Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Newfoundland: Icebergs and Whales
7 days from St. John's: Cape Spear, puffins and whales at Witless Bay, Gander, and two nights in Twillingate in iceberg season.
7 days · Round trip from St. John's · up to 10 guests
An iceberg off the coast at St. John's in early July Photo: US Embassy Canada, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Iceberg%E2%80%A6up_close_(14768791722).jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 7 days, 6 nights
- Start and end
- Round trip from St. John's
- Group size
- 6 to 10 guests
- Longest drive
- 5 h on day 6
- Where you sleep
- Hotels, InnsA real bed every night, no tents
- Activity level
Easy
You are happy with short walks of up to an hour or two most days, on uneven and windy coastal paths with some slopes and steps at Signal Hill and Cape Spear, getting on and off two boats, and one long day of about 5 hours on the road broken by stops.
- Meals included
- 6 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 5 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 1,010 (estimated price)
- Season
- Mid-June to early July
Highlights
Why this trip
- A boat trip into the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve, home to North America's largest Atlantic puffin colony, with humpback whales and icebergs when the season brings them
- Cape Spear, the most easterly point in North America, and Signal Hill above St. John's harbour
- Gander and the true story of the 38 planes that landed there on 11 September 2001, the story behind Come From Away
- Two nights in Twillingate, with an iceberg and whale boat trip and sunset at Long Point Lighthouse
- Getting screeched in as an honorary Newfoundlander, and an evening of dinner theatre
- A small group of 6 to 10 with one leader-driver, and the long drive back broken into short stages
What makes this trip different
Short drives, all published
Every drive is listed day by day. The longest is 5 h, on day 6.
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 1,010 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
The longest drive is 5 h, on day 6.
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in St. John's
St. John's airport to downtown, Jellybean Row and Water Street
- Dinner
- Stay: Murray Premises Hotel or similar
- Drive about 20 min
Fly into St. John's International Airport (YYT), landing by 3 pm. Your leader-driver meets you in arrivals for the 20 minute drive downtown to your hotel by the harbour, set in old fish merchants' warehouses rebuilt after the great fire of 1846 and your base for three nights.
Afternoon
Late in the afternoon we walk together along Water Street, among the oldest commercial streets in North America, and up the steep lanes behind it to Jellybean Row, the wooden row houses painted red, yellow, blue and green that have become the face of the city.
Evening
Then a welcome dinner, where your leader talks through the week ahead: the boats, the drives, the weather and what the sea might bring.
Included
- Pick-up at St. John's International Airport (YYT)
- Guided walk along Water Street to Jellybean Row
- Welcome dinner
Signal Hill, Cape Spear and the Witless Bay boat
Signal Hill, Cape Spear, Petty Harbour and Bay Bulls, about 1.5 hours of driving
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay: Murray Premises Hotel or similar
- Drive about 1.5 h
We start on Signal Hill, where Cabot Tower has watched the Narrows since 1900 and Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless signal in December 1901; when icebergs are in, you can often see them from the top. Then Cape Spear, the most easterly point in North America, with its 1836 lighthouse, the oldest surviving in the province, and the gun emplacements of the Second World War.
Afternoon
Lunch is fish and chips at Chafe's Landing in Petty Harbour, a fishing village tucked into a narrow cove. In the afternoon we drive to Bay Bulls for a 90 minute boat trip into the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve, home to North America's largest Atlantic puffin colony, with humpback whales and icebergs when the season brings them.
Evening
The evening is free: George Street's pubs and live music are a short walk from the hotel.
Included
- Signal Hill and Cabot Tower
- Cape Spear Lighthouse National Historic Site
- Puffin, whale and iceberg boat trip from Bay Bulls into the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve with Gatherall's (90 minutes)
Free time: Free evening
Activity: The boat trip can move to another time if wind or swell stops it.
St. John's to Gander by way of Terra Nova
St. John's to Gander on the Trans-Canada Highway, with Terra Nova National Park, about 3.5 hours of driving
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay: Quality Hotel Gander or similar
- Drive about 3.5 h
Morning
After breakfast we head west on the Trans-Canada Highway, across the narrow isthmus that joins the Avalon Peninsula to the rest of the island, and north to Terra Nova National Park, Canada's most easterly national park.
Afternoon
We stretch our legs among boreal forest and the sheltered arms of Bonavista Bay, and stop for lunch on the way. In Gander the afternoon belongs to its airport. At the North Atlantic Aviation Museum you see how this small town became a crossroads of transatlantic flight, where wartime bombers left for Britain. Then the story most visitors come for: on 11 September 2001, when American airspace closed, 38 airliners carrying about 6,600 passengers and crew landed here, and the people of Gander and nearby towns housed and fed them for days.
