Route 132 © Mathieu Dupuis
How Many Days Does It Take to Tour the Gaspé Peninsula?
On average, people take 7 to 10 days to visit Gaspésie as part of their summer vacation. However, the number of days needed for travel can vary a lot from person to person. Here are some factors to consider.
Distances
Touring Gaspésie in a loop (from Sainte-Flavie to Sainte-Flavie) consists of traveling 885 km, equivalent to about 11 hours of driving. Add to this the distance between your place of residence and the entrance to the Gaspésie (approximately 3 h 30 from Québec City or 6 hours from Montréal).
If you want to explore activities, some time to stop along the way is needed. One can count on one day to travel to Gaspésie and one day to return.
Percé Rock. Photo: Mathieu Dupuis
En route, consider a maximum of a 3 hour drive per day (adjust to your situation, if you travel with young children for example), so the tour could take a minimum of 6 days, as in the example here:
- Day 1 – Montréal – Gaspésie
- Day 2 – 3 hour drive + activity/tour
- Day 3 – 3 hour drive + activity/tour
- Day 4 – 3 hour drive + activity/tour
- Day 5 – 2 hour drive + activity/tour
- Day 6 – Gaspésie – Montréal
A different approach may be to allocate your time on the road differently; take two longer travel days, then stay in the same place for a bit before continuing your trip. Keep under consideration your individual situation and the expansive area of the territory.
Keep in mind, however, that travelling the roads in Gaspésie are not the same as a 3 hour drive on a highway. You will drive along the sea, see beautiful landscapes, and have the opportunity to stop in order to do activities everywhere along the way. The road journey is a large part of the holiday!
Route 132 in Haute-Gaspésie. Photo: Mathieu Dupuis
Activities
The second aspect to consider is the sort of activities you want to do. Visiting an interpretation centre does not necessarily require the same time as climbing a mountain. If you plan to mostly hike for example, you will have to keep this approach in mind.
On the other hand, if you prefer to enjoy the scenery, stroll on the beach, and read a good book sitting on your balcony at the hotel, you may tour the area in a different time range.
Parc national de la Gaspésie. Photo: Mathieu Dupuis
In summary, choose your activity and consider the time you have. If you want to hike, but only have a long weekend break for example, you could go to a park and enjoy it rather than trying to do the entire tour and other activities too quickly.
Don’t forget that you do not necessarily have to undertake the entire tour of Gaspésie to spend a holiday in Gaspésie!
Matane. Photo: Dany Vachon
See also:
