time to chat, relax and share paddling pics at Gros Morne Basecamp before dinner in Norris Point.

Please note: The kayaking activity is not guaranteed due to the unpredictable weather conditions of the province.

Included Meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodations

Gros Morne Basecamp

The Hike

Western Brook Pond Trail: 3.7 miles (6 km) round trip with a 138 foot (42 m) elevation gain, approximately 1–2 hours

Official Screech-In

Today we meet Trina from Under the Stump for a memorable walk in Bakers Brook. Under the Stump is a hyperlocal sustainable ecotourism operator committed to low-impact and non-consumptive tours that reflect the stronghold of the province’s Indigenous roots.

Trina will share generational stories of her grandmother, her deep Mi’kmaq culture and proud Newfoundland traditions. Our hiking route will slice through fragrant balsam forest and trampoline-like wildflower bogs to the cascade of Bakers Brook Falls.

In the evening, Trina will join us for lively trad music and the much-anticipated Newfoundland screech-in ceremony. Tonight we officially become honorary Newfoundlanders. It’s a comical and fun-jammed experience involving an unsuspecting cod!

We have dinner in Rocky Harbour, it’s the largest community in the national park. There are several studios and shops to pick up the perfect reminder of our time in Newfoundland—whether it’s partridge berry jam, a quilt or a carved antler!

Included Meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodations

Gros Morne Basecamp

The HIKE

6.2 miles (10km) with a 640 foot (195m) elevation gain, approximately 2–3 hours

Port au Choix National Historic Site

We follow the mighty Viking Trail highway to St. Anthony with several stops along the way to take in the uniqueness of the northern reach of the peninsula.

At Green Point Geological Site, we learn about the significance of this international geological time scale. The dynamic rock layers observed here are a pivotal reason that Gros Morne is designated as an UNESCO World Heritage Site. On our classic rock-themed tour of The Rock, we visit Arches Provincial Park where group photos and selfies are imperative. The massive photogenic double rock arch created by tides and time provides an awesome backdrop.

Heading towards Port au Choix, if time permits, we can make stops at Point Riche Lighthouse, look for fossils along the beach and walk the coastal trails and archeological sites that are connected to the Port au Choix National Historic Site. This is an easily absorbed lesson about the settlements and life of the Maritime Archaic, Dorset and Groswater people who lived in the area thousands of years ago.

Our late afternoon drive to the most northern point of Newfoundland and the French Bread Ovens. Nothing compares to the first warm bites of fresh-baked bread from an outdoor stone oven. Slathered with sweet local preserves and served with hot tea, it’s the perfect fix before our two hour drive back to St. Anthony where we check into our new accommodations and gather for dinner.

Included Meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodations

Raleigh Rooms or St. Brendan’s Motel

The DRIVE

4–5 hours (20 minutes to Green Point, 40 minutes to Arches Provincial Park, 1 hour to Port au Choix, 2 hours to St. Anthony)

Tickle Your Fancy

In the morning, we visit the impressive L’Anse Aux Meadows National Historic Site—-it’s the only authenticated Norse settlement in North America and is a celebrated National and UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site. The archaeological remains of the Norse encampment are over 1,000 years old, making it the oldest known European encampment in North America. It wasn’t until the 1960s that legit Viking remains were confirmed by a small bronze cloak pin. 

Full-scale replicas of the traditional Norse sod buildings and Snorri, the Viking ship that retraced Erickson’s course from Greenland to the Meadows, provide a quick transport back in time. Thor, Loki and Eric the Red’s indomitable spirit loom here. We learn about the lives of the Vikings, blacksmiths and weavers through animated stories.

After a picnic lunch, we take to the seas in search of marine life (not Vikings) on a two hour boat tour of the northern coast with the Dark Tickle Company. We may even see Icebergs and whale sightings! It will tickle our fancy, for sure. We’ll have dinner in the St. Anthony area where we’ll be spending another night.

Included Meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodations

Raleigh Rooms or St. Brendan’s Motel

The drive

1.5 hours approximately  (to L’Anse aux Meadows and return to St. Anthony)

A Cultural Campfire Circle

We’ll rise and shine early in preparation for our scenic 4.5 hour journey back to Norris Point. We arrive in  time for a generous lunch spread at Gros Morne Adventures boathouse. Our afternoon will be a relaxing one spent with two Mi’kmaq female guides who will share time-steeped stories and Indigenous insights. 

Kristen, our partner at Gros Morne Adventures, will stoke and host an intimate cultural campfire while June from Spirit Horse Therapeutic Arts will lead us in a simple rattle making workshop. 

Tonight we gather for laughs and warmth over a reflective and celebratory farewell dinner together in Norris Point.

Included Meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

ACCOMMODATIONS

Gros Morne Basecamp

THE DRIVE

4.5 hours (St. Anthony to Norris Point)

Bye, Bye, B’ye!

After punchy coffee and laughs at breakfast, there will be time to mill around the local craft shops and studios or beachcomb the shores. Take one big inhale of the briny ocean, wet rocks and clarity of the East Coast air. We return to the Deer Lake Regional Airport late in the morning for departures and hugs. Where will we travel together next?

Included Meals

Breakfast