Ottawa River

Rope swing in to the water at Wilderness Tours

We were given the chance to see the full majesty of the Ottawa River on our trip through Ontario’s Highlands. We also had the pleasure to meet Joe from Wilderness Tours, a man who has spent his life trying to preserve one of the greatest rafting destinations on earth. Read more about that.

If you’ve never gotten the chance to raft the Ottawa River, do it, now, or when you are done reading this post. It is an amazing experience and the folks from Wilderness Tours know how to do it right.

The river itself defines the border between Quebec and Ontario. Canada’s parliament building are situated on its shores. The river is revered by the Algonquin people who called it Kichisipi, the “Great River.” It played a key role in Canada’s development, as a critical logging corridor. That history can still be seen in the tea-coloured water of the river, that has been dyed by a thick bed of bark and wood scraps that make up the river bottom.

Power, passion, adventure, fun, legacy. The river is truly Canadian.    

Or you can bungee jump into the Ottawa River, if you'd like

What is 150 of our favourite Canadian things? Read about it here