Ottawa River Wilderness Expedition
4-Days | Rafting, Multi-Sport, and Camping
Experience one of North America’s most iconic rivers on a fully guided 4-day expedition.
Warm water, fun rapids, riverside wilderness camping, and Boreal River’s exceptional guides create an unforgettable adventure for your family, group of friends, or company team.
For all experience levels: Only 90 minutes from Ottawa — this is one of the best, most accessible whitewater expeditions on the planet!
Set departures 2026
$1,695 per person ($1,495 youth ages 12-16)
Dates: July 23-26
Minimum age: 12 (all skill levels)
Max group size: 15 / Guide ratio: 5:1
Private group trips
Group pricing (per person):
12-15 people : $1,995
16-20 people : $1,795
21-25 people : $1,470
Minimum age: 5 (with a private group)
Meeting location
L’île-du-Grand-Calumet, Québec
Itinerary
Day 1 — Meet, raft, settle into camp
- Meet on L’Île-du-Grand-Calumet at 12:00 PM*
*Note: for private groups, we can adjust meeting times and we can also add-on transport service from Ottawa (90 mins), Toronto (4.5hrs), or Montreal (3.5hrs). - You park your vehicle at our meeting spot for the 4 days — we shuttle everybody a short distance to the river put-in
- Welcome! Meet all of your guides and the group
- We’ll show you how to pack (we provide a large drybag) and suit up for the river
- Riverside lunch
- Whitewater safety briefing
- Raft the Middle Channel to The Rivercamp
- Learn and practice maneuvering the raft as a team with your expert guide
- Raft the first rapids of the trip: Iron Ring or Little Trickle, S-Bend, Angel’s Kiss or Butterfly, Garvin’s Chutes, Upper and Lower Ostrum’s — as we make our way downstream to the camp
- Along the way: raft surfing, swimming/floating calm sections
- Spot eagles and herons
- Arrive at camp, set up tents
- We’ll show you our systems and features for life around camp : toilets, hand washing, filtered water, campfire, trails, hammocks, etc.
- Dinner, campfire, and settle into life with the river!
Day 2 — The Super Loop
- Breakfast at camp
- Light daypack: lunch, sunscreen, water
- Paddle across flat water from camp to a huge island
- 1-hour hike across island to The Lost Channel
- Paddle to the start of the Main Channel
- Run the big-volume Main Channel rapids: The Lorne, Push Button, Butcher’s Knife, Lunch Stop Waves, Norman’s, Coliseum, Dog’s Leg / Centre Slot, and Farmer’s
- Riverside lunch along the way
- Tons of opportunities for more surfing and learning whitewater as we go
- After the last rapids, we have a short paddle, then a hike to make it back to The Rivercamp — a full day of adventure under our own power!
- Free time: hammock, fishing, river hangout
- Dinner, stargazing, and campfire
- We bring a guitar and other instruments if anyone in your group is musical — some of our guides dabble in rock stardom
Day 3 — Inflatable Kayaking & River Skills
- Breakfast
- Inflatable kayaking progression — learn to run rapids in stable, fun solo boats
- Optional riverboarding
- Riverside lunch at a swimming spot
- Afternoon tailored to your goals: skills, challenge, or mellow exploration
- Final dinner and fireside celebration
Day 4 — Downstream Run & Gentle Rapid Swim
- Breakfast and pack up
- Raft and kayaraft downstream
- Optional: more whitewater instruction and running of the Middle Channel rapids in kayarafts
- Swim the gentle “Hell’s Half Mile”
- Lunch at the river takeout or along the way
- 15-minute shuttle back to your vehicles
- Depart around 1:30 PM
The river map
Location
Incredible nature, conveniently close to the city:
90 min from Ottawa • 3.5 hrs from Montréal • 4.5 hrs from Toronto
Meet your guides and park your vehicles in Tancredia, on L’île-du-Grand-Calumet, Québec: See Google Map directions
Connect with an incredible river
Flowing 1271km from its source in the boreal forests of Québec to where it meets the St. Lawrence near Montreal, the Ottawa is an important waterway full of history and life.
