After a few years of hiatus, Float Plane trips are back in the Northern Tier lineup! There is no better way to begin the ultimate scout adventure than with a floatplane ride deep into the wilderness. We are once again teaming up with Atikokan Aero to provide crews the opportunity to launch their trips using float plane shuttles out of our Atikokan base! These float plane trips not only offer the unique opportunity to fly in a plane over the Canadian wilderness but also get your crew deeper into the woods on day one with all your gear. We are excited to bring back these options and look forward to taking off with you in 2026!
Highlights
- Begin your trip with an overhead flight of the areas you will be paddling, seeing firsthand the vastness of the Canadian wilderness, building excitement for the rest of your adventure.
- This exciting and dramatic start to your expedition sets the tone for the entire trip, emphasizing the high adventure elements of a Northern Tier trek.
- Your flight will take you deep into the Crownlands, giving you a head start on getting further into the wilderness
- Float Plane canoe treks can be described as a “trip of a lifetime” by those who participate, creating lifelong memories of remote beauty and thoughtful isolation.
- Trips will be launched using 2 De Havilland Beaver float planes from Atikokan Aero Service LTD, taking crews into the wilderness in two trips (up to 4 flights total). 4-6 people will be dropped off on the first trip before the planes return to the seaplane base to take the rest of the crew/equipment to the entry point.
- 10-night wilderness adventure with 8 nights camping in the Ontario Crownlands and 2 nights spent at Northern Tier’s Atikokan base camp.
- Explore areas too far away for normal Northern Tier trips that showcase the pristine beauty of the Canadian Wilderness.
- Authentic bush plane experience working with commercial seaplane pilots to launch your adventure.
Requirements
- Small Crew Size – Max of 8 crew members, including at least 2 adult advisors (21+)
- 14 years of age or older (13 acceptable if completed the 8th grade)
- The crew is responsible for the cost of their guide’s (interpreter’s) flight
- Cost per flight – $750 USD + tax paid to Atikokan Aero on the day of their flight – carries 2-3 people and a canoe based on the weight and payload of the plane. (minimum of 3 flights, 4 flights for full crew)
- Flights have been held for all our registration slots; crews will need to contact Atikokan Aero LTD under the guidance of Northern Tier to finalize flight plans
Q&A:
Where do we fly to? (Route Options)
We will have multiple float plane entry points into the crownlands, from Anne Bay on White Otter Lake to Dibble Lake, Nora Lake, and more. Routes will be published for selection starting in January. Potential routes will provide options for paddling back to base camp or paddling to a remote pick-up point where a shuttle will transport you back to our base camp on Perch Lake.
How do I reserve my crew’s flights?
Northern Tier has worked with Atikokan Aero to secure generalized trip reservations for each of our sessions’ launch dates. All the crew needs to do is call Atikokan Aero to communicate when their trip dates are, number of people on their crew, and Atikokan Aero can help you determine how many flights are needed per crew. Payments for flights are made on the day of your flight, in person at the Atikokan Aero Seaplane Base.
What do we do if weather/other conditions prevent us from flying on our launch day?
When itineraries are published in January, all crews registered for float plane trips will have the chance to select their primary itinerary along with a backup traditional itinerary. Should conditions prevent flying on your scheduled launch date, you no longer need to pay for those flights and will begin your trek based on your alternative route selection, either paddling out of base camp or being shuttled to a drop-off location.
