Share Save

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [DisplayOrder] => 1
            [HighlightText] => 
Canoe pristine lakes and burbling streams in the vast wilderness of the Boundary Waters
            [Description] => Canoe pristine lakes and burbling streams in the vast wilderness of the Boundary Waters
            [Image] => 
            [VideoLink] => 
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [DisplayOrder] => 2
            [HighlightText] => 
Look for moose, bald eagles, beavers, and other wildlife as you paddle along forested shores
            [Description] => Look for moose, bald eagles, beavers, and other wildlife as you paddle along forested shores
            [Image] => 
            [VideoLink] => 
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [DisplayOrder] => 3
            [HighlightText] => 
Camp in true wilderness under starry skies with hearty meals prepared by your expert guides
            [Description] => Camp in true wilderness under starry skies with hearty meals prepared by your expert guides
            [Image] => 
            [VideoLink] => 
        )

    [3] => Array
        (
            [DisplayOrder] => 4
            [HighlightText] => 
            [Description] => mist lake
            [Image] => https://mts-wp-uploads.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/trips/5BW_162590423.jpg
            [VideoLink] => 
        )

    [4] => Array
        (
            [DisplayOrder] => 5
            [HighlightText] => 
            [Description] => camp
            [Image] => https://mts-wp-uploads.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/trips/5BW_1674274057.jpg
            [VideoLink] => 
        )

    [5] => Array
        (
            [DisplayOrder] => 6
            [HighlightText] => 
            [Description] => canoe
            [Image] => https://mts-wp-uploads.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/trips/5BW_2211985201.jpg
            [VideoLink] => 
        )

    [6] => Array
        (
            [DisplayOrder] => 7
            [HighlightText] => 
            [Description] => moose
            [Image] => https://mts-wp-uploads.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/trips/5BW_2460745057.jpg
            [VideoLink] => 
        )

    [7] => Array
        (
            [DisplayOrder] => 8
            [HighlightText] => 
            [Description] => lake
            [Image] => https://mts-wp-uploads.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/trips/5BW_2467424579.jpg
            [VideoLink] => 
        )

    [8] => Array
        (
            [DisplayOrder] => 9
            [HighlightText] => 
            [Description] => woman paddling
            [Image] => https://mts-wp-uploads.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/trips/5WB_130944947.jpg
            [VideoLink] => 
        )

)

Your Guides

---

The best people to immerse you in a destination are the ones who live there, which is why we feature local Adventure Guides on our trips. Here are a few that you might meet on this adventure.

Dave F.

Dave became enchanted with the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness on a canoe trip as a boy, and has been guiding canoe, kayak, and dogsled trips in northern Minnesota since 1998. Together with his wife Amy, he spent a year in the BWCAW and authored a book about the experience. He is passionate about sharing his knowledge and known for his easygoing guiding style. Dave is a Wilderness First Responder.

Theo T.

Theo is a seasoned outdoor educator who has led outdoor trips and directed programs throughout the US and Canada for the past 30 years. She possesses a bottomless enthusiasm for exploration, inspiring confidence with tips on perfecting a new paddle stroke, learning to identify Boundary Waters flora and fauna, or sharing her outdoor expertise over a stunning meal deep in the wilderness. Theo is a Wilderness First Responder.

Array
(
    [itinerary] => Array
        (
            [0] => Array
                (
                    [DayFrom] => 1
                    [DayTo] => 1
                    [Headline] => Arrive in Duluth, Minnesota and transfer to Ely
                    [ActivityOverview] => 
                    [EstimatedLength] => 
                    [ActivityLevel] => 
                    [ItinBlock] => 
Arrive in Duluth, Minnesota and meet your fellow adventurers this afternoon before heading north to Ely, known as the \"Canoe Capital of the World.\" After a scenic two-hour drive, settle into your cozy hotel and get oriented with your guide—review maps, go over gear and portaging techniques, and prepare for your upcoming time in the wilderness. This evening, explore Ely\'s charming downtown and enjoy dinner with your guide at a local restaurant.
                    [Breakfast] => 0
                    [Lunch] => 0
                    [Dinner] => 1
                    [Travel_Type] => 2 hours private van transfer
                    [Quotation] => 
                    [Quotation_Attribution] => 
                    [Quotation_Location] => 
                    [Itinerary_Location] => 
                    [Latitude] => 46.798
                    [Longitude] => -92.100
                )

