Canada
Canada - Canoe trip on the Big Salmon River
Canada - Canoe trip on the Big Salmon River
Duration
15 days
Start/End
Whitehorse
Tour type
Group
Level
Moderate
Accommodation
Hotel, tent (wilderness camping)
Overview
Via a chain of lakes you reach the Big Salmon River and then paddle the Yukon to Carmacks. Along the way you learn to handle easy white water up to class 2, find your way in the bush and live in camp – and with luck you see bears, moose and wolves. For paddlers with some experience.
Follow the old route of the trappers and gold seekers: This canoe trip takes you around 350 kilometers through the mountainous landscape of the southern Yukon – first across a chain of lakes, then on the Big Salmon River and finally on the Yukon to Carmacks. Along the way, you'll not only learn to master easy whitewater, but also a lot about life in the bush: how to navigate, set up camp, and what food nature provides. Something new awaits around every bend in the river, and the Big Salmon is known for its particularly abundant wildlife – bears, moose, wolves, and eagles are frequent companions. Grayling and pike bite in the clear water, and with luck, even a king salmon in late summer. The catch is prepared around a campfire in the evening – a life in harmony with nature, as pristine as it gets.
Tour Code
Tour language
EnglishItinerary
Day 1
Arrival in Whitehorse
Hotel
Individual arrival and group meeting to get acquainted. You will have the opportunity to do any last-minute shopping before the canoe trip. Overnight stay in a hotel in Whitehorse.
Arrival in Whitehorse
Day 1
Hotel
Individual arrival and group meeting to get acquainted. You will have the opportunity to do any last-minute shopping before the canoe trip. Overnight stay in a hotel in Whitehorse.
Day 2
Whitehorse – Quiet Lake
Tent
We travel by van to Quiet Lake. On the lakeshore, the guide introduces us to the different paddling techniques before we spend the first night in a tent.
Whitehorse – Quiet Lake
Day 2
Tent
We travel by van to Quiet Lake. On the lakeshore, the guide introduces us to the different paddling techniques before we spend the first night in a tent.
Days 3–13
Canoe trip on the Big Salmon River
Tent
approx. 350 km
The canoe expedition begins. On the first day of paddling, we reach the source of the Big Salmon River after a few hours, passing through Quiet, Sandy, and Big Salmon Lakes. We will be paddling this river for the next few days. Initially, we navigate many bends on this narrow river, later learning whitewater techniques to master the river's gentle rapids (up to Class II). Near Big Salmon Village, the Big Salmon River flows into the wider Yukon River, on which we will travel for the last 130 km.
Canoe trip on the Big Salmon River
Days 3–13
Tent
approx. 350 km
The canoe expedition begins. On the first day of paddling, we reach the source of the Big Salmon River after a few hours, passing through Quiet, Sandy, and Big Salmon Lakes. We will be paddling this river for the next few days. Initially, we navigate many bends on this narrow river, later learning whitewater techniques to master the river's gentle rapids (up to Class II). Near Big Salmon Village, the Big Salmon River flows into the wider Yukon River, on which we will travel for the last 130 km.
Day 14
Carmacks – Whitehorse
Hotel
We reach Carmacks, a Native American settlement on the Yukon River. This is the first time we encounter civilization again. In Carmacks, our river trip ends, and our wilderness adventure draws to a close. We travel back to Whitehorse by van along the Klondike Highway, where we relax and spend the night in a hotel.
Carmacks – Whitehorse
Day 14
Hotel
We reach Carmacks, a Native American settlement on the Yukon River. This is the first time we encounter civilization again. In Carmacks, our river trip ends, and our wilderness adventure draws to a close. We travel back to Whitehorse by van along the Klondike Highway, where we relax and spend the night in a hotel.
Day 15
Departure from Whitehorse
Transfer to the airport or individual onward travel program. (As this is an expedition-style trip, short-notice changes to the itinerary are possible and at the discretion of the guide.)
Departure from Whitehorse
Day 15
Transfer to the airport or individual onward travel program. (As this is an expedition-style trip, short-notice changes to the itinerary are possible and at the discretion of the guide.)
Services
What's included
2 hotel nights in a double room in Whitehorse
12 nights in a tent (2-person tents)
All meals during the canoe trip
Airport transfers in Whitehorse
Experienced guide throughout the entire trip
All necessary transport
Canoes and camping equipment
5 – 10 participants
What's not included
Individual travel to and from the destination (we are happy to put together a suitable offer)
Travel insurance (we are happy to put together an individual offer)
Personal equipment
Visa and vaccinations, if required (eTA/ESTA for entry)
Tips
Meals in the hotels
Fishing licence
Personal extras
Character of the trip
Fitness
Moderate
Altitude
Low
Culture / nature
Pure nature
Technically, the Big Salmon River isn't overly demanding, but you should have some prior camping and canoeing experience and be able to paddle a canoe. A solid level of fitness is essential for approximately twelve days of paddling and about 350 kilometers of river.
The narrow, winding river with easy whitewater up to Class 2 requires attention – the guide will teach you the necessary techniques along the way. This is complemented by short hikes in the Big Salmon Mountains and the daily loading and unloading of the canoes.
The food is deliberately simple and often supplemented with fish caught by the campers themselves. The campsite is far from any civilization – everyone pitches in with setting up camp and cooking.
Dates and prices
Group dates
Optional
Single room/single tent supplement
€290.00
per person
Notes on the trip
Minimum age
12 years – Young people aged 12 to 17 receive a 35% discount on the regular price.
Requirements
Basic knowledge of wilderness travel and canoe steering is required; there is easy whitewater up to class 2 along the way.
Notice
This is an expedition-style trip – short-term changes to the itinerary are therefore possible and at the discretion of the guide, for example in the event of changes in weather or water levels.
Group size
5-10 participants per session.
Notice in accordance with EU Directive 2015/2302:
This trip is not suitable for people with reduced mobility.