Tour Atlantic

Join us in 2013 for Tour Atlantic – Halifax to Baddeck

Discover three of Canada's maritime provinces on Tour Atlantic

Tour Atlantic travels from Halifax to Baddeck. It is part of the Cycle Canada Series, expeditions designed to explore the diversity of the country and its people.

Tour Atlantic is a supported tour and accommodation is mainly camping. There are indoor stays at the start and end of the tour and on our rest day Charlottetown. Cycling will be on paved roads. We take quiet side roads, bike paths and country roads as much as possible to avoid traffic congestion.

Cabot Trail Segment only also available – Moncton to Baddeck

Can't get two weeks off? Ride a portion of Tour Atlantic from Moncton to Baddeck. Includes the Cabot Trail. We have a limited number of spaces for riders who want this shorter segment of Tour Atlantic, so inquire early.

Maritimers are said to be the happiest people in Canada.

Tour Atlantic is a two week, supported cycling expedition that travels through some of the oldest European settlements in the country. This ride takes you to must-see attractions in the Atlantic Canada provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

Tour Atlantic starts in Halifax

Riders for Tour Atlantic meet in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We encourage participants to arrive a few days early to explore this historic port city. There will be an afternoon orientation session before the first riding day.

Leaving Halifax we travel along Nova Scotia's south shore through Peggy's Cove and Lunenburg, a World Heritage Site and home port to the Bluenose II. The lighthouse at Peggy's Cove is a Canadian icon and the Bluenose is the famous sailing ship that's the image on Canada's 10-cent coin. From Lunenburg we cross through central Nova Scotia to the Annapolis Valley and a district immortalized by Ernest Buckler in The Mountain and The Valley, a landmark Canadian novel.

We head overland to the Annapolis Valley

Our route goes through Annapolis Royal, once a French garrison town and later a British garrison during the colonial era of European settlements in North America. That naval port atmosphere is still there today in this historic village.

We take the ferry from Digby across the Bay of Fundy to Saint John, where our route crosses a bridge over the reversing falls created by the Fundy Basin's world record tides.

Heading east after a rest day in Saint John, we go through Fundy National Park and visit the Hopewell Rocks, unique formations created by tidal erosion that also are known as the Flowerpot Rocks. We travel through Moncton and go past the Big Lobster in Shediac on the way to to Prince Edward Island.

Crossing over to Prince Edward Island

Our ride leads to the Confederation Bridge to Prince Edward Island, the birthplace of Canadian Confederation. On the ride to Charlottetown there is a side trip to the birthplace of Lucy Maud Montgomery, whose Anne of Green Gables has become an enduring symbol of the Canadian spirit. We have a rest day in Charlottetown and time to visit the place where the Fathers of Confederation gathered to create the Dominion of Canada on July 1, 1867. You could also stop by Cows, perhaps Canada's best known ice cream shop.

On to Cape Breton

We leave P.E.I. by ferry to Nova Scotia and then cross the causeway onto Cape Breton, famous for its Celtic music, its hospitality and its scenery. You will see the scenery at its most spectacular from lookoffs along the Cabot Trail. We do a clockwise loop on the trail to reach Baddeck, where Alexander Graham Bell's summer home is now a museum and where Canada's first airplane, the Silver Dart, had its maiden flight a century ago. We'll have a celebration dinner in Baddeck as new and old friends head their separate ways.

Included in your Tour Atlantic Package:

Pre-Trip

• Trip preparation Guide, including training tips, route and routine overviews and safety information.
• Half-day trip orientation on first day of schedule.

Meals and Accommodation

• Pre-booked accommodation.
• Mainly camping, camping is in serviced campgrounds, private or government.
• Some indoor stays at university residences, single accommodation and there may be double.
• Guaranteed single accommodation available as a supplemental cost.
• Meals included are prepared by our staff, including dinners and hot breakfasts on riding days.
• Fruit and snacks will be available to take with you on riding days.
• Final night lobster dinner party in Baddeck (substitutes for non-lobster eating cyclists)

Route Support

• Daily maps and route instructions.
• Support staff – cook and driver.
• Support vehicle to carry your gear.
• The support vehicle is equipped with power outlets for charging phones and computers and for pumping up sleeping mats.
• Riders have individual storage shelves for gear.
• There is a fridge, coffee maker, shelter tent, tool kit, work stand and floor pump on the vehicle.
• CycleCanada water bottle, safety triangle to wear while riding.
• Head office toll free telephone and Skype assistance.

