Northern Quebec: Winter Lodge Escape

Arrive at any time to Montreal — Quebec’s economic and cultural capital. Attend a welcome meeting in the evening and afterwards choose to have an optional dinner together as a group.

Included Experiences

• Meet Your CEO and Group: Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.

Enjoy breakfast on your own this morning in Montreal before beginning the transfer to your lodge accommodations northeast of the city in Saguenay. Travel along the Saint Lawrence River towards the charming Quebec City area, the only fortified city in North America. Have lunch at a nearby local favourite spot for a sweet taste of traditional meals in this province, and where you will learn more about maple sap processing for syrup. Arrive to the lodge in the early evening. Set off on a short orientation tour of the property before an included, cozy group dinner amid wintry surroundings.

Included Experiences

• Sugar Shack Lunch Experience: Visit an authentic Quebec Sugar Shack, known as a "cabane à sucre" in French and enjoy an introduction to the maple syrup production process and an included lunch of traditional dishes to the province. These shacks are often located in maple groves, and while used mainly for maple processing, during the off-season of "sugaring" they are used as gathering places for communities and families to celebrate and enjoy togetherness throughout the cold winter and spring. Traditional meals of hearty dishes like pea soup, maple-smoked ham, baked beans, and of course maple syrup can be found here, along with other seasonal activities.
• Orientation of Auberge du Cap au Leste: Set off on a brief orientation tour of the property to get your bearings. Your CEO will explain a bit about the lodge and prepare you for your stay over the next four nights. Afterwards, take some time to get settled in.
• Auberge du Cap au Leste Winter Lodge Stay: Carved by glacier forces thousands of years ago, the Saguenay fjord is located in the stunning Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec. This location is a true gem for outdoor enthusiasts looking to encounter breathtaking scenery. Stretching over 100 km, surrounded by steep cliffs, the fjord is so deep, it attracts whales at its mouth to the river. Located right next to the cozy Auberge du Cap au Leste, this unique microclimate of abundant snow offers a variety of winter activities that create an unforgettable experience. From snowshoeing to backcountry skiing, your stay at this property allows you to enter the peace and quiet of a Canadian winter wonderland in a serene setting.

Have breakfast at the lodge before spending a lovely winter day outside in the fresh, cold air. Start with a guided CEO-led hike with snowshoes on a nearby trail down to the lighthouse where you’ll be met with magnificent views along the Saguenay fjord. Sip on some hot chocolate to help you warm up a bit while enjoying the scenery before hiking back up to the lodge. After lunch, the group will be invited to learn about forest survival at the nearby lake and be guided in an ice fishing demonstration by your CEO. Afterwards, enjoy free time back at the lodge to relax before a delicious dinner and a camp fire featuring S’mores and storytelling.

Included Experiences

• Snowshoeing Fjord Lighthouse Hike: Experience incredible panoramas from the highest cliffs 200 metres above the Saguenay Fjord on a snowshoeing hike to the fjord's lighthouse. Start the hike right near the lodge and wander along the snow-covered trails of Cap au Leste. You'll be walking through Quebec's boreal forest that stretches for miles through unspoiled wilderness, offering many viewpoints along the way. Once at the lighthouse the group will enjoy some hot chocolate to warm those hands before the hike back to the lodge. The hike and stop at the lighthouse will be about 3hrs round trip.
• Winter Survival Skills & Ice Fishing Demonstration: Guided by your CEO the group will spend the afternoon learning about forest survival at the nearby frozen lake. Enjoy an ice fishing demonstration, and learn about the different techniques and ways of mastering this winter activity. Then, enjoy an introduction to some handy survival skills like how to build a camp fire on the snow, and how to build a Quinzhee, cousin of the Igloo and typical outdoor shelter made of large piles of loosely shaped snow in southern Quebec. Return to the lodge feeling more confident in your ability to attempt some essential forest survival tactics should you ever need them.
• Free Time: Take advantage of a few free hours to relax back at the lodge's property. The sun will have set and warm firelight will be creating a cozy atmosphere inside.
• Winter Campfire & S'mores: Bundle up and gather around the campfire outside where the group will toast S'mores in the flames, tell stories, and enjoy the crackling wood radiating warmth around the circle. *Please note, this activity could be done before dinner depending on timing.
• Auberge du Cap au Leste Winter Lodge Stay: Carved by glacier forces thousands of years ago, the Saguenay fjord is located in the stunning Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec. This location is a true gem for outdoor enthusiasts looking to encounter breathtaking scenery. Stretching over 100 km, surrounded by steep cliffs, the fjord is so deep, it attracts whales at its mouth to the river. Located right next to the cozy Auberge du Cap au Leste, this unique microclimate of abundant snow offers a variety of winter activities that create an unforgettable experience. From snowshoeing to backcountry skiing, your stay at this property allows you to enter the peace and quiet of a Canadian winter wonderland in a serene setting.

