Canada

Adventure on the Slave River

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Slave River, Fort Smith, Canada

Dates

2025

10-23 August

 

TRIP PROGRAM UNDER RECONSTRUCTION MORE DETAILS COMING SOON

Our trips

III/IV Coached trip that is a perfect course for those who are already comfortable on class III+ and are looking to progress big water paddling and enjoy some of the best freestyle features out there!

Coaches

6-12 people

Why Slave River?

Slave is one unique destination. Quality and quantity of whitewater is hard to embrace due to the size of that river. 2km wide river is split between smaller islands creating multiple rapids and wonderful waves for surfing! And just going so far north and experiencing nature and going through bison sanctuary is absolutely unforgettable! It is a great trip for everybody who is hungry for big waves in expedition style paddling and freestyle coaching.

Kayaking on the Slave River

Far north in the North West Territories of Canada, the Slave River meanders calmly through ancient boreal Forests as it flows from Lake Athabasca to the Great Slave Lake. For most of its path the river flows calmly and with uninterrupted silence, yet between the old fur-trading settlements of Fitzgerald and Fort Smith, the Slave reveals it’s massive power, creating four sets of rapids so huge, that at their lowest point of the year could fill three times the mighty Nile!

The setting is grandiose with a huge sky over our heads and boreal forests that extend as far as the eye can see. Here spotting elks, moose, buffaloes or black bears isn’t uncommon and with a little luck you will even have the chance to spot the Northern Lights lighting up the sky during the short summer nights.

The Slave is the ultimate summer time freestyle destination, with literally endless possibilities and with new spots being discovered every year. No matter what your dream spot looks like, you will find it here. The Slave offers more world class features than any other river in the world, from fast and furious waves with crashing foam piles, glassy soul surfing waves, great shoulders, and combo holes. Among your future favourite spots you will discover Outrageous, Monstah Scheisser, Rollercoaster, Party Hole, Rock’Em Sock’Em, Chico, Playgraund Hole and many more!

For those looking to hone their big water skills, you will also get your fair share of thrills. Here you will find many different useful features, from chill wave trains of all sizes to stuff you will definitely not want to run! The Slave offers an incredible variety on the menu; one day you will be running creeky lines on the side channels and the next day you will have a hard time trying to orientate in a mile wide rapid.

You might be thinking… Well, if it is so great, why isn’t it more popular then? The Slave is very isolated and very far north making logistics difficult, making it up there requires some determined work, but we assure you WILL NOT REGRET IT. On the other hand, whilst in the past the Slave has been featured in several videos it has lost popularity among the top 1% of the paddlers having had less exposure in the last few years. Yet, for the remaining 99% of big waves and big water fans this IS the place to be giving the chance to experience the big wave feel in a safe environment and having the most enjoyable experience.

On this trip

  • Kayak on a two week guided trip to experience the stunning Slave River
  • Top quality, low ratio coaching suited to your personal needs
  • Progress your kayaking in a warm water summer destination with highly experienced, fully qualified instructors
  • Expert low ratio coaching, tailored to suit you and your kayaking
  • A playboater’s heaven where you can push your freestyle to the next level whether it’s learning to spin for the first time or nailing your airscrew
  • Set amongst tall pine forests there are a wide variety of channels, rapids and lines to practise your river running skills
  • Flexible trip to suit your needs

Day 1 – Arrival day to Edmonton (YEG)

Welcome to Canada! You will be collected from Edmonton airport and driven to our temporary accommodation where we will be waiting for everybody to arrive.

Accomodation: Edmonton

Day 2 – Travel to Slave

Early morning start, right after sunrise we will depart for our drive up north towards Fort Smith. On the way we will stop for lunch (Tim Hortons!) to break up our trip to the north and have a bit more fun along the way! We will also get the opportunity to stop and check the amazing Alexandra Falls. Once these waterfalls held the World Record for the highest waterfall ever run with a kayak and still even today only a handful of people have committed to running it – it’s an incredible sight! We will reach our final destination and base camp for the trip, Fort Smith, by nightfall. Get your sleep hours in while it’s dark, nights are short during the summer up here!

 

Accomodation: Our accommodation or whole trip will be camping Fort Smith

Days 3-6

Our first few days will be spent paddling and generally getting sucked in (this plan may vary according to water levels). The most fun part of the trip will be discovering all the opportunities the Slave has to offer! We will slowly start getting into the Slave’s big volume style by hitting the lower and most accessible of the four sets of rapids of the Slave, the Rapids of the Drowned, right next to Fort Smith. Here we will have the chance to score our first surfs on the mighty Monstah Scheisser Wave, throw some tricks and do some soul-surfing on its glassy left shoulder. From here on, we will attack the rest of the rapid sets depending on water levels and general level of the group. The objective is to get as many surfs and great lines in as we can. There is great freestyle and big water lines in both Mountain Portage and Cassette Rapids whilst Pelican has some rather hairy stuff that will keep your heart pumping!
During the first days we will be focusing on the necessary techniques to manage big volume whitewater, big wave freestyle and basically making sure you acclimatise and start feeling confident in this gigantic river as we enjoy the fantastic playboating on the Slave, ranging from small holes to huge waves. Here’s a quick sum up of your future new favourite rapids and waves; Roller Coaster, The Edge, Molly’s Nipple, Rock’em Sock’em, Playground Hole, Outrageous, Party Hole, RipCurl.

