Kayaking through the archipelago of over 1000 islands that make up the Mingan group is a magical experience. Established as a park in 1984, the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve is located along Quebec’s north shore of the St. Lawrence, just at the mouth, behind Anticosti Island.

The islands feature stunning limestone pillars and outcroppings that come from ancient primordial times, 450 million years ago. Nowhere else in Canada will you see such an abundance of these rocky sentinels. Whales and seals frequent the waters around the islands as well as vast colonies of sea birds. What better way to explore this timeless natural wonder then aboard a traditional watercraft! Travelling slowly under ones one steam allows you to truly visit and see the area.

We will travel between numerous islands over the course of our 5-day trip. 6 of these islands allow camping and we will move between different campsites several times. Some, like Ile Niapiskau and Ile Quarry have great hiking trails. As well as the stunning monoliths there are also limestone caves, often filled with seabirds, along the shore of several islands. Our exact route will depend on weather and camping permits.

Typical itinerary

(Note: this is a suggested itinerary only. Conditions on each trip may vary)

Itinerary:

Day 0:

: Meet Havre St Pierre Hotel

Day 1-5:

Paddle in and amongst the many islands of the Archipelago. Exact itinerary will depend on both weather/wind and camping permits. We will likely plan to paddle a 3/4 day on day 1, moving on for another ¾ day of paddling on day 2. Then we would spend nights 2 and 3 at the same campsite, just doing day trips &/or hiking trips on Day 3. We would again move sites for nite 4.
Finish of in the late afternoon of Day 5 back in Havre St Pierre.
More details coming soon

Day 2:

: TBA

Day 3:

: TBA

Day 4:

: TBA

Day 5:

: Finish off in the late afternoon of Day 5 back in Havre St Pierre.

* Please note: It’s the nature of remote northern travel that uncontrollable factors like poor weather, pilot judgment, forest fires, and mechanical problems can affect our schedules and cause delays. We regret these situations but cannot accept responsibility for hotels, flight rebookings, and other costs you may incur.

Photos & video

Area map

More information

Mingan Archipelago

Mingan National Park Images

Mingan National Park