Ontario & French Canada Self-Launched: Toronto, Niagara, Ottawa, Quebec City & Montreal (9 Days)
9 days · Ontario & Quebec, Canada
Cosmos charges £1,495
No-markup version: ~£745 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, independent version of Cosmos's 9-day Ontario & French Canada coach tour — same route (Toronto → Niagara Falls → Kingston/Thousand Islands → Ottawa → Quebec City → Montreal → Toronto), but you book your own budget hostels and guesthouses, ride local buses, trains and shared shuttles, and join public or GetYourGuide-style small-group activities instead of a guided coach. Best done on VIA Rail's Corridor route and Ontario/Quebec intercity coach networks. Costs are approximate per person and assume a backpacker/budget-traveller style (hostel dorms or budget private rooms, supermarket breakfasts, one paid activity per day).
Day-by-day
Arrive Toronto — settle into the city
Toronto, ON
Land at Toronto Pearson (YYZ) or Billy Bishop (YTZ) and make your own way downtown. Skip the expensive airport taxi: take the UP Express train from Pearson to Union Station (~£8 / CA$12.35) or the TTC 900 bus from Pearson for even less. Billy Bishop is a free ferry plus bus from downtown. Check into a hostel in the King West / Kensington Market area and spend the late afternoon on a self-led walk: Union Station, the Financial District, Old City Hall and Yonge-Dundas Square. Grab a cheap dinner in Kensington Market or Chinatown.
🚌UP Express train Pearson → Union (~£8); TTC day pass ~£7 if you want to ride more
🛏Budget hostel dorm or private room, downtown Toronto (e.g. around King West / Kensington Market) — ~£25-35
- →DIY evening walk: Union Station, Financial District, Old City Hall
- →Kensington Market and Chinatown dinner recce
Toronto city sights + Niagara Falls day trip
Toronto & Niagara Falls, ON
Morning: do your own Toronto sightseeing loop on the TTC and on foot — City Hall, the University of Toronto campus, Rogers Centre and the CN Tower exterior. You can walk up the CN Tower's exterior observation deck as an optional paid extra (~£30 / CA$45) instead of the tour's optional dinner. Afternoon: book the Niagara Falls day trip independently. Cheapest reliable option is a GO Transit train/bus from Toronto to Niagara Falls (GO Weekend Day Pass or single ~£15-20 one way) plus a walk to the falls, or a small-group Niagara day tour from ~£55 that includes the Hornblower/Voyage to the Falls boat cruise (the tour's 'sightseeing cruise'). Return to Toronto in the evening.
🚌TTC locally (~£3.20 per ride); GO Transit return to Niagara (~£18-25) or a small-group Niagara tour with cruise
🛏Same downtown Toronto hostel — ~£25-35
- →Self-guided Toronto city walk (City Hall, U of T, CN Tower base, Rogers Centre)
- →Niagara Falls boat cruise (Hornblower), bookable via GetYourGuide/Klook from ~£55 as part of a day tour
- →Optional: CN Tower SkyPod observation deck ~£30
Toronto → Kingston → Thousand Islands → Ottawa
Kingston / Thousand Islands / Ottawa, ON
Take an early VIA Rail train or Megabus from Toronto to Kingston (~2.5-3 hrs, ~£25-35). In Kingston, walk the waterfront, Kingston City Hall and Queen's University area (self-guided). Then continue by coach or train towards Gananoque/Thousand Islands and pick up a public Thousand Islands boat cruise from Gananoque (~£20-30) — the classic 1-hour or 3.5-hour island cruise is easy to book direct. Finish the day by travelling on to Ottawa by VIA Rail or coach (~£25-30) and check into a hostel near ByWard Market.
🚌VIA Rail Toronto → Kingston (~£25-35); local coach Kingston → Gananoque/Thousand Islands; VIA Rail/coach to Ottawa (~£25-30)
🛏Budget hostel in Ottawa, near ByWard Market — ~£22-30
- →Self-guided Kingston waterfront and City Hall walk
- →Thousand Islands boat cruise from Gananoque (book direct, ~£20-30)
Ottawa — Parliament, canal and ByWard Market
Ottawa, ON
Full day exploring Ottawa on foot. Join the free guided tour of Parliament Hill (pre-book the free tickets online) and walk the Rideau Canal locks, the ByWard Market, the National Gallery area and the embassy district along Wellington Street. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police stables and the Canadian Mint are walkable and inexpensive. Optional: the Canadian Museum of History across the river in Gatineau (~£12 / CA$19). Evening: cheap poutine or shawarma in ByWard Market.
