Champlain’s Legacy: Wilderness and Culture in Ontario

Day 1:

Begin your journey in Ottawa, the Nation’s Capital, at Madahoki Farm where you will be invited to participate in an immersive Indigenous experience.

Next, you’ll head northwest, following along the Ottawa River as Champlain did during his voyages. Visit scenic Fitzroy Provincial Park before settling into your accommodations for the night. A riverside dinner and evening entertainment await.

Day 2:

Enjoy a delicious breakfast on the river to fuel your day of adventure.

Today you’ll have a choice of adventure: either don a wetsuit and head out on a river paddling excursion with OWL Rafting or choose a culinary inland adventure.

Active excursion: learn to paddle a raft through the world-renowned Rocher Fendu Rapids on the Ottawa River with expert guides by your side. This incredible 4-6 hour experience culminates with a leisurely pontoon boat cruise and meal as you enjoy the views along the river and have a chance to spot wildlife. Spend the rest of the afternoon and evening enjoying water activities and a BBQ by the river.

Cultural excursion: Walk along the edge of the churning Ottawa River to understand why Champlain chose to divert through an inland route at this point in his exploration. You’ll visit the site where legend says Champlain lost his astrolabe during a difficult portage.

Enjoy lunch at the Whitewater Brewing Co, where you’ll also be treated to a tour and sampling. Following lunch, you’ll tour the Bonnechere Caves – underground caves a billion years in the making. End your day of culinary fun with a stop at Hugli’s Blueberry Ranch to delight in fresh blueberries.

Day 3:

This morning, get to know Pembroke on a walking or cycling tour of the town. Visit the Upper Ottawa Valley Heritage Centre to see a replica of Champlain’s astrolabe.

Continue following the Ottawa River and stop for lunch at Driftwood Provincial Park before stopping in Mattawa, where the Ottawa and Mattawa Rivers converge. This is the site where Indigenous people first met with Champlain.

Explore the Mattawa Visitors Centre and take an interpretive tour in Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park where you’ll get to participate in a traditional Voyageur canoe paddle.

Day 4:

After breakfast, head out to the beautiful Madawaska Kanu Centre to meet with an experienced guide from Waaseyaa Cultural Tours. Here you will learn about the craftsmanship, traditions, and significance of the birch bark canoe to Indigenous cultures.

Enjoy lunch at the centre and then head out on a fun-filled guided excursion along the Madawaska River – a 230 km long river that originates in Algonquin Park and drains into the Ottawa River.

Day 5:

Active Excursion: After breakfast, you will head to the Haliburton Highlands to participate in one of two extraordinary experiences: learn what life was life for an 18th Century fur trader or join a guided paddle through a series of lakes to discover the backcountry.

Cultural Excursion: After breakfast, visit Maynooth’s General Store and Art Gallery, then continue south to explore the Bancroft area. Here you can visit the Bancroft Gem and Mineral Museum or enjoy the Old Hastings Mercantile and Gallery.

After lunch, visit Petroglyphs Provincial Park to see the largest collection of Indigenous rock carvings or choose instead to meander along the Trent-Severn Waterway much as Champlain did in 1615. You’ll arrive at the Canadian Canoe Museum to tour the new facilities and enjoy waterfront activities.

Gather at a lakeside resort for dinner and overnight accommodations.

Day 6:

Take an early morning paddle in a Voyageur canoe on Rice Lake if conditions permit. Then enjoy breakfast at the resort.
On your final day of the trip, you can either take a Free Spirit Air Adventure by float plane or the Samuel de Champlain road rally route that follows the historic portage – called the Percy Portage – between Hastings and Meyersburg.

Visit Ferris Provincial Park for grand views of the Trent River that flows to Lake Ontario before returning to the resort for lunch and transfer back to Perth, Ottawa, or Toronto.