Cabot Trail Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour
Cape Breton Island, Canada
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Gift Experiances / Canada / Nova Scotia / Cape Breton Island / Art & Culture / Culture / Historical Tours
Product ID: 3475
5 hours
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English and 1 more
Experience Cape Breton’s legendary Cabot Trail on a flexible GPS-guided audio driving tour. This route travels counter-clockwise around the 298 km loop for the best coastal views, with stories playing automatically as you drive.
Highlights include BADDECK, CAPE SMOKEY, INGONISH, CAPE BRETON HIGHLANDS NATIONAL PARK, PLEASANT BAY, SKYLINE TRAIL and CHÉTICAMP. Hear Mi’kmaq, Acadian and Scottish stories while taking in mountains, beaches and ocean lookouts.
Travel whenever you like, pause for viewpoints, trails or attractions and finish at your own pace. This tour follows the counter-clockwise direction only. Download before departure; no mobile data or signal is needed during the tour.
- No time constraints, take as long as you like to complete the tour
- Only 1 tour booking needed per vehicle
- Flexible dates - tour is yours to keep and enjoy anytime on Tripvia Tours.
- No signal required or data used during tour
- Good mobile or WiFi connection needed for the initial download
- Email confirmation with getting started instructions
- Smartphone or tablet
- Transportation (use your own vehicle)
- CABOT TRAIL: open year-round, but many visitor services and attractions are seasonal.
- SKYLINE TRAIL PARKING: paid reservation required June 26–October 25, 2026.
- CAPE BRETON HIGHLANDS NATIONAL PARK: entry pass required when stopping in the park.
- Attraction tickets
- Parking fees
- In-person tour guide
Meeting point
Buckwheat Corner, Buckwheat Corner, NS B0E 3N0, Canada
The tour starts and ends at Buckwheat Corner at the intersection of Cabot Trail Road and the Trans Canada Highway.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.
1
Bras d'Or Lake
BRAS D’OR LAKE. Begin the counter-clockwise Cabot Trail journey with views of this vast inland sea and stories from Cape Breton.
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2
Baddeck
Hear Alexander Graham Bell tell you why he has a museum dedicated to him! You can even visit the National Historic Site and Museum which is close by.
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3
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We'll tell you the history of the Plaister Mines and what they were mining.
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4
Saint Anns
We'll tell you how the Scots made a major impact in Cape Breton and how they came about being here.
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5
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One of the prettiest spots along this section of the trail where several brooks join to flow into the cove. If waterfalls are your thing, there are several beautiful ones along Goose Cove Brook that are easily accessible.
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6
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The North River Wilderness Area protects more than 5,000 hectares or 12000 acres of highland plateau and rugged river valley and offers a number of trails for all levels.
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7
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If you are looking to stretch your legs there are several easy trails or if you just want to browse some shops this is a great spot.
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8
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PLASTER PROVINCIAL PARK: As we drive along the edge of the park we’re going to tell you some interesting facts about the park itself and the area you will see around you.
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9
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You'll hear about one of the largest and the most rugged of all the protected areas in Nova Scotia.
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10
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A famous stop along the Trail. In business since 1976 they offer everything you need for a road trip including their legendary lobster sandwiches!
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11
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There is a pull off on your ascent to Cape Smokey where you can pause for a panoramic ocean view before you head up to the top.
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12
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On top of Smokey Mountain you’ll find the entrance to the Cape Smokey Picnic Park where you’ll find picnic tables, flush toilets and scenic lookouts.
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13
Ingonish
The Ingonish community actually consists of five villages and stands at the gates to the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, a famous tourist stop with beautiful fresh and salt water beaches.
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14
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Hear how the two harbours of Ingonish benefited the Mi'kmaq over 9000 years ago and continues to benefit residents and tourists today.
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15
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TRAILS, WHALES, GOLF & GOATS. There’s so much to see and do along this stretch of the Cabot trail...we'll give you a rundown!
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16
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If you like camping, hiking, beaches or waterfalls, you are spoiled for choice here. We'll give you some of the details!
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17
Cape Breton Highlands National Park
It’s been said the park is where the mountains meet the sea. Glaciers and rivers carved the landscape, creating a unique ecosystem that includes animals found nowhere else in Nova Scotia.
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18
Neil's Harbor
There are many interesting communities above the park that are also worth a visit if you have the time. One of these is the tiny fishing village of Neils Harbour. With only 300 people in residence, it’s a popular summer tourist spot.
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19
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A TALE OF THREE CONTINENTS: The land around us is called the Bras d’Or terrane. We'll tell you a bit about the surrounding geology and its history.