Day 7 – Rest day

A rest day is always important, and even more so if kayaking on big water, to make the most out of the adventure by staying fit and free of injuries. We build up energy to hit the river over the next few days with increased power. You can spend your rest day on a quick trip to Buffalo National Forest or getting another view of the Slave from a Hydroplane. Your LiLi guide will be happy to assist with booking these extra activities.

Days 8-12

Paddle, rest and generally get stuck in
We will be stepping the game up during our final days on the Slave, we will spend time exploring some of the best waves in the world and getting top quality coaching on big volume play techniques (down river and wave play). We will target some of the biggest and most dynamic waves of the river to get a bit of a Stakeout feel – yet with warm water!
Look out for some epic sessions on Roller Coaster and Rock’em Sock’em and sure to be one of the highlights of the trip, running the main line of the Pelican Wavetrain. We will also work on some more dynamic big volume down river techniques and your guides will take you on lines as hard and as big as you wish to paddle.

Day 13 – Travel from Slave to Edmonton

Pack up and transfer back to the airport to fly home. Very early in the morning just after sunrise we say “See You Soon” to the Slave river and start our drive back down south to reach Edmonton where we will share and relive our favourite adventures while waiting for departure flights.

 

Accomodation: Edmonton

Day 14 – Various flight departures from Edmonton (YEG)

Transfer to the airport for your flight home. Due to the nature of adventure kayaking, the above itinerary has to remain flexible. The LiLi team have coached many hundreds of people with a wide range of abilities and backgrounds on big volume across Africa, Canada and the World. This local knowledge will be used to adjust the itinerary to suit the individuals and to maximise progression over the course of the trip.

Includes

  • Expert individualised, low ratio coaching from experienced and qualified coaches
  • Daily video coaching and analysis
  • Logistics and guiding for the duration of the stay
  • Shuttles to and from Edmonton Airport on the arrival and departure dates listed
  • All shuttles and transport to and from the river
  • Travel Insurance.
  • Camping fee
  • Local knowledge on and off the river to help you get the most out of your stay
  • Advice prior to trip on the climate, equipment needed and general travel advice if desired
  • At the end of the trip the LiLi coach will give you a full review of your paddling, and an action plan for where to go next and how

Excludes

  • Flights.
  • Food (cooking facilities available at the campsite)
  • Kayaking equipment (it is possible for us to arrange rental for an additional cost)
Upcoming Trips

Dates

2025

10-23 August

Custom Trip Dates

These dates are flexible. We will alter the length and start dates to suit your needs wherever possible, and do our best to arrange a completely new date if that’s what you require. Drop us an email if the date you want is not there.

    Submitting this form will not subscribe you to a mailing list but a member of Love it Live it will be in touch to hep you find a world class trip that suits your dates.

    Is this the right trip for me?

    Intermediate / advanced paddlers. If you have a reasonable level of fitness, a solid whitewater roll and you are confident on grade 3+ there will be plenty of fun to be had on the Slave.
    A minimum group size of 6 is required for this trip to go ahead.

    “I heard the bugs there are hectic!”

    Start of August in this part of Canada the bugs can be chill or still in a bit hectice. The main bug that is out that time of year is called a ‘nosium’. You can buy bug head nets for $10 or you can get one before you come. You can put them over your helmet during put-in or takeout and store it in a lifejacket pocket while you boat. We usually recommend wearing long pants like track pants or leggings rather than shorts and a long sleeved dry top.

    Is it cold out there?

    The weather and water starts getting cooler around this time of year as well, so a dry suit can be nice, but not necessary. Definetly you want to have a long sleeve and ideally long pants to protect from bugs.

    Can you arrange rental kayaks?

    Yes that is possible, however please let us know as soon as possible in advance of the trip if you require a rental kayak.

    Can I fly directly to Fort Smith?

    Yes you can! It is a bit more expensive but possible. You would need to arrive on day 2 of the trip and organize your logistics to get to our camping on your own. Additionally please get in touch as most likely it won’t be possible to fly with the boat to Fort Smith so unless we manage to organize a rental or somebody taking it, then it may be a challenge.

