Hiking Holidays. Discover Canada and the treasures of Ontario! Bruce Trail, Niagara Falls & Algonquin Park hiking vacations

Transcription

1 Hiking Holidays Discover Canada and the treasures of Ontario! Bruce Trail, Niagara Falls & Algonquin Park hiking vacations 2016

2 Niagara Falls NIAGARA FALLS A guided hiking adventure Itinerary Details Length: 3 days, 2 nights Activities: Walking and hiking Levels: Short: 3-6km / Long: 10-14km Terrain is rocky and hilly. Meet / depart: near Toronto Airport Departure dates 2016: Jun.10, Aug.19, Sep.4 Price: $ per person (double occupancy) Single hiker: $1, Rates exclude HST of 13% Day 1 Meet near the Toronto Airport early evening for a welcome briefing with your hike leader and other group members. From there we ll drive to world famous Niagara Falls and check in to your hotel; every room overlooking the falls. Explore the city at your leisure then meet for cocktails and spectacular fireworks over the falls. Overnight Niagara Falls (two nights). Day 2 After breakfast we ll be hiking past picturesque DeCew Falls and through the Carolinian Forests of Short Hills Provincial Park, home to white tailed deer, brush wolves, red fox, chipmunks, and meadow voles. We ll stop at a family-run Canadian maple farm for a hearty lunch and maple-tasting. Return to your hotel in the afternoon or continue your hiking adventure along the Niagara River gorge past the whirlpool and through the Niagara Glen. Day 3 Today we ll be hiking past the expansive vineyards of Ontario s wine country along the Bruce Trail and past Ball s Falls, experiencing natural beauty and wildlife at its best. Enjoy a lunch of local foods prepared by an international chef at one of the country s most famous wineries with views of rolling vineyards, the forests of the Niagara Escarpment and Lake Ontario and Toronto in the distance. Return to Toronto in the early evening. Accommodation: The Oakes Hotel (see page 7) What s included? Accommodation with private bathroom Breakfast and lunch daily Private bus transportation Luggage handling Daily information briefing Hike leader Small group (max. 10 participants) Gratuities

3 Dyer s Bay BRUCE PENINSULA A guided hiking adventure Itinerary Day 1 Meet near the Toronto Airport early afternoon for a welcome briefing with your hike leader and other group members. From there we ll drive up to Tobermory in the Bruce Peninsula. Gather for cocktails with your new hiking friends before dinner. Overnight in Tobermory (three nights). Day 2 This morning we hike in Dyer s Bay along the top of the Niagara Escarpment with spectacular rock formations. The white cliffs and green vegetation contrast with the deep blue waters of Georgian Bay. We return to Tobermory for lunch followed by an optional afternoon hike to Dunks Point and the Fathom Five National Marine Park. Details Length: 4 days, 3 nights Activities: Walking and hiking Day 3 Today we re in the Bruce Peninsula National Park, a globally significant part of the Bruce Trail s UNESCO World Biosphere designation. Experience the massive, rugged cliffs of the park, inhabited by thousand year old cedar trees overhanging the crystal clear waters of Georgian Bay. Levels: Short: 3-6km / Long: 10-14km Terrain is rugged, rocky and hilly. Day 4 After breakfast we ll hike through Lion s Head Provincial Nature Reserve. The trail follows close to the water s edge most of the way with spectacular lookouts over Georgian Bay and the rocky beaches below. We pass several ancient glacial potholes formed by the circular erosion of the rock. Return to Toronto by early evening. Departure dates 2016: May 20, Jun.24, Oct.7 Meet / depart: near Toronto Airport Price: $ per person (double occupancy) Single hiker: $1, Rates exclude HST of 13% Accommodation: Tobermory Princess (see page 7) What s included? Accommodation with private bathroom Breakfast and lunch daily Private bus transportation Luggage handling Daily information briefing Hike leader Small group (max. 10 participants) Gratuities