World-class whitewater
The section that you’ll experience on this trip is a ‘whitewater mecca’.
Only about 100km upstream of Parliament Hill, a magical wilderness of warm water channels weave through wooded islands of towering pines.
This section has hosted multiple kayak and raft world championships, and is famous for its playful features and big, friendly waves.
With the Middle Channel, Main Channel, and maze of side channels, it’s like having many rivers in one, all right at our (tent) door.
Incredible rapids, all season long
Because it’s such a large, multi-channel river, the Ottawa always has fun waves and features at every water level — spring, summer, and fall
Enjoy whitewater with experienced guides
Whether it’s your first time in whitewater or you’ve been paddling for years, your guides are experts at giving each person the right amount of challenge, while setting you up for success and a positive experience with the river.
By far, the biggest factor in overall safety is your guides’ judgment and skill. That comes from decades of combined training and experience on rivers around the world, and a culture of continuous learning.
Safety and credentials you can trust
Our safety standards are industry-leading:
- Max 5:1 participant-to-guide ratio on whitewater — including a dedicated safety kayaker on each trip.
- Each trip has two guides with 10+ seasons of whitewater guiding (most have 15+ seasons)
- AED, extensive first aid kits, and two satellite communication devices on every trip
- Guides are certified as Wilderness First Responders (80-hour advanced medical training) and Whitewater Rescue Technicians Level III. Many are instructors with our sister company, Boreal River Rescue.
- We have well-developed safety and evacuation plans that our guide team practices regularly.
The bottom line: throughout the trip, take comfort knowing you’ll have good people nearby.
Connect with the river, your group, and yourself
Exclusive setting
We only guide one group at a time on the Ottawa River.
We cap our ‘set departure trips’ (open registration) at 15 participants plus 4 to 5 guides. Private groups can have up to 25 people plus 6 to 7 guides.
During the day, we’ll likely see other people on the river (it’s not unusual to get to watch world champion kayakers surfing waves). But our itinerary is uniquely different from most other rafters and kayakers.
We can take time as a group to stop where we want to, scout rapids, play in the river to our hearts’ content, and take it all in.
The Rivercamp is our private wilderness campsite — surrounded by hundreds of acres forest and water in every direction — which your group will have to itself.
Solo time in nature
But this trip isn’t only about group time.
You’ll also have the chance to step away from the action if you’d like: stretch out in the sun on bedrock by the river, sit quietly in the woods with your senses wide open, or recline in a hammock or your tent with a good book.
The magic of a river expedition
Small group wilderness adventures allow us to:
- Bond as a family, group of friends, or company team
- Reset from screens and schedules
- Check in with yourself and enjoy some quiet, personal time
Whether you’re seeking the camaraderie, some alone time, or a bit of both, the river is an ideal place to slow down and reconnect.
The Ottawa Rivercamp
This is the only Ottawa rafting trip where you’re truly wilderness camping.
The Rivercamp is tucked into the forest right beside the Middle Channel and is only accessible by raft or by hiking in — no road access, no vehicle noise, no crowds. It feels remote, and we use the same high-quality expedition equipment we use on longer river journeys.
Good sleep
We sleep in expedition tents, nestled among the trees with the sound of moving water as our backdrop.
You’ll get your own tent with a comfortable inflatable camping mattress, unless of course you want to share it with a friend, family member, or partner.
Incredible meals
We cook in a well-organized backcountry kitchen.
Summer in the Ottawa Valley and Outaouais brings amazing local produce, and we use as many locally sourced ingredients as we can.
Your guides love cooking delicious meals on river trips. We use a combination of camp stoves, Dutch ovens, and grilling on the fire. If you’re interested, you can opt to join in on meal prep and learn some of the secrets — or teach us your techniques.
