Located in the most isolated region in northeastern North America, the Quebec-Labrador Peninsula is not on a road to anywhere, it is a magnificent forgotten land filled with natural wonders that is one of the wildest and most undiscovered places on the planet.
This is where we can observe a unique species of black bear (video here). But these secrets hold many more surprises in store, including encounters with a herd of caribou (video here), musk-oxen and the unique behaviour ofpolar bears (video here), when they come to fish for Arctic char, which come up to spawn in incredibly clear glacial rivers. These crystal-clear waters are among the purest on the planet.
In midsummer, at night, the sky begins to dance with all its colors, this territory being ideally located in the middle of the auroral oval of the Arctic zone. Finally, perhaps paradise really does exist in this land known as the "Golden Peninsula"... Beyond the 55th parallel, Nunavik is unconquerable. There are no roads linking it to la belle province, and you can only hope to discover it by air. The landscape, at times almost lunar in appearance, gives way to tundra, boreal forest, lakes, majestic waterfalls and mysterious craters.
Use this program as inspiration to work with our trip designers and personalize your trip to suit your needs.
Expedition 2022 photos here
Dates of stay : August 26 to September 2, 2024
Length of stay: 8-day tourincluding 6 days by floatplane for a tour of the Golden Peninsula of Arctic Quebec-Labrador, including the must-see sites and the tip of the North American continent.
Participants: group of 7
Language : French and English
Difficulty: Easy
Activities: Wildlife encounters, nature discovery, seaplane tour, boat tour and hiking.
Supervision :
With my friend Alain Lagacé, an experienced "Circuit Péninsule d'Or" guide and wilderness specialist who knows the region, the wildlife and the photography, we'll accompany you during your stay to make the most of our encounters.
Highlights:
- Region where nature is intact and wild
- Wildlife that has never been in contact with humans
- Natural habitat of polar bear, black bear, wolf and caribou
- The grandiose landscapes of the Arctic Cordillera
- Observation camp located close to the animal life
- Exploratory floatplane trips
8-day tour, including 6 days by floatplane, around the Golden Peninsula of Arctic Quebec-Labrador, with all the must-see sites and the tip of the North American continent.
Make the most of your trip to Arctic Quebec-Labrador with this customized 8-day / 7-night itinerant tour. Through this unique adventure, you'll discover the must-sees of the Golden Peninsula, as well as the most secret, off-the-beaten-track sites. An adventure in the Arctic region, traveling with a floatplane caravan and bivouacking in the wildest places.
This all-inclusive package offers you a unique, fully immersive experience in the heart of Canada's Far North.
The seaplane is not just a means of transport, it's also an integral part of the fun. The itinerary is mapped out to fly over the most spectacular vistas, and the pilot will be delighted to tilt the seaplane to allow you to take a photo, or to make an extra loop over a remarkable point. All you have to do is ask, because during the entire trip, the seaplane and pilot are exclusively dedicated to you!
Aboard the floatplane, you'll fly along the coasts of Ungava and Labrador, photographing exceptional iconic sites, and, having travelled this far north, why not take a trip to the tip of the North American continent, through incredible Arctic landscapes.
Adventure doesn't preclude comfort, so on your first and last days of the trip, you'll stay in quality accommodation in rooms with private bathrooms and breakfast included. Accompanied by your travel guide, you'll set up your bivouac in paradisiacal spots on your seaplane photographic tour of the Golden Peninsula, ready to see the movement of wildlife and the most beautiful landscapes as soon as the sun rises.
Expect 6 days rich in adventure and amazing nature discoveries. To guarantee you a complete experience, excursions are carried out in small groups of 7 people (maximum) at all times with a professional wildlife photographer private guide and his team, who will take you to the best places and the most beautiful experiences. Once you've booked your package, we'll prepare your trip and send you your travel documents by e-mail.
Trip options
In the trip options, you can add iconic sites and activities to your itinerary, for even more adventure. Our expert Golden Peninsula guides will be delighted to advise you and tailor your itinerary to suit your travel tastes and budget.
So, on the Golden Peninsula, you can pack raft on a lake, river or fjord, or fat bike across the tundra to discover even more magnificent Arctic landscapes and unpredictable wildlife. You can also add to your trip a visit to the Secret Garden of Monoliths, or a hike on an esker, to the top of a panoramic mountain, or along the seashore, for a chance to see polar bears or icebergs. Discover even more breathtaking sites that you can select when creating your fantastic trip to Arctic Quebec-Labrador!
