How An NWT River Adventure Changes You
There’s a magic to this place.
It’s the way a journey down a wild river gives you a glimpse at our planet in its purest form. It’s how a physical challenge provides countless spiritual rewards. In the Northwest Territories, life does not take place at some future time. It happens right now, right in front of you.
Here, you will create lifelong bonds of friendship. You will come to realize that the farther you go from home, the closer you get to who you are. You will discover that the Northwest Territories changed you.
It’s a trip that feels more necessary every day.
You want to get away from it all. To trade the daily commute down clogged throughways, passing the same big-box stores and glass skyscrapers, for the vast expanse of nature uninterrupted. To steer yourself down a river that has forever run free and wild, like when our planet was new. You close your eyes and dream of the Northwest Territories.
Here, it is still possible to push away from a riverbank with the Arctic Ocean as your destination and never pass under a bridge or even see another soul until you get there. The rivers of the Northwest Territories are age-old highways and byways into the heart of pure, rugged Canadian wilderness. And there are roads leading just about anywhere.
There’s the incomparable Nahanni, considered the greatest wilderness river on Earth, that takes you through a series of ancient and towering canyons. Or the mighty Thelon, “the place where God began,” that runs unimpeded through the Barrens until you reach saltwater. Maybe you’d rather float the bracing snowmelt of the Thomsen, the northernmost navigable river on Earth, passing muskoxen along the way. Or paddle through otherworldly landscapes on the mythical Hornaday River. Or descend the Mountain River, a whitewater paradise, and gawk at the geology that changes around you many times a day.
You decide.
On the flight in, you are awed by the river that stretches on forever below you and by the fact that this will be your home for the coming weeks. You don’t know it just then, but the dozen or so people seated around you in the plane’s cabin will soon feel like family. The plane lands and everyone gets to work unloading it. Then, in a flash, the aircraft lifts off, dips its wing to say goodbye, and disappears—first from sight, then from sound. The weight of the world lifts from your shoulders. You’re truly free.
Bonds form almost immediately with strangers you will come to know more intimately than people you’ve been close with for years. There’s a camaraderie that maybe you haven’t felt before. It’s truly all for one and one for all. When you hit a rainy patch, you find yourself encouraging on others instead of complaining about the momentary discomforts.
The selfishness and solitude you are often surrounded by in the city seem so foreign out here.
This is no pleasure cruise, but you didn’t expect that. There are stretches where you fight to battle a strong current and your muscles strain from the effort. You pump yourself up for a coming portage and put on your bug jacket and hat just in case. But the rewards of the hard work are immediate. There’s the new landscape to devour with every bend in the river. You stop for a day-hike up into an alpine meadow or for a stunning, panoramic view of the river’s valley. You take a break from the paddling with a soak in a geothermal spring or with a quick shower a small, chilly waterfall. You pull out your camera and snap photos of muskoxen or caribou that are just as curious of you as you are of them.
And there are physical rewards. Nothing has ever tasted as scrumptious as the rehydrated chili you devour at the end of the day. You can feel it begin to provide nourishment to every extremity, as the energy returns to your spent body. Maybe you have a glass of red wine around the campfire, but it’s the laughter about the day’s events that’s actually intoxicating. You are compelled all of a sudden to walk down to the river. There, the fireside stories echo up the walls of a magnificent canyon. You hear the rush of the river beside you. You stare deep into the night sky and realize this place is even more serene than you’d imagined back home. When it’s finally time to turn in, your lay back and sleep deeper than you have in years.
At the end of your voyage, after forging new friendships and witnessing the natural world in its realest form, you will return to civilization. You will dig out your cellphone, once attached to your hip, and it will look out of place in your calloused hand. It may even take you some time to turn it back on. That’s because you have just finished a spiritual pilgrimage on a wild NWT waterway. And no matter where you wound up, the river will end at one place: self-discovery.
Related Stories
Intriguing tales from Canada's Northwest Territories
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
Activities
With over 30 years of living in Yellowknife, we offer a variety of tourism experiences for our guests. We are......
Arctic Adventure & Wildlife viewing on the edge of the tree line of Canada’s Northwest Territories. Lynx Lake 400 km......
Red Cliff Adventures has a traditional camp that is located in Lutsel K’e, on the shores of the East Arm,......