🚌Entirely walkable/cyclable; optional STO bus to Gatineau ~£3
🛏Same Ottawa hostel — ~£22-30
- →Free guided Parliament Hill tour (book online in advance)
- →Rideau Canal locks and ByWard Market walk
- →Optional: Canadian Museum of History ~£12
- →Optional: RCMP stables and Canadian Mint (small/free entry)
Ottawa → Trois-Rivières / Cap-de-la-Madeleine → Quebec City
Quebec City, QC
Today is a travel day with a stop en route. Take a VIA Rail or Orleans Express coach from Ottawa to Quebec City, breaking the journey at Trois-Rivières to visit the Basilica of Notre-Dame du Cap in Cap-de-la-Madeleine (the tour's included stop) — it's a short local bus/taxi hop from Trois-Rivières station. Continue to Quebec City and check into a hostel or budget guesthouse in Old Quebec or Saint-Roch. Evening: walk the Petit-Champlain and the fortified walls.
🚌Orleans Express coach or VIA Rail Ottawa → Trois-Rivières → Quebec City (~£40-55 total); local bus to Cap-de-la-Madeleine ~£3
🛏Budget hostel/guesthouse in Old Quebec or Saint-Roch — ~£25-35
- →Basilica of Notre-Dame du Cap visit (Cap-de-la-Madeleine)
- →Evening walk of Petit-Champlain and Old Quebec walls
Quebec City — Old Town deep dive
Quebec City, QC
Self-guided walking day through the UNESCO Old Town, or join a cheap 'free' walking tour (pay-what-you-want, ~£10 tip) that covers Château Frontenac, Place d'Armes, the Laval Seminary, the Citadelle ramparts and Place Royale. Ride the funicular between Upper and Lower Town (~£2.50). Optional evening: a French-Canadian dinner in the Old Town (poutine, tourtière, sugar pie) and a stroll along the Terrasse Dufferin.
🚌All walking; funicular ~£2.50 each way
🛏Same Quebec City hostel/guesthouse — ~£25-35
- →Pay-what-you-want Old Quebec walking tour (~£10)
- →Château Frontenac, Place d'Armes, Laval Seminary, Citadelle, Place Royale
- →Optional: funicular and Terrasse Dufferin evening stroll
Quebec City → Montreal
Montreal, QC
Morning: optional sugar shack breakfast and tour at Érablière le Chemin du Roy near Quebec City — book direct or via a small-group tour (~£30-40 including breakfast) before heading out. Then take a VIA Rail train or Orleans Express coach to Montreal (~3 hrs, ~£30-45). Afternoon: self-guided Montreal walk — Old Montreal, Notre-Dame Basilica exterior, the Seminary of St. Sulpice, and a walk up Mount Royal for the viewpoint, plus the modern downtown. Stay in a hostel in the Plateau or Old Montreal.
🚌VIA Rail or Orleans Express Quebec City → Montreal (~£30-45); Montreal Metro/STM day pass ~£8
🛏Budget hostel in Montreal (Plateau / Old Montreal) — ~£25-35
- →Optional sugar shack breakfast tour at Érablière le Chemin du Roy (~£30-40)
- →Self-guided Old Montreal, Seminary of St. Sulpice, Mount Royal and downtown walk
Montreal → Upper Canada Village → Toronto
Upper Canada Village / Toronto, ON
Head west along the St. Lawrence. Take a VIA Rail or Megabus coach from Montreal towards Cornwall/Brockville and stop at Upper Canada Village, a living-history museum (entry ~£16 / CA$25) best reached by local taxi from the nearest VIA station. After the visit, continue by VIA Rail or coach to Toronto (~5-6 hrs total travel). Evening: arrive back in Toronto and settle in for the last night.
🚌VIA Rail/coach Montreal → Upper Canada Village area → Toronto (~£55-75 total); short taxi to the village ~£10-15
🛏Budget hostel, downtown Toronto — ~£25-35
- →Upper Canada Village living-history museum (~£16)
Toronto — final morning and departure
Toronto, ON
Last free morning in Toronto. Do anything you missed on Day 1-2 — the Distillery District, St. Lawrence Market for a cheap breakfast, the Harbourfront or the Toronto Islands ferry (~£6 / CA$9 return). Then take the UP Express back to Pearson or the bus/tram to Billy Bishop for your flight home. No guided activities planned, as on the original tour.
🚌UP Express Union → Pearson ~£8; TTC ~£3.20
🛏Not included (day of departure)
- →St. Lawrence Market breakfast
- →Optional Toronto Islands ferry ~£6
- →Optional Distillery District walk
Self-launched vs. Cosmos
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Cosmos | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£745 | £1,495 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £750 per person (50%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Cosmos-style trips? Check them out here.~£745
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: Toronto, Niagara, Ottawa, Quebec City & Montreal (9 Days) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £745 per person for 9 days in Ontario & 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 Cosmos?+
Yes — Cosmos charges around £1,495 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £745 — a saving of roughly £750 (50%) per person.
How long is the Ontario & Quebec, Canada trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Ontario & 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 city-breaks, culture, budget trip through Ontario & 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?
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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