Wildlife photography trip and nature excursion by seaplane
You'll love
With this itinerant seaplane tour you'll venture to the Golden Peninsula's most iconic sites, fly over the most scenic spots and make frequent stops to observe wildlife and photograph the Arctic Cordillera's most beautiful landscapes.
Expedition 2022 photos here
DAY 1
FLIGHT MONTREAL - KUUJJUAQ - WEDGE HILLS LODGE
Flight from Montreal to Kuujjuaq airport. On arrival in Kuujjuaq, pick-up by the theAir Inuit coordinator for the charter flight to Wedge Hills Lodge. On arrival at Lodge, welcome by the manager-owner and meeting with your guide wildlife photographer and the chief pilot-guide de guide. Welcome cocktail and presentation of the program for the coming days.
Overnight in a functional, comfortable cottage located facing the George River, surrounded landscapes of the arctic tundra. The location is ideal for start your journey on the great Golden Peninsula and for enjoyr a magnificent dinner in the company your guidess.
Overnight at the lodge.
Things to see and do near the lodge - grimper on top ofWedge Mountain to discover the postglacialpostglacial landscapess, the famous George River and l'amazing arctic flora. Visit the Sorrel waterfall where the peregrine falcon can be spotted on inaccessible rock faces and black bears on the mountainsides.. You can also simply relax in a hot water spa, take a stroll along the banks of the river, by bike on the bare tundra plateaus, take a trip on pack raft on the George River or perhaps watch the northern lights if conditions are favourable. Just a few steps from your room, you'll find the longe. It's the ideal place to meet up with friends, share the day's excursions, look at photos and videos, and why not sample some "Golden Peninsula-style" hors d'oeuvres.
DAY 2- GEORGE RIVER - COAST EAST SIDE OF UNGAVA - BARET LAKE
It's off to the races the Golden Peninsula - Aoday we set course for the north-of North America. The seaplane flight of two (2) hours with a stopover en route takes you through some of the world's most emblematic of the Quebec and Labrador Arctic Peninsula, known as the Golden Peninsula.
In route wee fly over the famous George River which to the east is edgeby the the George River plateau with postglacial landscape. In the distance, the highest mountains in continental Canada continental Est of the Rockies, the Torngats Torngats.
What to see, what to do - We pass near Mount Pyramidlocated in the park Ulittaniujalik park as the Inuit call it named because of its stepped shorelines. At several points along our flight path, the seaplane flies at low altitude, so you can see see up close and photograph the landscapes of the Arctic tundra, canyons, waterfallss, eskers, polygonal soilsand also to maximize the chance of seeing wildlife.
We will make a short stop after a 1-hour flight to refuel.
After this brief stop, wee continue our journey towards the the Sapokaitrenowned for its Arctic char and which during migration attractsfishing polar bears. Uflyover over the river is planned to detect the movement of wildlife. We then then our flight towards the end of the continent at following the coastline coastline east coast of l'Ungava coast. We fly at low altitude, chasing icebergs (depending on the season) and islands lost in the sea to try and see whaleswhales walruses seals and polar bears.
Arriving at Lac Baret, we set up camp in a sheltered bay for the next three (3) days. This lake allows us to be sufficiently far away from the area frequented by polar bears (about ten kilometers)., without having to travel great distances to reach the wildlife observation sites. In the afternoon, we'll take a trip to the the Ikudliayuk River Ikudliayuk area, renowned for its fishing polar bears.
Return to Lac Baret at the end of the day and overnight bivouac.uite in bivouac.
DAY 3, 4, 5 -LACBARET - IKUDLIAYUK - END OF CONTINENT - ICEBERG ALLEY
At Over the next three (3) days, our bivouac at Lac Baret (located less than 50 km from the end of the continent), servira the base camp, where we'll set off for short flights to the best areas for polar bear watching..
La Golden Peninsula is an exceptional Arctic region unlike anywhere else in the Northern Hemisphere! À the northeastern tip of North America (at the 60th parallel), l'ecozone Arctic sinks lower to the south than any other place on earth. Pepare yourself to see incredible Arctic landscapes and discover the natural habitat of many of Canada's iconic northern species polar bears, walrus, harp seals, whales, caribou, wolves and many more.
The polar bear is definitely king of this polar region, in fact, there are so many bears at the northern end of the Golden Peninsula that the chances of seeing one are sûres à 100% and even more during Arctic char migration.
