5-Day Canoeing, Ontario North

Once you register, we’ll send full travel details, including meeting locations, timing, and what to expect on arrival day. Most participants travel independently to our designated meeting points, and those flying in can request airport pickup within our scheduled arrival windows.

OBC staff are present at the meeting points to welcome you, answer questions, and help coordinate the start and end of your course.

Have questions? Our Admissions Team is here to help: admissions@outwardbound.ca

At OBC, every course is packed with adventure, friendship, and hands-on skill-building in the great outdoors. Each day brings new challenges and opportunities to grow, but a typical schedule might look like this:

Day 1 – Arrival & Welcome

• Getting Here: OBC staff will meet participants at the Ontario Northland Bus Station in Bracebridge or directly at our base at the Kinark Outdoor Centre in Minden. Ontario Northland buses connect through their Yorkdale Mall stop, which is easy to reach from both Toronto Pearson International Airport and Billy Bishop Airport. If you prefer to drive straight to base camp, we’ll provide directions, and free parking is available on-site.
• Meet the Crew: Once at base, participants meet their instructors and fellow adventurers
• Duffle Shuffle: Instructors guide participants in organizing and selecting appropriate clothing and equipment.
• Paddling Practice: Instructors train students on basic flatwater paddling skills on the lake at the base
• First Night Together: Enjoy a welcome dinner and spend the night at the OBC base

Day 2 – Packing & Pushing Off

• Morning Routine: Breakfast at base
• Transportation: Group departs OBC base via school bus to the “put in” area for the expedition
• The Adventure Begins: depart from the shore and set out on your journey through the rugged and stunning Algonquin Provincial Park

Days 2–4 – Canoeing Adventure

Each day brings a mix of exploration, skill-building, and teamwork. As students gain confidence and independence, instructors gradually transfer responsibility for the planning and execution of daily tasks to them, leading to a final expedition experience. Exact routes and activities vary depending on weather, and group dynamics—but a typical day might look like this:

Morning

• Wake up, breakfast and morning routine
• Group meeting on the day’s route and safety briefing
• Set out on the water, practicing canoeing techniques and teamwork along the way

Daytime

• Lunch break and rest
• Continue paddling or focus on skills like navigation and route planning
• Arrive at new campsite; scout the area and set up camp, 
• Campcraft session (e.g., cooking, shelter-building, or environmental stewardship)

Evening

• Cook and enjoy a communal dinner 
• Evening reflection and leadership development activities
• Free time for journaling, stories, or group games
• Quiet time and lights out under the night sky

Day 4 – Back to Base

As the journey comes to a close, the group returns to the OBC base, carrying with them new skills, lasting confidence, and lifelong friendships.

• Transportation: Group departs the “take out” area  via school bus to return to base at the Kinark Outdoor Centre
• Unload Gear: Unload and care for outdoor equipment
• Refresh: A chance to clean up and prepare for the journey home
• Repack: Organize personal belongings for departure
• Celebration: Closing dinner with the group and instructors

Day 5 – Departure

• Farewell Breakfast: Share a final meal together and closing activity
• Goodbyes: Exchange contact info with new friends 
• Pick-Up or Drop-Off: You can arrange to be picked up at the Kinark Outdoor Centre, or OBC Staff provide drop-off at the Bracebridge bus station during set departure windows

We provide the essential group gear and technical equipment including tents, sleeping bags and pads, activity specific (i.e. canoeing, backpacking, kayaking, etc.), and safety equipment, so participants only need to bring personal items and clothing.

• Packing Checklist: A detailed packing checklist is provided once you register, making it easy to prepare for your adventure.
• Duffle Shuffle: At the start of the course, instructors will guide participants on organizing their belongings, confirming necessary items, and preparing them for the expedition.
• Recommended Clothing & Footwear: Weather-appropriate layers, waterproofs, activity-appropriate footwear, and quick-drying clothes.
• Personal Essentials: Toiletries, medications, sun safety, insect prevention, etc.
• Health & Safety: Clearly label all personal items and bring any medication-related necessities (i.e. prescription, allergy, over-the-counter)

Our instructors are seasoned outdoor professionals with extensive experience in wilderness travel. They bring a calm, confident presence to the group and know how to create a supportive space where participants can learn new skills, take meaningful risks, and grow in ways that feel both challenging and rewarding.

