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Home Story Nahanni: The Ultimate Summer Staycation
People dock their canoes on the shore in Nahanni National Park in the NWT

Nahanni: The Ultimate Summer staycation

From mountains and boreal forests to the Arctic tundra and whitewater rapids, the North has no shortage of adventures waiting for you. Even those who’ve lived here their whole lives have a hard time seeing it all, which makes an NWT staycation the perfect opportunity to experience everything that makes this territory so unique.

That’s what Kaitlyn Vician did last summer. She and 13 of her closest friends embraced the uncertainty of 2020 with an epic NWT staycation, paddling and hiking their way through the Nahanni National Park Reserve.

The once-in-a-lifetime trip by this tight-knit group of Northerners—many of whom have known each other since kindergarten—was actually planned prior to most travel options outside the territory being shut down. But those restrictions worked out just fine for Vician and her besties to get out and explore their own backyard.

“How could you live here your whole life and not do a paddling trip in the Nahanni?” asks the born-and-raised Yellowknifer.

A group camping in Nahanni National Park int he Northwest Territories

Preparation began with a whitewater training course in Hay River and Kakisa, organized by Jackpine Paddle. Though she’s practically grown up in canoes, Vician didn’t have much whitewater experience and says the training came in handy once they were on their own.

“I would 100 per cent recommend doing a whitewater course if you’ve never done whitewater before,” she says with a laugh.

The group started their journey in Fort Simpson, having rented gear from Black Feather Adventures, and staying at the Mackenzie Rest Inn before flying into the national park reserve with South Nahanni Airways. Half of the group, though, actually started a couple of weeks earlier, eager to take on the more challenging rapids of Broken Skull River.

“It was so amazing and everything we hoped it would be,” says Aimee Guile, an experienced paddler who was on that first leg of the expedition. “We were right on the edge of our comfort zone.”

Vician and her other friends joined with Guile’s group at Rabbitkettle Lake, as they took on the South Nahanni River. The group camped by the awe-inspiring Virginia Falls, hiked up Sunblood Mountain, scaled The Gate (to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack, of course) and wandered around the water pools behind Lafferty’s Creek.

A person stand on a cliff in at the Cirque of Unclimbables Nahanni National Park reserve in the Northwest territories

Standing next to the clear blue waves of Glacier Lake, in the shadow of the Cirque of the Unclimbables, brought such joy, says Guile, at a time when everything in the world felt up in the air.

“In those moments, all you can feel is happiness.”

Spending three weeks in nature with your closest friends, that’s always going to be memorable. But doing so in your own home territory makes it even more special.

“It’s easy to use your vacation to go somewhere else, but really there’s so much in our backyards here to explore and to experience,” says Guile. “You could paddle a different river every year for who knows how long and never have the same experience twice… There’s no reason to leave. We’re pretty lucky here.”

Of course you don’t have to spend a month-long trip paddling through the Nahanni to enjoy its breathtaking scenery. There are day trips to Virginia Falls and flightseeing tours from above from folks like Air Tindi and Simpson Air.

Regardless of how you get out and see it, now is the perfect time to explore the land around you with the people you love. There’s no better way to spend a summer.

Nahanni, NWT, Canoe, Nahanni Park_2024_Nahanni River Adventures

Nahanni Canyons from Virginia Falls - 12 Day Rafting Trip

Nahanni River Adventures

Activities

Arctic Char Arctic Grayling Aurora Birding Boat Tours Camping Canoeing and Kayaking Experienced Paddling Fall Aurora Fishing Fly Fishing Hiking Tours Inconnu Lake Trout Nahanni to Dehcho Nature and Wildlife Nature Photography Nature Tours Northern Pike Novice Paddling Paddling Rafting Road Trips Tours White Water

This trip takes you through some of the iconic features for which this historic river is renowned, including Canada's deepest canyons and Nailicho / Virginia Falls - twice the height of Niagara! Our Nahanni River 12-day trip covers the same distance as our seven day trip but allows more time for additional hiking and exploring, as well as savouring the beauty of the Nahanni Valley area because… why rush if you don’t have to?...

$10,595

CAD + 5% GST + $220.48 CAD National Park fees.
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Summer Fishing Adventure

Blachford Lodge

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All-Inclusive Lodges Canoeing and Kayaking Fishing Housekeeping Lodges Lake Trout Nature and Wildlife Northern Pike Stand up Paddling

Summer Adventure & Relaxation Welcome to your summer getaway, north of 60. Far from the noise and bustle of any city, Blachford Lodge is happy to be your home away from home in the summer months. Bask in the midnight sun (yup, you can read a book outside all night long!), catch a trophy fish, […]...

Starting at

$2,997

CAD + 5% GST + Per Person + $499 Air Charter + Gratuities (10%)

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Welcome to Blachford Lodge. Aurora watchers and stargazers agree there are few better places to see the Aurora than Blachford Lodge. From mid-August, when night skies turn a velvety black to late October when the lake begins to freeze, Blachford guests can be treated to late night shows of the northern lights. On calm nights […]...

Starting at

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paddling the Nahanni River canyons in NWT with Black Feather

Nahanni River 14 Day "Classic"

Black Feather – The Wilderness Adventure Company

Activities

Canoeing and Kayaking Experienced Paddling White Water

The two week Nahanni River (Nahʔą Dehé) trip is the most popular canoe expedition on the Nahanni River. It offers the perfect opportunity to paddle the highlights of the Nahanni (Nahʔą Dehé). You may get to hike to the rare Tufa Mounds - the largest "warm-spring" tufa formation in the north, and will definitely reach the awe-inspiring Virginia Falls (Náįlįcho), and paddle through four canyons that are, in places, deeper than the Grand Canyon!...

$9,495

CAD + 5% GST + Per Person + National Park Fee
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A person photograph a muskox in the Northwest territories

Guided Canoe Trip in Thaidene Nene National Park (12 days)

Jackpine Paddle

Activities

Birding Canoeing and Kayaking Experienced Paddling Lake Trout Nature Photography Nature Tours Novice Paddling On the Land White Water

This is our top trip for spectacular campsites and world-class hiking opportunities in a very remote tundra wilderness. Our guided Eileen River/Sled Creek canoe adventure offers exclusive access to one of the best wilderness wildlife trips in the Northwest Territories!...

$12,275

CAD + 5% GST + Per Person
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Nahanni River Adventures a big group of hikers in the Nahanni National Park in the Dehcho region

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Multi-day Trips Summer

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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....

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Northwest Territories Tourism acknowledges that we are located in Chief Drygeese territory. From time immemorial, it has been the traditional land of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, and more recently, the homeland of the North Slave Métis Alliance. We respect the histories, languages, and cultures of Inuit, First Nations, Metis, and all First Peoples of the NWT and Canada, whose presence and cultures continue to enrich our vibrant communities.

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