How do you get through the COVID-19 crisis with your physical and mental health intact?…

Book Review: The Mackenzie River Guide
Have you ever considered paddling, either by kayak or canoe, Canada’s longest river – The Mackenzie River? If you haven’t, you will after reading Michelle Swallow’s The Mackenzie River Guide: A Paddler’s Guide to Canada’s Longest River.

Michelle takes you on an 1,850 kilometre journey that with good weather and moderate mileage, will take you a minimum of 48 days to complete – assuming you start in Hay River on Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories and finish in Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic Ocean.

Although this book is a guide book in the traditional sense, boasting over 60 beautifully illustrated maps, its got a whole lot more going for it.
Michelle expertly weaves in myths and legends of the native people, and adds in interesting quotes from people who have traveled before her. Traditional and highly unpronounceable – at least for me – place names are also used.

Michelle begins the book with all the useful information you really need to start your own trip planning.
When should you paddle the Mackenzie River?
Unless you want to paddle among icebergs the size of small houses, you really need to wait until mid to late June. Then for a few weeks, you and the mosquitoes can wage full scale war. But by July she says, it’s hotter and the mosquitoes are mostly kept at bay. September is stormy and colder and the bugs are pretty well gone.
Where should you start paddling on the Mackenzie River?
Not everyone has a whole summer to devote to paddling so Michelle offers a breakdown of the number of days it takes to canoe between each of the ten communities you pass through. As an example, you might decide to start in Fort Simpson instead of Hay River and save yourself nine to ten days of paddling.
Kayak or canoe the Mackenzie River?
Read her thoughts on the pros and cons of kayaking versus canoeing. It seems that kayakers are able to continue paddling under adverse wind conditions when canoes, under the same conditions, are forced to stay on shore.
But if you take a canoe you can take more food, wine…and your dog.

A guide packed with information
You’ll find the Mackenzie River Guide to be extremely thorough. Michelle provides great detail about the history and services available in each of the ten towns you pass through.
She’s a big proponent of taking the time to meet and talk to the locals, as well as supporting them by shopping in their communities. And if there is shopping available for food, you’ll know ahead of time and can plan accordingly.
The same goes for transport, dining, camping and other accommodations and community services you might be interested in using.

Where are the best campsites?
Michelle shares her knowledge of where the prettiest campsites are located, on whether you should stay right or left on the river and all sorts of information on the wildlife you might encounter. She also reveals some of her low points so you have a sense of what the worst might be.
The book has many beautiful colour photographs in addition to lovely illustrations by artist Farah Denkovski.

This post includes some affiliate links. If you make a qualifying purchase through one of these links, I may receive a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is even remotely thinking of paddling the Mackenzie River. But I’d also recommend it for the non-paddler as there are plenty of photos and lots of history to make it an interesting read.
You can purchase The Mackenzie River Guide online here.
Further reading about paddling in Canada’s North
- A Canoe Trip on the Remote Thelon River in Canada’s Arctic
- A Canoeing Trip on the Remote Mountain River, NWT
- A Once in a Lifetime Keele River Canoeing Experience
Congrats for your photos!
Congrats for your photos!
The author provided me with those wonderful photos.
Can we practice Rafting in the Mackenzie River ?
We Know Canada is one of the most beautiful countries in the world.
@Osa Peninsula You live in a very special part of the world as well – and what great bird life you have. I wonder how a Mackenzie River rafting trip would be.I have an inkling you may have to paddle quite a bit on it – and you need a whole summer to see the river. I know the people in the NWT would love to have you visit.
Is there any way to get contact the author? I’m purchasing the book but would love to try connect with the author for some insight on this trip. I am in the beginning stages of planning this trip.
@Dana They have a company in Hay River, NWT – so google her name and the company and you should get a phone number.
I am looking for a canoeing partner to go down the Mackenzie River with this summer. Please let me know if someone is interested in joining me. tonythetigerlau@gamil.com
@Tony Hopefully you can find someone. I don’t know if there is still a forum on MEC for exactly this sort of thing.
[…] worth the trip alone, at least if you love to fill in the blanks on a map. Inuvik is located on the Mackenzie River, the longest river in Canada so for me it was a thrill to fly up the river and see it finally […]
[…] You can’t even start until into June – or you’ll be dodging icebergs the size of small houses. There are many options for starting and ending this trip depending on how much time you have. For a detailed account you can check out The Mackenzie River Guide: A Paddler’s Guide to Canada’s Longest River. […]