The Charlevoix Crossing
This incredible experience, on the most challenging trail east of the Rockies, offers adventurers the chance to overcome personal challenges while taking advantage of some of the most gorgeous and unique landscapes in all of Quebec.
Itinerary
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Day 1 St-Urbain
Today's the big day! This morning, you better be ready for the hiking, it will bring you to the hinterland of Charlevoix region. The area through which we travel is in fact a crater left by a meteor, which struck the earth over 350 million years ago. This 16.7 km leg of our trip will lead us to our next objective, the Marmot's Chalet.
- Accommodation : Mountain hut
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Day 2 St-Urbain
Today you set off towards a glacier valley that will lead you up the long ascent to Walnut Mountain. This mountain with its multiple peaks gives the illusion, when looking downwards, of a pregnant woman lying on her back. The climb is littered with beautiful views that will delight amateur photographers. When you arrive at Owl's Chalet you will have traveled 12.5 km over a 300-metre incline.
- Accommodation : Mountain hut
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Day 3 St-Urbain
This morning will take you to one of the most gorgeous lookouts of your journey. Following a gentle slope, youe will once again have the opportunity to appreciate this landscape that has been shaped by both the glaciers and the giant wound in the earth's crust called the High-Gorges fault, another remnant of that ancient meteor. A little further along the trail opens up suddenly into a grove of ash and elm trees. You will be awed by the height of these giant trees, many of which are over 300 years old. Having traveled 18.2 km, our path will lead us to the end of the trip. Return your equipment in Montreal. Continuation of you individual trip.
Children under 12 years old without hiking experience are not accepted
No child rates available.
Period & budget
When to travel?
The best period for travelling is during the following months:
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Price
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The budget is an indication of the price per person, subject to availability. Your local agent will send you a customized quote with the exact price. The price can vary according to availability, level of services, period of travel, number of participants, booking time frame and other items.
Notes
The cost includes:
· Transport of food and belongings during the hiking part
· Sleeping bag
· Vehicle transfer at the end of the hiking trail
· Access rights
· 2 nights accommodation
· Applicable taxes
The cost does not include:
· Air travel
· Shuttle to the meeting point (OPTIONAL)
· Drinks and meals
· Personal expensese
Practical info
Food
« See the inclusions of this package »
Transportation
The meeting point for an explanation of the trail is at our office located at km 10.6 on Route 381, north of the village of Saint-Urbain, 10.6 km from the junction of Route 138 and Route 381 . This is where you will leave your luggage and food for each of our cottages and keep the cost for the next delivery. We will give you the key that opens the 2 cottages. You will then drive with your car to the starting point, 17 km from the office.
We can offer our services
for transfers and provide a rental car (seek us)
Budget & exchange
Visa and Mastercards credit cards are accepted almost everywhere. You can also
exchange euros. 1 Euro = 1,57$CAN (04/04/2018)
Tips
In the United States and in Canada, service is never included in the
prices. In bars, restaurants and all the places where service is provided, it
is expected that you tip the waiter/waitress between 15% and 20% of the total
sum. Note that a lot of employees working as waiters are paid by tips only. Not
giving anything or not giving enough would be poorly received. Even when paying
by credit card, you’ll indicate the sum you wish to give. On this type of trip,
it is customary to tip the guide(s) 4$ to 5$ by persons and per day.
Supplied equipment
- Slow-burning wood stove
- Firewood
- Propane stone (2 burners)
- Propane lamp
- 15 foam mattresses
- Table
- Benches
- Waterless toilets
- Shovel
- Dishes: plates, bowls, cups, utensils
- Pots, pans
- Basic utensils: Ladle,
knives, sieve, cutting board
- Melita filter
- Dishpan
- Dishwashing soap
There is no running water in the cottages or shelters, but these lodges are located near watercourses: lakes, rivers, streams. There are also many streams along the trail. Crossing ten minutes. When hikers choose the luxury formula, drinking water is brought with the transport of their luggage and food through the Crossing.
