Arrival in Edmonton, transfer to hotel. Meet guide(s) and other members of the group. We check over all personal equipment to make sure everyone is properly equipped and prepared. In the evening dinner and discussion with your guide(s) of the detailed tour itinerary for the following three weeks.

Very early start, we must cover a distance today by van of approximately 1400 km from Edmonton to Fort Simpson in the Northwest Territories. We load up all equipment, arriving late in Fort Simpson. Our first night we camp near Fort Simpson. (Alternatively a flight can be booked from Edmonton to Fort Simpson and meeting up with the guide and equipment on the morning of day 2.)

Charter flight from Fort Simpson to Moose Ponds at the base of Mount Wilson. The flight provides breathtaking views of mountains, tundra, and the Mackenzie River. We camp our first night on the edge of these picturesque small lakes.

Today we have the opportunity to explore the surrounding area. We will also spend time practicing paddling skills to make sure everyone is ready for the upcoming river. There is the possibility of hiking up Mount Wilson for amazing views of the surrounding area and wildlife.

Flowing out of the Moose Ponds, the Nahanni is nothing more than a small stream. Over the next couple of days, the river grows considerably, and for the following 40-50 km, the Nahanni tumbles through the Rock Gardens, a continual stretch of class II to III rapids which provides excitement, challenge, and some fun whitewater.

Nach dem Zusammenfluss mit dem Kleinen Nahanni schwillt der Fluss deutlich an. Auf dieser Strecke fliesst der Nahanni durch die massive Ragged Range, vorbei am Gap bis zum Britnell Creek, Tor zum weltberühmten Kletterbereich des Cirque of the Unclimbables. Wir passieren auch die imposanten Vampire Berge, und besuchen die Moore's Cabin und die Moore's Hot Springs.

We enter Nahanni National Park and stop at Rabbitkettle Lake. Here we spend an afternoon taking a swim in the lake or going on an interpretive hike to explore the Rabbitkettle Warm Springs and the 10,000-year-old tufta mounds.

Over the next two days, the Nahanni is characterized by an easy pace, with wide u-turns and flowing valleys. This affords for easy paddling as we follow the smooth Nahanni for the next 120 km through wide glacier-cut valleys until we reach Virginia Falls.

We take a well-deserved rest day at Virginia Falls. A vertical drop of over 90 meters makes Virginia Falls twice as high as Niagara and an awe-inspiring sight. You can feel the vibrations from the millions of cubic meters of water thundering over the falls. Options include a hike up Blood Mountain.

We spend the day portaging our boats and equipment 1.25 km to the base of the falls. We repack and put in on the first of the four canyon sections of the lower Nahanni. This 147 km stretch between Virginia Falls and Kraus Hotsprings is referred to as the "Grand Canyon" of the north with elevation differences of up to 1400 meters from water level to canyon top. The Fourth Canyon may treat us (depending on water level) with some sections of class II to III rapids.

Day 16: Today we enter the imposing Third Canyon, and aim to camp at The Gate, a key feature throughout this unforgettable stretch. Here the river makes a sharp hairpin turn, silently squeezing through a narrow chasm flanked by Pulpit Rock, a vertical limestone wall 460 meters high. A short hike to the top of The Gate and Pulpit Rock rewards hikers with magnificent views of the canyon and the Nahanni deep below.

We complete the final 35 km of the Third Canyon and paddle towards the Second Canyon. Here the Nahanni has carved its path through the Headless Mountain Range; once past the Second Canyon, the river suddenly opens as we enter Deadman’s Valley, our destination for the day. Named for the mysterious disappearance of the McLeod Brothers, the valley is shrouded in legend and mystery, yet provides excellent camping for the night.

We run the remaining rapids of the river, known as George’s Riffle, and continue on into the final and most imposing canyon section of the Nahanni. With heights reaching over 1400 meters, the First Canyon is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Hundreds of caves, some with passages over 30 km in length, dot the canyon walls along this stretch of river. We camp close to the end of the canyon or try and make for Kraus hot springs.

At Kraus hot springs, we enjoy a relaxing dip. This marks the end of the Nahanni’s canyon sections and rewards paddlers with an enjoyable and well-deserved soak in the small natural gravel pools overlooking the river, with average temperatures between 35 and 37 degrees C. From here the Nahanni opens onto the greater Liard River Valley. The section of river below Kraus hot springs is known as the Splits. From here the Nahanni leisurely meanders another 65 km until it reaches the confluence with the Liard River and the small native settlement of Nahanni Butte.

We reach the confluence of the Nahanni and the Liard and arrive at the small native village of Nahanni Butte (population approx. 100). To save us a day’s paddle down the mighty but tranquil Liard River, we take a motorboat ferry from Nahanni Butte to Blackstone Landing (the final take-out point for our journey). At our arrival a celebration and meal reward us for our three-week adventure.