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Algonquin Duke of Edinburgh Winter Expedition

The Duke of Edinburgh International Award Winter Expeditions

From $795+HST/person
3-6 Days 2-5 Nights Accommodation All Meals Snowshoeing, cross country skiing and winter camping

Snowshoe, Ski and Winter Camping Expedition in Algonquin Park's northwest corner

Participate in a winter expedition at Algonquin’s north west corner. This adventure builds true grit as participants ski across frozen lakes and snowshoe through waist-deep snow. Using our Wilderness Education Centre, our Log Cabin as a home base, travel with  seasoned guides and learn to lead groups, winter camp, travel and cook. Participants will also have the opportunity to rest in a heated wall tent and wood fired sauna after an active day. Start and end the trip in our comfortable and unique log cabin.

Authentic Winter Adventure

A truly authentic off-the-beaten path adventure, winter expeditions focus on back-country travel skills, taking participants out of their comfort zones. This trip qualifies for the bronze, silver or gold award.

Learn, Lead and Grow

Duke of Edinburgh International Award expeditions focus on personal growth. Learn new winter travel skills. Participate as part of a team.

What's included

Everything including accommodation, meals, equipment and wilderness instruction

Off the Grid Authentic Adventure
The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award is intended to be a challenge to help foster personal growth. These winter expeditions are fun and offer the right amount of challenge.
No Experience Necessary
No winter experience is necessary, although these trips present unique challenges that may be better-suited to active people who have some outdoor experience. It is recommended that you can be active at a walking pace for up to 4 hours at a time.
Best in Class Food
Whether cooked over a fire in the heart of Algonquin or served at the massive dining table in the Log Cabin, our meals will impress you.
All Equipment Included
Skis, snowshoes, tents, sleeping pads, food and cooking equipment, plus lots more. You bring all your personal items such as clothing, toiletries and a notebook.
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Off the Grid Authentic Adventure

The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award is intended to be a challenge to help foster personal growth. These winter expeditions are fun and offer the right amount of challenge.

No Experience Necessary

No winter experience is necessary, although these trips present unique challenges that may be better-suited to active people who have some outdoor experience. It is recommended that you can be active at a walking pace for up to 4 hours at a time.

Best in Class Food

Whether cooked over a fire in the heart of Algonquin or served at the massive dining table in the Log Cabin, our meals will impress you.

All Equipment Included

Skis, snowshoes, tents, sleeping pads, food and cooking equipment, plus lots more. You bring all your personal items such as clothing, toiletries and a notebook.

Dates and Rates

Dates and Rates

Availability

2024 Departures 

Bronze Trip (Practice and Qualifying Expedition) 
Jan 1-3

March 15-17

Silver Trip (Practice and Qualifying Expedition)
Jan 2-6

March 16-20

Gold Trip (Practice and Qualifying Expedition)
Jan 2-7

March 16- 21

Please call our office for Private dates.

DOE practice and expeditions are available between October  2023 and April 2024 for Bronze, Silver and Gold.

 

Pricing & Options

Algonquin Bronze Duke of Edinburgh International Award Winter Expedition
Bronze Early Bird Pricing
$795+HST/person
  • 2 Nights Accommodation- 1 night Log Cabin, 1 Night Wall Tent
  • All Meals
  • All Winter Equipment
  • Wilderness Guides
Algonquin Silver Duke of Edinburgh International Award Winter Expedition
Silver Early Bird Pricing
$1295+HST/person
  • 4 Nights Accommodation- 1 night Log Cabin, 2 Nights Wall Tent, 1 night basic cabin
  • All Meals
  • All Winter Equipment
  • Wilderness Guides
Algonquin Gold Duke of Edinburgh International Award Winter Expedition
Gold Early Bird Pricing
$1495+HST/person
  • 5 Nights Accommodation- 1 night Log Cabin, 2 Nights Wall Tent, 2 night basic cabin
  • All Meals
  • All Winter Equipment
  • Wilderness Guides

