Outdoor activities
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Cruises & Boat ToursCruises in Québec
Get on board today!
To admire some of the most breathtaking panoramas in Québec at your leisure… let the waves carry you away! Cruise down the main waterway: the majestic St. Lawrence, which stretches over 1,100 kilometres (685 mi.) from east to west across Québec, or even along one of Québec’s other large rivers or huge lakes. Enjoy a front-row seat for observing marine mammals, birds and plant life, and to admire, for example, the magnificent Saguenay River Fjord and the sensational cliffs, over 700 metres (2,300 ft) high, towering over the Rivière Malbaie.
Whale watching
Every summer, 13 marine mammal species visit the St. Lawrence River, including right whales, fin whales, porpoises and belugas. Seeing these large marine mammals is what drives many people to take these cruises along the estuary. Areas that are known to be especially good for spotting these sea mammals are the Gaspé peninsula, the Saguenay River Fjord and the St. Lawrence estuary (Saguenay—St. Lawrence Marine Park). Most cruises start from Tadoussac.Destination: the islands
Get on board to see the St. Lawrence islands and their natural treasures up close! The islands of the Mingan Archipelago (Duplessis) are simply magnificent with rock formations that have been sculpted by the elements over centuries. Île Bonaventure, across from Percé in the Gaspésie, is home to the largest Northern Gannet colony in America.In Lac Saint-Pierre, designated a biosphere reserve by UNESCO, 103 islands are home to 288 bird species. The Îles du Pot-à-l’Eau-de-vie archipelago, across from Rivière-du-Loup in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, is a sanctuary for marine birds. Grosse Île is home to a national historic site, marking its importance in the history of immigration in Québec, and paying tribute to the Irish immigrants who died there in the 19th century.
In Québec City, Trois-Rivières and Montréal, there are a number of boats that will take you on a tour of the river corridors and ports of these old cities. Choose a dinner cruise and combine the joys of sightseeing and dining! Not far from Montréal, a rafting excursion down the Lachine rapids will give adventure-lovers a pleasant thrill.
Unique excursions
The cruise ship CTMA Vacancier links Montréal to the Îles-de-la-Madeleine The return trip takes seven days and includes stops in Québec City, Havre-Saint-Pierre on the North Shore (depending on the cruise) and Chandler in the Gaspésie. The Relais Nordik, a supply ship equipped with a few cabins, steams from Rimouski to Sept-Îles, Anticosti, Havre-Saint-Pierre and the Lower North Shore (Duplessis), taking you to places inaccessible by road.
And lastly, to travel shore-to-shore on the St. Lawrence River or to visit some of its islands, such as Île aux Grues (Chaudière-Appalaches) and Île aux Coudres (Charlevoix), take a ride on one of the many ferries operated by the Société des traversiers du Québec!
Activities and attractions
