Questions

COVID-19 Impact?

For Spring, Summer and Fall of 2021, we are operating with complete covid safety in mind.
 
Enhanced safety to protect our clients and staff:

• Staff - Our staff are always masked (new mask for every meal) and washing their hands regularly. Despite heavy demand for our services, we have reduced our staff by 50% to provide the safest possible living conditions.
• We are well supplied. Our founder’s Boy Scout and military background means we have all supplies needed to keep everything, and everybody, disinfected and eating the delicious food we are so renowned for.
• We disinfect everything. Canoes, bicycles, life jackets, helmets and paddles are washed after each use. Sleeping gear is always washed, Glamping tent interiors are thoroughly wiped down between clients and safari tents are washed between use. There will be soap/water or hand sanitizer provided throughout the adventure.
• Social distancing – Private tours offer the perfect way to keep your distance from other park users. And, with so many large sized canoes, it is even easy to keep distanced during our group adventures. As an added measure, all our staff wear face coverings. Since we have many canoes, on group trips different households can travel in separate canoes. 
• Sleeping on safari - All sleeping materials (sleeping bag, liner bag, stuff-able pillow case, and inflatable air mattress) are washed between uses. Each household get their own tent. So, if 8 friends register together, we will provide 8 solo tents.
• Masks – As mentioned above, all our staff (in Algonquin and on the farm) will wear face coverings while working and preparing your gear/food. Clients, on group canoe trips and private bicycle/birding tours will not be obliged to wear masks their adventure. However, everyone must bring a proper (3 layer; no vents or gaiters) mask, and be prepared to easily use it when social distancing can’t be maintained (i.e. on a busy portage trail, squishing together under a rain/bug shelter, changing boat seating due to wind/paddling abilities). Clients on our private VIP electric canoe photography and fishing tours must wear proper (3 layer; no vents or gaiters) masks, at all times, except while eating.
• Cancellations - (100% refund or credit) or changes are possible up to 14 days before departure.  There are no changes, credits or refunds, less than 14 days before departure, so please don't ask us to make an exception for you. If you can't come for any reason, including  possibly being sick, or you came in contact with a sick person, you need to gift your places to a friend/relative or sell them on Kijiji. 

Important: If we must cancel, due to continued government lockdown measures, a full refund will be provided. Any person displaying any signs of illness, will not be permitted to participate, and no refund/credit will be provided. If you are the sort of person who gets really bad allergies (i.e. might seem sick, but is not), please contact us when your allergy season is over.

What should I pack?

Algonquin Park Canoe trip - 3,4 & 5 days

• toothbrush & paste (bio-degradable soap is provided)
• sun screen
• rain jacket and pants (waterproof and breathable)
• 1 shorts, 2 long pants (preferably not denim)
• 2 long sleeved shirts 
• socks/underwear (1 for each day of trip)
• very warm sweater or fleece
• 2 shoes (1 for water - NO flip flops, runners ok)
• bathing suit (optional)
• a book
• towel
• sun hat/glasses
• flashlight
• camera and/or small binoculars
• 25-30 litre backpack (we can rent you one)
• May, June, and even into July, there can be many black flies and mosquitoes. Loose fitting, long sleeved, light coloured clothes are the best defence. Black tights are the worst.
• May/June/Sept./Oct - hat, gloves & long underwear; down vest or similar for possible 32F/0C night lows.​

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No smoking or alcohol. Please use chewable, dermal or vapour alternatives, if required. ​

We supply bug jackets on all multiday trips, so toxic repellents are not needed. If you must bring repellents, please do not bring aerosol or pump dispensers. They are terrible for the whole environment. Creams and wipes are the only responsible way to dispense that type of toxin.

Canoe day trips​
https://www.algonquinparkcanoetrips.com/canoe-tour---6-hour.html
Bicycle day trips
https://www.algonquinparkcanoetrips.com/algonquin-park-bicycle-day-tour---3-hour.html 

Should I tip my guide?

Generally speaking, Canada is a service tipping culture. This is definitely the case in the tourism sector. Although never expected, gratuities are especially appreciated in adventure tourism because most guides can only work part of the year. That all said, tips should be reserved for "good service". Please see this CNN travel article for more information.

What about health and safety?

At all times, safety is our highest priority. Personal flotation devices are mandatory while canoeing. And the supplied helmets are required for our biking tours. All wilderness related activities are supervised by a experienced guide and instructor. Algonquin Adventure Tours guides travel with an advanced first aid kit, the training to use it and emergency satellite communications. All meals served during our adventures are nutritious, well balanced and prepared according to strict sanitary guidelines.

Why Algonquin Adventure Tours?

