Quebec in Depth with the Gaspé Peninsula — Self-Launched
11 days · Quebec, Canada
Globus charges £3,780
No-markup version: ~£1,035 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent, budget-friendly version of Globus's 11-day coach tour of Quebec and the Gaspé Peninsula. Same route — Montreal, the Bas-Saint-Laurent, Carleton-sur-Mer, Percé, Matane, La Malbaie and Quebec City — but with hostels and budget guesthouses instead of tour hotels, self-booked ferries, whale-watching cruises and national park entries instead of a guided motorcoach, and public transport (Orléans Express coaches, Maritime Bus and VIA Rail) instead of a group bus. Typical backpacker costs in Quebec are high by North American standards, so expect roughly £80–110 per person per day all-in; still a fraction of the ~£3,780pp operator price.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Montreal
Montreal
Land at YUL, take the 747 airport bus (£6.50, 24-hour pass also usable on all city transit) into downtown and check into a hostel in the Plateau or near Old Montreal. Spend the evening walking Vieux-Montréal's cobbled streets and the Old Port waterfront, then eat poutine or a smoked-meat sandwich on Boulevard Saint-Laurent. Pick up a rechargeable OPUS card for the week in the city.
🚌747 airport bus + walking
🛏Hostel dorm (e.g. M Montreal or Auberge Alternative), Plateau/downtown
- →747 bus from airport
- →Self-guided walk of Vieux-Montréal and Old Port
- →Boulevard Saint-Laurent food stop
Montreal — basilica, Plateau and Mount Royal
Montreal
Book a Basilique Notre-Dame entry slot online (about £10–12, or an evening AURA light show if you want something special). Instead of a private city guide, join a free/pay-what-you-wish walking tour of Old Montreal (tip £8–12) or use a self-guided audio route. Afternoon in Plateau Mont-Royal — wander Rue Saint-Denis, Avenue du Mont-Royal and the Plateau's spiral staircases — then climb Mount Royal for the skyline view at sunset.
🚌Metro/walking (OPUS day pass ~£6)
🛏Hostel dorm, Montreal
- →Basilique Notre-Dame entry
- →Pay-what-you-wish Old Montreal walking tour
- →Plateau Mont-Royal stroll
- →Mount Royal lookout at sunset
Montreal to Rimouski along the Navigator's Route
Rimouski
Take an Orléans Express coach from Montreal's Gare d'autocars de Montréal east along the south shore of the St. Lawrence — the historic 'Route des Navigateurs' — roughly 6.5–7 hours to Rimouski (about £55–70 booked in advance). Break the journey or just enjoy the river views. Check into a budget guesthouse near the waterfront and walk downtown; catch sunset over the St. Lawrence at Parc de la Marina.
🚌Orléans Express coach (~7 hrs, ~£60)
🛏Budget guesthouse/auberge, Rimouski
- →Orléans Express coach along the St. Lawrence
- →Sunset walk on Rimouski waterfront
- →Rimouski downtown evening
Rimouski to Carleton-sur-Mer via Pointe-au-Père and Miguasha
Carleton-sur-Mer
Morning at the Pointe-au-Père Maritime Historic Site — climb the lighthouse and visit the Empress of Ireland museum (about £15–18 combined). Continue by coach down the coast, then detour to Miguasha National Park (UNESCO fossil cliffs) — a taxi or local shuttle from the village of Nouvelle, park entry ~£8. Arrive in Carleton-sur-Mer in the Baie des Chaleurs for the night; the town beach and Mont Saint-Joseph hike are free.
🚌Orléans Express coach + local taxi/shuttle
🛏Budget motel/auberge, Carleton-sur-Mer
- →Pointe-au-Père lighthouse and Empress of Ireland Museum
- →Miguasha National Park fossil cliffs (UNESCO)
- →Carleton-sur-Mer beach and Mont Saint-Joseph viewpoint
Carleton-sur-Mer to Percé via Paspébiac
Percé
Ride the coastal coach (Orléans Express / RéGÎM local services) east through the Matapédia Valley and around the tip of the Gaspé. Stop at Ferme Bourdages Tradition near Saint-Siméon for a strawberry tasting in season (small fee, ~£5), then at the Banc-de-Pêche-de-Paspébiac National Historic Site for the restored fishing warehouses and a self-guided or short guided visit (~£8). Arrive in Percé and get your first look at Percé Rock from the shore path.
