Trans Canada Motorcycle Expedition

This is a 50 day itinerary, of around 7,800 miles (12,500kms) starting in Vancouver, Canada and heading east to Cape Spear, via Montreal and the Trans Labrador, then returning through Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to Quebec City.

Week 1 – Vancouver, British Columbia & Alberta

Our start point is Vancouver. Ringed by snow-capped mountains descending to miles of sandy beaches, Vancouver has a stunning scenic backdrop.  There’s also plenty of leafy parks and lively brewpubs! Once you have flown in, we prioritise processing your bike through Customs and out of the freight depot.  If you want time to sightsee Vancouver, we recommend you arrive a few days earlier than the official start date of the tour.

Leaving Vancouver, we ride the Sea to Sky Highway, north to Kamloops for the night.  Already in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, the next day is a great ride past Mount Robson, Canada’s highest mountain, then onto Jasper National Park.  Keep your eyes peeled for moose, bighorn sheep, elk, and other creatures big and small that roam along our route.  We spend two nights in pine cabins at the edge of the town and enjoy the traditional GlobeBusters BBQ here.  On your day off, we recommend a ride to Maligne Lake, or you can take the Jasper Sky Tram up The Whistlers for a stunning view.

On leaving Jasper, we’ll ride the old highway to Athabasca Falls.  Then one of the highlights of our adventure – the Icefields Parkway, described as one of the most scenic routes in the world, with massive vistas at their best.  Lake Louise is also en route, before riding across the Continental Divide through Kootenay National Park and overnighting at Fairmont Hot Springs.

Week 2 – Alberta, Saskatchewan & Manitoba

The ride continues to be superb on uncongested winding roads as we head to Waterton National Park.  Its worth diverting to Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump, the dramatic history of this ancient First Nations hunting ground and learn how they hunted and preserved the herds.  We overnight in Waterton National Park where you can relax lakeside.

Leaving the Rockies behind, we head east to the unpopulated, wide-open spaces and empty roads of Saskatchewan and Manitoba.  There’s also plenty of gravel tracks through the farmlands to really get away from it all.  Amidst the endless horizons, wheat fields and sunflowers, there’s lots to explore – how about the Writing on the Rock Park, the Great Sand Hills, the Menonite Heritage, as well as the main cities of the region.  With two nights in Winnipeg, you’ve time to discover the Exchange District National Historic Site, The Forks, the early skyscrappers and Fort Gibraltar.

Week 3 – Ontario & Quebec

We leave Winnipeg eastwards to Eagle-Gogtooth Provincial Park and Sioux Narrows.  You are never far from water here! This is Lake of the Woods, one of the world’s largest inland freshwater lakes area, with over 14,000 islands and 65,000 miles of shoreline.  We overnight at the Canada / US border town of Fort Frances, on the shores of Rainy Lake. From here we are bound for the Great Lakes, with a stop at Thunder Bay and its great foodie scene, before heading around the shores of Lake Superior to Wawa.

Don’t forget to take your picture at the Wawa Goose before we ride deep into Algoma County, onto Highway 129 (Ontario’s Tail of the Dragon!) through Wenebegon Park and Aubrey Falls Park following the twists and turns of the Mississagi River in the south.  Then let’s take the road less travelled on the “Deer Trail” to Elliot Lake.  Traffic in this neck of the woods is sparse and the roads are stress free.

There’s a big days ride to the thick forests of the Haliburton Highlands, our last Ontario stop.  Skirting round the north of Ottawa, the vast expanse of the Papineau Labelle Reserve awaits and provides some great off roading before we reach Montreal for a three night stop over.  This gives us time to change tyres and welcome new riders joining us in Montreal.

Week 4 – Quebec & The Trans Labrador

Leaving the city behind we head to Lake Saint Jean, with a night in Roberval, before heading back to the coast, through the Mont-Valins National Park to Tadoussac.  Here you have time to jump onto a zodiac into the Sanguenay Fjords and do some whale watching.  A little way along the Whale Route, we turn left at Baie Comeau onto Highway 389 where the challenge of the Trans Labrador Highway awaits. This is remote wilderness riding through pine forests and sparse tundra landscapes, where nature reigns free.

