Call of the Wild


A complete program which will help you discover the magic of Quebec in winter.
Our base along the river Mattawin Three banks is the ideal place to practice outdoor activities. Located along the Mauricie National  Park and close to the Saint Maurice river, this remote place of mass tourism you will discover the joys of winter Canadian.

Program: 2 days of snowmobiling, 2 days of dog sledding raid, 1 day snowshoe Trapper.

Itinerary

  • Day 1 Arrival to Montréal

    Arrival to Montréal Flight to Montreal, arriving the same day due to jet lag. Welcome at the airport by a member of our team, transfer to the Taureau Lake Regional Park, a wild region of Quebec. Installation at the hostel. First evening, dinner with local food.

    - Transportation: Minibus
    - Duration: 2h30 (230 km)
    - Accommodation: Chalet

  • Days 2 to 3 Trapper snowshoeing day

    Trapper snowshoeing day Day in Mauricie forest, land of great beauty.
    On the program: snowshoe tour with a guide / trapper in modern times. On the menu, snowshoeing, discovery and fishing on lake and river frozen, etc ...
    To discover this vast territory known for its rugged beauty you will traverse the most beautiful trails of the area. You will discover the same time the fascinating world of wildlife during an unforgettable snowshoeing. You will have the chance to experiment and trap techniques to snare before enjoying a hearty meal served in one of our shelters in the forest. Accompanied Trapper of modern times, then you will be introduced to a uniquely Canadian activities: ice fishing.

    - 4 to 6 hours of activities
    - Accommodation: Chalet

  • Days 4 to 5 Snowmobiling day

    Snowmobiling day In the morning, you will go in the Lake Mékinac sector which means turtle in Native American language.
    The cliché of the wild forests and lakes of Canada is reality here! Lunch will be taken in a typical snowmobile relay for the region. In the afternoon, you will gasp passing under tunnels of snowy pines and frozen lakes.

    - 4 to 6 hours of activities
    - Accommodation: Chalet

  • Day 6 Dog sledding Safari

    Dog sledding Safari After breakfast, depart for the mountain trails sleigh pourvoirie. Always by dog sled, you will cross mountains and streams in an increasingly picturesque landscape without sound but the hiss of the sled runners on the snow. Lunch in the forest and back to the kennel in the late afternoon. Transfer to Montreal late in the day.

    - 4 to 6 hours of activities
    - Accommodation: Hotel
    - Transportation: Minibus to Montreal
    - Duration: 2h30 (230km)

  • Day 7 Montréal

    Montréal A full day to discover Montreal, you can go to discover the views of the city from Mount Royal, visit Old Montreal, go to discover the Biodome and living museum or just wander the streets of this city cosmopolitan. Flights back to France in early evening.

    - Accommodation: Plane

  • Day 8 Arrivée en France

    Arrivée en France en matinée, des souvenirs polaires plein la tête.

Dates & prices

Departures for French-speaking groups:

No departure for now

Trip code: UCAMA1

Included

  • Welcome at the Montreal Airport by a member of our team
  • On-site transfers
  • Activities mentioned in the program
  • Accommodation: 3 nights in a Hostel, 1 night in an eco-tent, 1 night in a rustic chalet, 1 night in a hotel in Montreal
  • Full board dinner from day 1 to lunch day 6
  • Supervision by certified French speaking guides and specialists in the polar environment
  • Winter clothing rental against low temperature for the week: wetsuit, boots, helmet and mittens. With a deposit that will be paid on the spot. 
  • Applicable taxes 

Not included

  • Air transport (Available on request)
  • Personal expenses
  • Drinks (except tea and coffee for meals included)
  • The credit card deposit (snowmobile: $ 2000 / snowmobile equipment: $ 50 /broken item)
  • Tips for the guide

Notes

* What is a deductible: The deductible is the amount of liability of the customer in case of damage of the snowmobile.
** What is a deposit: This is the amount that the customer will have to leave as a guarantee on his credit card before the start of the raid.

International flights

Upon request, ask your advisor at canada@altaibasecamp.com

Terms and conditions

See Sales Conditions section

Insurance

Upon request, ask your advisor at canada@altaibasecamp.com

Practical info

Staff

Supervision by French-speaking guides specializing in the polar environment. (snowmobile guide, musher ...)

Food

At the hostel the meals are buffet style with a hearty breakfast and dinners with local food.
During activities: at noon we will most often have a picnic on the campfire.
For the snowmobile days, the lunch will be typical food.
For the dinner: the meal is prepared by the guide, your help will be welcome during the preparation of meals. kitchen equipment and cutlery are provided.

Accommodation

1 night in a hotel with breakfast based double or triple room in Montreal.
3 nights at the hostel (our hostel is secluded far from any civilization for a unique experience with all modern comforts). Electricity, heating.
1 night in a rustic chalet (standard comfort, collective sleeping, wood stove and dry toilets). No electricity.
1 night in eco-tent (between the chalet with a wooden structure, and the tent with canvas walls, collective sleeping, wood stove, sanitary block a few meters)

Transportation

Transfers by bus from Montreal to the Base Camp.

Budget & exchange

Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost everywhere. You can also change euros. 1 Euro = CAN $ 1.50 to 11/04/2019

Tips

In the United States and Canada, the service is never included in the price. In bars, restaurants and all places where a service is provided, it is expected that you leave a tip between 15 and 20% of the total amount. Know that many employees in the service trades are paid only with tips. It would be very badly perceived to give nothing, or not to give enough. Even when paying by credit card, you will indicate the amount of the tip you want to leave. On this type of trip, it is customary to leave $ 6 per person per day for the driver guide and $ 20 per group for city guides.

Supplied equipment

Equipment included in the circuits for the whole week: cold boots (Sorel type), cold jacket, over-mittens. <
For the snowmobile activity: helmet.
When the booking will be done, you will be asked for your size, your size and your weight in order to reserve the appropriate equipment in advance.

Luggage

Provide : A flexible travel bag with side zipper giving easier access to its contents than a clasic bag. During the trip, it will contain the things you will not use during the day a small backpack (capacity about 40L) for your day's business sweater, spare tee shirt, gourd, glasses, lunch picnic etc. In case, please to foresee in cabin of what to "survive" the first days in the event of delay of your luggage in the hold (toothbrush, T-shirt, footwear etc).

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

In Quebec, in summer, weather conditions are very changeable and unpredictable and they considerably influence the level of the circuits. On average, in winter, the temperature is -10 degrees and -19 at night. A trip indicated as easy will require more commitment if good weather conditions are good. You have to be ready to face the snow, the wind and even the hot sun, ... Some activity could be modified due to the conditions and the lack of snow .. Spirit of the trip: This trip is participative: your help will be solicited to load and unload the equipment necessary for the smooth running of the journey as well as for its cleaning; on the itinerant circuits, it is necessary to regularly assemble and dismount the camp. All this will not take much time on your entire trip. Your guide is a master of the area but your involvement helps to create a climate of mutual help and establish links between you and your guide for a friendly atmosphere..

Electricity

As everywhere in North America, the electric current is 110 volts (60 cycles). New electrical devices are often able to adapt themselves to 110 volts. It is best to check before departure if your electrical appliance is equipped with a current transformer. In general, this is a black box that is located between the electrical outlet and your device. If your device does not support 110 volts, you will need to have a current transformer sold separately. The plugs are flat, you will need an adapter to connect your device. You can easily find it on site or before going to a travel goods shop. A waterproof Zip Lock bag is a good way to keep your electronics dry.

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.
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Region
Eastern Canada
Activity
MULTI-ACTIVITÉS HIVER Nature - Adventure Winter
Duration
8 days
Group
2 to 10 people
Code
UCAMA1
Price
From €2,045
Level
3/5
Comfort
3/5
Language(s)
French

Strengths

  • A Wilderness
  • A wide range of activities.
  • The comfort of your cottage.
  • The Quebec hospitality.



Required level


Level: moderate

  • Accessible to all people in good physical shape and who love life in the great outdoors.
  • Transport of equipment, food and luggage on sledges.
  • Steps of 5 hours of activity per day
  • Children from 14 years old .

Request a quote