    Adventure on the Slave River – Canada

    $1,399

    How much is this in other currencies:

    USD$1,399
    EUR1,348
    GBP£1,123

    Payment options in variety of currencies are available.

    Please select your currency

    Product total
    Options total
    Grand total
    Categories: , SKU: LILI_009

    Discover Our Trips

    Overview

    Kayaking on the Slave River

    Far north in the North West Territories of Canada, the Slave River meanders calmly through ancient boreal Forests as it flows from Lake Athabasca to the Great Slave Lake. For most of its path the river flows calmly and with uninterrupted silence, yet between the old fur-trading settlements of Fitzgerald and Fort Smith, the Slave reveals it’s massive power, creating four sets of rapids so huge, that at their lowest point of the year could fill three times the mighty Nile!

    The setting is grandiose with a huge sky over our heads and boreal forests that extend as far as the eye can see. Here spotting elks, moose, buffaloes or black bears isn’t uncommon and with a little luck you will even have the chance to spot the Northern Lights lighting up the sky during the short summer nights.

    The Slave is the ultimate summer time freestyle destination, with literally endless possibilities and with new spots being discovered every year. No matter what your dream spot looks like, you will find it here. The Slave offers more world class features than any other river in the world, from fast and furious waves with crashing foam piles, glassy soul surfing waves, great shoulders, and combo holes. Among your future favourite spots you will discover Outrageous, Monstah Scheisser, Rollercoaster, Party Hole, Rock’Em Sock’Em, Chico, Playgraund Hole and many more!

    For those looking to hone their big water skills, you will also get your fair share of thrills. Here you will find many different useful features, from chill wave trains of all sizes to stuff you will definitely not want to run! The Slave offers an incredible variety on the menu; one day you will be running creeky lines on the side channels and the next day you will have a hard time trying to orientate in a mile wide rapid.

    You might be thinking… Well, if it is so great, why isn’t it more popular then? The Slave is very isolated and very far north making logistics difficult, making it up there requires some determined work, but we assure you WILL NOT REGRET IT. On the other hand, whilst in the past the Slave has been featured in several videos it has lost popularity among the top 1% of the paddlers having had less exposure in the last few years. Yet, for the remaining 99% of big waves and big water fans this IS the place to be giving the chance to experience the big wave feel in a safe environment and having the most enjoyable experience.

    On this trip

    • Kayak on a two week guided trip to experience the stunning Slave River
    • Top quality, low ratio coaching suited to your personal needs
    • Progress your kayaking in a warm water summer destination with highly experienced, fully qualified instructors
    • Expert low ratio coaching, tailored to suit you and your kayaking
    • A playboater’s heaven where you can push your freestyle to the next level whether it’s learning to spin for the first time or nailing your airscrew
    • Set amongst tall pine forests there are a wide variety of channels, rapids and lines to practise your river running skills
    • Flexible trip to suit your needs
    Itinerary

    Day 1 – Arrival day to Edmonton (YEG)

    Welcome to Canada! You will be collected from Edmonton airport and driven to our temporary accommodation where we will be waiting for everybody to arrive.

    Accomodation: Edmonton

    Day 2 – Travel to Slave

    Early morning start, right after sunrise we will depart for our drive up north towards Fort Smith. On the way we will stop for lunch (Tim Hortons!) to break up our trip to the north and have a bit more fun along the way! We will also get the opportunity to stop and check the amazing Alexandra Falls. Once these waterfalls held the World Record for the highest waterfall ever run with a kayak and still even today only a handful of people have committed to running it – it’s an incredible sight! We will reach our final destination and base camp for the trip, Fort Smith, by nightfall. Get your sleep hours in while it’s dark, nights are short during the summer up here!

     

    Accomodation: Our accommodation or whole trip will be camping Fort Smith

    Days 3-6

    Our first few days will be spent paddling and generally getting sucked in (this plan may vary according to water levels). The most fun part of the trip will be discovering all the opportunities the Slave has to offer! We will slowly start getting into the Slave’s big volume style by hitting the lower and most accessible of the four sets of rapids of the Slave, the Rapids of the Drowned, right next to Fort Smith. Here we will have the chance to score our first surfs on the mighty Monstah Scheisser Wave, throw some tricks and do some soul-surfing on its glassy left shoulder. From here on, we will attack the rest of the rapid sets depending on water levels and general level of the group. The objective is to get as many surfs and great lines in as we can. There is great freestyle and big water lines in both Mountain Portage and Cassette Rapids whilst Pelican has some rather hairy stuff that will keep your heart pumping!
    During the first days we will be focusing on the necessary techniques to manage big volume whitewater, big wave freestyle and basically making sure you acclimatise and start feeling confident in this gigantic river as we enjoy the fantastic playboating on the Slave, ranging from small holes to huge waves. Here’s a quick sum up of your future new favourite rapids and waves; Roller Coaster, The Edge, Molly’s Nipple, Rock’em Sock’em, Playground Hole, Outrageous, Party Hole, RipCurl.

