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Canoe Trip in Ontario
Embark on a canoe trip designed to inspire, educate, and help transform students through an immersive outdoor adventure.
Participants will deepen their understanding and the importance of environmental stewardship as they navigate the pristine waterways and immerse themselves in the natural landscapes.
The programming component of environmental stewardship comes in two main avenues. First, in the more classic sense, our guides will share their expertise on responsible practices such as Leave No Trace principles, ethical wildlife viewing, campsite and landscape interaction, and ways to build community with both the land and those that share it. Secondly, we believe that a deep sense of stewardship and compassion for the land comes first and foremost from developing a close, intimate relationship with nature – and our guides are primed to facilitate that relationship through nature awareness practices, activities, and programs all aimed at cultivating a sense of curiosity and wonder, which inherently leads the student finding their own unique pathway to the land. That, combined with the more ‘hard skill’ practices mentioned initially, set the stage for deeply transformative experiences in nature.
The routes, itinerary, and meal plans are all created through a collaborative effort with the school to ensure we’re meeting and exceeding expectations of students and teachers along the way.
Activities & Attractions
Through a blend of hands-on teaching and experiential practice, student will have the opportunity to learn the critical skills required for a level of comfortable competency in wilderness settings. These include, but are not limited to:
● Canoe paddling – handling, various strokes, entering and exiting, traveling in varied conditions
● Setting up camp – tent/tarp set up, scouting potential hazards, understanding the layout of the landscape as it relates to campsite set up and comfort, safe food store practices to avoid unwanted wildlife encounters
● Fire – gathering wood/wood types, fire building techniques, cooking over an open flame, and safe fire-handling practices
● Basic navigation, map and compass usage, orienteering
● Accessory skill sets, including knot tying, basic first aid, organization
● Naturalist skills, including plant identification, animal tracking, water purification, bird language, wood carving, and more.
While many of these skills bear immense value in their own right, the value of practicing them in a canoe trip context is their necessary cohesion, coming together as a collection of skills to make for more well equipped, resilient students with a deeper relationship to tending themselves, each other and the land while in nature.
Trip Details
Accommodations
03 nights camping accommodation, with communal camping equipment.
Meals
- 3 breakfasts included in tour cost.
- 4 lunches included in tour cost.
- 3 dinners included in tour cost.
Transportation
Optional Private coach transportation for arrival and departure (from GTA to canoe trip location).
Additional Personnel
1 Trip Guide and an Assistant Trip Guide every 8 participants.
Exclusives
- Creative trip programming and leadership activities
- Optional Videography and Photography
- Forever Green by Evolve Tours- Carbon Offset this whole trip (*ask for details*)
Insurance
Optional travel insurance.
Itinerary
School Canoe Trip in Ontario
Day 1:
First Day - Arrival:
11:00 AM Arrive at canoe tripping location (suggested locations: Algonquin, Frontenac, Temagami). Unload bus, gear, and canoes.
12:00 PM Skill development: Reviewing paddle strokes, canoe sterning, portaging, rescue scenarios. Swim test if required.
2:00 PM Depart on overnight Canoe Trip.
4:00 PM Arrive at campsite and set up camp.
6:00 PM Prepare dinner. Students will help prepare all meals.
8:00 PM Evening Activity.
9:30 PM Sleep at campsite.
Day 2:
Second Day - Campsite
7:30 AM Breakfast at Campsite.
8:00 AM Pack up gear and tents.
9:30 AM Depart site and continue along the planned route. The group will travel between 10-15km on average, navigating lakes, rivers and streams while carrying their canoes and gear over portages between bodies of water. Students will support one another and rely on the strength of the group and teamwork in order to complete the portages. Note – this will vary depending on the route – if basecamping (staying on the same site for more than one night), programming & day exploring will be offered throughout the day.
12:00 PM Prepare Lunch en route.
5:00 PM Arrive at site. Set up camp. Prepare dinner.
7:30 PM Eat dinner as a group.
8:00 PM Participate in an evening activity.
9:30 PM Sleep at Camp Site.
Day 3:
Final Day - Departure:
6:30 AM Wakeup, take down tents and pack
7:30 AM Breakfast at Camp Site.
8:00 AM Pack Up All Gear.
9:00 AM Depart Camp Site.
12:30 PM Lunch at Access Point in the park.
1:30 PM Debriefing and ending ceremony.
4:00 PM Pack up bus.
4:30 PM Depart.
