River of Golden Dreams Canoe and Kayak Self Guided Excursion
Description
Paddling the River of Golden Dreams has been an iconic Whistler activity for over 100 years. To this day, little to no development has taken place on its riverbanks, lending a wonderful opportunity to experience Whistler's wildlife and breathtaking mountain vistas in tranquility.
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(49)
Overall ok. I was very happy we went with a guide as it was a bit more tricky with snagging bushes, sandbars and sunken obstructions than we expected, and I capsized unexpectedly. It did feel a bit rushed and disjointed as the group did not stay together. It would have benefited from some 'stops' for chat, information (not technical instruction etc) and perhaps photos, but felt a bit more of a 'get on with it' paddle.
Thanks for the feedback! We're glad you felt bringing a guide was the right choice for your group. We are always trying to improve group management when there is a capsize on the trip. As you observed, it can be difficult when the group gets split up. We are always striving to make our trips more enjoyable, and will pass this information on to the team. Enjoy the rest of your trip!
Beautiful river, the scenery is breath taking and the staff at Backroads’s are knowledgeable, friendly, and keen to help.
Thanks so much for the kind words! We hope to see you again soon.
We were in luck with fabulous sunny weather. The introduction with Georgina and Jack was excellent with clear instructions on what to expect on the lake and river. The water level was fine for us to be able to pass under a low bridge. Whilst we did need to paddle a bit the current did most of the froward work and all we need to do was steer away from the edges and avoid a few snags. We finished in 15 minutes before Jack came to pick us up
We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience - thank you!
Our kayak adventure with Backroads was amazing. Staff were super helpful, gear was top notch and the paddle was beautiful and fun. We had a guide with us, which we really appreciated. I would recommend Backroads and the River of Golden Dreams kayak excursion to anyone looking for a way to connect with nature and enjoy a few hours of gorgeous BC scenery from the water.
Thank you Susan for the kind words! We hope to see you back soon.
Great experience. Jack and Georgia guided us before and after the self-guided canoe trip and they called to ensure we were on track and good!
Hi Chris, Thanks for the kind words! We're so glad you enjoyed the experience. Hope to see you back soon.
This tour was too expensive for the experience. The tour is mostly carrying your canoe since the water level is so low. During the introduction, they made it seem like you would get out and carry your canoe two times. Most of the river was so low we had to push the canoe almost 50% of the time and had to wait in line for other watercraft’s to get over all the dams and obstacles. The pick up time was 4pm. We arrived as the second group at 414pm and the bus was not there. We were not picked up until 506pm and were left waiting in the rain. We called when we arrived and they said they would be there in 15 minutes, the bus arrived almost 45 minutes later, in the rain and we all waited in the bus for another later tour to arrive. I recommend renting and SUP and staying in the lake at this time of year.
Kayak and staff great, didn’t see the sign for paid parking when we pulled in and got a $50 parking ticket for a 90min stay after paying $200 for an hour in the water….kinda ruined the day, not cool.
Grace was a fantastic guide. She was particularly kind and patient with my son who was initially struggling to grasp the basics. We also experienced views that you’re very unlikely to see on foot, which was well worth the paddling. Grace, thank you; you were the perfect guide for a high maintenance family 😊
5 out of 5. It’s my 5 or 6x doing this with family and diff friends. Always a different experience. This time there were so many beaver dams to go through bec of shallow water level. Really appreciate Alice our guide who patiently made sure our new-to-canoeing friends were well looked after. It was also educational for me as I wanted to learn about beavers after this experience.
Really good kayaking experience and very efficient in terms of the pick up and return at the end. Be prepared to get physical lifting your kayak for a couple of sections.
