2025: Aug 1 - 14
300 km (186 miles)
$13, 895 CAD + 5% gst
14 Days
Canoe
Novice to Intermediate to Advanced
Inuvik, NWT
The Lower Horton River is beautiful tundra trip in true wilderness. Opportunities to fish for lake trout, arctic grayling and arctic char are plentiful in the cold, clear waters of the Lower Horton River and it’s tributary streams. As you’ll be paddling in the remote Arctic, chances at spotting large animals such as caribou, arctic wolves, grizzly bears and muskoxen are excellent. And if you are lucky, a wolverine! All the way down the river, animal tracks along the riverbanks will remind you that wildlife is never far away.
You’ll have a chance to go for evening hikes from most camps. The tundra is filled with flowers such as Labrador Tea, Alphine Phlox, Paintbrush and Mountain Aven. Unique fossils can be found in many of the rocks near our campsites.
On the lower Horton River, three limestone canyons offer sections of rapids and spectacular rock formations including towers, arches and steep cliffs. Peregrine and Gyrfalcons will often launch from their nests on the cliffs of these canyons as we paddle by. You’ll enjoy scenic tundra views along the river in this unique Arctic environment.
As your 300km trip progresses, we’ll exit the canyons and enter immense serpentine oxbows as the river winds through an open plain. With trees left behind us for good, you’ll paddle through the Horton Badlands and Smoking Hills area. There are dramatic colours in the hills. The smoke is caused by burning shale and mudrock, when iron-sulphide pyrite (fool’s gold) is rapidly exposed to oxygen via coastal erosion. This oxidation of the pyrite creates heat and cooks the organic-rich bedrock, causing it to spontaneously ignite. The area is believed to have been burning since ice retreated from the area at the end of the last glaciation (12,000 years ago).
From your last camp on the Horton River, we’ll have a chance to hike to the Arctic coast and dip in the Arctic Ocean (optional!). You’ll be treated to a sweeping, panoramic vista of Franklin Bay. If you are lucky, a pod of Beluga whales may swim by, as the bay is rich in marine life.
Call us at 1 (867) 445-4512 for more information about our guided Lower Horton River canoe adventure through the tundra in Canada!
We are offering the Lower Horton in 2025 as our next departure. For a comparable trip in the region, check out our guided Coppermine River trip – confirmed for 2024!
Ask us about discounted trip fees if you have interest in joining our Upper Horton River journey for a total 25 day, 600 km guided canoe expedition to the Arctic Ocean!
This was due to the terrific organization and skill of Jackpine Paddle. We would travel anywhere with them.
Departing from Inuvik, our float plane air charter will take up a good amount of our first day. We will not likely travel far, if at all, on the Horton River during the first day of this trip. We'll set up camp near the confluence with the Whaleman River and begin to take in our beautiful wilderness surroundings. During this evening and others on this trip, participants will have plenty of time to pursue their interests whether they be photography, fishing, hiking, birding, wildlife-spotting or swimming.
The first part of our trip takes us through three canyons on the Horton River, downstream of our landing spot at the Whaleman River confluence. We'll have a chance to scout and run rapids in first and second canyons, and roll up our sleeves for a short 200m portage in the third canyon (the only one of the trip). The canyons offer a spectacular landscape featuring hawks and falcons nesting on the limestone rock cliffs. Unique pillars and interesting rock formations are common in this part of the trip.
Stopping at creeks for a chance to fish for arctic grayling, lake trout or arctic char in the cold, clear water of canyons, we paddle our way into the Badland Region of the Smoking Hills. The smoke is caused by burning shale and mudrock, when iron-sulphide pyrite (fool’s gold) is rapidly exposed to oxygen via coastal erosion. During our final days, we paddle through this distinctive geological phenomenon at the end of the Horton River. We are surrounded by tall hills with steeply eroded conical shapes nearly devoid of vegetation.
At our last camp we hike to the Arctic Ocean and offer a chance to those brave enough to swim in the icy arctic waters! The next day our float plane arrives around noon to take us back to Inuvik. We say goodbye to this highly unique place of rich wildlife. Back in Inuvik, we meet up for a farewell dinner and cold beers (after hot showers)!