Material
Each group, in a self-contained formula, must bring: their dish towels, toilet paper, matches, fire starter or paper
Luggage
All the luggage is transported from one chalet to another, and, the last day, from the chalet to our offices in Saint-Urbain where you collect them.
Passport
Consular formalities for
Europeans and Swiss nationals:
Upon your registration,
please transmit your passport information (name, first name, passport number,
date of issues and expiration). Currently, to stay as a tourist for less than
six months, a visa is not mandatory and a valid passport is sufficient with a
validity exceeding by one day your stay in Canada.
Travelers must imperatively
have an electronic travel authorization (eTA) to enter Canada. You will have to
fill the form online and individually (one application per person) on http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/ave.aspIt is essential that you
have a valid email address. The 7 CAD fees are payable by Visa, Mastercard or
American Express credit cards. The eTA is granted in just a few minutes but we
advise you to apply for it as soon as your trip is confirmed. The eTA is an
electronic document linked to your passport and stays valid for 5 years or
until the expiration of the passport, depending on the first of these
eventualities to occur. You must then travel with the passport used to apply
for it.
CAREFUL: for French women, the eTA must be filled with your maiden name.
Hence, to facilitate the check-in at the airport, we ask travelers in Canada to
indicate their maiden name for the booking of their tickets.
You
travel with children:
Children and adults are
submitted to the same obligations regarding passports and visa described above.
Registration of minors on parents’ passports is now impossible; children must
hold an individual passport. It is compulsory to apply for an eTA for each
child individually.
CAREFUL,
from January 15th 2017 onwards, for all French minors traveling
abroad alone, an authorization to leave the country is compulsory.
The child will have to
submit the three following documents:
- The minor’s valid
passport
- A photocopy of the
signatory’s identity card, valid or expired for less than 5 years and the birth
certificate
- The form, signed by one
of the legal guardians, available online on https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F1359
Concerning other
nationalities, seek the Canadian consular authority of your country.
ARRIVAL IN
CANADA VIA A TRANSIT THROUGH THE UNITED STATES :
CAREFUL, we can
exceptionally use American airlines for travels bound for the American
continent (North and South).
They stop over in the US:
you must possess an electronic or biometric passport which is still valid 6
months after your departure from the US (under ‘’passport’’, a rectangle under
a circle meaning a secure symbol).
You must also apply for an
electronic travel authorization (ESTA) on the official website https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov. Valid for a duration of two years or until the
expiration of the passport, this authorization must be requested at the latest
72h before your departure: we advise you to apply to it as soon as your trip is
confirmed. It has to be paid for (14 USD online by credit card). The name you
put on the form must be the same as the one that figures on your plane tickets
and must of course appears on your passport. If the name used on the ESTA form
is different from the one on your tickets, the airline can deny your boarding.
Minors must also fill out an ESTA authorization.
The Visa Waiver Program
allows French nationals to enter the American territory without a visa, either
via transit or for a stay of 90 days to the maximum. A visa is nevertheless
necessary if you only have an emergency passport. Furthermore, travelers who
went to Iran, Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Yemen or Soudan since March 11th
2011 and people who are national of Iran, Iraq, Syria or Soudan cannot benefit
from the Visa Waiver program anymore: more information on http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/conseils-aux-voyageurs/conseils-par-pays/etats-unis/
ARRIVAL
IN THE US OR TRANSIT THROUGHT THE US :
Upon your arrival, the
immigration service will take your photo and fingerprints. You’ll have to wait
behind the yellow line and not cross it unless you’re told to, it can take some
time. Customs controls will take place at the first access point to the territory
(in case of a transit through a Canadian airport, it will be considered as a
first access point to the US and the following process must be applied). Once
you’ve been through the immigration service, you’ll get your luggage back from
the conveyer belt and go to the customs. In case of a continuation of your
trip, you’ll have to get your luggage back and bring them the baggage conveyer
which serves.