Evening
Dinner together, and a night in Gander.
Included
- Stop in Terra Nova National Park
- North Atlantic Aviation Museum, Gander
- The story of the planes diverted to Gander on 11 September 2001
Optional experiences
- Come From Away, the musical, in Gander. Only when its summer run in Gander has begun; 2027 dates not yet announced
Gander to Twillingate: icebergs and whales
Gander to Twillingate over the New World Island causeways, about 1.5 hours of driving
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay: Anchor Inn or similar
- Drive about 1.5 h
Morning
A short morning drive north takes us around Gander Bay and over the causeways of New World Island to Twillingate, a fishing town on two islands at the edge of Notre Dame Bay that calls itself the iceberg capital of the world. Bergs calved from Greenland's glaciers drift past here on the Labrador Current, and humpback whales arrive to feed as the summer warms. After checking in at our small inn, we board a local boat with Twillingate Adventure Tours for about two hours on the water, looking for icebergs, whales and seabirds along the cliffs.
Evening
After dinner we drive up to Crow Head and the Long Point Lighthouse, high above the sea, to watch the sun go down over the bay.
Included
- Iceberg and whale boat trip from Twillingate with Twillingate Adventure Tours
- Sunset at Long Point Lighthouse, Crow Head
Activity: The boat trip can move to day 5 if wind or swell stops it.
Twillingate: a free morning, a screech-in and dinner theatre
Twillingate
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay: Anchor Inn or similar
Morning
No alarm this morning.
Afternoon
Walk the coastal trails at your own pace, out to French Head or along the cliffs near the lighthouse at Crow Head, where you might find an iceberg grounded in a cove, or browse the craft shops and the museum by the harbour and have lunch where you like. In the afternoon we gather at Auk Island Winery, which makes fruit wines from wild Newfoundland berries such as blueberries, raspberries and bakeapples, some blended with iceberg water. Here you are screeched in: a short, cheerful ceremony with a shot of Screech rum, a kiss for a cod and a local saying to repeat, after which you are an honorary Newfoundlander.
Evening
In the evening, dinner and a night of Newfoundland dinner theatre, with music, songs and storytelling.
Included
- Screech-in at Auk Island Winery
- Dinner theatre evening in Twillingate
Free time: Morning free
Twillingate to St. John's
Twillingate to St. John's, about 5 hours of driving broken by four stops
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay: Murray Premises Hotel or similar
- Drive about 5 h
The one long day of the trip, about 430 km and 5 hours of driving, which we break into easy stages.
Morning
We leave Twillingate after breakfast and retrace the causeways to Gander for coffee, about 90 minutes away.
Afternoon
Next comes Terra Nova National Park, under an hour on, for a walk to a lookout over the park's forest and sounds and a stop for lunch. After a shorter hop to Clarenville we cross back onto the Avalon Peninsula with a last leg stretch at the isthmus, so no stretch in the van is longer than about 90 minutes. We are back in St.
Evening
John's by late afternoon, with time to rest before a farewell dinner downtown and a last stroll along the harbour.
Included
- Stops in Gander, Terra Nova National Park, Clarenville and on the Avalon isthmus
- Farewell dinner
Activity: Lunch on the road is not included.
Depart from St. John's
Breakfast, then St. John's International Airport (YYT)
- Breakfast
- Drive about 20 min
Morning
A last breakfast at the hotel. If your flight leaves later in the day, the morning is yours: walk the harbourfront, climb the lanes of the Battery, the old fishing neighbourhood clinging to the foot of Signal Hill, or pick up Newfoundland books, music and knitwear on Water Street. Your leader-driver takes you to St. John's International Airport (YYT), about 20 minutes away, in time for your flight home or onward.
Afternoon
Morning fog sometimes delays flights here, which is why we suggest a flight that leaves after midday. If you would like more time, we can add nights in St. John's before you fly, for Quidi Vidi village, The Rooms museum or a drive around the Irish Loop.
