Wild Wales Tours, LLC
Please join us on this memorable nine-day, eight-night bus tour, to Newfoundland in Canada, August 12-20, 2019.
The cost for this tour is just $2975 for a double occupancy. This tour is SOLD OUT for 2019!
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Newfoundland!
Come and discover this rugged, scenic island province at the far eastern reach of North America. You will be welcomed by some of the most friendly and hospitable inhabitants. The Newfoundlanders have a unique disposition and rich culture that is unmatched anywhere else we have visited. They are hardworking, honest, and have a great sense of humor!
St. John’s is the capital, a bustling seaport city with 350,000 people. The outer communities abound with folklore and traditions. We will be spending the first two days of our trips in St. John’s, then will head to the outports and offshore Islands to visit the local people. Storytellers, musicians and local historians will present to us along the way. On our Tours and Walkabouts, we support travel that brings widespread benefits to the local economy. We support sustainable travel and avoid tourist destinations and instead take you to places to meet the people living there. You get to know some Newfoundland characters and discover how people live their lives.
Newfoundland was settled by the Dorset culture, a Paleo-Eskimo culture that preceded the Inuit in North America. The Icelandic Viking warrior Leif Erickson came ashore here in the 11th century and named it Vinland, due to the high yield of wild grapes. Perfect for wine making, Leif! Portuguese and Spanish fisherman followed, then Giovanni Cabotto (John Cabot), an Italian merchant, arrived in 1497, after making a deal with Henry VII for two sailing ships and a hundred men. Queen Isabella of Spain had declined Giovanni’s request for funding, since she was supporting another adventurer of the time by the name of Christopher.
They were followed by the English and French who arrived to establish a fishing industry, and also came in contact with the native Beothuk. The English Navy brought West Country workers and then Irish Protestant settlers, and the French brought Catholic immigrants.
Newfoundland has five-hundred years of intriguing history after sustained European contact. It was a British dominion from 1907 to 1949, after which it joined the confederation of Canada along with Labrador. It is the newest of the ten provinces, much to the dismay of many Newfoundlanders at the time. To assert some autonomy from the rest of Canada, they insisted on setting their clocks 30 minutes earlier than Toronto!
Wild Wales Tours, LLC
Quidi Village, St. Johns
Monday, 12 August
We will meet you in the foyer of our downtown hotel in downtown St Johns at 2 p.m. Our hotel is located in a National Historic Site on the St John’s waterfront. After greeting and introducing each other we will head up to Signal Hill overlooking the Narrows, the small channel that leads into the harbor in St Johns followed by a visit to the Geo and Titanic Museum. The Titanic went down 330 miles south of St Johns and many local stories are documented here of the disaster.
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Tonight we will meet in the foyer of our hotel at 7p.m. for dinner. This dinner will be paid by Wild Wales Tours and will be an opportunity for us to share what we hope to experience during our time traveling around this exciting maritime Province together at the end of the world.
Tuesday, 13 August
9 a.m. After breakfast a short trip out to sea from Bay Bulls to visit the whales and Puffins! We will board a charter boat that will take us to some of the outer islands to the breeding sites of Puffins, Razorbills and Murres. After lunch we will return to St Johns and some might like to walk around town or visit the “Rooms”, the Art and cultural Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador. Tonight you could join others in the group and dine in one of the many excellent restaurants within walking distance of our historical hotel. Water and Duckworth streets in downtown St Johns are the oldest streets in North America! Yes, St Johns is the oldest city in North America! After supper a walk down George street to visit an Irish Pub with traditional music.
Wednesday, 14 August
9a.m. This morning we head up to the north eastern part of Newfoundland to Newtown, a outport fishing community of around 400 people. After we settle in at our comfortable accommodation we will meet some of the locals and tonight will be entertained and dined at the Barbour Living Heritage Village dinner theater. Supper this evening paid by Wild Wales Tours.
Puffin
Thursday, 15 August
10 a.m. Breakfast this morning will be at the Karma Cafe. Today we can relax, visit the Barbour Village Museum or walk along the shore.This evening we can meet at a local restaurant for supper and be entertained by a local storyteller.
