Northern Quebec: Summer Lodge Escape — Self-Launched
7 days · Quebec, Canada
G Adventures charges £1,935
No-markup version: ~£915 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, independent version of G Adventures' 7-day Saguenay summer escape: Montreal, the Saguenay Fjord, Tadoussac, Cap Jaseux and Monts-Valin, ending in Quebec City. Do it on your own with the Orléans Express coach, a hired kayak or public launch, self-guided park trails, and a stay at a fjord-side auberge near Sainte-Rose-du-Nord. Roughly a third of the group-tour price, with the freedom to linger where you like.
Day-by-day
Arrive Montreal
Montreal
Land at YUL and take the STM 747 express bus into the city centre (~CAD 11, about 25 minutes, runs 24h). Check into a hostel or budget hotel in the Plateau or Old Montreal area, then spend the evening wandering Vieux-Port, Rue Saint-Denis and Mont-Royal's lookout. Grab dinner at a casse-croûte — poutine or a smoked meat sandwich — and plan tomorrow's coach tickets.
🚌STM 747 bus from YUL, ~£6.50
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel, Montreal (£28–45/night)
- →Old Montreal and Old Port wander
- →Mont-Royal lookout at sunset
- →Self-guided Plateau street-food crawl
Montreal to the Saguenay Fjord
Sainte-Rose-du-Nord / Saguenay
Morning in Montreal — breakfast at a café on Avenue Mont-Royal. Then take the Orléans Express coach from Montreal's Gare d'autocars de Montréal toward Chicoutimi/Jonquière (roughly 6–7 hours, ~CAD 80–100 booked ahead online). Change at Chicoutimi for a local bus or short taxi to Sainte-Rose-du-Nord (about 30–40 minutes). Alternatively, rent a car in Montreal for the week if you're travelling as a pair — often cheaper per person and far more flexible for the fjord villages. Arrive in the village in golden hour and settle into a fjord-side auberge or gîte for four nights.
🚌Orléans Express coach Montreal–Chicoutimi ~£50, then local taxi/bus to Sainte-Rose-du-Nord ~£18
🛏Auberge/gîte in Sainte-Rose-du-Nord, ~£30–45/night
- →Village of Sainte-Rose-du-Nord and its marina
- →Sunset over the fjord from the belvedere
Fjord lighthouse hike and kayaking
Sainte-Rose-du-Nord / Saguenay Fjord
Self-guided morning hike on the Sentier de la Statue and the village trails above Sainte-Rose-du-Nord, with sweeping fjord views — the classic lighthouse-style viewpoint paths are free and well marked. After lunch, rent a sea kayak from a local outfitter in Sainte-Rose-du-Nord or nearby Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré/Anse-Saint-Jean (roughly CAD 60–90 for a half-day guided or self-guided rental). This stretch is the warmest water in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park. Evening: swim at Lac des Sables, use the auberge's spa or hot tub, or rent a paddleboard, then light a campfire if your gîte has a fire pit (bring marshmallows).
🚌On foot and short local taxi/hired bike
🛏Auberge/gîte in Sainte-Rose-du-Nord, ~£30–45/night
- →Self-guided fjord viewpoint hike
- →Sea kayak rental on the Saguenay Fjord (~£40–55)
- →Lac des Sables swim
- →Campfire evening
Tadoussac: belugas, cliffs and dunes
Tadoussac / Baie-Sainte-Marguerite
Drive or take a local taxi/bus about an hour to Tadoussac (a car makes this day far easier; otherwise pre-book a taxi transfer, ~CAD 60–80 each way). Start with the Baie-Sainte-Marguerite trail in Saguenay Fjord National Park — a well-marked hike to a lookout where belugas are often visible offshore. Picnic lunch in the park. Afternoon in Tadoussac: walk the village, the dunes and the Pointe de l'Islet boardwalk, and visit the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre (entry ~CAD 15). Optionally book a whale-watching zodiac trip directly with a Tadoussac operator (~CAD 115–140) — book online a few days ahead in summer.
🚌Taxi or rental car transfer ~£35–45 each way
🛏Auberge/gîte in Sainte-Rose-du-Nord, ~£30–45/night
- →Baie-Sainte-Marguerite beluga lookout hike
- →Tadoussac village and dunes walk
- →Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre
- →Optional zodiac whale watching (~£70–85)
Cap Jaseux and Monts-Valin
Cap Jaseux / Parc national des Monts-Valin
Morning at Cap Jaseux Park — self-guided coastal fjord trails, plus optional bookable add-ons direct with the park: treetop adventure course or a via ferrata on the fjord cliff face (~CAD 45–65). Picnic lunch in the park. Drive north (about 45–60 minutes by car; limited public transport, so a rental car pays off here) to Parc national des Monts-Valin, where a network of marked trails leads to summits with huge views over the valley (park day pass ~CAD 9–10). Back to the gîte for a late dinner in the village.
🚌Rental car or pre-arranged local taxi
🛏Auberge/gîte in Sainte-Rose-du-Nord, ~£30–45/night
- →Cap Jaseux fjord trails
- →Optional treetop course or via ferrata (~£30–40)
- →Monts-Valin summit hikes
- →Picnic lunch
Fjord to Quebec City
Quebec City
One last slow breakfast at the gîte before travelling to Quebec City (about 3 hours by car; by public transport take a local bus/taxi to Chicoutimi then the Orléans Express or Intercar coach to Quebec City, ~CAD 35–45). Check into a hostel or budget hotel in Old Quebec or Saint-Roch off Rue Saint-Jean. Spend the afternoon self-guided through Old Quebec: the ramparts, Terrasse Dufferin, Petit-Champlain, Place Royale and the funicular. Optional bookable extras: a historic walking tour, an Old Quebec food tour, or a bike rental along the Saint-Charles river. Final dinner in a bistro on Rue Saint-Jean.
🚌Coach Chicoutimi–Quebec City ~£25, or rental car ~3h
🛏Hostel or budget hotel, Quebec City (£30–50/night)
- →Self-guided Old Quebec walk
- →Terrasse Dufferin and Petit-Champlain
- →Optional Old Quebec food tour (~£45)
- →Ramparts and Citadelle exterior
Quebec City to Montreal and home
Quebec City / Montreal
Coffee and a croissant in Old Quebec, then take the Orléans Express coach or VIA Rail train from Quebec City to Montreal (train ~3h15, CAD 40–70 booked ahead; bus ~3h30, CAD 30–45). From Montreal's Gare Centrale, the 747 bus or a short taxi gets you to YUL. Book onward flights no earlier than early afternoon to be safe.
🚌VIA Rail or Orléans Express Quebec City–Montreal ~£25–40, plus 747 bus ~£6.50
🛏None — departure day
- →Old Quebec morning coffee
- →Last-minute souvenir shopping on Rue du Petit-Champlain
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£915 | £1,935 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,020 per person (53%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£915
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 Northern Quebec: Summer Lodge Escape — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £915 per person for 7 days in Quebec, Canada. 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,935 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £915 — a saving of roughly £1,020 (53%) per person.
How long is the Quebec, Canada trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Quebec, Canada.
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 adventure, hiking, culture trip through Quebec, Canada, 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?
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