4 Algonquin Park Ottawa Arowhon Pines ALGONQUIN PROVINCIAL PARK Toronto A guided hiking adventure Itinerary Details Length: 6 days, 5 nights Activities: Walking, hiking plus canoeing, tennis, kayaking, swimming at the resort Levels: Moderate: 10-12km/day, rocky and hilly. Meet / depart: near Toronto Airport Departure dates 2016 and prices: Jun.5 $1,755 per person (double occupancy) Single hiker: $2,151 Aug.7, 14, 21 $2,609 (double occupancy) Single hiker: $3,495 Sept.5, Oct.2 $2,126(double occupancy) Single hiker: $2,907 Rates exclude HST of 13% Accommodation: Arowhon Pines (see page 7) What s included? Accommodation with private bathroom Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily Private bus transportation Luggage handling Daily information briefing Hike leader Small group (max. 10 participants) Gratuities Day 1 Meet near the Toronto Airport in early afternoon for a welcome briefing with your hike leader and other group members. Drive to Algonquin Provincial Park for five nights to discover your inner peace outdoors. Time to reconnect. To sit back and listen to your heart. To see and be inspired by nature. Time for that great book. Time to hike past beaver ponds. Amazing people, amazing food, warm fires. Cocktails on the dock and a group welcome dinner. Day 2 After a hearty breakfast, today s hike takes us through one of the best moose sighting areas in the park, past a turtle pond and around several lakes that are habitat for otters, bears, beavers, great blue herons, marten and fishers. 11 kilometres with a picnic lunch on the trail. Dinner on own. Day 3 After breakfast we ll be hiking along two high, parallel ridge systems that feature some of the Park s most outstanding scenery. This is a challenging hike that visits five separate cliffs and involves much climbing. 10-kilometre hike with a total ascent of 360 metres (1,200 feet). After hiking, explore the Algonquin Park Visitor Centre with world class exhibits on the Park s natural and human history, an excellent bookstore and a restaurant. Group dinner. Day 4 Have a relaxing breakfast before we head out on a trail through some outstanding examples of Algonquin Park scenery and history. Return to Arowhon Pines for lunch and an optional 2-kilometre afternoon hike to the Medicine Tree. Dinner on own. Day 5 Hike along the shores of Little Joe Lake, along a picturesque creek to the historic stone chimneys of Camp Minnesing, an abandoned wilderness resort where we ll stop for a picnic lunch. Join in the evening for a group farewell dinner. Day 6 After breakfast we drive back to Toronto and arrive early afternoon.

5 BRUCE TRAIL - BEST OF THE BRUCE A guided hiking adventure Beaver Valley Itinerary Day 1 We ll drive up to Hockley Valley to start our hiking adventure through woodlands, open meadows, crests along the Niagara Escarpment, across the Nottawasaga River and through the river valleys. Day 2 After breakfast we spend the day in the Petun Conservation Area and the Pretty River Valley Park. Overnight at a reindeer and horse farm in Nottawa. Day 3 Today, we ll hike in the Beaver Valley. We ll pass Eugenia Falls, a 30 metre sheet of water cascading down into the river below. The peaceful forests give the area a flavour of untouched wilderness. Day 4 After breakfast drive to the Bognor Marsh, a unique area along the Bruce Trail. Day 5 Today, hike through the Kemble Mountain Management Area through diverse ecosystems; upland hardwood forest and silver maple swamp. Old logging roads wind through the forest to the cliff edge for an impressive view over Georgian Bay and farmlands. Day 6 After breakfast, we ll drive north to Hope Bay. The trail winds around swamps, over cliff tops with unparalleled views and passes ancient glacial potholes. Day 7 Explore the Lion s Head Provincial Nature Reserve. The trail follows close to the water s edge most of the way with spectacular lookouts over Georgian Bay and the rocky beaches below. Day 8 A final breakfast then return to Toronto by late morning. Details Length: 8 days, 7 nights Activities: Walking and hiking Levels: Short: 3-6km / Long: 10-14km Terrain is rocky, hilly and rugged in places. Meet / depart: near Toronto Airport Departure dates 2016: May 7, Jun.13, Aug.26, Sept.10 Price: $2,085 per person (double occupancy) Single hiker: $2,835 Rates exclude HST of 13% Accommodation: See page 7 What s included? Accommodation with private bathroom Breakfast and lunch daily Private bus transportation Luggage handling Daily information briefing Hike leader Small group (max. 10 participants) Gratuities