Commercial air charter service providing air support for hikers on Canol Road, sightseeing in the beautiful Mackenzie Mountains, and fly-in fishing......
At Nahanni River Adventures we outfit and guide canoe and raft trips on Canada’s renowned South Nahanni River and a select......
Best Northern Road Trip! Now you can drive all the way to the Arctic ocean linking Canada from coast to......
Destination NWT Limited is a tourism operator located in Yellowknife, Canada. DNWT specializes in outdoors adventures, aurora photography, and cultural experiences: Best rated Snowmobile Tour, winter gears included, exciting trail riding Aurora Tour in a Luxurious lakeside Lodge Unique Aurora tour while Ice Fishing indoors Full panoramic moonroof vehicle for Aurora Viewing DNWT’s tours allow […]...
DISCOVER A MOMENT THAT LASTS A LIFETIME. Aylmer Lake Lodge is located in Rocknest Bay, which is on the Barren......
We are the Łı́ı́dlı̨́ı̨́ Kų́ę́ got’ine. People of the community of Łı́ı́dlı̨́ı̨́ Kų́ę́, “the place where rivers come together”, in......
Simpson Air (and its predecessor) is the oldest continuously-operated flying service in the Mackenzie Valley, established in the early 1960s.......
Tundra North Travel is an Inuit company based in Inuvik, Northwest Territories that was established with the dream of being......
Your Dene Connection in Yellowknife. B. Dene Adventures is a Traditional Dene Culture Camp business which teaches the Dene way......
For over 30 years, Canoe North Adventures has made it our mission to create spectacular memories for life, and to show......
Canoe North, located in Hay River, Northwest Territories offers kayak and canoe rentals and sales. We can set you up for a......
What began as a “part time fishing lodge” has now become a “full time Aurora Wilderness Lodge” open year round......
For a Great Northern Experience! Yellowknife Outdoor Adventures offers a variety of day trips ranging from 2 to 10 hours......
Comfortable lodge a 20 minute by floatplane ride from Yellowknife. Guided fishing for Lake Trout (to 34 lb), Arctic Grayling (to......
Book an adventure with us at Trail Blazer Tours for an unforgettable experience! Your adventure with us will create lasting......
100% Indigenous owned! We are the world’s first Aurora Hunting tour company, we know Aurora. Learn about Aurora, why Yellowknife is the......
We are an Inuvialuit owned and operated family business, run by locals Enoch and Amanda Pokiak, based in Inuvik in the Western......
If are looking for a spectacular weekend retreat nestled in the serenity of the Mackenzie Mountains at Ten Stone Mountain Lodge. North-Wright......
Join us for an unforgettable experience on the mighty Mackenzie River. Day trips are available for a full or half......
Remote private wilderness paradise on Little Doctor Lake, 100 km west of Fort Simpson. Accommodates 20 in cabins. Fishing, swimming,......
Great Slave Lake Tours offers winter and summer trips on Great Slave Lake, the ninth biggest lake in the world......
Come experience world-class Aurora Borealis viewing in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. We are the only guides in the Northwest Territories......
With Bluefish Outfitting you’ll get an unforgettable trip of a lifetime. Bluefish Outfitting offers personalized, guided fishing trips and boat tours on......
For over 50 years, Black Feather has had the opportunity to operate canoe, hiking and sea kayaking expeditions throughout the......
Tukto Lodge has been exceeding anglers’ expectations for more than fifty years. As the only fishing and eco-tourism lodge in......
Northern and Remote Wilderness Adventures Ltd. (NARWAL) is a small, friendly, majority Aboriginal owned and operated family business. Our reputation......
Unplug from the commonplace with our Northwest Territories canoe and kayak expeditions. We specialize in true wilderness adventures to the......
“Unforgettable remote fishing experience” We are the only lodge located on this fly-in only lake. With only 8 guests per......
Yellow Dog Lodge is a comfortable lodge with 3 private cabins for our guests. The lodge is a short (15 minute) floatplane ride from Yellowknife. Located on Duncan and Graham Lakes, the lodge is your hub for adventure. Choose from an additional 5 lakes for guided day trip excursions. Each lake is unique and offers unspoiled first class fishing. We are the only lodge that operates guided trips on each of these remote lakes located in the NWT taiga wilderness. Packaged trips feature superb sport fishing and safe outdoor adventure. The lakes and streams offer the finest Lake Trout, Northern Pike, Walleye and Arctic Grayling in the region. As an added bonus, our guests will enjoy the midnight sun and may even catch the northern lights later in the fall or early spring....