Although over recent years, much more of the road has been paved, there’s still broken asphalt, gravel and dirt along its length, so keep alert.   At Manic-Cinq, you can admire the largest multiple-arch-and-buttress dam in the world, in Churchill Falls there is one of largest underground hydroelectric powerhouses in the world, and in Happy Valley – Goose Bay, originally set up as a military base in the Second World War, you can visit the Labrador Military Museum.

There’s also small fishing communities, the UNESCO World Heritage site of Red Bay home to several historic Basque whaling stations and L’Anse-Amour, where you can visit the tallest lighthouse in Atlantic Canada.

Week 5 – Newfoundland “The Rock”

Newfoundland is one of the eastern seaboard’s last remaining wild places, and where European civilization made landfall in the New World.  First by Vikings, and then John Cabot’s arrival in 1497.

It’s a couple of hours by ferry across the northern outlet of the Gulf of St Lawrence, then we then head south on the “Viking Trail”, with sweeping ocean views, to Rocky Harbour.  We are perfectly placed to explore the Gros Morne National Park. With a day off the bikes here, you have time to take boat ride to see the breath-taking views in Western Brook Fjord or take an optional ride out to Bonne Bay.

Crossing the island, we go onto Twillingate an historic fishing village and a stop on “Iceberg Alley”, where you can watch icebergs float by on the Greenland Current!  Then onto St. John’s, the oldest English-settled city in North America, with an impressive natural harbour.  The local folk music scene here is at its best!  The day off in St John’s allows us to ride to Cape Spear, the most eastern point of North America.  The next day, it’s off to Argentia for our overnight ferry to Nova Scotia.

Week 6 Nova Scotia & New Brunswick

With a morning arrival into Nova Scotia, we waste no time in riding the Cape Breton’s Cabot Trail, one of the world’s great excursions, on a counter-clockwise route.  We think this gives you the best views!  With an overnight in Port Hawkesbury, it’s then a great ride to Lunenburg.  This is one of only two UNESCO Old Town’s in North America.  You can spend the next morning exploring the old town before heading through the Kejimkujik National Park to Annapolis Royal for a coffee on the waterfront. This town is known as Canada’s birthplace.

We take the late afternoon ferry from Digby across the Bay of Fundy to Saint John, and ride onto St Andrews.  This village was a refuge for loyalists after the American Civil War and the historic old town retains much of its character.  A day off here means you can ride the Bar Road across to Ministers Island, but watch out for the tidal times!  The whale watching from St Andrews is also excellent.

If you’re a lobster lover, then our next destination will leave you in seventh heaven.  Shediac is the lobster capital of the world!  Before you arrive, you can take a short round trip across the Confederation Bridge to Prince Edward Island – it’s over 8 miles long and has fantastic views.

We cross back into Quebec via the Kouchibouguac National Park, with more coastal riding and traditional Acadian villages to our overnight hotel in Carlton Sur Mer.  This leaves us perfectly set up for a half days ride to Percé, with the incredible view of the impressive 460m long butte that is Percé Rock.  It’s about a 30 minute hike (there’s a shuttle bus too!) up to the Hanging Glass Platform for spectacular views.  Alternatively, get up close to the Rock by a boat trip.

Week 7 – Quebec

We have just a few days of riding left on the tour.  From Percé, it’s a lovely ride inland, with the great dirt road of Route du Lac-Sainte-Jean as part of our route to our overnight stop at Rimouski, on the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.  Then our ride into Quebec City to explore this beautiful walled town.  The following day, we head  back to Montreal where we need to drop our bikes off at the freight depot for sea freight home.  Then we have a fabulous group evening dinner to celebrate our adventure across Canada, before you depart for home.

We use 100% hotel accommodation, which is booked in advance. We primarily use good quality 4* and some 3* hotels or motel style accommodation. In bigger cities, this tends to be 4* hotels, often belonging to an international chain.  In smaller or more remote places, accommodation is more traditional Canadian motels.

