WHERE TO START

Step One:

First – review your goals of the trip. It is important to think about the whole group when planning your trip. How much experience does your group have, and are you looking for lots of portaging/paddling? Do you want to move to a new site everyday or just basecamp for a few, are you looking to do a loop, prefer river travel, etc. How many days are you planning and what is realistic?

Step Two:

What are your Vacation Dates? When do you want to go and for how long? We can plan a trip and outfit you for as many or as few days as you want. You must plan ahead- way ahead if you are thinking peak season- long weekends or July/Aug.

Step Three:

Plan your route. With the above information we will unroll the maps and begin planning your route through the wilderness with you. This involves selecting an entry point, canoe route and exit point, as well as informing you of fishing opportunities, historic sites, and other points of interest along your trip.

Step Four:

Reserve your Park Permit. Permits are required to enter Algonquin Park and are date and entry point (location) specific. The important thing to remember is permits are based on a quota system and are reserved on a first come, first serve basis. So, early reservations are a GOOD idea. The best time to plan a trip is in January or February. Trips can be reserved much later but you may select an entry point that is full and need to look at more than one route option.  Another important note is, group sizes are limited – up to 9 people per party. So, if you have more than 9, you need to book more than one site.

Step Five:

Select Your Outfitting Package. We offer complete or partial outfitting. We have a few complete canoe outfitting packages to choose from. Visit our outfitting page for details and pricing. If looking for food packages, you will also need to review our menu planner and choose your options.

Ready to go!

When you arrive we will review all paperwork – cross the T’s and dot the I’s. if you have booked an outfitting package we will spend a good amount of time going through all of the gear with your group. If you have only booked canoes but have questions about the gear you have, we are happy to go over your gear and options with you as well as your trip itinerary to ensure you are ready to go!

For information about booking your backcountry permits visit our Algonquin Park page.

Canoe Trip Checklist