A blank canvas and a forest filled with inspiration. Paint the cliffs on the shore of the lake, or learn to capture the movement of water on paper. Experience the wilderness, study it’s beauty and bring a piece home with you.

Paint.  Paddle. Photograph. Stand Up Paddle Board. Wine. Sauna. Camp

6 days paddling, painting and camping amongst the boreal forest

+ 2 days at a remote wilderness lodge

+ 1 flight over Wabakimi Provincial Park

Embrace the wild with Wilderness North. Women’s gatherings empower women of all ages to embrace compassion, community and strength. Embark on a week-long canoe trip; come with friends/daughters/sisters and enjoy the gifts that nature has to offer. Spend your days paddling  with our experienced guides, painting with the Boreal forest as your inspiration or stargazing with glimpses of the aurora borealis.

Taking time to sit, study and paint a view helped in more ways than providing a final painting. The process brought to focus the small details, the way a crack glided down a rock face, or how the elegant starburst lichen emerged, spreading orange across on my page. What I thought was just a relaxing hobby had turned into a memory capsule. Blending yellows and greens to translate the hue of a leaf or watching the water rush by and experimenting ways to make it stand still all helped to keep these natural moments with me.

The Details. We take care of them so you can relax.

Day 1:

Start your trip with us in Thunder Bay. Enjoy the gifts of this northern city by exploring new restaurants, walking along Lake Superior, enjoying the view of Sleeping Giant, visiting local events/festivals/markets or soaking in the nature-inspired art galleries. Our adventure planning team is happy to help suggest local events, restaurants and hotels before your paddling trip begins!

Enjoy glimpses of wildlife on your journey to Armstrong. It doesn’t take long for the buildings to disappear and before you know it you are surrounded by the pure and natural boreal forest. Guests arrive by car (rental cars available in town) in the early afternoon and are welcomed by a BBQ. Spend the afternoon getting acquainted with your gear, sipping on wine and enjoying the view of the lake before heading to bed for the evening in our cozy base camp cabins.

Day 2-6:

Embrace yourself in the immersion of nature. Our guides help guests to tune in and enjoy their beautiful surroundings along their paddle. Rise with the sun, sip on warm coffee and enjoy a glassy Canadian lake. Let the day take hold, grab on to your paddle and make your way with us down the river. When evening falls listen to the crackling of the campfire while sipping on wine and searching for the big dipper!

Our guides make this offering accessible and adapt to ensure you have all the skills needed to paddle down a river. Through flat and whitewater you get a truly Canadian adventure. The canoe is a quiet way of traveling, providing the chance to see plenty of wildlife including moose, caribou and black bear!

A relaxed pace allows for plenty of creativity! Painting a landscape forces you to study it’s beauty like never before. You wouldn’t believe the memory that is held of a landscape you’ve painted, your mind begins to memorize elements on a whole new level. Converting a leaf intro brush strokes takes dedication and concentration, so while your hands are recreating the wildernesses beauty on canvas, your brain enters a state of relaxed flow that allows you to be present and connect with nature on a whole new level. Let our experienced leaders guide you on your painting exploration!

Meals on the river are cooked over a fire, but embody the gourmet style that our lodges are known for. Food just tastes better over the fire, from fresh baked pizza to fish from the bottom of a rapid you just paddled, our guides have mastered the art of outdoor cuisine. Dinners are paired with a glass of wine or local beer.

Day 7:

On your final day of paddling you will arrive at Whitewater Wilderness Lodge. There you will be welcomed by a feast of local fish during our shore lunch. The afternoon will be spent enjoying lodge amenities; sauna, stand up paddle board, yoga on the dock or painting the beautiful lake. In the evening there will be a complimentary happy hour with cocktails and appetizers before dinner is served in the main lodge. Spend your evening by the bonfire, enjoying wine under the stars and then head to bed in our cozy lakefront cabins. Pamper yourself and enjoy a lodge hidden within the Canadian Wilderness.

Day 8:

Wake up to a warm cup of coffee or tea delivered right to your cabin! Breakfast is served and it is your last morning to enjoy the beauty of the lake from ground level before your private plane whisks you back on your journey home! A stunning aerial view of the endless Boreal Forest is a great way to say ‘bye for now’.

Special offer: $1995 USD +taxes per guest for 8 days all-inclusive.

Dates: August 15th-22nd, 2017
Inclusions: Flight from Whitewater Lodge to Armstrong Station, ON; guiding and Instruction, watercolor painting supplies, meals, snacks and drinks (wine or beer with dinner), equipment (including fully outfitted canoes),
Not Included: International flights, gratuities, items of a personal nature.