    Day 7 – Rest day

    A rest day is always important, and even more so if kayaking on big water, to make the most out of the adventure by staying fit and free of injuries. We build up energy to hit the river over the next few days with increased power. You can spend your rest day on a quick trip to Buffalo National Forest or getting another view of the Slave from a Hydroplane. Your LiLi guide will be happy to assist with booking these extra activities.

    Days 8-12

    Paddle, rest and generally get stuck in
    We will be stepping the game up during our final days on the Slave, we will spend time exploring some of the best waves in the world and getting top quality coaching on big volume play techniques (down river and wave play). We will target some of the biggest and most dynamic waves of the river to get a bit of a Stakeout feel – yet with warm water!
    Look out for some epic sessions on Roller Coaster and Rock’em Sock’em and sure to be one of the highlights of the trip, running the main line of the Pelican Wavetrain. We will also work on some more dynamic big volume down river techniques and your guides will take you on lines as hard and as big as you wish to paddle.

    Day 13 – Travel from Slave to Edmonton

    Pack up and transfer back to the airport to fly home. Very early in the morning just after sunrise we say “See You Soon” to the Slave river and start our drive back down south to reach Edmonton where we will share and relive our favourite adventures while waiting for departure flights.

     

    Accomodation: Edmonton

    Day 14 – Various flight departures from Edmonton (YEG)

    Transfer to the airport for your flight home. Due to the nature of adventure kayaking, the above itinerary has to remain flexible. The LiLi team have coached many hundreds of people with a wide range of abilities and backgrounds on big volume across Africa, Canada and the World. This local knowledge will be used to adjust the itinerary to suit the individuals and to maximise progression over the course of the trip.

    Includes / Excludes

    Includes

    • Expert individualised, low ratio coaching from experienced and qualified coaches
    • Daily video coaching and analysis
    • Logistics and guiding for the duration of the stay
    • Shuttles to and from Edmonton Airport on the arrival and departure dates listed
    • All shuttles and transport to and from the river
    • Travel Insurance.
    • Camping fee
    • Local knowledge on and off the river to help you get the most out of your stay
    • Advice prior to trip on the climate, equipment needed and general travel advice if desired
    • At the end of the trip the LiLi coach will give you a full review of your paddling, and an action plan for where to go next and how

    Excludes

    • Flights.
    • Food (cooking facilities available at the campsite)
    • Kayaking equipment (it is possible for us to arrange rental for an additional cost)
    Dates
    Upcoming Trips

    Dates

    2025

    10-23 August

    Custom Trip Dates

    These dates are flexible. We will alter the length and start dates to suit your needs wherever possible, and do our best to arrange a completely new date if that’s what you require. Drop us an email if the date you want is not there.

      Submitting this form will not subscribe you to a mailing list but a member of Love it Live it will be in touch to hep you find a world class trip that suits your dates.

      F.A.Q.
      Is this the right trip for me?

      Intermediate / advanced paddlers. If you have a reasonable level of fitness, a solid whitewater roll and you are confident on grade 3+ there will be plenty of fun to be had on the Slave.
      A minimum group size of 6 is required for this trip to go ahead.

      “I heard the bugs there are hectic!”

      Start of August in this part of Canada the bugs can be chill or still in a bit hectice. The main bug that is out that time of year is called a ‘nosium’. You can buy bug head nets for $10 or you can get one before you come. You can put them over your helmet during put-in or takeout and store it in a lifejacket pocket while you boat. We usually recommend wearing long pants like track pants or leggings rather than shorts and a long sleeved dry top.

      Is it cold out there?

      The weather and water starts getting cooler around this time of year as well, so a dry suit can be nice, but not necessary. Definetly you want to have a long sleeve and ideally long pants to protect from bugs.

      Can you arrange rental kayaks?

      Yes that is possible, however please let us know as soon as possible in advance of the trip if you require a rental kayak.

      Can I fly directly to Fort Smith?

      Yes you can! It is a bit more expensive but possible. You would need to arrive on day 2 of the trip and organize your logistics to get to our camping on your own. Additionally please get in touch as most likely it won’t be possible to fly with the boat to Fort Smith so unless we manage to organize a rental or somebody taking it, then it may be a challenge.

      Photos
      Pricing & Book Now

      Adventure on the Slave River – Canada

      $1,399

      How much is this in other currencies:

      USD$1,399
      EUR1,348
      GBP£1,123

      Payment options in variety of currencies are available.

      Please select your currency

      Product total
      Options total
      Grand total
      Categories: , SKU: LILI_009

      Discover Our Trips