Aww-inspiring Western Brook Pond on a gorgeous summer day.
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| There are special places in the world, rare places where you can walk alone forever and never feel lonely — Western Newfoundland is one of those places.
The land is wild and rugged with an ever-present fog that engulfs you in a mist that guides you to places where your eyes can’t see. The rock and the water wield immeasurable strength, matched by the persistence of the tiniest wild orchids pressing defiantly against the endless coastal winds. Was it the power of these beautiful, natural surroundings that instilled in me such a deep comfort and sense of home in this place I had never been? Or perhaps it was the spirit of the Beothuk long passed or the presence of the Mi’kmaq roots in this land that I felt walking alongside me.
Ultimately, the reason doesn’t matter because it’s not the answers that are most intriguing about this magical place. It’s the opportunity it creates. Opportunity to experience the richness, diversity and uniqueness of the lands, waters, people and beyond. Experiences that etch this place into your mind, evoking a feeling you will never forget.
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| | | This exceptional experience of Western Newfoundland features Gros Morne National Park’s natural wonders, a visit to the Norse Viking settlement at l’Anse aux Meadows and a stay at a historic lighthouse along the Iceberg Alley. Your journey of discovery will be filled with walking, cultural immersion, breathtaking scenery, wildlife, fine dining experiences and evenings to remember. |
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We’ve selected the top day hikes in Gros Morne National Park and combined them with delicious Newfoundland cuisine, comfortable lodging, and cultural experiences. Newfoundlanders are renowned for being excellent storytellers and we will have the chance to hear tales from the Vikings during our visit to L’Anse aux Meadows, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the only Viking site in North America. Before concluding this adventure, we make our way to the northernmost tip of Newfoundland, where we will stay at the base of a still-operating lighthouse. Quirpon Island boasts the most extended iceberg viewing season in Newfoundland and an impressive number of whales off its shores.
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Crossing the windswept Mont Jacques-Cartier plateau. (Photo: Brad Asselstine)
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| The Gaspé Peninsula is a maritime paradise bursting with coastal scenery, winding seaside roads and fresh seafood, right? Wrong. Well, it is all that, definitely. But it is also so much more. The peninsula is also a hiker’s paradise, and the best place to discover this is rugged, land-locked Parc national de la Gaspésie. Located 20 kilometres inland from the picturesque town of Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, straddling a 100-kilometre-long east-west swath of the Chic-Chocs and McGerrigle mountain ranges, Quebec’s Gaspésie Park is a world apart from maritime Gaspé — and worth every challenging step. Our group took five nights and four days to bag the park’s five crown jewels — the Jacques-Cartier, Albert, Xalibu and Richardson peaks and… the Bistro-bar at the Gîte du Mont-Albert. There are other mountains to climb, river-side trails to stroll, and abundant wildlife to see, so additional time could be spent sampling all the park has to offer.
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The Cliff Hotel in Negril embodies warm Jamaican hospitality with amazing coastal views.
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In Jamaica, everything is amplified: the food is spicier, the music is louder, the colours are more vibrant… At least, they are when you’ve ingested psychedelics. The ocean-blue yoga mat cushioning my body against the wooden floor at Rockhouse Hotel & Spa in Negril feels softer than the yoga mats I am used to. My body is completely relaxed as layered sounds of singing bowls, various drums, and guitar resonate through the light-filled studio in the hotel’s newly-opened farmhouse. A light breeze wafts a stray leaf through the window, and I feel it dance across my chest before settling beside my hand. I want to brush it away as its sharp corner pokes into my hand, but I don’t want to move any part of my body. We have just entered our second wave of guided breathwork, and I feel like I’m melting into the earth. I don’t know if it’s because the shrooms are kicking in or I am just deep in meditation, but either way, I am perfectly content.
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Calling all photographers!
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Canadian Geographic’s Canadian Photos of the Year Competition is back! From now until the end of the year, Canadian photographers are invited to submit their best images to any of the four categories listed below for a chance to win amazing cash prizes. This year we will award one grand prize, four category prizes, four runner-up prizes and four honourable mentions. With $10,000 cash to award, plus a chance to be published in Canadian Geographic, this is an opportunity not to be missed!
The competition is open to all Canadian residents, and images must have been taken in the 2023 calendar year. Winners will be selected based on skill by a panel of judges. There is no limit to the number of images you can submit, and in fact, we encourage you to submit multiple entries as the grand prize winner is selected on the basis of an outstanding body of work!
The competition closes December 31, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. ET, so get those entries in!
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