Included
- Drop-off at St. John's International Airport (YYT)
Free time: Morning free
- St. John's2 nights
- Gander1 night
- Twillingate2 nights
- St. John's1 night
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: Icebergs calve from Greenland's glaciers and drift south along Iceberg Alley each spring. Late May and June are usually the best weeks, but numbers vary a lot from year to year: some years bring many bergs close to shore, others very few, so we cannot promise one. Humpback whales follow the capelin inshore and are usually around from late June, peaking in July. Atlantic puffins nest on the Witless Bay islands from about May to mid-September and are very likely on the boat trip.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers who want Newfoundland's best-known sights without planning the drives, boats and small inns
- Wildlife watchers happy to spend time on boats in open water
- Fans of Come From Away and the Gander story
Not for you if you want
- Anyone who needs a guaranteed iceberg: numbers vary a lot from year to year
- Travellers who want western Newfoundland and Gros Morne, which this week does not reach
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
6 nights
Where you'll stay
Named stays, or similar where we are still confirming.
3 nights · Days 1, 2, and 6
Murray Premises Hotelor similar
St. John's · Hotel
Downtown by the harbour, in restored 19th-century merchant warehouses; breakfast included
1 night · Day 3
Quality Hotel Ganderor similar
Gander · Hotel
2 nights · Days 4 and 5
Anchor Innor similar
Twillingate · Inn
A small inn of 12 units
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 6 nights: 3 in a downtown hotel in St. John's, 1 in Gander and 2 at a small inn in Twillingate
Transport
- Pick-up at St. John's International Airport (YYT) on day 1 and drop-off on day 7
- One van for the group for the whole trip, with fuel and parking
- Parks Canada entry at Cape Spear and Terra Nova National Park
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours leader-driver with the group from arrival to departure
Activities
- Puffin, whale and iceberg boat trip into the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve with Gatherall's
- Iceberg and whale boat trip from Twillingate with Twillingate Adventure Tours
- Signal Hill and Cape Spear Lighthouse
- North Atlantic Aviation Museum, Gander
- Screech-in at Auk Island Winery
- Dinner theatre evening in Twillingate
Meals
- 6 breakfasts
- 2 lunches: fish and chips in Petty Harbour and lunch on the drive to Gander
- 5 dinners: a welcome dinner in St. John's, dinner in Gander, two dinners in Twillingate including the dinner theatre, and a farewell dinner in St. John's
Not included
- Flights to and from St. John's
- Travel insurance
- Lunches and dinners not listed
- Drinks other than the screech-in
- Tips for your leader-driver
- Come From Away tickets and other optional activities
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 1,010 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the trip include?
Six nights in hotels and a small inn, airport pick-up and drop-off, one van with a See Sight Tours leader-driver throughout, two boat trips (Witless Bay and Twillingate), Signal Hill, Cape Spear, Terra Nova National Park, the North Atlantic Aviation Museum, a screech-in, a dinner theatre evening, 6 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 5 dinners.
Will we see icebergs, whales and puffins?
Puffins are very likely: they nest on the Witless Bay islands all summer. Humpback whales are usually around from late June, following the capelin inshore. Icebergs are the gamble. Late May and June are the best weeks, but some years bring many bergs to the coast and others very few, so we cannot promise one.
When does the trip run?
From about mid-June to early July, when the last icebergs of the season and the arriving whales overlap and the puffins are nesting. Expect cool, changeable weather, often 10 to 20°C, with fog at times.
Which airport do I fly into?
St. John's International Airport (YYT), which has direct flights from Toronto, Montreal and Halifax. Land by 3 pm on day 1, and book a flight home after midday on day 7, because morning fog sometimes delays flights. We pick you up and drop you off; flights are not included.
How much driving is there?
Most days have 20 minutes to 1.5 hours in the van. Day 3, St. John's to Gander, is about 3.5 hours with a stop in Terra Nova National Park. Day 6, Twillingate back to St. John's, is the one long day, about 5 hours, broken by four stops so no stretch is longer than about 90 minutes.
What is a screech-in?
A light-hearted Newfoundland welcome for visitors. You take a shot of Screech, the local rum, kiss a cod and repeat a local saying, and you leave an honorary Newfoundlander. Ours is at Auk Island Winery in Twillingate on day 5.
Can I see Come From Away in Gander?
Sometimes. The musical about the planes diverted to Gander has had summer runs in the town, in 2026 from late June to mid-September. If the 2027 run has started by your night in Gander, we can help you book tickets at your own cost.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 6 to 10 guests and one leader-driver.
Can we travel privately or on our own?
Yes. Besides the small group, the trip comes as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose. If you would rather travel on your own on your own dates, ask us from the dates section: we can book the same hotels, boat trips and car rental for you.
How much does it cost?
Prices are per person sharing a room, with taxes, and differ by style: small group or private. The small group starts from CAD 4,210 per person, and a room of your own is from CAD 1,010 more. Pick your start date when you request to book, and we confirm your trip within 24 hours. Nothing is charged until then.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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