Ottawa River Experiential Education Trip
See your students challenged — and watch them grow
On the Ottawa River Experiential Education Trip, students bond as a team and grow as individuals.
Along with having a positive experience with the river, participants will:
- gain whitewater safety knowledge and paddling skills
- learn wilderness expedition skills
- explore the history, ecology, and culture of the Ottawa River Valley
The Ottawa has world-class, fun whitewater — perfect for learning.
Students and teachers are supported by an incredible team of outdoor professionals: Boreal River’s instructor training and safety standards lead the outdoor education field.
Your group will be immersed in nature, within a relatively short drive of Toronto (4.5 hours), Ottawa (90 minutes), or Montreal (3.5 hours).
This trip can have the same itinerary and activities as the 4-day Ottawa River Wilderness Expedition or be customized to your group.
River Rafting Program for Youth Groups & Students
Trip details
This 4 to 5-day wilderness voyage by raft is for groups of 12 – 25 students.
On day-1, after instructions and packing up, we load everything into the boats and float downstream to our campsite. The group paddles in professionally guided rafts and the equipment gets rowed by a guide in a ‘gear raft’.
You’ll experience the magic of a river journey, camping by the riverside.
Activities & options
- Whitewater rafting
- Learn backcountry camping
- Survival and nature skills
- Inflatable kayaking & stand-up paddle boarding
- Whitewater rescue and safety skills
- Cultural learning with an educator from Kitigan Zibi
Why a trip on the Ottawa River?
Your students will connect with the river, forest, and region by getting to know its:
History and culture
This section of the Ottawa was an early transportation route for Indigenous Peoples, then an important fur trade passage, and a log drive river until the 80s! The river flows through the heart of the territory of the Algonquin Peoples.
Ecology
The eco-system here is a bridge between the boreal zone of northern Québec and the mixed forests of the St. Lawrence Lowlands.
Rapids
The Ottawa has hosted muliple raft and kayak world championships. People come from the world over to play and learn in the warm water and fun waves.
Meeting location
- L’îl-du-Grand-Calumet, Québec
What’s included
Camping and river equipment
- All river gear including whitewater rafts and paddles.
- All camping gear including kitchen, tarps, group shelters, and 3-season expedition tents.
- Equipment for each participant:
- helmet, PFD, wetsuit, splash jacket, large dry bag to store camping gear, small dry bag for easy access during the day.
- All group safety equipment including first aid kits and satellite phone (for emergency use).
All delicious meals and snacks
Your students take part in food preparation to gain experience with cooking and eating well in the wilderness.
Great food is a highlight of Boreal River programs. Meals are prepared with high-quality ingredients. Food is always plentiful, wholesome, and delicious!
We can accommodate individual diets and allergies, just let us know.
What’s not included
- Transportation between your location and the meeting location.
- Personal clothing and camping equipment (full list provided with Trip Information Package):
- sleeping bag, camping mattress, headlamp, water bottle, clothing and footwear, etc.
These certification and skill workshops can be included within the program:
- Whitewater Safety (WWS) — Level I or Whitewater Rescue (WWR) Levels I & II
- Wilderness Travel Skills — Level I