Hygiene and wilderness comfort
When we first arrive, we’ll show you around our expedition camp set-up — so you’ll experience the systems that we use on extended trips to keep everybody happy, healthy, and hygienic. We have stations around camp for:
- Hand washing
- Filtering drinking water
- Dish washing
For going to the bathroom:
- You’ll have privacy, comfort, and inspiration!
- We have long trails that lead to cedar toilets with real toilet seats, at real toilet height, placed over composting systems.
- We’ve designed the locations and the positions so you have full privacy.
- Overhead tarps and LED twinkle lights complete the experience for comfort in any conditions and time of day or night.
You may be so comfortable and regular that you’ll want this setup in your backyard at home.
Minimal impact camping
We recognize that we have an impact by being here and we constantly evaluate our practices to make sure they’re as sustainable as possible.
The health of the Ottawa River and surrounding lands are, of course, important to us, and we do everything we can to have a positive impact overall.
You can learn more about our commitment to the environment here.
Living comfortably outdoors
If you’re new to camping, your guides will share practical tips and make sure you’re at ease — from how to set up your sleeping space so you’re warm and dry, to how to move around camp confidently.
If you’re an experienced river tripper, you’ll appreciate the simplicity, thoughtful systems, and the chance to live outdoors for a few days.
It’s a chance to fully immerse yourself in nature, with just the right level of comfort and support.
Fun options for all skill levels
This expedition is designed for a wide range of ages and experience levels — from people who’ve never been on a river before to those who seek out whitewater trips regularly.
Activities
Your guides adjust the day’s activities to your group’s comfort level and interest. That might mean:
- rafting ‘big lines’ on the Main or Middle channels — or taking more mellow routes for those who prefer
- trying kayarafting (inflatable kayaks) for an individual challenge.
- These are the perfect boats to learn whitewater maneuvers as they’re stable & turn easily. If you want to attempt a harder rapid or surfing, your guides will make sure it’s at an appropriate spot in the river where we have a solid safety plan — and the great thing with these boats is if you do flip or fall out, you can self-rescue: flip it back over and climb back in (with your kayak guide’s help if you need it).
- riverboarding
- hiking on forest trails
- swimming and floating in gentle currents
- learning whitewater swimming maneuvers, safe wading (shallow water crossing) techniques, and whitewater rescue and safety skills like throwing and catching throw ropes, and even using river ‘zip lines’
- or taking a quieter option — fishing, birdwatching, or simply relaxing at camp
Challenge by choice
Everything we do on this trip is ‘challenge by choice’. Your guides will describe each rapid and every activity before you do it, and it’s up to you to participate or not. This is your trip: we want you to only take on challenges that you choose to.
All the rapids have walking trails around them.
You can choose to lean into challenge or keep things mellow, and we can often split into smaller groups for different activity levels. No one needs prior whitewater experience; we’ll teach you what you need to know and support you step by step.
The goal is: have a ton of fun, feel proud of what you’ve done, and go home with stories you’ll be telling for years and inspired to do more!
Guided rafting, whitewater instruction, and camping
- Fully guided 4-day / 3-night expedition
- Max 5:1 participant-to-guide ratio on whitewater, with experienced river guides
- Guided activities: rafting, kayarafting (inflatable kayaks), riverboarding, hiking, whitewater safety instruction and swimming
- Optional: birdwatching, backcountry camping and wilderness skill instruction, fishing
Meals and lodging
- Lodging for 3 nights at our private wilderness campsite, The Ottawa Rivercamp
- All meals and snacks from Day 1 lunch to Day 4 lunch
- Incredible food
- Sourced from local farms
- We take pride in accommodating your dietary needs — and making it great! If you’re vegan, gluten-free, have allergies, keto, anything at all: just let us know on your pre-trip questionnaire
Equipment
- All group gear: kitchen, shelters, chairs, water systems, tools
- All river gear: rafts, inflatable kayaks, riverboards, paddles, accessories, etc.
