Day 4:

Today it’s time to begin your paddle adventure as you explore the more remote parts of Algonquin Park. You’ll spend the next three days meandering through some of the 2000 lakes and rivers of the park’s spectacular interior. The guided adventure is geared towards beginner paddlers, so no experience is needed, just a sense of adventure! You will learn some of the key skills to paddle and steer the canoe.

Upon arrival in Algonquin Park, you will obtain your permits and begin unloading equipment and packing the canoes. Your experienced canoe guide will teach you basic paddling strokes, demonstrate how to properly load and secure a canoe, and review essential safety practices, including what to do if you tip over or encounter a bear. You will also be introduced to the Algonquin Park map, learn about the park’s history, and get an overview of the areas you will explore during the four-day trip.

After the canoeing lesson, you’ll paddle downstream along a calm river that opens into Rock Lake, a stunning waterway surrounded by sheer rock faces. Some of these cliffs feature centuries-old Native pictographs, and you’ll have the chance to see them on your final day, weather permitting. At the end of Rock Lake, you will navigate a short portage around a weir, carrying gear and lightweight Kevlar canoes to the other side.

Once on Galeairy Lake, you will set up camp, including hauling canoes ashore, pitching tents, collecting firewood, and starting a campfire. There will also be time to swim or relax in the warm afternoon sun. Dinner will be freshly prepared at camp, featuring meals such as chicken fajitas and banana boats for dessert—wilderness dining at its finest.

Day 5:

After breakfast, you will pack up your campsite, load the canoes, and begin paddling toward Pen Lake. Depending on the group's composition and the season, you will choose between two route options. One option involves backtracking slightly with lots of canoeing and two short portages, while the other features less canoeing but includes one long portage and a very short one. Some may enjoy the long portage as an opportunity to hike through the forest, but most prefer the more canoe-focused route.

Day 6:

Today is a relaxation day, as you won’t be moving camp, giving you more free time to enjoy. The day typically starts with a leisurely breakfast around the campfire before heading out in empty canoes to search for moose. Early summer is an ideal time for moose sightings, as they often graze on aquatic plants, making them easier to spot along the shoreline as you paddle. For lunch, you might embark on a couple of portages to reach Welcome Lake and its expansive sandy beach, or paddle to the end of Pen Lake and do a short portage into Clydegale Lake, which offers excellent moose viewing spots. You’ll return to camp by mid-afternoon, leaving plenty of time to relax, swim, or refine your canoeing skills.

Day 7:

After an early morning breakfast, you will pack up camp and begin the canoe journey home. An early start provides an excellent opportunity to spot moose or deer as they come to the lake to drink at dawn.

Along the way, you’ll stop at a cliff face to view a Native pictograph, painted hundreds of years ago. While many of these artworks have faded due to weathering and rising water levels, this particular pictograph remains visible from your canoe.

You will typically arrive back at the parking lot around 11 a.m. After storing the canoes and gear, you will depart for Toronto, or if you have a rental car, continue your journey in Ontario. Our team can arrange car rental and a self-drive itinerary around this one.