Ontario & French Canada: Self-Launched Budget Version
8 days · Eastern Canada (Toronto, Niagara, Thousand Islands, Ottawa, Quebec City, Montreal)
Cosmos charges £2,320
No-markup version: ~£945 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent, hostel-and-VIA-Rail version of Cosmos's 8-day coach tour from Toronto to Montreal, hitting the same big hitters — Niagara Falls by boat, the Thousand Islands cruise, Parliament Hill in Ottawa, the Basilica at Cap-de-la-Madeleine, walled Old Quebec and Mount Royal in Montreal — without the 42-50 person coach or the guided-group premium. You'll travel by VIA Rail and intercity bus, book the same style of activities direct (Hornblower/Niagara City Cruises, a Gananoque boat cruise, local walking tours via GetYourGuide), and stay in well-rated hostels or budget hotels. Costs are rough backpacker estimates in GBP; Canada is not a cheap destination, so budget a buffer.
Day-by-day
Arrive Toronto — downtown orientation
Toronto, ON
Land at Toronto Pearson and take the UP Express train downtown (~CAD 12.35 / £7) or the TTC bus-subway combo for less. Check into a hostel or budget hotel near Kensington Market or the Entertainment District. Spend the afternoon walking the route the coach tour later covers: Nathan Phillips Square and City Hall, the financial district, and outside the CN Tower and Rogers Centre. Do not pay for the CN Tower during the day — do the free Harbourfront and St Lawrence Market wander instead, and grab dinner in Kensington Market or Chinatown. Book your Niagara day trip tonight for tomorrow (GetYourGuide day tour ~£55-70, or do it independently by GO Train — see Day 2).
🚌UP Express airport train ~£7 + TTC day pass ~£5
🛏Hostel dorm or private in a budget hotel, downtown Toronto (~£30-45)
- →Self-guided downtown walk: City Hall, financial district, CN Tower exterior, Rogers Centre
- →St Lawrence Market and Harbourfront
- →Kensington Market dinner
Niagara Falls by boat — back to Toronto
Niagara Falls / Toronto
Options: (a) Book a small-group day tour on GetYourGuide (~£55-70 including transport and boat), or (b) go solo — take the GO Train Lakeshore West to Burlington then the Route 12 GO bus to Niagara Falls (weekend GO service runs direct in season, roughly CAD 20-38 return), then walk or take WEGO to the falls. Buy a Niagara City Cruises 'Voyage to the Falls' boat ticket direct (~CAD 35 / £20) — the equivalent of the tour's included cruise. Skip the £90 helicopter unless you really want it. Wander Clifton Hill, the Table Rock viewpoint and Niagara-on-the-Lake if time allows, then head back to Toronto for the evening. Optional splurge: CN Tower by night (~CAD 43 / £25).
🚌GO Train + GO bus return ~£12-22, or tour transport included
🛏Same Toronto base (~£30-45)
- →Niagara City Cruises 'Voyage to the Falls' boat ~£20
- →Self-guided falls walk and Clifton Hill
- →Optional CN Tower by night ~£25
Toronto to Kingston / Gananoque — Thousand Islands cruise
Kingston / Gananoque, ON
Take the VIA Rail train from Toronto to Kingston (~2h30, book 2-3 weeks ahead for CAD 35-60 / £20-35) or the Megabus/FlixBus (~£15-25). From Kingston, hop the local bus or a short taxi/rideshare to Gananoque (~30 min) and book a 1-3 hour Thousand Islands boat cruise direct with Gananoque Boat Line (~CAD 35-55 / £20-32) — this is the self-bookable equivalent of the tour's included St. Lawrence Islands cruise. Alternatively, the Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises depart right from downtown Kingston and save you the transfer. Spend the late afternoon strolling Kingston's historic waterfront and Queen's University area, then take a late VIA train or bus on to Ottawa (~2h, £15-25) or overnight in Kingston depending on price.
🚌Toronto–Kingston VIA Rail ~£20-35; Kingston–Gananoque local bus/taxi ~£6; Kingston–Ottawa VIA ~£15-25
🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Kingston or Ottawa (~£30-45)
- →Thousand Islands / St. Lawrence Islands boat cruise (Gananoque Boat Line or Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises) ~£20-32
- →Kingston historic waterfront walk
Ottawa — Parliament Hill, Mint and Mounties
Ottawa, ON
Full day in Ottawa. Do the free Parliament Hill precinct walk (book the free Centre Block guided tour via the House of Commons website if it's open — it's free but needs reserving). Walk to the Royal Canadian Mint (guided tour ~CAD 12 / £7), the embassy district along Sussex Drive, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police stables area near the Parliamentary precinct. In the afternoon, either pay into the Canadian Museum of History across the river in Gatineau (~CAD 23 / £13) or rent a bike (~CAD 25/half-day) to ride the Rideau Canal and Ottawa River pathways. Evening at Byward Market for a cheap poutine or market meal.