World Class Fishing Within Reach Yet Beyond Belief For 3 generations we have been honing the Kasba experience to be like no-other. Our level of hospitality, dedication to the fishery, and a legendary passion for the experience that permeates through our entire team is undeniably contagious. No matter what you’re looking for in your fishing […]...
Gana River Outfitters is a family owned and operated outfitting business offering remote wilderness hunts in the beautiful Mackenzie Mountains......
Arctic Tours Canada is a Yellowknife based tour operating company that offer Aurora Hunting and Viewing tours, Yellowknife sightseeing tours,......
2 Seasons Adventures is a family-owned company. Our professional guides boast a lifetime of experience enjoying the unique lifestyle of......
Outfitting to all of us is a way of life, one that we cherish because we love to hunt, love the......
Peterson’s Point Lake Lodge provides you access to known waters teeming with monster lake trout. Their current record is a......
Aurora Village – A Class of Its Own Aurora Village is a unique Aurora-viewing facility situated 25 minutes from downtown......
Book this entire cabin in the remote wilderness of the stunningly breath-taking, Mackenzie Mountains. This cabin is hands down the......
Create your own story. We offer a variety of services to make your Sahtu adventure a reality! We offer everything from......
Pehdzeh Ki First Nation is located in the community of Wrigley, Northwest Territories, Canada. We are a Designated Authority in......
Boat tours in the wildlife-rich Slave River delta and fishing at Taltson Big Pike Lodge....
Welcoming and friendly with a rustic charm and all modern conveniences, Grey Goose Lodge immediately catches your eye as you......
For 35 years, Sambaa K’e has offered world-class fishing on Trout Lake just north of the Northwest Territories-British Columbia border.......
Fishing and Barrenlands wildlife photography, including migrating caribou, at the Obstruction Rapids in the central Barrenlands north of Yellowknife....
To truly experience the Northwest Territories, take your camping gear for a highway driving adventure! Long ribbons of road without......
Remote naturalist’s lodge snuggled in the Mackenzie Mountains, in the largest mountain wilderness in North America. Located along the Canol......
Beaufort Sea Adventures is a family-owned and Indigenous-operated business, proudly offering Arctic experiences in Tuktoyaktuk. Our family lives and breathes the North, giving us a unique insight into the hidden gems that make Tuktoyaktuk truly special. We offer guests an authentic cultural immersion, sharing our Inuvialuit heritage, stories, and deep connection to the land and […]...
Born & raised in Inuvik, Northwest Territories our experienced lead guide Jimmy Kalinek is ready to help you discover the......
Arctic Red River Outfitters is a family run business in the Northern Mackenzie Mountains in the Northwest Territories of Canada.......
Offering Cultural tours, sport fishing, canoeing and snowmobile tours. Contact us for more information....
Join us on a subarctic adventure! Spend five nights viewing the Northern Lights, enjoying outdoor activities, and experiencing the culture......
An Arctic Barrenlands trophy fishing adventure for the serious sportsman. Located on Lynx Lake (420 km east of Yellowknife) Lynx......
Old Town Paddle & Co. are the most northern Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) outfitter in Canada....
Call us about our exciting year-round packages and experience the best of the Dehcho region and Denendeh....
Boat tours of the Mackenzie River Delta from Inuvik to Aklavik, Red Mountain and Husky Channel. Contact us for more......
Aurora viewing tours, city tours, and hikes at Cameron Falls. We book all your activities and accommodation....
Explore the wild splendor of the northern boreal plains, where whooping cranes call and bison roam free. Visitor reception centres......
Providing culturally based tours of Tuktoyaktuk with an opportunity to dip your toes in the Arctic Ocean! Ask us about......
We offer: Nature and wildlife viewing Snowmobile tours Fishing tours Boat tours Polar bear and muskox hunts. Contact us for......
We run a small all-inclusive lodge that can handle ten people at a time. From this lodge we organize hunting......
Family owned and operated tour company specializing in Arctic expedition cruising....