We days swill be weather conditions. The basic plan is that we partion early in the morning to observe the behavior of fishing polar bears on the Ikudliayuk River. Ikudliayuk (less than .5 min flight). Accompanied by an expert guide in the safe safety and bear-watching approaches, you'll explore the most promising areas where polar bears polar bears are accustomed to wadingr in thea river and from feedr d'arctic char when of the migration.
The degree concentration of fishing polar bears can variesr depending on the water level in thea river. In periods of low or excessively high water, bears are still present, but in smaller numbers. In such cases, it is more difficult for them to catch fish, and they movent more frequently. When the water level is ideal, and migration occurs then it's easy to observe the polar bears take several Arctic chars at a single day.
Other animals can sometimes be observed near the rivercaribou, raven, ospreyptarmigan, wolf and fox.
Polar bears are still omnipresent in this isolated region at the tip of the continent., powherever that we wherever we goit doesn't take long to notice. Lhe best time to observe the behavior of fishing polar bears is from August 20th to September September. Before and after this period, bears can be found can be found anywhere, on a mountain top hunting for lemmingson an iceberg for trying to to surprise a seal, at the mouths of coastal rivers and sometimes even at sea à over 10 kmhe coastline.
A trip to the farthest reaches of the Golden Peninsula would not be complete without a trip to the richest marine zone at the tip of the continent. end of the continent!
On the agendahe fifth day of the trip, your fourth day on the Golden Peninsula. Flight over Island of Killiniq, renowned for its end-of-the-world Arctic panoramas with polar bears. At the end of the Quebec-Labrador Peninsula, we leave the North AmericanAmerican continent, the moment of cross the Hudson Strait at direction north from Knight Island. Dfrom the air we can see a most importants colonys of black-legged kittiwakes of the North Atlantic which come to breed on the sea cliffs. We put then south towards Cape Childly. We fly over the Corloir of Icebergswhere the many islands lost in the sea are the natural habitat of polar bears, seals and walruses. We willwill stop on a magnificent sandy beach on the edge of the Labrador Sea, where we depart for a short excursion in this area frequented by polar bear, caribou and walrus.
Things to see and do near the bivouac site - Your guide will be delighted to show you the mountainous region of Lac Baret with its long moraine ridges and varied post-glacial landscapes. Depending on the lemming cycle, you may see sometimes birds of prey, such as snowy owls, short-eared owls and losprey. It's also breeding habitat for ravens, ptarmigan, arctic hares, foxes and wolves. In this areacaribou are ubiquitous all year round, and you never know when one will appear for surprise use.
OPTIONAL : If you like to explore and paddle freely, you can book a raft pack (individual raft) to explore the riverbanks and numerous bays of Lake Baret and surely unexpected wildlife encounters.
Return to bivouac camp at the end of the day.
DAY 6 -GOLDEN PENINSULABARET LAKE - SAPOKAIT - LAC DU VENT D'OUEST
Today we're heading towards to Fjord Abloviak and the Sapokait where we stop to explore the where we'll stop to explore the area where we can observe fishing polar bears and black bears during the char run.evaliers. Sapokait is one of the places on the Golden Peninsula where black bears and polar bears can be found a same area.
At the end of the day we set up camp on the edge Lac du Vent d'Ouest, some forty kilometers from the area frequented by fishing polar bears where we'll spend the night.
Lac du Vent d'Ouest is located in the highlands of the Torngats and is surrounded by large glacial cirques. At the foot of the cirques lies a magnificent fluvioglacial delta and grass-rich vegetation where caribou graze throughout the short arctic summer. Nearby is an unnamed river that flows through a canyon and empties into the remarkable Vent d'Ouest waterfall.
Overnight bivouac at Lac du Vent d'Ouest.
DAY 7- WEST WIND LAKE - KUURURJUAQ PARK - WEDGE HILLS LODGE
Today is your last day on the Golden Peninsula.
Early in the morning we'll take a short mountain hike to capture the panoramic views of the Rivière du Vent d'Ouest and try to discover the wildlife that lurks in this remote area of the Torngats. In the early morning we'll fly back to the lodge where we'll fly over Kuururjuaq, including the scenic valley of the Koroc river Korocthe waterfall Barnoin Falls and the George River valley.
Dinner at Wedge Hills Lodge and afternoon at leisure.
Overnight at the lodge.
DAY 8- WEDGE HILLS LODGE - KUUJJUAQ - MONTREAL
Lunch at the lodge andand back à Montreal
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
If we have to cancel seaplane trips during your trip due to adverse weather conditions, you will be reimbursed for any unused aircraft fuel.