- All safety gear: AED, first aid kits, satellite devices, river rescue gear
- Personal gear provided: wetsuit, large expedition drybag, tent* (solo or shared by choice), inflatable mattress*
*If you have your own expedition tent and camping mattress and prefer to bring them, just let us know on your pre-trip questionnaire.
What’s not included?
- Return transport between your home and our meeting location, L’île-du-Grand-Calumet, Québec.
- Personal items: see ‘what to pack’, below
- Alcoholic beverages
- If you’d like to bring beer or wine to have a glass for evening at camp, we’ll provide a container to safely transport it for you on the gear raft. Alcohol isn’t allowed during or before any water activities.
- Optional: Quebec fishing permit, if you want to fish
What to pack?
We’ll provide a full packing list with your Trip InfoPack.
Summer on the Ottawa River usually means hot days and comfortable water temps. However, any weather can roll in and we want to be prepared.
Nights and mornings on late August and September trips can be chilly.
Synthetic materials such as polyester, polypro, and nylon are great as they dry quickly. Merino wool is a natural fibre that dries quickly and works well too. Avoid cotton — once it gets wet it won’t dry and it doesn’t insulate.
Bring two sets of clothes and footwear: one for on the water and hiking, the other for evenings at camp.
For the river
- 1 pair of closed-toe shoes for the river. The ideal river shoe is lightweight and draining yet supportive enough for walking on portages and scouting rapids, with a grippy sole. These can be lightweight running shoes, water shoes with a supportive sole, or sturdy sandals with toe covering (not crocs).
- Merino or synthetic socks
- Quick-dry undergarments and sports bra
- Surf shorts or athletic shorts
- Quick-dry t-shirt (merino or synthetic)
- Long-sleeve sports shirt + tights/long underwear (merino or synthetic)
- Long-sleeved neoprene ‘surf’ top or long-sleeved medium-weight fleece top
- Water bottle
- Sunscreen
- Prescription glasses with strap if necessary
- Optional long-sleeve sun shirt with hood
- Optional sunglasses with strap
- Optional camera (waterproof or with waterproof case) or action cam
Full set of dry clothing
- 1 pair of shoes (old running shoes or closed-toe clogs—something to keep your feet safe and dry)
- 2 pairs of thermal socks (2 different weights is a good idea)
- Undergarments (synthetic or Merino wool)
- Top and bottom medium-weight synthetic or wool long underwear
- Lightweight t-shirt (synthetic or Merino wool)
- Lightweight long pants
- Thick fleece, wool sweater, or synthetic ‘puffy’
- Rain gear top and bottom
- Toque (wool or fleece winter hat)
- Sun hat
- Optional: work / gardening gloves (protect your hands while paddling or collecting firewood)
Late season
- Thick fleece pants (Late august & September trips)
- Extra layers or puffy jacket (~Sept 15 onwards)
- Gloves / mitts (~Sept 15 onwards)
Other items for camp
- Sleeping bag* & camp pillow (or rent for $100)
*+5°C to +10°C rated sleeping bag for July–mid-August; ~0°C rated sleeping bag for mid-August–September. - Small quick-dry towel
- Headlamp with extra batteries
- Personal hygiene items
- Personal medications
- Optional: reading material, journal, binoculars
- Optional: fishing rod with tackle and hard carrying case. We provide basic equipment but experienced anglers will enjoy using their own specialized gear.
General Packing:
- Clothes for the trip home
- Travel documents (for international travellers) and medical insurance cards or policies
Payment and cancellation
All prices are in Canadian dollars (CAD) and subject to sales tax.
If the trip is more than 120 days away, you can pay a 25% deposit to reserve your spot. Then 120 days before your trip, you pay the full balance.
If you’re booking a trip that’s less than 120 days away, your full payment is due when you book.
You can pay by credit card, wire transfer, or e-transfer (within Canada).
The above payment schedule is for scheduled departures. For private groups: we’ll send you an info package and proposal with specific policies for your group.
Trip Inquiry Form
