Self Guided Summer Adventures 

What Activity should I choose?

• We offer Canoeing, Kayaking and Paddleboarding on the Muskoka River, bicycles for exploring the local rural roads and trails and an on-site climbing wall so there are many options but which is best for you? The River is one of the best areas in Ontario to paddle, it is very sheltered and has little to no boat traffic. It also offers some spectacular wilderness and three waterfalls to view! You can paddle a short 1 hour to Bracebridge Falls up to a full day of paddling on the two branches. For cycling we offer access to some great low traffic roads which lead to local beaches at Lake Muskoka or tours of the area waterfalls. We recommend using Google Maps to explore our site and routes.
• If you are new to paddling we would suggest our Solo or Tandem Kayaks as the easiest activity to learn on the water.
• If you are traveling with a dog or kids under the age of 10 we would suggest canoeing
• If you are a first timer we would suggest a guided tour or adding an instruction course to your reservation.

Do I need to Reserve in advance?

• All our adventures will need to be reserved through our website however this does not always need to be done in advance for self-guided trips. We carry a large fleet of equipment and many visitors book on the same day or even at arrival. We do recommend for our Guided trips, or if you are a large group that you do plan to make a reservation more than a few days in advance and earlier for weekends. Our complete availability is online so please check here as we are not always able to assist by phone during busy times.
• If you do not have a phone to place your reservation please visit our onsite waterfront kiosk and a staff member will assist with what is available at the time of your arrival.

Can I book for a Full day?

If you are looking for equipment rentals to take away from our site for a trip there is a 2 day minimum and this can be done under our Summer Rentals section. A security deposit will be required for off-site rentals and a check out, check in process as well as assistance with loading your equipment.

Do I need to put in a deposit/down payment for adventures?

All of our adventures and rentals are processed online and are full payment when you place your reservation.

If we pay for an hourly rental and decide to keep the boat/bike out for longer, can we just pay the difference?

With our reservation system we are not able to alter your trip and need to know exactly when each boat is going out and coming back. This means you will need to book for the amount of time you would like to be on the water. If you are debating between two times we suggest you choose the longer of the two as the river offers a lot of area to explore! Note that often there are others waiting for their reservation so we have a late charge of $10 for every 15 minutes you are past your trip time.

What is the cancellation policy?

Your online reservation for adventures is non-refundable through our system and can only be rescheduled prior to your activity time by phone, in person or via email. Groups of 6 or more are required to reschedule more than 24 hours in advance.  Please have a date and time ready for your change at the time of notification. As a courtesy we are able to offer one reschedule which must be in the current season. Additional changes will incur a $15 admin fee.

What is included in the Self Guided Adventures?

All paddling adventures include the boat, life jackets and paddles, a safety kit and assistance from our waterfront staff to get you on the water safely. Bike rentals include helmets, a refillable water bottle. We provide any necessary equipment for boats and bike rentals, all we ask is you return everything you take out.

What happens with poor weather?

Unfortunately we can not control the weather, so if it happens to rain on the day you scheduled your rentals it is up to you if you still want to participate in your activity. We can not issue any refunds due to the weather, but we can reschedule the rental for a later date or time if available in accordance with our cancellation policy.

We have never paddled before. Can we participate?

If you have never paddled before we are here to help so you should either reserve our 15 minute instruction course with a self guided trip or choose a guided trip which includes instruction and a guide to show you the river safely.

What happens if we need to be rescued?

Your safety is our primary objective and want to provide you with the best location to be introduced to outdoor activities. Proper planning is always the best objective. Our Self Guided tours have an option for a 15 minute instruction course for all new paddlers where our waterfront staff will teach you how to properly paddle our boats. Our staff will determine at the end of this course if you are safe to paddle or if conditions are appropriate for your abilities. If you refuse our instruction course and require a rescue we have a $50-150 charge for this assistance. The best objective is to assess your abilities and choose the best option from our offerings.

Where can I keep my belongings while on the water?

We recommend leaving any belongings in your car, but if you do wish to take anything out on the water your best option is to rent or purchase a drybag which are available at check in. Car keys can be left with our waterfront staff and picked up at check out. If you lose any items while on the water we are not responsible for its recovery.

What if I have other Questions?

Many of our general FAQ’s can be found on our summer adventures page for reservations and we recommend you check them out. We have tried to outline most of the questions we receive in detail here in order to save our staff from repeating these details while our shop can be very busy servicing customers on-site.