🚌Walking + OC Transpo day pass ~£6
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in central Ottawa (~£30-45)
- →Parliament Hill free tour (reserve ahead)
- →Royal Canadian Mint guided tour ~£7
- →RCMP stables / Sussex Drive walk
- →Canadian Museum of History ~£13 or bike hire ~£14
Ottawa to Trois-Rivières / Quebec City — Cap-de-la-Madeleine
Trois-Rivières / Quebec City, QC
Morning VIA Rail or Orléans Express bus from Ottawa to Quebec City (~5-6h, CAD 60-110 / £35-65; booking early gets the cheapest fares — the bus is often cheaper). If travelling by bus you can break the journey at Trois-Rivières to see the Basilica of Notre-Dame du Cap at Cap-de-la-Madeleine, which the coach tour includes — it's a short local bus/taxi from Trois-Rivières station and free to enter. Arrive Quebec City in the evening and check into a hostel inside or just outside the walls (Auberge Internationale des Jeunes or similar). Dinner in Saint-Roch or Saint-Jean-Baptiste for cheaper options than the tourist strip.
🚌Ottawa–Quebec City VIA Rail or Orléans Express bus ~£35-65; local buses ~£5
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Old Quebec / Saint-Roch (~£30-45)
- →Basilica of Notre-Dame du Cap de la Madeleine (free entry)
- →Evening walk in Saint-Roch / Saint-Jean-Baptiste
Old Quebec on foot — self-launched walking tour
Quebec City, QC
Do the Old Quebec circuit independently: start at Place d'Armes and Château Frontenac (exterior and lobby are free), walk the Dufferin Terrace and boardwalk, drop into the Cathedral-Basilica Notre-Dame de Québec, then down through Quartier Petit Champlain to Place Royale. Book a pay-what-you-want or low-cost small-group walking tour on GetYourGuide/Freetour (~£10-18) if you want the history narrated — same ground covered as the Cosmos guided tour without the coach group. Afternoon option: walk or bus to the Citadelle of Quebec (~CAD 18 guided tour / £10) and the Plains of Abraham (free). Evening: optional Quebec by Night dinner or a Montmorency Falls trip on local transport (~CAD 4 bus from outside Old Quebec + CAD 8 cable car).
🚌RTC bus day pass ~£5
🛏Same Quebec City base (~£30-45)
- →Self-guided Old Quebec walk: Château Frontenac, Place d'Armes, Laval Seminary, Place Royale
- →Low-cost walking tour ~£10-18
- →Citadelle guided tour ~£10
- →Optional Montmorency Falls by local bus ~£7
Quebec City to Montreal — Old Montreal and Mount Royal
Montreal, QC
Morning VIA Rail or Orléans Express bus to Montreal (~3h15, CAD 40-90 / £25-50). Drop bags at a hostel in the Plateau or Old Montreal. Afternoon: self-launched Montreal walk — Notre-Dame Basilica exterior and (if you want) entry ~CAD 16 / £9, the Seminary of St. Sulpice courtyard, Place d'Armes, then up to Mount Royal for the Kondiaronk lookout (free) — a 30-minute walk up from Peel métro. Finish in the Plateau or Mile End for bagels and a cheap dinner. Optional sugar shack excursion (Érablière le Chemin du Roy-style, ~CAD 25-40 / £15-23) can be booked direct or via a GetYourGuide small-group trip if you're in season (roughly March-April).
🚌Quebec City–Montreal VIA Rail or bus ~£25-50; STM day pass ~£6
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Plateau / Old Montreal (~£30-45)
- →Self-guided Old Montreal + Seminary of St. Sulpice walk
- →Mount Royal lookout (free)
- →Optional Notre-Dame Basilica entry ~£9
- →Optional sugar shack visit ~£15-23
Montreal — markets, Mile End and departure
Montreal, QC
Last morning: Jean-Talon Market for breakfast and coffee, a wander through Mile End for street art and bagels (St-Viateur vs Fairmount — pick a side), or the free Montreal Museum of Fine Arts if it's raining. Store bags at the hostel or the train station lockers, then take the 747 airport bus (~CAD 11 / £6) or the REM/metro to the airport. If you're flying from Toronto instead, the VIA train back is ~5h (~£40-70 booked early).
🚌747 airport bus ~£6 or metro/REM ~£3
🛏None (departure day)
- →Jean-Talon Market
- →Mile End street art and bagel walk
- →Optional free Museum of Fine Arts
Self-launched vs. Cosmos
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Cosmos | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£945 | £2,320 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,375 per person (59%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Cosmos-style trips? Check them out here.~£945
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Ontario & French Canada: Self-Launched Budget Version cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £945 per person for 8 days in Eastern Canada (Toronto, Niagara, Thousand Islands, Ottawa, Quebec City, Montreal). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Cosmos?+
Yes — Cosmos charges around £2,320 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £945 — a saving of roughly £1,375 (59%) per person.
How long is the Eastern Canada (Toronto, Niagara, Thousand Islands, Ottawa, Quebec City, Montreal) trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Eastern Canada (Toronto, Niagara, Thousand Islands, Ottawa, Quebec City, Montreal).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, city-breaks, budget trip through Eastern Canada (Toronto, Niagara, Thousand Islands, Ottawa, Quebec City, Montreal), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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