2027: July 28 - Aug 8
120 kms (75 miles)
$13,950 CAD + 5% gst
12 Days
Canoe
Novice to Intermediate
Yellowknife, NWT
The Thelon is the most fabled river in the Arctic, and this trip takes you to where it begins. Join us on the Thelon Headwaters canoe adventure and discover the origin story of a river that has drawn Dene hunters, fox trappers, and northern paddlers for generations.
We fly into Lynx Lake, a big, clear lake at the edge of the barrenlands, famous for its lake trout and for the long sinuous eskers that arc around its southern shores. Those eskers make for some of the best hiking in the North, right at the transition from taiga to tundra. Pockets of spruce tucked in the valleys between them sheltered generations of Dene hunters watching for caribou, and the white fox trappers of the 1920s. We spend the first few days here, paddling, fishing, walking the ridges, and settling into the rhythm of the country.
Then we stand at the outlet. This is where the tundra’s longest and most storied river begins its descent to Hudson Bay, and it is one of those moments you don’t forget. You can feel the current pulling at the canoe, and you can picture everyone who has launched from this exact spot before you on the old east-west travel route across the mainland Arctic.
From there the river takes over. Over the next 60 km the Thelon drops about 60 metres, and the headwaters hold the best of it: the most spectacular falls on the entire river, and five notable rapids in the Class II–III range. There’s a single 800 metre portage around the falls and a possible second carry of 300 metres, both on open ground along established trails. We aim to camp right at the falls and at some of the rapids, so the portaging is broken up and never feels like a slog.
The best part is that the whitewater is yours to choose. Guides and paddlers with whitewater experience can run the rapids, while everyone else watches the show from shore, camera in hand, and explores on foot. Between the falls and the rapids, the Thelon settles into a relaxed current and opens into long stretches of flatwater, which leaves plenty of time for hiking, fishing, or photography.
Along the way, your guides will take you to archaeological sites where hunters waited on the Beverly caribou herd’s summer migration, a history that runs back thousands of years. Eskers rise out of the tundra like sandy ridgelines you can see for miles. This is muskox country, and herds of 10 to 25 animals are a common sight. Barrenland grizzlies and Arctic wolves patrol their old territories here, and moose and wolverines turn up too. Birders will find jaegers, merlins, bald eagles, osprey, Canada geese, and several species of loon.
What makes the Thelon special is the balance. It is the most remote river experience you can have outside of Antarctica, yet the dry, sunny interior climate delivers surprisingly good summer weather, and the paddling is easier and safer than on most Arctic rivers.
This trip suits paddlers with solid flatwater skills who want a true barrenlands expedition without needing whitewater experience to enjoy it. If you do have whitewater skills, you’ll get to use them.
Call us at 1 (867) 445-4512 for more information about our guided Thelon Headwaters canoe adventure through the central Arctic barrenlands in Canada!
This route will end where our Upper Thelon River trip will begin. For those interested in staying out for an epic 23-day wilderness trip, please contact us to learn more about discounted trip fees on this combined journey.
I always think of it's physical beauty: the green, rolling, tundra hills; the clarity of the air; the vivid blues of lakes and rivers; the sand beaches; the eskers (always the eskers); carpets of wildflowers; the crimson fall colours; the glorious, sun-drenched, arid summers; the enormous skies; the wind, the wind that is your best friend when it blows away the blackflies and your worst enemy when are immobilized by its fury. I think of the animals, the wildness of the place, and perhaps most of all, the size and scale of the wilderness. But this country is greater than the sum of its parts.
Fantastic paddling and wilderness experience in difficult-to-access part of northern Canada. Great (expert) travelling guides and great/fun company/companions all around. The quality of the camping experience (equipment, food, opportunities for hiking and experiencing wilderness, weather and the night sky) is exceptional. Jackpine Paddle is a class act.
The quality of a Jackpine Paddle trip is unsurpassed from the great guides to the beautiful environment to the great food. I would recommend anyone wanting a safe true wilderness experience should take a trip with Jackpine Paddle.
You'll start this canoe trip on Lynx Lake (south end), where you'll land in your float plane charter on Day 1, departing from Yellowknife. The 1.5 hour flight, plus potential fuel stop and other charter related logistics will take most of the day as you travel out to your remote destination. You'll set up camp, enjoy a backcountry dinner, and begin to take in your wilderness surroundings.
Your first paddling days of the trip will be spent exploring stunning esker sites on Lynx Lake. Days will be spent moving between sites, fishing the abundant waters for lake trout and arctic grayling, and hiking the tundra landscape, dotted with unique archeological sites. You will be opportunities to spot muskoxen, arctic wolves, barren land grizzlies, and even wolverines throughout this trip.
Departing Lynx Lake, you'll start your journey down the Thelon River - the birthplace of the tundra's most magnificent river that has served as a vital artery across the Arctic for generations of travellers. Along the way, we are anticipating only one 400m portage on this exploratory trip, highlighting a dramatic falls where you'll overnight for a spectacular site.
Camped just downstream from Granite Falls, at an impressive esker-backed campsite, your float plane arrives around noon to take you back to Yellowknife. You'll bid goodbye to your wilderness journey through the headwaters of the Thelon River. Back in Yellowknife, you'll meet up for a farewell dinner (after a hot shower!).
– Charter flight from Yellowknife to the Thelon River, return
– Shuttles from the airport when in Yellowknife, NWT
– Certified guides with a maximum ratio of 7:1
– Expedition canoes
– Paddles, 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 12 participants + 2 guides
– Off-river accommodations
– Commercial flights to and from Yellowknife
– Personal gear including drybag, sleeping bag, sleeping pad (available for rent)
– Meals in Yellowknife before and after the trip (Day 1 Breakfast and Day 12 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
You bet!
We are proud show off our local fresh fish recipes while on trip. The Thelon River has good fishing for arctic grayling and lake trout.
Jackpine Paddle is excited to offer Barren Ground Coffee on all of our paddling tours. Barren Ground Coffee locally-roasts fair trade and organic specialty coffee, 5 kilos at a time, on a beautiful craft roaster in Old Town, Yellowknife. Thanks to our partners at Barren Ground Coffee, we look forward to serving you the freshest roasted coffee in the Northwest Territories.
“We picked wild blueberries to top of the cheesecake” – Sophia D, Canada.
We recommend beginner whitewater experience for this trip, backed by experience paddling on multi-day expeditions on lakes or rivers, preferably in the North. You should be a solid flatwater canoeist, especially if you’ll be paddling stern. If you have deeper whitewater experience, that’s an asset: you’ll have the option to run the rapids with our guides, while others can watch from shore.
This is a remote wilderness trip, so backcountry camping experience is required.
“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 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.
Yellowknife is served by direct flights from southern hubs such as Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver with Air Canada, Westjet and Canadian North.
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 early nineties.
Depending on specific trip dates, which vary from season to season: tundra swan, red-throated loon, common loon, long-tailed jaeger, parasitic jaeger, Arctic tern, herring gull, American Robin, Northern Pintail, long-tailed duck (oldsquaws), scaups, bald eagle, willow ptarmigan, various sandpipers, common raven, rough-legged hawk, merlin, gyrfalcon, peregrine falcon, American golden plover, cliff swallow, northern shrike. white-footed goose, common merganser, white-crowned sparrow, fox sparrow, lapland longspur, golden eagle, semipalmated plover
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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