Point Adolphus

A: Our trips are meant to be accessible to anyone in reasonably good shape. There's no need for you to have anything more than normal upper body strength and a reasonable level of general fitness. Paddling is more of a technique than a skill requiring brute strength, and your guides will work with you until you have achieved a level of skill you're comfortable with. Our trips are designed for those who have a positive outlook on life and an interest in the beauty of the wilderness. Regular exercise before any outdoor trip will always increase your level of enjoyment. If you have the time, we recommend swimming or working out with light free weights to help get your paddling muscles primed for the trip.

Q: How much paddling will we do?

A: The amount of paddling we do is based on many things. For example: weather conditions, tide and currents and how much paddling time the group wants. Generally, you can expect to paddle for about four hours a day. Even though we have a set itinerary that we like to follow, flexibility is the key to enjoying our trips. On a particularly calm day we may opt to paddle longer than usual. If we know the whales are in a particular area, we may choose to alter our course to increase our chances of seeing them. Sometimes we may stop for lunch at a beautiful point and people will want to stay to explore and hike around a bit. If possible, we will.

Q: I've never paddled before. Will this be a problem?

A: Absolutely not. Many of our guests are trying out ocean kayaking for the first time. We deliver a comprehensive sea kayak instructional session designed to acquaint you with paddling techniques and the gear we'll be using. The sport is relatively easy to learn, and within the first day or two you will have the basic paddling techniques to enable you to paddle with confidence and ease.

Q: I'm an experienced paddler. Will I have a chance to work on my skills?

A: Yes. All of our guides are experienced paddlers, and they are more than happy to work with you on the finer points of ocean kayaking. If you're interested in navigation, route selection, reading tide and current tables, or low impact camping techniques, our guides/instructors will be glad to assist you in all of these areas and more.

Q: What are your guides' qualifications?

A: They are conscientious people from all walks of life who enjoy sharing their knowledge and love of the North. They are technically skilled paddlers who are qualified in wilderness first aid, CPR and emergency procedures. They have extensive backgrounds in areas such as natural and cultural history, photography and low impact wilderness travel.

Q: What's the weather like?

A: We schedule all of our trips to coincide with the best weather for each trip location. But weather is also a chaotic phenomena. So we make sure that everyone is adequately prepared for the wide range of weather conditions they may experience. In addition to supplying you with top quality camping gear, our personal clothing list is very detailed and easy to follow. The key to having a great trip - even if the weather is refusing to cooperate - is dressing appropriately.

Q: What gear do I have to bring?

A:Nahanni River Adventures will provide you with all of the gear specific to kayaking including kayaks, paddles, lifejackets and waterproof bags for storing your clothing. All group camping equipment is provided, including tents, cooking and eating utensils, solar showers, a comprehensive wilderness first aid kit and waterproof library. You need only bring a sleeping bag, sleeping pad and clothing that is appropriate for the trip area. See our equipment list.

Q: How big are your groups?

A: We run all of our sea kayak trips with a maximum of ten participants. In addition, there will be two guides and, on some trips, an apprentice in training, bringing the total group size to a maximum of thirteen. This is in keeping with the client to guide ratio recommended by both the B.C. Alliance of Sea Kayak Guides and the Canadian Association of Sea Kayak Guides. A small group size allows us to strictly adhere to minimum impact camping techniques. As well, it ensures that participants can receive more individualized attention - definite advantage for those who would like to work on their paddling skills.

Q: What if I am travelling alone?

A: Many of our guests travel on their own. Normal groups consist of a combination of couples, singles and friends travelling together. If you're thinking of participating in one of our trips and would like to know more about the make-up of the trip, simply give our office a call.

Q: How do I get to the trip departure point?

A: We can assist you in making your travel arrangements. We have an excellent travel agent with whom we are on a non-commission basis that we recommend using. She is familiar with our trips and can make sure that all your connections run smoothly. (Master Travel: Toll Free 1-888-567-3534, Phone 780-437-0166, Fax 780-423-3355 or email jingram8@telusplanet.net) If you require extra nights at a hotel or any other information, we would be happy to assist you or make your reservations for you.

Nahanni River Adventures, Nahanni offers exceptional expeditions by raft and canoe on the great rivers from Alaska to Nunavut including: South Nahanni River, Tatshenshini River, Alsek River, Firth River, Snake River, Wind River, Stikine River, Burnside River, Coppermine River, Horton River, Mountain River, Yukon River, Taku River, Gataga River and Sea Kayaking and whale watching at Point Adolphus, Alaska, over-looking Glacier Bay National Park.

Our expeditions encompass Nahanni National Park (South Nahanni River), Kluane National Park (Alsek River), Ivvavik National Park (Firth River), Glacier Bay National Park (Alsek River), Herschel Island Territorial Park (Firth River).

Nahanni River Adventures operates in Alaska (United States of America), Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories, Nunavut and British Columbia (Canada).

Nahanni.com is the online presence of the company, Nahanni River Adventures Ltd.

Nahanni River Adventures works with the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society to ensure the environmental integrity of our wild places.

Neil Hartling, founder of Nahanni River Adventures, is also the author of: Nahanni, River of Gold...River of Dreams. Alaska to Nunavut - The Great Rivers. Nahanni River Guide. These books may all be purchased through Nahanni.com.

Common misspellings of the name are Nahani, Nahannie, Nahanie, Nahoni, Nahonni.
Nahanni River Adventures.