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Five Days of Fun, Thrills and Action Canoeing Down the River in Open Canadian Canoes
This is a canoeing holiday for anyone who enjoys the outdoors. You will canoe through gorgeous scenery with a group of no more than 12 people, camp in the wilderness and still be able to enjoy good food.
There are no towns and no houses along the route, just you, the river and the forests. A truly Canadian adventure for beginners and experienced canoeists.
Demands: this guided canoe trip is suitable for beginners. International Classification of Difficulty (1 being lowest, 5 highest) rates this stretch of the Athabasca River as Class 1 overall, with several Class I and II rapids, and one Class III rapid.
This should be part of your longer holiday within Canada. Ask us for a tailor made itinerary to include this trip.
Mr & Mrs. Downie - Travelled to Ontario, BC & Alberta"we had a truly wonderful time"
Our visit to Canada has, sadly, been and gone too quickly. We had an absolutely wonderful time in Vancouver, Victoria, and all points to Banff. The travel arrangements were excellent. The hotels were all good and the various tours etc were again excellent. In addition to seeing numerous bears, eagles, the occasional whale etc., we were amazed at the size, the wilderness and peace of it all, and the Rockies were....the Rockies. People were incredibly and genuinely friendly and welcoming. So, many, many thanks for making the arrangements for us. we had a truly wonderful time...
Itinerary (5 Nights)
Here’s a day-by-day guide to your itinerary. Feel free to ask us to add other days or ideas and excursions by contacting us directly, so we can give you the best price.
Day 1
You meet your guide early in the morning in Edmonton or Hinton, near Jasper. Pitch...
Day 1
Edmonton
You meet your guide early in the morning in Edmonton or Hinton, near Jasper. Pitch your tent and get ready for the canoe training on a quiet lake. You will learn the basic paddle strokes, emergency procedures and signals. Receive advice regarding camping in the wilderness, personal equipment and work sharing of the crews. Tomorrow, on the river, training will continue. No canoeing experience is necessary for this tour. The river stretches are not dangerous, even for the beginner; but the current, numerous rapids, and gravel bars demand constant vigilance. Experienced canoeists find plenty of challenge in this wilderness setting. Tonight’s dinner is steak from the grill.
1 night camping.
Days 2-4
Edmonton to Athabasca River
For the next three nights you pitch your tent on sandy islands or comfortable spots...
Days 2-4
Edmonton
to Athabasca River
For the next three nights you pitch your tent on sandy islands or comfortable spots along the shore. Your paddling speed depends a lot on the water level. The glacier fed Athabasca River is full of power in the early season, clear and quiet in the fall when the snows in the mountains have stopped melting. The forested river valleys are uninhabited. You have excellent chances to spot Canada geese, beavers, eagles, elk, bear and moose.
Five or six hours daily are spent on the river, at times leisurely drifting downstream, alert to the next rapid or obstacle. Sometimes you might have to drag the boat over shallow spots. There is time for swimming, exploring, fishing and big campfires under the northern lights. Minimum impact means that your group spends an afternoon and the night camping, cooking and playing on an island, not “improving” nature in any way, leaving no trace but footprints in the sand.
3 nights camping.
Day 5
Athabasca River to Edmonton
This afternoon you come to the end of your 160km/100 mile canoe trip. The bus...
Day 5
Athabasca River
to
Edmonton
This afternoon you come to the end of your 160km/100 mile canoe trip. The bus is waiting near the town of Whitecourt, the first human settlement since the start of your tour. You are back in Edmonton by evening.
1 night in Edmonton.