In remote locations, we use the best available.  Much of the accommodation that we use have rooms with en suite bathrooms, television, wifi, bar, restaurant and onsite parking. However, sometimes cabins or motel style accommodation will not have an onsite bar / restaurant and you will need to go into the town for your evening meal.

Below are examples of accommodation we have used in the past to give you a flavour of the type of accommodation.  If you do not stay in these hotels, you will be staying in hotels of a similar standard.

Bear Hill Lodge, Jasper

Waterton Lakes Lodge Resort, Waterton National Park

Hotel Saskatchewan, Regina

Ocean View Hotel, Rocky Harbour

Hotel Manoir Belle Plage, Carlton sur Mer

We don’t promise that you will stay at the top hotel in every town we pull into.  This is not billed as a luxury tour, but we do ensure that you are comfortable, have a good bed, can get a cold beer and take a hot shower.  Many times we go above and beyond.  Sometimes the “best in location” may end up being fairly basic, but this is only in a few destinations.  Feedback shows that many riders are delighted at the standard of accommodation and rate it as better than they expected.

Note for Single Supplement
We draw your attention to the type of accommodation on the Trans Labrador, where only basic motel style accommodation is available and it may not be possible to have a single room option.  These accommodations are the best (and sometimes the only) in the area that are able to take our group.  If you book our single room option, we have factored into the price that you may need to share in locations on the Trans Labrador Highway.

The assurance of booking with a UK Tour Operator that is complaint with the The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 and is a PTS Member ensuring all your monies paid in advance are held in a Trust Account.

Before you go

• The assurance of booking with a fully bonded and insured UK operator, operating in accordance with the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements 2018, ensuring your money paid in advance is protected.
• Pre-departure team briefing and ongoing access to the GlobeBusters team for any questions you may have, via additional one-to-one meetings
• GlobeBusters Guidance Handbook with all pre-trip information.
• Daily hard copy route notes with GPS co-ordinates and information about the hotels, the roads and the sights
• Loan SD Card with open source GPS mapping for the region, suitable for Garmin units.

En-Route

• Normally 4* (sometimes 3*) hotel / motel accommodation, or in remote regions, the best available.
• Accommodation is on a room only shared basis (unless single room supplement is paid); some complimentary breakfasts will be available at some hotels.
• Local overnight hotel parking charges.
• 7 group evening meals (drinks excluded)
• Canada National Parks “Discovery Pass” allowing free entry to all National Parks en route (and valid for one year)
• 2 hour whale watching trip by zodiac in Tadoussac
• Ferry crossing for you and your motorcycle between Blanc-Sablon and Sainte Barbe
• Overnight ferry crossing for you and your motorcycle between Argentia and North Sydney
• Ferry crossing for you and your motorcycle between Digby and Saint John

Motorcycle Freight

• Group freight of your motorcycle (including crating, where required, and Customs Clearance) from our UK freight agent to Vancouver (by sea or air depending on numbers) and from Montreal (by sea) to our UK freight agent.
• In transit insurance for your motorcycle, during freight, subject to an excess of £500.

Support Crew

• Motorcycle Expedition Manager to accompany the group.
• Motorcycle Support Rider, where the group is more than 12 riders
• Support Vehicle, equipped with satellite phone, spare fuel, water, tools, selected spare parts and emergency first aid kit, acting as a sweeper vehicle
• Support Driver, with motorcycle mechanical experience and first aid qualifications

