About US

Why Travel With Us?

Real Hiking.

First and foremost, DeLuxe Hiking tours have been created with hiking in mind. As such, our agendas and logistics are built from the ground up based on the needs and desires of hikers. These are not sightseeing tours with a couple of hikes added in. Qualified local guides are employed so we have the benefit of local knowledge of trail conditions, and from a given trailhead, hiking options can be offered with manageable, smaller group sizes. Once the hiking elements are in place, then we add in a variety of cultural and comfort elements to complete our DeLuxe blend. That’s what we mean by ‘real hiking’.

Real Culture.

DeLuxe Hiking tours offer ‘real hiking’ but they also offer a lot more. For example, on every tour we weave cultural elements into the very fabric of our experience. These include indigenous sights and interpretive centres, historic villages and museums, botanical gardens, wineries and orchards, whale watching cruises and other natural wonders. That’s what we mean by ‘real culture’.

Real Comfort.

While DeLuxe Hiking guests may enjoy roughing it on the trail, they also expect exceptional creature comforts afterwards. No dehydrated food, sleeping bags or tents, or heavy packs of gear on our tours! We begin with carefully selected inns and historic hotels. Next, we make sure there will be delicious regional cuisine, as well as chilled Chardonnay and craft beer. Finally, we provide easy hotel to trailhead transportation, usually by private motorcoach, and with smaller groups, each hiker can have their own “nest” for their gear and transporting luggage is taken care of. That’s what we mean by ‘real comfort’.

How It All Began

A Passion for the Outdoors
Hiking Tours for Custom Groups
Adventures of Ray & Judy

A Look Back At Our History

  • 1960 – Where it all began

    In 1960, Fred DeNure left a partnership he had with a cousin, RJ Trailways to pursue an operation of his own. Fred was awarded the contract to provide bussing to local schools in the Kawartha Lakes, with a fleet that would grow to more than 70 school busses. At this time, DeNure Tours was formed, offering its first multi-day sightseeing tour to Atlantic Canada.

  • 1965 – Canada's 11th province

    Florida has long been nicknamed Canada's 11th province and in 1965, DeNure began operating coach tours to Florida. DeNure’s ‘Sunshine Holidays’ escorted Canadians by motorcoach down to the sunny south for an escape from the cold winters. In 1981, the Daytona “Sunshine Express” program debuts, shuttling guests from the cold Canadian winters to long-stay vacations in Daytona Beach, Florida. This program becomes so popular that just a few short years, it was expanded to weekly departures to Florida, later laying roots in Destin, St.Pete Beach and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

  • 1967 – The tour that changed it all

    In 1966 Fred, Dorothy and their three children embarked on a 6-week tour of the southern USA in a converted school bus, resulting in many new itineraries designed. In 1967 with a handful of itineraries, DeNure Tours introduced its first brochure that included journeys to Florida, California, Newfoundland and Atlantic Canada. Many of the tours in Eastern Canada included a visit to Expo 67. In 1972 the school bus division was sold to concentrate solely on sightseeing, offering popular destinations in both Canada and USA, including a new tour to Alaska.

  • 1984 – UK and Europe

    If you’ve ever had the chance to meet or travel with Harry Simmons, then I’m sure you’ll join DeNure Tours in wishing him well as he enters retirement this month.


    Harry has been with DeNure Tours for almost 30 years and during that time, he created and organized delightful holiday experiences throughout Britain and Europe. During his travels with DeNure guests, he has shared the unique spectacle of the Edinburgh Tattoo, acquainted them with Germany’s famous Rhine, and raised a glass of local wine as he introduced the beauty of the Italian coastline.


    But even more importantly, Harry maintained a quick wit, shared an endless knowledge of history and literature, and was meticulous in ensuring that the tours exceeded our guests’ expectations.


    Harry often said that there were three steps to a memorable holiday: planning the trip, taking it, and re-living the vacation through the stories, friendships and memories that were made. I know Harry has featured prominently in many of these great memories, and he will be missed by staff and passengers alike.

  • 2009 – Business expands to include custom and groups

  • 2017 – The hike that started it all

  • 2018 – First hiking tour for a custom group

  • 2019 – First hiking tour is offered in a brochure

  • 2021 – DeLuxe Hiking is born

    A new division is established to concentrate exclusively on active hiking tours.

Meet Our Hiking Team

Gayle Laws, DeLuxe Hiking Tour Director
Gayle

Combining her passion for travel, cycling and hiking, Gayle has designed and led several customized active tours as a volunteer for an outdoor club to rave reviews from club members. Tours included Newfoundland, Gaspe & Saguenay, Grand Canyon/Zion/Bryce Canyons as well as various European destinations. Gayle’s first extended trip as a retiree was a fabulous 6-week hiking trip to New Zealand. In the Fall of 2020, she commenced her goal to hike the Bruce Trail End to End. Now that she is retired as a senior manager at the Ontario Government, she can devote her energies in providing enjoyable travel experiences to fellow hikers who want to experience Canada by foot at a leisurely pace, with local cultural excursions and in comfortable accommodations. Gayle presently serves as both a DeLuxe Hiking tour planner and tour director.

Pierre Chartier, DeLuxe Hiking Tour Director
Pierre

Pierre Chartier, born in Paris, and raised in the French Alps, discovered his love for exploration and active living in nature by hiking and skiing the beautiful mountains in his backyard. After moving to Canada and learning English, Pierre enjoyed his career as a physical education instructor and also led educational, cultural, and sports tours with students and adults for 30 years. After retiring from education, Pierre continued to pursue his passion for adventure and the great outdoors, cycling, hiking, running and skiing. He looks forward to helping your travel dreams come true with DeNure Tours, DeLuxe Hiking.