– Charter flight from Inuvik to the Horton River, return
– Two nights of accommodation in Inuvik (double occupancy, extra fee for single)
– Shuttles from the airport when in Inuvik
– Certified guides with a maximum ratio of 5:1
– Expedition canoes
– Paddle, lifejacket, and paddling helmet
– Group gear for each expedition (tarp, kitchen equipment, utensils, water filtration, etc)
– Expedition first aid kit and canoe repair kit
– Emergency satellite phone, two-way radios for guide staff
– Expedition tent (double occupancy, extra fee for solo)
– Hearty and nutritious meals including snacks while on trip
– Group will be limited to 10 participants + 2 guides
– Off-river accommodations in Yellowknife, Edmonton and Inuvik (beyond one night before and after the trip)
– Commercial flights to Inuvik, return
– Personal gear including drybag, sleeping bag, sleeping pad (avaliable for rent)
– Meals in Inuvik before and after the trip (Day 1 Breakfast and Day 14 Dinner)
– Gratuity for guides
– Wine or spirits
– Insurance including evacuation, medical and trip cancellation
– Northwest Territories fishing licence available online
Really good. We’ve fine-tuned a delicious, nutritious and well-balanced backcountry menu of unique and tasty dishes from years of expedition tripping – and look forward to sharing it with you. Our flexible menu can accommodate vegetarian and gluten-free preferences, and will be tailored in advance for participants on each trip. Guests are always welcome to join guides in cooking and learn to cook our authentic, backcountry recipes.
Breakfast will include fresh fruit and a main course, like eggs and bacon or blueberry pancakes. Lunch features locally-smoked sausages, fruit, hummus, salads, breads and naan with a spread of cheese, jams, and a variety of nut butters. Dinner will offer an hors d’oeuvres, main course, and dessert! Snacking will take place throughout the day.
“Five-star campsites, with gourmet meals included” – Dave S, USA
This trip is suitable for beginner to advanced paddlers. Technical rapids in the canyons are a thrill for paddlers with some whitewater experience. Experienced guides will assist novices to have a safe trip. Back-country camping experience is required as this is an extremely remote wilderness trip. If you are interested in this trip, but are unsure of your paddling abilities, please contact our office.
Paddlers must have sufficient strength to paddle up to 6 hours in strong headwinds that may develop on this trip.
“Our guide was always thinking, keeping the abilities of his clients in the forefront” – Kim M, USA
A detailed personal clothing and gear checklist , specific to your trip,
will be emailed to you in a registration email.
Check out the Youtube videos below with our tips and advice for packing your gear and personal clothes:
Essential Gear – Packing Tips for a Canoe or Kayak Trip
Clothes & Outwear – Packing Tips for a Canoe or Kayak Trip
Before you register for an expedition, please ensure each participant for whom you will be submitting a deposit payment (including yourself) has carefully reviewed the following:
– our Safety & Risk Awareness webpage
– information on your trip webpage (inclusions, exclusions, dates, etc)
– our Liability Waiver
Once you have reviewed the information above and you are comfortable with proceeding, we require a 10% deposit of the trip fee and online booking form completed, done through the “Book Now” button on the trip webpage.
Your trip deposit is fully refundable up to 90 days prior to your expedition start date. On this date, your remaining trip fees are due and all payments become non-refundable.
Once your expedition is within 90 days of departure we are unable to offer a refund for any reason if you cancel your participation.
Please read carefully: Should your expedition departure have to be cancelled, postponed or altered by a force majeure (including but not limited to: weather, poor visibility, or mechanical breakdown causing delayed or cancelled charter flights or helicopter journeys, fire, flood, pandemic, highway closures, community evacuations, ongoing or newly introduced travel ban or government statement), Jackpine Paddle and its partner operators are not obligated to provide a refund or offer alternative travel services.
We strongly encourage you to purchase:
1) Emergency Medical/Evacuation Insurance,
2) Trip Interruption Insurance and
3) Trip Cancellation Insurance – so that you are covered in the event of an unexpected change of plans.
To review our complete Terms & Conditions for Booking, Payment, and Cancellation – please click here.
Inuvik is served by flights from Yellowknife and Whitehorse, which are connected to major Canadian airports such Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.
Age is a mindset, and canoeing is an activity that is truly for everyone. Age is not important. What counts is your spirit and that you are reasonably fit. We have had people paddle with us in their mid-eighties.
If you are a single paddler, you are more than welcome to join us on one of our trips.
There are additional fees if you opt for a solo tent, or local accommodations when provided – as these are based on double-occupancy.
Our trips typically have 2-3 guests who are traveling alone, so you will have the opportunity to meet and paddle with other like-minded individuals. Our guides are skilled at organizing paddling partners based on skill level and personality, ensuring that each trip is safe and enjoyable for all.
One of the best parts of our guided trips is the chance to meet and get to know other paddlers. We hope to see you on one of our trips soon.
If you have questions, we are happy to answer them!
You can get in touch with us at the bottom of this page, or at info@jackpinepaddle.com.
To check out our detailed Getting Started trip planning resource, click here!
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