Trip Overview
Departures
Trip Dates + Prices
Duration
7 Days
Activities
Boating/Rafting
Hiking
Kayaking
Wildlife Viewing
Physical Rating
Moderate–Challenging
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Rock and Roll
On this East Coast romp, we visit the vibrantly painted fishing villages of “The Rock” and hike in Gros Morne National Park, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. We visit local art studios, try Jam Jams, beachcomb and sea kayak in the company of eagles (and starfish and jellyfish below) on Bonne Bay. We hike on the Earth’s rusty orange mantle, hunt for fossils in Green Point and summit the second highest mountain in Newfoundland!
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
Witness Geological Drama
Newfoundland is built on a dramatic landscape of glacier scars, stunted spruce, erratic rock and the pounding Atlantic. Tectonic plates shifted and kaboomed to create a terrain full of surprises like the desert-like Tablelands, tuckamore trees, soupy bogs and famed iceberg alleys. On this adventure, we take in the topography on long walks and paddles.
Wonderful hiking and kayaking adventures in an extraordinarily beautiful island with its own time zone! Wonderful food and accommodations. Wonderfully skilled and caring guides. And wonderfully fun fellow participants. A trip not to be missed!”
Mary C.
Itinerary
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Day 1
Deer Lake
Welcome to “The Rock”!
Meet your expert and energetic Wild Women guides and fellow group members at Deer Lake Airport at 2:30 p.m. We travel one hour north into the scenic jawdropper known as Gros Morne National Park. Before our first dinner and orientation session together, 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)
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Day 2
Gros Morne National Park
Hiking on the Earth’s Mantle
We start the day with an informative visit to the Discovery Centre to learn about the park’s endemic species and anomalies. In the afternoon we hike the rugged Tablelands to take in the unparalleled views of Bonne Bay from the top. This barren, lunar-like environment is half a billion years in the making!
The area is unable to support vegetation because the rocks forged from the Earth’s mantle lack the nutrients necessary to support plant life. The eroding mountains and 400 million years of wear and tear are visible in the distinct barren orange expanse—the mantle!
Today’s hike is technically short, especially if we consider the 400 million years it took to “build” the trail!
We have dinner in the outport community of Trout River and have time to poke along the beach.
Included Meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations
Gros Morne Basecamp
The Hike
2.5 to 3 miles long (4–5 km) with a 1,640 foot (500 m) elevation gain/loss
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Day 3
Gros Morne National Park
Green Gardens Grind
Today we hike over the boundary where the peridotite (coarse-grained dark rock) abruptly ends and the ancient oceanic crust begins. We follow the trail through boreal forest to the jagged coastline where pillow lava formations and sea stacks dominate the shoreline.
Green Gardens is our warm-up hike for Gros Morne Mountain! We won’t even notice the miles as countless sea stacks, secluded coves and waterfalls easily distract us. This trail can be rough and boggy in sections, though!
After lunch on the beach, we climb the 984 feet (300 m) elevation back to the trailhead. This evening, we have free time to wander the artsy village of Woody Point. There are several art studios and craft shops offering a selection of authentic Newfoundland goods: 100% wool sweaters, mitts, jams and jellies.
Included Meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations
Gros Morne Basecamp
The Hike
6.2 miles (10 km) round trip with a 984 foot (300 m) elevation gain
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Day 4
Bonne Bay
Kayaking in Bonny Bonne Bay
We explore the biodiverse marine environment in the sheltered fjord of Bonne Bay by tandem sea kayak today. Minke whales, eagles, kingfishers, common terns, Arctic terns and Caspian terns are regular visitors.
The uninterrupted views of Gros Morne Mountain and the Tablelands are simply mesmerizing by kayak! We spend three hours on the water today with a picnic lunch and breaks. If the wind cooperates, we may be able to squeeze out four hours of paddling, but Mother Nature likes to rock the boat!
