IS THERE ONE DESTINATION THAT OFFERS FJORDS, GLACIERS,PUFFINS, EXTENSIVE WHALE WATCHING, ICEBERGS, RUGGEDCOASTLINE AND CELTIC SMALL VILLAGE CHARM?

Written by Thomas Gannon (Travel Author & Advisor)

The title of the article suggests Norway, Iceland,

Alaska, Ireland and Scotland, but all of this and

more may be found in Newfoundland/Labrador,

Canada. Many of the statistics and insights in this

column may be found in the Newfoundland Labrador

Canada Traveller’s Guide 2026 published by the

Department of Tours, Culture, Arts and Recreation of

Newfoundland and Labrador. They still make a print

edition available for free by calling 1-800-563-6353.

I forgot birding. Leave your binoculars at home. It is

estimated there are 35 million seabirds on the shore or

very close. Estimates are that 25 thousand gannets,

500 thousand puffins and 7 million storm petrels inhabit

this region.

Newfoundland and Labrador feature the largest

concentration of humpback whales in the world. In the

late spring and summer, you can observe 22 different

species of whales. The good news for those of you who

are not sailors, or are afraid of rickety boats on choppy

seas, is that most of the action is near the shore.

In the overview, the Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve,

a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is described with

discoveries that are helping shape our understanding of

evolution. The Gros Morne National Park offers visitors

the opportunity “to walk atop the Earth’s mantle, tour

inland fjords carved by massive glaciers and marvel at

volcanic sea stacks.” In checking my Geology 101, a sea

stack is a tall vertical rock formation that rises near the

coast and resembles a tall narrow tower.

Newfoundland has the reputation as a hiker’s

paradise, featuring 300 hiking and walking trails

designed to please the avid hiker or those out for a

casual stroll. One of the major trail networks is the

International Appalachian Trail which takes you from

Port aux Basque to Crow Head. The other remarkable

trail, the East Coast, links 32 historic communities.

Like Paris, Iceland is always a good idea, but if you

want to see icebergs “up close and personal,” there is no

place better than Newfoundland. During the spring and

summer, thousands of them drift close to shore in an

area called Iceberg Alley, which stretches from the coast

of Labrador to the northeast coast of Newfoundland.

The tourist bureau provides a site to monitor their

progress as they traverse the coast – Icebergfinder.com.

An AI compilation relates that the Linguists at

Memorial University of Newfoundland suggest that

Newfoundland is a living time capsule of 18th century

Celtic culture, blending a deep Irish ancestral soul with

rugged Scottish geology.

How is the best way to experience Newfoundland?

Most travel sites conclude that, especially for seniors, it

is not a driver’s paradise. It is much larger than visitors

imagine, and there are demanding road conditions: the

weather is unpredictable, including intense fog; Island

Safaris estimates the moose population to be greater

than 120,000; and other wildlife can be problematic.

Strict focus is required on the many winding two-

lane roads and that takes the enjoyment away for the

driver. A typical rental car will not have the comfort of a

modern tour bus where you sit up high and have climate

control, WIFI, video and a restroom.

At present, the tour operator getting the highest

marks is McCarthy’s Party. They offer 5, 9 and 12-day

coach tours, as well as a 10-day tour that includes the

French island possession of St. Pierre. Tours, dates and

pricing based on double occupancy are as follows:

Eastern Newfoundland, 5 days, frequent departures

from early May through late September featuring 4

nights in St. John’s with daily sightseeing trips - $1,525

CD (Canadian Dollars), plus $15% tax.

Island Wide, 9 days, with eight departures between

May 29 and September 7- $3,775 CD, plus 15% tax.

East Coast & St. Pierre, 10 days, with departures five

times between June 7 and August 9 - $4,365 CD, plus

15% tax. This tour requires extensive walking, up to

10,000 steps per day.

Comprehensive Newfoundland & Labrador Tour, 12

days, with frequent departures May through September

- $4,595.00 CD, plus 15% tax.

Tours utilize 56-passenger, deluxe motor coaches with

a maximum of 38 passengers. To convert Canadian

Dollars to US Dollars, multiply by .73.

For those who can wait, Collette Tours is still finalizing

details of their tour to start in 2028, but the number one

Newfoundland tour operator, McCarthy’s, is available for

2027 bookings.