Thelon River, Nunavut, Northwest Territories, Canada; Rafting

A Canadian Heritage River, the Thelon River in Canada’s Northwest Territories originates in spruce-lined valleys, winding its way through a network of alpine lakes and finally emptying into Baker Lake and Chesterfield Inlet. The Thelon River is the largest river in Nunavut and flows over 900 kilometers across the Northwest Territory’s Mackenzie District.

The Thelon River’s barrenlands, long-time home to the Inuit, have been undisturbed for centuries. A raft or canoe trip on the Thelon includes the opportunity to experience past and present Inuit culture. Inuit markers or “inukshuk” can be seen frequently - a pile of rocks standing quite visibly as a Inuit marker of land and water routes, caribou migratory paths and river crossings, fishing spots, campsites, lookouts, and food caches. The remains of Inuit campsites are found all along theThelon River, testament to the Thelon area’s heritage as the homeland of the nomadic Caribou Inuit. Archaelogical sites, structures and artifacts which include tent rings, stone fox traps, kayak stands, graves, hunting blinds and quartzite flakes used as scrapers, are plentiful but are protected under federal and Nunavut laws and must be left undisturbed. Today, for the Inuit of the village of Baker Lake, the Thelon River remains a vital source of caribou, fish and spiritual renewal.

The pristine wilderness surrounding the Thelon River and its forest-tundra support a unique array of boreal and arctic species and include some of Canada's most important northern ecosystems. Paddlers are treated to sightings of neighboring muskox, white wolves, soaring gyrfalcons, wandering grizzly bears and vast herds of migrating caribou. The natural highlights of the Thelon include herds numbering in the hundreds of thousands of migrating caribou, the largest flock of Canada geese in Nunavut, a rare inland colony of lesser snow geese, the breeding ground for the peregrine falcon, gyrfalcon and rough-legged hawk and the habitat for the rare wolverine, arctic fox and arctic wolf. Moose and muskox are also found in abundance in this area. The Thelon Wildlife Sanctuary has been an important factor in the renewal of the muskox as a species which had almost disappeared by the turn of the century due to overhunting.

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.