6 Cheltenham Badlands BRUCE TRAIL - END TO END A guided hiking adventure Itinerary Details Day 1 Meet near the Toronto Airport, then we ll travel to the southernmost point on the Bruce Trail - the Niagara cairn. Explore Queenston Heights Park with exceptional views of the Niagara River. Day 2 Hike through the Grindstone Creek valley, past Smokey Hollow Falls and through typical forests of Southern Ontario. Day 3 Continue the Bruce Trail adventure through the Forks of the Credit Provincial Park, just north of Toronto. Here the Credit River narrows and rushes through a deep gorge, plunging over falls. Day 4 Explore Hockley Valley. We ll hike through woodlands, open meadows and across crests of the Niagara Escarpment. Overnight at a reindeer and horse farm. Day 5 Spend the day in the Petun Conservation Area and the Pretty River Valley Park. We ll follow the Bruce Trail as it winds its way through a myriad of rock faces, cliffs and crevices. Day 6 Discover the Beaver Valley. We ll pass Eugenia Falls, a 30 metre sheet of water cascading down into the river below. The peaceful forests give the area a flavour of untouched wilderness. Day 7 Drive to the Bognor Marsh, a unique area along the Bruce Trail. Day 8 Continue north to enjoy Hope Bay where the terrain becomes more rugged and remote. Day 9 Admire the beauty of Lion s Head Provincial Nature Reserve. The trail follows close to the water s edge most of the way with spectacular lookouts over Georgian Bay and the rocky beaches below. Length: 11 days, 10 nights Activities: Walking and hiking Levels: Short: 3-6km / Long: 10-14km Terrain is rocky, hilly and rugged in places. Meet / depart: near Toronto Airport Departure dates 2016: May 26, Jun.18, Aug.24, Sep.17 Price: $2,987 per person (double occupancy) Single hiker: $4,079 Rates exclude HST of 13% Accommodation: See page 7 What s included? Accommodation with private bathroom Breakfast and lunch daily Private bus transportation Luggage handling Daily information briefing Hike leader Small group (max. 10 participants) Gratuities Day 10 Explore the Bruce Peninsula National Park, a part of the Bruce Trail s UNESCO World Biosphere designation, and enjoy crystal clear waters of Georgian Bay. Day 11 Enjoy a final breakfast in Tobermory then return to Toronto by midday.

7 Beaver Valley ACCOMMODATION 2 nights - Niagara The Oakes Hotel Fallsview Blvd. Niagara Falls ON L2G3W2 3 nights - Bruce Peninsula Tobermory Princess Bay Street South Tobermory ON N0H2R0 5 nights - Algonquin Park Arowhon Pines Algonquin Provincial Park Huntsville, ON P1H 2G5 Meeting & Ending Point: Toronto Airport Hilton Airport Road, Mississauga ON L4V1N1 7 & 10 nights - Bruce Trail Niagara Falls (1 night): * The Oakes Hotel Fallsview Blvd. Niagara Falls ON Orangeville (2 nights): Best Western PLUS Orangeville Inn and Suites Buena Vista Dr., Orangeville ON Pretty River Valley Country Inn Nottawa (2 nights): Pretty River Valley Country Inn Osprey-Blue Mountains Townline RR1 Nottawa, ON Owen Sound (2 nights): Days Inn and Conference Centre Sixth St. E., Owen Sound ON Lion s Head (2 nights): Lionheart Guest House Main St., Lion s Head ON Tobermory (1 night): * Tobermory Princess Bay Street South, Tobermory ON * 10-night trip only Lionheart Guest House

8 GENERAL INFORMATION What to Bring Clothing Footwear Outerwear Equipment Other Hiking Etiquette Long pants (poison ivy is prevalent), long-sleeved shirt, shortsleeved shirt, fleece jacket. Dinners are casual. Bathing suit (some hotels have pools and hot tubs) Hiking boots - well-fitting, broken-in boots with good ankle support are a must. Waterproofing them will keep your feet dry in rain and heavy dew. Rain suit, hat (for sun protection), windbreaker (rain jacket may be sufficient) Backpack with waterproof cover (large enough to carry water, lunch, extra clothing and personal items), water bottles or Camel- Bak-type reservoir (hikers will need to carry 1-2 litres of water depending on distance and terrain), sunscreen, sunglasses, hiking pole/s (optional) Insect repellent (for mosquitoes and blackflies in May and June), moleskin (for blisters), camera, binoculars, nature break kit for toileting (ziplock bags, tissues, moist towels) to be disposed of on return to the hotel. Toilet facilities are not available along the Trail. We use the privacy of the forest. Do not disturb wildlife Stay on the marked trail Carry out all litter Weather: Drinking Water: Internet Access: Electricity: Gratuities: Use the stiles over fences; don t climb them Respect the privacy of people living along the Trail Take only memories, leave only footprints We hike rain or shine! Hikes will only be delayed or cancelled if conditions are deemed to be unsafe by your hike leader. Bottled water will be provided for hiking on weekend and Bruce Trail hikes. For Algonquin Park trips, a refillable water bottle is required. Almost all overnight stays provide complimentary internet access, although it can be inconsistent due to satellite operations. There is no internet access or cellular phone service in Algonquin Park. 120v/60hz. Two flat prongs (ungrounded) with a third round prong (grounded). Bruce Peninsula Gratuities for all hotels and meals are included in your tour price. Should you wish to tip your hike leader or bus driver, the standard in the industry ranges from $8-12 per person per day. Average Temperature ( c) Graph for Central Ontario

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