Itinerary
DAY 0 – WHITEHORSE, YT
Your journey north from your home will be a refreshing departure. You will fly over the largest expanse of wilderness in the world with stunning views on cloudless days, pass through quieter and friendlier airports, and generally begin to immerse yourself in the wilderness experience that is about to unfold. This is the arrival day and is the first day listed for your trip.
You might opt to arrive one day earlier to spend time discovering all that Whitehorse has to offer. If you arrive on this date ensure you arrive by 12pm to attend a pre-departure meeting at 1pm where you will repack into your river bags.
There will be a chance for last minute questions concerning clothing, gear, packing and other details. After the meeting you will depart Whitehorse via charter flight to Inconnu Lodge on McEvoy Lake. Dinner will be provided with expansive views of the lake and you will enjoy an evening getting to know your Trip Leader and your river companions. We will enjoy one last night sleeping under a roof in the cozy cabins at Inconnu Lodge.
Please note that the charter flight to McEvoy Lake/Inconnu Lodge is not included and is approximately $400 per person. This is the first date listed for your trip.
Day 1 MAJESTIC MOUNTAIN FLIGHT
After breakfast at Inconnu Lodge (included) we begin one of the major highlights of the adventure– the flight into the South Nahanni watershed. You will fly over the majestic Vampire Peaks and the Ragged Range, home to the world renowned Cirque of the Unclimables and the highest peaks in the NWT. You want to be sure to have your camera on your lap as a visually stunning panorama unfolds in front of our eyes.. Past participants have stepped off the plane declaring that “if the trip finished now, I would have my money’s worth!” The afternoon will be spent, hiking, enjoying the gorgeous alpine setting of Rabbitkettle Lake and refreshing canoe skills on the lake.
Day 2 RABBITKETTLE HOTSPRINGS (GAHNĮHTHAH MĮE)
We will greet another day at stunning Rabbitkettle lake as we further settle into life out of reach of e-mail, phones and the stresses of everyday life. Pending availability of Nahanni National Park Reserve staff, we will enjoy a guided 7 kilometre round trip hike to the tufa mounds. These fascinating geological features are the largest tufa mounds in Canada and believed to be as old as 10 000 years, a wonderful example of the diverse landscapes contained within Nahanni National Park Reserve. Throughout your journey, our knowledgeable guides will be sharing cultural and ecological interpretation, allowing you to immerse yourself in the Nahanni culture.
Day 3 & 4 MOUNTAIN PEAKS
We begin the downriver trip. This portion of the river above Virginia Falls (Náįlįcho) is mellow and slow moving. You will have the chance to enhance your canoeing skills with your guides who are all certified canoe instructors. The mountains and U-shaped valley created by the glaciers will dominate the scenery. Camping will be in the most choice spots between Rabbitkettle Lake (Gahnįhthah Mįe) and Virginia Falls (Náįlįcho).
Day 5 VIRGINIA FALLS (NÁĮLĮCHO)
Virginia Falls (nearly twice the height of Niagara) will be the destination. We will camp here for two nights. This is the other spot within the National Park where planes may land and we may see other campers here.
Day 6 HIKING
This is a day for exploring and photographing the area around Virginia Falls (Náįlįcho). The vast expanse of the falls captivates photographers and hikers with a tireless display of powerful drama. Keen and fit hikers may undertake an all-day expedition to the top of Sunblood Mountain for an excellent view of the surrounding area. Others can enjoy exploring the expansive area overlooking the brink of the falls.
Day 7 PAINTED CANYON
After breakfast, your guides will complete the portage of camp equipment. Participants are asked to portage their own pack 2 kilometres to the “put in” below the falls. Most of this portage is on a boardwalk and downhill. Lunch is served on the cobble beach below the Falls. Following a safety talk, we load the canoes and begin our descent. Leaving the roar of the Falls behind us, we will ride high on the waves through the Painted Canyon. The excitement continues with our passage through the Figure Eight Rapids. We will find our camp close to the mouth of the Flat River. Dinner conversation in camp will be full of recollections of paddling adventures in the canyon.
DAY 8 THE GATE AND PULPIT ROCK
We drift past the confluence of the Flat River and then enter Third Canyon, the walls of which loom 1,200 metres above our heads. This 40-kilometre canyon is created by the river slicing through the mixed strata of shales, sandstones and limestones of the Funeral Range. We camp halfway through this canyon near The Gate, a 100 metre-wide gorge where the walls tower 460 metre above us. At the end of the day, you can sit back and enjoy the scenery in the comforts that are the hallmark of our journeys.
DAY 9 DEADMAN VALLEY (DAHAEHTTH’Į)
In the morning we do a short hike to the top of The Gate and are awarded a magnificent view of Third Canyon and Pulpit Rock. We then move on through Second Canyon and to the top of Deadmen Valley.
DAY 10 – INTO THE CANYON KINGDOM
After drifting by Headless Creek, we continue on to Sheaf Creek. Here R. M. Patterson and his partner Gordon Matthews wintered in 1928. We will then scout the rapids of George’s Riffle. These big waves are at the western entrance to First Canyon. We will camp near its end at Lafferty’s Canyon with views of some of the hundreds of caves in the area.
DAY 11 – LAFFERTY CANYON
We spend the day hiking up Lafferty Creek Canyon to experience the sculpted rock of the Chasm of Chills.
On a warm day we will enjoy a swim in the pools!
DAY 12 – KRAUS’ HOTSPRINGS (TUŁETSĘĘ)
After the waves of Lafferty’s Riffle, we take a quick dip in Kraus’ Hotsprings before bidding farewell to the canyons and entering the braided channels of The Splits. Here a broad valley is revealed and the surrounding mountains, ridge piled upon ridge, form a dramatic contrast to the enclosure of the canyons.
Lush boreal forest bordered by steep ridges form a “storybook” setting and provide a sanctuary to moose and bison.
DAY 13 – GREAT DENE WALL & NAHANNI BUTTE (TTHENÁÁGÓ)
Stopping in the village we will have an opportunity to see this traditional community (population approx. 120). We will then board an awaiting aircraft for a flight down the Liard River to Fort Simpson. This flight allows you to maximize your time in the Nahanni’s canyons, another way we ensure the best value for your expedition. You will need to book accommodation for this final night in Fort Simpson. The group can meet for dinner (not included) at restaurant in town for a final farewell meal and goodbye to your guides.
DAY 14 – HOMEWARD BOUND
This is the last date listed for your journey. After a leisurely morning, you will make your way to the Fort Simpson airport to begin your travels home.
PLEASE NOTE
The above is a tentative agenda and has been designed with much thought to capitalize on the most scenic and exciting parts of the river while making time on other sections. Your guides will adjust the schedule to make the best use of river and weather conditions. We adhere to the departure regulation system of the Park which works to ensure that all river travellers have the same wilderness experience.
Under certain conditions (weather, forest fire, plane availability and upriver conditions), it may be necessary to make our upriver flight soon after arrival. On the other hand, we have occasionally found ourselves waiting for safe flying conditions. In the event of a delay, we will enjoy the stunning scenery of McEvoy Lake and the comforts of Inconnu Lodge until we are able to safely depart for the river. Meals and snacks are included from arrival at Inconnu Lodge until lunch on the final river day.