🚌Regional coach (Orléans Express/RéGÎM), ~5 hrs
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel, Percé
- →Ferme Bourdages strawberry tasting
- →Banc-de-Pêche-de-Paspébiac National Historic Site
- →Evening view of Percé Rock
Percé Rock and Bonaventure Island
Percé
Book the boat cruise to Bonaventure Island directly with a local operator (Julien Cloutier or Croisières du Capitaine, ~£30–35 including park entry) — the circuit around Percé Rock and out to the island's northern gannet colony is the trip's highlight. Land on the island and walk the heritage trail to the colony (allow 3–4 hrs) or take a longer hiking trail. Evening seafood dinner in Percé village, then the free pier walk at dusk.
🚌Walking + local boat
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel, Percé
- →Percé Rock and Bonaventure Island boat cruise
- →Gannet colony walk (Île Bonaventure National Park)
- →Hiking trails on Bonaventure Island
- →Seafood dinner in Percé
Percé to Matane via Forillon National Park
Matane
Travel north around the Gaspé coast, stopping at Forillon National Park — entry ~£8 plus a park shuttle or short taxi to trailheads; walk the Land's End trail to Cap Gaspé or the shorter lookout paths (allow 3–4 hrs). See the red-and-white Cap-des-Rosiers lighthouse, Canada's tallest. Continue to Matane on the evening coach. In Matane, dinner at a local microbrasserie (about £12–15) and a walk along the promenade where the Matane River meets the St. Lawrence.
🚌Regional coach + park shuttle
🛏Budget motel/auberge, Matane
- →Forillon National Park hiking
- →Cap-des-Rosiers lighthouse
- →Matane waterfront promenade
Matane to La Malbaie via Les Jardins de Métis
La Malbaie
Morning at Les Jardins de Métis / Reford Gardens just outside Grand-Métis (entry ~£15) — the Linear Garden and Stream Garden are the stars; a picnic lunch from a bakery keeps costs down. Then continue west along the south shore and cross to the Charlevoix region via the Saint-Siméon–Rivière-du-Loup ferry or the coastal route, ending in La Malbaie. Evening walk in the Charlevoix hills.
🚌Coach + ferry crossing (~£15)
🛏Budget auberge, La Malbaie
- →Les Jardins de Métis / Reford Gardens
- →Picnic lunch by the gardens
- →Saint-Siméon ferry crossing or coastal drive to Charlevoix
- →La Malbaie evening walk
La Malbaie to Quebec City via Saguenay whale-watching
Quebec City
Book a whale-watching cruise in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park directly (Tadoussac or Baie-Sainte-Catherine, ~£55–75 for 3 hrs; cheaper by joining as a walk-on than with a tour package). Take the local shuttle/coach from La Malbaie toward Tadoussac, cruise, then continue in the afternoon/evening toward Quebec City (Orléans Express, ~5 hrs total) — or overnight in Tadoussac and continue early the next morning for a more relaxed pace. Optional stop at Laiterie Charlevoix for cheese tasting (~£6).
🚌Local shuttle + Orléans Express coach
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Old Quebec / Saint-Roch
- →Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park whale-watching cruise
- →Tadoussac village
- →Laiterie Charlevoix cheese tasting
Quebec City on foot
Quebec City
Do Old Quebec with a pay-what-you-wish walking tour (tip ~£10) or a self-guided loop: Place d'Armes, the Citadelle ramparts (free exterior walk, ~£12 to enter the museum), Place Royale, the funicular to Quartier Petit-Champlain, and the Plains of Abraham. Afternoon free for cafés and shops on Rue Saint-Jean. Skip the 17th-century flour mill farewell dinner in favour of a lively supper in Saint-Roch (£18–22).
🚌Walking + local bus/funicular
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Quebec City
- →Old Quebec walking tour
- →Place d'Armes, Place Royale and Petit-Champlain
- →Citadelle ramparts
- →Plains of Abraham
- →Dinner in Saint-Roch
Quebec City to Montreal and depart
Montreal
Take a morning VIA Rail train from Gare du Palais to Montreal (~3 hrs, book ahead for ~£40–55) or the cheaper Orléans Express coach (~£30). If your flight is later, store bags at the hostel or station and do one last Montreal coffee stop before the 747 bus to YUL. Stay flexible: the train is the most comfortable way back into Montreal.
🚌VIA Rail train (~£45) or coach (~£30) + 747 bus
🛏—
- →VIA Rail Quebec City–Montreal
- →Last-minute Montreal wander
- →747 bus to airport
Self-launched vs. Globus
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Globus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,035 | £3,780 |
| Duration | 11 days | 11 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,745 per person (73%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Globus-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,035
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 Quebec in Depth with the Gaspé Peninsula — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,035 per person for 11 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 Globus?+
Yes — Globus charges around £3,780 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,035 — a saving of roughly £2,745 (73%) per person.
How long is the Quebec, Canada trip?+
This itinerary runs 11 days, covering 11 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 culture, backpacker, slow-travel 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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