Trip Itinerary

Bronze

Silver

Gold

Bronze Day 1: Practice
Arrive at the Algonquin Log Cabin at 10am
Orientation and pack out
Ice test and safety
Snowshoe down Surprise Lake hauling a sled of gear
Set up winter camp: assembling the wall tent, shoveling and collecting firewood
Snowshoe back to the cabin
Optional sauna
Dinner
Menu planning
Goal setting session
Accommodation in Algonquin Log Cabin
Distance : 7 km
Time at task: 9 hrs
Day 2: Expedition
Breakfast at the Algonquin Log Cabin
Pack out food
Snowshoe or ski hauling sled to the winter camp.
Finish setting up the camp, shoveling, collecting firewood and retrieving water from the lake
Snowshoe to Music Lake and back
Dinner
Snowshoe to tranquility bay Trip reflection
Accommodation in wall tent
Distance : 7 km
Time at task: 11 hrs
Day 3 Expedition
Breakfast in the hot tent
Snowshoe or ski back to the Algonquin Log Cabin
Snowshoe or ski the Kettle Lake trail
Lunch at the Algonquin Log Cabin
Clean equipment and pack-in
Trip debrief and paperwork
Depart at 3pm
Silver Day 1: Practice
Arrive at the Algonquin Log Cabin for 10am
Orientation and pack out
Ice test and safety
Snowshoe down Surprise Lake hauling a sled of gear
Set up winter camp: assembling the bell tent, shoveling and collecting firewood
Snowshoe to Moose Bay and back
Dinner
Snow soccer
Accommodation in wall tent
Distance: 5 km
Time at task: 10 hrs
Day 2: Practice
Breakfast at the winter camp
Take down and clean up camp
Snowshoe back to the Algonquin Log Cabin Cabin
Lunch
Reorganize, clean gear, shape menu and pack-out food
Cross-country ski lesson and ski Kitchie Island
Optional sauna or luge
Dinner
Goal setting session
Accommodation in the Algonquin Log cabin
Distance: 7 km
Time at task: 10 hrs
Day 3: Expedtion
Breakfast at the Algonquin Log Cabin
Pack sleds and snowshoe down Surprise Lake to set up camp
Lunch
Snowshoe to Music Lake using map and compass
Finish setting up the camp, shoveling, collecting firewood and retrieving water from the lake
Dinner
Snowshoe to tranquility bay and night sky interpretation
Accommodation in wall tent
Distance: 9 km
Time at task: 10 hrs
Day 4: Expedition
Breakfast at the winter camp
Break camp and haul sleds back to the Algonquin Log Cabin
Ski island trail
Lunch
Snowshoe to Moose Mountain with map and compass
Dinner in the Lakeview Cabin
Campfire stories of winter travel
Trip reflection
Accommodation in Lakeview cabin
Distance: 10 km
Time at task: 10 hrs
Day 5: Expedition
Breakfast at the Lakeview Cabin
Ski or snowshoe to Loxton Lake
Ski or snowshoe Beaver Loxton Loop
Lunch
Clean equipment and pack-in
Trip debrief and paperwork
Depart at 3pm
Distance: 11 km
Time at task: 8 hrs
Gold Day 1: Practice
Arrive at the Algonquin Log Cabin for 10am
Orientation and pack out
Ice test and safety
Snowshoe down Surprise Lake hauling a sled of gear
Set up winter camp: shoveling, assembling wall tent and collecting firewood
Ski to Otter Bay and back
Dinner
Accommodation in wall tent
Distance: 5 km
Time at task: 10 hrs
Day 2: Practice
Breakfast at the winter camp
Take down and clean up camp
Snowshoe back to the Algonquin Log Cabin
Lunch
Reorganize, clean gear, shape menu and pack-out food
Cross country ski lesson and ski Kitchie Island
Optional sauna or luge Dinner
Goal setting session
Accommodation in Algonquin Log Cabin
Distance: 7 km
Time at task: 10 hrs
Day 3: Expedition
Breakfast at the Algonquin Log Cabin
Pack sleds and snowshoe down Surprise Lake to set up camp
Lunch
Snowshoe to Music Lake using map and compass
Finish setting up the camp, shoveling, collecting firewood and retrieving water from the lake
Dinner
Campfire with winter travel stories
Accommodation in wall tent
Distance: 9 km
Time at task: 10 hrs
Day 4: Expedition
Breakfast at the winter camp
Break camp and haul sleds back to the Algonquin Log Cabin
Ski island trail
Lunch
Snowshoe to Moose Mountain with map and compass
Dinner in the Lakeview Cabin
Torch lit broomball
Accommodation in Lakeview Cabin
Distance: 10 km +
Time at task:10 hrs
Day 5: Expedition
Breakfast at the Lakeview Cabin
Options:
Ski loop to Loxton Lake (15 km+)
with dinner and accommodation in Lakeview Cabin
Or
Snowshoe hauling a sled to Hinsberger Lake (10 km+)
with dinner and accommodation in bell tent
Snowshoe with night sky interpretation
Trip reflection
Distance: 10 – 18 km
Time at task: 10-11 hrs
Day 6: Expedtion
Breakfast at the Lakeview Cabin or bell tent
Ski and snowshoe to the top of the Tower Trail
Lunch on the trail
Return early afternoon
Clean equipment and pack-in
Trip debrief and paperwork
Depart at 3pm
Distance: 12 km
Time at task: 9 hrs

Client Testimonials

“My daughter just did her duke of Edinburgh bronze adventurous journey…she really loved it. She learned so much from her assessor Laramie she was wonderful. Claire was amazing she help me last minute in booking the camp and bus for her.