Immerse yourself in winter activities today and start the morning with another guided snowshoeing hike along new trails by the fjord. As you walk, your CEO will teach the group about the region’s ecosystems, including the different flora and fauna of the Saguenay fjord. Return to the lodge for lunch and to warm up a bit before spending the afternoon partaking in two typical Canadian winter activities; hockey and sliding. The group will split into two and play against each other with sticks on the hard snow without skates. Later, hop on a tube and slide down the nearby hills for some forgotten fun in the snow. Tonight, after dinner the group will head back out to snowshoe along the trails by torch light and enjoy some stargazing, which if clear, will be stunning with the lack of nearby light pollution.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Take advantage of a few hours of free time to relax in the lodge's cozy winter setting.
• Nighttime Snowshoe & Star Gazing: Venture back outside beneath the darkened sky for a night snowshoe stroll along a path lined with torches to light the way. The group will enjoy time to star gaze in the inky black night, and if clear with hardly any moon, the stars will be brighter than many are used to being away from the light pollution of nearby cities.
• Afternoon of Canadian Winter Activities: Your CEO will take the lead this afternoon and help guide the group through two typical Canadian winter activities. The first will be a hockey game. Split into two teams and with hockey stick and ball, challenge eachother to a group game on the hard snow. Boots will be worn instead of skates. Afterwards, grab a tube and fly down the hill as you remember how much fun playing in the snow can be.
• Snowshoeing Along Saguenay Fjord Trails: Meet the group outside after breakfast and get ready to spend time snowshoeing amid new trails along the Saguenay fjord. This will be an interpretive CEO-led hike in which you will learn more about the surrounding environment and the various flora/fauna of the fjord.
• Auberge du Cap au Leste Winter Lodge Stay: Carved by glacier forces thousands of years ago, the Saguenay fjord is located in the stunning Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec. This location is a true gem for outdoor enthusiasts looking to encounter breathtaking scenery. Stretching over 100 km, surrounded by steep cliffs, the fjord is so deep, it attracts whales at its mouth to the river. Located right next to the cozy Auberge du Cap au Leste, this unique microclimate of abundant snow offers a variety of winter activities that create an unforgettable experience. From snowshoeing to backcountry skiing, your stay at this property allows you to enter the peace and quiet of a Canadian winter wonderland in a serene setting.

This morning get ready for an unforgettable winter pastime in Quebec; dogsledding! After breakfast there will be a short transfer to the kennel where you’ll hear the dogs barking in excitement for their outing with you. A local musher will give a brief lesson on dogsled driving before you hop on your sled and out into the snowy wilderness you go. Enjoy the experience as both a passenger and driver of the sled, and witness how strong these amazing animals really are. Return to the lodge in the afternoon and take advantage of time to sweat it out in the sauna and dip in the heated pool, complete with impressive views of the fjord. Enjoy a final evening at the lodge with your group and swap stories over dinner. Please be aware that from mid-January to early March, your CEO can lead an excursion during this afternoon to the village of Ste-Rose-du-Nord for a visit to the ice fishing village located on the fjord.

Included Experiences

• Dog Sledding Excursion: Connect on a deeper level with nature today as you admire the area's wild beauty, smell the fragrance of the evergreens, and listen to the joyful barking of the dogs as they work hard to pull your sled through the snowy forest. You will experience firsthand the mode of transportation invented by Native Americans during the 19th century and still available recreationally in Quebec. Start by meeting the dogs and mushers before receiving instructions on how to be a passenger and how to drive the sled. Then, depart for about two hours along the trails as the dogs pull your sled through the wintry weather and you enjoy the rush of the fresh air in this magical and dazzling white landscape.
• Free Time: This afternoon back at the lodge, split into small groups and enjoy time to experience the rejuvenating benefits of the sauna and relax in the heated pool with incredible views of the snowy landscape and Saguenay fjord.

Bid farewell to your winter excursion in the Saguenay region as you leave the lodge after breakfast. Travel back to beautiful Quebec City and have lunch on your own with many local spots to choose from. The remainder of the afternoon is free for you to explore the old town of this UNESCO World Heritage site as you wish. Tonight, choose to attend an optional group farewell dinner.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Enjoy time to explore on your own in Quebec City. From Christmas Markets in December, to Ice Castles in January, and the winter carnival in February, there will be no shortage of events taking place around the city that you can be part of during your free afternoon here.

Travel back to Montreal in the morning, where your tour ends upon arrival to the airport. Please do not book onward travel prior to 2pm.