Afternoon: HOTEL CHECK-IN: Independent arrivals and transfers to the program hotel after 3:00 pm. Please note that rooms are not generally available until mid to late afternoon.

Dinner: Welcome dinner at the hotel

Evening: INTRODUCTIONS: Following dinner, you will meet for introductions, a review of the program and site orientation. Optional evening walk in Old Quebec.

Lodging: Manoir Victoria

Meals Included: Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Montmorency Falls & Basilica Ste. Anne de Beaupre. Board the coach for Tadoussac via Charlevoix. Along the way we make several stops to points of interest including Montmorency Falls, at 272 feet high, the falls are almost 100 feet higher than Niagara Falls. We visit the Basilica at Ste. Anne de Beaupre, an important pilgrimage site in North America.

Lunch: Lunch in Baie St. Paul.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Baie St. Paul, Art Gallery and Pointe Noire. After lunch we will have a guided walk through the town of Baie St. Paul, prized by painters from everywhere in the country. Along the narrow streets of Baie-Saint-Paul, you can admire numerous ancestral houses that clearly remind of the wealthy businessmen who settled in this region. The streets of the city are lined with boutiques and art galleries that show works by artists who come to the area for inspiration to paint or sculpt their beautiful works of art. Discover the works of one of Canada's foremost painters, Rene Richard; explore the gallery at his home and discuss his works. We resume our travel along the St. Lawrence - drive through a 350 million year old meteorite crater to Pointe Noire lighthouse. Perched at the edge of the Saguenay Fjord with a view of Tadoussac and the St. Lawrence River, beluga whales are often spotted from here.

Dinner: Dinner at Le Bateau - French Canadian buffet.

Evening: PRESENTATION: Local History/The Mighty River. Evening presentation on local history and a screening of the video "The Mighty River", narrated by Donald Sutherland.

Lodging: Hotel Tadoussac

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at Hotel Tadoussac

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Whale Watching Safari. We embark on a morning whale watching safari with an experienced naturalist to see Fin, Minke and Beluga whales perhaps Humpback and Sperm whales. The Gulf and Estuary of the St. Lawrence form a kingdom for whales. They are like an open air laboratory for biologists fascinated by these giants. Since the beginning of the 1980's, the St. Lawrence has also become an incomparable destination for those wishing to attempt an encounter with whales.

Lunch: Lunch at the marina.

Afternoon: PRESENTATION: Whale Research Station & Museum. At the CIMM Museum (Le Centre d'Interprétation des Mammifères Marins or the Sea Mammals Interpretation Centre) you'll discover the fascinating and mysterious world of the St-Lawrence whales with our Museum specialists. Where can one see them? How to recognize them? The Museum’s exhibitions, aquarium, skeleton collection and reconstitutions of sea-mammals, films and slide-shows are not to be missed. Listen to the underwater sounds of the Saguenay River; see spectacular images and reproductions of whales, and more. EXCURSION: Saguenay Fjord Walk. On a guided walk to the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord, witness the upwelling phenomena which supplies vast clouds of krill and small fish to feed the whales.

Dinner: Dinner at Hotel Georges.

Evening: EXCURSION: Whale Quiz & The Man Who Planted Trees. Benny's Whale Quiz followed by a video screening of "The Man Who Planted Trees", narrated by Christopher Plummer. It tells the story of a solitary shepherd who patiently plants and nurtures a forest of thousands of trees, single-handedly transforming his arid surroundings into a thriving oasis. A film of great beauty and hope, this story is a remarkable parable for all ages and an inspiring testament to the power of one person.

Lodging: Hotel Tadoussac

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at Hotel Tadoussac

Morning: PRESENTATION: Whale Research Station & Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park. Hear about the role and activity of the Whale research station at the CIMM Museum. A presentation on the Saguenay–-St. Lawrence Marine Park will provide a snapshot of this unique natural environment: the majestic waters of the world’s largest estuary mingling here with those of the longest fjord in Eastern Canada. It is Canada's first and largest marine park, where water depths vary from 15 to over 1,000 feet. This encounter between the St. Lawrence Estuary and the Saguenay Fjord produces exceptional oceanographic phenomena, such as cold waters welling up to the surface, that foster biological diversity. As well as a rich natural heritage, learn about the significant cultural background and fascinating history of the marine park area. Physical traces of human life, as much as 8,000 years old, bear witness to their presence here.

Lunch: Lunch at Hotel Tadoussac.

Afternoon: EXCURSION: Sand Dunes Walk. On a guided walk, marvel at the 200 foot high sand dunes descending to the beach below. Tide and weather permitting, there will be an optional 3 mile/5 km beach walk back to Tadoussac.

Dinner: Dinner Hotel Beluga.

Evening: PRESENTATION: Slideshow presentation.