Tonight, there will be time to explore Rocky Harbour’s wharves. For dinner, fresh cod and Iceberg beer? Rocky Harbour is the largest community in Gros Morne National Park, and 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!
Please note: The kayaking activity is not guaranteed due to the unpredictable weather conditions of the province. There is a 100% guarantee that any alternative is going to be pure fun!Included Meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations
Gros Morne Basecamp
The Paddle
3–4 hours, tandem kayak
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Day 5
Gros Morne National Park
Summiting Gros Morne Mountain
Today we hike to the highest point in the park, Gros Morne Mountain. The summit looms at 2,604 feet (806 m). For perspective, Everest is 29,032 feet (8,849 m). This hike puts the rock (and roll) in the province affectionately known as “The Rock.” It’s rigorous, rough and challenging, with steep sections that will make us wish we had kept up with the Suzanne Somers Thighmaster. It can take eight to 10 hours to complete the 10.5-mile (17 km) loop.
The trail leads to the stony and rugged alpine plateau where rare vegetation clings to this barren landscape. Hardy and sure-footed inhabitants like the Woodland caribou, rock ptarmigan and Arctic hare are often seen here.
The spectacular 360-degree view of the glacier-sculpted fjords of Bonne Bay, Ten Mile Pond and the Gulf of the St. Lawrence is worth the scramble and pounding heart!
Included Meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations
Gros Morne Basecamp
The Hike
10.5 miles (17 km), which takes about 8–10 hours
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Day 6
Western Brook Pond Fjord
Boats and Boardwalks
We strike off on a short one-hour coastal lowland walk across bogs and limestone ridges to Western Brook Pond fjord, a spectacular freshwater lake hemmed in by 2,133 foot-high (650 m) rock walls.
Here, we join a boat tour to explore the length of the famed pond to witness the spectacular waterfalls that tumble and cascade from the alpine plateau.
The afternoon will be spent hiking the flat gravel paths and boardwalks that connect the coastal trails or sightseeing in the area, depending on the group’s interest.
Included Meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations
Gros Morne Basecamp
The Hike
3.7 miles (6 km)
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Day 7
Deer Lake
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
Take a Deeper Dive
Want all the details in one handy package? Download the full itinerary here.
What’s Included
- Professional female guide(s)
- All meals from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 7
- 6 nights’ shared cabin accommodation
- Fully outfitted sea kayak day trip on Bonne Bay in tandem kayaks
- Guided hikes and walks throughout Gros Morne
- Ground transportation around Gros Morne and return to Deer Lake Regional Airport
- Gros Morne National Park pass
- Western Brook Pond Fjord boat tour
Please Note:
All applicable taxes are included in the trip price.
Itineraries may be subject to change without notice due to weather and other environmental conditions. Please review our Booking Terms.
Trip Details
Know Before You Go
Click HERE for all of the logistical details you’ll need to know prior to departure—including the packing list, arrival and departure details and suggested tipping information.
This trip starts in Deer Lake, Newfoundland (airport code: YDF), and finishes in Deer Lake, Newfoundland (airport code: YDF).
How We Support You
Ready for a big adventure? We’re in it together. On this trip, we hike over uneven terrain, enjoy a boat tour and paddle in tandem kayaks. Yes, it’s a challenge, but you’re never alone. Like thousands of women before you, you’ll draw on strength you didn’t know you had and come out feeling like the goddess you are.
Like all our trips, this trip can be scaled to suit different abilities and comfort levels. Still have concerns? Let’s talk about it.
This is an active multi-activity adventure. We would like you to be comfortable with the following:
- Hiking over uneven boggy terrain for 6–10 hours, covering 5–10 miles (9–16 km) and gaining up to 2,644 feet (806 m) of elevation
- Paddling for 4–5 hours (in a tandem kayak)
- Not comfortable swimming? Please let us know!
- Physical Rating: Moderate – Challenging (Be prepared for active physical activity. Trips average 5 to 8 hours of physical activity most days, and depending on the shape you are in, they typically require activity specific training ahead of the trip.)