            [1] => Array
                (
                    [DayFrom] => 2
                    [DayTo] => 6
                    [Headline] => Canoe in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness 
                    [ActivityOverview] => 3-4 hours hours/7-10 miles canoeing and portaging daily
                    [EstimatedLength] => 
                    [ActivityLevel] => 
                    [ItinBlock] => 
Mornings in the Boundary waters begin in quiet splendor, with the plaintive call of loons and a thin mist on the lake. Setting out early, glide past white pine forests along granite shorelines, navigating large and small lakes and quiet streams, always on the lookout for otters, beaver, mink, and moose. Keep your binoculars handy for bald eagles, loons, herons, pileated woodpeckers, and ruffed grouse too. Your guides will give helpful instruction during porterage between lakes. After camp is set up, your adventure continues with opportunities to explore the woodlands, swim, fish for walleye or pike, or get more paddling time in. When weather and pacing permit, you\'ll enjoy a free day at camp to relax and enjoy lakeside activities. Gather in the evenings for delicious hot meals prepared by your guides and relaxing around the campfire. You may even choose to cap off your day with a stargazing paddle under inky skies!
                    [Breakfast] => 1
                    [Lunch] => 1
                    [Dinner] => 1
                    [Travel_Type] => 
                    [Quotation] => 
                    [Quotation_Attribution] => 
                    [Quotation_Location] => 
                    [Itinerary_Location] => 
                    [Latitude] => 48.00
                    [Longitude] => -91.33
                )

            [2] => Array
                (
                    [DayFrom] => 7
                    [DayTo] => 7
                    [Headline] => Paddle Out of the Boundary Waters & Return to Ely
                    [ActivityOverview] => 3-4 hours/7-10 miles canoeing
                    [EstimatedLength] => 
                    [ActivityLevel] => 
                    [ItinBlock] => 
A final morning on the water brings you to the take-out point, where you trade paddles for a scenic transfer back to Ely, returning to civilization. After checking into your hotel, enjoy a well-earned hot shower before gathering for a celebratory farewell dinner in town. Raise a glass to a week of wilderness adventure and the friendships forged along the way.
                    [Breakfast] => 1
                    [Lunch] => 1
                    [Dinner] => 1
                    [Travel_Type] => 30 minute private van transfer
                    [Quotation] => 
                    [Quotation_Attribution] => 
                    [Quotation_Location] => 
                    [Itinerary_Location] => 
                    [Latitude] => 47.90
                    [Longitude] => -91.848
                )

            [3] => Array
                (
                    [DayFrom] => 8
                    [DayTo] => 8
                    [Headline] => Return to Duluth & Depart
                    [ActivityOverview] => 
                    [EstimatedLength] => 
                    [ActivityLevel] => 
                    [ItinBlock] => 
Choose a local restaurant for breakfast on your own and take a last look at Ely before transferring to Duluth. Leave with lasting memories of wild waters, starry nights, and new experiences in the heart of the Boundary Waters.
                    [Breakfast] => 0
                    [Lunch] => 0
                    [Dinner] => 0
                    [Travel_Type] => 
                    [Quotation] => 
                    [Quotation_Attribution] => 
                    [Quotation_Location] => 
                    [Itinerary_Location] => 
                    [Latitude] => 46.79
                    [Longitude] => -92.103
                )

        )

    [ActivityHighlight] => Guests should be prepared to canoe 3-4 hours per day in typically flat water, with mileage from 7 to 10 miles daily. You should be comfortable canoeing on lakes and rivers in both calm and choppy conditions at a pace of 2 mph over consecutive days. In addition to paddling miles, you will be portaging on .25-1 mile hiking trails that connect waterbodies. 
    [Trip_Level] => 3
)

Accommodations

---

Start and end your trip with a comfortable hotel, spend four nights back-country camping.

MT Sobek Wilderness Camp, Boundary Waters

Adventure Camping

Deep in the wilderness of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, our campsites are nestled amidst pristine lakes, dense forests, and rocky shores, each offering a rugged yet tranquil retreat in untouched nature. Your camp serves as a base for further exploration of the rich ecosystems of this protected area. Swim, paddle, hike, or relax along the lake shore each evening after an exhilarating day of paddling.

Grand Ely Lodge

Comfortable Hotel

Sitting on the shores of Shagawa Lake and bordered by the Superior National Forest, Grand Ely Lodge is a classic Northwoods stay in the heart of canoe country. Rustic lodge-style rooms offer cozy comfort with views of the surrounding forest and water. Dine at Evergreen Restaurant or sip a nightcap at Antlers Lounge. Unwind in the heated indoor pool, sauna, or fireside lobby, or take a stroll beneath the pines of northern Minnesota.