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20
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If you like beaches you’ll like Aspy Bay. A beautiful red sand bar protects the large South and North Aspy Bays.
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21
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You'll hear about the vast and rugged wilderness called the Polletts Cove – Aspy Fault Wilderness area that marks the collision of the three continental plates.
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22
Beulach Ban Waterfall
If you’d like to visit the most accessible waterfalls in the park, it's just a couple of kilometers and a short walk leading to a truly pretty waterfall. Don't worry, we give you easy directions.
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23
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The plateaus are the northern tip of the Appalachian Mountains of eastern North America. You’ll notice look offs on the side of road, one which gives the best views of the giant fault line cutting through the highland plateaus.
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24
Lone Shieling
The Lone Shieling is a replica of an old Scottish crofter’s hut that is just a magical 15 minute walk through old sugar maples. Once there interpretive panels tell its story.
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25
MacIntosh Brook Trail
The MacIntosh Brook trail is a delightful thirty minute walk suitable for the whole family including the dog! The path follows a babbling brook to a lovely woodland waterfall at the end.
Duration:
26
Pleasant Bay
Pleasant Bay is the whale watching capital of Cape Breton!!
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27
Mackenzie Mountain Lookout
This look off provides an amazing view of the Gulf of St Lawrence. It’s a good place to stop and catch your breath.
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28
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The lookoff at the entrance to Fishing Cove Trail will give you a beautiful view of mountain headlands swooping down to the ocean.
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29
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Moose in Cape Breton have an interesting history. This is a popular spot for these giant beasties who like to munch on forest herbs and aquatic plants in the lake.
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30
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There’s a pull off at French Lake that gives you a lovely view of a highland lake surrounded by Boreal forest.
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31
Skyline Trail
SKYLINE TRAIL. Take in one of Cape Breton’s most famous coastal views. Paid parking reservations are required June 26–October 25, 2026; roadside parking and drop-offs are not permitted.
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32
Le Vieux Chemin du Cap-Rouge Trail
This trail is unique in that it’s a walk through history. At one time 30 Acadian families lived here. Many were refugees of the great expulsion of 1755 in Nova Scotia.
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33
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Le Buttereau, French for “little hill” is where at one time seven Acadian families lived here. We'll tell you a bit about the Acadian settlers here.
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34
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The Cheticamp River marks the western entrance of the National Park which has a campground and four nearby trails. One of these is le chemin du Buttereau.
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35
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Here you'll see an arm of gravel and sand as it sweeps from the red bluffs of Buttereau across the tidal estuary almost cutting the river off from the sea.
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36
Cheticamp
Welcome to one of the Acadian capitals of the world! It’s a popular tourist town with whale watching, a museum, several restaurants and an excellent golf course.
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37
Cheticamp Island Beach
If you’d like to lounge on a nice sandy beach for a while then the Plage St. Pierre beach and campground on Cheticamp Island is for you!
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38
Grand Etang
Learn about the Acadian tradition of Mi-careme and if you have the time visit the Centre de la Mi-careme and make your own mask.
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39
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As we travel south the landscape flattens out for a great view of the Gulf of St Lawrence. The sea along the coast here is a rich marine environment known as the Cape Breton Trough.
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40
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The English translation for Belle Cote is beautiful coast, and if you take a detour on Belle Cote Beach Road to the shoreline you’ll know how the area got its name.
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41
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When you cross the bridge over the Margaree Harbour you might think this was a lake, and not a river. At almost a kilometer or half mile wide this is the Margaree River estuary.
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42
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The bridges at the East Margeree Crossing will give you an excellent view of how the river winds along the valley floor and you might even see a fisher in waders, casting out a line in the shallows.
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43
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The hills around here are Appalachian, the same Appalachian Mountain range that extends all the way from Florida to Newfoundland.
Duration:
44
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Are you ready to get wet! If you are, then a tour with Live Life in Tents River Tours just might be for you. They offer unique camping from the primitive to a luxurious glamping experience. Oh and tours through the rapids of course!
Duration:
45
Margaree Valley
Here you'll find the Margaree Salmon Museum and not far the Margaree Fish Hatchery. Talk about an angler's dream!
Duration:
46
Lake O'Law Provincial Park
From a pretty picnic park that runs alongside the road, you can take in the view of the low mountains across the lake....a beautiful and romantic backdrop.
Duration:
47
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There's an old mine is located in the hills of the wilderness area just beyond the fields. You'll have the chance to guess what was mined there!
Duration:
48
Middle River
Here you'll find two unique churches stand side by side. With white clapboard and grey spires they look like fraternal twins who’ve decided to dress alike. We'll tell you how that came to be.
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- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Wheelchair accessible
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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