Not Included

• Return passenger airline flights or any other travel costs to get to the start and from the finish point for each motorcycle expedition or any internal flights or other travel costs required during the expedition.
• Personal travel, accident and medical insurance, (covering matters such as medical expenses, repatriation, cancellation, curtailment, loss or damage to property)
• Third party liability or any other motorcycle insurance cover, motorcycle breakdown cover or recovery costs
• Entrance fees to sights and parks, optional excursions or activities, (except where stated)
• Lunches, snacks or evening meals (except where stated). Any meals whilst on board ferries.
• Personal spending money, tips, souvenirs or other extras.
• Personal documentation (eg visas, passport), vaccinations, personal taxes, border crossing fees, motorcycle documentation
• We do not supply riding gear; you must bring your own helmet, jacket, trousers and gloves.
• Costs of motorcycle servicing, additional tyres, motorcycle repair (parts, labour or other related costs), spares, transportation to take your motorcycle to a workshop.
• Fuel, oil & other motorcycle consumables, toll road fees, traffic fines or other charges relating to breach of the law
• Any travel, subsistence & hotel costs to and from the freight depot when you drop off or collect your motorcycle or to and from any UK briefing meetings.
• Freight of the Participant’s motorcycle back to their home county from a place that is not the official end point.
• Additional transportation of you or your motorcycle en route where the Participant or their motorcycle cannot continue beyond the short and temporary assistance offered by GlobeBusters Support Vehicle.
• Transfers to and from the airport at the start and end of the trip.
• Any other item not specifically included in the price.

Please also refer to our Booking Conditions

Flights

For clarity, we do not include your passenger flights.  Once we have confirmed that this tour is a guaranteed departure, it is your responsibility to organise your own flights to and from the start and end point.

We understand that booking a motorcycle tour of this duration is a big commitment both financially and in terms of time and preparation.  Here are some of the most common questions we are asked before riders make a booking.  If you wish to meet with us prior to booking to ask more questions, do not hesitate to contact us and we can set up a one-to-one meeting.  In addition, we hold a Pre-Tour Meeting for the group at our premises between 3 – 6 months prior to the start of the expedition.

What type of bike do I need?
Our expeditions are designed so that you can use your own motorcycle.  We recommend that you use a dual purpose / adventure style bike.  We support any make and model.  Our Support Crew ride the Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro or  Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer.  We also have extensive experience with the BMW GS motorcycle range, having ridden them for over 15 years.  What is important is that you have a reliable and robust bike that you are comfortable riding and has been fully serviced prior to the start and has new tyres.

What riding experience do I need?
We generally recommend that you are an experienced motorcyclist, who has ridden overseas before and is used to touring. You will enjoy the experience more if your riding is of an advanced standard and by that we mean you have a good command of slow control (eg you don’t dangle your feet or paddle at slow speeds and can U-turn your bike), you are assertive on the road and have good forward planning and hazard perception, you are able to perform safe and precise overtakes and are able ride to the legal speed limits.  You also need to have some experience of riding your motorcycle on unpaved surfaces such as gravel, and dirt as some of the route is on these types of roads. In addition, if there any roadworks on our route, normally diversions will be on temporary dirt roads.

Please note that our route covers around 10% of dirt and gravel roads (up to 800 miles), although as the infrastructure develops, this may reduce in future years.

It remains your responsibility to ensure your motorcycling skills are up to the requirements for this trip.  If you need to improve your off road riding skills, attending a training school such as Adventure Bike Training www.adventurebiketraining.co.uk, Triumph Adventure Experience https://www.triumphmotorcycles.co.uk/adventure-experience or BMW Off Road Skills is highly recommended.

How does motorcycle freight work?
Included in your expedition price is freight to and from the UK, but no matter where you are based in the world, we can facilitate freight of your motorcycle.  Freight outside of the UK may incur additional costs – please ask us for a quote, or you are at liberty to organise your own freight and we will provide you with a price that excludes any motorcycle freight costs.

You must take your motorcycle to the appointed freight depot on the given date.  Our freight agent will pack your motorcycle and do all the necessary documents.  Your motorcycle will be sea or air freighted (depending on numbers) to Vancouver.  At the other end, the GlobeBusters Team facilitate the customs clearance of your motorcycle.  You must be physically present for your motorcycle to be Customs cleared; we cannot do it on your behalf.  When the trip finishes, you will need to ride your bike to our Montreal freight agent, who will sea freight your motorcycle back to the original leave point, unless you have made alternative arrangements with us.  When your motorcycle arrives back to its original port, you will be notified to organise collection.  Our freight agent can deliver you bike from their depot to your home or dealer, at an extra charge, directly payable by you to them.

What about servicing & tyres?
You must ensure that your motorcycle has had a full service prior to arriving and has new tyres.  Tyre choice is your responsibility but we do discuss what some of the options available at our Pre-Expedition Meeting.