Lodging: Hotel Tadoussac

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at Hotel Tadoussac

Morning: FIELD TRIP:Cap-de-Bon-Désir Lighthouse & Montanais Essipit Reserve. We board the coach for Les Escoumins. At Cap-de-Bon-Désir listen to the lighthouse tell about its past and the lives of its keepers. It is also an excellent place from which to admire the St. Lawrence Estuary and the seek out the many species of marine mammals there, including minke, common and blue whales, belugas and many species of seals and seabirds. Optional visit to the Belgian Chocolate Shop. Learn about the native settlement of this area and how the community owed its survival—and lifestyle—to the use of natural resources. Essipit, established where traditional shipping routes intersected, took advantage of its enviable location to do business with travelers. The advent of the logging industry in the 19th century completely transformed life in the area, and at this time the federal government created reserves, including Essipit, founded in 1892. Visit the Montanais Essipit reserve and learn how residents developed new economies based on trade and crafts. Hear about the native peoples on the St. Lawrence River’s north shore that traded with Vikings, Basque whalers, and even Jacques Cartier.

Lunch: Lunch at Le Bouleau.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Marine Discovery Centre. At the Marine Discovery Centre; learn how ships’ captains conquered the St. Lawrence over the years, in an exhibition on navigation on the river. View a diver's film showing sea life 45 feet below the surface, sea stars, sea cucumbers, anemones and sponges. See where and how local peat moss is collected and harvested. At Archo-Topo at Bergeronnes you will learn about the archeology and natural history of the area and the making of Indian Pottery. Examine artifacts documenting 8,000 years of human presence here at the Archeo-Topo Museum.

Dinner: Dinner is at La Galouine.

Evening: FREE EVENING: Enjoy some free time this evening - relax at the hotel,

Lodging: Hotel Tadoussac

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at Hotel Tadoussac

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Les Eboulements/Vintage Mill. We depart by coach for Quebec City En route you will visit an 18th century water-run flour mill in les Eboulements, still in operation today. Entirely restored, its original mechanism powered by a waterwheel still drives the millstones. Together, the mill and the seigneurial manor are one of the last four remaining seigneurial sites. The adjacent structure was once the miller's house. Les Eboulements owes its name to a geological incident that changed the shape of this territory in 1663. A gigantic landslide occurred as a result of an earthquake, causing part of the coast to be swept away into the St. Lawrence River. The tormented landscape of this region, steep and mountainous, offers nonetheless, sites of sensational beauty. The village owes its fame to its country heritage and to the beautiful architecture and character of its houses.

Lunch: Lunch at Hotel Beausejour in St. Joseph de la Rive.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Maritime Museum. Discover Charlevoix’s maritime tradition at the Maritime Museum located at the former Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive shipyard. The shipyard was dedicated to the building, repair and winter dry-docking of schooners until it closed in 1972. The Maritime Museum preserves and recounts the Charlevoix’s maritime history through tales of the schooners that once sailed the St. Lawrence and the building techniques unique to these magnificent ships. Enjoy a magical moment on the shores of the mighty St Lawrence, where centuries of history unfolded and learn about the history of navigation and better understand the role of the navigation in the economic development of Quebec.

Afternoon: EXCURSION: Paper Making Workshop. At the Papeterie Saint-Gilles, you can observe artists make paper using ancient techniques. Their fine cotton paper is embroidered with leaves or flowers representing regional trees and flowers. In the workshop, you can see the artists at work, while in the museum you can see some beautiful works of art made with paper. This one-of-a-kind workshop in Canada has preserved its strictly craftsmanship-oriented nature. FIELD TRIP: Maritime Museum. Discover Charlevoix’s maritime tradition at the Maritime Museum located at the former Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive shipyard. The shipyard was dedicated to the building, repair and winter dry-docking of schooners until it closed in 1972. The Maritime Museum preserves and recounts the Charlevoix’s maritime history through tales of the schooners that once sailed the St. Lawrence and the building techniques unique to these magnificent ships. Enjoy a magical moment on the shores of the mighty St Lawrence, where centuries of history unfolded and learn about the history of navigation and better understand the role of the navigation in the economic development of Quebec.

Dinner: Farewell dinner in Quebec City.

Lodging: Manoir Victoria

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at Hotel Tadoussac

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Old Quebec Guided Walk. A guided walk and presentation in Old Quebec by a local historian will give you an excellent overview of Québec City from its founding to the present day. Learn about the principal historical events that occurred here and explore charming and historic Old Québec City. Start at the Lower Town and Place Royale, known as the cradle of French civilization in North America with its fine stone merchant houses and Notre-Dame-des-Victoires Church. At Place d'Armes, you will see the monument of Samuel de Champlain, Father of New France and founder of Québec City. Dufferin Terrace is an enchanting area offering magnificent views of the mountains, St. Lawrence River, Lower Town and the Citadel known as the Gibraltar of North America which was built by the British between 1820 and 1832.

Morning: INDEPENDENT DEPARTURES: Program ends after the morning activity; check-out time is 12:00 noon.

Meals Included: Breakfast