1. Experience - Company was founded 1996. Paddling Algonquin since 1981.
2. ​Reviews  - Check out our reviews on Trip Adviser, Google and Facebook. 
3. What's included - Multiday trips include sleeping bag, liner, Camping Pillow, bug jacket, hammocks and a souvenir water bottle ($5.99 value)
4. What's included - Participants of all adventures eat Henrietta's and get free high quality photos of their adventure.
5. Insurance - We carry a proper guide and outfitter liability/medical policy. And we are proud that we have never had to use it. Too many "guides" in this industry are not properly insured for water and/or wilderness based activities.
6. Guides - All our guides are career employees with the highest level of wilderness skills training, wilderness first responder (WFR) and safe food handling certificates. Each guide carries an advanced first aid kit to match their WFR training and an InReach for two-way emergency communication. We never use contractors. Too many people seeking Instagram fame, or who might even genuinely like conventional camping, call themselves a "guide" despite lacking any significant wilderness training or experience. Please be careful, if shopping around.
7. Food - We live on a local 6 acre organic farm, just outside Algonquin's west gate, where we grow seasonal vegetables for our multiday tours. We source ingredients, like bread, maple syrup and honey, from local producers. And we cook on top shelf gas stoves to ensure perfect results in all weather conditions.
8. We're local - We live, full-time, just outside Algonquin Park's west entrance. So, most our money goes back into the local economy.
9. Teaching background - Both owners were primary school teachers for many years. So, all AAT adventures are not only fun, but educational as well.
10. Veteran - Stuart, the company founder, served in the Canadian infantry's prestigious Canadian Grenadier Guards' ceremonial guard unit.
11. Safety - Please check out our photos and notice that clients are always wearing clean (because we wash them daily) life jackets and bicycle helmet. Flip-flops are never welcome on any adventure. We have strict safety standards that have ensured no serious injuries in 25 years.
12. We give back to Algonquin - We are one of the largest donors to The Friends Of Algonquin Park annual fundraising raffle.
13. We give back to the community - http://www.canoe4cancer.org/​

Is a payment required when I register?

Yes, full payment is required at registration. We are a small company with a limited busy season. We literally can't afford to have cancellations (see policy below). That is why we only want committed bookings.

Where do the tours start?

All our regular tours start off the highway 60 corridor in Algonquin Provincial Park. The map showing our meeting points for our tours can be seen @ http://goo.gl/maps/WxLAL. Custom tours can go anywhere in the park.

Can I get there without a car?

For the Glamping Extravaganza, you must have a car. It is Glamping, after all. 

For all other tours, a car is, unfortunately, the easiest and often cheapest option. But if you can't drive, please see below: 

Daily service from Toronto: www.ontarionorthland.ca . This service goes to Huntsville and would require arriving in Huntsville the night before departure. The last daily bus to Toronto @ 5:30pm can work perfectly for returns since our multiday tours finish in the park by 3pm. Taxi and shuttle is available (see below) between Huntsville & Algonquin. 

Ottawa service requires using  www.greyhound.ca for Ottawa - North Bay. And then 
www.ontarionorthland.ca for Huntsville - North Bay. Taxi and shuttle is available (see below) between Huntsville & Algonquin. 

Daily service from Pearson Airport: From Toronto's Pearson International Airport, you can get a direct shuttle to Huntsville with http://www.northernairport.com/index.php/northern-airport-schedule. Taxi and shuttle is available (see below) between Huntsville & Algonquin. 

Taxi (about $120 each way) or shuttle ($40 per person, each way) can be arranged from Huntsville to Canoe Lake (Canoe trip starting location) in Algonquin Park and back. The drive takes about 1 hour.

Bus clients are often able to get a free ride back to the Huntsville bus station from other tour participants.

Non-safari baggage can be left with us. We can't assume responsibility for it, but it will be as safe as our own gear.
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Please contact us for further details.

Is it possible to get a refund after I register?

All trips go rain or shine. Only day trips may be canceled if lightning delays departure by at least one hour. In that situation, a credit or refund with be issued at the client's discretion.

As a result of Covid-19, during our 2021 season, cancellations (100% refund or credit) or changes are possible up to 14 days before departure. Less than 14 days before departure, there are no changes, refunds or credits, so please don't ask us to make an exception for you. If you can't come for any reason, including  possibly being sick, or you came in contact with a sick person, you need to gift your places to a friend/relative or sell them on Kijiji. Please advise us of any participant replacements. If we must cancel, due to continued government lockdown measures or any other reason, a full refund will be provided. Any person displaying any signs of illness, will not be permitted to participate, and no refund/credit will be provided. If you are the sort of person who gets really bad allergies (i.e. might seem sick, but is not), please contact us when your allergy season is over.

Gift certificates for our guiding services are non-refundable and do not expire. Their face value can be applied to any product. They are also transferable as long as the purchase receipt is included.

Raffles prizes have no cash value and have expiry dates/blackout periods printed on them. Raffle prizes are only good for the service printed on them. They are transferable, but we must be advised of the change in writing.

To prepare for unplanned events, we always recommend trip cancellation insurance.

Do we accept solo travellers?

Glamping requires double occupancy minimum bookings all the time. Singles would have to pay for 2 adults.

For our multiday canoe safaris & 6h day paddle, solo participants must check with us to find a date that is convenient for our calendar. Or, they can purchase two places and we will refund one, once any other participants register for that date. We require at least 2 adult participants (payments) to run our group trips.

All our 3 hour day tours are private and the same price for 1 or 2 participants.

Do you have an office?

Yes, we maintain an office/farm and live permanently in Dwight, Ontario (10 minutes west of the park's west gate off highway 60) all year long. You can call us anytime (0800-2200EST) at 705-783-7566. Visits are by appointment only as we are usually outside enjoying the beautiful wilderness.