The Saguenay Fjord offers North America's only fjord inhabited on both sides—an uncrowded destination combining glacial wilderness with charming French-Canadian villages. Photo credit: Fjord en Kayak
Quick Summary
The 146-mile-long Saguenay Fjord in Parc National du Fjord-du-Saguenay is not well known and not well explored—meaning big nature and few tourists. The glacier-cut fjord is the only one in North America inhabited on both sides, dotted with quaint, inviting villages considered some of Québec's most charming. If escape and authentic adventure is on your mind, Saguenay is the place.
Quick Facts
- Location: Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Québec
- Fjord Length: 146 miles (with 1,150-foot-high cliffs)
- Distinction: Only fjord in North America inhabited on both sides
- Trails: 62 miles of hiking trails
- From Québec City: Less than 2.5 hours by car
Getting There
Saguenay is less than two-and-a-half hours by car from Québec City. For a scenic road trip mixing wilderness with friendly, quaint French-Canadian villages, drive the 187-mile Route du Fjord up and down both sides of the fjord, or opt for an out and back on one side. You can also cycle the 250-mile bike route.
Where to Stay
Multi-day kayak expeditions with Fjord en Kayak include catered gourmet meals featuring local game like pheasant and venison—wilderness adventure meets Quebec culinary tradition. Photo credit: Fjord en Kayak
- Parc Aventures Cap Jaseux: Sleep in a treehouse with a view, log cabin, rustic-chic 20-foot-diameter glass dome, or fiberglass bubble-spheres suspended from trees
- Fjord en Kayak: Guided trips with overnight lodging arranged
- Villages Vacances Petit-Saguenay: Over 30 cute hilltop cabins with kitchenettes (sleep 4-8)
- Hôtel Chicoutimi: Eco-friendly, artsy hotel overlooking the fjord
- Les Gîtes du Fjord: In eclectic L'Anse Saint Jean, walk to bistro and marina, pool and Jacuzzi
- Pourvoirie Cap au Leste: Cliffside fishing lodge with remote cabins, breakfast/dinner service
When to Go
Any time of year is good at this four-season destination, it just depends what type of activities you have in mind: Ice fishing or sailing? Rock climbing or ice climbing? Whichever, just come prepared and enjoy the clean, fresh air and pristine glacial water. One thing to note: Because it’s not touristy, information is not abundant and many restaurant menus are in French only. Bring your pocket dictionary and do your research before you leave home.
Musée du Fjord
Musée du Fjord offers interactive exhibits revealing the fjord's unique ecology—including the Greenland shark, the waterway's only shark species—plus guided tide walks to discover marine life firsthand. Photo credit: Musée du Fjord
Stop at Musée du Fjord to learn about the area's history, settled in 1838 by 14 intrepid European pioneers. The museum has engaging interactive, multimedia exhibits and 3-D films revealing unusual facts about animal and plant life—for example, the fjord's only shark species is the Greenland shark. Check out the 650 types of sealife in the aquarium or join a guided tide walk to dig for minerals, plants, and creatures with a museum pro.
Rock Climb, Fish, and Play
Parc Aventures Cap Jaseux is a huge aerial adventure course with 73 suspended forest bridges, plus ziplines, and a Via Ferrata—a rock climbing-rappelling-hiking combo challenge scaling sheer cliff sides (not for the vertigo-challenged!). Experienced climbers can scale the massive rock faces on their own. The park is also fantastic for river and lake fishing, hiking, bird watching, mountain biking, sea kayaking, and swimming at two fjord beaches. Get a well-earned massage at the end of an action-packed day.
Fun on and in the Water
Family-owned Fjord en Kayak organizes half-day trips to four-day catered adventures—paddlers can spot beluga whales in the fjord's waters while exploring Quebec's dramatic coastline. Photo credit: Fjord en Kayak
Water is everywhere, making paddling, boating, and sailing top activities. You can ice fish in winter, too.
- Voile Mercator: Five live-aboard sailboats, 2-5 day sailing vacations, 2-hour excursions to L'Anse Saint Jean, lessons
- Fjord en Kayak: Guided sea kayak tours, rentals, 3-4 day catered adventures with gourmet meals (local game like pheasant and venison), half/full-day trips
- OrganisAction: Multi-sport packages including rafting and snowmobiling
- Whale Watching: Cruises at Baie-Sainte-Catherine, Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park interpretive centers, observation cruises, scuba diving at this top global whale watching spot
Hiking
The park has 62 miles of trails long and short, easygoing and tough:
- Mary Statue at Cap Éternité: Trail to the 25-foot-high statue along the fjord's highest cliffs—a four-mile, mostly uphill round-trip taking about three hours, rewarding trekkers with bird's eye lookouts
- Anse des Rochers to Baie Sainte Marguerite: Less strenuous hike on the fjord's north side with gorgeous vistas at trail's end. Look out for white beluga whales swimming in the waters
Follow-Up Questions
- How do I get to Saguenay Fjord from Québec City?
- Can I go whale watching at Saguenay Fjord?
- What unique accommodations are available at Cap Jaseux?
- Is there scuba diving in the Saguenay Fjord?
- What is the Via Ferrata experience at Saguenay?
Associated Entities
Saguenay Fjord, Parc National du Fjord-du-Saguenay, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Québec, Québec City, Route du Fjord, Parc Aventures Cap Jaseux, Fjord en Kayak, Villages Vacances Petit-Saguenay, Hôtel Chicoutimi, Les Gîtes du Fjord, L'Anse Saint Jean, Pourvoirie Cap au Leste, Musée du Fjord, Greenland shark, Via Ferrata, Voile Mercator, OrganisAction, Baie-Sainte-Catherine, Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park, Cap Éternité, Baie Sainte Marguerite, beluga whales, Québec Original, Destination Canada
Sources & Registry
Destination Canada – A guide to Quebec's Saguenay Fjord: https://travel.destinationcanada.com/en-us/things-to-do/guide-quebec-saguenay-fjord