Our route is around 7,800 miles.  Some bikes may need a service and others may not.   Whilst it may not time exactly with your service interval, the best place for servicing en route is Montreal where we have a three night stay, and this is the half way point of the trip.  You are responsible for taking your bike to the dealer and the paying for the costs of the service and new tyres directly with the dealer.  We can assist you in making your service appointment, if required.

What about motorcycle insurance?
For non-USA/Canada riders, there are very limited options to get 3rd party insurance for a foreign registered motorcycle.  Your domestic insurance provider will not cover Canada.  There is a specialist provider based in the USA, with a maximum of 3rd party coverage available of US$300,000.  We will provide all the details you need for applying for third party insurance at our pre-expedition meeting.

Is it difficult to get fuel?
We have never had any issue with finding fuel. In certain regions, once en route, we will warn you in advance of any possible fuel shortages or if there is a route with a key fuel stop, where everyone must fill up with fuel to get to the next destination. It is not necessary to fit any after-market large fuel tank or carry fuel bottles, although some riders chose to do so. Our support vehicle also carries spare fuel for emergencies.

What is the average group size?
Our motorcycle groups are normally between 10 – 16 riders (some with passengers).  Our groups are often very international and whilst the majority of riders come from the UK, we also get riders from USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia, Switzerland, Scandinavia, Spain, France, Germany and so on.  Groups are predominantly solo male riders, but every expedition normally has between one to four couples travelling.

Is this ride suitable for a passenger?
We have had other riders successfully complete this ride with a pillion passenger.  Your passenger needs to also be an experienced tourer, used to long distance riding and riding on unpaved roads. Your passenger must ride the motorcycle each touring day – there is no option to sit in the support vehicle as this is only for participants who are ill or injured, or unless the road conditions are too difficult for a rider and passenger to attempt two-up.

Is there a support vehicle?
All our motorcycle expeditions have a dedicated GlobeBusters Support Vehicle, driven by a GlobeBusters Support Driver.  It is capable of carrying two motorcycles and two passengers.  Our support vehicles carry a satellite phone, mobile phone, medical bag and spinal board, spare fuel, water, tools, some spare parts, some spare tyres.  Our support vehicle provides temporary assistance to you if you have a mechanical problem or have had an accident and are injured or if you are ill.

This is not a luggage vehicle – you must carry your own luggage on your motorcycle. For more information, please see our Support Vehicle section.

What meals are included?
This tour operates primarily on a room only basis as there are many motels and hotels that do not offer breakfast on an inclusive basis and rely on third party restaurants.  You will receive complimentary breakfasts at some locations.  We do not include lunch to allow you the freedom to manage your own riding day, but we do give you suggestions for lunch options.  There is one inclusive group dinner per week, which is a 3 course menu, but drinks are not included.

Do I have to ride in a group?
No! We do not make you ride in convoy. We offer you the freedom to decide how you would like to ride. We give you a road book, GPS co-ordinates and hotel information. You can use this to self-navigate. If you prefer to ride with one of the GlobeBusters Team, then you can do this.

What documents do I need?
You will need your original documents as follows:  Passport (valid for more than 6 months after the end of your trip), Motorcycle Registration Document or Title, Driving Licence of your country of residence, International Driving Permit (1949), minimum 3^rd Party Motorcycle Liability Insurance Certificate, Travel / Medical Insurance Certificate (see below).

You should note that we need to request copies of the above documentation, which we have to send to suppliers who are outside the UK/EU and who do not have the safeguards in place with regard to data protection as we have within the EU. These suppliers are for services such as motorcycle freight, hotels, customs clearance, ferry services.  Please refer to our Privacy Policy.

Do I need visas for travel?
UK Citizens do not require a visitor visa in advance for travel to Canada.  However, Canada does require you to complete an eTA prior to travel.  This costs CAN$7.  Please make sure you use the official Canada Government website to apply for the eTA, shown here:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta/apply.html

As visa requirements are dependent on your nationality and are complex with constantly changing requirements, we would direct you to our preferred visa agency for advice.
http://www.thevisamachine.com/

The above information is general information and provided in good faith.  It is your responsibility to have the correct visas in place prior to travel.  Other nationalities should check as to the visa requirements.

