On our private trips we will not combine you with any other group. The trip will be curated to your group’s specific interests and goals.

2 day trip: $1850 base price + $239/adult + $120/child (age 17 and under)

3 day trip: $1850 base price + $489/adult + $245/child

4 day trip: $1850 base price + $739/adult + $370/child

5 day trip: $1850 base price + $989/adult + $495/child

Contact us about pricing for trips longer than 5 days.

Public tours are a great way to visit the Boundary Waters with others while also splitting the cost. Meet new people in an amazing setting! We welcome solo travelers, couples, and friends with all levels of experience! Some trips are designated as Travel focused for 16 and older and others are Base-camping, welcoming those of all ages. Public trips require a minimum of 4 participants. Trips include lodging in a campground the night before the trip and breakfast the morning of the trip start.

3 day trip: $875 per person.

4 day trip: $1066 per person.

Our guided overnight tours are fully outfitted. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Meals and cookware*

• Canoes, paddles, and life jackets

• Dry bags

• Sleeping bags

• Sleeping pads

• Tents

Please note that we do not provide lodging before or after Private Trips and lodging is provided for the first night before entering the BWCA in the form of camping for Public Trips. Lodging fills up quickly in the Grand Marais area so please book in advance in order to secure a spot. Please check out our Where to Stay guide or check out the list below for bunkhouse and economic options:

• Tuscarora Lodge and Outfitters

• Voyageur Canoe Outfitters

• Rockwood Lodge and Outfitters

• Camper Cabins at East Bearskin Campground

We always do our best to accommodate dietary restrictions, however, we sometimes may need to charge a small additional fee in order to accommodate complex dietary needs—this is rare, but just ask us!

We are very flexible with how we structure our guided overnight trips!

See below for a sample itinerary for your start and end dates. Additional days will be tailored to fit your goals.

Start date:

• Breakfast on your own.

• 7am: Meet at an official Boundary Waters entry point or a permit provider for a gear check and to go over rules, regulations, and safety procedures.

• 9am: Start paddling!

• 12pm: Lunch (provided).

• 2pm: Make camp at a designated campsite.

• Free time until dinner! Swim, fish, explore, read, go berry-picking, or relax in the sun.

• 6pm: Dinner (provided) and campfire.

• Free time before bed. Stargaze, look for the northern lights, sit around the campfire, play a game.

End date:

• 7am: Breakfast (provided).

• 8am - 11pm: Paddle to an overlook, swim, fish, explore.

• 11pm: Lunch (provided) and pack-up camp.

• 12pm: Paddle back to the boat launch.

• 4pm: Return, unpack, and say farewell.

• Dinner and overnight lodging on your own.

All of your items will need to fit in a 20-30 liter dry bag. It’s important to have enough warm and dry clothes, but we don’t want to overpack!

We strongly encourage our participants to bring wool or synthetic products which will keep you warm and dry. The saying "cotton kills" reminds us that cotton (and denim, so no jeans!) holds moisture and will draw heat away from a person. Check out this great REI article about how to dress your kids for the outdoors--there's some great info in there that we can all learn from!

• Closed-toe shoes that can get wet

• Sandals (no flip flops)

• Rain gear

• One set of "wet clothes" that will be used everyday while canoeing (we recommend fast-drying pants or shorts, a fast-drying top, wool socks, and a fast-drying warm layer)

• Dry clothes for in camp (wool socks, warm pants, fleece sweatshirt, light down jacket, two shirts)

• Long underwear

• Toiletries

• Headlamp or flashlight

• Hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, bug spray

• Water bottle

• Swimsuit and a compact, fast-drying towel

• Camera

• Book or something to do with your down time

• Fishing gear and permit (if fishing)

• Cash to tip your guide (if desired)

Overnight Trips

Trip participants are required to pay a non-refundable deposit that goes to the cost of the trip. The next payment is due 3 months prior to the trip start date and full payment is due 1 month prior to the start date of your trip. If booking within 1 month of the trip, full payment is required upon booking.

Due to the planning, time investment and sunken costs associated with guided trips, there are no refunds after payments have been collected. For these reasons we highly encourage your group to buy travel insurance. Independent travel insurance is an affordable option to safeguard your vacation investment. It may cover trip cancellation or interruption, medical evacuation, emergency medical services, baggage loss, and more.

If your group needs to cancel, your deposit and up to 50% of your payments will be kept for credit to apply to a future trip. Credit for a trip must be used on the same year or the following year.

If a public trip is cancelled due to the minimum number of participants not being met, a full refund will be issued.

Rules and regulation non-compliance:

If the trip is ended due to rules or regulations non-compliance, the responsible party will not receive a refund. Other parties may receive a prorated credit.

Injury:

If the trip is ended prematurely due to injury, illness, weather, or other environmental factors, you may receive a prorated credit.

Wilderness Area Closure:

If the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is closed by the US Forest Service prior to the start of your scheduled trip, Border Lakes Tour Company will do everything possible to find a time to reschedule within the same season. If this is not possible, you will be credited your deposit and up to 75% of the trip cost to apply to a future trip.

We reserve the right to cancel a trip at any time prior to or during the trip for any reason, including but not limited to weather or safety.