Babine and Skeena River Expedition
This six-day rafting experience takes you through some of British Columbia’s most remote and preserved wilderness. This trip starts at the calm waters fed by Nilkitkwa Lake, travels through impressive canyons with thrilling rapids, and ends in the big waters of the Skenna, offering epic views throughout.
Our trips operate in September, when the salmon run brings countless bald-eagles, grizzly bears, and other wildlife to the area. Days on the water are a combination of gentle floats through unforgettable scenery and exhilarating Class 4 whitewater sections. From technical boulder gardens like Pinball Alley to technical canyon slots like Sphincter One and Two, there is little this river doesn't have.
Leave cell service and society behind while the guide takes care of your daily needs, making this an adventure of a lifetime!
Itinerary
Day 1
Travel to Launch Location & 12 miles of sight-seeing
At 8:00 AM we meet in the lobby of your hotel in Smithers, load the bus and depart for the headwaters of the system, Babine Lake. After a short safety talk at the put in, we’ll unload all the equipment, inflate the rafts and prepare to head downstream. At this time we go through the safety procedures for the trip, including a grizzly bear briefing and also teach any novice paddlers the basics. In the afternoon, guests will have a chance to settle into life on the river. We make our first camp 8 km down the river.
We travel down the Babine and log over 90 kms of river. This section of the river contains several Class 3 and 4 rapids. To the north, the mountains and glaciers of the Sicintine Range will provide a beautiful backdrop as the river volume doubles in size and we continue our journey through deep canyons. The river should be full of sockeye salmon and steelhead, with wildlife grazing on the shores, unbothered by our presence as they fill their stomachs. You’ll come to agree that this is wilderness in its purest form. At camp you have plenty of time to explore while your guides are busy preparing your meals.
Babine River
Day 2 & 3
Day 4
Grizzly Drop and Kitsegas Canyon
The morning of day four we enter the four-hour Class 4 run through the Babine Canyon. It is at this world famous rapid, Grizzly Drop, we should see a considerable number of grizzlies feeding on spawning salmon. The river narrows through Kitsegas canyon, where your guides will show you their expertise in navigating through thrilling rapids. From here, the river valley opens and we join the Skeena early in the afternoon. The river doubles in size…and giant cedars and hemlocks cover the shore. The glaciers of Mount Thomlinson loom high above us as we float to our camp for this evening, at the mouth of Pinenut Creek.
Day 5
The Skeena
Known for its high-volume, big waved rapids, this day will guarantee you get wet and your boat gets rocked. You’ll enjoy lunch on the beach and a great mix of floating down the river and exciting whitewater. After the big ride, you’ll travel through coastal rock and cedars along shore to your final camp.
As you travel back to civilization, you will cross under big bridges and other signs of human life for the first time in almost a week. You will pass through Kispiox and see their totem poles line their shores in honor of their ancestors. You will land in Hazelton and shuttle back to Smithers for a hot shower, dinner and drinks with your crew for one last night.
Please Note: This itinerary is a sample only. Itineraries may change without notice.
Day 6
The Skeena to Hazleton
Included in Trip
Instruction, training, and leadership from expert rafting guides (no rafting experience required).
Rafting Gear: wetsuits, life jackets, helmets, splash tops, booties.
Dry bags to keep your clothes and personal items secure and dry.
All meals and snacks provided and prepared for you while you relax at camp. Have a dietary restriction? Let us know so we can accommodate you.
All necessary park permits and entrance fees
All shuttles between Smithers, British Columbia, and the River.
Complimentary photos
A detailed packing list will be provided along with other key information in your pre-trip package.
Price
$3299+GST per person.
This is one of the most competitive rates around for this trip. Contact us for private group rates.
Reservations
We recommend making reservations at least 6 weeks in advance. Though we may have space on a trip, a reservation will ensure that you don’t go away disappointed. Payment can be made by cash, interac, or credit card.
All reservations require a 25% deposit.
Should you need to cancel your reservation, please contact us at least 4 weeks prior to the trip to receive a full refund of your deposit.
Make your reservation by contacting us here:
Getting To Smithers
We would be happy to help you make your connecting travel arrangements, to and from Smithers, BC.
Driving: Smithers is 1150 km (720 miles) north of Vancouver. Allow up to two day’s travel in each direction.
Train: VIA Rail provides service from Vancouver to Jasper, and then West to Smithers. It is a 3 day trip.
Flying: There are flights from major Canadian cities that travel directly to Smithers Airport
As a company operating on the traditional territories of the Indigenous peoples along the Babine and Skeena Rivers in Northern British Columbia, we would like to respectfully acknowledge and honor the diverse Indigenous communities that have stewarded these lands and waters for millennia. We acknowledge the traditional territories and ancestral homelands of the Gitxsan, Wet'suwet'en, Haisla, and other Indigenous peoples whose deep connections to the land, rivers, and forests continue to enrich and sustain these regions.
As guests on these lands and waters, we acknowledge our responsibility to honor the heritage of the land we visit. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in the richness of this territory and to learn from the wisdom, traditions, and teachings of the Indigenous peoples who call it home.
We recognize the profound historical and ongoing contributions of Indigenous peoples to the stewardship of the land, the preservation of cultural heritage, and the protection of the natural environment. We are committed to fostering meaningful relationships, promoting reconciliation, and working in partnership with Indigenous communities to ensure the respectful and sustainable enjoyment of these beautiful waterways for generations to come.
Questions?
Feel free to contact us for more information about this once-in-a-lifetime trip!