Doing anything interesting this summer? We are excited to share our staycation canoe trips with you! Tinde’e (Great Slave Lake)…is great. It’s one of the largest and wildest big lakes left in the world. Northerners are lucky – this is our backyard. Contact us at (867) 445 4512 to learn more about our 3 and 5 day guided canoe trips on Great Slave Lake.
No problem if you prefer to use a kayak for this trip!
Skill Level: Novice. Paddling experience is an asset but this trip is suitable for new paddlers. Also great for families!
Distance: 50-75 kms
Trip Fees: $1350 + gst (adult), $750 + gst (children under 16 – must be accompanied)
To explore the fabled East Arm of Great Slave Lake by canoe, check out our Red Cliff Island canoe adventure.
We are especially fond of the North Arm. To show you our most spectacular spots on the North Arm, check out our 5-day canoe trip options:
The Trout Rock area is a guide’s secret in the North Arm (shhhhhhh…don’t tell anyone!). As you paddle past impressive islands of glacier carved Precambrian granite, you are getting some real remote wilderness vibes. The place is spectacular for canoe trips and we look forward to showing you the best of it.
Getting there is also cool. At 30km out of town down the highway, you’ll launch your canoe in the sheltered waters of Boundary Creek. As you follow your guide through the creek, it winds through a rich boreal forest home to wildlife and waterfowl. After few short portages and easy, fun rapids you open up to the impressive expanse of Great Slave Lake. Heading northwest takes you deeper into the North Arm and to Trout Rock.
Boundary Creek is 15 km long and as our access in and out of the North Arm will be the first and final days (1 & 5) of this canoe trip. During days 2-4 we’ll have flexibility over where we camp and the distance we cover to explore the Trout Rock area. This will depend on the winds & weather + the interest & ability of our group.
2025 Dates: May 18 – 22
Departing from Yellowknife in a morning of Day 1, you’ll paddle south on a guided canoe trip to the numerous rocky islands guarding the entrance to Yellowknife Bay. As you enjoy panoramic views of Great Slave Lake, your friendly guides will prepare delicious and nutritious backcountry meals on an open fire.
Camping in a new site each night, you’ll paddle around 10-15 kms each day. You’ll be able to take advantage of free time in the evenings for fishing, reading, swimming, photography (or whatever you want!) on this active vacation.
We’ll have a chance to explore the fabled Sub & West Mirage Islands as well as the protected waters of Baker Island.
On Day 5, you’ll paddle back to Yellowknife, arriving in the afternoon. Get ready to share your stories from your canoe trip on Great Slave Lake!
*A variation on this route is also to paddle from Boundary Creek back to YK.
2025 Dates: June 27 – July 1
Interested in brushing up on your canoe skills? Check out our canoe course line-up!
Looking for a longer trip on Great Slave Lake? Learn more about our North Arm or East Arm kayak expeditions!
Great 2 night/ 3 day staycation paddle to the North Arm. Amazing scenery and amazing food! Highly recommend!
– Certified guides with a maximum ratio of 7:1
– Paddling splash tops
– Expedition canoes
– Paddle & lifejacket
– 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 (based on double occupancy, extra fee for solo)
– Hearty and nutritious meals including snacks while on trip
– Personal gear including drybag, sleeping bag, sleeping pad (avaliable for rent)
– Meals in Yellowknife before and after the trip (First Day Breakfast and Last Dinner)
– Gratuity for guides
– Wine or spirits
– Road transportation to Boundary Creek for the 5-day trip (we can assist with car-pooling)
– 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 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. There is great pike (jackfish) fishing along our route.
Jackpine Paddle is excited to offer Barren Ground Coffee on all of our paddling tours. Barren Ground Coffee locally-roasts fair trade and organic speciality 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.
Paddling experience is an asset but this trip is suitable for new paddlers. Also great for families!
For more experienced paddlers looking to cover more ground, we have the option of canoeing all the way from Boundary Creek to Yellowknife on the 5-day Canoe 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
Age is a mindset, and canoeing and kayaking is an activity that is truly for everyone. Age is not important. What counts are your spirit and that you are reasonably fit. We have had people paddle with us on canoe trips in their mid-eighties.
We understand that life happens and plans to take trips sometimes have to change.
On our end, trips do fill up and sometimes we have to turn guests away.
We also may purchase equipment/food/supplies & book guides for your trip in advance.
Before you register for an expedition, please ensure each participant for whom you will be submitting a 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 trip fees to be paid online, done through the “Book Now” button on the trip webpage.
Your payment is fully refundable up to 90 days prior to your expedition start date. On this date, 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.