Weather
Spring is a rainy season in the major part of Canada. During the day,
temperatures generally get high but nights still cool. The median temperature
is 12°C in March, April and the beginning of May. Summer officially starts on
June 21st but for most Canadians, July and August are the real
summer months. It is warm in most regions of Canada. In the South, they are
above 20°C during the day and can sometimes pass 30°C. Autumn starts in
September. Temperature gets chillier and leaves change color and fall. This season
can be very rainy. In some regions, particularly in the North and in the
mountains, it may start to snow towards the end of October. During the day,
normal temperatures vary between 10 and 12°C in the major part of the country.
Unlike Europe, seasons are well defined in Canada. Temperatures can get
higher than 30°C in
summer and down to –30°C in winter. In fact, Canadian climate changes a lot
from a region or a season to another. Canada extends from the Atlantic Ocean to
the Pacific Ocean and lies at the same latitude as Roma at his southern
extreme, where it reaches the Arctic.
To knoz the current climate
and weather conditions by provinces and territories, go to www.meteo.gc.ca or www.meteomedia.com
Spring : Spring comes
as soon as February on the West Coast. In the rest of Canada, weather gets
warmer at the beginning of April and lasts until June.
Summer : Summer in
Canada bring cool to hot temperatures from the end of June to the end of September.
The warmth of summer last from June to August, and July is often the hottest
month.
Autumn : Autumn brings
pleasant and cool temperatures, particularly in September and in October. It is
the best time of the year to enjoy the spectacular beauty of Autumn leaves in
the East of Canada, to take long walks while breathing fresh air.
Winter : A major part
of Canada is covered with a white coat during winter, temperatures fall below
the freezing point, and snowfalls start at the end of October. However, winters
are very cool on the West Coast where the snow doesn’t stay long.
Electricity
As everywhere in the US, voltage runs at 110 Volts/60 cycles. New
electric devices can be adapted o the current. It’s preferable to check whether
or not your device is equipped with a current transformer. In general, it is a
black box located between the electric plug and your device. If your device
isn’t compatible with the 110-volt current, you’ll need to get a current
transformer sold separately. As electrical plugs are flat, you’ll also need an
adaptor to plug your device in. you’ll find it easily on the spot or before
departure in a shop specialized in travels. A waterproof Zip Lock bag is a good
way to keep your equipment in a dry place.
Sustainable tourism
Since the outset, Altai
works for an eco-tourism and an organization of trips that respects equitable
and sustainable principles.
The harmonization of
practices assures:
- A fair economical repartition
- The improvement of local teams’ working conditions and their awareness of the protection of the environment
- The information of travelers about respecting the local population and environment and the collection of their feelings at their return.
You can also act in favor
of an eco-tourism by adopting simple green gestures during your trips:
- Avoid letting waste out, throw it in the trash can or bring it with you
- Use potable water sparingly (take a shower instead of a bath and report any leaks) and avoid wasting it (use biodegradable soap to wash yourself)
- Avoid damaging cultural sites: don’t touch the statues, don’t move the stones and objects
- Exchange instead of giving (too Important gifts can destabilize the local economic stability of the country depending on their living standards)
- When taking a walk, especially in some fragile ecosystems, observe the fauna from afar, do not go beyond beaten roads, limit stamping and do not bring any souvenirs: give up picking rare flowers picking fossils...
- In some hotels, you can have individual air conditioning. It is advised to systematically switching it off when you’re out of the room to avoid energetical overconsumption and greenhouse gas emission.
My local agent
Sarah
- Specialist in Canada and USA
- Holder of a tourism licence
- An adventurer at heart
- Fascinated by local culture and people
- Region
- Quebec Québec
- Activity
- Nature - Adventure Short trips and extensions Summer Trekking and hiking
- Duration
- 3 days
- Code
- AV-02
- Price
- From C$291
- Level
- 2/5
- Comfort
- 3/5
Strengths
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