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Friday 16, August
After an early breakfast we will head west and North to Farewell where we will board the ferry to Change Islands. For the next three nights we will be staying at a delightful Inn where you can see the whales jumping in the bay below from our deck. This is a very special place to stay, all home cooking, all the jams made fresh daily out of local Partridge and Cloud Berries, Blueberries and rhubarb! The bread is baked fresh daily!
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Saturday, 17 August
8.45a.m. After our delicious home cooked breakfast we will board the ferry for Fogo Island and visit the scenic town of Fogo a vibrant fishing community. Today we will board our chartered vessel under the command of Captain Ane and his able crew for a range of ocean adventures. A visit to an abandoned fishing community, look for whales and visit some isolated coves along the shore. Supper this evening will be at a local restaurant.
Sunday, 18 August
After breakfast, relax on the deck watching the whales in the bay below. Stunning views of the bay! Take a walk around the fishing village, or read your book in one of the two comfortable lounges. Supper this evening at 6.30p.m. at our cozy Inn.
Monday, 19 August
After breakfast the ferry will take us back to Farewell and a short trip to Gander.
Lunchtime we will be joined by a local historian who will present the history of this interesting town. We will learn first hand what happened here in September 2001. Wild Wales Tours will be buying dinner this evening and we all can share what we have learnt and experienced during our time together.
Tuesday, 20 August
After breakfast and saying our goodbyes we will transport you to the airport in Gander for your onward journey or flight home. Our transportation will be returning to St Johns this morning if you would like a ride back please let us know, 3.5hrs. Should be back in St Johns by 2-3p.m.
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Included are eight nights accommodation and breakfast.
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All transportation including pick up and drop off at airports.
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Two trips on a chartered boat to whale watch and bird watching.
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All admissions to museums.
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Dinner and theater in Newtown.
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Cost of all ferry rides.
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All presentations, storytellers and musicians that play for us.
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All Canada taxes are included in the prices, 15%GST( provincial and Canada taxes) and also an extra 4%HST (harmonized tax) added in the city of St Johns.
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The cost of this trip will be $2975 per person double occupancy. There is a charge of $500 for a single supplement.
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You will need to buy your flight to Newfoundland.
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You buy five suppers and seven lunches and all drinks.
Fresh Seafood, Nicole's Cafe, Fogo Island
TRANSPORTATION TO NEWFOUNDLAND
You will need to fly to St Johns, Newfoundland and our trip will end in Gander. We can also transport you back to St Johns by 3p.m. on the afternoon of August 20th.
We will all meet at the foyer of our downtown hotel in downtown St Johns at 2p.m. on Tuesday, 30th July 2019.
You might want to arrive a day early. As most of you know these days, it is very common to have a late or cancelled flight, or luggage that shows up late. Newfoundland is 2.5 hours ahead of Central Standard Time and 3.5 hours after Greenwich mean time.
If you can afford the time and an extra night’s lodging at a small hotel or an air BNB, you will not likely regret it. St. Johns is a very colorful and interesting city along with its residents.
PAYMENTS
We will email invoices which can be paid online with a credit card. A deposit of $992 per person ($1984 per couple) is required to secure your place, followed by a payment of $992 ($1984 per couple) February 12, 2019. The final payment of $991 per person ($1982 per couple) is due on May 12, 2019. A single supplement is $500.
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REFUNDS
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You may cancel your Wild Wales Walkabout for a full refund, minus a $100 processing fee, if you do so more than 4 months prior to your scheduled tour (April 12, 2019).
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If you cancel fewer than 4 months before your scheduled tour, you will receive full refund, minus a $100 processing fee, ONLY if your slot can be filled!
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If you cancel between 3 and 4 months (April 12-May 12, 2019) prior to your scheduled tour, and your slot cannot be filled, you will receive a 50% refund.
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If you cancel fewer than 3 months (May 12, 2019) prior to your scheduled tour, and your slot cannot be filled, no refund will be given.
Hywel Taff Roberts the director of Wild Wales Tours & Walkabouts will be leading the tour and we will be joined by storytellers, historians, entertainers and presenters along the way to highlight for you this amazing province with its rich history, language and culture.
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We do cater to book clubs and family groups who would like to customize their trip to Newfoundland and the outer islands.
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Reservations can be made by calling: 1-507-458-8637, or fill out our online form.
Hywel “Taff” Roberts