Important information:
Water from springs, streams, lakes and rivers is perfectly safe throughout Quebec-Labrador. There's no reason to buy bottled water or purify it.
Weather :
In Arctic Quebec and Labrador, the weather is the most important thing you deal with every day. There's a popular saying in the Far North: "There's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes", and even then, if you don't like the weather, just wait five minutes and the sun will come out. It's important to understand that in the far north of Quebec and Labrador, the weather can change rapidly.
Advice on what to wear:
To make the most of your trip to the Quebec-Labrador Peninsula, you need to be happy to travel in all weathers. Walking in the wind, rain or sun, embracing the elements are all part of the adventure.
We advise you to wear several layers of clothing that you can remove if you get too hot.
Appropriate clothing will make your trip more enjoyable.
Local weather forecast :
The Quebec-Labrador Peninsula in summer: average summer temperatures range from 7°C (45°F) to 16°C (60°F). In the Torngat Mountains and on the Labrador coast, where our multi-day trips take place, the climate is colder and more variable. Average temperatures range from 4°C (39°F) to 14°C (57°F). The hottest period is from the third week of July to the third week of August. During this warm period, it can be 20° to 30°C (68° to 86°F) at Wedge Hills Lodge on the George River, 15° to 20°C (59° to 68°F) in the Torngat Mountains and 2° to 12°C (36° to 54°F) on the Labrador coast.
Journey from August 26 to September 2, 2024
Duration: 8 days / 7 nights
Price : $14,550 CAD which represents $17,400 CAD with taxes/ or 12083.33 € (rate as of 06/30/23)
Guaranteed departure from 7 participants (7 participants maximum)
This price includes :
- Round-trip jet flight between Montreal / Wedge Hills lodge
- 6 days/5 nights with guides, floatplane transfers and tented bivouacs
- 2 days/2 nights at Wedge Hills Lodge on transfer days
- Pilot-guide naturalist interpreter accompanied by professional wildlife photographer
- Small group guarantees (7 max)
- Professional wildlife photographer-videographer guide Fabrice Simon
- Professional pilot-guide Alain Lagacé
- Welcome cocktail
- Group briefing with trip leaders
- Full board from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on the last day
- Our remarkable "Golden Peninsula Style" hors d'oeuvres
- Limited Wi-Fi access during your stay at Wedge Hills Lodge
- Snacks and drinks between meals
- Additional optional activities and iconic sites (can be added during booking) to suit your budget. We are happy to make these adjustments at your convenience. Iconic site OPTIONS: Torngat Torngat National ParkIceberg AlleyMoraine Desert, Secret Garden of Monoliths, Hebron Fjord, Merewether Crater, Kettle Lakes Kettle LakesIslands of the Mountains Kaumajetsand Esker Lake. Activities: Pack raft and fat bike excursions.
Does not include :
- International flights
- Meals and accommodation in Montreal
- Alcoholic beverages
- Gratuities to your satisfaction.
- Travel insurance
- Super weather guarantee
- Taxes (GST 5%, PST 9.975%)
To take with you:
- Warm, waterproof clothing
- Waterproof hiking shoes
- Backpack for your camera equipment, clothes and lunch
- A pair of binoculars
- Water bottle
- Camera
Groups are limited to a maximum of 7 people.
Only 7 guests guarantee the best wildlife encounters. In 2024 we travel with a maximum of 7 participants. Traveling in small groups means we move more unobtrusively, get closer to the animals, have better photographic opportunities and the travel experience is enriched by personalized interpretation from our expedition leaders.
Get up close to wildlife from a "Safari Bivouac Itinérant" camp
An itinerant bivouac safari is the ultimate way to encounter animal life! While the seaplane provides rapid access to the most remote areas where wildlife is undisturbed, the tented bivouac allows you to remain at the observation sites from daybreak, when the animals are most active.
As you travel by seaplane, everyone has their own private tent. With everyone helping each other and cooperating fully, the bivouac can be set up quickly.
Good to know:
You'll benefit from an exceptional discount on daily activities if you book them at the same time as your stay.
On transfer days, different accommodation arrangements will be available for singles, couples and groups of more than 3 people (maximum 7). If these arrangements do not meet your needs, please let us know.
Payment in two instalments is possible. Please send us an e-mail.
If you would like to join a group, but the proposed dates do not suit you, please contact us to suggest a new date for a group departure.
For more information, please contact me