Is Canada safe?
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) (www.fco.gov.uk/travel) monitors overseas destinations and provides destination travel advice for UK nationals. GlobeBusters monitors the advice from the FCDO and any decisions taken regarding a Tour’s safety and security will use the vast experience of the company’s 17 years of operating as well as the FCDO advice. In the interests of your safety and security, changes may be made to your Tour based on any FCDO warnings given.

We strongly recommend that you read the information about the country you are planning to visit to be fully informed – each country has a summary and general information as well as advice on safety & security, local laws & customs, entry requirements and health, and road conditions. 

If you are not a UK national please make sure you have checked your own country’s travel advice for your destination/s: The US Department of State: http://travel.state.gov Canadian Foreign Affairs: www.voyage.gc.ca Australian Government Travel Advice: www.smartraveller.gov.au NZ Government Travel Advice: www.safetravel.govt.nz.

What will the weather be like?
This motorcycle expedition is run in June and July, mainly prior to peak season.   On average daytime temperatures will range between 16C – 24C for most of the journey.  However, in Labrador, we could still experience colder days, with rain and fog along the Trans Labrador in particular and if we are unlucky temperatures may only be around 10C – 12C.

What about my health when I am abroad?
You need to be physically fit and healthy and also take the necessary health precautions.  It is essential for you to consult your doctor or travel clinic for up-to-date medical travel information prior of travel, particularly if you have a pre-existing medical condition. For up-to-date medical advice you may wish to use the Medical Advisory Service for Travellers Abroad “MASTA”  https://www.masta-travel-health.com/, the NHS website  http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/home.aspx  or NaTHNaC https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/.

You will be obliged to disclose any medical condition or medication that you are taking to GlobeBusters in advance and to your Tour Manager at the start of your Tour, for health and safety purposes. We provide you with our Emergency Details Form for this purpose and to collect information about who to contact for you back home in the event of an emergency.

Please note that when we are remote on this route (for eg riding the Trans Labrador Highway), emergency services often may be a long distance away, with the associated long response times. Equally the medical facilities in remote settlements may not have the same level of medical infrastructure that you would find in a main town or city. Please do not book this trip if this unduly concerns you.  We recommend that you take out Global Rescue Membership for field rescue in remote locations in case of any accident which causes serious injury, as this may result in a quicker transportation time to hospital.

First Aid Training
It is not a requirement to be first aid trained to participate in this expedition. However, we do strongly recommend that you consider doing a motorcycle first aid course.  Some sections of this trip are remote and hundreds of miles away from medical treatment.  If you, or a rider you are with, are involved in any accident, whilst not riding with or not close to the support team, having first aid skills may make a significant difference to an injured party.

Travel / Medical Insurance
It is a condition of you travelling with us that you are adequately insured.  Your insurance policy must cover you for the costs of any medical expenses, medical treatment or repatriation needed, due to injury or illness on this trip, including those that occur whilst motorcycle touring, either as the rider or a passenger.  It is important that your insurance company understands that the MAIN PURPOSE of your trip is motorcycle touring, using your own large capacity cc motorcycle or a rental motorcycle.  Your insurance must cover you for the full duration of the trip and for all countries we travel through.

In addition, we strongly recommend that your insurance policy has cover for loss or damage to your personal belongings, delay at your outward or homeward point of departure, personal liability, overseas legal expenses and cancellation and curtailment.

We also strongly recommend that you take out your travel insurance at the time of paying your trip as cover will commence for pre-departure cancellation from the policy issue date. This will therefore provide cover should you have to cancel your trip for an insured reason such as illness or serious injury. We do not refund your deposit simply because you failed to take out insurance in sufficient time.

What about local currency?
The base currency for this trip is the Canadian Dollar. The websites below will give you the current rates of exchange.

http://www.oanda.com/
http://www.travelex.co.uk/

Minimum Numbers
We require a minimum number of 8 riders on this tour.  If we do not have this number of bookings, then we reserve the right to cancel the tour.