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“Wow! What a winter adventure the girls had!! Emma had such a good time and also thought the guides were amazing!! Emma especially enjoyed making the Winter Green tea out of fern leaves! The girls are now thinking about their silver expedition in Spring!” 

Kristy 

FAQs

Yes this trip does meet the requirements for the Practice and Qualifying Adventurous Journey. Voyageur Quest works closely with the Duke of Edinburgh Award Office to ensure we are constantly updating our trips to meet the necessary requirements. However, it is important that each student clear the trip with their Award leader as a particular trip may not be qualifying based on previous trips/experiences. 

No! Our Duke of Edinburgh Adventurous Journeys are designed to be a learning experience for all students! The practice journey allows students the opportunity to learn, ask questions and set goals for their Qualifying Journey. 

Absolutely! Most of the students on our scheduled adventures are solo travellers. It is a great opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and meet new friends. 

There is! Due to the early start of our Duke of Edinburgh Adventurous Journey’s students who require transportation can arrive the night before on the Ontario Northland Bus, stay at our Bunkhouse and have dinner and breakfast on site before beginning the practice and qualifying journey!

Yes! All of our scheduled adventurous journeys include the necessary practice, night off and adventurous journey, along with the proper time period based on the level the student is working towards. 

All meals, park permits, equipment, accommodation and services of a wilderness guide/supervisor and assessor is included in the price. Students are required to bring their own clothing and sleeping bag. Sleeping bags are available for rent and transportation can be arranged for an additional cost. 

The specific clothing suggestions do vary based on the trip and time of year, however each student will be sent a detailed packing list upon their booking. 

Each Duke of Edinburgh trip typically has between 5-8 students on each trip. Each trip is co-ed and students are typically between 14-21. 

We are happy to accommodate any dietary requirement. We are able to accommodate vegetarian and most allergies at no additional cost. For more speciality diets such as vegan, lactose-free and gluten-free there is an additional cost. Please be sure to describe your requirement in detail when making your booking. For guests who have an anaphylactic allergy, it is required they bring 2 EPI Pens.   

Following the guidelines and recommendations from the Duke of Edinburgh Award office, it is highly discouraged and often does not meet the requirements of the adventurous journey for parents to join the trip. 

Due to our remote location students and guides will complete the report in person at the end of the trip and take a picture of it. Students then upload a scanned copy or picture of their report and send it to the Duke of Edinburgh Online Reporting Form. This form should should show our VQ email [email protected] as the assessment authorizing  email with the Director’s name, John Langford, noted on the form (NOT THE GUIDE’S EMAIL). The Duke of Edinburgh office will then send the Director at [email protected] an automatic notification requiring him to electronically sign off on the student’s successful completion of both the practice and qualifying journeys.  

All our guides are trained and experienced professionals. They are not camp counselors, but mature wilderness guides with a minimum of 40 hours wilderness first aid training, and many have completed post-secondary degrees in this field. 

Yes definitely! There is a minimum 4 people required for a group and a max of 8 people – the price will range based on how many people you have in your group. 

Are you ready? Book your adventure today!

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SPECIALS & PACKAGES

Experience Winter Camping
March 26-27
Step out of your comfort zone and embrace the last few days of winter, by travelling to a winter camp, sleeping in a heated wall tent and learning winter camping techniques!
Click Here
Algonquin Photo Moose Safari
June 11-13
Spend a weekend searching for the picture perfect moment of Algonquin's amazing wildlife, with professional photographer Rob Stimpson.
Click Here
Algonquin Snowshoe and Chalet
Available March 17-20
Relax in a comfortable chalet suite and snowshoe and cross country ski right from your door!
Click Here
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From $575 per person

2 nights accommodation, all meals and guided excursions
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Trip Enquiry!

Specializing in Algonquin Park Canoe Trips, Lodge-Based Adventure Trips, and Private Cottage Rentals.