• Highly Skilled Professionals: Certified in advanced wilderness and backcountry first aid, technical paddling, and coastal navigation, with years of hands-on experience in demanding environments.
• Trusted Expedition Leaders: Many have guided expeditions across Canada and internationally, bringing deep knowledge of safety, group dynamics, and decision making in remote settings.
• Fully Vetted: Every instructor undergoes a rigorous screening process with full reference checks, credential verification, and vulnerable sector clearance to ensure professionalism and care.
• Continual Training: Instructors stay sharp through ongoing professional development in facilitation, inclusion, leadership, and risk management so participants receive high-quality instruction on every course.
• Supportive and Respectful Approach: They teach in a way that respects your lived experience. You set the pace. They provide coaching, tools, and encouragement without pressure or judgment.
• Small Group Advantage: Low instructor-to-participant ratios mean more attention, more guidance, and a more personalized experience throughout the journey.

“A ship is safe in the harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.” – William Shedd.

Challenge is central to the Outward Bound experience, and it works best when risk is approached with intention and professionalism. Our risk management practices are grounded in decades of field experience, clear protocols, and instructors who know how to support participants through real decisions and real moments of learning.

• Expert Instructors: Certified and trained in wilderness medicine, risk management, and technical outdoor skills.
• Small Groups: Low participant-to-instructor ratios allow for close communication, timely guidance, and strong group awareness.
• Reliable Systems: All equipment meets industry standards, is maintained regularly, and is reviewed before each course. Routes and travel plans are designed with weather, tides, terrain, and group experience in mind.
• 24/7 Preparedness: Groups carry communication and tracking devices, and instructors are equipped to respond to changing conditions, incidents, or evacuations when required.
• Medical and Dietary Considerations: Health forms are reviewed before the course to plan for individual needs. Dietary restrictions and allergies are accommodated with advance notice.

Learn More: See our Risk Management page for details on our practices.

Participants gain renewed clarity, confidence, and perspective through challenge, reflection, and time in the outdoors. These courses are designed for adults who want space to reset, reconnect with their values, and return home with a clearer sense of direction.

• Connection and Collaboration: Strengthen communication skills, build trust, and work collaboratively with a group that shares the goal of stepping outside routine and trying something new.
• Outdoor Skills: Develop or strengthen your experience in paddling, navigation, wilderness camping, Leave No Trace practices, and the core elements of backcountry travel. These are skills you will carry into future trips, whether you are reconnecting with the outdoors or exploring it from a fresh perspective.
• Environmental Stewardship: Develop a deeper connection to the environment and understand how to move through outdoor spaces with intention and respect.
• Self Directed Skills: Practice decision making, adaptive thinking, and problem solving through challenges that ask you to focus, commit, and step beyond self-imposed limitations.
• Mental Health and Wellbeing: Build confidence, deepen your self-awareness, and strengthen practical coping tools through personal reflection and shared challenges with a supportive group.
• Digital Detox: Step away from screens, expectations, and pressure. Rediscover how restorative it feels to be fully present in nature, with room to breathe and think clearly.

One of the most memorable parts of an Outward Bound course is the solo. Participants spend time alone in nature, reflecting, resting, and connecting with the outdoors.

• Duration: From several hours up to 48 hours, depending on the course and conditions
• Instructor-Supported: Instructors are present nearby and regularly check-in
• Fully Equipped: All necessary gear, equipment, food and hydration are provided for the duration of the solo
• Personal Growth: The solo fosters reflection, independence, and self-awareness in a focused setting
• Not a Survival Challenge: This is a supportive experience designed for personal reflection, away from the distractions of everyday life