Northern Canada has some of the best rivers to kayak in the world. If you're someone who enjoys rivers that run through unpopulated land with pristine wilderness, then the Yukon and Northern Territories are a perfect place to look. Perhaps the most impressive of all of these Canadian rivers is the South Nahanni. It is the perfect mix of calm water and whitewater. It's also a long river, which makes it perfect for a long, multi-day kayaking trip.

Because it is remote, you will have to charter a plane to get there. Here is a description of the river and some information about how you are to get there.

South Nahanni River Description

The South Nahanni River is located in the Northwest Territories, in the Nahanni National Park Reserve. The river originates high up in the Mackenzie Mountains and continues on through the Selwyn mountain range until it reaches the valley and meats up with the Laird river. Depending on where in the river you launch, it might take anywhere from 7 to 14 days to travel the whole way.

You will need to secure permits with the parks department. Also, if you are not extremely experienced traveling wilderness whitewater, then it is advisable to hire a licensed guide for the trip.

This is an excellent river for those who like mountain and canyon scenery. One spectacular sight is Virginia Falls. This is an enormous waterfall that pours into the river. The falls are twice the height of the famous Niagara falls. You might also spot black bears, grizzly bears, wolves, caribou, and wolverine.

Many sections of the river are wide and afford you spectacular views of the mountains and wildlife along the shores. There is quite a bit of whitewater near the end of the river for those looking for a thrill.

This is a perfect river for multi-day trips because there are plenty of spots along the shore to camp. Pick the spots where the river opens up and is relatively flat.

Getting There

The best way to get to the head of the Nahanni river is to fly into Yellowknife, and then charter a small plan and fly into the small village of Ft. Simpson. From Ft. Simpson you will charter a small float-plane to take you on the last leg of the journey. There are no airstrips near the river, so the planes land on large flat gravel areas near the river.

At the southern end of the river you will shore up in the hamlet of Nahanni Butte. From here you can hire a water taxi to take you down the Laird river. The taxi will take you to a small town where you can arrange for a truck to take you back up the Mackenzie highway and back to Ft. Simpson. You can then charter another plane to bring you back to Yellowknife.

For more information about booking a charter plane, talk with charter companies, like Genesis Aviation Inc.