Navigating the Nahanni River is a once-in-a-lifetime bucket list experience that reveals a remote and untouched side of Canada few travellers ever see.

"Pop these earmuffs on – you'll need them," says the co-pilot of our vintage 1967 Twin Otter floatplane, his voice barely cutting through the roar of the engines. Soaring above endless boreal forest, dramatic canyons and the mist-shrouded cascades of the thundering Virginia Falls, the plane delivers us into the wild heart of the Nahanni National Park Reserve in Canada's Northwest Territories, setting the stage for an unforgettable journey downstream.

My partner and I are here to embark on a bucket list adventure down the iconic Nahanni River. Our 11-day, 217km guided journey begins at the iconic Virginia Falls and concludes just outside the park at Nahanni Butte. This isn't a high-adrenaline whitewater journey, but rather a leisurely float down the river's winding length – an immersive experience that lets you soak in the pristine beauty of the Northwest Territories at a gentle pace. By venturing deep into the park's five lower canyons and listening as our guides share the area's Indigenous and Gold Rush-era history, each stop becomes an invitation to connect more deeply with the Nahanni's winding path and its storied past.

Ever since RM Patterson's seminal 1954 book The Dangerous River, chronicling the year the writer and explorer spent canoeing these waters, the Nahanni River has held near-mythical status among Canadian paddlers. Towering cliffs, carved over millennia, rise on either side of the water, forming canyons so breathtaking they're frequently dubbed "the Grand Canyon of Canada". For many, journeying down the Nahanni is a kind of national pilgrimage, offering a glimpse into a remote and untouched side of the country that few travellers ever experience. It's not just the dramatic canyons and thundering waterfalls, but the sense of profound wilderness and solitude.

As such, getting here is no simple feat. While a handful of visitors might fly in for a day hike or a scenic flight, the heart of the Nahanni reveals itself only to those who travel by water. The trip can be self-guided or guided, and most outfitters offer multi-day rafting or canoe expeditions, ranging from a week to nearly two weeks.

For us, the lengthy travel time and cost make the 11-day itinerary more worthwhile than the shorter seven-day trip that travels the same stretch of river. This gives us more time to relax at campsites, hike scenic trails and enjoy the river's tranquility. For seasoned paddlers, there are even more ambitious routes: experienced canoeists can begin their journey with whitewater paddling and hiking at the world-renowned Cirque of the Unclimbables, combining hikes among towering granite spires and camping on the shores of Rabbitkettle Lake.

The upper reaches of the Nahanni before Virginia Falls are accessible only by canoe, and contain stretches of flat, calm water and require a vessel that glides swiftly – unlike the bulky rafts we use for our float trip further downstream. The South Nahanni is more famous for its dramatic canyons, but no matter the section, travelling the river is a journey through some of the most remote parts of Canada, where solitude isn't just a possibility but a defining feature. Fewer than 900 overnight visitors explore the park each year, and the chances of........

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