Quebec Birds & Whales with Canadian Geographic

Land Tour
Highlights

Highlights

  • In partnership with Canadian Geographic Adventures
  • Several splendid wildlife spectacles - from thousands of Snow Geese to impressive encounters with big whales
  • Excellent birding for fall migrants, shorebirds, waterfowl and raptors
  • Spectacular autumnal colours
  • Scenic views of the Charlevoix region and the Laurentian Mountains

Tour Overview

Fall is a fine time of year for birding and whale-watching, when autumnal colours cover the countryside in la Belle Province, Quebec!

Our Quebec tour begins in the provincial capital Quebec City, where we will explore the culture and history of the beautiful city. From here, we will also explore Jacques Cartier National Park and Léon Provancher Marsh to get a first taste of Quebec birding.  Heading east, we stop at the famed Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area where we experience the spectacle of thousands of migrating Snow Geese and other waterfowl.  We head north into Grands Jardins National Park to experience a near-alpine boreal forest, then down the north shore of the mighty St. Lawrence enjoying the fall scenery of the Charlevoix region.  Reaching Tadoussac, we head out on the St. Lawrence in search of whales such as Humpback, Minke, Fin and especially Beluga.

We take the ferry across the St. Lawrence, looking for pelagic birds such as Razorbill, Northern Gannet, Common Eider, jaegers and kittiwakes. On the south shore we visit Parc Côtier Kiskotuk to search for waterfowl and shorebirds. Making our way back along the south shore of the St. Lawrence we visit several choice spots for more Snow Geese and other waterfowl, ending back in Quebec City.

What's Included

Tour Price Includes

  • All accommodation (Good quality)
  • Breakfasts and lunches included
  • Two whale-watching boat trips into the St. Lawrence River
  • Ferry crossing across the St. Lawrence
  • 5 - 7 Participants will be guided by one guide and an ambassador. 8 - 12 participants will be guided by two guides and an ambassador.
  • Ground transportation (One or two 15-passenger vans)
  • Park and entrance fees

Tour Price Does Not Include

  • Travel to and from start/end location
  • Travel Insurance
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Evening meals
  • Taxes (5% GST)

What to Expect

Most days on our Quebec birding and whale tour begin with breakfast at 6:30 – 7:00 a.m., followed at mid-day by a picnic lunch. Our schedule is flexible as it depends on driving times involved each day. Our longest drive will be from Riviere-du-Loup to Quebec City, a distance of 190 km; other daily distances will be much shorter.

Weather in late September and early October is usually pleasant, with warm days and cool nights. It is a good idea to bring footwear that is waterproof and rubber boots for shore and wetland areas. The whale-watching boat trips will be quite cool, so appropriate layered clothing, gloves and hat are recommended. The ferry is comfortable, with shelter and lots of seating space, but plan for warmer clothing if you want to observe from the outside decks.

Most trails and paths that we follow are moderately easy to navigate. Participants in good health should experience no problems with the terrain, as our pace will be leisurely. We should not encounter significant numbers of mosquitos or black flies at that time of year; however, you may wish to bring mosquito repellent in case of an exceptionally warm day—mosquitoes or lack flies are not usually a problem anywhere except perhaps in sheltered trails. Each evening, the list of birds and other wildlife will be reviewed during dinner, and plans for the next day will be discussed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of joining a tour with Canadian Geographic?
Eagle-Eye Tours and Canadian Geographic partnered in 2022 to develop some amazing tours in Canada and beyond. The Eagle-Eye Tours in-house logistics team still handles all of the details, and we still send one or two of our expert guides, so you can expect the same great experience you would have on our other tours. But in addition, you will be joined by a Canadian Geographic ambassador. The ambassador is selected from among the Society’s Explorers-in-Residence program, or its College of Fellows, or a Can Geo Photographer-in-Residence or Filmmaker-in-Residence. The ambassador serves as an extra resource during your tour. Whereas our EET guides will be expert birders and naturalists, the Can Geo ambassador will contribute insights in other areas such as history, exploration or culture. You will feel an amazing benefit from having these interesting individuals come along on your travels. Guest experiences are further enhanced by a pre-trip virtual meet-and-greet, customized digital libraries from Canadian Geographic’s award-winning story collection, a Can Geo welcome package and, if you choose to subscribe to the magazine, membership in the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Eagle-Eye Tours standard terms and conditions apply. A portion of the fees from every Canadian Geographic Adventure booked is donated to the Royal Canadian Geographical Society to further its important programming.

Featured Wildlife

While we cannot guarantee sightings of the birds or mammals listed below, we believe that encountering these species is quite likely during this tour.

  • Greater Snow Goose
  • Black-legged Kittiwake
  • Boreal Chickadee
  • Common Eider
  • Surf Scoter
  • Razorbill
  • Numerous migrating warblers, raptors and shorebirds
  • Beluga Whale
  • Baleen whales possibly including Minke, Fin, Humpback and even Blue Whale