Join us for the Tour Atlantic or Cabot Trail Bicycle Tour

We are pleased to announce our dates and fees for 2013.

Please check availability on our tours before registering.

Tour Atlantic

• Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Baddeck, Nova Scotia via New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island
• Dates: August 12 to August 26, 2013
• Fee: $1,625.00
• Single Supplement: $185.00
• Deposit: $400.00

Cabot Trail - Moncton start

• Moncton, N. B. (via Charlottetown, P.E.I.,) to Baddeck, Nova Scotia
• Dates: August 18 to August 26, 2013
• Fee: $1100.00
• Single Supplement: $65.00
• Deposit: $250.00

Fees are per person in Canadian funds

Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) is in addition to above fees. A discount on this tax applies to non-residents of Canada.

We recommend you obtain travel, medical and personal insurance.

Please read our policy statement for Cycle Canada events: Policies

You'll find information on other great cycling tours in Canada here: Cycle Canada Events.

What to Bring on Tour Atlantic:

A Bike and Enthusiasm

• A bike in good working order, a flexible attitude and enthusiasm!
• Tour Atlantic is planned for paved roads and paths but some unpaved sections are unavoidable, especially through construction projects – we recommend a sturdy road bike suitable for a long distance expedition ride.
• For camping nights, a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat and a pillow (we have tents you can rent).
• Mess kit (cup, plate, bowl, eating utensils). Participants bring mess kits and are only responsible for cleaning their own kits.

Personal Items

• Don't forget a tool kit, just in case you have a flat or other minor mechanical problem. If your bike has unique and difficult to find parts you may wish to bring spare parts – please check with us.
• A helmet, water bottles, sunscreen, insect repellent and a rain gear in case of inclement weather.
• Cash for lunches, munchie stops and meals on rest days and ferry days.
• Personal items such as camera, identification, cycling and aprés cycling clothes

Luggage and Bike Boxes

• Travelling light is a good plan
• Cycle Canada has no official limit on transporting your daily luggage. For camping stays we aim to have tenting sites close to the truck but this is not always possible. So, keep in mind that you may need to carry your bags at times.
• One area where we do have constraints is taking hard shell bike cases. Some soft shelled bike cases may not present a problem. We generally can transport Bike Friday Cases on the assumption that box is used as storage for the cyclist's gear. If you need to bring a bike case please let us know, we'll assist with advice so you can make arrangements. If you have special logistical issues, such as travelling from overseas, please let us know. We'll do what we can to help.

Renting Bikes

• Most participants on our rides bring their own bikes, particularly on a tour of this length. But travelling with bikes can be complicated. Please let us know if you wish to rent a bike and we will provide suggestions on rental companies.

Proudly Canadian

Cycle Canada, The Veloforce Corporation is a Canadian company that organizes cycling activities. It is owned by Bud & Margot Jorgensen. Bud is a long-time recreational cyclist and founder of Tour du Canada. Our operations are located in Alliston, Ontario, just north of Toronto.

We have been organizing affordable supported cycling expeditions and vacations throughout Canada since 1987.

Cycling in Canada

We believe that Canada is the best place in the world to go for a bike ride.

Our primary focus is to offer an enjoyable cycling experience. We encourage participants in our events to ride at their own pace and to join us with the goal of completing their tour by bicycle. We believe they will enjoy a cycling trip more in groups where they get to know other riders and share the pleasure of travelling as cycle tourists.

Read more about the management of Cycle Canada here: About Us.

Our Pledge to You

Participants in our events have a right to expect that Cycle Canada, as organizers, and its staff will make all reasonable efforts to ensure that riders complete their ride and are enriched by the cycling experience. We hope that each rider will find companionship in, and be tolerant of other members of the group and help to make the trip a memorable and positive experience for all riders.