Temiskaming Shores

Day 1 - Aug 18

It's Travel Day! We have a long way to go today, we'll depart Kingston at 7:30am and make our way west for pick-ups in Napanee, Belleville and Cobourg. We'll make a comfort stop before we take a break for an included lunch in Gravenhurst (TBD). After lunch, we'll get back on the bus and make one more comfort stop in North Bay so you can grab a quick bite to eat on your own before reaching our destination, Temiskaming Shores!

At 8pm, we'll check into the Waterfront Inn, located right on the shores of scenic Lake Temiskaming, offering easy access to everything this quaint town has to offer.

Day 2 - Aug 19

We'll start the day with a hearty included breakfast at the hotel. You will need to don your closed-toe shoes for today! Our first excursion will be to Bison du Nord. Recently celebrating their 50th anniversary, Bison du Nord is one of the largest bison ranches in Eastern Ontario.

Our adventure begins aboard a covered wagon, where our experienced guide will take us into the large pastures, amidst the bison herd. We will be introduced to the history of bison in America and the unique aspects of raising them on an environmentally conscious farm where they are exclusively grass-fed. The second half of our visit features a walk-around of the extensive handling facilities which is very different and specific to bison, we'll finish at the gift shop where you can purchase everything Bison from meat to bleached bison skulls.

After working up an appetite on the bison farm, we'll have an included lunch at Ali's Grill and Bar, a New Liskeard favourite, located in the north end of town. Renowned for its friendly service, the restaurant features a blend of classic and innovative dishes from their diverse menu.

Once we're full from lunch we'll head to Cobalt to visit the Cobalt Mining Museum and take an underground tour of an old silver mine!

The museum provides the social and cultural history of Cobalt and the importance mining played in the continued existence of the town- the hardships encountered, and some of the surprising, often forgotten, history that impacted the region, province, and Canada in general that stems from this small town.

The mine tour is an Adit tour, which is a horizontal cut into the side of a rock wall at ground-level. The tunnels are all mostly high and wide (for those feeling a bit claustrophobic). The mine tour takes you into one of the old silver mines, the Colonial Mine. Here, guides will discuss the adaptations and changes in mining over time in Cobalt, explain the process of mining in hard rock, and illustrate the difficult life of a miner in Cobalt.

After a busy day, we'll give you the night on your own to explore town and get some dinner (on your own) at one of the restaurants near the hotel!

Day 3 - Aug 20

You'll want to put those closed toe shoes back on today! After our included breakfast today, we'll board the bus and travel to the Quebec side of Lake Temiskaming.

We'll start at Fossilarium du Nord. Dive into the fascinating world of fossils from the Témiscamingue region and around the globe! The Fossilarium's mission is to collect, preserve, promote, and share a remarkable regional heritage linked to a rich fossil collection from around the world. Through interactive presentations, it aims to create and develop a scientific culture for everyone!
After visiting the museum we'll hunt for our own fossils at a genuine fossil site! This site represents a significant and rare geological heritage, as it is the only place in Quebec with fossils dating back 460 million years! Guided by a qualified tour facilitator, we get to unearth fossils that we can take with us once they are carefully identified (rare fossils will need to stay behind for future study)!

Our next stop will be for an included lunch (TBD) along the way to our next excursion, a guided tour of Obadjiwan-Fort-Témiscamingue National Historic Site or Fort-Témiscamingue for short.
Located in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Fort-Témiscamingue bears witness to the Indigenous presence approximately 6,000 years ago as it was a hub of trade. This former fur trading post is central to regional history and well worth a visit.

More than three centuries ago, in 1720, the authorities of New France allowed the establishment of the first trading post on the current site.
Fort Témiscamingue remained an important fur trading post for over two hundred years. In the 18th century, it played a strategic role in the struggle between the French and English for the fur trade monopoly in the upper Ottawa and Hudson Bay watersheds.

This national historic site bears the marks of long-standing human occupation, whether Algonquian, French, Scottish, English, or Canadian. Archaeological data confirms the use of the site for approximately 6,000 years, through intermittent spring and summer occupations by the Anishinaabe (Algonquin) people.

After our tour of the breathtaking piece of history, we'll depart for an included farewell dinner.

Day 4 - Aug 21

Today we say good-bye to this extraordinary part of Canada. We'll have our included breakfast at the hotel and board the bus for our journey home.

At around 12:30pm we'll stop in downtown Orillia so you can stretch your legs, grab a bite to eat (on your own) and shop some of the fabulous stores on Mississauga St! At 2pm we'll hop back on the bus and continue our scenic drive home.

Thank you for joining us on our first small group tour! We hope you return with cherished memories, new friendships, and a heart full of adventure. Until next time!

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner